Issue 15 1st September
Down the RabBit Hole
Hello and welcome to another issue of Down the Rabbit Hole! For our 15th edition we have interviews with a whole host and variety of local bands, from Lion Papers to Sister Madly there’s bound to be something for you to really sink your teeth into. The Recievers talk to us about the makings of their new EP and much more! Also featured this month are our takes on a number of new releases, we have our take on Crescent Moon Heart and also the latest release from Texas. We hope you enjoy the read, we appreciate the support from each and every one of you! Andrew
Editor’s note
Contents
Reviews ...And The Hangnails: DOG 6-7 Revie Byrnes Gig Review: Kate Nash 8-9 Revie Byrnes
The Receivers: Crescent Moon Heart 10 - 11 Scott Winsbury Texas: Jump on Board 12 - 13 Leah Cooper Artist in Review 32 - 33 Andrew Smith
Interviews Sister Madly 14 - 17 ...And The Hangnails 18 - 21 The Receivers 22 - 25
Feed Them To The Forest 26 - 29 Lion Papers 30 - 31
Film Reviews To The Bone 38 - 39 Grace Carter
Articles Are Politics Welcome at Music Festivals? 34 - 37 Sam Pheby-McGarvey Gear Review: KRK Systems KNS-8400 40 - 41 Dawid Ziemba
Top 5s 42 - 43 Alex Fisher Spotify Playlists 44 - 45
Gig Guide 46
...And the Hangnails are a indie punk band from York, made up of double act Martyn Fillingham and Steven Reid. They’ve supported the likes of Deap Vally and Drenge, which instantly gives you the idea that they’re about rock n roll with an alternative twist. The band created their first album No Time for Naysayers in 2011 in only four days, which to call impressive is an understatement. Since then, they’ve released 2 more albums and their next one is available now for digital download. They have been described by BBC radio 1 as “a wall of noise from one of the most respected bands around York and North Yorkshire.” They exceed this description, especially in my view, after listening to their new album DOG. On first listening I drew comparisons to the band Wavves and Sonic Youth from the psychedelic garage genre within their instrumentals. But the originality and pure energy that’s released from every track puts into perspective the hard work the band has put into their craft. The songs have a carefree attitude, making it easy listening whether chilling in your room or dancing til your hearts content. Their rarity has been expressed by many articles and I’m in 100 percent agreeance because the retro style of the songs on the album is combined with a new individuality that we don’t often see in typical indie rock music. The heavy sounds of guitars and drums in the first few songs are loud, fast
...And the h do
hangnails: og
and pleasing without overriding the gritty vocals. The vocals especially stand out in the song “Nothing Wrong, Nothing Right” expressing elements of grunge whilst the backing vocals are catchy and contrast with the melancholy lyrics. The energy in this album holds a vibrancy that really makes me want to see the band live as I imagine they’re not only great artists but great performers. My favourite song of the album has to be Answering Machine, the lyrics are relatable and I love how the accent of the singer stands out against the background beat, as well as the guitar solo which is memorable. The guitar skills are continued into the next songs, especially “Adore” in which you get the vibe that the guitarist is rocking out as much as he possibly can. The album ends with a captivating drum beat and unforgettable lyrics in the song “Fear Only Fear” which I can see as a definite radio hit. Overall the album is angry, full of attitude and complete with talented musicians who write and perform songs to the highest standards of icons before them. Watch this space as these guys will surely take over the whole of Yorkshire with riffs, raw vocals and heavy drumming. 9/10
From the moment I booked tickets to see Kate Nash perform her debut album Made of Bricks, I expected girl power, positivity and singalongs - I wasn’t disappointed. The support band Skating Polly played first and the crowd revelled in empowering punk tunes inspired by bands like Bikini Kill. Their enthusiastic singing and dancing prepared the crowd for the main act and I enjoyed the similarity between their clear passion for music and Kate’s. They’re a band I definitely recommend seeing live, 2 girls that ooze
with talent and originality. The stage decoration was well presented, full of colourful clouds and flowers bringing in Kate’s character to the entire set. The main performance began with the song “play” echoing from the speakers before she came out on stage, building energy amongst the gig goers. Then she began to sing “mouthwash,” one of my favourite songs by her. The liveliness of this song combined with the crowd chanting the lyrics created an amazing atmosphere to which Kate clearly thrived
from, with a smile on her face throughout the entirety of the song. It’s great to see an artist enjoy what they do and witness the pride they take in singing songs that are 10 years old. But also see that people remember the songs word by word and will follow Kate no matter what music she produces. The next song she dedicated to everyone’s special someone before singing “dickhead.” Her gritty garage punk voice during this stood out for me, revealing her true passion for the lyrics. A few more songs were sang and then Kate gave
Kate Nash: gig review a speech about every gig being a safe environment for those watching. This was a highlight of the concert experience for me as most of the artists I’ve seen don’t speak to their audience, so it showed her compassion for her fans. Though each song played was appreciated, Foundations was the song everyone was waiting for and when the piano played those first few notes, eyes lit up around the building. Every line she sang sounded exactly like the studio version, which is rare to
hear nowadays. Her talent spiralled from singing, playing the keyboard and dancing throughout. The talent didn’t stop there, as her all girl band’s guitar technique was beyond excellent, providing solos for everyone to enjoy. The enthusiasm of the gig escalated until the last song of the album, “merry happy” in which Kate called out girls in the audience to come and sing with her on stage. It’s refreshing to see a singer connect so much with fans as to invite them to help her perform, making this gig one of the best I’ve been
to so far. After finishing her first studio album, she revealed some of her new songs, which are also catchy and memorable. I definitely see why Kate Nash is still relevant and her popularity has flourished as she continues to create music full of personality with relatable lyrics, something her mass following clearly adores. 10/10 experience, would recommend to anyone. It’s amazing to see girls supporting girls and creating a safe and fun environment for every person attending.
