issue two
7 days til sunday a.n.onymous moving up
artist’s portfolio
free
also: tom corneill ben hill and more....
win stuff win stuff win stuff win stuff win stuff win stuff win stuff win stuff win stuff
Fri 12 May
Fri 19 May FESTIVAL OPENING NIGHT
THE DOUBTFUL GUEST NIMOMASHTIC The nimomashtic sound of alternative folk/soul music +BEN HILL is a melting pot of colour, character and melody. The
Thur 25 May
LONGDOG Exciting Alt-dub-folkblues acoustic & bass duo featuring Chris Scott and Tracy Neil EllissBrookes. A dynamic mixture of blues and folk with a hint of groove and dub.
dynamic songs and unpredictable nature of the band make for an exciting live act. www.nimomashtic.com
Sat 13 May
DJ DAN C
Sun 14 May
EDDY BRIMSON +LAURA SANDIFORD
EB - A familiar face on the UK comedy circuit. TV includes Smith & Jones, Ab Fab & Eastenders. LS - Being the world’s only African-Barbadian, British-Canadian Comedian is a tough job but she’s charming her way into the hearts of audiences. Adm £7/£6•£5adv for students
Mon 15 May
OPEN MIC
Compere NEIL GAY featuring CHRISTOFF PISCINE
TDG - Rejoice, all you bedroom country music fanatics out there, a band has arrived in our midst will have proudly dragging your Joe Cocker fetish out of the closet, into the spotlight and all over the dance floor. BH - Bath legend Ben Hill on native soil singing and playing songs from his forthcoming album ‘Short Confessions’. Not to be missed. MORE ACTS TBA
Sat 20 May
COMMUNITY SERVICE Sun 21 May
SHAWN JONES Unique blend of exceptional
singing, songwriting, and guitar playing & a popular fixture in California & in Nashville. www.shawnjonesmusic.com
Wed 17 May
ORIOLE A vibrant act with a rich assort-
ment of funky, jazz-tinged tunes with singer Sophie’s delivery compared to Amy Winehouse and Norah Jones. Based in Bath, Oriole are now embarking on a UK tour to promote their new self-titled debut album.
Thur 18 May
THE NICOLE McINTYRE BAND Nicole toured with Savage
Garden as a backing singer for their world tour of ‘Garden of Earthly Delights’ & played with them on some of the worlds most prestigious stages, T.V. & awards shows.
Fri 26 May
OPENING NIGHT FRINGE Adm £2.50 Weekdays•£3 Friday to Sunday
VIAROSA +BENJAMIN MORTIMER V - First formed round five
years ago by singer-songwriter Richard Neuberg & violinist Josh Hillman, & the band play a blend of alternative country that also takes in rock and folk influences to create an original and deeply emotional sound.
JUNIOR SIMPSON +SARAH MILLICAN
Please arrive early to book your slot.
Tues 16 May
ALL BANDS ONSTAGE 8.30pm
Sat 27 May FRINGE JS - Luton’s lapsed choirboy has honed his material and performance skills on the British black comedy circuit. ‘A vigorous raconteur and vibrant mimic. His compact yet complex set included a searing satire of Ragamuffin music, impressions of Martin Luther King, Sean Connery and a Pentecostal preacher’ - The Guardian. Adm £7/£6•£5adv for students
Mon 22 May
OIL RIG CATERING +HEY NEGRITA
OPEN MIC
Compere STEVE WHEADON featuring RICH MAYA Please arrive early to book your slot.
Tues 23 May Spartacus presents
THE SHACKLEBERRIES BROADWOOD•TOM PEAY THE CANVAS SYSTEM Wed 24 May Spartacus presents
ORIOLE•BRETT RICHES JENNI HALL•SUPERTED THE CARLA JAE BAND
ORC - A group of three lucky individuals who do fun things like music making, drawing, film & animation, cat feeding, & other pasttimes. Here we see them in an electronic medium, really an illusion, brought to you from the world of computering. www.oilrigcatering.com. HN - A whisky flavoured mix of rock, pop and country.
Sun 28 May
SOL BERSTEIN•BECKY LOVE
SB - One part Alf Garnett, two parts Mel Brooks & three part like nothing you have heard. BL - Wicked musical humour. Adm £7/£6•£5adv for students
Sun 28 May FRINGE from 11pm
CONFORTISM
Explosion plays. Audience participation guranteed! Twisted cabaret, voluptuous vaudeville...
Monday-Thursday 11am-midnight • Friday/Saturday 11am-1am • Sunday 12noon-11.30pm FRINGE EVENTS LATE NIGHT LICENSE UNTIL 2am
This month we’ve decided there will not be an editorial but a recommended mix tape from the team instead. Here ya go...
