AU Magazine Issue 68

Drew Struzan Painting the pictures Tokyo Police Club Champing at the bit Fight Like Apes More monkey business Ben Myers Writing Richey and hanging with Marilyn

City Of Culture 2013 / Miles Davis / James Dean / Shout Out Louds / Mojo Fury / Oh Yeah Contenders / Jackass —1 AU Magazine— Philip Selway / Steve McQueen / Brendan Benson / !!! / Groom / Ninja Tune / Chief / The Hundred In The Hands

my inspiration Klaxons

I danced myself right out the womb Is it strange to dance so soon?

T-Rex

Cosmic Dancer

Photography by Harley Weir COSMIC DANCER by Marc Bolan.

Published by Westminster Publishing.

—2 issue 68—

AU MAGAZINE ISSUE 68 | CONTENTS UPFRONT

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The Definitive Articles Hot Topic: Derry~Londonderry City Of Culture 2013 Pakistan Floods: The global response Mojo Fury Five To One: Less famous siblings / Band Maths: Kings Of Leon Shout Out Louds / Mouthing Off Oh Yeah Contenders Themselves / My First Band: Local Natives Philip Selway / Unknown Pleasures Brendan Benson / Heartwork Do You Remember What The Music Meant? !!! / Groom Label Profile: Ninja Tune Incoming: Dam Mantle / Detachments / Gallops / Chief / The Hundred In The Hands / Scoundrels / Summer Camp / Teengirl Fantasy Hey You! What’s On Your iPod?

REWIND

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Flashback: The Death Of James Dean History Lessons: Miles Davis A To Z: Phobias Respect Your Shelf: Steve McQueen Classic Show: Jackass

FEATURES

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Drew Struzan Fight Like Apes Klaxons Ben Myers Tokyo Police Club

REVIEWS

56 Album Reviews 66 Unsigned Universe 67 Live Reviews SUBBACULTCHA

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Screen Games Arts Comics Back Of The Net In Pictures: F**k The Scene, Show Me The Green / Fight Like Apes album launch The Last Word: The Dum Dum Girls

To advertise in AU Magazine contact the sales team Tel: 028 9032 4888 or via email: andrew@iheartau.com The opinions expressed in this magazine are not necessarily those of the editor or the publisher. Copyright remains with the author / photographer / designer.

Send demos / mail / material to: AU Magazine, The Marquis Building, 89-91 Adelaide Street, Belfast, BT2 8FE For more info contact: info@iheartau.com For all general and editorial enquiries call: 028 9032 4455 IMAGE:

AU Magazine graciously acknowledges funding support from the Arts Council Of Northern Ireland

25/ FEATURE:

FIGHT LIKE APES

PHOTO BY LOREANA RUSHE

—3 AU Magazine—

EDITORIAL Sometimes a band comes along that manages to encapsulate a moment in time. They represent an era, a trend, a feeling and a style. Sometimes these bands go on to achieve greatness and influence generations. In many other cases they just create smaller ripples and effects. Our very own Panama Kings recently announced that they would be splitting up and calling it a day. While they certainly don’t hold the same influence or impact as the true greats, they have definitely made a huge mark on the Northern Irish musical landscape. Sure, they divided opinion, but so do many great acts. While other NI bands made their name by pulling each other together and fostering collaboration, Panama Kings made their name by generating a following, having a style, and writing great songs. They encompassed what it was like to be a regional band riding the crest of a wave. But like all waves, it eventually reached its natural end. There is a sense that the band could have achieved more in their time, and that the stars just didn’t quite align like they could have. But hey, it was a fun ride, good times were had, music was made and life goes on. We’re looking forward to seeing what the various band members do next, but for now, the Kings are dead. Jonny STUPID THINGS SAID THIS MONTH Seriously, snorkel the fuck out of her.

You'd be quite a high score trump card.

Once my cat dies I'm moving to the west coast.

That has the makings of a BBC prime time drama in my eyes.

I love album covers. Don't you think they're so good?

Not in left tit, logistical nightmare.

You're a right little Martha Stewart aren't you?

I'd be delighted with retardo boy.

They wouldn't know culture if it hit them in the face.

Actually, I love prison life.

Nick Fitzsimons turned up in one of my dreams last night.

ROLL CALL Publisher / Editor In Chief

Jonny Tiernan

Editor

Chris Jones

Contributing Editors

Francis Jones Edwin McFee Ross Thompson

Contributors

Kiran Acharya, Jonathan Bradley, Niall Byrne, John Calvert, Brian Coney, Barry Cullen, Neill Dougan, Charlotte Dryden, Mickey Ferry, John Freeman, Lee Gorman, Niall Harden, James Hendicott, Lisa Hughes, Andrew Johnston, Adam Lacey, Ailbhe Malone, Kirstie May, Nay McArdle, Darragh McCausland, Louise McHenry, Jason Mills, Kenny Murdock, Lauren Murphy, Joe Nawaz, Dom Passantino, Mischa Pearlman, Steven Rainey, Kyle Robinson, Eamonn Seoige, Jeremy Shields.

Design

Stuart Bell, Tim Farrell

Illustration

Rebecca Hendin Shauna McGowan Mark Reihill

Photography

Suzie McCracken Ciara McMullan Loreana Rushe

Advertising Manager

Andrew Scott

Office Intern

Ciara McCullough

If you’d like to stock AU in your business, or you live in an area where AU isn’t currently stocked, but you’d like to see it available, then drop ciara@iheartau.com a line. She’ll sort you out.

—4 issue 68—

Upfront

The Definitive Articles

Words by Chris Jones & Ross Thompson

THE DEFINITIVE ARTICLES YOUR INDISPENSABLE GUIDE TO SUCCESSFULLY NEGOTIATING THE MONTH AHEAD

THE FESTIVAL

Belfast Music Week The week of September 12-19 sees a jumble of frenzied activity as part of the inaugural Belfast Music Week, which is set to feature over 100 gigs around the city, culminating in an MTV special with Mark Ronson playing the Waterfront Hall. Much of Northern Ireland’s finest will be appearing throughout the week, while the second Oh Yeah compilation CD will be launched and The Undertones will be honoured with induction into a new Hall of Fame.

You want highlights? Try LaFaro returning to the tiny Menagerie, scene of their packed-out album launch shows. Or The Undertones, accepting their induction with an intimate gig at the Oh Yeah Centre. Then there’s widely acclaimed NI electronic acts Boxcutter and Space Dimension Controller on the same bill at the Menagerie. Or ‘Belfast Calling…’, which brings several of the North’s biggest bands together on one bill at the Spring & Airbrake. Belfast has much to offer. Let’s celebrate it. CJ

Belfast Music Week runs from September 12-19. www.belfastmusic.org —5 AU Magazine—

The Definitive Articles

Upfront

THE DEFINITIVE ARTICLES

THE GAME

DEAD RISING 2 Dead Rising, Capcom’s affectionate homage to Romero’s zombie movies, provided all kinds of undead smushing fun despite being harder than a cyborg lion. The sequel transports the action from a shopping mall to a Vegas-like casino city, but retains the innovative ways to slaughter the shamblers: dynamite-laced meat, a double-headed chainsaw paddle and an electrified wheelchair are the more family friendly weapons. RT

Dead Rising 2 is released on PC , PS3 and Xbox 360 on September 24

THE MOVIE

HOWL The most prolific and consistently engaging of all the Beat Poets, Allen Ginsberg wrote about all the unmentionables: drug use, politics and homosexuality. This fascinating biopic recounts the bungled obscenity trial slapped on Ginsberg for ‘Howl’, a very public persecution which highlighted the rotten heart at the centre of American society. It has a cast to die for, and James Franco’s channelling of Ginsberg’s spirit is astounding. RT Howl is on general release on September 24

MARTYN – GREAT LENGTHS THE SHORT FILM

Dutch dubstep producer Martyn has released a short film as a tribute to his father Gerrie Deijkers, a footballer and PSV Eindhoven great who died in 2003. Soundtracked by three of Martyn’s productions, all featured on last year’s Great Lengths album, Martyn plays a version of his father, interpreting the heart attack that killed him (transposed to a snowcovered football pitch) and a wake afterwards. Eerie but strangely beautiful, and daringly creative. CJ Watch the seven-minute film now at bit.ly/martyngreatlengths

—6 issue 68—

YOUR INDISPENSABLE GUIDE TO SUCCESSFULLY NEGOTIATING THE MONTH AHEAD

THE TV SHOW

THE INBETWEENERS, SERIES 3 Something of a junior Peep Show, The Inbetweeners returns this month for a third series on E4. We find hapless sixth formers Will, Simon, Jay and Neil in their final year at Rudge Park Comprehensive, now the oldest kids in the school and looking forward to having their “pick of the birds”.

“I reckon we’ll get through this lot before half-term, then move on to the teachers,” reckons lanky dimwit Neil.

How d’you reckon that’s going to turn out? CJ

THE BOOK

Long championed as one of the pioneers of British stand-up and soon to return to our screens with another run of Comedy Vehicle, Stewart Lee is one of the sharpest, smartest comics around. His latest book collects the scripts of his most recent shows, annotated and bolstered with his own observations and the meandering tangents which characterise his routines. RT

How I Escaped My Certain Fate: The Life And Deaths Of A Stand-Up Comedian is out now

The Inbetweeners, Series 3 starts in September on E4

THE RECORD

SUFJAN STEVENS – ALL DELIGHTED PEOPLE EP

THE COMEDIAN

Last month, Sufjan Stevens sprang a surprise and released his first set of songs since 2006’s Songs For Christmas – solely on Bandcamp.

The All Delighted People EP (more of an album, at an hour long) is utterly wonderful, and features at least two of the songs of the year in the title track (two versions) and the 17-minute ode to his sister, ‘Djohariah’. All the more reason, then, to mark October 11 in your diary – that’s the release date of The Age of Adz, the ‘proper’ follow-up to 2005’s Illinois. Can’t wait. CJ

THE SONG

Sufjan wasn’t the only artist to go viral last month. ‘Fuck You’, the new single from Gnarls Barkley vocalist Cee-Lo Green, has been everywhere, and with good reason. Sure, the eye-catching title helps, as does an ingenious lyrics-only video (two million hits in its first week), but most of all it’s just a great song – postbreak-up catharsis wedded to sweet, old-school soul; joyous and fun.

Eamon, this is not. CJ

Watch the video now at bit.ly/ceelofuckyou

AL MURRAY, PUB LANDLORD There aren’t many comedians who make an entire career out of a single character, but Alastair James Hay Murray has so far managed it as xenophobic publican The Pub Landlord. Dodge the flying lager and some near-the-knuckle banter as Murray leaves his beloved homeland and gets stuck into Irish audiences. CJ

Al Murray Pub Landlord appears at the Waterfront, Belfast on October 7 and Vicar Street, Dublin on October 8

All Delighted People EP is available now from sufjanstevens.bandcamp.com

CEE-LO GREEN – ‘FUCK YOU’

STEWART LEE – HOW I ESCAPED MY CERTAIN FATE

THE TV PREMIERE

THIS IS ENGLAND ‘86 If you’ve been longing to find out what happened to Milky after the credits rolled on This Is England, or whether Woody and Lol stayed together, fear not, for you are about to find out. This Is England ’86 is a new Channel 4 drama serial, also written and directed by Shane Meadows and featuring much of the same cast as the film. It picks up three years after the film ended, during the 1986 World Cup, when the Tories were in charge and the recession was biting hard.

How times change… CJ This Is England ’86 starts September 7 on Channel 4

—7 AU Magazine—

City Of Culture 2013

Hot Topic

STRAIT LACES DERRY-LONDONDERRY BY NIGHT

LEARNING FROM LIVERPOOL What’s in store for Derry~ Londonderry in 2013?

After winning the UK City of Culture award for 2013, hopes are high for music and art in Derry~Londonderry.

So what can small organisations in the city learn from a former European City of Culture, Liverpool?

Words by Kiran Acharya & Charlotte Dryden

—8 issue 68—

On Thursday July 15, Derry~Londonderry was announced as the first UK City of Culture, for 2013.

Since the award was announced in a BBC One Show broadcast from Liverpool, many in the city have rejoiced while others have been sceptical. Others have carried on the good work taking place long before the city was officially tagged ‘cultured’.

But what does it mean for Derry? If the award is based on the city’s contribution to art, music, literature, food and diversity, then surely Sheffield, Norwich or Birmingham are just as, if not more, worthy of the title.

However, the award aims to develop the winning city to its fullest potential between now and 2013.

While no Government funding has been pledged, it is hoped that the title will attract tourists and promote investment in Derry, creating regeneration opportunities which will result in additional jobs and facilities.

Besides the potential economic benefits, Derry already has a range of arts projects and organisations rooted in the city. The Nerve Centre, the Gasyard, the Void and Context Galleries, the Playhouse and the Waterside Theatre work with countless grass roots artists and musicians who have limited financial support to keep the arts alive. Without investment in these people, culture and entertainment in the city is likely to be dominated by banal, corporate, PR-driven cash-in performances like Jedward at the Millennium Forum.

In the world of music, Derry is home to one of Northern Ireland’s most respected independent labels, Smalltown America Records. Label boss Andrew Ferris believes that the award is a platform from which organisations can “leap bravely into the future”. The challenge, he says, is for the organising team to harness the imagination and energy of the people, turning it into a great programme for 2013.

“It’s amazing that Derry~Londonderry has won this title,” he says. “Musically, it provides everyone in Northern Ireland with the opportunity to bring the very best to our region.” Ferris would like to see organisers thinking big, revealing his wish-list: “The Fall in The Celtic Bar, a Brian Eno installation in The Brandywell, David Byrne in St. Columb’s Cathedral.”

And what does he hope Smalltown America can bring to the programme? “I hope young teens benefit most from the award. This is our opportunity to inspire young minds through masterclasses and world-class performances in theatre, dance, music, literature and visual arts. There are very few pathways open to those who want commercial artistic careers. Hearing the stories of those that have succeeded is key to becoming a success yourself.”

At this early stage, Ferris has one reservation.

“We need permanent improvements to our transport system, cutting visitor journey times and encouraging trade. It is difficult to see where funding

City Of Culture 2013

Hot Topic

Kiss Their Derry Airs

For such a small city, Derry has a proud tradition of excellence in the arts. If all goes to plan, Derry~Londonderry 2013 could help the city’s youngsters follow in the footsteps of these fine role models…

Seamus Heaney Now in his 70s, Heaney is widely recognised as one of the most important poets of the 20th century. Born in Bellaghy, Co. Londonderry, he was educated at St. Columb’s College in Derry city, before moving to Belfast where his lifelong commitment to poetry began.

Willie Doherty Derry-born artist Doherty has twice been nominated for the Turner Prize, the most prestigious award in British art.

Having witnessed Bloody Sunday as a child, he credits that experience and the various ways it was represented for his fascination with multiple meanings in photography and film.

Bronagh Gallagher The actress got her big break in The Commitments while in her teens, and has since appeared in Pulp Fiction, Star Wars Episode 1: The Phantom Menace, Divorcing Jack and many more. She even collaborated with Brian Eno on an album – 2004’s Precious Soul.

The Undertones Led by Feargal Sharkey (now the CEO of UK Music) and the O’Neill brothers, Damian and John, The Undertones were, for a time in the late Seventies and early Eighties, one of the biggest bands in the UK and Ireland. Responsible for a string of pop-punk classics, they split in 1983 but reformed with new singer Paul McLoone in 1999.

Amanda Burton Born in Derry in 1956, Burton has been a fixture on British TV since she landed a role in Brookside at the age of 26. In the mid-Nineties, roles in Peak Practice and then Silent Witness cemented her status as one of the best TV actresses of her era.

for these things will come from. It certainly needs some thought.”

The UK City of Culture award was created after Liverpool was awarded European City of Culture status in 2008. Arts organisations worked with Liverpool City Council’s Welcome 08 programme to develop The Taxi Project, in which selected drivers were armed with an invigorated knowledge of art, taking to the roads with cameras installed in their cabs to initiate conversations with passengers. The debates were shown at the Tate Liverpool, later broadcast on More4.

While Derry~Londonderry will have to wait to assess the benefit of the award, organisations in Liverpool are delighted with Derry’s victory and are now in a position to explain just how valuable the 2008 European award was.

“We were really happy when we heard Derry had won,” says Jenny Jones of independent arts organisation Metal. In 2008 Metal were able to extend their premises to Liverpool’s Edge Hill Station, hosting exhibitions and film screenings while the remainder of the refurbishment budget was raised.

Although the European award was on a greater scale than Derry’s UK award, the additional enthusiasm allowed artists and organisers at Metal to realise some of their bigger ideas. Jones worked with artists to create one of three outdoor commissions for areas on the outskirts of Liverpool city centre, extending the cultural activity to lesser-visited areas.

“Metal commissioned ‘Nexus’, an enormous outdoor sculpture for the approach to Edge Hill Station,” says Jones. “It was created by a father and son team from Colombia, Juan Manuel Palaez and Luis Fernando Palaez. This helped us to attract attention to our ambitions for Edge Hill Station, and to test what audiences would enjoy.”

Arts organisations in Liverpool have built upon the award-winning year. In 2008 The Tate Liverpool celebrated its 20th anniversary, attaining a record 1,088,504 visitors. Tate Media, the museum’s digital division, went on to work with director Mike Figgis to produce four short films, and also implemented the first European iPod Touch multimedia tour. The Turner Prize exhibition, which has been mooted to travel to Derry in 2013, attracted 72,000 visitors.

The gallery’s directors Andrea Nixon and Christoph Grunenberg have now initiated a citywide programme of parallel exhibitions and events exploring the themes of forthcoming exhibition Afro-Modernism: Journeys through the Black Atlantic.

Participating partners include the Walker Art Gallery, the Foundation for Art and Creative Technology (FACT), and Metal. Although the Tate is an established cultural brand, Jones explains that smaller organisations are by no means eclipsed by bigger institutions.

“The smaller, more independent organisations make Liverpool’s cultural diversity what it is,” says Jones. “In 2008 this didn’t change. Independents became more savvy, extending to new audiences.

There were also structures in place to make sure that all organisations got exposure, no matter how big their marketing budget was.

“The sector has been made stronger. The collective voice is now much louder. We are working together and making plans for collaborative programming all the time. There is a broader interest and more positive approach to cultural activity. This has been important for not only the organisations, but for the artists, performers and writers as well.” www.cityofculture2013.com

GARBHAN DOWNEY Formerly a journalist for the Derry Journal, Londonderry Sentinel, Irish News and BBC Northern Ireland, in 2004 Downey moved into fiction, and he now has six comic novels under his belt. Oh, and in 2006 he helped set up Verbal, a Northern Ireland literary magazine.

Andrew Ferris Jetplane Landing mainman Ferris is now better known as the man behind Smalltown America Records, the Derry-based label responsible for launching the careers of fellow Derrymen Fighting With Wire as well as ASIWYFA and LaFaro. One of Ireland’s finest labels, no question.

ANDREW FERRIS

The Nexus sculpture, Edge Hill Station, LiverpooL

—9 AU Magazine—

Pakistan Floods

Upfront

FLOODS OF TEARS

As Pakistan suffers, we ask: what makes the world’s charitable response so imbalanced?

Pakistan, unfortunately, is an unfashionable destination. In fact, when I suggested adding a brief foray into the country to the end of my Indian adventures last summer, my mother sent me links to a host of crimes against foreigners in the country, and my grandfather rambled about terrorism. Haiti, another sufferer amongst a spate of natural disasters this year, is one of the poorest and least safe countries in the world, but aside from the earthquake, it’s best known for Wyclef Jean’s presidential push. Both are currently (at least in parts) in a state of disrepair that most of us can barely imagine. Given the similarities, what is it that makes Pakistan’s struggle for financial aid following their recent flood so much more difficult?

To be fair, we’re all struggling for money these days.

If you still feel unaffected by the recession, you’re in the minority, and with the tragic earthquake in Haiti taking place before the equally disastrous floods in Pakistan, it may simply be a case of ‘not enough cash to go round’. The magnificent Belfast4Haiti campaign raised an impressive £50,000 in its own right, and the public response to the country’s issues around the globe has been universally praised. But though the UK public’s response has been highlighted, Pakistan has not yet captured the global public’s – or politicians’ – imagination in the same way.

UN funding expert Louis-Georges Arsenault recently described the situation in Pakistan as “by far the worst humanitarian crisis we’ve seen in decades.” With images filling our news screens of the mass of floodwater slowly breaching makeshift mud defences, the problem is perhaps that – aside from the displacement of people – the true results of the flooding just haven’t been emphasised enough.

—10 issue 68—

Costs have already been estimated at in excess of £10 billion, while floodwaters are leaving behind a trail of unsanitary conditions and ever-spreading diseases. At the time of writing, the death toll is thought to have reached 1,600 (a conservative estimate by some accounts), and the total number of displaced persons stands at over 17m, 1.6m of whom are already suffering from potentially fatal diseases, the cause of most of the deaths to date. A second wave is expected as floodwater recedes. A lack of medical attention could – and almost certainly will – lead to an even higher casualty figure. Several communities remain cut off by the floodwaters, with assisting helicopters in short supply.

Meanwhile, the normally successful UN aid project – relying on both public and government money – has still raised less than 70% of the cash

conservatively required, much less of which has actually reached the ground.

Ambivalence towards Pakistan could come from a number of sources, including the high numbers of charity workers on the streets and a sense of disaster fatigue due to the amount of other recent headlinegrabbing catastrophes – Haiti and floods in China to name two – to the kind of clichéd ‘terrorism’ reaction my grandfather put forward when I first suggested a visit. It’s not, admittedly, the most fashionable or well-liked location in the world, but it’s Pakistan’s normal citizens that are suffering, and for all our own economic problems, they certainly need the cash more. After all, we’d expect the same if it happened to us. James Hendicott To make a donation, head over to Oxfam.org.uk

Mojo Fury

THE FILTH AND THE FURY Scuzzy Belfast rockers Mojo Fury on their pilgrimage to Sweden

Children of nu-metal, can you recall the arrival of Kerrang! TV? In 2001, it became our rocking saviour. Suddenly Disturbed’s David Draiman was screaming “OH-AHAH-AH-AH!” in our faces because someone had pierced his chin with a u-nail; Marilyn Manson’s tyrannical pirouetting mannequins and transgender creations bemused rather than frightened; and an unassuming trio from Essex, with a gravelly voiced, tousle-haired singer, rose to prominence, before quickly fading into shitty metal obscurity. That band was InMe – remember them? – and later this year, an erotically named rock band of our own will be supporting them at two shows in London: Belfast’s Mojo Fury. It’s a small word, and a wonderful life etc.

With their debut album, Visiting Hours Of A Travelling Circus, just wrapped up, AU chatted with their buoyant guitarist, James Lyttle.

“We recorded the album at Start Together studios in Belfast with Rocky O’Reilly, who was great to have working with us,” he says.

“Mike [Mormecha, frontman] and I then trekked to Sweden to mix it with Jens Bogren.” Sorry, who? “Jens controls Fascination Studios, and has a great reputation

from recording bands like Opeth, Katatonia, and Soilwork.”

Having plied their trade with countless shows throughout the UK and Ireland over the past few years, and with three EPs under their belt, tracks like ‘The Mann’ and ‘Deep Fish Tank’ display both a solidity and a toned swagger missing from their earlier material: the abrasiveness and raw passion of early Nirvana and Shellac is palpable, but one can feel this energy being consciously reined in by QOTSAesque inklings of suave, street smart rock.

A recent management deal has afforded the band another chance to tour the UK, this time with Oceansize. As far as the future is concerned, James is confident and positive. “There’s a real sense of excitement in the Mojo camp at the moment. We are just beginning to build momentum and we hope to be making waves in 2011. This won’t be the last you’ll hear from us.” And if it is, we’ll know they’ve been taking tips from InMe. Kyle Robinson The album will be released on Graphite Records early next year, with the first single ‘The Mann’ out on October 3.

news shorts Belfast duo Skibunny – best known as DJs and remixers – release their debut artist album on September 27 via Smalltown America. It’s launched on the 15th with a gig on The Barge beside Belfast’s Waterfront Hall. Free tix via info@smalltownamerica.co.uk Two Door Cinema Club

re-release their debut album Tourist History on September 13. It’s packaged with a bonus disc featuring new song ‘Kids’, remixes and a documentary on the band made by Babysweet Sessions.

Dan Le Sac v Scroobius Pip, Midlake and Beach House are among several acts

confirmed for the Harmonic Series season of gigs in Dublin in October and November.

Witchy weirdos Liars’ new EP Proud Evolution is out on October 18 via Mute, and it features a Thom Yorke remix of the title track, plus three new tracks.

Parent album Sisterworld is out now.

—11 AU Magazine—

Upfront

Five To One / Band Maths

FIVE TO ONE // LESS FAMOUS SIBLINGS

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Brian Doyle-Murray He may not have been nominated for an Academy Award. He may not have had leading ladies like Uma Thurman, Sharon Stone or Scarlett Johansson. He may not hold the keys to making another Ghostbusters movie. But Brian Murray (the ‘Doyle’ is his and Bill’s mother’s maiden name) has one thing over his younger, more famous brother. Brian – whose acting career peaked with playing Chevy Chase’s uptight boss in National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation – is the co-writer of golfing comedy masterpiece Caddyshack. He can also claim to have given Bill his first break, at Chicago’s Second City improvisational troupe. The shorter, fatter, dumpier Murray has been repaid with cameos in everything from Scrooged to Groundhog Day. Pamela Springsteen Bruce’s kid sister opted not to attempt to emulate The Boss’s musical success, but she did give acting a go. These days working as a still photographer in Los Angeles, old Pam remains best known for playing killer Angela Baker in 1988’s Sleepaway Camp II: Unhappy Campers, a Freddy-and-Friday…-aping slash-‘em-up co-starring Renée (sister of Emilio and Charlie Sheen) Estevez. Springsteen also appeared in Sleepaway Camp III: Teenage Wasteland – this time with Tracy Griffith, half-sis of Melanie – in which her character presciently rapped, “You’ve got no style, got no flair / All you do is fight and swear / So say your prayers and make amends / ‘Cause your life story is about to end.”

Words by Andrew Johnston

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Chris Jagger In 2007, after 40 years of pretending he didn’t exist, Rolling Stones legend Mick Jagger finally joined his younger brother Chris onstage – in front of 40 punters at the Bull’s Head pub in Barnes, south-west London. The jam took place at one of Jagger Jr’s gigs – he fronts a blues band called Atcha!

– during a cover of the Stones’ ‘Dead Flowers’. Before the headline-grabbing hook-up, Chris had dabbled in clothes design, journalism and acting, and spent a spell meditating in the Himalayas. He has also released eight albums of his own – many of them as good as anything Sir Mick and co have come up with of late.

Paul Gallagher Liam got the looks. Noel got the talent.

Paul got the book deal. The firstborn Gallagher – Paul was given a room to himself, while Noel shared with Liam – cashed in on the family fame in 1996 by co-penning Brothers: From Childhood To Oasis – The Real Story with The Word presenter Terry Christian. Despite keeping a hand in the music business by managing various small-time Manchester bands, the eldest Gallagher – chubbier, hairier and lairier than his siblings – never got the call to plug in for Oasis, despite estranged dad Tommy’s 1982 dream of Paul on guitar, Noel singing and Liam on drums. “They were destined for this,” said Tommy in 1996. Well, not all of them.

Frank Stallone More of a Sicilian Stray than an Italian Stallion, Frank – brother of Sylvester – Stallone has had to content himself with starring in the direct-to-video likes of Terror In Beverly Hills and The Roller Blade Seven. Hapless Stallone – whose most recent screen credit is a selfmocking cameo in Fred Claus – was used as a recurring punchline on Saturday Night Live’s Weekend Update. “The most popular toy of 1996: ‘Tickle Me Elmo’,” began one Norm Macdonald wisecrack.

“And the least popular toy of 1996, you guessed it: ‘Tickle Me Frank Stallone’.”

But Frank can take solace in the Golden Globe and Grammy nominations he earned for singing on the soundtrack of big bro’s Staying Alive. ‘Far From Over’ even hit number 10 in the US in 1983.

BAND MATHS NO.4: NO.1: KINGS U2 OF LEON 43% 'REAL MUSIC’ 25% BEARDS 14% WHISKEY 8% THE BIBLE BELT 6% PIGEON SHIT 4% THE FAINT WHIFF OF INCEST

—12 issue 68—

Shout Out Louds / Mouthing Off

LOUD AND PROUD

Words by John Freeman

Swedish indie rockers Shout Out Louds get back to work

MOUTHING OFF

Andrew Johnston vents his considerable spleen for your pleasure As I write, The Dangerfields are bracing ourselves for a week of UK dates with The Dwarves. Sex! Drugs! Midgets!

Hookers! Or so you might think. We toured with the San Franciscan punk legends in 2007, and as well as being pleasantly surprised to find that they are genuinely nice guys (their genitals-baring, equipment-trashing, audienceattacking reputation precedes them), we were shocked to discover that backstage at a Dwarves show is a place of laptops, books and herbal tea, rather than whores, porn mags and smack.

SHOUT OUT LOUDS

It is 9,600 miles from Sweden’s swish capital, Stockholm, to the buzz of Melbourne, Australia.

That a lot of mileage to put between yourself and your band. But it is exactly how far Adam Olenius, the singer-songwriter with Swedish indie rock troupe Shout Out Louds, was prepared to go to seek inspiration and a new perspective ahead of writing the band’s third album – the hugely impressive Work – which finally gets a release here this month.

After a relentless touring schedule to promote 2007’s Our Ill Wills, the Shout Out Louds were low on energy and high on inter-band over familiarity.

“We toured constantly for about four years, so we decided to take six months off,” Adam tells us.

“Sometimes you lose your own identity when you are in a band. You’re a collective all the time, so I think everyone wanted to do their own stuff.”

While other members chilled out at home, Olenius sought out southern Australia. Adam decided to shack up with his Aussie girlfriend, and while she worked he locked himself in her apartment and began to create. “I moved down there to get away from everything for a while. Melbourne is such a cultured city, with its music and galleries. I went down there for love, but I was really happy it was in a different time zone because it meant I was so isolated. I was away from friends, and the bars and clubs of Stockholm. I was thinking a lot about our career as a band.”

So how much of a mark did Melbourne leave – is Work a solar-powered album? “There were a few songs that the band told me sounded too much like sunny beaches, as if I’d been in the sun too much,” admits Adam. “There were incidents in Australia that influenced me – the people I met. Outside my window were loads of drug dealers and I overheard so many conversations about scoring and how that works. So, I learned a lot about that!”

Work was produced by Seattleite Phil Ek (“I liked the bands he worked with like The Shins. We wanted it to be a non-Swede this time and try something different”) and is a more basic affair than previous albums. “We wanted this record to sound a bit more traditional, with a more old-fashioned way of recording it – all in the same room with live takes. We wanted to go back to where we started from and get the energy back, I think. We needed to be stripped down and simple.”

Recorded just outside Seattle, the band made a comforting discovery. “We actually ended up living in a house which was in an old Scandinavian fishing neighbourhood; some of the restaurants had menus in Swedish, which was really weird.”

Be it halfway around the world or at a Swedish home-from-home, Shout Out Louds have made it work. John Freeman

Work is out on 20 September via Merge.

news shorts Belfast’s Panama Kings have announced that they are to split after fulfilling their gigging commitments, with a final gig on November 4 at the Speakeasy in Belfast. We wish them well.

Electronic adventurers Holy Fuck return to Ireland in November with gigs at the Speakeasy, Belfast (18th) and

Whelan’s, Dublin (19th). Their latest album Latin is out now on Young Turks.

Sufjan Stevens’ new album The Age of Adz is out on October 11. He released a new, hour-long ‘EP’, All Delighted People, last month on his Bandcamp site. We highly recommend checking it out.

East Antrim’s finest, Therapy? celebrate their 20th anniversary by playing their 1994 classic Troublegum in full at the Mandela Hall in Belfast on October 15. Support from LaFaro and Axis Of. Dublin electronic act Anodyne have released an EP of remixes on the

Psychonavigation label, featuring reworkings by Warp legends Autechre and The Black Dog among others.

Hey everybody, there’s new music from Björk! ‘The Comet Song’ is on the soundtrack of the forthcoming Moomins 3D movie. It’s out now.

It’s actually a familiar story. The craziest bands with the wildest stage antics almost always turn out to be the most genial and laid-back in person. Often, it’s because they’ve abandoned the maniacal, devil-may-care ways of their youth in favour of clever merchandising and Alcoholics Anonymous.

A few years ago, we toured with The Supersuckers, another act with a hard-partying persona. At the first gig, in Dublin, we wandered in to find main men Eddie Spaghetti and Ron Heathman – they of cowboy hats, shades and songs about fisticuffs and cocaine – playing chess. At our support slots with Marky Ramone, he had banned booze from backstage.

Zeke – signature tune: ‘Let’s Get Drugs’ – would sit in their dressing room, jamming old Kiss songs. The common link is, of course, that most of these guys are recovering alcoholics.

After a certain amount of time on the road, sobriety and rock ‘n’ roll seem to go hand in hand. Yet the abovementioned musicians have the good sense to keep it off the stage – unlike, say, the wretched frontman of The Queers. “My name is Joe Queer and I’m an alcoholic and drug addict,” is the vocalist’s standard opening gambit, and it’s the last thing you want to hear at a rock show. The only person more boring than a mouthy drunk is a mouthy ex-drunk. I don’t want to know about how AA saved your life, or how ‘recovery’ is the best thing since being off one’s tits. Rehab schmehab.

This month, I’ll be six years sober, but you will never hear me talk about this at Dangerfields gigs. We still occasionally play gutter-dwelling anthems like ‘Let’s Get Fucked’, ‘What’s Difficult?’ and ‘Midnight Scene’, despite a certain cleaned-up ex-member’s demands to drop them, because they didn’t fit with his own moral crusade.

I quit drinking because I was a fucking mad man, and was in the fast lane to killing myself or someone else. I’m not thrilled to be dry. I’m not on a campaign to save people from the demon drink, or to turn them away from drugs.

I’d love nothing more than to down a bottle of whiskey and wreck the place. But I am mature enough to know that those days are in the past, for me. If other people can handle the pace, I wish them all the best.

Sure, alcohol and drugs can ruin lives, but so can fast cars, loose women and excessive volume, all essential ingredients of the rock ‘n’ roll mix.

—13 AU Magazine—

Oh Yeah: Contenders

Upfront

Track-By-Track

Words by Chris Jones

8. Pretty Child Backfire A Gentleman’s Afternoon It’s impossible to listen to this track and not think ‘Vampire Weekend’. So we’ve said it, it sounds uncannily like Vampire Weekend. No doubting the chops though, and there is the hint of promise in the songwriting, once PCB find their own voice.