the Receivers: Crescent moon heart
The Receivers are a York based Indie Rock quartet. Their debut EP, Crescent Moon Heart is due to be released later this month, with a launch party at Fibbers on the 15th. The lead single and title track is available for streaming now. The song starts off with a solid drum intro, which combines with the other instruments to kick the song off immediately. The distorted guitar takes prevalence, giving the track a sound not dissimilar to something from The Hold Steady’s early catalogue. The vocals join the fray shortly before the 1 minute mark, with a self assured style, showing hints of a brit pop influence. “I walk through the fire tonight and I don’t feel a little bit burnt, but I always get the third-degree from her”, sings lead vocalist Nick Aldous. He also warns that “you can’t change her mind, but her mind can change you”. Whilst slightly unhealthy and mistrusting relationship are nothing new for the indie-rock world, Crescent Moon Heart manages to sound entirely fresh, mixing sold rock riffs for the chorus with slower more indie-esque melodies for the verses. Overall, I’d rate Crescent Moon Heart at a solid 8/10, and I’d recommend giving the full EP a listen when it’s released, even if you can’t make it to the launch party.
Texas, a Scottish pop rock band that was founded by Johnny McElhone in 1986 have released their latest album Jump on Board. This is their 9th album and their 4th album since reuniting back in 2005. They were on an extended break with lead singer Sharlene Spiteri embarking on her solo career. They reunited after a near-death experience of their guitarist, Ally McErlaine who had collapsed from a brain aneurysm.
Jump on Board has a lot of experimental voices coming from Spiteri. She has changes throughout the whole album with certain songs taking a slow beating tempo and some an upbeat fun loving dance sound. Comparing her song Let’s Work It Out (which was the band’s first debut single from this album) to Can’t Control, her vocals remind me of vocals from Lorde and Lana Del Ray. The soft but deep tone in Can’t Control switches from the high
upbeat tone throughout Let’s Work It Out. Let’s Work It Out is the debut single from this album. The lyrics “Life’s too short, we gotta work it out” form a motto towards their fans and the public. Don’t brush things under the carpet, talk and work things out. It’s a very suited song with meaning lyrics towards listeners that may be going through some troubles or disagreements.
Texas: Jump on board The whole album gives out 80s vibes fused with modern pop. In this album, there are a variety of topic songs; Great Romances & Won’t Let You Go are both love songs. Most of the tracks are hints of romance & love, whereas some have hints of drama. My favourite song on the whole album is Great Romances that features an 80s soft Jazz element. The song gives me a feeling that it should be situated in a film like Grease or Dirty
Dancing. The lyrics are catchy, they get you to sing along with Spiteri. “Reach out, we can make it if want to.” “Take a chance and don’t leave me”. Her voice in this song is very soothing and very loving. She is making you want to clap along with her and the drum beat in the background. This is album is a fun, loving and upbeat! I would recommend this to someone who is looking for love or
a happy place. It is worth the listen. Texas have done a really good job on this album, well done guys!
sister madly: interview
Q: Hi guys! You’re quite a big band, how do you find performing live with so many members?
challenging in some venues and I have a few bass guitar necks in my eye as well as other tender places!