SIDE A
SIDE B
1. Finger Eleven - Other Light 2. Seth Lakeman - John Lomas 3. Tori Amos - Precious Things 4. Michael Jackson - Get On The Floor 5. Rage Against The Machine - How I Could Just Kill A Man 6. Ani Difranco - Swing 7. Fiona Apple - Love Ridden 8. Bjork - Joga 9. Kaki King - Happy As A Dead Pig In The Sunshine 10. Dawn Penn - You Don’t Love Me
11. And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of Dead - World’s Apart 12. Death Cab For Cutie -Different Names For The Same Thing 13. Postal Service - Such Great Heights 14. Seafood - Belt 15. R.E.M - Be Mine 16. Modest Mouse - Trailer Trash 17. Clap Your Hands Say Yeah - By The Skin Of My Yellow Country Teeth 18. Broken Social Scene - 7/4 19. Build To Spill - Distopian Dream Girl 20. Interpol - PDA
The Moles Underground team are: Laura M (director), Kara (director), Giles (editor), Lee (designer) and Laura B (designer). www.molesunderground.co.uk design: www.motherleopard.com staff@molesunderground.co.uk www.laurabarnard.co.uk Moles Underground Magazine, Moles, 14 George Street, Bath, BA1 2EN Printed by WPG - www.welshpoolprint.co.uk
tom corneill................................6 gig reviews.................................7 7 days til sunday......................12 a.n.onymous.............................16 colouring competition...............18 gig listings................................19 news........................................20 demo reviews...........................22 unsung hero.............................24 boo’s comic..............................26 poetry.......................................27 ben hill.....................................28 detour art.................................29 sudoku competition..................31
a brief chat by andy cottle
Who are your inspirations?
Why do you make music?
“The Beatles, Tim & Jeff Buckley, Crispin Hunt (Longpigs), and Mogwai. I play a lot for sounds & stuff.”
“Things to say, I suppose…I feel I’m definitely saying what I want, just want more people to hear it.” How long have you been playing? “Been playing for eight years now, since I was fourteen. Started off pretty much in punk bands.” Do you want a band? “My current material is personal, so I want to keep it personal for now.”
Tom would also like to add that he has not slept with anyone in his band (Nyack). In addition Tom adds: “Keep coming to my gigs ‘cause one day I will have something inspirational to say.” A very brief chat with a very weary Tom Corneill gives me a little hope, without a misguided ambition to communicate. www.tomcorneill.co.uk
randall / the cedar by andy kelly Two men, two guitars and a handful of thoroughly decent tunes. Musically Randall are reminiscent of Elliott Smith’s earlier, rougher work (his second self-titled album especially), but this doesn’t extend to the vocals which have an smooth, amiable charm about them. Gentle harmonies, sincere lyrics and masterful blend of lead and rhythm guitar create a sound that, although hardly groundbreaking, drifts along with a light, calming ease. Subtle use of slide guitar adds a sniff of country and western to their songs and despite a lack of impact or immediacy they have a lot on offer for anyone willing to listen.
Tinkling piano and meandering acoustic guitar make up the bulk of The Cedar’s output and although they had a richer, fuller sound than Randall, for this reviewer they were the weaker act. That’s not to say they were bad; they just seemed to lack any of their forebear’s charm and humility, which is pretty important for an act in an intimate venue like The Porter. Their music, although clearly deep with sentiment, struck me as somewhat spiritless and I couldn’t appreciate it on any level other than pure apathy. In the end, the Cedar’s gloomy adulations left me feeling as cold and detached as the music they play. Shame.
baraka
antistar
by samantha j crockford 15th april 2006
by andy cottle 4th april 2006
Waiting for this band to start, I was already intrigued by the setup on stage. An impressive set of bongo-type drums and an African xylophone stood in the centre, flanked on either side by guitars and then a saxophone standing in the corner. This gig had attracted a large crowd; clearly a mix of devoted fans and unsuspecting Baraka virgins. I was included in the latter. The musicians emerged from backstage, led by Ben Baddoo, a master drummer from Ghana, and prepared to start. I was surprised to hear an Irish accent addressing the crowd, “Is there anyone here that doesn’t dance?”. This eclectic fivepiece is made up of musicians from Zambia, Ghana, Dominica and Ireland. The question had come from the Irish saxophonist, and the crowd laughed - as the steady beat of the drums began, there was barely room for all the dancing that was going on. The addictive mix of lazy bass lines, expressive African vocals and rhythmic beats caused almost everyone there to forget themselves and join in the party atmosphere. There were a couple of times during the set where they were in danger of becoming a bit samey, but then the tempo would change and the Irishman would pull out a flute…
Now I have banged on about this band’s demo on Decode Magazine’s website and I really rate it. So this is the first fuller set from Antistar, as Battle of the bands only showed glimpses so far. Plus, with a ‘not-so newly’ added guitarist, it is time to gauge progress. Kick in proper with “Can’t Find My Way Home”- Brand new intro…wicked! After their second tune, the ‘new guy’ sings his self-penned third song- so three writer’s/main vocalists in this crew. They slip from classicsounding breezy west coast rock to contemporary Indie (whatever that is?) and then direct RAWK! “A new one we’ve not played to anybody yet…” To my ears these boys got tunes to burn, and with the extra guitar integrated, are now rather bloody marvellous. Recent winners of Bath Uni’s ‘Battle of the Bands’ comp, Antistar possess pro recording time to do another demo, excellent news. Gonna be headliners soon, mark my words.