9. Colly Strings To The Water Named after a Manchester Orchestra song and evoking Frightened Rabbit and Biffy Clyro, the only surprise is that this North Down foursome don’t have magnificent beards to match their influences. They’re only young. But what a voice frontman Travis Gilbert has – ‘To The Water’ is a proper anthem, and rather affecting with it.

10. Axis Of We Dine On Seeds

and packing out venues already, after just one EP. ‘Set Fire To The Night’, like many in their canon, marries the swooning to the shouting with precision.

The biggest name on the CD and, true enough, one of the strongest songs. Portstewart brawlers Axis Of play punk rock with balls and enormous, bludgeoning riffs. ‘We Dine On Seeds’ adds a bit of a metal chug and some fine screaming into the bargain. Marvellous.

5. Silhouette Can’t Keep Up

11. Bellwether State Safe Spaces

THE WONDER VILLAINS

Back in 2008, the nascent Oh Yeah Music Centre in Belfast embarked on a worthy and highly successful project – to reflect the healthy state of Northern Ireland’s grassroots music scene by inviting a load of its best bands to record a track at its in-house studio, and compile them in an album, the Oh Yeah Sessions.

Acts involved included General Fiasco, And So I Watch You From Afar and LaFaro, all of whom have gone from babysteps to giant leaps.

Now, it’s the turn of the next generation as the sequel, Oh Yeah Contenders is launched this month as part of Belfast Music Week. Here’s our track-by-track guide of what to expect.

1. The Wonder Villains Ferrari Arguably shining the brightest of all the new batch, the Derry teens kick off the compilation in some style, ‘Ferrari’ standing as the perfect advert for their synthfuelled indie-pop. These girls couldn’t write a bad melody if they tried.

2. Rams’ Pocket Radio 1+2 Pete McCauley is a talent, of that there is no doubt.

Now a fearless solo artist after years drumming for Ego and Mojo Fury, he’s proving that he has a knack for massive, rocking piano-pop. Bombastic? Yes, but invested with heart and soul.

Led by singer/pianist Shauna Tohill (who also moonlights as Rams’ Pocket Radio’s bassist) this trio are known for atmospheric, strings-drenched melancholia, taking its cues from Tori Amos and Bat For Lashes. Here, Tohill dives head-first into synthdriven, energetic, radio-ready pop, with impressively direct results.

6. Here Comes The Landed Gentry Badboat Derry rabble-rousers HCTLG are known for their chaotic live shows and they bring all of that bar-room energy to this sleazy little blues delight.

‘Badboat’ features some downright dirty electric slide guitar and harmonica but the star, as ever, is Marty Doherty’s vocals. Tom Waits, Nick Cave and the Cookie Monster rolled into one.

7. A Plastic Rose Fade And Disappear Long stalwarts of the Northern scene, this Belfast/Sligo four-piece wear their hearts on their sleeves, investing their songs with strung-out emotion and big melodies.

This is a re-recorded version of the closing track from their Photographs In Black And White EP. Epic.

3. Farriers The Fires Burn The North’s folk scene has had a shot in the arm of late, with mandolins, violins and acoustic guitars at every turn. Among the many vying for The Lowly Knights’ crown are Farriers, and ‘The Fires Burn’ is a beautifully crafted mission statement, full of melody, sweet harmonies and a gem of a middle eight.

4. More Than Conquerors – Set Fire To The Night These boys know what they’re doing. With one cup swooning indie-pop and one cup anthemic, shouty rock they’re forging a path between the two —14 issue 68—

COLLY STRINGS

And now for something completely different.

Whereas much of this compilation is composed of young bucks making lots of noise, there’s also room for something a touch more sedate. ‘Safe Spaces’ is exactly that, a lush, country-tinged piano ballad, beautifully sung by Karen Smyth.

12. Clown Parlour Heat The Cold Heart (Spike It With Love) By day, Mike Mormecha fronts Lisburn grungers Mojo Fury. By night, he’s the mad professor behind baroque-pop oddballs Clown Parlour. This is a typical slice of mentalism, culminating with Mike yelling into a loudhailer over thumping piano and drums. As you do.

Oh Yeah: Contenders is launched with a gig at the Oh Yeah Centre on Thursday, September 16. Live performances from A Plastic Rose, The Wonder Villains, Farriers and More Than Conquerors. www.ohyeahbelfast.com

Hundreds of live gigs.

Who says the fun has to stop when the summer does?

There are stacks of cool events coming up in September – all of which will keep you in the party mood and dancing your way into autumn.

Metal heads. Indie kids. Dance fans. There’s something for every taste – not forgetting the big (and free!) MTV spectacular at the Belfast Waterfront. Enjoy!

Open House

MTV presents

Planetlove

Mark Ronson and The Business Intl.

Belfast Music Week

Culture Night

Belfast, 6th – 12th September Belfast, 10th – 11th September 12th – 19th September

Belfast, 19th September

Belfast & Derry, 24th September

For more details, ticket info and to register for MTV event tickets, visit

discovernorthernireland.com/events

Fighting with Wire at Glasgowbury 2010

—15 AU Magazine—

Themselves / My First Band

Upfront

SELF-AWARENESS

Californian hip-hoppers Themselves on breakneck rhymes and busy times

With Kelcey Ayer From Local Natives Band Name: Through The Heart Genre: Post-hardcore/metalcore Age: 14

THEMSELVES

There’s no mistaking Adam ‘Doseone’ Drucker’s voice. As the pre-eminent rapper and lyricist with San Franciscan label Anticon., his most recent project saw him recording with Andrew Broder as Crook & Flail, soundtracking graphic novelist Alan Moore’s Unearthing. But his energy and inimitable tones are currently devoted to Themselves, the duo Drucker and Jeffrey ‘Jel’ Logan established on Anticon’s earliest releases in 1999.

After appearing on the label’s genre-defying compilation Music For The Advancement Of Hip Hop, Drucker and Logan released their debut Them in 2000, following it with The No Music in 2002. But they waited seven years before releasing CrownsDown. As a rap duo, Drucker and Logan have garnered praise saying they’re as engaging and intelligent as Radiohead.

Forget Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince: in their individuality, Doseone and Jel are more like Saul Williams backed by DJ Shadow.

“The music I’m doing now is me in my prime,” says Drucker. And he’s doing a lot. In the time before CrownsDown, Drucker and Logan worked as the engine in the six-piece Subtle (three LPs since 2004), and in 13 & God, the madein-heaven collaboration with German group The Notwist. Both rapper and producer have intermittently released solo records, such as Jel’s 2005 release Soft Money.

“I still listen to Soft Money,” says Logan. “I’m really proud of that album and still get chills and inspiration from it. I study my old work, from Subtle and Themselves as well. Someone said to me that CrownsDown sounds like it’s coming off of Subtle, and asked if it was conscious. It’s a case —16 issue 68—

of kind of but not really. We take from everything we do, but we’re usually focussed on the project at hand.”

“Jeff and I hear things through this weird ear,” says Drucker. “Often we’re deriving what we’re gonna do next from something that we did, or something that we appreciate. Me, I listen to a lot of things. But I can’t listen to my very early rap because the writing makes me cringe. It’s all brain and no heart.”

The writing on CrownsDown, however, is close to impeccable. Against Jel’s drumpad backdrops, Dose moves through voices, cadences and characters, creating 10 tracks stocked with attitude and invention. The chorus to ‘Roman Is As Roman Does’ bounces through 40-odd thrilling syllables, while ‘Oversleeping’ includes the rapper’s home address as an open invitation to challengers.

“What’s popular in rap, nowadays, is image,” says Logan. “And much modern rap is about making quick money off of nothing. It’s a depressing state of affairs for hip-hop. For music in general.

But there are saving graces once in a while. We just heard Shabazz Palaces. It’s Butterfly from Digable Planets. He’s talking about all these rappers; very militant, but cutting straight to the point and telling you exactly what the problem is.

It’s amazing.” Kiran Acharya

CrownsDown by Themselves is out now on Anticon. Check out www.iheartau.com/blog for free mixes from both Themselves and Crook & Flail. www.myspace.com/themselves

"I didn’t even listen to hardcore music that much but I was the only drummer that could play that kind of stuff in high school. We were friends and they were into it and they showed me it and I was like, ‘Yeah, whatever, I’ve played the drums for like two or three years’. They were all into Hopesfall, From Autumn To Ashes, Converge, Throwdown, Avenged Sevenfold, Thursday to an extent – a lot of straight edge, Orange County hardcore. I wasn’t into too many of those bands but the one record that I really loved was by Converge, called Jane Doe [good choice! –Ed] That album’s so sweet!

"We came through that sort of Converge, Jane Doe territory and it became kind of spazzy and thrashy, almost like Blood Brothers."

We thought we were bringing something interesting to the Orange County hardcore scene, I guess. We were in high school so it wasn’t that serious but we had a lot of fans and played the local clubs and stuff. It was a completely different style [to Local Natives] but I think towards the end of it, some of the songs were pretty cool. We came through that sort of Converge, Jane Doe territory and it became kind of spazzy and thrashy, almost like Blood Brothers. It almost turned into something that was more of an instrumental band. We stopped doing crazy vocals. It was fun – I’m probably not as embarrassed about that band as a lot of other people’s first bands."

Philip Selway / Unknown Pleasures

THE FAMILY MAN

Radiohead drummer Philip Selway branches out on solo debut Niall Byrne digs deep to uncover the freshest new music

SQUAREPUSHER

Vinyl - Factory Floor It’s been a while since there’s been some industrial dance music to blow us away but Factory Floor are just that. The London trio are renowned for their deafeningly loud live shows.

Their music is gritty and hypnotic, and in a befitting link to their name, are produced by former Joy Division drummer Stephen Morris. Their raw yet ghostly dancefloor tunes recall the spirit of the Mancunian legends. Get a taste of their sound with the Wooden Box / Lying 10”/ 12” vinyl.

Links and music from http://www.myspace.com/factoryfloor

PHILIP SELWAY

You already know Phil Selway – percussionist for Radiohead and, according to Gigwise, the 26th greatest drummer of all time – now meet Philip Selway, the singer-songwriter responsible for the sublime album Familial. Philip is holed-up in a New York hotel room, pounding along on the PR treadmill of flesh pressing and interviews. It’s a chore he undertakes with graciousness and unending patience.

Patience is a virtue that Selway has honed whilst making his solo debut. Familial came together over a number of years and through various stages, during which time this self-confessed “bedroom noodler” headed to New Zealand for the 7 Worlds Collide project. This charity project surrounded him with a supportive network of fellow musicians and imbued him with the confidence required before he returned to Oxford to begin recording in earnest. He also acquired some new friends, and album contributors out in NZ – Lisa Germano, Sebastian Steinberg, Glenn Kotche of Wilco and multi-instrumentalist Patrick Sansone.

The odd, but charming folk-pop songs that Selway and co showcase on his debut are warm and tender, the arrangements as brittle as a newborn baby’s bones. What’s more, there is an honesty to his sentiments and an intimacy – as he explores his relationships and feelings for those he cherishes – that would embarrass Thom Yorke. In short, Familial would not easily be mistaken for a Radiohead album.

“I was doing this outside of Radiohead and therefore, on a number of levels, I wanted to do something that I wouldn’t do with the band, be it singing, playing guitar, or not really drumming,” says Philip, rationalising the differences between this record and what he does for the day job. “Also, in the style of the record, the atmosphere which has grown out

of the songs themselves, I wanted to do something appropriate to that, an album that had this underlying warmth and intimacy to it.”

Having witnessed just how ripe the fruits have been, I ask why he has waited so long to harvest his songwriting talent. “The idea has been at the back of my mind for a while. I’m 43 now and I really started to focus on the idea just as I was coming up to 40. There is something about that time in your life that gives certain latent ambitions a real impetus. There was a sense of now or never about it.”

As Philip sheepishly confesses, perhaps the most nervewracking aspect of the whole exercise was not making the record, but letting his Radiohead bandmates hear the finished article. “That didn’t happen for a very long time,” he admits. “I didn’t give them a copy of the record until I was happy with it. I had the master copy and lived with that for a couple of weeks, then I handed it out. They’re the people whose musical opinion I respect the most, so it was quite a big leap passing it on to them. But, as with everybody’s activities outside the band, they were all very supportive.”

Although currently busy recording new Radiohead material, Selway does not rule out the possibility of one day embarking on another solo adventure. “I’m still writing material. However, there is a sense that finishing this is just bringing me up to the starting line.

But, we’re still right in the middle of doing Radiohead stuff and I want to immerse myself in that. But, also, you have to have a life outside of music. You have periods of work when you immerse yourself in it, but you have to redress the balance at other times. At some point I’d like to do it again and I’ll know when the time’s right.” Francis Jones

Familial is out now on Bella Union

Blog Buzz – Beat Connection Seattle duo Jordan Koplowitz and Reed Juenger have produced one of the undiscovered gems of the year with their Surf Noir EP. Eight tracks of glorious Balearic houseinspired jangly guitar and electro workouts, suitable for a beach party. You need to hear this now and best of all, it’s a free download. http://beatconnection.bandcamp.com Archive – Dead Elvis Dead Elvis was a Irish record label which was active between 1994 and 1999 and put out releases from Wormhole, Rumble, The Floors, Alan Lambert, The Sewing Room and Jubilee Allstars amongst others. Eamonn Crudden recently began posting up songs, memories and multimedia from that time on a blog and it makes for nostalgic reading. http://deadelvisarchive.tumblr.com.

12” – Squarepusher – Cryptic Motion An unexpected split release from Ed Banger Records and Warp Records sees Squarepusher provide some squelchy electro bass funk under the moniker Shobaleader One, while Mr Oizo represents the Parisian label with a digi-funk club rework of the Pusher’s original. It all came about after the two labels co-hosted a party together in Paris last year. Out now.

Blog Buzz - Guards It must be nice to have family in influential places. Yes, these days even blog buzzworthy bands with two great singles are just that, so when Madeleine of Sixties indie pop duo Cults decided to give her brother a helping hand by tweeting about his free EP, people took notice. Her brother is Richie Follin – formerly of South Californian rockers Willowz – and he recorded an EP under the name Guards. The release is steeped in Seventies psychedelia, organs, guest vocals from Caroline Polachek of Chairlift and… Cults, of course. The blatant nepotism is forgiven as this downloadable EP is a) free and b) awesome. http://guards.bandcamp.com

www.philipselway.com —17 AU Magazine—

Brendan Benson / Heartwork

Upfront

AN IRISH ODYSSEY

Brendan Benson looks ahead to this month’s mammoth Irish tour “I figured we could mix work with a holiday and travel about, playing where we stop. Since then we’ve had to get a van, my friend Mark is coming and now we’ve had to hire a driver. It’s getting bigger by the minute!”

It’s good to have troubadour Benson over in these parts again as there has been precious little from the solo artist Brendan Benson of late. His last album proper, the lovely My Old Familiar Friend, was released a year ago. Between that and 2005’s breakthrough The Alternative To Love was a brace of albums from his arguably more illustrious sideproject with Jack White and assorted Greenhornes.

“The Raconteurs were kind of to blame for the delay in getting My Old Familiar Friend finished,” reveals Benson, who cheerfully and disarmingly admits to having a “hard time staying focused on any one project for long.”

With a typically affable languor, Benson won’t be drawn on the possibility of a third Raconteurs album, but neither does he mind being asked. “I honestly don’t know about that. That band was always a spontaneous thing. I’m not going to say never but I’m not saying definitely either. That’s an answer totally in keeping with the spirit of The Raconteurs!”

BRENDAN BENSON

There has always been something of the itinerant spirit about Brendan Benson. It’s in the darkly romantic yen exuding from much of his music and the restless dynamic at the heart of his constant creative collaborations. Hell, he even looks like he might enjoy a spot of regular caravanning. And as his forthcoming, gently epic mini-tour of Ireland is testimony to, it turns out he really does. Enjoy caravanning, that is.

Sixteen dates starting at Warrenpoint, ending in Mullingar and taking in pubs, back rooms and hotel lounges in the likes of Killarney, Limerick

“15/16 gigs across Ireland in a van? What was I thinking?!”

HEARTWORK

and even Belfast on the way, Brendan Benson, in impressively whimsical fashion, is determined to take the scenic route round the island.

“15/16 gigs across Ireland? What was I thinking?!”

Benson jokes before explaining rather neatly and with just a touch of deadpan. “My mum is from Cork. I’d wanted to do a tour of Ireland for a while.

I told my manager and lo, it came to pass! I was really into the idea of the old fashioned troubadour, gypsy thing. Taking off and travelling around Ireland and playing these small venues just really appealed.”

The sometime Raconteur is taking to the Irish roads with just a couple of guitars, keyboardist Mark Watrous, his wife and young son. At least, that was the original plan.

Luckily Brendan Benson had the soul, the wit and the songs to transcend at least that whim, as the good folk of Mullingar and many other goodly parishes about Ireland will soon be finding out. Joe Nawaz Brendan Benson’s tour of Ireland begins on 14 September 2010 at The Square Peg, Warrenpoint. www.brendanbenson.com

In Praise Of Random LP Art PUNGENT STENCH DIRTY RHYMES AND PSYCHOTRONIC BEATS I suppose with a band name like Pungent Stench you should anticipate a certain level of sickness and depravity to come through in the album artwork.

What you could never expect is something as twisted and stomach-churningly wrong as this. It literally beggars belief, and just one glance gives enough insight to understand why some countries banned

—18 issue 68—

Before all of that uncertainty, however, is the tour of Ireland. “I’m really looking forward to coming back to Ireland and seeing places like Belfast again.

I was there with family in the mid-Eighties when I was about 14 or 15. It’ll be interesting to see how it’s changed over the years. You might say that I was a bit of a teenage war-monger back in the day,” he recollects before hastily adding, “but please emphasise that that’s not the case anymore!!”

this artwork outright. Yet, it’s only on closer inspection that the true awfulness is revealed. On the surface, it’s your standard ‘crazed, topless, fat lady in a gimp mask wielding a meat cleaver and looking a bit special’ shot. Then you start to pick out a few details – a random turd here, a severed hand holding a penis there, a husband and wife wedding decoration thrown in for extra random.

I think if you were to completely ‘get’ what this artwork is all about then you’d be in need of sectioning. Truly, madly, creepy. JT

Do You Remember?

Groom

DO YOU REMEMBER WHAT THE MUSIC MEANT?

Totally Popical Taste

Dublin indie-pop heroes Groom on the new album and a burgeoning scene

With: Nic Offer of !!!

What’s the first record you ever owned?

The first tape I ever bought was Pat Benatar – Crimes Of Passion. I bought it at a garage sale when I was eight or nine. I probably sold it when I was around 13 or 14 and I was planting the flag, like, ‘I’m new wave now. I don’t think this stuff is cool any more’.

Which piece of music moves you to tears?

‘Love Sensation’ by Loleatta Holloway, but it would have to be the Steve ‘Silk’ Hurley remix. I remember listening to that song on mushrooms and feeling like she was really nailing it and saying what it was about.

What’s the last album you became obsessed about?

I can’t stop listening to this album right now by The Mole, As High As The Sky. I’m playing him for each friend that comes over, like, ‘Have you heard this guy?’.

What was the first band you ever saw live?

I saw Depeche Mode with OMD opening in ‘88 when I was 15, I was very psyched, and it was more unbelievable than I could have imagined. It was 12,000 people – more new wave girls than I’d ever seen in my life! And Depeche Mode could really put on a show, too – Dave Gahan was all over the stage. At that point, they really were and rock and roll

band; an arena rock band – they knew how to work a big crowd. I bought the T-shirt, I was hooked.

What’s your desert island album?

I would say Sly and the Family Stone – There’s A Riot Goin’ On. I got into it when I was about 24/25, and I remember we used to have these ‘Super Blunt Parties’ – everybody would pitch in and we’d get as much weed as we could and roll the biggest blunt that we could. There was a friend who was sitting next to me and he was completely sober, and he turned to me and said, “Is it just me, or is this the best music ever?!’” I went, “I’m so glad you said that because I’m totally high and that’s what I thought, but I thought I was just high!”

Who’s your all-time favourite artist?

Prince. He’s just the best at everything. He’s the funkiest, the songwriting is the best, the lyrics are so clever. It turned into a thing where noone would stand up for him anymore, but I haven’t forgotten – I’ll still wave the flag proudly for him because I don’t think anyone can compare.

STRANGE WEATHER, ISN’T IT BY !!! IS OUT NOW ON WARP WWW.CHKCHKCHK.NET

GROOM

“I went into Groom with the attitude that I wasn’t going to adhere to any particular band rules.” Songwriter Michael Stevens probably didn’t expect to be releasing his fourth album six years later. Now a fivepiece which swells to seven for a full live show with horn section, it’s safe to say that his idealism has paid off.

Just a month ago, a first compilation CD of Irish indie-pop was released on Popical Island, the label Stevens set up with Groom percussionist Ruan Van Vliet.

“Ruan has introduced me to a lot of good bands. He was the last to join Groom, as the drummer in a band called The Maladies and he had very well-planned, messy hair.

I figured anyone who put that much thought into his hair had to be a top musician.”

Popical Island began just over a year ago as a collective of friends with shared interests in top-notch indiepop bands. Having brought the songs of 15 artists on the compilation to widespread acclaim from music fans and the media alike, it’s a good time to be releasing music. “It’s just great to be involved with so many good people and it has given everyone

involved a bit of a boost in confidence as well as a bit of exposure,” says Mike. It’s certainly paid off for bands like Land Lovers, Squarehead, So Cow and Yeh Deadlies, with glowing reviews and even a feature in the Irish Times.

Now, with the release of Groom’s new album Marriage, Popical Island is a fully-fledged label. Mike is the leader of Groom, responsible for the words and most of the music. A gapless, 10track album with a central theme of love in its kindest and cruellest guises, the album is rapidly garnering new fans thanks to its wonderfully lush arrangements and astute lyrics. Even the original band name gives a hint at that passionate side; ‘Get A Room’ was later shortened to ‘Groom’. And in that lovely way of things, the new album completes it, as Michael explains. “I’m a romantic really but you wouldn’t think it. I liked the idea of the groom, the idea of the eternal husband, always in love like on his wedding day.” Nay McArdle

Marriage is available to buy in physical or digital format from groom.bandcamp.com www.myspace.com/groomtheband —19 AU Magazine—

Upfront

Label Profile: Ninja Tune

Label Profile:

exhibition to go with it with some memorabilia at their gallery [Black Dog Space] in London.”

NINJA TUNE

Words by Neill Dougan

COLDCUT

Founded: 1990 Based: London Run By: Matt Black, Jonathan More (aka Coldcut) Key Acts: Coldcut , The Bug, The Cinematic Orchestra, Roots Manuva, Bonobo, Mr Scruff and many more...

When they come to write the history of British dance music, the name Ninja Tune will loom large indeed. Perhaps rivalled in terms of influence only by Sheffield’s Warp Records (the two came into being within a year of each other), the brainchild of Matt Black and Jon More – aka Coldcut – has been at the cutting edge of electronic, hiphop, breakbeat and chillout music for two decades, and as of 2010 continues to lead the charge of twisted, funked-up, experimental beats. As the label prepares to celebrate its 20th anniversary with a deservedly lavish box set, book and memorabilia exhibition, there’s surely no better time to pick the brains of cofounder Jon More about what is by now an institution.

Congratulations on reaching 20 years – it’s quite a milestone. What were your aims when you first started?

Jon More: “Well, when we first started, we’d been in a quagmire with a major label/independent label scenario. Matt [Black, co-founder] and I had been to Japan and came back and thought we’d do what we’d done before which was to start an independent label, and keep it independent, inspired by the ninja philosophy we’d stumbled upon in Japan. And to create a place where we could have various characters and assume identities and collect a breed of like-minded people around —20 issue 68—

us, really, to try and not repeat the mistakes that had happened to us in our career previously with the record industry up to that point.”

For your anniversary box set, instead of compiling a traditional ‘best of’, it’s a more forward-thinking compendium of brand new stuff and remixes. What was the thinking behind that?

More: “Well it just seemed that at this point in time there’s a lot of really interesting music about at the moment, some interesting people out there, and it kind of felt like the appropriate thing to do really, to look forward, which is something that we hope to do here at Ninja Tune. But also to cover a broader aspect so you can get a better picture of what the label is. So hopefully we’ve achieved that.”

Can you tell us about the accompanying book?

More: “It’s [Ninja Tune artist and DJ Food contributor] Strictly Kev’s baby in some respects, being the don of the Ninja art thing, and Black Dog Publishing. Having done 20 years, we’d actually got enough information to make it a reasonable book, and entertaining and interesting. We’ve got an

THE BUG

Can you put your finger on a definitive Ninja Tune sound or ethos?

More: “I think there are elements you could highlight that create the ‘Ninja sound’ if that’s what you want to refer to it as. The DJ perspective, originally that was there in a lot of the artists.

Always the love of hip-hop, the various different elements within hip-hop, graffiti, breakdancing.

And not necessarily being in the mainstream I suppose – sort of on the edge, really. So [stuff that] possibly could be described as trip-hop, but wasn’t, or could be described as big beat, but wasn’t, or could be described as dubstep, but isn’t. And just individual characters who are behind the bands on Ninja, that spirit comes through in their music.”

Ninja Tune has always had an interesting public image – both the label itself and the artists seem to be quite enigmatic and mysterious. Was this approach deliberately cultivated by the label?

More: “It is quite a ninja attitude to be stealthlike and secret. I mean, that’s the name of the [Ninja Tune] club – Stealth. It can be taken at a lot of different levels but there is an aspect of that, identities and being one thing and another.

It’s not something that we sit down and spend hours pondering. It just kinds of erupts from the characters within.”

Looking back on your first two decades, is there anything you’d do differently?

More: “Haha! That’s an impossible question to answer, really. You have to know the value of fuckups.”

What’s next for Ninja Tune? Presumably it’s very much a case of ‘onwards and upwards’?

More: Yeah, you take every day as it comes on one hand, but lots of discussion always goes on.

Hopefully we’ll crack on with it and bring loads of interesting stuff to people’s attention and keep the Ninja vibe alive.

The box set and book Ninja Tune: 20 Years Of Beats And Pieces are both out now The 20 Years Of Beats And Pieces exhibition runs until September 16 in Black Dog Space, Acton, London. www.ninjatune.net

NEW ‘N’ IMPROVED WEBSITE If you go down to iheartau. com today, you’re in for a big surprise. Yep, our little old website has had a sexy new revamp, making it nicer to look at, easier to use and more in keeping with the fine magazine you’re currently reading.

As well as providing you with top-notch eye candy, you can expect all this: NEWS// The latest local, regional and international music news BLOG// Free downloads, brand new videos and anything else that tickles our (and your) fancy REVIEWS// Loads of web-exclusive album and gig reviews, plus the best of the mag ARTICLES// Fresh interviews with your favourite acts, and plenty of archive goodness GIG GUIDE// Stay up-to-date with the best upcoming gigs in your area SHOP// Get yer subscription here!

—21 AU Magazine—

Incoming

Dam Mantle / Detachments / Gallops

Dam Mantle

Detachments

Gallops

Real Name: Based: For fans of: Check out:

Website:

Members: Mark Huckridge (guitar/keyboards),

Paul Maurice (sequencer),

Dave Morait (drums), Brad Whyte (guitar).

Formation: Wrexham, North Wales, 2007.

For Fans Of: Aphex Twin, Battles, Errors.

Check Out: The EP Gallops is out now via Blood

and Biscuits/Holy Roar.

Weblink: www.myspace.com/thegallopsband

Real Name: Based: For Fans Of: Check Out:

Website:

Tom Marshallsay.

Glasgow.

Gold Panda, Hudson Mohawke, Rudi Zygadlo.

Purple Arrow EP, out September 13 on Growing Records. www.dammantle.com

Kent native Tom Marshallsay chose well when he decided to study fine art in Glasgow. Over the last couple of years the city has established itself as a hotbed of forward-looking, bass-heavy electronic music – think Rustie, Hudson Mohawke, Rudi Zygadlo and Irishman Mike Slott, names that cordon off a space of their own where dubstep, funk, electronica and hip-hop jockey for attention.

Now the name Dam Mantle is now being added to such lists, and with good reason. With the Grey EP and a tour supporting Gold Panda already under his belt, Marshallsay is ready to unveil his second release, the mightily impressive Purple Arrow EP. Like his Glasgow peers, Dam Mantle is not easily categorisable – a product both of his production and compositional talent and a love of all kinds of music. In a recent interview he referenced Classic FM, the late hip-hop visionary J Dilla and Indonesian gamelan music in the same breath, while elsewhere he has professed a love for Battles and Animal Collective. And while the Dam Mantle sound is based on swinging beats, chest-rattling bass and sci-fi synths, it’s when he branches out that things get really interesting.

Witness the brooding ‘Purple Arrow’, which expertly swerves from a ghostly, Liars-esque opening to a creepy dubstep groove, complete with spooked vocals and shuffling percussion.

Welcome to the top table, Mr Mantle. Chris Jones —22 issue 68—

Bastien Marshal.

London.

The Faint, Fischerspooner, Cabaret Voltaire.

Debut album Detachments, out on October 4 on ThisIsNotAnExit. www.myspace.com/detachments

From the ashes of dark noise outfit R3mote, rise Detachments. Or Bastien, as he’s possibly known to his mum. For it is the singular vision and sheer willpower of this ‘creative visionary’ that has carried Detachments to the brink of releasing their splendid debut album. With slightly ludicrous, but endearingly pretentious claims like “We have no past” and declaring their influences “secret” (if Joy Division and early Human League can be called “secret”), Detachments’ image of aloof ennui is as finely honed as their music.

Having already caught the attention of the likes of Peter Hook and Andrew Weatherall, Detachments drafted in the services of producer James Ford (Simian Mobile Disco, Arctic Monkeys, Klaxons) for the debut, and he has refined their rich synth sound, at once nostalgic and forward-looking.

In another of his outrageously sweeping statements, Marshal described Detachments as an electronic manifesto of isolation in the big city. “The hardfaced, ruthless bleakness of London is the source of the energy – the sprawling, monstrous mass of a work-hive. The vast dehumanising work machine. A disconnected, passively hostile behemoth city of eight million strangers.”

Wrexham-based Gallops have a lot going on in their music. The four members’ – whose favourite childhood albums range from Michael Jackson’s Bad to Metallica’s …And Justice For All – excellent debut EP is a Brownian motion of noise, as Mark Huckridge explains. “There is a lot going on in there. Bits of electronica, sci-fi soundtrack elements, prog noodlings and heavy rawk! That makes us sound awful doesn’t it? We all played a lot of Sega and Nintendo as kids; I think that shows in some of our tracks too.”

Although the North Wales town may not seem like a musical hotbed, Wrexham seems to have served Gallops well. “The music scene is really good and it is getting better and better,” Mark says. “There are a handful of good nights that go on too that showcase bands from all over. Wrexham is a small place in the grand scheme of things but there is a great sense of togetherness in the community which is very comforting.”

Their self-titled EP is part-released by the tastemaking label Holy Roar, and perfectly encapsulates Gallops as fresh-faced students of math rock, along the lines of Battles and PVT. Mark concurs, “It’s been recorded for a while but we struggled for a bit trying to get someone to release it. I think it’s a good blend of But don’t be discouraged by that; Orwellian alienation our immediate catchy side and the more experimental has seldom sounded so alluring. Detachments will have elements of our sound.” Lose yourself in the noise. you dancing like it’s 1984. Joe Nawaz John Freeman

Incoming

Chief

CHIEF

fine debut album and are embarking on their lengthiest period of touring to date, with recent shows in Belfast and Dublin under their belts.

Members:

Formation: For Fans Of:

Check Out: Website:

Evan Koga (vocals, guitar), Danny Fujikawa (guitar, vocals), Mike Moonves (bass, vocals), Michael Fujikawa (drums).

New York, 2007.

Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, Tom Petty, The Band.

Debut album Modern Ritual, out now on Domino. www.myspace.com/chieftheband

It comes as no surprise that Michael Fujikawa sounds about as laid-back as you could possibly imagine. Sitting on the stairwell of his Santa Monica apartment in the morning sunshine, the drummer is a friendly, chilled-out sort of dude, peppers his dialogue with the word ‘totally’ a lot, and, well… he’s a drummer, after all. Of course he’s laid-back.

But you wouldn’t blame him for being either relaxed or optimistic. Over the past year, his band Chief have signed to Domino, recorded a mighty

To listen to Modern Rituals, with its hazy harmonies and acoustic framework, you’d expect the band’s formative influences to be predictable enough: CSN&Y, maybe; Tom Petty, perhaps; The Band, certainly. Yet although there’s definitely a warm Californian folk-pop streak embedded in tunes like ‘Wait for You’ and ‘Summer’s Day’, perhaps the band’s time in a bustling metropolis like New York has also given them an edge.

Another source of inadvertent inspiration comes from our own Emerald Isle, as Fujikawa explains.

“Our mom is Irish-American, her name is Melissa Linehan, and my dad is Japanese – so I’m Michael Anthony Fujikawa, my brother is Daniel Conor Linehan Fujikawa, my youngest brother is Braden Patrick Linehan Fujikawa,” he laughs. “Quite a combination, huh? But my mom was a big U2 fan, so we listened to that sort of stuff growing up. But

also stuff like Nirvana and Weezer and hip-hop, and even weirder stuff like Aphex Twin. But as a band, yeah – our unifying musical aura was one of harmony, no question. That’s one thing we all identify with.”

It means that Chief are fairly easily classifiable in the current folk-saturated scene, but Fujikawa brushes off the suggestion that categorisation of his band is a concern.

“I don’t care what the fuck you call the music, as long as you listen to it. It doesn’t matter to any of us. There are some people who are not gonna like it for whatever reason, and that’s fair enough. There are certain things about our music that need to be worked on, no question. I think that we have a lot of room to grow, musically. The four of us have a lot more ideas that aren’t on this record, so we’re just looking forward to making more music in the years to come.” Lauren Murphy

—23 AU Magazine—

Incoming

The Hundred In The Hands

THE HUNDRED IN THE HANDS

us to come over and play a handful of shows in London and Brighton in April 2009, and Warp saw us there and we started talking to them, and we were basically signed to them that summer. I think at that point we’d played something like... definitely no more than eight shows, and Warp saw us.”

Band Members: Eleanore Everdell (vocals, keys, synths),

Jason Friedman (guitar, bass, beats,

programming).

Based: New York.

For Fans Of: New Order, Wire, Glass Candy.

Check Out: The self-titled debut album is out

on September 20 on Warp.

Website: www.myspace.com/thehundredinthehands Some bands take a while to find their feet – evolving slowly and discovering and refining their sound over the course of rehearsal sessions, singles or even albums. Other acts, meanwhile, tend to hit the ground running. New York duo The Hundred In The Hands, it’s fair to say, fall very much into the latter category. Their first single – the angular, electro-punk charge of ‘Dressed In Dresden’ – was written the very first time they ever played together, and the pair had played a mere handful of gigs when no less prestigious a label than Warp Records came calling.