A: Hey! We are an 8 piece when everyone is available, but we have been out as a 5 and 6 piece too, and we actually perform plenty of acoustic gigs as a 3 or 4 piece so its pretty versatile really. I prefer to go out as an 8 piece as we have such a massive sound - it really stands out from your average pub band with the dynamics and contrasting instruments and vocal harmonies. Yes, it can be
Q: You’ve recently been playing at some charity gigs, including York Against Cancer – how did you find that experience? A: I am a massive advocate of charity gigs and in particular York Against Cancer - I have created York Rocks Against Cancer which has played 3 shows over the past 4 years at the Grand opera House in York and the 4th instalment will be
on 24th March 2018. These have raised in excess of £30,000 for the local charity and have also given local cover (and kids) bands the opportunity to play at this amazing venue to near enough full houses! We have also been supported at these by Chris Helme, Rick, Jo and Banksy from Shed 7, Beth McCarthy and we are really lucky to be supported 100% by the Emmerdolls, which is the Emmerdale band incorporating many cast members! Charity events are a great way to get yourselves noticed whilst doing something worthwhile
and giving something back in the way of entertainment to help them raise funds. It can occasionally become a burden when you are asked constantly to support everything that’s put your way and sadly that’s just not possible. Q: You’re a cover band – how do you decide between you which songs you want to perform? A: simple – I choose the songs and make everyone learn them! I have a very eclectic taste in music which ranges from classical to
punk and after playing in bands for (ahem) years I think I have found a formula that works, well, it does for us with 2 female vocalists as well as a male vocalist so the opportunities are endless. I also pick songs that you know but don’t see bands play – Deacon Blue’s Real gone kId, Duffy’s Mercy, Xanadu by ELO – not your normal Saturday night song selection at the Roman Bath!! Q: You recently played for us at our Acoustic Gig series, how was that experience for you guys?
A: we loved it. There was an American family who popped in for a drink and a bite to eat and stayed all night - they loved it! we also make a point of having banter with the audience and engaging them in what we do. We try and be fun, sincere and not take ourselves seriously, this puts down peoples guards to you and they don’t stand there with folded arms thinking … Well entertain me then!! It was a really good fun night and we can’t wait to come and do it again.
Q: You’re really active in York, what is it about the music scene here that attracts you to it?
pay cheque as well as the fun – next year will be quiter (he says, but doesn’t really mean it)
A: we would be more active if I had my way but the truth is, the plan for Sister Madly was to work really hard for 2 years, build up a reputation and then aim for the wedding/function/corporate scene where the money is just stupidly good. However I don’t ever want to stop playing in pubs, I want to get the balance right and with 8 members, we need a nice
Q: What are your hopes for the future of Sister Madly? A: We are a perfect wedding/ function band that will be so different from your standard party band but just as enjoyable. We recently recorded a demo CD down in the West Midlands and now I want to make that into a DVD so we can
promote ourselves visually further afield! I want us to get our image right and so new posters, backdrop etc. We also have just launched our website www. sistermadly.co.uk , so that’s exciting too.
QUICKFIRE QUESTIONS Q: Favourite song to cover? A: Xanadu by ELO or The Chain by Fleetwood Mac – really challenging to learn but the feeling of accomplishment when you achieve it is brilliant Q: Favourite York venue? A: so many… I love The Roman Bath as it is the home of live cover bands in York and has been
many years, I also love The Edinburgh Arms on Fishergate, Plonkers Wine Bar is intimate, oh and I have to add The Eagle and Child of course!! Q: Biggest joker in the band? A: me – no one can compete (or daren’t!!)