assembly now / six nation state / hey gravity by andy kelly 6th april 2006 Dynamic, aggressive and swollen with potential, Assembly Now are the kind of band I want to see more of. They’re making no obvious attempt to raise bars or shatter moulds; it’s just simple, honest rock and roll that deftly blends the shambolic clatter of The Libertines with the precise, punky desperation of Maximo Park. The anthemic “It’s Magnetic” is the best of their output with its thudding, catchy chorus and, if you choose to ignore the slightly off-kilter ‘slow’ track in the middle, their entire set was a zealous, overblown triumph. Do they contribute anything particularly new or original to music? Hardly, but they’re animated, likeable and, most importantly of all, entertaining. But they’ve got nothing on Six Nation State, the most relentlessly energetic band in the world. I see so many tepid indie hipsters trying to be The Bravery in Moles, that whenever something like this comes along I start whirling with excitement. They may veer dangerously into ‘ska’ territory at times, but in light of their electric fervour, infectious tunes and boundless charm I can find it in my cold, hard heart to forgive them. Listen to their new single “Keep On Dancing” and you’ll understand what I mean;
no amount of adjectives, creative wordplay or pretentious, flowery dialogue can sum them up accurately so if you’ll forgive the tired music review cliché, imagine The Strokes buzzing on Red Bull and covering a Misty’s Big Adventure song. You’ve just imagined Six Nation State. And the spinning vortex of energy continues with Hey Gravity. Remember ill-fated ‘90s rock outfit Dodgy? Of course you do. Well, guitarist Andy Miller is now lending his considerable talent to these guys. But the highlight of their act is their flailing, flapping frontwoman who lolls around the stage like an excitable child, periodically falling to the floor in a fit of aural ecstasy. The music? Well, it doesn’t quite match up to her jiggling and shimmying – it’s just very, very… bleurgh. Terribly good as far as musicianship and technical ability goes but lacking somewhat in the memorable tunes department. And as far as I’m concerned, if I don’t come away humming or whistling a hook, a riff or a melody then they’re doing something wrong. If you like sassy, overblown ‘’chick rock’ with flair, attitude and ‘moxy’ then you’ll find something to enjoy here. Sour-faced musos need not apply.
rush & the fighter pilots by ed hutchinson 12th april 2006 Ok first things first. I must admit I was intrigued by the name Rush and The Fighter Pilots and I spoke to a couple of people beforehand who told me they were a fantastic group. Porter was packed and the group seemed to have loads of support so I eagerly awaited their performance. They consist of three guys; the lead singer/guitarist, a bassist, and a drummer. They began with the comment ‘born on pen and paper came the idea to this song’ and played an upbeat number which was followed by a song called “Pinecones” about the lead singers hometown. “Wrecking Ball” came next with the lyrics “you weren’t always such a sentimental fool.” They all seemed really into their performance, the frontman smiling and getting into the music. A mellow song from their second EP came next with images of “the first few flakes of snow fall down off the bonnet of my car” (the drummer provided backing vocals on this one). Having listened to half their set so far I have to be honest and say it didn’t really excite me. That’s not to say that the music was bad because it wasn’t. They were tight and good showmen but the music was very much in the category of easy listening and mainstream rock. I found it amusing watching the frontman engage in the classic cheesy
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rock poses and facial contortions which the audience seemed to be loving. I won’t go so far as to say it was The Darkness all over again because that would be unfair but just once or twice I felt it teetered on the edge of the ballpark! A new song followed with the frontman singing “I’m still writing songs to keep my faith in life alive.” Again a nice sentiment but....! “Shine A Light” from their second EP was next followed by a couple of new songs, one entitled “King of the Broken Hearted.” The crowd were encouraged to clap along to a nice sing-along called “Take Me Home” from their first EP before they ended their set with a tune called “Scratchy”. Yes they played well and from their perspective (and the crowds) it was a successful performance which lets face it, is what counts. However for me there were a few inconsistencies. I felt the name Rush & The Fighter Pilots really didn’t fit the band that I saw. I expected to get a bit closer to Mach 3 rather than feel like I’d been in a crash and burn. Ok maybe a little harsh! If you’re into mainstream, feelgood, ‘nice’ rock and are looking for some light entertainment then definitely check them out. I don’t always want to check out deep, experimental or intense performances either but I do like to see something with a little bit of edge or at the very least something mildly entertaining. The most I can say is check them out and form your own opinion!