The band themselves – guitarist, bassist and programmer Jason Friedman and keyboardist and vocalist Eleanore Everdell – are still endearingly excitable when they recall how fast things have moved. “We put out ‘Dressed In Dresden’ at the end of 2008, we just put it out online,” says Jason. “And then a UK record shop, Pure Groove, emailed us and asked if they could put it out as a 7”. So they put that out in January, and that got

—24 issue 68—

“It was amazing,” adds Eleanore. “We both freaked out a little bit! Also it felt like such a weird serendipity, because we’d made like a little list of record labels that we thought were cool, that it would be awesome if we could talk to, and Warp were top of the list. To have them to contact us, right at the beginning of the whole process, it was like... ‘Holy shit!’.”

It’s not hard to see what caught the ear of the good folk at Warp. Having first met while touring together with their previous outfits (Jason was in countrypunks The Boggs, while Eleanore was working on a solo record), the pair soon found they were of one mind when it came to music and before long were collaborating on a potent mix of sharp post-punk riffs, house beats and dark electro grooves, full of both pop hooks and experimental urges.

“It was something that for both of us was really different,” says Jason. “Neither of us had ever experimented with electronic production before, and that was the kind of jumping-off point, the idea of putting Eleanore’s vocals and my guitars – the live aspects – with this production. And also we were inspired by all these R&B, hip-hop production techniques and we were excited about getting into that.”

“It was an intense getting-to-know-you process,” says Eleanore, “because we practised for eight to 10 hours a day together when we were on tour together, and that was for, like, three months, so after that three month block I think we both felt we knew each other really well even though we hadn’t known each other for very long. But you know, you just feel like you know someone sometimes.”

Of course, as New York natives, THITH are following in the footsteps of some of the most celebrated names in popular music, but Jason is keen to downplay the significance of their hometown. “New York is the city we live in, and we love New York, but as soon as we started working on the band we totally disappeared into, like, this bunker to make this music so, y’know, we could’ve really been anywhere,” he says. “For us, in terms of the city’s heritage, we’re as excited by Jamaica in 1971 as we are by New York in 1971.

We’re more just music fans.”

This philosophy is evident throughout their diverse, effortlessly confident self-titled debut album, out this month. If the trajectory of the band thus far is any indicator, it won’t be long before we hear much more from The Hundred In The Hands.

Catch them while you can. Neill Dougan

Scoundrels / Summer Camp / Teengirl Fantasy

Incoming

Scoundrels Members: Ned Wyndham (vocals, guitar), George Elliot (guitar), Josh Martins (drums), Alex Hill (bass).

Formation: London, 2007.

For Fans Of: The Black Crowes, Kings Of Leon, The Rolling Stones.

Check Out: The single ‘Hangman’s Lament’ is out now via One Fifteen.

Weblink: www.scoundrels.fm London’s Scoundrels have a tall tale to tell. After sending out hundreds of promo CDs, they only got one reply – from A&R legend Seymour Stein. The man who signed Madonna and The Ramones had a plan to relocate our heroes to a houseboat on a swamp. “He’s heard a Cajun vibe and he had this grand vision to send all of us to Louisiana, which is the place he goes to every year to listen to music,” singer Ned Wyndham tells AU. “He’d sent k.d. lang there in the past.” “We were always into the blues and soul and we got the chance to see how they do it so naturally,” says guitarist George Elliot.

The houseboat was usually used by locals during the duck-hunting season. “In our ‘swamp palace’, there was a collection of four hunting DVDs called things like Fowl Play,” Ned recalls. “It was like hunting porn, you could imagine quietly locking the door and putting it on.”

And it got better, the band decamping to Chicago to record their debut album with Sir Steve Albini, who was able to perfectly capture their gutsy blues-rock sound – using analog tape of course. “He’s so clinical, he’s like a surgeon,” says Ned. “He wears boiler suits – he has a blue one, a red one and a green one – with pens neatly lined up in the pocket.”

Big things are expected of Scoundrels; their honest, earthy sound is reminiscent of a hungry Kings Of Leon; “People seem to like shoddy rock and roll,” says Ned. AU wholeheartedly agrees. John Freeman

Summer Camp Members: Formation: For Fans Of: Check Out: Website:

Jeremy Warmsley (vocals, guitar, keys), Elizabeth Sankey (vocals).

London, 2009.

Beach House, Shangri-La’s, The Research.

Young EP, out now on Moshi Moshi. www.myspace.com/summercampmusic

With the amount of retro and throwback music knocking around, it must be difficult for new acts to keep their heads above water and try to stand out.

Everything seems to hark back to a time of big-haired Sixties girl groups, Brian Wilson harmonies and the production values of the DIY Eighties DC hardcore scene.

Summer Camp appeared online at the beginning of the year with a few earcatching pop songs that seemed distinctly, well, summery. Now they are releasing their Young EP and it seems to fit the end of the season perfectly with its chirpy choruses, cute lyrics about boys dressed like Teen Wolf and laidback vocal delivery.

The sweet-yet-confident charm and breezy air of Summer Camp’s songs should see them embraced by the often-cynical music press and everyone else besides as they saunter around twisting their hair, eating ice-creams and generally remaining on the right side of twee as we enter another cold winter, itching for anything that keeps the sun alive for just a few minutes longer.

Maybe this year, that can be Summer Camp’s job. Adam Lacey

Teengirl Fantasy

Members: Formation: For Fans Of: Check Out: Website:

Nick Weiss, Logan Takahashi (both production).

Ohio, 2007.

Toro Y Moi, Animal Collective, Burial.

Debut album 7am, out September 13 on Merok/True Panther Sounds. http://teengirlfantasy.angelfire.com/main.html

If you’ve grown weary of chillwave and its preppy-yet-slacker aesthetic, where it’s acceptable to record Eighties pastiche onto a Fisher Price boombox and take hazy photos of yourself with a Polaroid camera to earn a crust, maybe Teengirl Fantasy are the booster shot you need.

Informed less by any ‘chill’ factor and more by classic house music and snippets of chart hip-hop amongst a smattering of other pop and techno influences, the Ohio student pair of Nick Weiss and Logan Takahashi have already dropped a few 7”s, remixed for Telepathe and Pictureplane to name but two and are now all set to release full-length 7am.

Describing themselves as “glowy electronic shoegaze with deep bass thumps and vocoders put through delay pedals”, this is exactly the kind of music you might grip tightly to your cold, wet chest at 6am on a Sunday morning if you found yourself sprawled in a field having watched Fuck Buttons tear it up til 4am and are not far from the sleep of the gods. There’s always a space for a slab of post-pop, upbeat, sample-heavy, melodic nostalgia isn’t there? Adam Lacey

—25 AU Magazine—

Upfront

Hey You!

What's on your iPod? •

AU FINDS OUT •

George Kane, Dublin Ariel Pink – Bright Lit Blue Skies Holy Fuck – SHT MTN Mayor McCca – Drinkalotawater Interesting fact: George recently directed a comedy show called Sketchy for BBC NI. It'll be shown in October and has nothing to do with the Stiff Kitten club night.

Words & Pics by Suzie McCracken

Daniela Vanasco, Chicago Vampire Weekend – Horchata Tilly & The Wall – Pot Kettle Black THE Raveonettes – Dead Sound Interesting fact: Daniela's currently in a Discover Ireland commercial. She plays footsie with a man under the table.

Saucy tourism there.

John Murray, Glasgow Black Dahlia Murder – Miasma Periphery – Racecar Animals As Leaders – CAFO Interesting fact: We approached John outside the Biffy Clyro day of Belsonic. He'd just arrived from Glasgow and was yet to find a ticket. Yikes.

Gerard Dempsey, Dublin The Strokes – You Talk Way Too much Stereophonics – Pick A Part That's New Beatles – A Day In The Life Interesting fact: Gerard attempted to plug his band, but we at AU are not falling for it and there's no way White Wash will ever be mentioned in this magazine. Ohwaitaminute.

Ursula James, Glengormley Two Door Cinema Club – Undercover Martyn The Maccabees – About Your Dress The Prodigy – Take Me To The Hospital Interesting fact: Ursula confesses to having a tiny bladder that sometimes forces her to use facilities intended for the other sex.

Eddie Allan, Glasgow Pearl Jam – Alive Powerway Drive – Carrion Fightstar – Deathcar Interesting fact: Apparently Eddie is proud of his status as a whisky connoisseur. Mustn’t realise it makes him sound like a bit of an arse.

Dawn Lonergan, Dublin Florence + The Machine – Dog Days Are Over Two Door Cinema Club – Eat That Up, It's Good For You B.O.B featuring Hayley Williams – Aeroplanes Interesting fact: Dawn can touch her tongue with her nose. We may have taken that down incorrectly.

Hope not.

Jennie Woods, Belfast Cee-Lo Green – Fuck You Back To The Future OST – Johnny B Goode Doves – Caught By The River Interesting fact: Jennie's Fresh Prince Of Bel Air Season One box set arrived today and she's running home to watch it.

Respect for the superfan - sometimes repeats are not enough.

Sophie Lioe, Belfast Blink 182 – What's My Age Again?

Stevie Wonder – Superstition Siriusmo – High Together Interesting fact: Sophie climbed the Great Wall Of China last week. AU clarified that she meant she climbed it vertically. Sophie did not walk the length of the Great Wall Of China.

Martin Brown, Glasgow Mumford And Sons - Cave In Kings Of Leon – The Bucket Feeder – Lost & Found Interesting fact: Despite being a keen extreme sportsman, Martin has never broken a single bone. Impressive, but disappointing for this interesting-fact hunter. For future reference, public – pain is funny.

Jade McCann, Dublin Two Door Cinema Club – Something Good Can Work The Temper Trap – Love Lost Yeah Yeah Yeahs – Maps Interesting fact: Jade auditioned for The X Factor, but didn't make it in front of the judges. She blames her hangover!

—26 issue 68—

REWIND

P. 27 FLASHBACK: THE DEATH OF JAMES DEAN P.28 HISTORY LESSONS: MILES DAVIS P.30 A TO Z: PHOBIAS P.34 RESPECT YOUR SHELF: STEVE MCQUEEN MOVIES P. 36 CLASSIC SHOW: JACKASS

and sideburns in The Wild One, Marlon Brando inspired a generation to go out there and do things their way, on their terms. The music was wild, the morals were loose, and the future was within everyone’s grasp.

Dropping out of college in California to concentrate on acting, James Dean was one of the major new faces of this movement. He brought an edgy tension to his performances, and after a spell working in television and in minor film roles, was picked up by director Elia Kazan to star in an adaptation of John Steinbeck’s East Of Eden.

Brando had been first choice for the role of the angst-ridden Cal Trask, but something about the young actor stood out, and he found himself in his first major Hollywood starring role at the age of 23.

Flashback

55 Years Ago

Rebel, Rebel: The death of James Dean, September 30, 1955 A car skids on hot gravel, colliding head-on with an oncoming vehicle. A young man is thrown forward through the windshield, his head striking the front grill of the other car. Within 10 minutes, he is dead. His name was James Dean, and he was the first modern movie star.

Words by Steven Rainey At the time of his death, at the age of 24, James Dean’s cinematic legacy rested on one film, East Of Eden (Rebel Without A Cause and Giant being released posthumously). Other than a few television appearances and theatre work, it’s an alarmingly slender body of work for someone whose star looms so large.

But such was the presence of this emerging talent that 55 years after his death, he is still immortalised as one of the most electrifying presences the silver screen has ever seen. The enduring image of the bequiffed young man in the leather jacket, smoking a cigarette with a flagrant disrespect for authority is one of cinema’s most iconic, a vision which has lost none of its potency in the last 50 years. For many, Dean IS teenage rebellion personified, his tragic early death only cementing his reputation.

Cinema is a notoriously slow cultural phenomenon, better at reacting to trends than unearthing them.

Due to the time involved in bringing an idea to fruition upon the big screen, by the time a film

has made it to the cinemas, the ideas and cultural viewpoints it seeks to represent can somehow seem “after the fact”. The 1950s were different, and this is no better exemplified than with the rise of the teenager.

Rock and roll hit the big time in 1954, when Bill Haley and the Comets made number 1 with ‘Rock Around The Clock’. Almost instantly, teenage culture entered the mainstream, with the needs and the desires of the American teenager taking the central stage. It was a veritable “youthquake”, and the cultural ramifications were immense. A previously unheard social group now had the ear of the world, and they were determined to make their voice heard.

Unusually, cinema was quick to react, capturing the “teenager phenomenon” right at the very beginning. Films like The Wild One (1953) and Blackboard Jungle (1955) captured this outpouring of rebellious youth, making it look enticing… and sexy. With his peaked cap, leather jacket

The film was a success, and Dean was heralded as the new face of youth culture. Work began on his second starring role, Rebel Without A Cause, amidst a flurry of media attention. Linked to many Hollywood starlets at the time, Dean was the very image of 1950s movie glamour. Behind the scenes, the story was much more complicated, and perhaps a truer reflection of the way youth culture was beginning to change. It has been speculated that – at the very least – James Dean was bisexual, a side effect of his ‘experimental’ approach to life in the fast lane. Whilst the truth may never be known, it has long been suggested that the young actor was canny enough to pursue some of these relationships – both male and female – purely as a way to advance his career. Whatever the case, Dean was a sexually ambiguous character, something which can only have added to his appeal in those changing times.

Rebel Without A Cause would prove to be his definitive performance, the angry young man rebelling against everything in a world that no longer wants him. An inspiration for teenagers the world over, Dean’s portrayal of Jim Stark is edgy, multi-layered and believable. He wouldn’t live to see the acclaim it would bring him. By the time the film was released on the 27th of October, 1955, James Dean had been dead for over a month.

A car accident on Route 46 on the 30th of September robbed the world of one if its strongest new talents, but cemented the legend of this ‘live fast, die young’ icon. As youth culture shifted into full acceleration, Dean personified this new generation; young, handsome, gifted, rebellious, not afraid to break the rules, and dead before his 25th birthday.

In the space of a year, this thoroughly modern movie star had revolutionised youth culture, providing a template for rebellion that shows no sign of diminishing. Forever young, he remains the ultimate teenage icon. In Rebel Without A Cause, the tormented Jim Stark asks his estranged father, “What do you do when you have to be a man?”

James Dean never got the chance to find out the answer for himself.

—27 AU Magazine—

History Lessons

Miles Davis Words by John Freeman Illustration by Mark Reihill

—28 issue 68—

Rewind

History Lessons - Miles Davis

On a musical Mount Olympus there sits a pantheon of black pioneers, who in the late Sixties and early Seventies fused and twisted genres to create an astonishing period in popular music.

Jimi Hendrix injected psychedelic sex into the rock scene, James Brown distorted soul and Sly and the Family Stone launched funk skyward. The list could never be complete without the legendary trumpeter Miles Davis; his cosmic revision of jazz on albums such as Bitches Brew would reset the possibilities for recorded music.

Miles: The Legacy

To the uninitiated, jazz can seem an impregnable, uncompromising beast. It doesn’t follow any of the conventions of popular music, with little discernible structure or lyrical emotional pull. The image of men in turtleneck sweaters playing in smoky supper clubs has created a generational chasm. This stereotype doesn’t apply to Miles Davis – once dubbed ‘the Picasso of jazz’ – whose visionary work deconstructed boundaries, fused jazz to rock and allowed contemporary music to tiptoe past a rigid verse-chorus-verse regime.

Artists such as Radiohead, The Flaming Lips, Frank Zappa, and Prince can all cite Davis as a major influence.

Once upon a time, 71 years ago to be exact, a father brought his son a trumpet, primarily to annoy the boy’s mother who played piano. And while it would be futile of AU to attempt to fill in the intervening seven decades, Miles Davis III – a skinny boy from East St. Louis, Illinois – would become perhaps one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century.

In 1944, after finishing school, Davis went to New York in search of his idol Charlie ‘Bird’ Parker. Once there, he would join Parker’s band and play be-bop jazz in the clubs of Harlem with other jazz giants such as Dizzy Gillespie and John Coltrane. Davis would hone his own distinctive style, playing trumpet without vibrato, his notes sounding clear and true.

During the next 20 years Davis would be at the epicentre of reworking subgenres within jazz, be it the smooth sound of cool jazz, or hard bop, which was influenced by gospel and rhythm and blues. An incursion into the more melody-based modal jazz culminated with his seminal album Kind Of Blue in 1959 – still the biggest selling jazz album of all time with sales in excess of four million. By now, Davis was a bandleader with some of his line-ups still considered to be the finest in jazz history.

“He influenced the people who influenced the people who influenced you.”

Hornby, the guitarist with Belfast’s The Continuous Battle Of Order, explains his love of Miles.

“I got into Miles Davis through the music of John Coltrane. I have to admit to not actually paying a great deal of attention to Miles Davis for a really long time.

There was this unwritten rule that you had to pick a side – Davis or Coltrane – and I was firmly on the Coltrane side. But it was [the 1960 album] Sketches Of Spain that made me stop and listen. That record has that unexplainable quality of not really knowing what the music is – but knowing you need to listen to it.

“Bitches Brew did for me in the Nineties what it did for people when it first came out in 1970. Here was an artist who was thought of as a cool jazzer pushing his music, his chosen musicians and his audience to a place they hadn’t been before. He came in at a time of unbelievable creativity with the extremes of free playing and managed to produce a record that still shocked people.

“While I don’t think Miles Davis has directly influenced me and TCBOO, an artist like Miles Davis has influenced everyone – they probably just don’t realise it! He influenced the people who influenced the people who influenced you.”

hornby

MILES DAVIS

If this seems highly romantic, the reality was a little different. Many of the clubs were hustled by mobsters, and heroin use was commonplace amongst the jazz musicians. Davis was a heavy user of the drug for long periods during the Fifties, to the point where it began to affect his ability to play. He finally kicked the habit after returning to his parents’ home and locking himself in a room.

By 1969, Davis was becoming more and more influenced by non-jazz musicians. He was listening to James Brown and Sly and the Family Stone, and spending time with his friend, Jimi Hendrix. Davis saw strong parallels in the way Hendrix played guitar and the more freeform structure of jazz.

This period was also the time – a little bit like the ‘treacherous’ Bob Dylan – that Davis began to explore electric instruments, replacing the double bass with a bass guitar, and using a Fender Rhodes electric piano.

Davis was beginning to fuse jazz with rock.

The implications of this experiment would cause an outcry amongst jazz purists, but open possibilities for rock music, which are still being explored today. “I wasn’t prepared to be a memory yet,” Davis recalled in his autobiography. “I had seen the future with my music, and I was going for it.”

Bitches Brew was recorded one week after Woodstock in August 1969. A host of musicians played on the album – including a young Herbie Hancock – and were given no rehearsal time and little instruction.

All they got was the hint of a melody and a suggestion of a mood. The songs were created as the sessions unfolded. “I would tell [the band] to play different things I was hearing, as the music was growing, coming together. It was loose and tight at the same time.” The album was also subject to heavy editing (another pioneering innovation for a jazz album), with pieces of music being spliced together in post production.

On first listen Bitches Brew is a complex, confusing experience. A number of tracks hit the 20-minute mark, and to the

untrained ear sound like an elongated jam. For those brought up on a diet of three minute pop songs, there is very little to hook onto. A track like ‘Spanish Fly’ demands more of the listener; the detailed chord sequences, the space, the sense of atmosphere and adventure is spellbinding.

It’s like listening to a storm; a storm which dances to the beat of your heart.

There are ominous passages of quiet, followed by euphoric surges – a concept which would be picked up on by dance music decades later. Throughout, Davis’ magical trumpet floats and dives.

Albums like Bitches Brew, and others that followed in a prodigiously prolific period for Davis, would have far-reaching effects. Embraced by the non-jazz fraternity, they inspired many musicians to deconstruct the ‘pop song’ concept. It’s not a huge leap to suggest that an album like Radiohead’s Kid A could only exist in a post-Bitches Brew world. Ironically, many jazz fans thought Davis had gone too far, and described his work as ‘anti-jazz’.

Davis continued to explore over the next two decades; recording a hip-hop based album (the posthumously released DooBop) and collaborating with a host of newer acts like Prince, Public Image Ltd. and Scritti Politti. However, his last years were spent battling illness, drug addiction and depression as his third marriage (to actress Cicely Tyson) ended in divorce.

During the late Seventies, Davis didn’t pick up a trumpet for over four years.

Davis died in 1991, aged 65. Last year, on the 50th anniversary of his Kind Of Blue album, the US House Of Representatives took a vote to recognise the album and affirm jazz as a “national treasure”. The vote was unanimous, 409-0, in favour.

Miles Davis’ work was done, his place in musical immortality secured.

Bitches Brew (Legacy Edition) is out now via Columbia. www.milesdavis.com —29 AU Magazine—

A-Z

PHOBIAS

Fear is natural and good. If you want to ensure your continued survival on this planet, it’s good to be wary of sharp objects, sheer drops off cliff faces, snarling pitbulls, and so on.

And everyone, with the possible exception of Chuck Norris, is scared of something or other. AU, for example, suffers from a crippling terror of bland, middle-of-the-road, fauxemotive piano pop-rock, also known as ‘Keaneophobia’. And if you think that’s unusual, cop a load of this list of unusual aversions. Truly, it’s a frightening world out there.

Words by Neill Dougan Illustration by Mark Reihill

—30 issue 68—

Rewind

A to Z - Phobias

A is for:

cotton wool and blood. Yep, that’s a regular laughriot for most folk.

ARACHNOPHOBIA A fear of spiders, which is eminently reasonable in AU’s opinion. Sure, most of them are tiny, harmless little creepy-crawlies, but if you were to visit, say, Australia, it wouldn’t be unheard of to come across a venomous eight-legged beastie the size of your hand. Arachnophobia is also the name of a 1990 movie which, if you happen to have a fear of vaguely crappy comedy-horror flicks, may also unnerve you somewhat.

E is for:

ERGOPHOBIA Also known as a fear of work, Ergophobia can be related to performance anxiety (triggered by, for example, having to speak before large groups in meetings and so on) or a simple fear of failing at one’s assigned tasks. Not to be confused with ‘work aversion’, which basically just means you’re a lazy bastard. Like, for instance, certain earlyNineties Manchester bands we could mention who singularly failed to release a second record for five long years. Yes, The Stone Roses, we’re looking at you. Bums.

F is for:

A B is for:

BACILLOPHOBIA Cleanliness is next to godliness, goes the old saying.

Most people, of course, see this for the patent nonsense it is. But your average bacillophobe seems to have taken the message to heart, having as they do a terror of germs, dirt and all things unhygienic. Sufferers of this condition are often seen compulsively washing their hands, scrubbing their nails and avoiding music festival portaloos at all costs.

C is for:

COULROPHOBIA One of the odder phobias, coulrophobia is an exaggerated aversion to clowns. Truly, why anyone would fear these loveable characters – with their garish make-up, hideously fixed grins, grotesquely over-sized shoes, bizarre antics and the fact that they spend most of their time hanging around small children – is a complete mystery.

D is for:

DENTOPHOBIA A dentophobe will experience extreme anxiety at the prospect of visiting the dentist. That’s unlike the rest of the population, who needless to say like nothing more than paying a man large sums of money to douse us with gas before drilling holes in our teeth and sending us home with a mouthful of

FRANCOPHOBIA You might think that the country that gave us brie, red wine, the Declaration of the Rights of Man and Eric Cantona would enjoy universal acclaim. But no: some so-called Francophobes – or ‘Americans’ as they are also known – have an intense fear of all things Gallic. With the notable exception of French fries.

G is for:

GELOTOPHOBIA

“Ridicule is nothing to be scared of,” sang wellknown dispenser of sage life advice Adam Ant on his 1981 hit ‘Prince Charming’. Clearly Adam did not suffer from gelotophobia, or fear of being laughed at. Given the outlandish outfits he was fond of sporting in public (picture a colour-blind pirate, a Native American and David Bowie having a brawl in a charity clothes shop and you’re halfway there), this was probably for the best.

H is for:

HEXAKOSIOIHEXEKONTAHEXAPHOBIA Indubitably the best-named of all phobias, this unpronounceable monstrosity is a fear of the digits 666, the number of The Beast. A woman who was a hexakosioihexekontahexaphobe, for example, would have been wary of giving birth to a child on the 6th of June 2006 (seeing as the abbreviated form of this date reads 6/6/06). Many death metal fans, it’s worth noting, are most definitely not hexakosioihexekontahexaphobes, extolling as they do the virtues of the number 666 at every opportunity. Those wacky metallers, eh?

I is for:

TCHTHYOPHOBIA

Now it’s all very well to be a bit nervous around a great white shark or a killer whale. That’s understandable. But an itchthyophobe is simply terrified of fish. To such unfortunate members of society, a simple tuna sandwich is a thing of unimaginable horror. ‘Water’ way to be! (sorry)

J is for:

JUDEOPHOBIA

Better known to you and I as plain, old-fashioned anti-Semitism, Judeophobia is an irrational fear or dislike of Jews. Sufferers of this affliction – from test case Adolf Hitler right up to modern-day poster boy Mel “Jews are responsible for all the wars in the world” Gibson – tend to be prone to angry, delusional outbursts and will often either make a series of violent, mostly very bad films, or invade Poland.

K is for:

KATHISOPHOBIA To most people, hearing ‘Sit Down’ by Manchester’s musical stalwarts James brings back nostalgic memories of heady days at the indie disco. But to a kathisophobe, the tune – with its refrain of “Oh sit down, oh sit down, oh sit down/ Sit down next to me” – is a source of cruel torment, seeing as how they have a chronic fear of – yep, you guessed it – sitting down. On the other hand, they’re generally quite fond of ‘Jump Around’ by House of Pain.

L is for:

LIGYROPHOBIA

A person afflicted by ligyrophobia may want to avoid the music of Swans, Mogwai, Fuck Buttons, Napalm Death et al, seeing as how loud noises strike panic into their heart. Mind you, the sonic terrorism that is Mogwai’s ‘Like Herod’ is enough to alarm even the bravest soul. Much better to stick to the gentle musical stylings of, say, Belle & Sebastian. Turn the volume down, though.

M is for:

MEGALOPHOBIA Megalophobia is a dread of large or over-sized objects. Many unfortunate victims of the condition have been known to suffer particularly bad episodes during U2 concerts, when they are confronted with Bono’s ego.

N is for:

NOMOPHOBIA A recent study by the UK Post Office found that some 58 percent of men and 48 percent of women experienced anxiety when their mobile phone was —31 AU Magazine—

lost, out of credit or batteries, or had no network coverage. The kind folks at the Post Office even gave this condition a name – ‘No-Mobile-Phone Phobia’, or Nomophobia for short. Bloody hell, people really are morons, aren’t they?

O is for:

OLFACTOPHOBIA Also known as osmophobia, this condition renders its sufferers afraid of smells or odours. Anyone who has ever woken up in a house full of men after a night of heavy Guinness consumption will surely sympathise.

radiation will merely serve to imbue us with some kind of super-power or other. Now, if you’ll excuse us, we’re off to stand beside an x-ray machine for a while.

S is for:

SCOPOPHOBIA Also the title of a 2003 live DVD by Norn Iron legends Therapy?, scopophobia is an abhorrence of being looked at or seen. It’s not something that most pop stars, footballers, models or Hollywood actors seem unduly troubled by, and as for the rest of us ordinary schmoes, well, we need never worry about it, as we’re all sadly anonymous nobodies. Sob.

P is for:

PHILOPHOBIA

Q is for:

QUADROPHOBIA No, not an aversion to quad bikes (pointless though they are). And no, not an irrational hatred of The Who’s epic mod movie Quadrophenia. This is an anxiety brought on by the number four, in many cases induced in unwitting victims who are exposed to the entirety of The Verve’s dreary quaternary effort, Forth. I mean they couldn’t even spell ‘Fourth’ right. Tsk.

R is for:

RADIOPHOBIA

If the thought of being exposed to radioactivity fills you with dread, chances are you’re radiophobic.

Of course, such a fear is completely irrational – if the world of Marvel comics has taught us anything, it’s that exposure to dangerously high levels of

—32 issue 68—

VESTIPHOBIA Fear of clothing. Lady Gaga is said to have a chronic case.

W is for:

WICCAPHOBIA A fear of witches or witchcraft. Particularly prevalent amongst anyone who grew up reading Roald Dahl books and scared the bejaysus out of themselves with The Witches. Not to be confused with ‘wikiphobia’, a recently-identified (and, we must admit, entirely made-up... by us) fear of online encyclopaedias.

X is for:

Philophobia was the top-notch second album from sadly-departed Falkirk filth-meisters Arab Strap. Its title refers to a fear of falling in love, and the nude portrait of lead singer Aidan Moffat that adorns the reverse of the record cover might indeed banish all thoughts of romance from your mind – we wouldn’t touch him with a barge pole. Nice bloke though.

P

V is for:

XANTHOPHOBIA Hippies, folk singers, 1970s footballers and members of post-rock bands are said to be particularly susceptible to this tragic affliction – a peculiarly strong aversion to razors.

X Y is for:

YELLOW PERIL T is for:

TECHNOPHOBIA Some people might scoff at those mavericks who refuse to use a computer and don’t own a mobile phone. These technophobes – literally, someone with a fear of technology – might be figures of fun for now, but just wait till the plot of either a) the Terminator movies or b) the Matrix trilogy comes true, and we’re all slaves to our cruel machine masters. Then we’ll see who’s laughing

U is for:

URANOPHOBIA Allow AU to clear up the matter for any uranophobes (that’s someone who has a fear of heaven) who might be reading: don’t worry, it’s entirely made up! There – sorted.

Term coined in the late 19th century by westerners (particularly in the US) fearful of Chinese immigration and – later – Japanese military expansion. Based as it is on the supposed colour of East Asian skin, this can be said to be a form of xenophobia (hatred of foreigners or strangers), which would have been our entry for ‘X’ but we already had that thing about the razors. Coming down with ideas, so we are.

Z is for:

ZOOPHOBIA When your correspondent was a teenage crosscountry athlete (long ago, in the mists of time), his training runs were regularly interrupted by two bloody massive Rottweilers who terrorised the neighbourhood. We didn’t know it back then (as we sprinted for dear life to escape the salivating beasts’ vice-like jaws), but we were suffering from zoophobia, or a fear of animals – in this case, bloody massive Rottweilers. Or, as we called them back then, “vicious bastards”.

—33 AU Magazine—

Rewind

ShelfRespect Yourrs’ Guide The AU Buye

STEVE McQueen In Hollywood you don’t get labelled ‘The King of Cool’ for nothing. As star of some of the most iconic movies of the 1960s and 1970s, Steve McQueen epitomised living on the edge more than any actor since James Dean. His counterculture, antihero stance has been much replicated and in 1974 his stature was cemented when he became the highest-paid movie star in the world. So what did Mr Cool do? He retreated from the limelight to focus on motorcycle racing. As an avid racer of motorcycles and cars, McQueen performed many of his own stunts and died of cancer aged just 50 as the Eighties began. Notable mentions include The Magnificent Seven, The Getaway, The Sand Pebbles and The Towering Inferno but if you really want to get to grips with his work, follow AU’s guide and you’ll have an appreciation of all things McQueen in no time.

Words by Lisa Hughes Illustration by Shauna Magowan

—34 issue 68—

THE GREAT ESCAPE Dir: John Sturges

(1963)

Taut and claustrophobic, The Great Escape slowly builds up to the true story of the most ambitious escape attempt of World War II, the mass escape from the impenetrable Stalag Luft III prison. Unlike most of this genre, the first half is light on its feet as the prisoners attempt to outwit their jailers. But the second half changes tack and becomes a high adventure tale as the characters use whatever means necessary to get out. Co-starring with some real exWWII veterans including Richard Attenborough (an RAF pilot during the War) and Donald Pleasance (actually a POW in a German prison camp), McQueen stars as American prisoner Capt. Hilts.

As he tries new ways to escape but gets thrown back into the isolation ‘cooler’ each time, the character is essentially another McQueen anti-hero, solitary and laconic. Managing to make his ever-present baseball a symbol of the brigade’s persistence and defiance, the character helped carve one of the greatest war adventures committed to film.

Best Bit: The motorcycle scenes were not rooted in real life but were added at Steve McQueen’s suggestion. He accepted the role of Hilts on the condition that he got to show off his motorcycle skills, resulting in some of the most iconic and timeless images that have spawned Steve McQueen’s legend.

The Cincinnati Kid Dir: Norman Jewison

(1965)

In this age-old tale of young pretender versus old hand, McQueen plays Eric ‘The Kid’ Stoner, an up-and-coming poker player who decides to try his luck against Lancey ‘The Man’ Howard (Edward G. Robinson), a long-time master of the game. Imbued with the flavour of old New Orleans, the movie follows the days preceding the big game and the characters affected by the game’s result. Steve’s natural screen presence makes him perfect as ‘The Kid’, who wants to win honestly – but as he is surrounded by sleazy, cheating characters, honour takes a beating in this flick. On its release critics pointed to the many striking similarities to The Hustler, yet with its complex subplots there is more to The Cincinnati Kid than just a filmic poker game. As it all culminates in the final, often-criticised last hand, the outcome is one you won’t see coming.

Best Bit: The final showdown at the hotel; laden with suspense, it is the most tense poker game immortalised on film.

La Triviata: Polanski’s missus and Manson Family victim Sharon Tate was originally part of the cast but was replaced by Tuesday Weld after original director Sam Peckinpah got the chop.

La Triviata: During the climactic motorcycle chase, Steve McQueen rode (in disguise) as one of the pursuing German soldiers, meaning that in the final sequence, through the magic of editing, he’s actually chasing himself.

BULLITT Dir: Peter Yates

(1968)

In this fast action crime thriller, San Francisco cop Detective Lt. Frank Bullitt vows to find the underworld head honcho responsible for killing a star witness in his protection. Along the way he also has his hands full with Robert Vaughn’s opportunistic politician, while being tagged by two mob assassins. Oh and a high-speed car chase to end all car chases. Way ahead of its time and highly influential within its genre, Bullitt is the blueprint for cop crime thrillers to come. The rebellious young police officer openly defying authority to do what he feels is right has become a hallmark of many movies since, from Coogan’s Bluff in 1968 to Dirty Harry. One of the best movies not only of 1968 but of all time, Bullitt has police rebellion, the mob, epic car chases and a leading man who is charisma incarnate – what more could you ask for?

Best bit: Using two 1968 390 CID V8 Ford Mustangs to reach speeds of over 110 mph, the high-speed car chase is what made this movie stick in the minds of so many cinema-goers. McQueen made a point of keeping his head near the open car window so audiences would know it was him behind the wheel.