...and the hangnails: Interview
Q: Hi guys! Could you tell us a little about the formation of your band? MF: We first formed in 2011 with aim of seeing what we could do with just 1 guitar, a minimalist drum kit and 2 vocals. We wrote a LOT of stuff we liked, very quickly. And over the years we’ve worked on how to utilise the 2 piece dynamic in different ways. We both wanted to write, as a priority. So recording came second and the live shows were 3rd on the list of priorities, and, as much as we love the live setting, I still think that those priorities stand. Writing is key for us. It’s
basically all we do. SR: We are a two piece garage rock band from York. I think that’s what we are anyway but we don’t go in to a room with any idea of what we are we just play things and if we like it we keep it. We like garage, punk, rock, indie so I guess we are in that kinda spectrum of things. Q: You’ve just released your new album, DOG. What was the recording process like? MF: The recording process was pretty straight forward. And good fun really. We
booked two days in at Red City Recording studios, in Manchester with our friend/ producer Dave RadhadJones. We stayed over in Manchester each night, so could have 2 long days in the studio and a load of beers on the first night. We like to stick to a ‘3 take rule’ so no more than 3 takes for each song. Keeps it fresh and keeps us on our toes. Gets the adrenaline going. I also had a rule that I didn’t want to over dub any guitars. I have a specific live set-up with my guitar amps that helps towards the sound we create live and I wanted to capture that. Rather than recording each
of my amps with separate takes its all 1 take, all 3 amps on at the same time. SR: Capturing the energy is more important to us than playing it perfect. Also I think we thrive off the pressure of three takes, really focuses the mind. Mixing is probably harder than recording because your trying to recreate the sound you have in your head... Q: What’s it like being one of the biggest acts in the York punk scene? MF: Great! I don’t really think of it like that, but York has a really
thriving live music scene at the moment. The number of indie/punk (guitar bands) that have popped up over the last couple of years has been great. And so much originality and personality in each one. I think that’s my favourite thing about York’s music scene. I’ve often seen from a distance how bands in other scenes/cities seem to develop a similar sound, like everyone is trying to copy the most successful bands, but I don’t think that that is really happening very much here. Everyone has their own direction and agenda and there is a lot of great, diverse music coming out of York because of it.
SR: Don’t really think about us like that. It’s nice to know and hang around with a lot of York musicians though. Some very talented and lovely people. Anyone being creative will always have doubts and everyone seems to help and support each other. Q: Your first album was recorded on a Dictaphone, which is about as DIY as it gets. How does that compare with your more recent recordings? MF: Yeah that first album is much more distorted; But it’s still one of my favourite sounding records
we’ve done. We’ve always maintained a similar approach, playing as close to live as possible - mostly just recording vocals separately for the sake of clarity. But I still don’t think we’ve nailed down how I want our recordings to sound. I love the aesthetics of lo-fi recordings. I think it gives music a real sense of personality and excitement when it doesn’t sound too overly produced. Which I think we’ve maintained at least a bit throughout all our recordings. It’s a constant development, a practice. I have a sound in my head that I’d like to achieve, but there are always time and financial restraints on
recording. SR: You can’t hear the drums. I love that first record but it’s all guitar and not enough drums for me. I think our last two recordings have a nice clarity to them but still that raw fuzz we love; Think we might go dirtier for the next record though.
demo a load of new songs, so recording is pretty high up on the to-do list. SR: Lots of gigging, still learning our craft. Demoing album number five so we hope to record and release that next year. If we can write more songs, play more gigs and see more places we will be happy!
Q: What’s coming next for ...And the Hangnails?
Q: What would your dream gig and why?
MF: We’re just in the process of booking a UK tour for October. We have a few good gigs we’re pretty excited about but we can’t announce till they’re set in stone. Also, we’re starting to
MF: We’ve had some great gigs already, but I think the next step up for us would be to play some bigger, major festivals. SR: Playing a big outdoor
stage at Glastonbury. Been going since I was 16 and seen a lot of my favourite artists play there so that would be pretty special for me.
QUICKFIRE QUESTIONS: Q: Your new album is called DOG – what is your favourite breed of DOG? MF: Alsatian/German Shepherd. One of my good friends had a couple of Alsatians while I was younger, and they were beautiful, friendly massive
puppies their entire lives. And like liked collecting sticks and really long walks. SR: Jack Russell, purely because my dog is a Jack Russell and my best friend!
at our labels headquarters where everyone had to wear a dog mask... Or the York fringe gig the other night where we killed it with our favourite band in the world Bull...Can we have three?
Q: What’s the best gig you’ve played so far?
Q: Any final words for our readers?
MF: Yeah, the Young Thugs closing night for the Great Yorkshire Fringe was great. But I think I preferred this year’s Humber Street Sesh. House party gigs have always been great.
MF: If you’ve got this far through our interview and don’t hate us yet, do us a favour and go listen and follow us on Spotify. You might hear something you like and it’s free...
SR: Kia’s mad house party’s in his old uni house in Leeds back in 2014... good times!... Or the secret gig we played
SR: Have a nice day.