for more gig reviews please visit www.molesunderground.co.uk
LISTINGS may12-27 Fri 12 May THE
FRIDAY NIGHT CHICKEN SHACK
with special guests
THE BOCA 45 EXPERIENCE Bristol based DJ/producer Boca has kicked it big style on the turntables, from block party hip hop, super raw funk, and his famed ‘45s only set. £4 mem • £4.50 conc • £5 guests
Sat 13 May MishMash presents
BLACKBUD THE DOUBTFUL GUEST
B - Bold, epic, soulful, emotional, intense, uplifting. ‘Ridiculously talented...it’s our duty to make them famous’ Guardian. TDG - Good ol’boy, rootsy country rock. £4 mem • £4.50 conc • £5 guests
Sun 14 May ALL AGES DAYTIME SHOW UNDER 18s BATTLE OF THE BANDS•HEAT 4
10 METRE FEET•FACELESS•THE SWITCH RAG DOLL GIRL•FIGHT OR FLIGHT
Thur 18 May
presents
CHIKINKI
C - ‘A preposterous collision of Super Furries, the Stooges and Add N To (X). Robopunks playing glam-racket electroclash krautrock... f*cking great!’ - NME. PL - Debut 2-track single out now on Shifty Disco. £6 mem • £6.50 conc • £7 guests
Fri 19 May presents STONEGRUVE SOCIAL FEATURING...
THE DUALERS An uplifting, bouncy,
feel good slice of popska... Sam Cooke meets Bob Marley & a rich low Dean Martin meets Ben E King? www.thedualers.com.
Sat 20 May MishMash presents
Thur 25 May
MOHAIR•GUESTS TBA
UNDER 18s BATTLE OF THE BANDS•HEAT 5
DEAD ELVIS•WRITE OFF MERCHANTS OF DENNIS•CRAMP THE UNTITLED TERROR CONSPIRACY DO 2.30pm first band on stage 3pm • £3 entry
Sun 21 May JAZZ’N’BLUES CLUB
THE JONES O’CONNOR GROUP
Wed 17 May Riot presents
£3 mem • £3.50 conc • £4 guests
presents
BEATNIK FILMSTARS
STRANGE IDOLS•THE LOVES
BF - There is life beyond Trip-Hop in Bristol, and Beatnik Filmstars are the proof! Producing some of the most delectably flawed gems in all of pop music. £4 mem • £4.50 conc • £5 guests
Fri 26 May THE
FRIDAY NIGHT CHICKEN SHACK with special guest
DJ SHEPDOG (Freestyle Records)
A whole load of funk that is gonna make you cut the rug like never before. We do it doggy style! £4 mem • £4.50 conc • £5 guests
Sat 27 May MishMash presents
THE HAZEY JANES +PAOLO NUTINI
THIS ET AL•FELL CITY GIRL TEA - The time is
now for these Leeds art-rockers. ‘Sonic Youth with an English twist’ Coolnoise. £3 mem • £3.50 conc • £4 guests
Wed 24 May Funk@moles with
+SAFEBOSS DJs GEORGE WALTER+PETE LUCAS
Sun 21 May ALL AGES DAYTIME SHOW
Cheap drinks and cheesy tunes £3 mem • £3.50 conc • £4 guests
Cheap drinks and cheesy tunes £3 mem • £3.50 conc • £4 guests
Hip Hop - Reggae - Soul - D&B - Breakz - Da Wildstyle... www.myspace.com/threeamigos3 £4 mem • £4.50 conc • £5 guests
Mon 15 May MondayLive presents
The Big Cheese
The Big Cheese
MC GUSTO FRESH•COMMUNITY SERVICE
M - Raw, powerful & incredibly tight. Take a good slug of guitars, a Hammond organ, bass & drums, mix it with four astounding vocal capabilities & an x-factor of energy & you have the full on rock’n’roll sound of Mohair. £4 mem • £4.50 conc • £5 guests
Tues 16 May
Tues 23 May
BOBAFATT•HONEYTRAP•PETE B
solid funk groove sound of raw ‘rock & soul’. www.rolanbolan.co.uk £6 mem • £6.50 conc • £7 guests
£2 mem • £2.50 conc • £3 guests
£2 mem • £2.50 conc • £3 guests
3AMIGOS (LIVE)
Sun 14 May JAZZ’N’BLUES CLUB
BULLET PROOF MOOSE•MILD PERIL CABARET RAT•SHUT UP BENSON
NOT NORMAL•ONCE UNDER
PAPERLUNG•METROPONOMY GRIPSHIFT•CUPERINICUS
DO 2.30pm first band on stage 3pm • £3 entry
ROLAN BOLAN It’s now time for the new
Mon 22 May MondayLive presents
Have a broad range of influences; Post-rock Chicago musicians, new Jazz groups such as The Cinematic Orchestra and Jazzanova, Minimalist composition and the British Free Jazz scene. £2 mem • £2.50 conc • £3 guests
THJ - A rich and original fusion of traditional folk and country rock, and American power-pop reminiscent of Big Star and Velvet Crush. www.thehazeyjanes.co.uk £4 mem • £4.50 conc • £5 guests
www.moles.co.uk•www.moles.co.uk 11 14 GEORGE ST • BATH • Mon-Thurs 9pm-2am • Fri-Sat 9pm-4am • Sun 8pm-12.30am
by rachael williams
beth: Textural and epic.