La Triviata: McQueen based Bullitt on real-life San Francisco Homicide Inspector Dave Toschi, famous for his work on the Zodiac killings. The actor even had a copy made of Toschi’s custom fast-draw shoulder holster, as seen in the ultraiconic movie poster.

The Thomas Crown Affair Dir: Norman Jewison

(1968)

Reportedly McQueen’s favourite of his own films, The Thomas Crown Affair saw the actor go for an image change to play a debonair wealthy executive. Bored of the playboy lifestyle, Crown plans a bank heist of over $2 million. It isn’t long before Faye Dunaway (the best dressed leading lady ever?), lured by the prospect of a percentage of the money, is hot on his trail as the insurance sleuth out to catch the robber. A game of cat and mouse ensues and as the net closes in on Crown, a relationship develops between the two leads and, with the final double cross, the viewer is left wondering if there was anything to the affair or if it was all about the stash. Stylishly Sixties with the odd split screen, the themes of loyalty and betrayal are played out but the real decadence lies in the trippy theme tune, ‘Windmills of Your Mind’ performed by Noel Harrison, son of Rex. If you always fancied Steve as a good Bond, or at least a gentleman thief, this is the one.

Best bit: From Dunaway’s provocative “Try me” to the tense chemistry between the two stars (who allegedly didn’t get on), the infamous chess scene is the only time the words ‘chess’ and ‘erotically charged’ can be used together.

La Triviata: Sean Connery had been the original choice for the title role but (thankfully) declined, although he later regretted his decision.

papillon Dir: Franklin J. Schaffner

(1973)

Yes, Steve McQueen in another escape movie.

Based on the true story of Henri Charrière, the plot focuses on the experience of a petty criminal wrongly convicted of murder – and his escape and recapture on Devil’s Island. Along the way he befriends Louis Dega, a counterfeiting genius, and in his nuanced depiction, Dustin Hoffman almost swipes McQueen’s eye. Showing the brutal treatment of convicts in a penal colony over more than a decade in captivity, all other escape movies pale in comparison to Papillon.

The movie has more than its share of memorable and superbly acted scenes; when the protagonist is in solitary confinement, deluded, hallucinating and eating bugs or the when faced with the leper colony where he is tested by the leader of the colony to see if he’ll smoke the leper’s used cigar. With McQueen’s undeniable screen presence, Papillon portrays the human capacity to endure in the face of adversity. Not a favourite with critics on its release, nonetheless this film leaves an indelible impression.

Best Bit: The cliff jumping scene at the finale. After so many failed attempts, will his final madcap plan at escape be a success? McQueen insisted on performing the stunt himself and later referred to it as “one of the most exhilarating experiences of my life.”

La Triviata: Although billed as a true story, it’s widely believed that Charrière got much of his material from other inmates. In 2005, Charles Brunier, a 104-year-old man in Paris, claimed to be the real Papillon, a claim backed by his butterfly tattoo and having been on Devil’s Island at the time.

HIDDEN GEM Love With The Perfect Stranger (1963) Dir: Robert Mulligan

When Macy’s salesgirl Angie Rossini (Natalie Wood) gets pregnant with non-committal musician Rocky Papasano (McQueen), all hell breaks loose – for the girl at least. Despite receiving 5 Oscar nods, this is rarely considered one of McQueen’s greatest but by dealing with risque issues for the time like abortions and pre-marital sex, this daring romcom drama is surprisingly one of the actor’s most nonconformist works and lets the action man show us a rare tender side.

—35 AU Magazine—

Classic Show - Jackass

Rewind

Classic Show

JACKASS

(2000-2002)

Puerile, infantile and downright disgusting it may often have been – but as we approach a decade since its inception, and with a third movie in the works, there’s no sign of the Jackass flame – probably emanating from someone’s backside – burning out just yet.

The most noticeable thing about the skate culture boom of the late Nineties is what little impact it left. Its sole contribution to mainstream culture in the 2000s was borne of a corruption of a skating ideal, though. Skate videos, VHS montages of men called Chad jumping over park benches set to a really bad soundtrack, had been a ‘thing’ since the late Eighties. Eventually, compilers twigged that heads were less invested in the idyll of the technically perfect manual 360 ollie than they were in watching skateboarders fall flat on their face, hopefully fracturing limbs in the process.

Big Brother, a magazine dedicated to the skate lifestyle, eventually started filling up its occasional video issues with not only these new wave blooper reels, but also additional skits and stunts, such as Jason ‘Wee Man’ Acuña, a midget skateboarder, wearing full body paint.

Or journalist Johnny Knoxville road-testing safety devices by being assaulted with pepper spray, stun guns, and a pistol while wearing a bullet proof vest. And from such, a TV classic was born.

—36 issue 68—

Knoxville was the spiritual centre of the show, and part of what made it such a) a hit and b) a deserved hit, when so many of the imitators that sprung up in its wake (Dirty Sanchez, The Dudesons, the truly awful Rad Girls) either wilted on the vine or stunk MTV2 out for so long.

They didn’t have a Knoxville figure to bring... if not ‘gravitas’ to the situation then at least a stabilising sense of comic timing. Indeed, with Knoxville’s ability to switch between hectoring straight man and goofy team player as and when the skits required, he always brought to mind Eric Morecambe, or at least an Eric Morecambe as attired by Vice stylists circa 2001. The show did air during the ‘golden’ era of ironic moustaches and vintage t-shirts, after all.

The rest of the crew were cast well. Steve-O, a trained clown who used to be a touring drug dealer with the Grateful Dead. Chris Pontius, who took the latent homoeroticism of any ‘lads having a laugh’ moment to its logical conclusion by wearing a posing pouch and swinging his nutsack in strangers’ faces. Punchbag ‘Danger’ Ehren McGhehey, short ‘n’ fat dudes combo Wee Man

Words by Dom Passantino

and Preston Lacey, the whole West Chester posse led by the perfectly smug Bam Margera.

And the show was always at its best when the stunts were kept simple. Short build-up, stunt, quick pay-off, move on. Moments like P Diddy slapping Bam in the face. Riding skateboard ramps in office chairs. Eating, regurgitating, then cooking the ingredients for an omelette. Snorting worms. It was all such a vicarious thrill for anyone who was missing the days when their friends pushed them down embankments in shopping trolleys.

The movies continued in this vein: Jackass: The Movie is a logical extension of the show; bigger budget, bigger screen. Jackass 2, on the other hand, is a pretty intelligent update of the show for men entering their mid-30s, no longer able to pull off fantastic stunts and instead having to rely on eating horseshit as Three 6 Mafia look on, or getting a “dick farm” branded onto your backside.

A current trailer for Jackass 3 is promising us Chris Pontius’s groin thrusting towards us in 3D. A decade on from Jackass’s start, it’s hard to think of a more appropriate medium for it.

P.38 Drew Struzan

“People assumed I was powerful and wealthy, a world traveller, a celebrity. I didn’t have shit, man – I wasn’t even middle-class. But I loved doing the artwork.”

P.42 Fight Like Apes

“I think in this record there’s plenty of depth.

I don’t think that using the words ‘soul’ or ‘my heart is running out’ on a record makes the music more relevant.”

P.44 Klaxons

“I got a minor spiritual awakening of being involved with a billion, trillion year-old civilisation. I was blown away and in awe by this need to explore the unknown.”

P.50 Ben Myers

“Writing a novel that is based in fact is very tricky ground, because you’re taking someone’s reality and creating your own representation, which could be seen as presumptuous, arrogant and heartless.”

P.52 Tokyo Police Club

"Looking back, it sounds like we were just a mastermind’s project from a big label – like Lou Pearlman put us all together."

—37 AU Magazine—

John Carpenter’s The Thing (1982)

o As an anthology of his stunningly realised work is released, we pay tribute to Drew Struzan, the doyen of movie poster artists.

Words by Ross Thompson —38 issue 68—

Drew Struzan

Strokes Of Genius

Hear the phrase “film icon” and chances are you will immediately picture Marilyn Monroe, hair bombshell blonde, lips convertible red, fantastic legs akimbo over an air vent as she coyly tussles with an inflated skirt. Or perhaps a poncho-wearing Clint Eastwood astride a horse, teeth gritted around a cigarette, stubble so thick it could light an entire box if matches. It’s not likely that you will think of Drew Struzan, even if you do know what he looks like, but he is a true cinematic legend. Any self-respecting film fan will already be familiar with the beautiful, richly detailed artwork which has promoted a sizeable proportion of the industry’s most enduring blockbusters. As Struzan’s work is celebrated in an upcoming compendium of his paintings, it seems fitting to cast a fond glance over some of his most striking pieces...

You don’t get to be on Steven Spielberg’s speed dial unless you are good at something – and Drew Struzan happens to be very good indeed. The Californian art school graduate started out illustrating album covers for everyone from Alice Cooper to The Bee Gees, Black Sabbath to Liberace. If there appears to be no continuity line here, that’s because there isn’t one. Struzan had but two things in mind: to stay alive, and to carry on doing the thing he loved – painting.

In time, he would make his name with film posters, particularly the work he did for a little-known, campy space opera called Star Wars (1977). In subsequent decades, Police Academy, Waterworld, Harry Potter and Hellboy would all receive the Struzan treatment. Again, there is no continuity line, other than the quality and texture of the work. To turn a cliché into a compliment, they really don’t make them like this anymore.

Back To The Future (1985)

John Carpenter’s The Thing (1982) Two sci-fi movies vied for the public’s attention in 1982. On one webbed and suckered hand, E.T. featured a peace-loving, big-eyed alien landing in California and gobbling up candy before being killed by scientists. On the other claw, Carpenter’s remake of the Howard Hawks classic featured a man-hating, gloopy parasite landing at the Antarctic, gobbling up dogs and killing scientists.

Struzan’s composition complements the film perfectly: its themes of paranoia, suspicion and icebound isolation are suggested by the simple rendering of a faceless man – based on a Polaroid of the artist himself – who may be heroic and may be dangerous. Most impressive is the fact that it was commissioned and finished within 24 hours.

Drew Struzan: “I painted all night. About six in the morning, a delivery guy showed up on my porch, but I wasn’t finished, so he had to sit and wait. About 9am I put it in his hands – still wet – so he could drive it a hundred miles back to Los Angeles. Acrylic paint dries really fast, but the snow-splashes I had added were really thick, so when they went to put it under the glass to photograph it, the paint stuck to the glass because it was still wet.”

Designing a film poster used to involve a long and arduous process. Sure, there are still those working in the industry who employ some artistic integrity rather than just bashing out any old claptrap, but the advance of computer software has led to billboards and hoardings being plastered with identikit one-sheets for limpid rom-coms. Artists used to sketch trial comps for a studio’s approval, some of which were used for promotional materials or one-sheets in other territories. Others were scrapped completely. Before Struzan struck upon the image of Marty McFly stepping out of the turbo-powered DeLorean, he toyed with several ideas, while the copywriters tried on different taglines.

DS: “Working on this was as much fun as the movie. I got a call to show up for a meeting at Amblin. Across the parking lot was another building featuring a big sign that read ‘Movies While You Wait’. I went down a hallway and into a room where a guy was sitting behind a gigantic desk – you know, like your ultimate idea of a mogul.

And the guy jumped up and said, ‘Drew! So great to meet you! I’ve been waiting all my professional career to make a movie good enough to have you do the poster!’. And that was my introduction to [director and co-writer] Bob Zemeckis.”

Big Trouble In Little China (1986) The poster for Carpenter’s high-spirited kung fu mojo romp exemplifies what was great about film posters during the Eighties: the colours, the attention to detail, the wrinkles in the paper… it all made you palpably excited about seeing the film.

Just as Carpenter threw everything at the wall, metaphorically speaking, so Struzan literally did the same with his paints and airbrush. Ninjas, guns, pretty ladies and Kurt Russell in a cut-off vest – two years before Bruce Willis made it a fashion statement. Look beyond the tone that is at once the stuff of boys’ own adventures and girls’ pin-up hunk, and you will see that the likeness of Russell is uncanny. The half-cocked, 'I can’t believe I’m getting paid to do this' smile is spot on.

DS: “By this time I was doing movie poster work exclusively.

And again, because I was connected to the movie industry, people assumed I was powerful and wealthy, a world traveller, a celebrity. I didn’t have shit, man – I wasn’t even middleclass. But I loved doing the artwork. That was a joy in itself.

I was doing what I wanted, so the all-nighters and crushing schedules didn’t matter to me. I was never really ‘in’ the movies so much ass growing parallel to the industry; I had no aspirations that way. You’ll never see my name in the credits onscreen. Usually, I never had copies of the posters or even saw them, unless I was driving along and happened to see my work on a billboard. I was always sitting in my studio, painting. It wasn’t a dream gig; I didn’t know movies, I didn’t see them as a kid, and had no preconceived view of the industry as a fancy thing. It was a job, a cheque, food, and a roof over my family’s head.”

—40 issue 68—

Drew Struzan

Strokes Of Genius

Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989) Long before Indy lost his dignity by cavorting with monkeys and chasing after electromagnetic alien skulls, The Last Crusade marked the end of an era, the closing of a chapter, both for the character and for a time when action cinema was not dominated by vacuous big top blockbusters, powered by the cha-ching of Hollywood money and the wattage of capped teeth. Struzan’s poster is the ideal accompaniment to Spielberg’s paean to Saturday morning serials. The facial likeness is remarkable, as is the way in which Sean Connery’s shoulder blends into the skyline.

DS: “I did several full-colour paintings; to this day one of them hangs behind Steven Spielberg’s desk.

Any one of them could have been the final poster, but they settled on the one with the framework of pillars, because that architecture pulls the whole series together and lends the posters a consistent look similar to the continuity of my Back To The Future posters. Even Paramount was perfect, this time around. It was during a terrible period for me and my family – we had to escape from the mountains back to Los Angeles, and moved too fast into a place that was too expensive. We were going broke, we’d lost our dream house, we just weren’t cutting it, I took all these Indy comps and assembled them into a little book, took them to Paramount and asked if they’d like to buy any of them. They bought all of them, in one fell swoop, and got me out from under a crushing debt. Then they gave them away – to Spielberg, to Kathy Kennedy and others.”

The Mist (2007) Frank Darabont’s much maligned, equally underrated adaptation of Stephen King’s novella is one of the bravest, if most flawed horror films of recent years. It took risks at every turn, not all of which paid off, particularly the bitterly divisive ending. Drawbacks aside, Darabont’s film begins as a love letter to Struzan’s unique talent: the main character is a film poster artist, whose studio is decorated with past glories, most notably the unseen vision of Pan’s Labyrinth. Ironically, the piece Struzan created for The Mist, with its ghoulish, pea-souper greens and shadowy figures in the darkness – a throwback to The Thing – was never used. Which only goes to prove that Hollywood bigwigs are as dumb as a bag of rubber hammers.

DS: “When Frank and I discussed The Mist, we hit an impasse because the monsters weren’t designed yet, and I didn’t want to do a poster that was just another typical monster mash-up anyway.

I thought it would be more interesting to show the reactions of the human characters to something monstrous, that it might be more scary and intriguing to keep the monsters offscreen, for the art.”

Blade Runner (DVD Reissue, 2007) By this stage the ‘Golden Age of Cinema’ had long since ceased to creak along on Fred Astaire legs, usurped by shinier, brittle films which made a lot of noise but had little heart. We’re now slap bang in a fake Golden Age, if you will. The work was drying up for Struzan too, as he and his fellow artists were being outmoded by lucky young whizzkids with an eye for erasing smudges, creases and blots – all the things which lend art its character and warmth. Fortunately, there are those – Spielberg, Lucas, Del Toro, Darabont et al. – who continue to call on Struzan. To his credit, it was always the art, and never the money or the prestige, which was the goal.

DS: “One of the most fulfilling things about my career has been completing cycles. I started Star Wars and got to finish it. I started on Indy and worked on every segment. All of the Back To The Futures, most of the Police Academys, and all but one of the Muppet films. And at last, Blade Runner came back to me, too.”

Pan’s Labyrinth (2006) Creepy, unsettling, memorable, haunting... the words which might be used to describe Guillermo Del Toro’s Oscar-winning masterpiece could equally be applied to Struzan’s masterpiece, which says more in depth, colour and the maze motif than any number of taglines or pithy pull-quotes could muster.

All of this might explain why the studio rejected it.

Apparently, it looked too much like “art”.

DS: “That just floored me. How do you respond to that? What I had always tried to do was make art out of advertising. To take some hard-nosed commercial sales pitch and invest it with some beauty [...] That’s when I had to seriously question what I was doing. It’s a great way to lose your centre, and probably your mind.”

The Art Of Drew Struzan is released by Titan Books on September 24 —41 AU Magazine—

—42 issue 68—

Fight Like Apes

As Dublin’s sci-fi superstars unleash album number two, AU meets up with the band in their home city to hear all about crybabies, festivals, recording with Andy Gill… and Tina Turner’s wondrous pins.

WORDS BY NAY MCARDLE

Since Dublin’s Fight Like Apes took their first karate kicks on-stage in 2007, their success has been one of the most interesting developments in Irish music. With their second album The Body Of Christ and the Legs of Tina Turner just released, it’s been a non-stop, upward hurtle since their first video for the bizarrely catchy, post-punk blitzkrieg of ‘Lend Me Your Face’ won hordes of fans. In a few short months they’d become the new best festival band and if they have looked back since, they will probably have caught their reflections on radio and television.

“Being billed as a festival band is not a bad label to have. Whatever about facilities and things, the atmosphere at festivals is brilliant.” Mary Kate Geraghty is better known as MayKay but it’s a nickname that suits. The three subtle black dots below her left eye may be be slightly silly in theory but with a striking, pale complexion and ebony hair, she wears the look well.

Jamie Fox has intelligent eyes and is known affectionately as Pockets. Close friends who began the band together, MayKay and Pockets both sing and play synths and keyboards respectively. “One of my favourite things for atmosphere is the Secret Garden Party [near Cambridge],” he chips in. “We got there late because of the time we had to play but the atmosphere was amazing.”

even graphic novelist Warren Ellis has fallen under their spell, naming ‘Jake Summers’ [named after a character from Nineties teen sitcom California Dreams] as one of his favourite songs from their debut album Fight Like Apes and the The Mystery Of The Golden Medallion.

“We’re all really into pop culture but it’s not as evident on the new record.” Pockets explains.

“Travelling around together and watching the same stuff means it’s gonna get really mad eventually.”

“We listen to a lot of music together.” Tom adds.

“Jamie’s the Pavement fan.”

“We all like Weezer,” agrees MayKay. “My Bloody Valentine. And Queen.”

“We’d probably have to fight hard to beat Queen...” murmurs Pockets.

“You don’t like Phoenix,” says MayKay to Pockets.

“I hate Phoenix.”

“I like Phoenix...” Her tone is almost mischievous.

It sounds like a subject they’ve debated at length.

It’s certainly clear in the new album that there have been changes in the sound of FLApes – less of a reliance on strange effects; more assertive, strong songs. But with all the flippancy and profanity they’ve used in the past, has it ever concerned them that their music might be seen as lacking in depth?

and they are audible in the songs of the new album.

It was recorded in London over two weeks in July and produced by Gang of Four’s Andy Gill, who has worked with Red Hot Chili Peppers, The Jesus Lizard, The Futureheads and Therapy?.

“The approach to the album is the main difference”, says MayKay. “We wanted so much to make it like a live show in the sound and energy.”

“We started getting ideas for songs around January so by the time we had recorded we had more songs, but it was a really quick turnaround for us to record the album in July and get it ready for release,” says Tom. “It’s awesome, like pressure being released, exactly as it would be live. It sounds even better in our rehearsals.” “‘Kathmandu’ is my favourite but our favourites change every three days or so,” says MayKay. ‘Robocop’’s another one, it was one of the first songs we ever played as a band together so I think that one was quite a triumph to get it the way we want it on the album.”

“I think there’s a change in our instruments too.

I’ve gone up two or three levels, there’s still another 40 to go” says Pockets.

“Pockets has a keytar!” adds MayKay in excitement.

“Crybabies are people who cry a lot. If they wanna be that way they can – crybabies can criticise other crybabies, and then go and cry about it!”

“And Benicassim in Spain,” MayKay carries on.

“We couldn’t play that because the stage blew away! But again, just a brilliant set up; even when the line-up of these things are a bit weak they make up for it through the effort they put into creating that fun kind of festival atmosphere.”

“Depth is a strange one...” MayKay ponders. “I really think it depends on how people express their emotions. That’s what the first track on the album is about. Music is just another way of saying what it is you wanna say. I don’t think how it’s said makes anyone more or less deep.”

This back-and-forth exchange is characteristic of the Apes, easy in each other’s company and wellversed in answering interview questions. With the new album, one question on every journalist’s lips will be in regards to that title: The Body Of Christ and the Legs Of Tina Turner. Although the legs on the album cover aren’t Tina’s, it’s good to hear her name evoked with such respect – every kid from the Eighties must remember her legendary presence, strutting across stages on those fabulous pins.

As the main lyricist, Pockets pitches in. “I’ve been interested in this album from the very beginning.

The song ‘Let’s Talk About Our Feelings’ is a very coarse song but we’ve always been interested in feelings. I think in this record there’s plenty of depth. I don’t think that using the words “soul” or “my heart is running out” on a record makes the music more relevant.”

“She does have a fantastic set of legs!” insists bassist Tom Ryan, looking dapper in a shirt and blazer, his once-bearded face now smooth and fresh. “I think that’s why she let us use her name,” muses MayKay. “She wants to be back in the game – I think she backed her own horse to do that.”

There have always been references to famous icons and action heroes in the songs of Fight Like Apes, yet this time around Robocop is the only major mention aside from the titular leggy superstar. Not that such allusions have done them any harm –

Tom takes a more sarcastic approach. “Crybabies are people who cry a lot. If they wanna be that way they can – crybabies can criticise other crybabies, and then go and cry about it!”

“After the last two months of being off and having nothing to do, we’re gonna just keep gigging and gigging until we’re not allowed to gig any more.” says MayKay. Pockets breaks in. “Yeah we won’t give up the journey, wherever we go we wanna gig, gig, gig.”

“Japan sometime would be great.” MayKay is keen to get back out in the world with the new material.

Have they played the new songs live yet? “Not all of them, about half. It’s weird to suddenly have new songs. It’s great.”

So if David Carradine and Tina Turner have already been immortalised in the music of FLapes, which famous name will make up the third of their holy trinity? “Nigel Mansell,” Tom replies at once.

“We’re huge fans, he’s the best Formula One guy of all time.”

Oh, I expected someone like Quentin Tarantino.

“We don’t like to talk about it,” is the response to a question about the sudden departure of drummer Adrian Mullan in April this year. “We’ll cry if we talk about it!” jokes Tom. In place of Adrian came Lee Boylan, a long-standing friend of the band who produced their first two EPs. Lee sits at ease with the others; curly-haired and friendly-faced, obviously well-settled as the newest Ape. Other, more subtle changes have taken place too though,

“Nah.” Says Tom. “He’s not fast enough!”

THE BODY OF CHRIST AND THE LEGS OF TINA TURNER IS OUT NOW ON MODEL CITIZEN RECORDS WWW.FIGHTLIKEAPESMUSIC.COM

—43 AU Magazine—

—44 issue 68—

—45 AU Magazine—

Klaxons

It’s been three long years since the Klaxons stormed the barricades with their insatiable brand of new rave, bagging a Mercury Prize for their debut Myths Of The Near Future in the process. Now they’re back as a four-piece, with Surfing the Void – a brutally good follow-up – and are keen to set AU straight on a few facts about its creation. Facts that include an ancient South American hallucinogen and a mysterious thing called The Grid.

WORDS BY JOHN FREEMAN

We’re due to meet in the offices of the band’s management company, in a quiet Camden sideroad, just a teeny stroll away from the British Library. As AU is early for the rendezvous, we kill a few minutes in the ‘Treasures Of The British Library’ gallery. It’s an awe-inspiring

While Myths Of The Near Future may never feature in the ‘Treasures’ gallery, the Klaxons’ debut album already has a whiff of classic status. The fusion of punk and rave into ‘new rave’ captured the imagination of a public desperate for energy and invention. Following such a triumph was always

“We were nocturnal, and experimenting both mentally and musically place, and amongst the sacred texts are original Shakespeare manuscripts and musical scores

by Handel and Mozart. There is also a display on The Beatles; including McCartney’s lyrics to ‘Michelle’ literally written on the back of an envelope and the words to ‘A Hard Day’s Night’ banged out in an evening on a birthday card to Lennon’s son Julian. The room reeks of originality and innovation.

—46 issue 68—

going to be a challenge (think The Stone Roses’ Second Coming millstone), and the band haven’t been helped by internet rumours of songs from the initial sessions being rejected by their record company, and a conveyor belt of failed producers.

As we decamp to an adjacent coffee bar, a sense of excitement at the imminent release of Surfing The Void pervades the group. “It’s a genuine thrill,”

singer Jamie Reynolds says. “We made this record a long time ago. We feel so good about it and love the record and it now feels like time for people to hear it.”

Surfing The Void is a powerful beast; it has a guitardriven intensity and is laced with Muse-like cosmic babble. Perhaps darker than its predecessor, it is, however, a greater cohesive proposition. “It’s more a spiritual record,” enthuses Jamie. “It’s a more personal record from our perspective. It might be easier to grab hold of than our first record. It’s a bit more linear – the first record feels a bit ‘cut-andpaste’ and this record is a bit more explanatory.”

And does Surfing The Void put new rave to bed?

“I really hope not,” says guitarist Simon TaylorDavis. “It remakes the bed, with some different coloured sheets.”

Coffee, Coke and black tea acquired, the three Klaxons – Reynolds, Taylor-Davis and keyboard player James Righton – seem relaxed and happy to banter with AU. We are missing the new recruit, drummer Steffan Halperin (“The last we saw of him, he went on a date yesterday with a lovely French girl,” says James). We also learn that James predicts that his beloved Tottenham Hotspur will reach the semi-finals of this season’s UEFA Champions League (“That is the level of my

delusion”) and that AU and Jamie share the same favourite ABBA song (‘S.O.S’ – which means we both have utter disdain for Pierce Brosnan).

Apart from Taylor-Davis’ impressive backcombed barnet and shiny black puffa coat, the boys are soberly dressed – indeed Reynolds’ height and old-school glasses give him an air of a wellnourished Jarvis Cocker. There is not a rave t-shirt in sight. Reynolds jumps in to answer most of the questions first, and is articulate and hugely interesting. Taylor-Davis appears most ‘up for it’ and is outwardly proud at the reaction their live show elicits (“We’ve come on and people have been waiting to lose it and we are still providing a ticket to do that.”) The chiselled-yet-pretty Righton seems the most grounded, even when spouting facts about Chilean military history or an underrated ABBA track. What does pervade the trio is a seriousness about the fun they’re having.

However, the story of the making of Surfing The Void has been masked in rumour and controversy. The reality is less angst-ridden. The band didn’t start thinking about album number two until September 2009 – “when we finished touring at Bestival,” James recalls. “After that we didn’t have any bookings and that felt like putting the first album to sleep. That was the end of Myths Of The Near Future.”

“That was it – time to make the new record,” agrees James.

Nevertheless, during the preceding 18 months, the band had periodically recorded with mate and onetime drummer James Ford (“Just to have fun and write some songs,” says Righton). These sessions produced songs which were never intended to become a second album. One infamous session in the South of France was particularly fruitful. “We went and put ourselves in a very bizarre situation in France, where we were nocturnal and we were experimenting both mentally and musically,” explains Jamie.

“I think we documented this really bizarre dream state we got ourselves in. So you come away from there and listen to this absolutely wonderful music – and we still listen to it on a daily basis at the moment because we are about to have it mixed to become an EP for next year. We made the sound of the band being asleep. So, the band had to wake up again, rub its eyes and start making the next record.”

Intriguingly, this dream state was fuelled by something known to Klaxons as The Grid. The what? Jamie tries to explain, “It’s an unknown, er, er, what shall I call it? It was an accompaniment to —47 AU Magazine—

Klaxons

SURFING THE MERCURY

Klaxons have safely navigated a path with a storming follow-up to their Mercury Prize-winning album. AU looks back on what some other winners did next.

Primal Scream (inaugural winners in 1992, for Screamadelica) Whereas Screamadelica was genre-defining, 1994’s Give Out But Don’t Give Up, sounded like a tired homage to The Rolling Stones. The amount of heroin use, rather than the weight of a Mercury Prize win, was probably to blame.

M PEOPLE (1994, ELEGANT SLUMMING)

Having somehow beaten Blur’s Parklife to the award, a disbelieving M People cashed in with Bizarre Fruit a year later. Contains the track ‘Search For A Hero’ – our character assassination is complete.

Badly Drawn Boy (2000, The Hour Of Bewilderbeast)

Intriguingly, the tea cosy-wearing Damon Gough decided to go all Hollywood on our asses, subsequently releasing the About A Boy soundtrack and hobnobbing with Hugh Grant.

Ms Dynamite (2002, A Little Deeper)

Yikes, the curse of the Mercury struck Ms Dy-nami-tee-hee. She took time off to have a child, and then released the rubbish Judgement Days in 2005, before getting arrested for punching a copper. Doh. Antony And The Johnsons (2005, I Am Bird Now)

Everyone’s favourite timorous goth took four years before releasing The Crying Light. But the masterpiece of harrowing melancholia was well worth the wait.

Arctic Monkeys (2006, Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not)

No problem for the Sheffield powerhouses. They followed up and cleaned up with Favourite Worst Nightmare; their second UK number one and another Mercury Prize nominee.

—48 issue 68—

this bizarre state of mind we were in for about three weeks while we were out there.” “It was our host,” offers Simon. “It was our guide,” says James. A non-plussed AU changes the subject.

says. “You just get the feeling that everyone is having an awakening.”

So, presumably, rumours of the record company rejecting the output from The Grid sessions are untrue. James leaps in, “They left us to it – they left us to The Grid. They did come to France to visit us on the last day and they were just completely blown away by it all. Our A&R guy was in tears after listening to the music and they loved what we’d created. If we’d have said, ‘Yeah, let’s release this’ they’d have been fully supportive.”

“It wasn’t that we were depressed before going there, but we were looking for some kind of answer and the result that I got from the first time I took it was that I didn’t need to be searching for anything – I already had the answers and should simply go ahead and get done what needed to be done. That result continued into my daily life and has done ever since. It’s been a beneficial pat on the back and a personal release.” Ayahuasca also ensured that over a dozen demos for Surfing The Void were written in two short months.

So if the Klaxons need to wake up, part of the awakening process was catalysed by Jamie and Simon attending Shaman-led rituals centred

Simon is a little less self-congratulatory about his experience, “The thing I got from it, generally, was a minor spiritual awakening of

“We’ll continue to expand pop music and take it in the direction we think it should be going” around an ancient Amazonian concoction called ayahuasca. The brew contains powerful hallucinogens, and although it causes violent bouts of vomiting (it is known as la purga - ‘the purge’), ayahuasca has been used to attain spiritual enlightenment and to clear emotional impasses.

Both Sting and Paul Simon have partaken in similar ceremonies, while the Chilean writer Isabel Allende used ayahuasca to cure her writer’s block.

“It’s not a drug by any means – it’s an ancient medicine,” says Simon. Indeed, traditional science has suggested that ayahuasca is a significantly more potent antidepressant than commonly used Western medicines. “It’s interesting what you were saying about it being an antidepressant because it’s very much like the elation I’ve witnessed people having that is difficult to put into words,” Jamie

being involved with a billion, trillion year-old civilisation. I was blown away and in awe by this need to explore the unknown.”

Their choice of producer for the album was Ross Robinson, best known for his work with nu-metallers Korn, Slipknot and Limp Bizkit.

If that induces a spasm of eyebrow-raising, the results sound epic. “Ross nurtured us to where we felt we were at the very peak of our possibilities.

He got us to the point where we were playing as best as we could. At that point he pressed the ‘record’ button,” reveals Jamie. “The music and arrangements had already been done but that intensity and intent was very much Ross’s thing.”

The fact that the band could spend time recording in Los Angeles also helped; “It was really

enjoyable just every single second of us being there. To be in the sun, while the UK was having its worst winter – we didn’t have a touch of that,” laughs James.

Unless he has run off with the aforementioned French girl, the Klaxons have acquired themselves a new official member – drummer Steffan Halperin. “After our relationship with James [Ford] naturally ran its course so our friendship could continue, our job was to reconstruct the band,” explains Jamie. “I consider Steffan to be one of the best drummers in the world. Having seen other drummers play every night, he absolutely kills it. He was already playing with us and was a very good friend of ours, and it was then time to nurture him and to give him his part in the group.”

And, as if a new record and an extra Klaxon isn’t exciting enough, a third album could soon follow. “It is very much at the forefront of our thoughts.

Because we worked quite quickly on the second record, we want to continue that approach. We’ve already demoed nine songs and we are working to have music to bring to the pot. It [a third album] will happen very quickly,” says Jamie. “We’ve got this amazing little way of working now and a place in North Wales where we record,” adds James. “We rock up there in the Prius, have a really intense, fun time for two days – then we leave,” Simon reveals.

And can Jamie give away any clues as to future musical directions? “We are first and foremost a pop band and that will continue progressing. We’ll continue to expand pop music and take it in the direction we think it should be going.”

A few metres away from where we are sat, a banner advertising the British Library flutters in the breeze. It contains a quote from Stephen Fry which reads “An original idea? That can’t be hard. The library must be full of them.” So, if in future their pot of songs runs dry, instead of succumbing to The Grid or partaking in a little ayahuasca in their quest for inspiration, the Klaxons could just look a tad closer to home.

SURFING THE VOID IS AVAILABLE NOW VIA POLYDOR. WWW.KLAXONS.NET

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Ben Myers

Living to write, and writing to live

A successful transition from journalist to fully-fledged fiction writer is something that many scribes aim for but few achieve. Not Ben Myers. From inky beginnings in London’s music press, Myers had a sleeper hit with the speedily-written Book of Fuck and now looks set for success with Richard, a fictional take on the life of missing Manic Street Preachers guitarist Richey Edwards. Kiran Acharya meets rock’s most wanted writer.

—50 issue 68—

Journalism and non-fiction are understood to be the result of training and graft, of rigour and method. But when most people think of fiction they think of strange rituals, and of inspiration being something mysterious.

What’s your take on it?

"To be a writer you need to write regularly. You can’t just think or talk about it: you just have to do sit down and do it. You have to shut the world out, turn off your phone and get busy. So some days writing feels like hard work and you have to force it, whereas other days inspiration strikes and hours can pass in a trance of sorts. I can’t explain where inspiration comes from. It’s one of life’s mysteries isn’t it? It just happens. But I definitely feel more inspired when life is going well."