the receivers: interview
Q: Hi guys! Can you tell us a bit about how you got together? Nick: Louis, Alex and I were in Cape Wrath, unfortunately that ended quite quickly as our bass player went to uni. So, we got Harry in after taking a break and we just kind of started from scratch. Q: Your new EP, ‘Crescent Moon Heart’, is coming out on the 15th. How did you find the recording process? N: Recording Crescent Moon Heart was fun. It was all recorded in one day because we rehearsed the songs for absolutely ages before recording. We spent around 12 hours in the studio and just didn’t spend too much time messing around, obviously we wanted perfect takes but we also wanted the energy. We ordered Dominos and got a bit drunk by the end of the day but it was brilliant. Dom, our producer is a brilliant guy and managed to catch us perfectly. He was a fan of the band before recording us so it’s nice to work with a friend rather than a stranger who just wants to get paid haha. We might get him to drum on the next record cause he can play our songs! Sorry louis! Q: You’re playing your biggest ever gig at Fibbers on the 15th too, how does that feel? N: Really good, it’s the right time. We’ve had a busy year and loads has happened. We’ve been sat on the EP for a while but I think now is the perfect time to make that step up. People forget how important Fibbers is as a venue, I’ve seen some of my biggest inspirations; The Coral, Blossoms and Richard Hawley all headline the place so it feels good knowing we have our own night there. Ace supports too!
Q: You describe yourselves as performing Indie Rock – what are your biggest influences? N: As mentioned, I love a lot on the Skeleton Key label. The Cribs are probably my favourite, seven albums in and yet to make a mistake, that’s quite an achievement! I love The Strokes, Oasis, Arctic Monkeys and Radiohead too. Q: What’s your energy like on stage?
The whole reason I wanted to be in a band was to play live. I fucking love it. It’s my favourite thing to do. I used to go see Alex’s old band (The Filthy Piece) and it just looked so much fun being up on that stage, I had to try it. Every gig without fail something seems to mess up but I just kinda laugh, my guitar completely cut out one night in Sheffield and 3 people tried to sort it whilst I spoke to the crowd, looking back it was hilarious. Somehow we got our record deal that night!
Q: What will The Receivers be getting up to in the future? N: We’re going on tour in September. Visiting Sheffield, Nottingham, Manchester, Newcastle, Leeds & York which will be loads of fun, I’ve always wanted to tour. Then we’ve got a cool festival headline (but can’t really talk about that) then probably record some more tunes before some Christmas shows? Who knows? Things move quite fast.
QUICKFIRE QUESTIONS: Q: Favourite song: A:Blondie - Heart of Glass Q: Best part of recording? A: ‘Crescent Moon Heart’? Domino’s Pizza & tinnies Q: Best gig you’ve played? A: Fulford Arms - May 12th. That was our signing celebration gig and our mates got on each other’s shoulders and it was just
a cool night. Very heartwarming to see everyone come out and just have fun with us.
Q: Hi guys! You describe yourselves as punk/emo and alternative – if you had to pick one of the three, which would it be? A: I guess I’d probably say alternative? I think the words ‘punk’ or ‘emo’ can mean a lot of different things to different people, not all of which would be a good! And even going off what I think of as punk, or emo, doesn’t quite describe what it is I think that we do. I suppose the problem with using any genre title with regards to your own music is that you then run the risk of being assessed and judged within the realms of that genre, rather than solely on your own merits. Q: You’re playing a gig series in September, including the Fulford arms – how do you feel to be getting on the road? A: Super excited! We’ve been a bit Spinal Tap when it comes to drummers over the last year, so having a solid line up now and being able to really crack on with the live side of things is a great feeling. Q: Your new, limited edition, cd is coming out soon – can you tell us about the process behind it? A: So the two singles featured on the disc are ‘Black Canary’ and ‘Six Seasons and a Movie’ - They both originally came out as download only, with accompanying music videos. They got some good press and people seemed to enjoy them, so we thought it might be a cool idea to bring out a physical release. We wanted to give people a little more, so we figured we’d include a couple of bonus tracks, which are exclusive to the physical release, they aren’t available online anywhere. One is a live studio version of ‘The Kids Need New Shoes’ which was tracked and mixed by Dave Boothroyd at Reel Recording Studio, where we did the singles, and the other is an acoustic version of ‘Six Seasons and a Movie’, which we recorded ourselves! Q: You’re working on a new record at the moment – any secrets you can share about what’s coming next? A: We started writing for this release late
feed Them To The Forest: interview
last year, and got stuck into the pre production in the lead up to Christmas. No real cloak and dagger juice I’m afraid! It’s going to be 5 songs, and we’ve just about finished the bulk of tracking. We worked with Dave Boothroyd at Reel again and it’s been a great experience. I couldn’t ask for much more from a producer - Dave really gets what we’re going for and his input has been invaluable. Plus, that dude has the patience of a saint for dealing with me in a windowless room for 10 hours at a time. With the songs,we basically wanted to take what we’d done on the last two singles and really push it to the next level. So we’ve still got the