Seven Days Til Sunday are a fucking nightmare to get in one room at once. Manage this though, and you’ll find yourself confronted with a group of highly intelligent, sweet and mumbly bunch of people. Singer Charlie was holidaying in Thailand so I met up with guitarist Dave K, bassist Jimmer, cellist Beth, pianist Chris and drummer Denby in The Porter Cellar Bar. They come across as a bit of a well oiled machine. They know exactly what the others mean when they are talking about quite abstract concepts and even finish off each others sentences. This comes across in their music. For a sixpiece band deeply concerned with minimalism this kind of rapport is essential, and actually quite endearing.
jimmer: I don’t think you can really coin a phrase that describes all our sounds.
How would you describe Seven Days Til Sunday’s sound? denby: Atmospheric, acoustic rock.
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dave k: Emotive but definitely not emo! The rest of the band vehemently agree with Dave on this and begin to reel off a long list of “emotive but NOT emo” artists. What are your major influences? dave k: We’ve all got loads of separate influences. jimmer: Whatever goes in, comes out [this is punctuated with a swig of his constantly refreshed mug of the infamous ‘Black Rat’ cider]. denby: It’s almost impossible to say really. Personally I’m influenced by Jazz, Electronicajust experimental music. beth: Well, I was classically
trained, but I’ve always done folky stuff. I really like people like Rufus Wainwright, y’know quirky orchestral stuff. jimmer: I’m an individual man. I don’t need fucking influences. [At this point Jimmer looks a bit sheepish, laughs and admits that his most prominent influences are John Martin and Jeff Buckley] dave k: I’m really influenced by the Blues. It’s about trying to achieve emotion but still being minimal. Its about what you don’t play as opposed to what you do. Tell me about the change of lineup and how this has affected the Seven Days Til Sunday dynamic. dave k: With our old line-up we were still very new and still finding our sound. Our new lineup works really well together. Robb [the previous drummer] was a heavy metal drummer whereas Denby has more scope for filling in those gaps. Again Jimmer’s style is very different from Dave
J [now the bassist for Monster Bastard Project]. Our previous line-up was on the cusp of really achieving something. We played a rehearsal to a guy from Chrysalis but then sadly Rob passed away and Dave left the band…. Denby just has a different approach. beth: Having our own rehearsal space has really helped. Before we were renting and trying to get everything done in two hours was really hard. Can you tell me about the defining moment in the creation of Seven Days Til Sunday? dave k: Charlie just had this vision. beth: [laughs] I thought I was just playing on a couple of tracks and all of a sudden I was in the band! dave k: I met Charlie in 2004 and he said to me “I’ve got some tunes, come round and jam”, so we sat in his garden with a guitar and it kinda started from there.
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Do you get much groupie sex? There is a loooong pause followed by blank looks. jimmer: I could lie and say yeah they’re f**king hanging off us, but we’ve only done 6 gigs! Give us a chance! Tell you what, come back in a year! denby: There was some interest, but, er, no, that was a different band. Other than, well, your *lack of* groupie sex, what’s the most rock and roll thing you’ve done? beth: [laughs] I’m not very rock and roll! dave k: I’m trying to think now....[ another long pause] Probably our gig at The Pig and Fiddle when Charlie performed on mushrooms [the whole band starts laughing] he just couldn’t work out what the guitar was actually for!! jimmer: Yeah, I was there in the audience. It was quite a horrific gig. dave k: Other than that I guess just the usual excesses of drug and alcohol abuse. When you consider the maelstrom of interest gathering around this band, they actually come across as charmingly modest. All of them attribute this success to their singer and
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visionary leader Charlie, without really mentioning their own substantial talents. Whilst it’s all very lovely to be so demure, one can’t help but wonder if the obsession with minimalism is resulting in some incredibly talented people not being able to shine as bright as they can. After listening to their new CD it is painfully obvious that bassist/ backing vocalist Jimmer is being criminally underused. Many people have described Seven Days Til Sunday as quite commercial and perhaps this is true. Perhaps, this is exactly why major labels are positively chomping at the bit to sign them up. However, I think they might just have a few surprising tricks up their sleeves if only they allow themselves. Catch them in their full live glory in June, but if you really can’t wait that long check out their myspace page featuring some tracks recorded with their old line-up. www.myspace.com/7daystilsunday
Seven Days Til Sunday’s previous drummer Robb Fraser tragically passed away last October and will be sorely missed by friends, family and fans of every band he drummed in, including Jim Fear and Syntax Error.
photo by beckie waters/matt wyatt
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artist portfolio
by nathan chrismas So I get this phone call. “We need you to do an interview. For the magazine. An artist. It’ll be fun.” “Sure” I said. Didn’t really think about it that much. Didn’t really think about the fact that I found it difficult enough to hold a decent conversation under normal circumstances, let alone conduct an interview. Things like that require control. Confidence. There was only one thing that I knew I could do to turn things in my favour. So, at twelve noon on the day of the interview, I began drinking. It started off slow. Nothing was coming. But by the third whisky down, things were beginning to flow. I drafted questions, worked out my banter. I began to interview myself, gesticulating wildly at the chair beside me. I was great. I was funny. I was finding out things the whole world wanted to hear. This was going to work. At ten past five, the artist arrived. We shook hands, I offered to buy him a drink. We
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sat down at the table, I turned on my dictaphone. And then it dawned on me. I had peaked too early. My confidence was gone, wasted on the chair. He spoke. I slumped. The tape rolled... A.N.Onymous on: Being grumpy “If you’ve got something to be grumpy about in the past, it means you must have had a good time, so that in itself makes me have a good time now. Later on I’m gonna look back on it like it’s been a good time, so why not act like it is now? Or act like it already isn’t...” A.N.Onymous on: The dole “My money’s in there somewhere. How am I gonna get it out? It’s more of a kind of battle of wills. A battle of wont’s... I think I might start writing backwards. Make them read it in a mirror... I’m playing on my Jedi status – I’m using intuitive and organic means to find intuitive and organic jobs.”