In Richard, the first-person voice is quickly compounded by another competing voice of doubt and unreason. It’s reminiscent of Irvine Welsh’s Filth, where the policeman’s tapeworm is granted a malevolent voice which grows to take over the page. How important was it to establish this internal competition?

"I think I wanted to show that the human mind is comprised of various aspects, all of which could be seen as having their own internal conflicting voices: conscience, doubt and so on. With Richey Edwards I wanted to illustrate the unravelling of one man’s mind, but also while avoiding any clichéd notions of ‘insanity’. I think someone can be perfectly sane, but also deeply depressed. To show this conflict I opted to have another voice filtering through the story – one that is in the background, constantly nagging, goading and prodding. And because the book begins on the day of Richey Edwards’ last confirmed known sighting, I had to establish this right from the start."

You’ve previously written books on Green Day, System of a Down, and Muse. The Muse book opens with the story of Matt Bellamy’s mum, who moved from Belfast to England.

Does the act of imagining something like the boat journey from Ireland feel like a precursor to imagining the fully-drawn characters and experiences in Richard?

"Yes, I think it does. Writing a novel that is based in fact is very tricky ground, because you’re taking someone’s reality and creating your own representation, which could be seen as presumptuous, arrogant and heartless. You can thoroughly research a subject but ultimately you are exercising a heavy amount of artistic licence by seeing the world through their eyes. In the case of Richard though, I hope to have handled his life as sensitively as possible. In the music biographies there have always been personal anecdotes and opinions in there, because I think music demands a personal response. I think it’s the only way I can write – it’s hard to remain cold and detached when you’re dealing with something creative."

RECOMMENDED READING FROM ENGLAND TO EDINBURGH AND DERRY, BEN MYERS SCANS THE UK TO FIND FIVE OF THE BEST EMERGING WRITERS

Lee Rourke Myers: “Rourke’s debut novel The Canal is an excellent meditation on boredom and alienation in modern London. He has a hugely promising writing career ahead of him.”

How much of a line is there between writing biography, journalism and fiction? There’s a current, led by David Shields’ Reality Hunger that says ‘fiction’ no longer qualifies as the preeminent or most relevant literary form.

"I think fiction has many faces, and therefore is still a relevant literary form. Fiction can be experimental, it can be fact-based, or it can be fantastical. Fiction exists in journalism too – just pick up a tabloid newspaper and you can witness the distortion of truth that takes place on every page. I’m not saying that’s a good thing – quite the opposite, in fact – but we as humans have a strong appetite for stories and I think there are vast grey areas between biography, journalism and fiction which feed that appetite. And perhaps in those grey areas the truth can be found.

Perhaps in combining fact and fiction – as I do in Richard – deeper truths can be explored."

I understand that Knut Hamsun’s Hunger is a favourite book of yours. The writing fairly buzzes, and you can see how a touch of that manic energy was channelled by writers like Hunter Thompson, and Robert McLiam Wilson in Ripley Bogle. Do you still get anything out of Hunger?

"Hamsun is one of the greatest writers of any era, I think. His work from over a hundred years ago still reads like it was written yesterday, which is a rare feat to achieve. There’s humour, pathos, absurdity and clarity in his writing. He captures the human condition brilliantly. However I only discovered that in later life he became a raging Nazi. So that now makes me see him in a totally different light.

There’s a huge conflict there: how can a man who displays such an understanding of humanity be attracted to such loathsome political beliefs? But that is human beings, I suppose. We are complex and we too are comprised of murky grey areas. Not everything is black and white."

In a Guardian blog you pondered whether a literature of the homeless existed.

Impoverishment has certainly given writers the impetus to write, as well as resulting in necessary books like Down And Out In Paris And London or Autobiography Of A Super Tramp.

What are your own experiences of pursuing the writing life on modest means?

"Yes, the Guardian piece you refer to considers the fact that homeless people have creative impulses too – and that homelessness has inspired some great books – though I imagine it’s hard to think about writing when you don’t have a bed for the night. I don’t think abject poverty really makes great art; the notion of the starving writer has been romanticised too much. Hunger doesn’t make for great writing, it makes for rumbling bellies and bad tempers. Writing is a luxury for most people. It’s certainly is for me – I just feel lucky to be able to do it most days. I’ve never been homeless either, but I have been broke for years – like most writers I know, actually. A few years ago I spent a lot of time – and Adelle Stripe Myers: “Adelle Stripe is the best emerging young poet around. She has published two collections with Blackheath Books, and her work about Northern England is up there with greats like Philip Larkin.”

Chris Killen Myers: “Manchester-based writer Killen’s novel The Bird Room is hilarious and sad in equal measures. He writes about relationships extremely well.”

money – fixing various problems with my teeth. The next day I stepped out my front door in Peckham and saw a 14-year-old girl getting beaten up by a gang of kids. So I waded in to help her and managed to separate the fight, only for the girl to punch me in the mouth with a neat right hook. All I could think about was 'Not the teeth! Not the teeth!". I suppose the moral of the story is, wear a mouth guard at all times. Because you never know."

How do you appraise early work like The Book of Fuck? Does it hold any appeal for you, or does it feel like the work of another, younger man?

"The Book of Fuck was an experiment really, a test to myself. I set myself the task of writing and completing a novel in as short a time as possible, something I managed to do in 8 days. At the time I lived in a squat and had no heating, so spent a lot of time in a nearby café trying to keep warm by drinking strong coffee, and writing.

I wanted to capture that period when I was being sent to America a lot to interview famous rock stars in Hollywood for music magazines, and how much of a contrast it was with my own life. So the novel is loosely based on my life living in a squat in south London, and a night I spent drinking in absinthe in Marilyn Manson’s hillside house. At the time – I was 24 when I wrote it – I felt like I was moving between two opposite worlds, and wanted to document it. I actually never imagined the book would be published. But it was, and then ended up being translated into Italian too."

Can you describe your University days? I imagine that at the time the library wasn’t digitised; that card catalogues were still used.

"I graduated from university in 1997 and remember first using the internet in my final term. It was quite exciting because you could communicate with the person next to you without having to speak to them!

That’s a real boon if you have misanthropic tendencies.

At university I spent a lot of time in the library, reading all the wrong books, but I think the fact that I was reading was important. The rest of the time was divided between nightclubs and train journeys to London, where I was trying to embark upon a career in journalism. Higher education felt like a privilege for all-comers, whereas now it seems like it is for those who can afford to get into the biggest debt, or went to the right schools. I know for a fact that if I tried to get into university in 2010 I would be rejected. I wouldn’t stand a chance. But I feel sort of blessed to have witness the dawn of the digital/information age. I’m just old enough to have enjoyed life pre-internet."

Looking at your life now, what do you hope the next ten years will bring? More novels, more non-fiction? Travel?

In ten years time I see a man with… a beard. It’s hard to see from here, but I think he’s smiling.

RICHARD BY BEN MYERS IS PUBLISHED BY PICADOR ON OCTOBER 1.

Darran Anderson Myers: “Derry-born and now Edinburgh-based Darran Anderson’s work spans fiction, poetry, criticism and theory.

He has a book coming out about the concept of ‘night’, which I’m excited to read.”

Heidi James-Dunbar Myers: “Heidi’s writing explores sexuality, psychology and duality. She is definitely a writer to watch over the coming years.”

—52 issue 68—

Tokyo Police Club

WHAT REALLY HAPPENED ON DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES WORDS BY AILBHE MALONE PHOTOGRAPHY

BY TIM COCHRANE

“Looking back, it sounds like we were just a mastermind’s project from a big label – like Lou Pearlman put us all together. You can’t really repeat it – I’m really thankful for the opportunities that we got, but now I’m just happy to be a band.” The past five years have been nothing short of a whirlwind for Tokyo Police Club. Sat in a VIP bar above the London stage where they will play later that night, keyboardist Graham Wright and guitarist Josh Hook are reflecting on their rise to fame. One of the first groups to come to prominence due to blog interest, the quartet (singer Dave Monks and drummer Greg Alsop are still sound-checking) were fresh out of high school when their debut EP began to gather serious steam. Clocking in at just under 15 minutes, A Lesson In Crime was sparky, fresh and utterly compelling.

The EP fuelled a furiously long tour, during which the group grabbed some time off to record an album as, notes Graham, “you can’t keep touring off an EP forever.” However, while the album garnered mostly positive reviews, the general consensus was that Tokyo Police Club were a group which had fallen fate to the blogosphere’s habit of too much, too soon.

Latest record Champ – released in July – could be the release to change all this.

Says Graham, “We’re very pleased with the album.

We’d give it a 10 out of 10. We think it represents where we are now as a band, maybe more than anything we’ve done. We made exactly what we wanted to make. I don’t listen to it, at all. But when I do listen to it, I don’t hear things that I want to change.” Thoughtfully, Josh adds, “We took our time with this one. We sort of learned with the last album that in order to make something that you’re really happy with, you have to say, ‘We want this time off, and we actually want it off. We don’t want to play shows - we just want to keep this point in time blank’.

And that’s what we did for this one.” Elephant Shell is the, well, elephant in the room. Do they feel that they rushed into recording their debut?

Graham shrugs. “I don’t know if we rushed into Elephant Shell so much as the entire process... I don’t think it came out too soon, it’s just that there was no way to do it except to be rushed. We sort of got caught up in things with the EP. It grew in a really herky-jerky sense where things kept happening where it was necessary for us to go on tour and promote it for far longer than it is natural to do on a record.”

Josh cuts in: “It came out in the States six months after coming out in Canada.”

Graham agrees, and continues, “So yeah, we had to do those tours, but then it became apparent that we had to make another record. It was this sort of Catch 22 where we kept having opportunities to tour off the EP, which we couldn’t turn down, but you can’t also keep touring off an EP forever. So we had to make the record in the midst of this insanity.

So we’d have like a week off, and rather than take a vacation, which is what we needed to do, we’d go and record and try and work on songs. And then leave for another month and forget what we’d done.

It was just a rushed procedure.”

The pressure aside, neither Graham nor Josh would want things to have happened differently. Calmly, Graham explains, “There were a lot of negative aspects to how the blogs picked up on us, and how quickly things got big, and it was stressful at times but it also helped us to get where we are now. It enabled us to be able to write to the label for this record and say, ‘STOP! We need time off!’. We’d built up our currency in terms of people’s attention.

With A Lesson In Crime, we couldn’t take a year off, or with Elephant Shell – in terms of hype and stuff like that – and then the hype kind of died naturally and we were able to stop and people still knew about us when we came back. It wasn’t like, ‘Hey! Hey! Remember us? We’re BACK!’ – there was some kind of precedent.”

What’s slightly unusual, AU notes, is how Tokyo Police Club are so candid about their experiences.

In contrast with their peers – Vampire Weekend and Yeasayer, for example – the Canadian quartet are happy to dissect their experiences as ‘a hype band’. Although Tokyo Police Club experienced the build-up on a slightly smaller level, it would still be understandable if they never wanted to talk about A Lesson In Crime again. Why so nice, chaps?

Graham laughs, and answers, “I think that with bands like Yeasayer or Vampire Weekend, there was such a bubble built around them – things were so heated and it was either black or white – people hated them or loved them. They were either the next big thing, or the worst thing ever. I mean, no music is that – they’re both good bands, and they’ve made excellent records, and they deserve their success – but it must have been such a shock.

I mean, Vampire Weekend were on the cover of Spin before their record came out – that would do your head in. I’m sure that there a lot of people that were gunning for them, and still are to that extent, so they’ve got to be guarded in terms of what they say. But they’re also... just like that. They’re not the most open dudes. They’re wonderful guys, and when you hang out with them it’s fun, but your

Almost two years ago, Tokyo Police Club featured on an episode of Desperate Housewives.

Graham Wright fills us in on what went down...

“People always ask us about Desperate Housewives, just because of how weird it is. We have a friend who works on the show. Obviously he’d talked about us – he’s a wonderful man who talks us up a lot to anyone who’ll listen.

And I guess they wrote a storyline where they needed a young band to appear, and they probably said, ‘Oh, who’s that band you’re always talking about?’.

And we got the call, and of course we did it. The set was like nothing else we’d experienced. It’s a different world. The money that’s getting spent. The food for the actors that’s not being eaten – we ate the snack platters though!

It was funny, because they treated us like we were actors. We got to eat first, and we had stand-ins. They were like, ‘We need to set up the instruments’ and we trundled in, and they were like ‘no, no’ and the second stand-ins came in instead. It was hilarious.

As far as what it did for our career, I would presume ‘nothing’, which is exactly what we expected. It was an experience. I love doing stuff like that. You don’t get opportunities to do stuff like that in normal life. We’ve had a song on True Blood – but we haven’t been featured in it yet. Maybe it could be like a twist-turn ending in a crossover with Desperate Housewives.

—53 AU Magazine—

Tokyo Police Club

first impression of them isn’t that they’re jumping around, being the class clowns. We’re more up for the lolz. That’s all I care about, forget the blogs!”

Peer-bashing aside, Champ is wonderful. It’s as vibrant as the group were when they first burst onto the scene. The new-wave thrust has been replaced by a more introspective bent. Lyrically, the same real-life quirks remain. Album opener ‘Favourite Food’ steals the synths from compatriots Arcade Fire, and adopts a funereal atmosphere with a melancholic theme – “There’s another girl

and another day / But your favourite food still tastes the same.” What’s changed, song-writing wise?

Graham and Josh confer, then Graham posits, “With the EP, we were very blatant with our influences – we would listen to a song and say, ‘I like that about the song, let’s try and write that too’. And now, if you ask me who our influences are, I can’t really name anything off the top of my head.”

Josh explains, “For this record we took like 13 months off between tours. We did a few things here and there. But mainly there were just 3 months of —54 issue 68—

solid, uninterrupted recording.” Recorded at the Sunset Sound Studio in Los Angeles, the group are full of praise for the production team – and the local weather.

“We did our last two records in Toronto,” says Graham. “And a) it’s a change of scenery which is good, b) Rob [Schnapf, producer who has worked with Beck and Elliott Smith] is based there, he’s comfortable there, all his stuff is there, and c) it was December, and Canada’s coooold.

And LA is beautiful. I don’t know if we felt any

more comfortable in LA than in Toronto, but it definitely helped us keep more concentrated on it. When you’re in Toronto, it’s really easy to say ‘Oh? You don’t need me for four or five hours? I’m going to go home, and I’ll come back later’. Which is very nice, it’s a very luxurious way to record. But it also takes you out of the headspace, and for me that doesn’t work. Especially in LA because if you want to go anywhere, you have to get in a car and sit in traffic.”

Josh adds, “In Eagle Rock, where we recorded, there wasn’t much else to do there but eat and record. That was our schedule every day – 13 hours of recording.” Schnapf’s influence is

everywhere in the record – not least in the immediacy of the songs. Josh leans back in his chair. “We’re really good at getting ourselves into a circle – just thinking about things too much,” he says. “We can spend half an hour where everybody points out what they think the song should do, and instead of playing it, we waste an hour talking about it. So, we did some pre-production days with Rob, and Rob was really good at going, ‘Hey, play it. It’s good’.

“The last track we did was actually the last track

on the album. We had finished in the studio – we were done. And we were speaking with Rob and he said, ‘You know that song that we have little bits of? We should use that as the last track’. So the three of us went into a studio in Toronto and laid the extra tracks down. So the last note on the album was the last thing we recorded. It actually felt really good to have that symmetry.” The wheel has come full circle, it would appear. Five years since they first burst onto the airwaves, Tokyo Police Club are back at the forefront – right where they belong.

CHAMP IS OUT NOW ON MEMPHIS INDUSTRIES WWW.TOKYOPOLICECLUB.COM

—55 AU Magazine—

Various Artists - Ninja Tune: 20 Years Of Beats & Pieces

Reviews

pg 58 Record Reviews | pg 66 Live Reviews |pg 67 Unsigned Universe

Illustration by Mark Reihill

Various Artists Ninja Tune: 20 Years Of Beats & Pieces

that if you’re after a potted history of Ninja Tune, this really isn’t the place to look. However, when the work on offer is of this high a quality, it would be churlish to complain. Put simply, if you’re in any way interested in electronic music in all its guises, you need to hear this.

NINJA TUNE

Picking out highlights is made infinitely difficult by the fact that the listener could delve into any of the discs on this collection at random and hit gold – there’s genuinely scarcely a bad moment here, from Two Fingers’ outrageously in-yer-face opener ‘Fools Rhythm’ and the emotive electro of Offshore’s ‘Jen At The Station’, to the glacial ambience and breakbeats of Dark Sky’s ‘Leave’ and the blissedout psychedelia of Yppah’s ‘Don’t Mess With Sunday’. These are just a few memorable efforts from an anthology that’s chock-full of them.

By 1990, London DJ duo Matt Black and Jon More already had considerable form. After first meeting in a London record shop, they had run pirate radio show Solid Steel together and immersed themselves in the nascent culture of sampling and breakbeats, before assuming the name Coldcut, producing an early hip-hop classic in the form of their remix of Eric B & Rakim’s ‘Paid In Full’ and having bona fide chart hits with Yazz and Lisa Stansfield. By 1990, after a transformative trip to Japan, their interests had coalesced into their new label, which they called Ninja Tune – a name that would become synonymous with innovative, genre-defining (and genre-defying), plain great music.

Fast forward to 2010, and here’s 20 Years Of Beats & Pieces, a suitably lavish box-set-and-book offering to celebrate two decades of the label. In typical Ninja Tune style, they’ve chosen to mark the occasion with something a bit different: rather than a traditional ‘Best Of’, Black and More have opted instead for six CDs (and various vinyl extras) of all-new material and remixes.

What this focus on the new means, of course, is —56 issue 68—

Another point in this set’s favour is the presence of remixes by artists from other labels. It’s a move that suggests a certain generosity of spirit – no-one would have blamed Black and More for keeping this strictly in-house, but instead they’ve opened it up to acts from labels like Planet Mu (represented by Slugabed, who transforms Roots Manuva’s classic ‘Witness (1 Hope)’ into a squelchy slice of future funk), Domino (in the form of Four Tet’s reworking of Antipop Consortium’s ‘Volcano’) and Warp (Autechre pop up to contribute a frankly terrifying remix of The Bug’s already-scary ‘Skeng’).

All that said, the listener who approaches this collection expecting any real consistency of sound

is likely to have their patience tested, as the sheer diversity of the artists and music on the label roster can make for a head-spinning listen over the course of the entire compilation. One minute you’re being gently soothed by ‘One Good Thing (Version)’ – Lou Rhodes’ honey-voiced collaboration with The Cinematic Orchestra – and the next you’re confronted by Cougar’s adrenalised, frantic ‘$64K Rainbow’. Hell, skip forward onto the next disc and you may as well be on a different planet – it would be a cruel man indeed who decided to play King Cannibal’s truly nasty dubstep freakout ‘Grind & Crawl’ to any unsuspecting elderly relatives or young children.

But this is a mere quibble, and barely detracts from what is a hugely enjoyable compendium of topnotch beat madness. The array of songs offered up here is by turns inventive, playful, radical, soothing, experimental, dark, and melodic – and always highly accomplished. Everything, in other words, that’s great about Ninja Tune. Neill Dougan

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 KEY TRACKS: ROOTS MANUVA – ‘WITNESS (1 HOPE) (SLUGABED REMIX)’, LOU RHODES & THE CINEMATIC ORCHESTRA – ‘ONE GOOD THING (VERSION)’, TWO FINGER – ‘FOOLS RHYTHM’, GRASSCUT – ‘BLINK IN THE NIGHT’, DARK SKY – ‘LEAVE’, YPPAH – ‘DON’T MESS WITH SUNDAY’, ROOTS MANUVA – ‘LET THE SPIRIT (HOT CHIP REMIX)’.

FOR FANS OF: DUBSTEP, HIP-HOP, DRUM AND BASS, BREAKBEAT.

Albums

Deerhunter Halcyon Digest 4AD

Deerhunter are truly the band of choice for the meta-generation. With a vigorous online presence (mostly thanks to the irrepressible Bradford Cox) they seem to be most willing to interact with fans and other bands alike – as much supporters of the scene as they are musicians. Halcyon Digest is only their fourth full-length album proper and, earlier this year, they invited fans to print off posters and stick them everywhere to announce its release. These fans were then rewarded with advance cover art and a track-listing. The LP takes the water-dripping haze of Microcastle and the jangle of Rainwater Cassette Exchange and takes the quartet off in yet another beautiful direction. Cox’s ear for a melody is unparalleled but despite his flourishes into different territories, even with his Atlas Sound project, he never sacrifices a Deerhunter song for a sonic whim.

With standout tracks like ‘Sailing’ and ‘He Would Have Laughed’, the latter dedicated to the late Jay Reatard, this is hook-laden, nostalgic, intelligent guitar indie at its most absorbing. Adam Lacey

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 KEY TRACKS: ‘SAILING’, ‘HE WOULD HAVE LAUGHED’.

FOR FANS OF: ANIMAL COLLECTIVE, STEREOLAB.

The Count & Sinden Mega Mega Mega

!!!

Strange Weather, Isn’t It? WARP

You know where you are with !!! – whatever they’re doing, you’re going to want to dance. And so it remains on the fourth full-length album, years after any hype has died down, the band and their fans comfortable in each other’s warm embrace.

2007’s Myth Takes was a bold follow-up to their 2004 breakthrough Louden Up Now – less of the loose-limbed jams, more actual songs, and Strange Weather, Isn’t It? represents something of a halfway house. No song exceeds six minutes – a first – while second vocalist Shannon Funchess makes her studio debut, three years after replacing the departed John Pugh. Her strong soul vocals are a welcome contrast to Nic Offer’s gruff monotone, while the washes of chilly synth and electronic effects (‘The Most Certain Sure’) and horns (‘Wannagain Wannagain’) are pleasant novelties. The highlight, though, is the closing ‘The Hammer’, a classic dance-punk freakout that has long been a staple of the band’s legendary live shows. !!! continue to do what they do, then, and they continue to do it well. Chris Jones

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 KEY TRACKS: ‘THE HAMMER’, ‘AM/FM’, ‘HOLLOW’.

FOR FANS OF: OUT HUD, LIQUID LIQUID, ESG.

Dinosaur Pile-Up Growing Pains FRIENDS VS RECORDS

DOMINO

Let’s be honest, a couple of killer tracks might turn heads but it won’t carry an album. The Count & Sinden’s long overdue debut is an undoubtedly ambitious but largely hackneyed endeavour.

At first, matters do seem promising. The straight-up grime of ‘Do You Really Want It’ gets proceedings underway with a bang before stand-out ‘After Dark’ unleashes its alluring Latin rhythms, ably assisted by the Mystery Jets, one of the album’s half dozen or so contributors. Sorry to say, Mega Mega Mega doesn’t sustain this early momentum and rapidly descends into something of a shambolic caricature, limited by laughable lyrics and naff production, the soundtrack to that misplaced, Ali G: The Sequel movie.

Granted, Joshua Harvey and Graeme Sinden are ambitious guys, bravely striving to represent the rich cultural spectrum of modern British dance in one album. However, Mega Mega Mega is well wide of this grand ideal. ‘Desert Rhythm’s generic North African beats bore, Rye Rye’s vocal turn on ‘Hardcore Girls’ feels like a tired sketch lampooning chav culture, and the title track is something of a sobering experience. It may get a chemically enhanced party rockin’ at 6am, but then again, what wouldn’t? Eamonn Seoige

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 KEY TRACKS: ‘DO YOU REALLY WANT IT’, ‘AFTER DARK’, ‘HOLD ME’.

FOR FANS OF: THE CHEMICAL BROTHERS, BASEMENT JAXX, HADOUKEN!

Mining the twisted legacy of great bands like Smile and Failure, Dinosaur Pile-Up punch out top class, grunge-tinged power-pop with a deliciously dark streak and elephantine heft. Massive riffs collide with insouciant Beach Boys harmonies, hooks abound, but mischief lurks behind Matt Bigland’s disingenuous grin. Like Failure, DP-U’s songs don’t follow conventional generic paths, making unexpected chord changes and seeming wrong turns feel inexplicably right. Alas, ‘Summer Hit Single’ doesn’t make the cut but early stormers ‘My Rock n’ Roll’ and ‘Traynor’ are just two among an entire album of highlights. Lee Gorman

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 KEY TRACKS: ‘HEY MAN’, ‘MY ROCK N’ ROLL’, ‘LOVE TO HATE ME’.

FOR FANS OF: FOO FIGHTERS, PAVEMENT, TELEKINESIS!

Grinderman Grinderman 2 MUTE

Messrs Cave, Ellis, Sclavunos and Casey claim to have quit messing around on the sequel to the thrilling “dirty-old-men with guitars project” that is Grinderman. But Grinderman 2 proves to be once again brimming with the playfulness, piss and vinegar that made part one such a welcome distraction from these gents’ somewhat darker day jobs as the Bad Seeds.

Gleefully folding the vicious into lascivious, Nick Cave is in fine old priapic form throughout. At one

stage he likens his bad self to the Loch Ness Monster – ‘Two great big humps and then I’m gone.” Luckily the band are more than up to the task of meeting such flagrant skull-buggery with a winning slick of sonic filth all of their own. But it’s not all hornyhandedness by any stretch of the imagination.

‘When My Baby Comes’ grooves like Amon Düül in bespoke suits, and then at the death, there’s the lovely ‘Palaces of Montezuma’. If the Manics had read the metaphysical poets rather than Marx, they probably still wouldn’t sound like this. As visceral and vital a rock and roll album as you’ll hear from a bunch of well-heeled blokes in their 50s. Joe Nawaz

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 KEY TRACKS: ‘HEATHEN CHILD’, ‘PALACES OF MONTEZUMA’, ‘KITCHENETTE’.

FOR FANS OF: THE BIRTHDAY PARTY, THE DEAD WEATHER, THE BLACK KEYS.

DJ Roc The Crack Capone PLANET MU

One of the most original DJ productions you will have the pleasure of hearing all year. Featuring jacking rhythms perfect for body popping, hotrecorded samples and a general itchiness all over, the fact it all comes out disjointed just adds to the fidgeting flow of the record. It’s all bounce and twitch with neon synths and booty-twisting, tomand percussion-heavy drum machine chops. Even the slowest track ‘Lost Without U’ sounds heavy. On the right sound system (with plenty of subs) there will be a heap of flexing when this is dropped. If not, you’re partying in a morgue. Barry Cullen

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 KEY TRACKS: ‘LET’S GET IT STARTED’, ‘I MAKE HER SAY’.

FOR FANS OF: DJ JUBILEE, CONGOROCK, DUKE DUMONT.

Grand Pocket Orchestra The Ice Cream PIGEONHEART

There’s a reason why bands don’t normally attempt to pack 18 tunes into a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it 36 minutes. But with The Ice Cream, Grand Pocket Orchestra dismiss the quality control rulebook, choosing instead to graffiti it with their two-minute pop experiments. Creating bright, sunny pop without the puke-factor, songs like ‘Crave The Flesh’ have a contradictory, knowing innocence that betrays the more twee elements. Tearing into adult themes on tracks like ‘Violent is Cool’ with a wideeyed, ‘it’ll all be grand’ naiveté, the evolution of GPO from attention-grabbers with unlikely potential to real contenders to get excited about is complete.

With such a fusion of quirks, it just shouldn’t work and although sometimes monotony creeps in, the album induces a heady lust for summer. Dismiss them at your peril. Lisa Hughes

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 KEY TRACKS: ‘MY LUNGS’, ‘BASKETBALLS’, ‘LICK THE VEIN’.

FOR FANS OF: FIGHT LIKE APES, PAVEMENT, BELLE & SEBASTIAN. —57 AU Magazine—

Reviews

Screaming Females Castle Talk

Mice Parade What It Means To Be LeftHanded

DON GIOVANNI

FATCAT

After spending most of last year sharing a stage with the likes of The Dead Weather in support of their Power Note album, New Brunswick trio Screaming Females have returned with their fourth full-length, Castle Talk. Released on the independent Don Giovanni Records, it is a rampant and deceptively infectious release from the rock n’roll punk band. With equal parts scowl and quiver, diminutive vocalist/shredder Marissa Paternoster sounds somewhere between Karen O and Grace Slick. Even stranger, try to imagine a slightly smaller Shabby from this year’s Big Brother (yeah, pretend you don’t know) ripping out leads that would equal a more technically proficient J Mascis. She is that good.

Lead single ‘I Don’t Mind It’ sounds suspiciously like Dinosaur Jr.’s cover of The Cure’s ‘Just Like Heaven’, ‘Laura & Marty’ sounds like a pent-up Bombay Bicycle Club covering Smashing Pumpkins’ ‘Cherub Rock’, and ‘Fall Asleep’ evokes the idea of an illbegotten sonic lovechild between The Breeders and The Jesus Lizard. In short, aside from the distraction of the odd generic number, Castle Talk is laden with enough hook-laden, life-affirming choruses to suggest Screaming Females will continue to command attention in the months to come. Brian Coney

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 KEY TRACKS: ‘A NEW KID’, ‘WILD’, ‘SHEEP’.

FOR FANS OF: DINOSAUR JR., SLEATER-KINNEY, YEAH YEAH YEAHS.

Manic Street Preachers Postcards From A Young Man SONY

Ten albums in and MSP are back with much of the same. Lyrically, it’s not as visceral as its predecessor Journal For Plague Lovers, understandably so, but the usual suspects are present – politics and the inadequacies of society, and yet mostly it’s an album awash with nostalgia and youth. The title track with its hints of Queen is a tale of how time changes everything. This is not the raging rock we were reminded of last time round (although there are hints of it in ‘Auto-Intoxication’) but it’s a pleasing album, indelibly stamped with the mark of the Manics.

A duet with Ian McCulloch, ‘Some Kind Of Nothingness’, is a bombastic epic of loss and sorrow, complete with a gospel choir, boosted by the soaring combination of sweet, melancholy vocals. Few bands can make aching so grand.

And when Nicky Wire wanders in to take over the microphone on ‘The Future Has Always Been Here Forever’, it’s with greater aplomb than we’re used to. A mostly enjoyable album from an effortlessly talented band. Louise McHenry

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 KEY TRACKS: ‘SOME KIND OF NOTHINGNESS’, ‘POSTCARDS FROM A YOUNG MAN’, ‘THE DESCENT (PAGES 1 & 2).’

FOR FANS OF: SEND AWAY THE TIGERS. —58 issue 68—

Once an anagrammatical solo project for New Yorker Adam Pierce, Mice Parade has since expanded to include numerous other musical collaborators. This, his eighth full-length effort, features a raft of performers from all around the globe, each of whom lend their influence and help mould these songs into a collection of vastly varied sounds. Yet, at the same time, there’s a sense of cohesion that binds them together, meaning that the dramatic surges of ‘Old Hat’ and the gentle afro-beats of opener ‘Kupano’ co-exist wonderfully. Later on, ‘there's a cover of The Lemonheads 'Mallo Cup', while ‘Tokyo Late Night’ is an experiment in gentle electronica.

It’s a wildly disparate collection, but one which is enhanced by its breath-taking, far-reaching diversity. Mischa Pearlman

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 KEY TRACKS: ‘OLD HAT, ‘KUPANDA’, ‘MALLO CUP’.

FOR FANS OF: ANIMAL COLLECTIVE, CARIBOU, BLONDE REDHEAD.

Dead Confederate Sugar KARTEL

After touring with Dinosaur Jr., recording with Sonic Youth’s producer and being signed by the man that brought Nirvana to Geffen, the ground covered by Dead Confederate on their second album is hardly surprising. Elements of grunge and alt. country permeate throughout, with the androgynous vocal stylings of Hardy Morris providing an interesting contrast. Having shed the seven-minute quasi-epics and guitar histrionics of debut effort Wrecking Ball, the band, in this more polished incarnation, tear through the 10 tracks in an economical 36 minutes.

Even when Dinosaur Jr. man J Mascis adopts guitar duties on ‘Giving It All Away’, the temptation to revert to the habits of their more meandering past is mercifully ignored. Jonathan Bradley

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 KEY TRACKS: ‘IN THE DARK’, ‘RUN FROM THE GUN’, ‘SUGAR’.

FOR FANS OF: DINOSAUR JR, SMASHING PUMPKINS.

The Sword Warp Riders KEMADO

After beating a respectable number of people over the heads with their bloodthirsty brand of riffage on their previous two albums, Texas titans of old school metal The Sword have decided that it’s high time they stepped up their game for Warp Riders.

Boasting shorter songs, better production and tracks that evoke Sabbath at their most primal, the third instalment in the Swordsmen’s quest for glory is a hook-heavy affair that sees the band push their sound in a much snappier direction. ‘Tres Brujas’ has crossover hit stamped all over it, ‘Night City’ is a throbbing, unrelenting three minutes or so and the

seven-minute ‘The Chronomancer I: Hubris’ shows that they haven’t completely lost their taste for epic metal songs just yet. While at times Warp Riders lacks the unadulterated punkish bravado of The Sword’s earlier material, their decision to streamline the soundscapes and refine their songwriting makes the record a more than welcome addition to their catalogue. Edwin McFee

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 KEY TRACKS: ‘TRES BRUJUAS,’ ‘(THE NIGHT THE SKY CRIED) TEARS OF FIRE,’ ‘NIGHT CITY’.

FOR FANS OF: FU MANCHU, VALIENT THORR, HERMANO.

Heathers Here, Not There AUNTHILL

Like a train careering out of control, Heathers just keep racing forward at breakneck pace, never aware of the drop that might await them at the end of the tracks. Accompanied by a manically strummed acoustic guitar, the voices of Louise and Ellie Macnamara rise up into the heavens, at times wounded, pleading, shrill, angry, and tender.

It’s overwrought, melodramatic stuff, and – for the most part – it works. There’s enough depth and melodic invention to keep the casual listener interested, whilst there are enough twists and turns to reward repeated listening.

However, when dealing with something as overtly ‘emotional’ as this, there’s always a tendency to just let it go over your head after a while. After all, with just the two voices, an acoustic guitar, and a whole lot of emotions, it all starts to sound a bit samey. Perhaps a little more variation wouldn’t go astray, but Heathers are certainly on the right track. Steven Rainey

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 KEY TRACKS: ‘READING IN THE DARK’, ‘VERONICA’.

FOR FANS OF: BRIGHT EYES, TEGAN AND SARA.

Working For A Nuclear Free City The Jojo Burger Tempest MELODIC

Is post-rock simply a repacked sexing up of the highly stigmatised prog-rock genre? It’s something worth pondering, especially when considering this second offering from a Manchester quartet already well versed in the grandiose on their 2007 debut.

Recorded over 18 months, this double-album, with the second disc consisting solely of the 30-minute title track, is the end result of, apparently, 2800 song ideas.

The title track is an interesting cut-and-paste of ideas but it pales into significance compared to the colourful electronic rock that laces the 17 tracks on CD one.