big riffs and dual vocals The focus is always on the hooks for us, but this time round we’ve tried to throw a few curveballs in there, step outside our comfort zone a little and experiment with ideas we wouldn’t of always immediately thought of. As for track listing, title and release date, that’s all unconfirmed as of right now. It’s an exciting time though, I’m really proud of what we’ve created and can’t wait for people to hear it. Q: Who are your biggest musical influences? A: I always struggle with this one, because the list could be endless! I can’t speak for the other guys, but for me, if
I had to name just a few, I’d probably have to say Bruce Springsteen, Taking Back Sunday, The Waterboys and Osker. Some of those come across more in our output than others I’d imagine! When it comes to stuff that I’m really going to latch onto, it’s all about the lyrics, vocal delivery and a talent for storytelling. It needs to feel ‘real’ to me, if I’m going to take anything away from it. Q: How have you found working in the York music scene? A: It’s weird because all 5 of us, in different bands and at different times, have been involved with music in
York for 10/15 years now, so I’d imagine we’d all have a different answer for this. It feels very different to how I remember it, but I don’t think it’s better or worse. The great thing about music scenes in smaller cities is that there tends to be a real DIY attitude towards things. Sure, we do get larger acts from time to time, but there’s a definitely something to be said for hiring a small room, getting a line up together of bands you wanna see, and just doing it yourself. That is something I do remember from being younger, it was that sort of thing that made being in a band seem attainable, like not just a dream for rock stars and
record labels. Another great thing about York is that there seems to be something for everyone, we’re certainly not limited genre wise. We’ve got indie by the boatload, metal, pop punk, rock, ska. The acoustic scene is very healthy. It’s cool.
QUICKFIRE QUESTIONS: Q: Favourite song? A: Could never whittle this down to just one ‘proper’ choice, so I’ll go with my party jam - ‘Groove Is In The Heart’ by Deee-Lite. Man, anyone drops that banger and I’m the first on the dance floor.
Q: Favourite movie? A: This is killing me. There’s so many to choose from but my ‘comfort food’ of films is probably a joint selection of ‘High Fidelity’ followed by ‘Empire Records’ Q: Best memory for the band? A: I’d probably say hearing the first playback of ‘Black Canary’ in the studio. I felt a real sense of achievement, it kinda blew my mind, sitting there thinking ‘We made this, this was us’. That’s always a huge moment, when you out do your own intentions.
Q: Describe yourselves and your influences
Q: How did it all start back in the beginning?
Q: Is that how you started drumming stood up then?
So Lion Papers have been together for 4 years or so now, we’ve been playing music together for a long time and we both listen to similar stuff in a way, but I don’t think we really sound like what we listen to. If we have to pin it down I’d say our influences come from people like Mumford and Sons and Jake Bugg, but we listen to everything really.
So we met at school and we ended up doing this after school club where we got like a rock band together, I was on drums, Jimmy was playing guitar and we ended up playing Seven Nation Army and all that. We put a set list of covers together for a school show and jimmy had this guitar borrowed from school and I had just a snare drum and a shaker basically, and its sort of just progressed from there.
Yeah so I started off with just a snare and a shaker, then it got bigger and we added a floor tom, then we added a crash, and then a ride.. We just add what we need when we’re writing really, we had just the snare and the floor tom and then we wrote a couple more tunes and just thought we need some cymbals now. Q: Whats tonight all about then?
LION PAPERS: INTERVIEW Well tonight we’ve got a couple of other people helping us out as well, we thought we’d add a little bit of a surprise, we’ve got someone on bass for us and someone else playing guitar - we don’t wanna get upstaged basically! But we like the sound with these guys its a bit more beefy its got more punch to it I think..
We’ve tried it once before, but that was literally just using a bass for two songs. We’ve had a lot of rehearsal with these two guys though and its sounding really good, so I think maybe we’ll do it a bit more now, we’ll just see how tonight goes!
Q: Have you been playing with a bass a lot then or is it just a one off for tonight?
Well we’ll see what happens and what people’s reactions are to it, we don’t want it to take away from the fact that there’s only two of us if you
Q: So this could be the future then
know what I mean, because we are the band we’re just having some other people for backing. Hopefully it will have a good reaction! Q: Any specific words you’d like to add? Yeah just remember to keep an eye out for us, we’ve got a couple of gigs coming up and we’re hoping to get revamped and re-record a lot of stuff soon so that’ll be being re-released in the near future!