A.N.Onymous on: Flies in art “I remember I did a little Jackson Pollock thing when I was about sixteen and a couple of flies landed in it... I left them in as a kind of talking point... I’m always looking in galleries to see if I can see any flies. Or any death... Someone like Francis Bacon should have thought about that. You’ve symbolised it, but I want it there.” A.N.Onymous on: Flies in the bedroom “When I was little I used to kill flies and leave them as near to the bed as possible hoping that other flies would see it, sense danger and stay away... after about three thousand... the day that horse survived in the bedroom... but I never got another horse in there, so maybe it worked.”
A.N.Onymous on: Cleopatra’s nose “Have you ever wondered how nice Cleopatra’s nose was? It’s very well hyped. It’s one of the most hyped historical artefacts... I’d imagine it was actually really good. But I’m an optimist... Although Cleopatra had a nice nose, I reckon the old days really stank.” The artwork of A.N.Onymous is currently on display at the Apple Tree Juice Bar on Pulteney Bridge. It has absolutely nothing to do with Jedis, horses or Cleopatra’s nose.
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It’s Colouring In Time! A.N.Onymous has donated a piece of work for you to colour in. The person who submits the best entry will win the framed original from the artist.
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Cut it out and return your entry to moles or the porter in an envelope addressed to “moles magazine” with your name and contact details inside. good luck!
Tue 16 May Wed 17 May Fri 19 May Sat 20 May Mon 22 May Wed 24 May Fri 26 May Sun 28 May Wed 31 May Fri 2 Jun
James Hillongsworth at The Belvedere Wine Vaults, Bath Mankala at The Bell, Bath Straight Shooter at The George Inn, Bradford-on-Avon Samba Sunda at The Pavillion, Bath Sonic Fruit V8.0 at Michael Tippett Centre, Bath Johnny G at The Bell, Bath Joanna MacGregor at The Bath Abbey, Bath Brian Eno at The Bath Abbey, Bath Peter King at The Bath Abbey, Bath Threewheeler at St James’ Wine Vaults, Bath Outsider at The Kings Arms Vaults, Bath Keith Tippett at The Guildhall, Bath Andrew Bazeley at The George Inn, Bradford-on-Avon Ben Mortimer and his Sirens at St James’ Wine Vaults, Bath The Notts at The George Inn, Bradford-on-Avon 16 Speed at The Kings Arms, Bath
The Bath International Music Festival begins on Friday the 19th of May and runs until Sunday the 4th of June. There will be various music programmes and events running throughout bath. Go and check it out!!
photos by beckie waters // for more gig listings please visit www.moles.co.uk
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by andrew godfrey With weekend tickets for the shockingly bad Reading Festival sold out in record time this year (touts, emos, idiots?) alternative less mainstream festivals are looking more and more attractive. In particular The Big Chill with a line up that boasts the likes of Coldcut, Lambchop, Mr Scruff, Nightmarz on Wax Soundsystem, The Blue Man Group, Jamie Lidell, Plaid, Sparks, Giles Peterson, Huw Stevens, Joze Gonzales, The Proclaimers (oh come on you know you love them!) Nizlopi, and new Ninjatune dance turned acoustic act Fink to name but a few. Not to mention the fact that Jamie Lidell will be playing at a little closer to home at the Bath Pavilion on June the 3rd as part of the Bath Musical Festival which is running between May 14th and June 3rd. Look out for Brian Eno!
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In more bizarre news, a modern retelling of the Easter biblical story took place in Manchester over the Easter weekend which around 7,000 people went to see. It featured acting out scenes such as the last supper (which takes place at a Manchester burger van) and the betrayal of Christ by Peter through the use of songs such as The Smiths “Heaven knows I’m miserable now”, Joy Division’s “Love will tear us apart”, New Order’s “Blue Monday” and The Stone Roses “I Am the Resurrection”. This was aired on BBC3 at the time so look out for repeats in the future. Although not music related I couldn’t go without telling you that the legendary man behind the hilarious Black Books is touring his stand up show and will be coming to Swindon’s Wyvern Theatre on the 6th of June Tickets are £15.00 for students/OAPs £17 otherwise.