The only thing epic here is the soundscapes, where Byrds harmonies meet a shoegazing swirl of guitar with sweet flourishes of electronica. Post-rock? Progrock? Good Rock! Mickey Ferry

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 KEY TRACKS: ‘AUTOBLUE’; ‘ALPHAVILLE’; ‘FLOAT BRIDGES’.

FOR FANS OF: MY BLOODY VALENTINE; FRANK ZAPPA; APHEX TWIN.

Albums

Klaxons Surfing The Void POLYDOR

After their debut Myths Of The Near Future defined Klaxons as a thrilling mixture of good-time rave boys, innovative musicians and thoughtful students of literature, its follow-up was always going to be intensely scrutinised. Elsewhere in this issue, they’ve documented the myths and hallucinogens that make up Surfing The Void, but what does it actually sound like?

Bloody good is the short answer. While it is more intense, and more focussed on Simon Taylor-Davis’ shrieking guitars, than its predecessor, it still retains a sense of fun and an ear for a great pop hook – lead single ‘Echoes’ has a tense paranoia that struggles to suppress a huge pop chorus. Lyrically, Surfing The Void is full of mystical hokum, as on the colossal ‘Flashover’ with its talk of “dimensions of time becoming undone.” It even has a softer side; ‘Venusia’ swirls in a drugged-out haze.

The fitting finale to the maelstrom is the bugeyed anthem ‘Cypherspeed’, which sounds like a monstrous, mutated version of The Prodigy. “It’s a closer,” Taylor-Davis told us. “It’s got a dot on the end of it, that track.” Surfing The Void underlines that the Klaxons have grown even bigger balls.

Rave on. John Freeman

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 KEY TRACKS: ‘CYPHERSPEED’, ‘FLASHOVER’, ‘VENUSIA’.

FOR FANS OF: THE SHAMEN, THE LONGCUT, THE PRODIGY.

Blonde Redhead Penny Sparkle 4AD

Blonde Redhead’s eighth album is as irresistibly dreamy as their earlier works were dynamically abrasive. On Penny Sparkle, named after singer Kazu Mazino’s favourite horse, they continue to mine the rich seam of lush, surreally-tinged melancholia that has latterly kept them on the right side of interesting. With songs about myopic ponies, lucid dreams, book reviews and even a track called ‘Oslo’ written (naturally) about Stockholm, where the album was part-recorded, Penny Sparkle continues the potent scattergun lyrical imagery of recent albums such as 23.

Everything Everything Man Alive GEFFEN

On their debut, Manchester quartet Everything Everything have created an album that throws in everything (everything) but the kitchen sink.

Groan. Snatched lyrics zip along while, during the course of four minutes, time signatures and melodies are jumbled up in the wash at the speed of cars on the Autobahn. To focus on one example – ‘QWERTY Finger’ opens with a riff that Franz Ferdinand would nick in an instant, only to reject it after 30 seconds in favour of layered harmonies.

Hang on, no – at one minute in, we’ve segued into a frantic falsetto section, courtesy of the tail end of ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’. Fast forward to two minutes in, and we’re in tender Radiohead territory; pulsing organs and a kick drum. In less capable

hands, this would be a disaster. In this instance, it’s mesmerising.

Lyrically focused on apocalypse (see ‘NASA Is On Your Side’ – a song that the band says “looks at the idea of using the bodies of today’s disillusioned teenagers as fossil fuels many thousands/millions of years from now when they have turned to coal and crude oil and the earth is a landfill wasteland and space shuttles are leaving continuously for greener pastures”) and the general disintegration of society, it could almost be the mumblings of madmen. If it weren’t all so damn catchy. Break the back of this, and you’ll be well rewarded. Ailbhe Malone

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 KEY TRACKS: ‘QWERTY FINGER’, ‘PHOTOSHOP HANDSOME’.

FOR FANS OF: RADIOHEAD, WILD BEASTS, THOM YORKE.

Shout Out Louds Work

Gallops Gallops EP

MERGE

HOLY ROAR/BLOOD AND BISCUITS

Kazu’s voice is a thing of fragile beauty throughout the record and the delicate multi-layering of guitars and keyboards reflect the band’s musical evolution and relocation to 4AD – the spiritual home of the dream pop they now excel in. Their heads may now be in the clouds, but the view appears to be rather lovely from up there, if just a little samey. Or to put it another way: Penny Sparkle is as beautiful and remote as a Polaroid of the Antarctic. Joe Nawaz

In taking some time off to re-evaluate after 2007’s Our Ill Wills album, Stockholm’s Shout Out Louds have gone back to basics. Produced by Phil Ek (of The Shins and Fleet Foxes fame), album number three is stripped back and honest, with most tracks recorded as live takes. There is a rootsy charm to the chiming melody of ‘Fall Hard’ (“And if you fall hard / I’ll fall harder,” promises singer Adam Olenius) and the dreamy picked guitar and brushed drums of ‘The Candle Burned Out’. Work is quiet in all the right places, and knows just when to soar into a heartfelt chorus. Without a single gimmick or piece of electronic trickery, this is the sound of proper indie rock. John Freeman

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

KEY TRACKS: ‘HERE SOMETIMES’, ‘EVERYTHING IS WRONG’, ‘LOVE OR PRISON’.

FOR FANS OF: COCTEAU TWINS, THIS MORTAL COIL, BEACH HOUSE.

KEY TRACKS: ‘FALL HARD’, ‘WALLS’, ‘THE CANDLE BURNED OUT’.

FOR FANS OF: THE ANSWERING MACHINE, R.E.M., THE HOUSE OF LOVE.

If you thought Welsh leftfield music was all about the sweet psychedelic pop of Gorky’s and the Super Furries, prepare to be properly freaked out by Wrexham’s Gallops, who have taken the blueprint laid down by the likes of Battles and PVT and run with it to produce a fearsome melding of furious riffage, muscular post-rock drumming and a light dusting of electronica. Brief (and annoyingly-titled) opener ‘0100011101001111’ is 90 seconds of speaker-shredding noise which gives way to the pummelling ‘Oh, The Manatee’. Closer ‘Miami Spider’, with its crunching beat and squealing synth riff, is probably the highlight here. Complex and intricate, this EP perhaps wears its influences a little too proudly on its sleeve. Nonetheless, a promising debut. Neill Dougan

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 KEY TRACKS: ‘OH, THE MANATEE’, ‘MIAMI SPIDER’.

FOR FANS OF: PVT, BATTLES. —59 AU Magazine—

Reviews

The Hundred In The Hands The Hundred In The Hands WARP

The Hundred In The Hands (or THITH as they’ll be known hereafter, at least in this review) are just the latest in a long line of achingly cool bands to emerge from the musical hotbed that is New York. Certainly, vocalist/keyboardist Eleanore Everdell has something of the effortless sangfroid of Debbie Harry about her as she intones, “We were killing it, isn’t it all so... awesome” with haughty detachment on ‘Killing It’. But THITH are no mere hipsters, as Everdell and partner-in-crime Jason Friedman conjure up a heady brew of mutant disco (‘Pigeons’), angular post-punk (‘Commotion’) and even some heavy-riffing, R&B-inflected rock (the excellent ‘Gold Blood’).

PHOTO BY LOREANA RUSHE

Adebisi Shank This Is The Second Album Of A Band Called Adebisi Shank RICHTER COLLECTIVE

What do you think of when you see the name Adebisi Shank? Chances are, it involves two skinny feckers racing headlong around a small venue while a shorter man pounds the living shit out of his drums at a BPM that would leave gabba lovers feeling queasy. What you probably don’t imagine is the kind of dynamic range, sonic richness and pacing that we find here, on the second album. Sure, the debut was a corker but it was essentially a facsimile of said live show. Here, the Wexford trio truly flex their muscles in the studio and come up trumps.

Opening track ‘International Dreambeat’ is the perfect encapsulation of what the band can do – it explodes into life with a monumental riff, but not before teasing us with a jittery, synth-based intro.

And then, just before halfway, a horn fanfare comes

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 KEY TRACKS: ‘INTERNATIONAL DREAMBEAT’, ‘(-_-)’, ‘GENKI SHANK’.

FOR FANS OF: BATTLES, THE REDNECK MANIFESTO, YOU SLUT!.

Shed The Traveller

Glasser Ring

OSTGUT TON

TRUE PANTHER SOUNDS

A ‘this-is-electronic-music’ by numbers intro doesn’t convince that this will deliver, but repeated listens reveal its charms. The sounds are mostly gentle, but tuning in reveals just how well made each of the minimal elements are. As an album it doesn’t engage in the same way as many other long players, but it has an ethereal flow. The tracks broadly fall into two categories: dreamy synth clouds and rhythmdriven sketches. Each track is a skeletal construction, elegant and sparse: with so much space in the mix, it’s like they’re inviting something to be added to them. Minimal music for contemplation, not the dancefloor. Barry Cullen

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 KEY TRACKS: ‘KEEP TIME’, ‘HELLO BLEEP!’, ‘LEAVE THINGS’.

FOR FANS OF: REDSHAPE, EFDEMIN. —60 issue 68—

in! And it all ties beautifully together. There are a few tracks that would sit well on the first album – albeit they are generally longer here – and they truly slay (nod to the mean bass on ‘Masa’ and the widdly riffs on ‘Micromachines’) but check out what else the Shank can turn their hands to.

The Iron Maiden-style galloping drums on ‘Genki Shank’; the gently bumping respite of the cutely titled ‘(-_-)’; the haunting melodies (and vocals from Villagers’ Conor O’Brien) that underpin ‘Europa’; the Nintendo-on-MDMA breakdown in closer ‘Century City’. Adebisi Shank could have made the first album again, and we’d still have loved it and lost our shit at the live shows. But they didn’t, and they have been completely vindicated.

That’s the measure of the band. Chris Jones

Glasser, aka Cameron Mesirow, is a one-woman dream-disco factory. This is her debut record. And my gosh, what a cracker it is. Recorded on Garage Band, in Mesirow’s spare time, Ring is designed to function as a song-cycle, and has no clear start or end point. Those who come to the album via Glasser’s debut UK 12”, the rainforest dub ‘Tremel’, will feel slightly misled. Although the same urgent pulsing tracks through the record, it’s a mellower vibe that persists. ‘Glad’ is geisha via Brooklyn Bridge – all pentatonic scales and slow woodblocks, with a rogue saxophone or two – and ‘Mirrorage’ is awash with hypnotic harmonies over flashing chimes. Karin Dreijer Andersson, watch your back. Ailbhe Malone

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 KEY TRACKS: ‘GLAD’, ‘TREMEL’.

FOR FANS OF: ZOLA JESUS, ST. VINCENT, PHILIP GLASS.

There’s definitely a touch of the New Orders about THITH’s languid, melancholic melodies, as on ‘This Day Is Made’ and ‘Dead Ending’, but the pair have more than enough ideas and left-turns up their sleeve to ensure they never come close to mere pastiche. Two songs in particular sum up all that’s good about THITH – addictive, dark disco opener ‘Young Aren’t Young’ and the jagged, truly weird electro-punk rumble of ‘Dressed In Dresden’ (somewhat unbelievably, the first song they ever wrote together). Remarkably assured and constantly surprising, this is one of the most distinctive debuts you’ll hear this year. Hands down. Neill Dougan

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 KEY TRACKS: ‘YOUNG AREN’T YOUNG’, ‘GOLD BLOOD’, ‘DRESSED IN DRESDEN’.

FOR FANS OF: NEW ORDER, PONI HOAX.

Detachments Detachments THISISNOTANEXIT

Machine-pop noir, cold wave, minimal wave, synthpop, post-electroclash, nu-post-punk, call it what you like, Detachments’ debut arrives fully-formed like an unearthed archaeological artefact from a time when Tories had just taken power and we were in the darkest throes of recession. Oh, hang on…

The brainchild of a self-styled ‘creative visionary’, the aptly-named Bastien, Detachments employs a heady confection of analogue squeaks, bleeps and syncopations to create an album of brooding, finelyKrafted synthetic soul music. Shiny, crystalline keyboard melodies are beamed in from Factory and the pervading mood of glacial alienaton, the antiquated sci-fi references and the opaque, cool lyrics of…well, detachment, are all present and satisfyingly correct. For all the chilled grandeur though, it is also hugely enjoyable. When the gnawingly addictive electro-pop-opiate of opening track ‘Audio/Video’ whirrs into giddy life you’ll know exactly what I mean. Joe Nawaz

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 KEY TRACKS: ‘AUDIO/VIDEO’, ‘SOMETIMES’, ‘H.A.L.’.

FOR FANS OF: MUTE RECORDS, JOY DIVISION, FISCHERSPOONER.

Albums

DD/MM/YYYY Black Square

and Mary Chain, HOUSE! (Incidentally, their official MySpace page includes The 13th Floor Elevators TWICE in its list of influences).

INVADA

Now installed on Seymour Stein’s recently resurrected and legendary Blue Horizon label, they have reined in the rock-star clichés and turned out a set of songs that will thrill fans and surprise detractors. Their trademark drone remains but the material is stronger. ‘Bad Vibrations’ pulses like vintage Velvets before exploding into an electrifying climax, and ‘Telephone’ could be a lost Animals classic. Best of all is closing track ‘The Sniper’, a simple, chugging melody rolled over and over in the glorious madness of their beloved Roky Erickson.

The Black Angels’ career starts here. Kenny Murdock

From the idiotic pretentiousness of hip ‘Witch House’ acts (the latest in a long line of forgettable net fad genres), to M.I.A.’s nausea inducing, dashing third album title, pathetic monikers seem to be experiencing something of a resurgence.

No longer will ‘The’ followed by a generic plural suffice; it now has to be ∆ this, and Ω that. And as far as terrible names go, DD/MM/YYYY ranks high in the upper echelons of towering rubbish.

Their arty avant-punk – at times spiky, at times languorous – grates rather than grooves, with random blasts of clarinet and saxophone as likely to lounge around as charge in and stab ferociously.

Being (or at least attempting to be) hopelessly diverse, Black Square often descends into a meandering free-form mess that lacks the youthful exuberance of The Blood Brothers, the spastic angles of The Locust, and the warm tribal energy of HEALTH. Remember though young‘un – it’s hip to be square. Kyle Robinson

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 KEY TRACKS: ‘INFINITY SKULL CUBE’, ‘BIRDTOWN’.

FOR FANS OF: HOLY MOLAR, MELT BANANA, THE BLOOD BROTHERS.

Jason Simon Tee Pee Presents Jason Simon TEE PEE

Jason Simon is the guitarist/singer with San Francisco psychedelic, drone-merchants Dead Meadow. In many ways, his first solo outing feels like an unplugged version of his band’s material.

The majority of the songs, picked out on acoustic guitar, are weighty and intense and recall the early Seventies output of Richard Thompson or Bert Jansch. Simon’s vocals will polarise listeners.

Here, on equal billing with the instrumentation, they can feel slight and nasally but prolonged exposure will enable the warmth of songs like Strayin’ to fracture even the hardest defences. The unexpected highlights are two overtly country songs. Hollow Eyed And Howling shuffles with the haunted loneliness of Townes Van Zandt and What You Put Into Your Head... feels like Doug Sahm’s unusually upbeat tales of heartbreak. A new direction, perhaps? Kenny Murdock

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 KEY TRACKS: ‘HOLLOW EYED AND HOWLING, STRAYIN’.

FOR FANS OF: SANDY BULL, ESPERS.

The Black Angels Phosphene Dream BLUE HORIZON

On their first two albums, The Black Angels felt like the band in a Cameron Crowe movie. Hip, cool yet totally unbelievable. You could have fun playing ‘spot the obvious influence bingo’ when listening to their records. Elevators, yes… Syd Barrett, yes.

Stooges, yes! Velvet Underground, YES! The Jesus

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 KEY TRACKS: ‘PHOSPHENE DREAM’, ‘THE SNIPER’.

FOR FANS OF: THE 13TH FLOOR ELEVATORS, CLINIC.

Summer Camp Young EP MOSHI MOSHI

We’ve been here before: contrasting male and female vocals, washed-out Polaroid production values, and a guitar sound that pitches itself somewhere between shoegaze and C86. Hailed as a next big thing in their native England, there is little in Summer Camp’s sound to distinguish them from, oh, about a thousand up and coming bands in Stockholm and Brooklyn.

The songs on the Young EP deal in romance and heartbreak with fey lyrics that make excruciatingly contrived references to 1980s movies at almost every turn. The strongest song is EP opener ‘Round The Moon’ which rides a witchy gliding beat reminiscent of early My Bloody Valentine and feels honest in its romantic chorus. It stands in contrast to much of the rest of an EP which is consistently melodic but far too precious for its own good. Darragh McCausland

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 KEY TRACKS: ‘ROUND THE MOON’.

FOR FANS OF: JENS LEKMAN, DIRTY PROJECTORS, C86.

Freelance Whales Weathervanes COLUMBIA/MOM & POP

Every teen rom-com has character types that adhere to an established order – there is the kooky Molly Ringwald-style beauty, the school bad boy who has her, but doesn’t appreciate her, and the sensitive ‘friend’ who secretly pines for Molly and would treat her right if only she’d notice him. Freelance Whales are the musical equivalent of this latter archetype, the nice boy, the boy a girl could take home to Mom. Debut Weathervanes is well presented, the New York quintet integrating their vast array of instruments with panache. Unfortunately, the end results are nauseatingly polite. Occasionally a fleeting shadow crosses their bland visage – note the the brooding, country-tinged ‘Broken Horse’, or the odd, but uplifting closer ‘The Great Estates’. Mostly,

though, we’re treated to a cavalcade of handclaps, tinkling glockenspiel and the high-pitched, balls ain’t dropped, murmurings of frontman Judah Dadone. It’s nice to be nice, but it’s not particularly interesting. Francis Jones

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 KEY TRACKS: ‘LOCATION’, ‘BROKEN HORSE’, ‘THE GREAT ESTATES’.

FOR FANS OF: NOAH & THE WHALE, TILLY & THE WALL, SIGUR RÓS.

Cours Lapin Cours Lapin FAKE DIAMOND

On the face of it, Cours Lapin sounds like a brilliant wheeze. Gather a collection of established Danish film music composers and incite them to create their own soundtrack to an imaginary French movie, à la Barry Adamson. The professional soundscape weavers succeed in their mission to create an audio accompaniment to strolls through Père Lachaise, the banks of the Seine, or a mad car dash, whatever your taste may be. ‘Blanc’ is a frothy, acoustic guitar pluckarama, ‘Mes Larmes Secrètes’ is a mysterious film noir tableau, ‘Ma Melodie’ has the familiar vocal strains of a Gallic chanteuse and ‘Le Jour Le Temps’ has a Tarantinoesque quality. Sparse, tense, moody and uplifting, I wish that I could recall the French language better… I need subtitles! Jeremy Shields

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 KEY TRACKS: ‘BLANC’, ‘LE JOUR LE TEMPS’, ‘HOMME CONTRE FEMME’.

FOR FANS OF: NOUVELLE VAGUE, TINDERSTICKS, RICHARD HAWLEY.

James Blackshaw All Is Falling YOUNG GOD

The prolific James Blackshaw’s ninth album is his most ambitious yet, an eight-part ‘suite’ of nameless songs which is nowhere near as pretentious as it sounds. He’s traded his usual acoustic 12-string for an electric guitar and the results are often startling – his trademark intricate picking patterns have never sounded as expansive, and are augmented here by the James Blackshaw Ensemble, whose spare arrangements could have been written by Philip Glass.

The sweeping, confident strings and percussion on ‘Part 3’ channel the poppy European melodies of Yann Tiersen, but the structure is infinitely more subtle and engaging. On ‘Part 6’, drums and voices count out a complex pattern as the guitar whirls beneath; later, a 3-note riff is repeated for 12 minutes as the ensemble build a song that calls to mind GY!BE at their most powerful.

The closing ‘Part 8’ consists of eight minutes of beautiful, swirling feedback that neatly completes a remarkable album. Niall Harden

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 KEY TRACKS: ‘PART 7’, ‘PART 3’.

FOR FANS OF: STEVE REICH, RACHEL’S. —61 AU Magazine—

Reviews

Ólöf Arnalds Innundir Skinni ONE LITTLE INDIAN

Arnalds is both a touring member of folktronica Icelanders múm and the possessor of spectral soprano. This, her second album (produced by Sigur Rós’ Kjartan Sveinsson), builds on the troubadour folk of 2007’s Við Og Við. Opener ‘Vinur Minn’ is positively awash with instrumentation, as a breathless Arnalds mixes celestial melodies to her dazzling voice. She has also begun to write lyrics in English, which works best when enlisting the help of the mighty Björk on ‘Surrender’ – a song that both disarms and seduces. But, in singing the majority of the album in Icelandic (which always sounds like an Elfin tongue created by Tolkien), Arnalds crafts a sense of otherworldly enchantment. Innundir Skinni is magical, beguiling and radiant. John Freeman

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 KEY TRACKS: ‘SURRENDER’, ‘VINUR MINN’, ‘MADRID’.

FOR FANS OF: MÚM, VASHTI BUNYAN, KATHRYN EDWARDS.

Dungen Skit I Allt SUBLIMINAL SOUNDS

Skit I Allt (rough translation: “fuck it”) is long-player number six from everyone’s favourite Swedish psych-rockers, Dungen. Once again, Gustav Ejstes and friends deliver a dazzling cornucopia of hazy folk/psychedelia, as always, exclusively in their native tongue. Skit I Allt is chock-full of highpoints: the lush, keys-driven instrumentation of ‘Brallor’; ‘Soda’, all breezy, entrancing rhythm; and ‘Hogdalstoppen’, which begins with a pleasant piano melody before descending into a spellbinding, jazzy swirl of percussion and manic guitar interchange, reminiscent of Floyd’s earliest glory days. At times, most strikingly on the title track, Dungen’s jangle resembles a fictitious Gruff Rhys project. What a match that would be? Scandinavian Furry Animals?

No bad thing, surely! Language is definitely no barrier – this is blissful. Eamonn Seoige

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 KEY TRACKS: ‘BRALLOR’, ‘HOGDALSTOPPEN’, ‘SKIT I ALLT’.

FOR FANS OF: BLACK MOUNTAIN, GIRLS, SUPER FURRY ANIMALS.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 KEY TRACKS: ‘LIES’, ‘STONE BRIDGE’, ‘CONTENDER’.

FOR FANS OF: EVERYTHING EVERYTHING, JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE, GROOVE ARMADA.

Get Cape. Wear Cape. Fly. Get Cape. Wear Cape. Fly. COOKING VINYL

Right from his first record, Sam Duckworth has been skirting round the edges of mainstream success, merely lacking one crossover hit to lift him from cult status. This self-titled collection probably isn’t going to change that, but it still caresses the ear drums in pleasing fashion. Customarily flitting between fingerpicked folk and genre-bending electro, Duckworth’s politicised vignettes do sound more fully-formed than before, especially on the beauteous ‘Hand Me Downs’ and the record’s strongest commercial moment, ‘Collapsing Cities’. A little more material of this calibre could see him finally soar. Lee Gorman

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 KEY TRACKS: ‘HAND ME DOWNS’, ‘COLLAPSING CITIES’.

FOR FANS OF: JAMIE T, JACK PENATE, ONELINEDRAWING.

Swans My Father Will Guide Me Up a Rope to the Sky YOUNG GOD

So you’ve just killed your family in cold blood? Why not sit back and relax with My Father Will Guide Me Up A Rope To The Sky – mull it over. That’s right: Swans are back! Michael Gira has reconvened his notoriously morbid band for the first time since their dissolution in ‘97 and – rest assured, fans – they continue to make a would-be collaboration between Neurosis and Nick Cave sound like ‘Baby Elephant Walk’. Still, with tracks like ‘You Fucking People Make Me Sick’ you know what you’re getting: all present are Swans’ trademark maniacal rhythms and abrasive pummelling, best conveyed in the actually torturous ‘No Words/No Thoughts’ and ‘Eden Prison’. Brian Coney

Fenech-Soler Fenech-Soler

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

B-UNIQUE

KEY TRACKS: ‘NO WORDS/NO THOUGHTS, ‘JIM’, ‘INSIDE MADELINE’.

FOR FANS OF: ANGELS OF LIGHT, NEUROSIS, AMBER ASYLUM.

There’s no rule written anywhere that says that pop acts – or ‘indie’ bands – can’t be thought-provoking or intelligent. It’s just unfortunate that, on the whole, a lot of them are far from it. That said, there’s a glimmer of hope in the feisty beats and catchy hooks of Kings Cliffe four-piece Fenech-Soler.

Over the past nine months or so, their reputation has been steadily increasing, mainly due to their knack for weaving club-style anthems together with infectious, radio-friendly electro-pop grooves and certainly, songs such as current single ‘Lies’, the blistering ‘Battlefields’ and ‘Stone Bridge’ feel and —62 issue 68—

sound like they’re offering up something interesting and intriguing. That standard is not maintained throughout the whole of this debut, but it’s a welcome alternative to the often tedious standard fare. Mischa Pearlman

For A Minor Reflection Heading Towards Chaos SELF-RELEASED

Guess what For a Minor Reflection sound like.

Correct. Boring post-rock. And just as their name is like a lame Explosions In The Sky, so their music.

It’s all here: injudicious use of delay pedals, obvious chord progressions, plodding drums (with patterns lifted directly from EITS). The one novelty: blandly

strummed acoustic guitars, something heretofore mercifully absent from the genre.

‘Tómarúm’ features the dullest piano riff I have ever heard. It sounds like Elton John covering Coldplay.

It’s followed by the most predictable, dreary, 14minute song in the long, predictable history of boring post-rock. Every dynamic shift can be seen a mile off; the song could usefully serve as a warning to others. There’s a welcome change of pace with the furious ‘Atta’, but even that follows a staple Mogwai template (cf. ‘Glasgow Megasnake’).

They’ve toured with Sigur Rós, which must have been embarrassing for everyone. Still, they’re only 20. Niall Harden

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 KEY TRACKS: ‘ATTA’.

FOR FANS OF: KEANE, GOD IS AN ASTRONAUT.

Aloe Blacc Good Things STONES THROW

Well, no-one can accuse Aloe Blacc of not aiming high. With this combo of sweet soul sounds and socially conscious lyrics, the singer’s aiming for ground previously claimed by no less a luminary than What’s Going On-era Marvin Gaye. To be fair to the boy, he comes damn close to pulling it off: this is compelling, accomplished stuff. ‘I Need A Dollar’ is one of the most immediate singles you’ll hear, complete with hard-hitting social commentary. ‘Life So Hard’ continues in the same vein, with Blacc declaiming: “The key to everything, everybody / Here in America, is money.” In the midst of it all there’s a stunning reinvention of The Velvet Underground’s ‘Femme Fatale’. Good Things? Aloe Blacc needn’t be so modest. He’s onto something great. Neill Dougan

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 KEY TRACKS: ‘I NEED A DOLLAR’, ‘LIFE SO HARD’, ‘FEMME FATALE’.

FOR FANS OF: MARVIN GAYE, BILL WITHERS.

Marnie Stern Marnie Stern SOUTERRAIN TRANSMISSIONS

Stern’s complex, rhythmically-challenging third album is awash with her trademark finger-tapping guitar style, driven along by some wonderfully propulsive drumming and continually inventive song structures. This is music of pregnant pauses and huge psychedelic swirls, deep resonances and buried hooks, dextrously mixed to highlight different elements at appropriate junctures. Stern’s vocals, in particular, benefit from the clever studio trickery; untreated, evocative leads at times, they sink into the mix at others to act as another layer of chiming instrumentation. Too angular a listen for mass consumption, this will prove absorbing for those of an experimental bent. Lee Gorman

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 KEY TRACKS: ‘TRANSPARENCY IS THE NEW MYSTERY’, ‘FOR ASH’.

FOR FANS OF: SEMIFINALISTS, WOMEN, ALLROH.

Albums

The Charlatans Who We Touch COOKING VINYL

“PLEASE! FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, JUST STOP!” It’s rare that one finds oneself shouting at a record – it is, after all, an inanimate object, incapable of heeding any verbal command issued towards it. But maybe, just maybe, if we all scream hard enough, we might be able to project a psychic message to this bunch of baggy also-rans/Britpop also-rans.

After a career consisting of being the band that some people were ‘sorta fond of, but not as much as other bands doing the same thing but better’, it’s startling to see that they’re STILL at it, churning out another anonymous album of middle-of-theroad British indie.

All the usual hallmarks are there; Sixties fetishism, ‘funky’ bass, Tim Burgess’s droney vocal style and terrible lyrics… it’s got the lot. And, frustratingly, there’s always the suggestion that The Charlatans are actually quite a good ‘band’, a tight musical unit with 20 years experience behind them. Why they waste their time on this nonsense is baffling. Steven Rainey

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 KEY TRACKS: OH, OK, ‘MY FOOLISH PRIDE’ IS ALRIGHT. FOR FANS OF: MEDIOCRITY, THE ORDINARY, MUNDANE THINGS.

Solar Bears She Was Coloured In PLANET MU

Dublin/Wicklow duo Rian Trench and John Kowalski – aka Solar Bears – caused a bit of a stir with their debut EP Inner Sunshine earlier this year, and this first full-length is likely to further enhance their reputation. Theirs is a blissed-out, languid vision of electronica, as evinced by the somnambulist atmospherics and skittering beats of ‘Children Of The Times’. The organic, dreamlike quality of much of the album brings to mind Boards Of Canada, but the pair forge an identity all of their own with the likes of the hugely enjoyable title track – when an effortless-sounding guitar part kicks in, accompanied by uplifting stabs of synth, it’s a wonderful moment.

The second half of the album sees the pace pick up somewhat – ‘The Quiet Planet’ is out-and-out electro-rock, while the truly exceptional album highlight ‘Primary Colours At The Back Of My Mind’ suggests some kind of unholy alliance between The Meters and Mogwai. Throughout, what’s notable is the way few of these tracks outstay their welcome – there’s admirably little flab here. With a surfeit of ideas, impeccably executed, these Bears are ready to roar. Neill Dougan

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 KEY TRACKS: ‘SHE WAS COLOURED IN’, ‘CHILDREN OF THE TIMES’, ‘PRIMARY COLOURS AT THE BACK OF MY MIND’.

FOR FANS OF: BOARDS OF CANADA, M83.

The Frames Another Love Song/ Fitzcarraldo/Dance The Devil...

SALVO/ZTT

Re-released to coincide with their 20th anniversary and a much anticipated tour, this triptych of albums catalogues the formative chapters of The Frames’ career, a period characterised by air-punching optimism and crushing disappointment.

Twenty years have passed and The Frames are still making it up as they go along. Depending on who you believe, they may or may not have morphed into The Swell Season, though their core membership remains the same. As does their ethos: the line-up shake-ups and the horn locks and spitting contests with record labels didn’t matter; it was always the music that was important.

By the time Another Love Song was released, Glen Hansard had already been busking on the streets of Dublin for seven years, and the songs therein are full of youthful fire and a devil-may-care energy. Its raggle-taggle sound provided a foil to the sweaty, plaid-shirted grunge sweeping through Britain and Ireland at the time, turning everything fusty and brown in its wake.

In comparison to other records from that time, Another Love Song has aged well, certainly more so than Fitzcarraldo – the album was actually released twice, and second time around the lyrically dark, emotionally wrought songs were jazzed up with smatterings of loops, processed beats and incongruous remixes. It’s the sound of the band being pushed down a blind alley, of the label’s clotheared bosses saying, ‘We don’t hear any singles’.

Despite the production, the songs still shimmer.

Finally, Dance The Devil... finds the band at a creative peak, the bridge that would lead onto their all-ornothing breakthrough For The Birds. As in their live shows, for which several journalists would abuse the cliché ‘incendiary’, full-on Pixies rock rubbed skinny shoulders with broken ballads. It makes for hugely compelling listening. Ross Thompson ANOTHER LOVE SONG: 8/10 FITZCARRALDO: 9/10 DANCE THE DEVIL...: 9/10 KEY TRACKS: ‘THE DANCER’, ‘BEFORE YOU GO’, ‘REVELATE’, ‘ANGEL AT MY TABLE’, ‘FITZCARRALDO’, ‘SEVEN DAY MILE’, ‘PLATEAU’, ‘THE STARS ARE UNDERGROUND’.

FOR FANS OF: PIXIES, THE WATERBOYS, LEONARD COHEN, BOB DYLAN, VAN MORRISON. —63 AU Magazine—

Reviews

Magic Kids Memphis TRUE PANTHER SOUNDS

Magic Kids love the late Sixties, California and they may have even heard a Beach Boys album or two. They neatly avoid being crushed under the weight of their all-too-obvious influences, however, by – like Brian Wilson before them – cramming as many ideas into the three minute pop format as humanly possible. They come closest to the sun-kissed bliss of their heroes with ‘Summer’, their very own pocket symphony which wouldn’t have sounded out of place on the Smile outtakes.

It occasionally lapses into parody such as the Wizzard-ly antics of ‘Hey Boy’, but it would be a hard flint of a heart that didn’t melt just a little to the swooning exuberance with which Magic Kids lovingly invest their debut album. Memphis’ barely half-hour trawl through the back pages of West Coast cool is the very definition of short and sweet. Joe Nawaz

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 KEY TRACKS: ‘SUMMER’, ‘SKATELAND’, ‘LITTLE RED RADIO’.

FOR FANS OF: ELO, BEACH BOYS, THE THRILLS.

We Love We Love BPITCH CONTROL

We Love, an Italian duo and the newest signing to Ellen Allien’s BPitch control label, are proof that the Berlin tastemaker enjoys a good pop song as much as those gooey guys on Kompakt.

Their eponymous debut album is a seductive confection of straight-up romantic pop songs married to gleaming, carefully-produced, downbeat-techno grooves. While the male/ female vocals and lacquered surfaces of these songs might remind the listener of The Knife in places, the true heart of this album resides in southern Europe; no amount of ice-cool production can hide the hot-tempered Balearic exuberance on display in pop gems like ‘Escape Destination’. Expect to hear more from these two, as well as a downright inevitable onslaught of remixes from the great and the good. Darragh McCausland

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 KEY TRACKS: ‘ICE LIPS’, ‘ESCAPE DESTINATION’.

FOR FANS OF: THE KNIFE, ELLEN ALLIEN AND APPARAT.

Crippled Black Phoenix I, Vigilante INVADA

“Somewhere out in the darkness, a phoenix was singing in a way Harry had never heard before; a stricken lament of terrible beauty.” So it seems J.K. Rowling was not only promoting the occult with her bespectacled wizard hero, but also providing subliminal (and accurate) PR —64 issue 68—

services to sullen mire-dwellers Crippled Black Phoenix. Stark and bleak, their instrumentation flutters between neat, mournful neo-folk and unrelentingly leaden doom dirges. I, Vigilante’s monolithic weight and stature occasionally catches a glimpse of blinkering sunshine – funereal pianos and guitar lines can break off into brief, rousing virtuoso flourishes, and the jaunty marching rhythm and female group vocal of ‘Burning Bridges’ simply bewilders – but overall it’s too much of a sullen trudge to wholly enjoy.