Fossa Fossa are an absolute hidden gem, we saw these guys at Fibbers last month and we were suitably impressed. Managing to blur the lines between upbeat and meloncholy Fossa know their sound. Switching it up from haunting reverb to blistering riffs on the guitar all alongside a pair of hands fresh out of a seasoned percussionists pocket. Despite being a relatively small band, Fossa have managed to secure a support slot for King NoOne’s gig in Hull this month, that’s the 23rd so make sure you clear your schedules these are a band you should definitely get on your radar before they hit the bigtime, it’s all about those hipster points.
Artist in review
Are Politics Welcome at Music Festivals?
Music and politics have always been closely tied together, with numerous artists expressing their own political opinions or protesting issues through their works. Be it Tom Robinsons Glad to Be Gay protesting British societies treatment of gay men, or The Sex Pistols protesting, well pretty much anything. Music is definitely a vehicle for political change but does it work the other way around?
It’s one thing artists using politics as an inspiration to write powerful material, but what about politicians using music and festivals as a way of promoting policies? Do we really want to see Nigel Farage stagger his way through a booze fuelled rendition of Wonderwall on the Pyramid stage at Glasto? Or to buy a ticket for £250 only to be told by Nick Clegg that the price has tripled? I’m sure no one would want to get into a mosh pit with John Prescott.
In all seriousness - are festivals the place for politics? Politics in general is a Marmite topic of conversation often banished from the dining table at family reunions for fear of heated rows over clashing ideologies, but shouldn’t we be talking about politics? After all it does affect us all. In her maiden speech in the house of commons Laura Pidcock (MP for Northwest Durham) criticized the House of Commons, saying it is purposefully confusing
and intimidating to turn ordinary people off from politics. I think anyone who has ever watched Prime Minister’s Questions or a debate in the House of Commons can attest to this. The House of Commons, for most, is an alien world of “Right Honorable Gentlemen” and jeering backbench MPs with outdated traditions put into place in a time when women couldn’t vote and slavery was legal. Festivals are the opposite entirely. Events
like Leeds and Reading, T in the Park, Boomtown and Glastonbury are bastions of human connection and inclusiveness, where people are brought together by a common language, music. Which is very far from the ivory tower of Westminster. For politicians wanting to engage people in politics does it not make sense for them to bring politics into their comfort zone and engage them in an environment that is not off putting?
Recently Jeremy Corbyn took to the stage at Glastonbury to deliver a fiery speech calling for unity and talking about the everyday nature of politics. The speech was met with raucous cheers from the audience, which is unsurprising from a man who has inspired his own chant, an honour usually reserved for rock stars. It might be the most successful and high profile political speech at a festival but it isn’t the first, Boris Johnson, who criticized
Corbyn’s appearance at the festival, himself attended in 2000. In a bizarre YouTube video Billy Bragg is seen meeting Johnson at the festival, the two getting Henna tattoos together and meeting nudists, which all culminates in Johnson beginning to recite his
favorite poem, The Iliad, from memory before Bragg ushers him off stage. Coincidently Corbyn also reads a line of one of his favorite poems by Percy B. Shelley. To his credit Boris did seem to enjoy the festival, even going so far
as saying the festival goers embody Conservative ideals, as they have got there under their own steam, and managed to put up their own tents! Though Boris isn’t the only politician to enjoy music. George Osborne has professed to be a fan of rap group NWA,
implying his favourite song is Fuck Tha Police, which perhaps goes some way to explaining his budget cuts to policing. Even without politicians attending festivals politics would still be present in the music. If politics were not
welcome at music festivals then most musicians would similarly not be welcome. Music allows people to engage in politics covertly, often without even realizing it. Festivals act as a way of encouraging everyone to engage in politics, you might not agree with the politician
but if you engage with them then you are taking back the power, and isn’t that what music festivals are about anyway?
review: to the bone
There’s no denying that director Marti Moxon’s recent film ‘To the Bone’ is (as usual for films centring around anorexia) shrouded with controversy. If you, as many critics have, were to call out the white-washed nature of the film or its determination to conform to popular stereotypes surrounding anorexia you’d certainly have a leg to stand
on. The film, like many of its predecessors, can be seen to imply that to suffer with an eating disorder you must ideally be, young, middleclass, a woman and wearing heavy eyeliner at all times. Obviously, this simply isn’t true. However, what I’d really like to talk about, especially in the wake of
the highly criticised, fellow Netflix original, ‘13 Reasons Why’, is whether images shown in the film are necessary, or unnecessary? Triggering, or informative? Now, it’s sensible to determine that every person who has suffered with disordered eating will have a different (and valid) view on whether they find
content harmful or helpful. Personally, if I were to give any aspect of ‘To the Bone’ credit, it would be its brutal, unglamorous presentation of anorexia. The way in which Ellen, played by actress and former anorexia-sufferer, Lily Collins, experiences her illness, is far from romantic. Her family are shown to turn against her and are
unwilling to take her in, she has trouble walking, even fainting at certain points. Her roommate even stores a bag of sick under her bed. As with any film of this nature, I suppose you take what you can from it. So, although the frequent references to Tumblr made me hurt a little inside, I’m just thankful (even if
it’s upsetting that I must be), that the movie didn’t end with a love interest magically curing Ellen of her very severe troubles. Instead, the character is finally able to take some control over her predicament, and decides to try and get better on her terms.