See Aloud.com for details. Not to be missed! The Scottish outfit Arab Strap recently ran into a string of bad luck while on their US tour. At the end of March their support group ‘A Whisper In The Noise’ were attacked and robbed and then later on the band had $6,000 stolen in a Philadelphia restaurant. Tour manager Teresa Murray said: “The band and I were at Nick’s Roast Beef Restaurant and I forgot my purse at the table and when I returned to the restaurant,
all the money was gone. “No arrests have yet been made. My only question being, what the hell was he doing carrying $6,000 around in his wallet? In terms of new releases I advise you check out the new album by The Flaming Lips “At war with the mystics”, Aphex Twin “Chosen Lords” and DJ Formats mixes in the Fabriclive compilation series. More news next month!
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big cats kill demo of the month by ed hutchinson Just As Long As You Know (for MacMillan Cancer Relief) The track begins with a nice drum beat and some guitarpicking creating a mellow groove before the female vocalist comes in with the lyrics: “It only takes a phone call, nothing’s how it seems, we cover up in T-shirts and faded denim jeans.” The vocalist has a great voice and clearly a wide range, although this track doesn’t represent what she’s clearly capable of. The chorus is catchy and spacious, containing the words “Think I’m gonna stay, help me pass the time away, just as long as you know.” The track is clearly aimed at the mainstream pop arena and the melody does this justice. I would say that the voice is too high in the mix on the demo however. It lies above the rest of the music making the vocals sound slightly flat at times. As this is a pop track the overall sound of the mix is pretty much the same throughout with the exception of a really nice symphonic instrumental piece at the end. It would be nice to hear a bit more happening so that the track doesn’t lose its appeal after the first minute. A little more
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bass to give it some drive would also help. The music shifts into some minor chords for the bridge with the lyrics “You’ve hardly said a word, pretending not to know” before the violins kick in with a nice major melody. Strong vocals, good music and great commercial appeal.
ian perry by andy kelly Four Songs Ian Perry’s age belies the worldweary sophistication of his music. Simple harmonies and knowing vocals paint a picture of a man in his formative years, at ease with the world and calmly observing the planet as he slips into old age. But he isn’t – he’s in his early 30s and very much in his prime musically. You can only guess how good he’ll sound with ten more years of life experience under his belt. His latest four-song EP, the appropriately-titled ‘Four Songs’, is a masterful example of his rich, straightforward sound. Comprised almost entirely of harmonica and acoustic guitar his songs are serene, passionate beauties that send the mind into a harmonious trance. Opening track “All These Years” is a triumph, creating an ambience reminiscent of early Neil Young. Its classical folk tinged with
elements of the blues, jazz and other influences too numerous to mention. Will it be to everyone’s tastes? Hardly, but if you’re the pensive, wistful type you’ll appreciate it more than most.
thought forms by giles turner For The Moving Stars I bet Explosions in the Sky never knew they had a mini prog-rock following in the narrow confines of Bath. While impressed with the musicianship of Thought Forms, and although ‘Memento Mori‘ is an admirable opener for any band at this stage in their career, there lacked an edge that could give them that something different from current emotive prog-rock bands. The reason why ‘Explosions in the Sky’ works so well is because it is a type of music that so encapsulates the landscape of Texas, that of empty car parks, empty horizons and the Friday night lights from the high-school football games. This is what makes this style beautiful. To make up that fact that Thought Forms don’t hail from Texas, they need to find something of home to add to the genre of music they have taken up. Only in the last track of the demo, ‘Nothing is as Easy’, with some well placed vocals, and again in ‘Memento Mori’, with some wonderful changes in tempo, did you see some glimpses of individuality and what might yet come.
Send your demos to: moles underground magazine, moles, 14 george street, bath, BA1 2EN
plan b by bobafatt Sick 2 Def / No Good Plan B is the future of UK Hip Hop. There, I said it. For those that don’t know, Plan B (aka 22 year-old Ben Drew) is a gifted acoustic guitarist who also - shock horror - raps with the angst and the finesse of the worlds finest mic controllers. “Sick 2 Def” is a fiery acoustic track consisting of guitar, a microphone and bare attitude. Not shy of dark, controversial or thought provoking subject matter, Plan B throws in lyrics guaranteed to make your ma’s jaw drop. Whilst still being talented enough to pull it off, rather than simply offending for the sake of it. “No Good” incorporates phat drums and dubby bass into the mix, and cheekily utilises a chorus better known from the Prodigy track of the same name. Your mother probably ain’t gonna like him, but Plan B is definitely one to watch out for in 2006. Submit demo CD’s of the Funk/ Soul/Hip Hop/Reggae/Dance/ Mash Up variety for review to: Skrubba & BobaFatt c/o Moles Club, 14 George St, Bath.
for more demo reviews please visit www.molesunderground.co.uk
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our unsung hero
by mark jenkins Most people involved in the world of music will have played a piano, whether it be an Upright, Baby, or full Grand. Of these people, most will have heard of some makers of these instruments: Broadwood, Yamaha etc… However, the most prestigious (still now) and famous of these would have to be Heinrich Engelhard Steinway. Steinway was born in February 1797 in Braunscheig (Bath’s twin town in Germany) as the youngest of twelve children. His upbringing was ‘normal’ (as normal as it can be with eleven siblings) and at the age of 18 he had enlisted and fought at Waterloo. On his discharge four years later he became a cabinet maker. Rather unfulfilled by this work, his interest in music grew and he began to build and play organs and keyboard instruments.