My legs are getting sore just thinking about it.

Kyle Robinson

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 KEY TRACKS: ‘BASTOGNE BLUES’, ‘FANTASTIC JUSTICE’.

FOR FANS OF: NEUROSIS, CULT OF LUNA, GENERAL DRUDGERY…

Prince Rama Shadow Temple PAW TRACKS

Anyone who comes to Shadow Temple, released on Animal Collective’s Paw Tracks label, thinking that Merriweather Post Pavillion is the last word in psychedelic music, is in for a big shock when they hear this stuff. This is the real deal, all opened inner eyes and millions of droning froglike voices chanting Vedic mantras as they spiral down tubes from other dimensions.

Prince Rama make psychedelia that frolics at the very fringes of music, the sort of psychonaut stuff that the most out-there Japanese and German bands were releasing on obscure labels in the midSeventies. Many of the tracks such as ‘Om Padme Hum’ (say it a few times and you should feel better about yourself) are built around positive Buddhist mantras and spin fractally outwards from these starting points through huge echoing productions.

It is a strong album for what it is, but it will undoubtedly send some listeners running to hills.

Darragh McCausland

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 KEY TRACKS: ‘OM MANE PADME HUM’, ‘RAGHUPATI’.

FOR FANS OF: TAJ MAHAL TRAVELLERS, AMON DÜÜL II.

Junior85 Junior85 PSYCHOMETRIC

This self-titled debut is the end product from a workshop of beats, rhythms and ambience.

Experimentally blending these various aspects together, Galway native Junior85 has succeeded in creating a curious nocturnal collection that is the stuff both of dreams and impressive nightmares.

“The music you are listening to is completely electronic,” says the sampled voice on opener ‘Wide Awake’ and it is duly met with some Daft Punk-like distorted spunk. The harsh and minimal onslaught of beats and live electronics takes precedence throughout side-A, although

a welcomed cinematic orchestra floating above ‘Unanswered’ is short-changed by the track’s brief duration. Side-B slides into an ambient, dreamlike state, and while sleep may be a dominating theme it is never an option throughout this inventive collection. Mickey Ferry

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 KEY TRACKS: ‘WIDE AWAKE’; ‘THRUMDRUMMY’; ‘IN SLEEPY ELECTRICITY’.

FOR FANS OF: BOARDS OF CANADA, FAD GADGET, BRIAN ENO.

Stars And Sons Good Morning Mother TWICE BURNT

Already weighed down with the off-putting ‘Next Big Thing’ label, the debut by Brighton’s Stars and Sons sets the band’s personal quirks to music. Led by former binman Mike Lord, the piano-led tunes deal with the deeper things in life – like daily mundanity, oh, and life inside Grand Theft Auto. Top-heavy in terms of quality and often difficult to keep up with, tracks like ‘If It’s Good For Me’ are shamelessly fun and hard to dislike but if you’re allergic to quirky pop, steer clear. Famed producer Dave Eringa hangs in the wings but somehow Good Morning Mother retains a rough around the edges charm. Eccentric but never highfalutin, Stars and Sons have the ambition of music’s household names. Will be soundtracking Skins in no time. Lisa Hughes

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 KEY TRACKS: ‘FUTUREPROOF’, ‘COMFY NOW‘, ‘4 STARS’.

FOR FANS OF: BEN FOLDS FIVE, KEANE, THE FRAY.

Redtrack Whole Towns Heart FIERCE PANDA

Shot to fame through an appearance on Hollyoaks, eh? Wait, knives away for a moment.

The self-consciously modern Essex trio Redtrack aren’t terrible, considering their star is only in the ascendant because they won a competition to appear on Gossip Girl. On tracks like ‘Cigarette’ and single ‘Pole Dancer’ – co-produced by Buzzcock and punk icon Pete Shelley – there’s a smack of some perky poppy punk, with a shouty chorus here, a pleasant harmony there and a general understanding of what makes British pop music great. But the true skill, if you chose to see it, comes out on slowies like acoustic ballad ‘Memory Card’, a gentle guitar-plucked ode to... a digital storage device. Zeitgeisty. But not half bad. Kirstie May

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 KEY TRACKS: ‘CIGARETTE’, ‘MEMORY CARD’, ‘PRETTY BOY’.

FOR FANS OF: SILVER SUN, SQUEEZE, THE BLUETONES.

Annual Subscription to AU Only £13 (€27) Yeah, that’s right, £13.

Right now you are thinking one of two things.

Either a) Hey, I picked this copy of AU up for free, and can do every month from now on, why would I pay, douchebag? Or b) Sweet! I can still get AU delivered straight to my door, and it’s even cheaper than before.

Personally, we prefer people who respond with b). They know where the smart money is. They know that time = money, and by saving the time you’d spend going to pick up your copy of AU, you’ll actually be better off financially. Plus, they’ll get the download link to an exclusive subscribers’ compilation of new music.

If you want to join the clever people in what we are now calling Column B, all you have to do is pop a cheque for £13 (or €27) made payable to Alternative Ulster Ltd in the post to AU Magazine, The Marquis Building, 89-91 Adelaide Street, Belfast, BT2 8FE. Alternatively, you can send the payment via PayPal to info@iheartau.com.

All prices include postage and packing. In fact, the price pretty much just covers P&P, that’s how dead on we are.

AU Subscription Form Name: Address:

Postcode: Email: Preferred Starting Issue: —65 AU Magazine—

The Alice Kona Band / Reviews

Unsigned Universe

Words by Chris Jones

The Alice Kona Band Death Record/Scavengers This is a band that has never been backward in coming forward. Full of youthful bravado and devil-may-care mischief from the start, all of that attitude seeps from every pore of this new single.

‘Death Record’ is a homage to, uh, death records (‘Dead Man’s Curve’, ‘Leader Of The Pack’), done with no small nod to Del Shannon’s ‘Runaround Sue’, whose main hook is nicked wholesale for the middle eight. But that’s okay, because it’s stitched into the fabric of a ripping punk song in its own right. B-side ‘Scavengers’ is a filthy romp replete with fluttering, psyched-out organ. Awesome.

MYSPACE.COM/THEALICEKONABAND

We Are Losers We Are Losers EP Kildare’s Gavin Elsted is a busy man. The Super Extra Bonus Party guitarist already moonlights as electronic artist and remixer Adultrock, and now here he is popping up again with a new solo project.

The three tracks here provide an enlightening view into Elsted’s musical headspace – noise and fuzz abound, both electronic and guitar-based, as do plenty of energy (as you’d expect), a keen ear for vocal melodies and on closer ‘Windbreaker’, the kind of tripped-out wooziness patented by Panda Bear. It couldn’t be any more zeitgeisty if it tried, but make no mistake – We Are Losers is a welcome addition to the Irish underground.

GROWUPTOBELOSERS.BANDCAMP.COM

Isobel Anderson Cold Water Songs A native of Brighton but now living in Belfast, 26year-old Isobel Anderson is a talent that deserves greater recognition, and given a bit of luck this might be the release to do it. Over eight songs, she lays bare her soul, accompanying her utterly captivating voice and evocative lyrics with beautifully played guitar and autoharp. Folk it may be, but this is not mere background music – there’s an almost carnal intensity to songs like ‘Morveren’s Lullaby' and ‘Love Note’, as well as an ever-present hint of sonic adventure. The first sound we hear is gurglign water, vocals and instruments are layered and layered again, and the songwriting is superb throughout. Very highly recommended.

WWW.MYSPACE.COM/ISOBELANDERSON —66 issue 68—

THE ALICE KONA BAND

InProfile

psychedelic stuff like Love and The Doors. It didn’t take much thought to combine the two. Attaching these pretty and lilting melodies to the aggression of hardcore and garage. Not sugarcoated bullets, more bludgeoning someone with a 2x4 covered in honey

ACT: THE ALICE KONA BAND BASED: BELFAST MEMBERS: RYAN WILES (VOCALS, GUITAR), STU GOWDY (GUITAR, VOCALS), JOHN CULBERT (BASS, VOCALS), DANIEL HUNT (DRUMS).

FOR FANS OF: BLACK LIPS, THE SHANGRI-LAS, JAY REATARD. WEBSITE: WWW.MYSPACE.COM/THEALICEKONABAND

Is Alice Kona a real person? Where does the name come from??

We did once have a girl singer, there’s a demo kicking about. But er, we won’t talk about that.

She’s sort of an albatross.

Skinny of jean and retro of sound they may be, but dismiss The Alice Kona band as hipster posers at your peril. In live shows and – especially – in the morsels of recorded material we’ve heard so far, the Belfast quartet show that they have more than enough about them to start turning heads further afield. With new single ‘Death Record’ (reviewed opposite) due for release, frontman Ryan Wiles agreed to a mild interrogation.

You have quite a well defined visual image – is presentation important to you?

No, not really. Not as far as style goes anyway. It’s always seemed like a happy accident to us, because we don’t sit about and swap fashion or hair tips.

But even bands who are inherently anti-fashion get their style mixed up with their music. If your art is honest, you’ll always end up looking like you sound.

How, when and why did you get together to form the band?

Around the end of ‘08, start of ‘09. We’d been scheming a lot longer, playing with different people and under different guises. But that’s when the four of us actually got into a rehearsal space. I think once we’d all met and realised we had the same opinions, same tastes, we realised we had to start a band. We weren’t (and still aren’t) the most functional and agreeable of families, but we were incredibly stubborn and driven to make it work.

How would you describe ‘Death Record’s relationship to ‘Runaround Sue’? A cover? An homage? A re-working?

It’s more of a homage to different artists who have made death records. The entire chorus is just a big rhyming check list of those who have. ‘Runaround Sue’ wasn’t a death record, but we’ve always been interested in the folk tradition of lifting melodies and updating them. Dylan did it, Cobain, Joyce, Picasso. Anyone who’s critical of it needs to take a history lesson as far as we’re concerned. ‘Bad artists copy, good artists steal’, right?

What influences did you bond over?

Initially it was stuff like The Stooges, the Velvets, Nirvana, a lot of DC and LA hardcore stuff, and early proto-garage bands. They were the blueprint for how we approached playing our instruments, because it seemed only pure passion and aggression mattered, not musicianship. As we got more into songwriting we realised we’d all been raised on the Fifties and Sixties pop people tend to associate us with. Del Shannon, Dion, The Shangri Las, The Ronettes, and some

What plans do you have after this single release?

We’ve just finished an EP with Dave Tubman of Black Swan Studios; it’s a big step away from our early sound, a lot darker and heavier. We think it’ll surprise anyone who’s heard us before. We’re determined not to get tied down to the whole lo-fi surf thing we started out doing. I cringe at bands who say they can’t be pigeonholed, but it’s still something you have to strive for.

Pearl Jam / Willowstone / Sea Sessions

Live Reviews

IRON MAIDEN PHOTO BY RAMSEY CARDY

LIVE Sonisphere Festival Knebworth House, Knebworth The second Sonisphere in the grounds of Knebworth House – the hallowed site of Led Zeppelin’s final UK gig – is this writer’s first festival experience since Reading 1994. Sixteen years on, the clean campsite, working showers, wide range of vegetarian food and absence of mile-long queues are a revelation.

On Friday night, Alice Cooper, Gary Numan and Europe make the most of the fact that the main Apollo Stage is still being built. The golden oldies crank out the Seventies and Eighties hits on the only slightly smaller Saturn Stage like their pension plans depend on it, with top draw Alice remaining the finest live act ever to be beheaded, hung, decapitated and injected with an oversized syringe filled with, yes, ‘Poison’.

Saturday sees Anthrax themselves are wheeling out the classics. It’s a nice dose of nostalgia, but the band seem ill at ease with having Joey Belladonna back on vocals. Elsewhere, fellow New Yorkers Sick Of It All fail to live up to their reputation as the greatest live hardcore band of all time, while Soulfly just scrape by on Max Cavalera’s charisma. As for comedians Andrew O’Neill and Tim Minchin, there are bigger laughs during Rammstein’s Apollo Stage headline set. The industrial loons certainly know how to put on a show, with more fire, explosions and barking in

German than the Third Reich.

Post-‘Du Hast’, those still wanting to party head for the Bohemia Stage, where Therapy? are playing 1994’s Troublegum album in full.

The tent is rammed with Nineties survivors in Helmet and Pantera long-sleeves. After some troubling technical problems that lead to two false starts and an emptying tent, the Ballyclare/ Larne trio eventually steam through the 14 tracks of Troublegum. ‘Screamager’, ‘Nowhere’, ‘Die Laughing’ and ‘Trigger Inside’ are every bit as catchy as they were when Therapy? first took the rock scene by the scruff of the neck.

On Sunday, after Henry Rollins shakes the site to life with his 11am sermon, the laid-back grunge of the Bam Margera-approved CKY is the ideal soundtrack to a veggie burger and Coke in the sun. ‘Laid-back’ is not a word that can be used to describe Slayer, however. Their 45-minute set on the Apollo Stage is mercilessly executed, with new tracks ‘World Painted Blood’ and ‘Hate Worldwide’ sounding just as savage as unhinged oldies ‘South Of Heaven’, ‘War Ensemble’ and ‘Angel Of Death’.

Watching in the crowd is US comedian Brian Posehn, who, along with Sean Hughes and the genius Jim Jeffries, delivers a winning afternoon of laughs on the Bohemia Stage. Jeffries’ politically incorrect schtick draws gasps from even the most heavily tattooed-and-pierced audience members.

On the Saturn Stage, The Cult do what the disgraceful Mötley Crüe couldn’t manage the previous evening – play their classics in a competent and engaging manner. Ian Astbury is 10 times the singer and frontman the wheezing, complacent Vince Neil is, while guitarist Billy Duffy and drummer John Tempesta leave Mick Mars and Tommy Lee in the, well, dirt.

By the time the main men of the weekend appear on the Apollo Stage, excitement levels for Iron Maiden’s only British show of 2010 are at fever pitch. At least half of the sold-out crowd of 55,000 are wearing Maiden shirts, but for more casual fans the nine-minute-epic-after-nine-minute-epic routine is a little much. There are only six vintage tracks in the two-hour set, five of which come at the end. It’s a lot to wade through, but Bruce Dickinson’s enthusiasm is infectious, and AU ultimately submits to the galloping beat.

In what has become a standard rant in any Maiden set, Bruce blasts the UK media for pretending heavy metal doesn’t exist. But the quote of the weekend, and the perfect riposte to those who would write off hard rock, comes from Sunday’s Saturn Stage headliner Iggy Pop. As the shirtless Stooges legend writhes on his belly, shrieking along to James Williamson’s proto-punk riffs and Steve Mackay’s saxophone squalls, he points out that, “Yes, this too is a form of music.” Andrew Johnston —67 AU Magazine—

Live Reviews

Girls / Liars / Kris Kristofferson / Telepathe

Girls Academy 2, Dublin

of paradise, until on tonight’s indisputable hero moments – ‘Scarecrows On A Killer Slant’, ‘Scissor’ and ‘I Can Still See An Outside World’ – the malaise bursts with Wagnerian power. It’s all one big gaff.

You could very well laugh yourself to death.

Nothing about Girls is normal. With their famed cult background, and having given up a drug addiction that could almost be described as a career in order to sign the most unlikely of record deals, it’s a wonder that they’re now travelling the world as ever-more-established musicians at all. Now that they’re here, though, they’re determined to make the most of it.

For tonight’s show the dingy Academy 2 has been brightened up by half a florist’s worth of flowers adorning the stage; the air is infused with the scent of pollen well before the beefed-up five piece take to the stage. Girls have developed a reputation as a band that struggle to convert a strong record into a live setting, but that’s certainly not in evidence tonight.

It’s rustic, sure, but the slightly ‘rough around the edges’ sound only adds to the feel of a set that includes most of their imaginatively titled debut, Album. ‘Hellhole Ratrace’ is a dark moment, slow and almost spiritual in its atmospherics, while summer single ‘Lust For Life’ explores the depths of naïve longing, seeming to hang in the air of a venue that has all of a sudden acquired a cave-like appeal.

Opener ‘Laura’ sets the tone, a catchy little number whose messy live layering adds a spacey dimension, while ‘Darling’ and ‘Ghost Mouth’ sweep aside the slower moments with an influx of glistening pop, performed in a state of untouched hippie-tinged sedateness by a band whose performance suggests their most off the wall days are still to come.

Come the end, the audience around the Academy 2’s tiny stage is clearly reluctant to let the musicians leave. They soon return to comic cries of “One more set, one more set!” and close with a magnificent rendition of ‘Summertime’, leaving behind a sweaty, loved-up crowd that – for all the mis-matched, mellow moments – won’t be doubting their live credentials again. Superb stuff. James Hendicott

Liars Black Box, Belfast On as shallow a stage as the Black Box has afforded them, Liars look like two-dimensional projections, shadow-puppets in a sylvan netherworld with people for trees. The big Aussie even moves like a marionette. A snake on its end, as the music starts he grows to full height from nowhere. I don’t see him until he is right there.

A grotesquerie of death-rattles rack up in hellacious fits and spurts amidst languid stretches of Morricone-esque guitar. LA, the city of existential agony, makes itself known, the symphony conducted by the man on the floor in the corner – Angus Andrew. It’s a world where clown-faced housewives watch daytime soaps on astroturf lawns while squidgee men are murdered for their shoes.

The sprawl is endless and disconnecting. Expressed in moments of listing reverie, Liars (the anti-lies band) drive soundlessly past the dispossessed —68 issue 68—

The audience stand entranced, seldom are there any departures from the room and the gloom is comforting, if you can resist checking behind you for monsters. Refusing to play it straight, their frontman bucks against the po-faced adoration with sardonically toothy banter and groovy dancing – incorporating lager lout scissor-arms and a malfunctioning robot. Part of me hopes that Angus’s “Turn the volume up, Glasgow!” boob is sly provocation to an unsatisfactorily lively crowd. If I didn’t know better it’d be us he’d rather line up on the street, with our “thoughts nailed to the wall”.

But even Liars can’t resist revelling in Bauhaus cover ‘In The Flat Field’ and anti-yuppie anthem ‘The Overachievers’, with Angus swallowing his mic and the bassist leaning back in ecstasy against the force of joyfully bludgeoning drummer Julian Gross. ‘Drip’ and the pretty/vacant ‘Too Much, Too Much’ shimmer like boiling pollution in an asphalt oasis. The sun sets on ‘Goodnight Everything’, plunging the city into darkness and Bacchanalian nightmare: not with a bang but with a whimper. After inserting the jungle-chug of ‘Broken Witch’ and some banging slices of danse macabre from debut They threw us into a trench… we find ourselves at the gates of closer ‘Proud Evolution’. On “You should be careful / You should be careful”, Angus points to the right of the crowd, then to the left, then to the bar and finally fingers his temple like a gun at his head; we are all to blame. Welcome to Sisterworld. Please drive carefully. John Calvert

Kris Kristofferson Olympia, Dublin The man Blade fans call Abraham Whistler looks like a true country music veteran who has lived the clichéd hard life as much as any Waylon, Willie or John R Cash you care to mention when he strolls onto the Olympia stage, armed only with an acoustic guitar, a hankie, a bottle of what looks like Powerade and some songsheets.

Kris Kristofferson is as grizzled as they come but he sure don’t look his 74 years, even as he periodically empties his nose into the aforementioned handkerchief, having succumbed to our bastard weather. The man who has seen it all is welcomed with rapturous applause from a crowd that, for the most part, are either at the first gig of their adult life or have indulged in a few serious tipples in the previous hours. The heckles from this lot – mostly aged somewhere between 30 and 70 – get weirder by the minute.

But more of that later.

Kristofferson is a legend and proves as much as he proceeds to strum ‘n’ sing his way through classics like ‘Help Me Make It Through The Night’, ‘Best Of All Possible Worlds’, a ridiculously moving version of ‘Jody And The Kid’, ‘Lovin’ Her Was Easier (Than Anything I’ll Ever Do Again)' and, of course, ‘Me And Bobby McGee’, the latter

being the hit that made him a household name along with ‘Sunday Morning, Coming Down’.

He tells a few anecdotes in between songs, explaining at one point the way Johnny Cash used to “howl like a wolf” when he’d sing ‘Johnny Lobo’ all those years ago. He jokes about the cold he has and complains like an old curmudgeon when he accidentally starts a song with the wrong harmonica.

The newer tracks fit perfectly into his canon with ‘Closer To The Bone’ and ‘The Circle’ seeming like they’ve been around for 40 years. And every so often even the great man loses his way, just like any septuagenarian is wont to do, as he fluffs a note here, forgets a lyric there or misses a string entirely. But as he stops between songs to offer a humble and sincere “thank you” amidst the shouts of “Go on ya good thing, Kris”, “I love you, Kris” and, during a version of ‘Why Me Lord’, when one particularly creepy balcony-fan stands perilously close to the edge of his vantage point with arms outstretched like a modern, blotchy Irish messiah, Kristofferson manages to retain his composure and joke back and forth with the adoring masses.

He puts in an hour of solo acoustic material either side of a 15-minute interval and it is a sight to behold to see a performer of such pedigree and formidable songwriting talent mesmerise a crowd with such ease and confidence for over two hours, some 40 years after first crashing into the country music scene. He seems genuinely moved by the reaction as he beats on his chest with his fist, does two encores and finally departs to a standing ovation. A perfect performance from a legend. Adam Lacey

Telepathe Whelan’s, Dublin Arriving just after Telepathe kick into their Whelan’s set, AU is, well, fashionably late – apt given the unmistakeable hipster credentials of Busy Gangnes and Melissa Livaudis. Typically, it’s the epic Skinny Wolves crew that have brought the Brooklyn synth-peddlers to our shores and the rectum-tickling bass is enough to settle any selfrespecting fan right in.

The pair look busy at their equipment (in a nottoo-arsed kind of way) and quickly start ripping through their Dance Mother album with its Cash Money electro stabs and what has been described as their “splicing of the DNA of both the Cocteau and Ying Yang twins”. Tunes like ‘Lights Go Down’ have the wooden floors shaking with lowend and the sound (and key) does seem to wobble slightly during ‘Devil’s Trident’ and ‘So Fine’, but the crowd doesn’t seem to care too much. As far as AU is concerned, this is exactly what we expected Telepathe to be like onstage – thumping bass sound, a bit of dry ice, great songs, an air of aloofness and a brief set.

The pair plays for about half an hour and concludes with a fittingly messy cover of The Misfits’ 'Hybrid Moments’. Then we danced for hours and stole a pirate hat. Can’t ask for more than that. Adam Lacey

SUBBACULTCHA P.70 SCREEN

On 3D cinema: “In spite of what you, I or Mark Kermode say, the 3D juggernaut will carry on thundering through the multiplexes, scooping up cash as it goes.”

P.72 Games

Limbo reviewed: “There is no dialogue, no music apart from elongated drones and distant, muffled chimes and scant sound other than the sickening crunch each time you die. And you will die a lot”

P.74 Arts

Belfast’s public art taken to task: “The current mindset seems to be that in order to make the cities and towns of Northern Ireland more attractive to consumers and investors, a developer merely has to drop a hulk of watereddown Modernism in their midst.”

P.76 Comics

Super-scribe Allan Heinberg interviewed: “I rarely look back at any of my past work without flinching. I just want to be able to keep learning, to keep trying to improve, and most importantly, to keep writing.”

P.78 WEB

Horrendous show-offs exposed: “Loyal readers, there are no lengths to which your correspondent will not go to bring you entertaining YouTube clips. As proof, know this: We have just spent literally minutes watching Celine Dion videos, trying to find the most outright disturbing.”

—69 AU Magazine—

Subbacultcha

Screen

Polarising Viewers

3D cinema is everywhere, but should we be welcoming it with open arms?

Words by Ross Thompson

AVATAR

In 1959, as the conflict in Vietnam was gaining momentum, movie mogul William Castle released The Tingler, a fairly nondescript b-picture in which Vincent Price tangles with a spinal parasite. The gag was that several seats were packed with a buzzer which “tingled” the sitter at appropriately scary moments. Castle also planted fake nurses in the foyer and stooges in the audience who would feign a fainting fit to put the willies up those sitting nearby. He called the gimmick ‘Percepto!’ and pretty soon he would become renowned for equally hokey attention-grabbers, where auditoriums were filled with inflatable skeletons, plastic axes and ‘Illusion-o!’ ghost viewers.

If you find yourself scoffing at such a concept, consider for a moment the recent trend of paying a premium price to don plastic glasses before you slouch into your reclining seat. Of course it is not recent at all. By the time William Castle had given ticket buyers magic coins and “punishment polls”, 3D film had already been in existence for several decades, though the technology was largely restricted to car adverts and experimental shorts.

The 1950s witnessed a brief rise in popularity of Spectroscopic Photography, to use the correct term, most notably House Of Wax (1953, later to be remade with Paris Hilton doing her best impersonation of a teak sideboard), The Creature From The Black Lagoon (1954) and Bwana Devil (1952), an oddity about big game hunters which received a more savage mauling from the critics than from the titular lion.

their roller-coasters and simulators. In 1896, the Lumiére Brothers achieved a similar effect without the use of red and cyan glasses: when the audience saw footage of an approaching train, they thought it was going to break the fourth wall and steam into the theatre.

“Compare the warmth of the physical effects, stunts and wirework used in Inception with the cold CGI you will see in most 3D movies, and you may be convinced that this supposedly revolutionary tech is not in fact the way of the future”

The 3D phenomenon initially failed to catch on, largely due to the financial and practical specifics of screening the films, a process which required two prints and, occasionally, two projectionists. There was another flurry of interest in the 1980s, resulting in bargain basement fodder Jaws 3-D (tagline: “The third dimension is terror”), Spacehunter: Adventures In The Forbidden Zone, a fun if bonkers sci-fi romp, and Friday The 13th Part 3. The latter epitomised the very thing that was bad about 3D movies at this stage: cue a series of convoluted scenarios which ended with objects such as an evacuated eyeball, a machete or – oh, scary – a yo-yo to be poked towards the camera. It reduced a script to a series of visual jokes, and the actors to the level of the carnies who dress up as monsters in ghost trains.

It’s important to note that funfairs and amusement parks were at this point using the same screens for

“When you see a scene in 3D, that sense of reality is supercharged,” he told Variety. “A 3D film immerses you in the scene, with a greatly enhanced sense of physical presence and participation.” Fair dos to Cameron – upon its release Avatar lived up to his promises. The plot, an amalgam of everything from Ferngully (1992) to Dances With Wolves (1990), may have been derided, but the effects were truly revolutionary and did indeed change the language of cinema. Many critics sniffed at Cameron’s hyperbolic self-aggrandising and leaden direction, but as Avatar has since banked around a gazillion dollars worldwide one doubts that he is worried.

—70 issue 68—

Imagine then, the smattering of embarrassed coughs when James Cameron declared that 3D would change the language of cinema. Miley Cyrus and Hannah Montana were currently strutting and honking on 3D IMAX screens the size of space shuttles, so you can understand why people were dubious. Cameron had already proclaimed his love for stereoscopic imaging with underwater documentary Ghosts Of The Abyss (2003), but lost his shizzle altogether when it came to filming Avatar (2009).

However, other academics expressed concerns about the dangerous precedent the resurgence of interest in 3D would have on the medium. Roger

Screen

COMPETITION

Win! A copy of CSI New York: The Complete Sixth Season

INCEPTION

Ebert, a man who clearly knows his film onions, didn’t mince his words: “It’s a waste of a perfectly good dimension. Hollywood’s crazy stampede toward it is suicidal. It adds nothing essential to the moviegoing experience.” This might sound like sour grapes, but other accusations levelled against 3D movies are harder to refute. They have a tendency to make some viewers nauseous – a condition called “vergence-accommodation conflict”. Boking, unless induced by beer and a dodgy kebab, isn’t something most folks want from a night out.

Another problem relates to design and pre-production.

When Cameron dreamt up the planet of Pandora in his Cerebro chamber, he always intended it to be shot in 3D and invested a huge amount of time tracking down the right cameras for the job. When studio bigwigs got wind of the runaway success of Avatar, they immediately asked for regular movies to be converted to 3D retroactively. Earlier this year, both Alice In Wonderland and Clash Of The Titans fell foul of this process, and both looked desperately flat. Compare, for example, the warmth of the physical effects, stunts and wirework used in Inception with the cold CGI you will see in most 3D movies, and you may be convinced that this supposedly revolutionary tech is not in fact the way of the future.

Further, it’s prohibitively expensive to retrofit a cinema with the right equipment, which doesn’t take into account the process of cleaning the customers’ glasses after use. Many emporiums will simply choose not to buy a sufficiently powerful lamp, which might explain why viewers find the print dark and sapped of colour.

Others will slap a surcharge onto the regular price of a ticket, as Mark Kermode observed in The Guardian. “3D exists not to enhance the cinematic experience, but as a pitiful attempt to head off piracy and force audiences to watch films in overpriced multiplexes,” he sniffed.

“It’s a con designed entirely to protect the bloated bank balances of buck-hungry Hollywood producers.”

Three different series with over 20 seasons between them and the CSI franchise still hasn’t run out of inventive ways to bump people off. To celebrate the mounting body count, we have three copies of CSI New York: The Complete Sixth Season to give away.

To be in with a chance of winning one, send your name and deets to ross@ iheartau.com. The box set is out on DVD on September 20 courtesy of Momentum Pictures.

Thankfully, this unscrupulous practice has not been adopted by all venues. Northern Irish chain Movie House Cinemas have chosen to absorb the cost rather than foisting it upon their client base. According to General Manager Hugh Brown, “We made a deliberate decision not to charge our customers more for tickets to a 3D film.

We didn’t charge extra when we installed Dolby Digital, so why should we do so for 3D?” Sadly, Movie House seem to be in the minority. The language of cinema is now the language of cold, dirty cash. It always was, but at least people used to be subtle about it. With 3D you can really see the hand grasping towards your wallet.

In spite of what you, I or Mark Kermode says, the 3D juggernaut will carry on thundering through the multiplexes, scooping up cash as it goes. The next instalments of Saw, Harry Potter, Final Destination, Tron, Resident Evil and Jackass – skater genitalia and poop in your face – will all be marketed as 3D productions, regardless of how genuine that claim might be. It’s worth remembering that Alfred Hitchcock dabbled in 3D with Dial M For Murder (1954) but was so unimpressed by the results that he dropped it like a bag of burps. And he knew a thing or two about making movies.

Innovation is not always progress.

WIN

—71 AU Magazine—

Subbacultcha

Games

LIMBO

Console Yourself!

Our regular round-up of the new releases: how to know which game is a power up and which is a power down...

Words by Ross Thompson

LIMBO (Playdead, Xbox Live Arcade)

Goodbye cruel world...

The American artist Edward Gorey, a more misanthropic Lemony Snicket, once published a collection called The Gashlycrumb Tinies, an abecedarian series of drawings depicting Victorian tots being dispatched in various grisly ways. One gets mauled by bears, another gets cleaved by an axe, yet another falls down a set of stairs. The same malevolent tone imbues this macabre downloadable title, in which a young boy must traverse a bizarre netherworld in search of his missing sister. It’s a side-scrolling platformer of sorts which will take you through a scary tale forest, across rooftops and inside the cogs of a factory. There is no dialogue, no music apart from elongated drones and distant,

LIMBO

—72 issue 68—

muffled chimes and scant sound other than the sickening crunch each time you die. And you will die a lot. Just wait until you step on a hidden bear trap and your head pops off like a daisy.

The rest of the game is equally brutal. You will regularly encounter physics and timing based puzzles similar to those in Braid, though that title didn’t involve you being mulched by oversized buzz-saws or making rafts from the bodies of other dead children. The stunning visuals are rendered solely in flickering black and white: it resembles a magic lantern lit by a will-o-the-wisp. This is not to say that it lacks detail: the animation is superb, particularly the spindly legs of the giant spider which pursues you relentlessly for an hour, or the way your eyes blink and then close when you fall to your doom. Limbo might be short, but it is perfectly formed. In an industry overpopulated with lacklustre rush jobs and insipid clones, Playdead have dared to be different. Gorey would have loved it.

Games

KANE AND LYNCH 2: DOG DAYS (Eidos Interactive, PC / PS3 / Xbox 360)

All bark and no bite…

The world’s two most sociopathic hitmen return in this vicious shooter and immediately get into big trouble in Shanghai when a routine money collection job turns into a knockdown drag-out firefight. Much has been made of the game’s look, which combines a jerky camera and scratchy screen filters to suggest that you are participating in a particularly foul-mouthed edition of Police, Camera, Action!. Unfortunately, this approach stymies the gameplay completely: it might well be that combat is intended to be as confusing and frantic as it is in real life, but videogames aren’t supposed to be like real life. There’s no doubt that it looks exactly like a user generated video on YouTube, but a few levels of constant motion blur and bright Chinese neon made this particular reviewer feel seasick.

Maybe I’m a prude or maybe I’m just not a teenage boy, but the incessant swearing and teeth-baring machismo get boring very, very quickly. Add that to a broken cover system – crouch behind a stone wall and the baddies can still shoot you – and you’ve got a game which just doesn’t work. It’s a major disappointment: Dog Days could have been a gritty, dark and adult title, particularly a heist-based multiplayer mode in which gamers can either cooperate or turn against each other, but it’s consistently undermined by a janky game build which sucks out all the potential fun.

CRACKDOWN 2 (Microsoft Game Studios, Xbox 360)

Not much craic here...

The original Crackdown was an impressive sandbox title in which you played a genetically enhanced police agent fighting rival gangs in a city rapidly spiralling out of control. Its ambition was largely matched by the delivery, especially as it was developed by the Dundonian company Realtime Worlds – in a worrying trend for the British games

CRACKDOWN

LARA CROFT AND THE GUARDIAN OF LIGHT

industry, they went into administration this month.

Like Robocop meets Grand Theft Auto, you could leap buildings in a single bound and toss cars about as if they were pebbles. In the sequel, this time made by Ruffian Games, Pacific City has been overrun by mutants who have escaped from one of those research facilities which only exist in comic books. Once again you can race cars, blow up Triads with your varied arsenal and chase after agility orbs which power up your abilities. All of this would be excellent if Crackdown hadn’t pulled off the exact same tricks three years ago – time might have moved on in Pacific City, but out here in the real world it has stood still. Not only will you experience déjà vu when playing – you will also have a severe case of ennui. Further, whereas a similar game like Assassin’s Creed 2 is rich with detail and life, Crackdown 2 feels oddly empty: so much of the game will be spent faffing about looking for something to do or someone to shoot – which isn’t easy, as the targeting system just doesn’t work. All told, it’s a bit of a bummer.