gear review
KRK SYSTEMS KNS-8400 What do you do when you wish to isolate yourself from the rest of the world? Do you go to a park, venture forth for a lovely adventure towards the beach, or perhaps get a book and enjoy the day? Whatever it is you do, I can almost guarantee you need music along for the ride, and what better way to listen to music in peace then through headphones? What type of headphones suit the job? No other than the KRK Systems KNS-8400. Fantastic clarity from each track, no matter it’s genre and purpose. Perfect for mixing when a good set of speakers are unavailable, and a fair price for a pair of technological wonder. If you’re studying music production, take my advice and remember you won’t regret this decision.
top 5 of the month
Marmozets - Play Marmozets are a band from Yorkshire that have a committed fan base, and you either know them and love them, or you just haven’t heard them yet... their new song is no exception, with hints of their old sound, yet a lot more bouncey riffs its easy to see why they have a committed fanbase (even when they left their fans waiting three years for even a hint of them doing something). If you like bouncy rock songs then their newest song is for you!
Defenders the Netflix Marvel universe has been building towards this for years! I really thing they didn’t disappoint! With a slow build up to set everything into play, the action and drama really hits harder when its all together! Although its only 8 episodes long, I feel the 5 series of individual series for the heroes really helped show the motivation of each of them, as well as their individual personalities. The Defenders pitted their completely different ways of thinking and different end goals right into the focal point of the series.
Sonic Mania Whenever a new Sonic game has been released over the last 10 years or so, the fans of the older games at least all groaned in disappointment at the state of the Sonic franchise right now. Finally their prayers have been answered! The solution game from what started as a fan made game for the classic sonic game lovers. Sega finally allowed them to make and even threw some money their way to help with the process and the finished product as one hell of an amazing game! With reworked old levels, as well as brand new levels which are just as hard and fun as the classic 2D sonic games. Its quite simply a work of art.
Atomic Blonde This film very nearly slipped under my radar with how little advertisement it seemed to have... anyway, this film is a brilliant adaption of a novel called “The Coldest City” and follows an MI6 agent who’s mission is to help bring down the soviet union by recovering a list and assassinating one of their agents. The soundtrack is magical! With a high focus on making sure it fits with the 1980’s era its set in. Although the pacing has been criticised as “a little off” its still a fun film to watch!
Queens Of The Stone Age – Villains As always, Josh Homme brings a brilliant album straight out into the forefront of modern rock! He is still able to keep it weird to listen to at times, like all their albums, but still blend in some exceptional sounding music! Its a journey listening to this album like every album QOTSA seem to do...
At a Glance: Marmozets – Play (New music) Defenders (Netflix series) Sonic Mania (New game) Atomic Blonde (New film) QOTSA – Villains (New album)
Spotify playlists
Last month we chatted to you about our acoustic gig series in a great interview with our director Aidan. This month we’ve got some brand new formats for our ‘OC SUNDAY’ articles. If you keep track of our posts, you’ll know on Sundays we post something original, something new that has inspired our staff and freelance writers. We’ve decided to get you more involved – and we’re kicking off OC SUNDAY playlists. We’ve got Motivation, Space Symphonies, and Singalong anthems. Coming soon we’ve got Apocalypse Ready, Friendship, Warm Hug – and we want more! We want you to recommend what playlists we make next. Need some great music to keep you company on a long drive? We’ll make it happen. Need an 80’s themed playlist for a party? We’ll get on it. We want to bring you the music you love – so make sure you send us your recommendations! Drop a comment on our playlist OC Sundays on Facebook, or email in at marketing@madalicerecords.co.uk to see what we can do for you. Any genre, any band, any era, anything goes.
Gig Guide Sep 5
Dick Valentine (Electric Six) Fulford Arms - York
Sep 15
The Receivers / Vuromantics / Glass Traps / Foreign Lives Fibbers - York
Sep 17
Siobhan Wilson The Basement - York
Sep 26
Blessthefall / Blood Youth / Invisions The Basement - York