Since the last edition of Loud And Quiet

AI music

The discourse around AI continues to be terrifying, intriguing and incredibly boring all at the same time. It does seem to be ramping up at the moment though: since the last issue of L&Q, we’ve seen numerous controversies and experiments which have prompted us to think that this probably is something we need to think carefully about, whether we like it or not (we don’t).

In April, major label UMG moved against an AI-generated track that mimicked Drake and The Weeknd with startling accuracy. ‘Heart On My Sleeve’ was made by TikTok user Ghostwriter

(whose profile shows their head covered by a white sheet and silly sunglasses, which is good) and had racked up hundreds of thousands of Spotify streams by the time it was taken down. UMG’s action was a significant moment in the industry’s relationship with this unpredictable new technology.

In May, Grimes followed up her 2020 “AI lullaby” by unveiling Elf.Tech, a new piece of software which allows you to create music in her voice. Artists can commercially release the results in exchange for half of any master-recording royalties. The results so far have obviously been rubbish.

Independent publishing

It’s been another tricky couple of months in independent publishing. We were extremely sad to see the excellent gal-dem call it quits, citing “difficulties we’ve faced in stabilising our position both financially and structurally”. They’ve been a vital platform for people of colour from marginalised genders over the past eight years, publishing really important work in challenging circumstances. Since the announcement of their closure on 31 March, they’ve published a directory of their contributors on their website and social channels –check out what they’re all going on to do and support them if you can. In slightly more heartening news, our fellow leftfield music publication The Quietus recently had to launch a subscription drive to shore themselves up. Happily, they’ve reached the number they needed for their immediate security, but more support for DIY publishing is always needed. The lesson here: support independent voices, or one day they’ll be gone. gal-dem.com

Matt Hancock

Just when you thought you couldn’t like him more, Matt Hancock shat himself in public once again, outside a gig in London. According to Popbitch, the former Health Secretary with hours of parkour under his belt and gallons of blood on his hands tried to get VIP access to a recent Benny Sings show at KOKO in Camden. Security promptly told him to fuck off to the back of the queue with everyone else.

Northern Soul

In late April, Dazed wrote a report that found that Northern Soul – the enduring working-class subculture based around fast tempos, all-night clubs, high-energy dancing and lovelorn vocals – is making an unlikely comeback. Of course, some would argue it never went away (clubs across the UK have continued to host Northern Soul nights more or less continuously since the 1970s) but the appeal of the genre with under30s has noticeably increased over the last year, sparking talk of a revival. With groups like Deptford Northern Soul Club and Heart of Soul leading the way, it’s well worth looking up the new breed of Northern Soul events when you’re planning your next night out.

Jonny Greenwood

Radiohead guitarist, member of The Smile and Hollywood score composer Jonny Greenwood has started a new venture: an olive oil business. He’s been living on a farm in Italy for some years now, and has apparently become addicted to “harvesting and pressing this glorious fruit” with his family and friends. Greenwood Oil is available for £60 per signed litre bottle. wasteheadquarters.com

Serge Gainsbourg

The Paris home of legendary French pop and chanson singer, actor and writer Serge Gainsbourg is set to open to the public. The house at 5 bis rue de Verneuil will accept visitors from September 20 and expects around 100,000 visitors per year. A museum to the singer will also open opposite the property with a bookshop and a cafe-piano bar, called ‘le Gainsbarre’.

Printworks

South London super club Printworks – the capital’s largest –closed on 1 May, making way for office space and luxury flats in another unsettling development in the struggle for viable UK cultural venues. Yet there remains hope for Printworks: as their closing party raged on, venue owners Broadwick Live announced that there is a provisional plan – informally agreed by British Land and AustralianSuper, who are in charge of the proposed redevelopment – to reopen in 2026. Simeon Aldred, co-owner and head of strategy at Broadwick Live, told The Guardian that he wanted to counter “the classic gentrification narrative [of] the last few weeks: terrible landlords closing you down, those kinds of negative vibes. But to be honest, British Land invited us in, [the creation of Printworks] was as much their idea as ours. So I want to give them some credit for that. We can’t announce that [the reopening] is definitely happening, we haven’t signed any contracts, but the shape of the principles for a deal are there, and we’re going to be putting in for planning permission in the next few weeks.” printworkslondon.co.uk

The Walkmen

NYC indie rock group The Walkmen reunited for the first time in a decade last month to perform their 2004 classic ‘The Rat’ on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert – without rehearsing. “Ever since we started The Walkmen, we’ve done everything by the seat of our pants,” they said in a statement. “We don’t ‘plan’ much. So during our Zoom ‘planning’ meeting, we decided the best way to play together for the very first time would be on national television without a single rehearsal.” Sounds like an anxiety dream but it worked.

UK nightlife x War Child

More than 30 UK nightclubs and music venues agreed to donate a percentage of bar profits from the long May bank holiday weekend, as well as guestlist donations, to War Child in order to support the charity’s work to help children in conflict zones around the world as part of their Right To Dance scheme. Fabric, Corsica Studios, Phonox, EartH, Lafayette, TOLA, The Jazz Cafe, The Social, Brixton Electric, WIRE, Village Underground, Patterns and many more are among the clubs taking part in the initiative. War Child have also teamed up with Everpress and Indonesian artist Muhammad Fatchurofi to produce a limited edition ‘Dance For Good’ t-shirt, all of the proceeds from which go to the charity. warchild.org.uk