TIGER WOODS PGA TOUR 11 (EA Sports, iPhone / PS3 / Wii / Xbox 360) Join the club...

Whereas most journalists will find it difficult to talk about Tiger without reaching for some kind of tawdry innuendo about – wait for it – wood, balls and holes, we’re all adults here so we’ll rise above that and instead talk about the serious business of

videogames. A fondness for the ladies and fully comped trips to Vegas might have irreparably damaged the golfing genius’s future but his avatar’s career continues to flourish. Nonetheless, EA have hedged their bets by placing local boy made good Rory McIlroy on the packshot for this latest instalment. Perhaps it’s to take some of the heat off naughty Tiger, and perhaps it’s to indicate that this is a more comprehensive game than recent entries in the series. Although it may not be a startling step forward for sports gaming, Tour 11 offers a rich variety of courses, cups and modes both online and off. While Tiger may have lost a sizeable chunk of his fanbase, golf continues to be as popular as ever, so this solid, great-looking title should more than satiate those folks.

LARA CROFT AND THE GUARDIAN OF LIGHT (Square Enix, PC / Playstation Network / Xbox Live Arcade)

A Lara Lara laughs...

As far as gaming icons go, Lara Croft is right up there with Super Mario and Donkey Kong.

Instantly recognisable and immortalised in voluptuous human form by Angelina Jolie, albeit in two naff movies, the Tomb Raider series remains at the top of the highest grossing videogame franchises of all time. That said, there was a long period where the releases themselves were derivative and dull repetitions of past glories. In recent years, however, the brand has been given a fresh and exciting lease of life thanks to innovative design choices and a willingness to shake up the format.

That approach is exemplified by The Guardian Of Light, which retains the same tombs, jungle environments and artefacts of old but places them within an isometric set-up and adds co-operative play. This is deliciously old-school gaming with secrets and hidden challenges squirreled away in every nook and cranny of the 14 levels, and stage-specific challenges to encourage replay. For a downloadable title it’s hugely impressive, plus there are more DLC packs on the way. It looks terrific and the control scheme, which uses both thumbsticks à la Geometry Wars, is intuitive and responsive. The Guardian Of Light is a fantastic game and a promising leap forwards for Lara Croft, not to mention one that is more enjoyable than the slew of tepid titles released this summer.

—73 AU Magazine—

ART Attack

Scrutinising Belfast’s track record on public art Words by Jason Mills Illustration by Rebecca Hendin

—74 issue 68—

Arts

With yet another huge piece of public art – the ‘Magic Jug’ – soon to be installed in Belfast city centre, is it time that we questioned the purpose of such ventures and the processes involved?

A piece of curved stainless steel recently appeared at a car park near my house in Belfast. It had been carefully crafted into the shape of an elephant, although somewhat confusingly it appeared to be wearing a small hat on its trunk and had been shot in the tail by two arrows. If our exposure to public sculpture in Northern Ireland has taught us anything it is that such structures must have a raison d’etre – there is a lot of money involved and people don’t just go around plonking down stainless steel elephants for a laugh.

I struggled to make the connection – perhaps herds of elephants used to roam wild in these environs before being hunted down and driven out by early settlers, and this was some kind of memorial. Or maybe the famed long memory of elephants was supposed to indicate that as a post-conflict society we shouldn’t forget our past as we go plodding into the future. A couple of months later I was flicking through the City Council’s official propaganda pamphlet City Matters (it was a slow day) and loand-behold there was an article about the elephant.

Except that it isn’t an elephant at all but rather a ‘Sweet Water Arch’ which supposedly signifies the flow of the river (the hat is, in fact, a boat and the arrows are oars). I was quite affronted by this discovery and the ability of governmental bodies to impose meaning on my environment against my will, turning perfectly good elephants into some type of arch that no-one has ever heard of.

Therefore, I feel compelled to offer a brief critique of the processes at work in the public art arena.

You can hardly walk down the street in Belfast these days without having to circumnavigate your way around some gnarled bit of metal which is supposed to remind you of the profound bond you share with your fellow pedestrians. It wasn’t always like this though; until the peace process people generally had to make do with cold, granite statues of firebrand Presbyterian ministers gazing down on them disapprovingly. The closest we came to art criticism was the IRA, who blew up a few of these during the early 1970s including ‘Roaring’ Hugh Arts Shorts Hanna who stood at Carlisle Circus and Reverend Walker in Derry. However, most people agreed that

arts SHORTS Shauna McGowan’s first solo exhibition of screen-prints on leather is based around mythology and family history.

The artist recalls viewing Jason and the Argonauts with her ill grandfather and here comparisons are drawn between the spirit and beauty of that film and her grandfather’s own fight with ill health.

The opening reception of Shauna’s exhibition is on Thursday September 2 at Ards Arts Centre [Newtownards Town Hall]

they took it too far when they extended their remit to include architecture.

Attempts to provide modern alternatives to these antiquated monuments have generally been fraught with the bureaucratic confusion so endemic in Northern Irish society. An early example of this occurred in 1989 when the Department of Environment commissioned a sculpture for Amelia Street ‘celebrating’ the history of the area as a red light district and inviting caricature. Instead the artist used the project brief to address the issue of low-paid women workers forced into prostitution.

It took the form of two bronze women carrying working utensils, but the patriarchal City Council became perturbed that they hadn’t got the happy hookers they had been expecting and refused to install the work. However, it was subsequently purchased by a private developer and placed in a more prominent position outside Great Victoria Street station, where it remains today.

“The proposal will be submitted to a notoriously ineffective planning service, where it will be approved by a civil servant whose last experience of art was Rolf’s Cartoon Club” The mid-1990s saw the introduction of Arts Council grants through the National Lottery scheme, which dovetailed nicely with the implementation of peace and facilitated the idea that we needed to re-examine ourselves as a society through contemplation of figurative metal. Within the last decade this post-conflict ‘normalisation’ and increased investment has greatly contributed to the current prevalence of public sculpture.

Generally speaking the process will begin with the commissioning of an artwork by one of the agencies who are often competing with one another for primacy in their plans for an area – local councils, Department of Environment, Department of Social Development, regeneration quangos, or private developers. The proposal will then be submitted to a notoriously ineffective planning service, where it will be approved by a civil servant whose last experience of art was Rolf’s Cartoon Club. An artist from outside Northern Ireland will then be asked to address the issue of creating something that the people of Northern Ireland can relate

to. The resulting manifestation will sometimes unconsciously turn out to be a tribute to popular Northern Irish fast food dishes, such as the intertwined steel onion rings in Cornmarket, the ceramic cod beside the River Lagan and the longawaited LED chicken ball destined for Broadway roundabout. It will then be unveiled via a tirade of overtly positive phrases about ‘transformation’, ‘identity’, ‘hope’ and ‘a shared future’ and the Lord Mayor will turn up looking confused and selfconscious to have his photograph taken beside it for the papers.

One looming piece of public art is the ‘Magic Jug’, which we were recently informed will soon stand in Fountain Street in Belfast. The press release informs us that it is “inspired by human kindness”, referring to the diversion of a well to bring water to the poor people of Belfast 300 years ago. A group of artists, architects and other interested parties were not convinced, and wrote an open letter to the DSD (who commissioned the Jug) outlining their concerns. Amongst these were “the incongruous scale and location” (it will take up 40% of a pedestrianised street), “quality and sustainability” (the granite used to make the sculpture will be shipped from China), and the fact that the piece has been chosen primarily as a signpost on a “retail circuit” linking shopping centres Castle Court and Victoria Square. Indeed, the Jug appears to highlight several of the problems with public art in Northern Ireland; that there is no overarching strategy as there would be in other areas of the UK and Ireland, no body is responsible for considering aesthetics or integration into the surrounding area, and no artists are involved on a consultation or advisory basis.

The current mindset seems to be that in order to make the cities and towns of Northern Ireland more attractive to consumers and investors, a developer merely has to drop a hulk of watereddown Modernism in their midst. However, this slapdash approach often only serves as window dressing and despite the flowery language it doesn’t quite manage to paper over the cracks still evident in Northern Irish society. As I am probably in danger of being construed as some kind of public art Fascist, allow me to say in conclusion that I am not against it per se – there are even some pieces that I like (mainly in other countries). It is just that the process here needs more careful consideration before we are left with a legacy of superfluous urban clutter.

Words by Adam Lacey

from 7-9 pm. The exhibition will run for September.

Stephen Millar specialises in painting, illustration and satire. His work is intended as a reaction to media and its interpretation of global events.

Stephen describes his pieces as ‘bleak or unsettling’ and his new exhibition could be a real find.

False Witness, an exhibition of new work by Stephen Millar opens September 3 at 7:00pm at Blick Studios, 51 Malone Road Belfast.

ABSOLUT Fringe is one of Ireland’s largest cultural mash-up festival and with a smorgasbord of spoken word, comedy, theatre, music and everything in between, it’s easy to find something you’ll enjoy whether you’re a puppetry fan or a devotee of ponderous oneperson stage performance.

The ABSOLUT Fringe festival runs in a variety of Dublin venues between September 11 and 26. For full details check www. fringefest.com

The Irish Museum of Modern Art presents an exhibition celebrating the 50thanniversary of the Graphic Studio Dublin this month. This was Ireland’s first fine art print studio and it has helped establish our reputation as the home of world class printmakers.

Graphic Studios: 50 Years in Dublin runs from September 8 to January 3 in the IMMA in Dublin.

Belfast Exposed present a photo series by Zadoc Nava

called Shadowlands, shot on the streets of Tehran in Iran, offering a look at ordinary life on the streets of one of the most talked about cities in the world. Alongside this they will run his short film, House of Strength, which offers a peek behind the curtain of the world of Persian martial arts.

Shadowlands will run from August until October 8 in Belfast Exposed Photography, 23 Donegall Street, Belfast.

The Novak / O’Doherty Collection post-war collection of watercolours, drawings, limited prints and photos alongside sculpture and paintings from 20th century American art - and in particular New York art of the 1960s and 1970s - is bound for the IMMA this month.

This collection will be running until January 2011 in Dublin’s IMMA.

—75 AU Magazine—

Subbacultcha

Comics

AND NOW, THE END IS NEAR...

Young Avengers, JLA, Wonder Woman and The OC super-scribe Allan Heinberg gives us an insight into the life of a comics and TV writer for our last ever comics section. Sniff. It’s been emotional.

YOUNG AVENGERS

Five years ago, TV writer Allan Heinberg made his first foray into the world of comics when he co-created the Young Avengers (alongside artist Jim Cheung) for Marvel.

An instant hit, the 12 issue run of the book is now regarded as one of the best stories of the decade and while Allan might not be as prolific as other comic writers due to his commitments on the likes of Grey’s Anatomy, The OC, Sex And The City and The Gilmore Girls keeping him more than busy, he has found time to also work on JLA and Wonder Woman for DC. This month Heinberg returns to Marvel for Young Avengers: The Children’s Crusade and we caught up with him to hear about his career thus far.

Words by Edwin McFee

—76 issue 68—

Hi Allan and welcome to AU. First off, let’s take you back to your early days. Did you always want to be a writer when you were growing up?

Allan Heinberg: “I actually always wanted to be an ‘author’ when I was growing up. When I was in the second grade; the kids in my class played a card game called Authors, which was essentially Go Fish but with Shakespeare, Shaw and Louisa May Alcott substituting for diamonds, hearts and spades. So, from a very early age I can remember wanting to be an author. Someone who had already written something, as opposed to someone who is actually in the midst of the (sometimes torturous) writing process. To this day, I prefer being an author to being a writer.”

How did you get your first big break writing for television?

Heinberg: “I grew up in Tulsa, Oklahoma, where – believe it or not – I was a child actor and singer.

I started writing – mostly plays, musicals, and short fiction – in college, then moved to New York City after graduation to pursue acting and writing professionally. Then, in 1994, I was acting in Neil Simon’s Laughter On The 23rd Floor on Broadway when an off-Broadway theatre company called Manhattan Class Company decided to produce a one-act play I’d written called The Amazon’s Voice, which had a pronounced Wonder Woman theme running through it. We had an incredible cast – Tim Blake Nelson and Ellen Parker – and an extraordinary director in Melia Bensussen, and the play’s modest success actually generated some Hollywood interest.

As a result, I ended up writing a spec episode of Friends (then in its first season) to use as a writing sample for television. A year later, I met an

extraordinary guy named Michael Saltzman. At the time, Michael was writing and co-running Murphy Brown and he was, it turned out, a huge comics fan.

Mike very generously offered to read my Friends spec and was brave enough to hire me as a staff writer on The Naked Truth, the NBC sitcom he ran the following year.”

Did you find it difficult making the leap from television to comic books? Were you worried about the transition?

Heinberg: “I was terrified. So much so that I tried to quit Young Avengers at least three times before writing the first script. But Joe Quesada at Marvel very patiently and generously guided me through the process of turning a dramatic scene into a comic book script. He asked me to write the first scene of Young Avengers as a screenplay, then essentially adapted the first three pages of my script into comics format–breaking it into panels, etc.”

Who gave you your first break at Marvel?

Heinberg: “Editor C.B. Cebulski got in touch with me after Wizard Magazine published an article about Seth Cohen’s comic book obsession on The OC. C.B. was a fan of the show and, in the article, I went on at length about the books I was reading and loving at the time, several of them Marvel’s, and most of them written by Brian Michael Bendis.”

What’s the coolest part of your job?

Heinberg: “The single best part of my job is collaborating with artists Jim Cheung (on Young Avengers) and Terry Dodson (on Wonder Woman). They are both supremely gifted visual

Comics

storytellers and wonderful human beings. I am honestly the luckiest writer in comics to be working with them.”

What achievement in terms of your writing are you most proud of?

Heinberg: “Honestly, I rarely look back at any of my past work without flinching. I just want to be able to keep learning, to keep trying to improve, and most importantly, to keep writing.”

Were you surprised at the criticism from some sections of the comic book community for the relationship between Hulking and Wiccan? [The two characters are in a same-sex relationship] Heinberg: “I was more surprised by the extraordinary support we received from readers. I had originally planned to wait a full year before overtly exploring Billy and Teddy’s relationship, but the positive mail we received about one panel of chummy banter between the boys in YA #1 prompted me to go public with their sexuality almost immediately thereafter.”

How important is it for you to address social issues such as sexuality in your work?

Heinberg: “Not at all. I’m not a big fan of issueoriented storytelling. I try as much as possible to let the characters’ needs and wants drive the stories and I tend to write from personal experience quite a lot, as well.”

Can you tell us a little about what you’re working on at the moment?

Heinberg: “Well, as you know, I’ve returned to my first ever comics work for Young Avengers: The Children’s Crusade. Basically it’s a nine-issue run and will be released bi-monthly and centres around the Young Avengers’ search for the Scarlet Witch. I’ve really missed writing those guys and hopefully the readers will get a big kick out of it.”

My Favourite Comic Edwin McFee

Young Avengers: The Children’s Crusade issue 1 is out now. For more information visit www.marvel.com.

“Ok, as it’s our last ever comics section; the overlords of AU have allowed this writer a little selfindulgence, so here goes. My first real memory of comics and what feelings and thoughts they could provoke in a person was when I was about 7 and I was sitting in a dentist’s waiting room, bored out of my skull while my brother got his gob looked at. A mouthy sort as a child, my mother bought me a copy of Marvel UK’s Transformers to shut me up and it did the trick nicely. The story arc was called ‘Time Wars’ and I was utterly shocked as Galvatron got half of his face blown off and Shockwave descended into a madness that made Eastenders crackhead Phil Mitchell look like the most together dude in the world. After that, I started to collect every issue but as the quality of the comic went on a steady decline I binned off the title a few years later.

WONDER WOMAN

SUPER SHORTS This September sees the launch of the first mainstream British comic in an eon. Masterminded

by Kick-Ass/The Ultimates’ Mark Millar, Clint magazine will feature strips from the likes of Jonathan Ross and Frankie Boyle and will be sold in supermarkets and newsagents

across the UK and Ireland.

Aimed at first time comic readers, it also includes the debut of Kick-Ass 2: Balls to the Wall, so pick up issue one quick if you want to be part of history.

Fans of TV-show-turnedcomic-series Angel will be pleased to know that the title

joins Buffy the Vampire Slayer over at Dark Horse Comics in 2011, so expect lots of Spike/Xander teamups now that they’re all under one house.

Finally, if you’re feeling down in the mouth about the comics pages being retired from AU for the foreseeable

future, then take heart in the fact that as of next issue we shall be reborn (just like Captain America). Yes readers, this October we’ll have a brand new comics column that will feature all the latest happenings in the four colour world, so keep your peepers peeled for that one. See you in 30.

“It was only when I was 11 that I really became a complete and utter fanboy. Myself and some friends at school decided to start picking up certain titles from the local newsagents and then we’d swap them around the class after each month. Some the books I bought were The Punisher and Thor, but it was The Incredible Hulk in particular that struck a chord. At that time (back in 1991, when everyone wore check shirts and didn’t wash their hair, for those keeping score) writer Peter David was just starting to get into the real meat of his epic saga and his take on Bruce Banner’s condition is still as potent now as it was two decades ago. Nowadays I have hundreds of Hulk comics and paraphernalia (hell, I’ve even got a huge tattoo of ol’ Jade Jaws) as well as thousands of comics in general, and while I’m running out of room to house them all, I’d never part with a single issue. Whenever life gets me down, I can always open an old issue and catch up with my friends Bruce, Betty, Rick and Marlo.”

—77 AU Magazine—

Here's Looking At You(Tube) / Weird Wide Web

Subbacultcha

Here's Looking At You(Tube)

The Show(-Off) Must Go On During their pre-stardom Hamburg days, The Beatles had a residency at a lessthan-salubrious nightclub in the notorious Reeperbahn district. In order to keep the attention of the assorted ne’er-do-wells who frequented the establishment, owner Bruno Koschmider would continually implore the band to “Mak show! Mak show, Beatles!”.

Responding to his entreaties, the band became inveterate show-offs, resorting to frenzied, speed-addled performances and increasingly bizarre stage antics (John Lennon once playing a set wearing just his underpants; George Harrison performing with a toilet seat around his neck). The moral of the story? If you want to make it in the cut-throat music biz, it doesn’t pay to be a shrinking violet. Here are a few performers who have clearly learned that lesson.

Words by Neill Dougan

CE LI

N E:

MA

D

WEIRD WIDE WEB Surf Far, So Good HORSING AROUND In this modern world, where we’re all stuck in the rat-race, working all the hours God sends just to make a buck, it’s rather pleasant sometimes to just engage in some harmless time-wasting. To do something utterly pointless. To this end, why not visit the ‘Shut Up Woman Get On My Horse’ webpage, where you can do one thing and one thing only: listen to a truly ridiculous happy house tune about a flying horse with a massive, erm, “winkie”, which plays on an endless loop, accompanied by a rather super flash animation video. Puerile, childish, ludicrous – and bloody funny.

- WWW.SHUTUPWOMANGETONMYHORSE.COM —78 issue 68—

LAMÉ, BUT NOT LAME

A DIFFERENT DRUM Rick K and the Allnighters have something most other cover bands sorely lack: a drummer who makes Animal from The Muppets look positively reserved.

Watch in wonder as this beefy fella throws the most outlandish shapes, almost losing his fantastic gold jacket in the process. His super-aggressive facial expressions and flailing fringe are a sight to behold too.

Most impressive of all, though, is the fact that, despite his crazy manoeuvres, he manages to keep impeccable time throughout this version of ZZ Top’s ‘SharpDressed Man’. While totally stealing the limelight from his bandmates, to boot.

- TINYURL.COM/MENTALDRUMMER

DION... AND ON... AND ON Loyal readers, there are no lengths to which your correspondent will not go to bring you entertaining YouTube clips. As proof, know this: We have just spent literally minutes watching Celine Dion videos, trying to find the most outright disturbing. And here

THAT’S HOW WE ROLL At Welcome To The Slow Roll.com, intrepid (some would say mad) film buffs Eric and Daniel pore over – and review – the really, really terrible films, the ones that skip the cinema entirely and go straight to the bargain bin section in Xtra-vision. So for example there’s an in-depth analysis of 2005’s unheard-of A Sound Of Thunder, complete with stills and short clips.

The bold duo even encourage us to sit through the films ourselves, with friends, hitting pause often as possible to discuss the sheer awfulness of it all – this is what’s known ‘the slow roll’. Very entertaining stuff... though we may pass on the actual watching of the movies, cheers guys.

- WWW.WELCOMETOTHESLOWROLL.COM X MARKS THE SPOT Do you yearn to go back to those carefree childhood days? If so, head on over to Genxtinct.com, a compendium of all the best things about being a kid in the Eighties and Nineties, most of which have now sadly gone the way of the dodo. Debates on the

it is! If there was ever any doubt that the Canadian chanteuse was just ever-so-slightly extroverted, this cringe-making nine-minute live segment puts the matter to bed in no uncertain terms. Gaze in horrified awe as Dion goes through a frankly startling routine of frantic hyperventilation and squeaky scat singing, accompanied by bizarre facial gurns (check out 7:57) and hideous 'sexy' dancing. Truly troubling.

- TINYURL.COM/CELINESNUTS FLEA CIRCUS Red Hot Chili Peppers are really quite annoying.

Take their bassist Flea for example. Here, the exhibitionist eejit goes totally starkers onstage at Woodstock ’99, jumping about like a loon during a cover of Hendrix’s ‘Fire’ and flashing his bits at the crowd. He’s even moved to pull off a bumcrackexposing cartwheel. There’s just no need for it, Flea son. Give us Bonehead from Oasis any day. You know where you stood with Bonehead.

- TINYURL.COM/FLEANAKED

respective merits of The Bangles and The Go-Gos, behind-the-scenes clips from Sesame Street, and pieces on the very earliest handheld games consoles are just a few of the articles here that bring a nostalgic tear to AU’s eye.

- WWW.GENXTINCT.COM Words by Neill Dougan

Story Of The Video / Get Your Clicks

"aaagh! my eyes!"

The column that sees a darkness

Story Of The Video Solar Bears

TITLE: ‘SHE WAS COLOURED IN’ DIRECTOR: MICHAEL ROBINSON

When a friend of Pennsylvaniabased filmmaker Michael Robinson got in touch with English electronic producer Bibio about a collaboration, it led to Robinson himself being approached by Bibio’s labelmates Solar Bears. The result is the Dublin duo’s debut video, the visually stunning ‘She Was Coloured In’. Robinson tells AU about the video’s conception and execution.

What was the initial concept behind the video?

I had a rough idea of using zoom shots of different flowers, to layer them together to create an ‘infinite bloom’ sort of feeling, but the rest was discovered along the way in editing. The track has a distinctive four-part narrative, and I wanted to give each part its own sense of character, leaving room for little visual nuances to occur.

http://tinyurl.com/SantaCrack

Where did the source material come from?

The film was shot from about February to July of this year, on Super 8 Fuji reversal and negative stocks. A lot of the material was filmed around where I live – a fireworks display, single frame snaps during trail hikes, shooting through different objects and glass that give interesting optical effects. One of the objects was a glass ball filled with water, and flakes of gold leaf suspended within it.

The band’s music is often reminiscent of Boards of Canada, and your video’s aesthetic is similarly hazy and nostalgic. Is their work an influence on you?

Perhaps the biggest influence I derive from Boards is their acute attention to detail in the music. I try to work with a similar approach when crafting visual matter together. Aesthetically, I think Super 8 film carries nostalgic connotations with it right now – the last five years or so, you can sort of see the same emotional connections begin to develop with VHS cassettes, particularly when the defects/artifacts of the media are prevalent.

Did the video turn out as you anticipated?

One of the aspects that draw me to Super 8 is sending the film off for processing/transfer, having to wait and not knowing what will come of it until it returns.

That reduces any sense of expectation, but it’s great because you replace it with a feeling of surprise when seeing the images for the first time. So much of the culture right now is about the convenience of having things instantaneously; it tempers the spirit to take the opposite approach sometimes.

WATCH THE VIDEO ONLINE AT BIT.LY/SOLARBEARS

Words by: Chris Jones

As the years went by, many felt that Christmas had lost a certain something since Santa discovered the crack pipe.

WWW.MYSPACE.COM/SOLARBEARS

Connery’s bold bid to usurp Angelina Jolie as the lead in the Tomb Raider franchise was ultimately doomed. http://tinyurl.com/ConneryCroft

Some wrestling fans felt that the WWF Royal Rumble was beginning to lose some of its bad-ass appeal. http://tinyurl.com/WrestlersDance Words by Neill Dougan —79 AU Magazine—

F**k The Scene - Show Me The Green @ The Retro, Portrush

In Pictures

Finbar & Tom

Fighting With Wire

LaFaro

Brendy, Sib, Niall, Kev & Tweed

Liam, Rory & Chris

Axis Of

Mark, Douger & Glen

YF

A AS

IW

Dean, David & Aaron

Rachael & Tom

F**k The Scene - Show Me The Green The Retro, Portrush As a regular photographer at the Retro (aka The Derry) I have seen some great (and some terrible) gigs in there but this one will go down in history as being the best! And I don’t think there has been a queue through the middle of Portrush for a gig EVER. Bomb City 7 kicked things off, while the rest of the night saw the best of Glasgowbury, with LaFaro, Fighting With Wire, Team Fresh and And So I Watch You From Afar. The crowd went mad for every band, and by the end of it all the Retro was dripping in sweat and booze. And it was all for a great cause, to raise awareness and to help a sufferer of multiple sclerosis. Job well done!

Words & photos by Ciara McMullan —80 issue 68—

Bomb City 7

Team Fresh

Sarah & Paddy

Fight Like Apes album launch @ Tower Records, Dublin

Fight Like Apes album launch Tower Records, Dublin A few hours before The Body Of Christ And The Legs Of Tina Turner is due for release, nearly 200 hardcore Fight Like Apes fans descend on Tower Records to witness the birth of their deity/diva hybrid. The band escorts a sweaty crowd and 2fm listeners through 5 new tracks filled with the screamable hooks and superfluous swearing we’ve come to expect from the Dubliners. ‘Snore Bore Whore’ also goes down a treat as May Kay entertains the adorers, lavishing the front rows with lots of attention and jet black hair. To the two lovely girls at the front who had to get the bus home after the first song – sorry, but you missed out on something special.

Meg

Keith

Crowd love

EA

PE

S

Words & photos by: Suzie McCracken

L

IK

FI G

HT

Ryan & Jadie

Griff

Sean & James

Deirdre & Joyce

William & Jonathan

Erin & Natalie

Seanan, Anne, Paddy, Gary & Ciana

Daniel & Meadhbh

—81 AU Magazine—

Subbacultcha The Last Word

The Last Dum Dum Word Girls

The Last Word With Tigs of:

Chew Lips "I love Googling serial killers. Chances are, any venue in any city, in the endless hours waiting to sound check I’ll be there on Wikipedia, perusing.

The Last Word

When was the last time you offended someone?

Not for a good long while, unless I’ve done it unknowingly.

I’ve always been plain speaking but you learn how to be less of an idiot as you grow up.

When was the last time you doubted yourself?

No memorable conscious moment of doubt, existence is more of a tightrope; you sort of wobble and lean towards theseisfeelings from time toDo time, acknowledging this how we sound! youwithout want me to write new them. Ifor contain doubt and self-belief simultaneously. songs tonight too?’.

With: Dee Dee from the Dum Dum Girls Interview by John Freeman When was the last time you doubted yourself?

This week. Our tour has been really stressful. We broke all our pedals we typically use for vocals at our first show – they got fried in Norway. We’ve been having terrible sound which is the worst experience. I had seven shows and on the eighth one, in Newcastle, I had a total breakdown; ‘We’re awful, this is terrible, I wanna go home’.

When was the last time you did something you regret?

I have a longstanding regret of not being with my family more. I go home as often as I can, but I feel kind of shitty at not being there more. We’ve talked about it, and they want me to be doing this. But in the back of my mind, I think it should be ‘family first’.

Famous Last Words What was the last piece of good advice you were given?

Philipbest Larkin, poetI have received in the last two The advice (August 9, 1922 – December 2, 1985) years was when I had been in another band and I “I am going to the inevitable.” had been miserable for years. I’d been starting to write DumMedic DuminGirls Unnamed Call songs, of Dutybut I’d never done anything own. were on tour with the “I'm sorry!on I'mmy sorry!

It'sWe just...so many guys are gettin' killed there...it's Yeah Yeah Yeahs andout I went out to lunch with just...oh, they're shootin' Karen O God, – who I admire for amedics variety of other too! Oh, –God...” reasons and I was telling her about what a terrible time I was having. She quoted either Yoda [laughs] or some Zen saying which was ‘little risk, little reward’ and I quit the next day and didn’t look back.

This Issue Was Powered By...

Office moves, Jacklast Frost, Mini Eggs,about? new What was your argument threads, passing Beforehand driving It was atmulti-jobbing, a show in Norway. we played testsguitars (and failing them), charidee, mass our for the sound guy and he was like, ‘OK, recycling, the cut and run. that sounded cool – let’s see what it sounds like without the reverb’. I was like, ‘It’s not an option – —82 issue 68—

When was the last tine you did something you regret?

What was the last good record you bought?

I don’t believe in regret.

The last thing I bought was The Shangri-Las: The Complete 44you songs, for $9.99 on iTunes.

When wasCollection. the last time felt guilty?

ItSummer. was crazy.

Summer is for naughtiness.

What was piece of good you were given?

What wasthe thelast last good film advice you watched?

“Have with Airplane yourself” –on from We justa word watched theJames drive[Watkins, here. “And bandmate], regularly. stop calling me Shirley” – ha ha.

When was the last time you cried?

What was the last bad you and had?

Properly, solidly?

When myjob nephew niece were born Ilast worked as so a secretary at an RV dealership which year. Just overwhelmed. was pretty awful. The type of salesmen that can When was the last time you were embarrassed? talk people into buying a $300,000 motorhome are New Year’s it’s with. a long story. pretty hardEve... to deal What was your last argument about?

When wasstupid the last timeabout you set something Something and small the details of the single on fire? cover.

These intricacies are seemingly endless.

We played Copenhagen last week and a woman Whenbought was theme lastatime youof time you [tights]. had a fistfight? there bunch nylon People It’s never know us happened. as girls who wear fancy nylons. I casually threw them in the dressing room and they landed When was the last time you threw up? on a lightbulb. There was just some smoking but My birthday in December. Sambucca. I was not very muchfound in the way of ALLEGEDLY sleeping onflames. the bathroom floor under fur coats. Allegedly.

What was the last injury you sustained?

What the last good record youfootball bought?and did In highwas school in 1999 I played I’m notand much of a record that sucks, but you track, I ripped mybuyer. wholeI know quadricep in half.

It just get given so much... Anyway, last record I acquired was awful. was The Big Pink, and I like it a lot.

If the was world about todownloaded? end what would What the was last thing you your words be?No joke. It’s pukey.

Colin last Farrell sex tape.

Shit.

What was the last thing you Googled? loveDum Googling serial killers.

Chances ISerial Will killers.

Be by Ithe Dum Girls is out noware, anySub venue in any city, in the endless hours waiting to sound on Pop check I’ll be there on Wikipedia, perusing.

www.wearedumdumgirls.com

What was the last meal you had?

Earlier this evening I had vegetable chilli and broccoli, followed by homemade flapjacks.

What was the last good book you bought?

Choke by Chuck Palahniuk, but it was a gift.

What was the last good movie you watched?

Pretty In Pink on a gals’ night. For fashion warm fuzzies.

What does the last text you received say?

“Just to check you remembered its Dad’s birthday today” (I hadn’t) “Does this make up for me missing yours?!” from my brother. We’re not so hot with birthdays in our family.

What was the last bad job you had?

I used to temp. Good money, extreme boredom, but it ain’t factory packing meat so I can’t complain.

When was the last time you set something on fire?

I accidentally set myself on fire when I was 18 or so. I had problems sleeping and one morning, just before dawn, was lying in bed trying to sleep, smoking a joint. I obviously fell asleep smoking it, as when I woke the entire bed was on Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, the up founder fire. first It wasPresident a very closeof call.

I burnt the eyelashes and the Republic of off one eye. I’ve(1881 – November 10 been pretty wary of fire – candles etc. – ever since.

Turkey 1938)

FAMOUS LAST WORDS When was the last time you were in hospital?

“What time is in it?” fellwas an absolute riot.

I had meningitis my(Before late teens.he That into a coma for the final time on November 6) last time you broke the law?

When was the I never, ever break the law.

Arnold Rimmer in Red Dwarf: When was the last time one of your heroes Timeslides (1989)

disappointed you?

Have you seen the Iggy Pop commercial? He’s not selling “IcarAM ALIVE!!!”

(Aftertime, being insurance, he’s selling apparently. Also Patrick resurrected from the dead and just Swayze, for dying.

before bringing both fists down on Whencrates was thefull lastof time you bought a band shirt at a some explosives)

show?

I haven’t. But I’ve been given a few, from doing gigs with other bands. The Veils one is particularly good.

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If the world was about to end what would your last words be?

“TIGGO!!!!!!!!!” In an Australian accent.

CHEW LIPS’ DEBUT ALBUM UNICORN IS OUT NOW ON KITSUNÉ

Fruit smoothies, the gym, new starts, WWW.CHEWLIPS.CO.UK summer, PWJ, Woy, cupcakes, #tinagate, #panicgate, #panamagate, forest raving.

Nightly Entertainment

12-18 bradbury place, belfast, bt71rs In The Bunker Tuesdays

SING IT BACK Real Alternative Karaoke

Thursdays

Fridays

radiation

GIGANTIC

Punk/Rock/Emo/Hardcore

In The Ballroom

Indie & Electro Club

In the Bunker & The Ballroom:

Wednesday - Friday

Every Saturday Night

CUE UP!

DJ set by while you play pool

CONTRAST

Eclectic & Alternative Audio In The Gin Palace (Public Bar)

Mondays & Tuesdays

traditional folk music Live Trad Sessions

Wednesday - Saturday

the retro disco

Sundays

rawhide

20th Century Classics

Country Collection

In The Back Bar Mondays

UPRISING

Reggae, Ska and Dub

Tuesdays

Wednesdays

CIRCUS OF SOUND PERFORMANCE Classic Rock and Soul

Singer-songwriter Sessions

Thursdays

Fridays

Saturdays

Sundays

coup d’etat

vintage

ECLECTIC ELECTRIC

SOUL SOCIAL

Real Hip Hop, Breaks and Funk

Alternative Music Retrospect

Mix of Underground Hits

Funk, Soul, R&B

Visit Lavery’s Online For Up-to-date Listings:

www.laverysbelfast.com

—83 AU Magazine—

Live performances from:

A Plastic Rose The Wonder Villains More Than Conquerors Farriers Oh Yeah Music Centre Belfast Doors: 8pm | Admission: £5.00 | Licenced Event —84 issue 68—