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Up until this point, Clavichords and Harpsichords were still the instrument of choice for many. However, the new ‘Romantic’ composers felt, as JS. Bach’s son Carl Phillip Emmanuel did, that these instruments were very limited in tone, volume and expression. Indeed. Francois Couperin labelled these “Soulless”. Before Steinway had even started to build his pianos. The dawn of the modern piano had already begun. ‘Uprights’, Baby Grands, and Grands were being produced all over the world and these instruments really aided the impressionist composition movement by giving the composer so much more control of colour and dynamics and thus expression. Enough of the history of the piano… back to my hero Mr Steinway. Early Steinway keyboards (c. 1856) were iron framed, straight strung affairs
– nothing remarkable – but the use of iron and developments in metallergy meant string tension could be increased enhancing the already improved tone. The hammers were fitted with thick felt and the action modified to give the ‘new’ pianist more control over his instrument. In 1859 Steinway produced an ‘overstrung’ grand piano which was patented in the same year. However, the reason the man is so famous and revered throughout the world, and indeed why he is my unsung hero is because of model no.7765. “What?” I hear you cry. Exactly. Model no.7765 was the first upright piano in which the bass strings crossed the others in a fan-like pattern, disabling the need for more than one soundboard and giving a rich, full, ‘grand-like’ sound in an upright piano. All upright pianos produced since no.7765 have
followed this idea. Indeed if you have an upright piano in your house take the time to remove the front and look at the stringing. “Why is he a hero?” (you ask). The answer is simple. To have a piano in your house today is fairly normal. 150 years ago it was as much a status symbol as a Ferrari now. However, with Mr. Steinway producing uprights that not only sounded like grands, cost less and more easily fit into a person’s residence, in his own way he brought music to the masses. For that reason he will always be my hero.
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...keep bath gurt tidy yerr! 26
waiting for god
by david john leonard whitaker Is this all in vain, For the break of day, Terminal tracks across the plain, Give reckless scars to all who engage in hierarchy games, Upon hill tops they sit with double names, and letters to add, That reach loved ones at home who believe with just cause, Unaware of the tedious nausea, Of standing by for a vigorous lie, That we are all safe to live free, Not die.
betrayed
by master duncan I’m dragged, kicking and screaming, from my pleasant spells of day dreaming. How on earth could you be so cruel? You have left me looking like the fool. I agree, your intentions may have been good, yet you have done what no man should. Back stabbed and shattered all perceptions, a most evil and vile of deceptions. Eyes clouded red, fuelled with pure rage, I confine myself away to a mental cage. There I stay, rest and think,
rescue myself from the brink. Painful thoughts infiltrate as I ponder, of times past, distant, over yonder. You were the last of a chosen few, from whom it was that I did spew. Forth, as I must do once again, it is time now to remove the stain. It cut deep, it hurt goddamn, but petty vengeance is not the plan. Be a man, take it in your stride, ignore the hate and hurt inside. I can forgive, but I can not forget, the never ending source of deep regret. But the deed is done, and he has won. Won the battle that’s for sure, but lost an ally to the war. I’ll still treat you the same, though I will not play the game. You, of who I was too blind to see, never imagined I of betraying me.
gypsies
by master duncan G is for Give us a fag. Y is for You’re fucking crazy thinking I shat in your letterbox. P is for Perhaps I could interest you in some lucky heather? S is for So you think you’re Mr. Fucking tough man, come accusing us of stealing your garage door I is for I didn’t take anything officer. E is for Eviction. S is for Sore, as in Oh my, what a bloody eyesore, we should encircle it with flames and burn them all alive, then blame it on a race of ethnic minority.
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short confessions
by giles turner Short Confessions, 2006, Telapathy. Sounds like: David Grey, R.E.M gone more poppy, Pacific Ocean, James Blunt...etc... Recorded with Ben Finly in a shed in Frome, Short Confessions took two weeks of hard work and £2000 of hard investment. With the drummer from Black Grape in the outfit, Ben seems happy with the musical and social future of his new album. He says this sort of music would be played on GWR. He has this original pride in pop songs and goes on to say how great pop has been recently. I admit that pop in the 80’s had some definite high points but the last ten years have been something of a disappointment. He disagrees. I think he starts to talk about Kylie but his phone rings and a conversation about a photo shoot begins. I can tell he enjoys being rung up about such things as photo shoots and
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documentaries. Soon it will be pop videos and CD:UK for this is the sort of music your mum sings along when she’s driving to Sainsbury’s. Destined to be popular. I ask what the album is about and he replies, love. Finding, losing, buying. After not having a girlfriend for ten years he said he used to fall in love with anything that moved. Tables, chairs, anything. However Ben seems chipper after finally netting a girlfriend. Early trappings of fame I ask? Apparently not, she arrived before the fame, she even puts in some hand clapping on the new album. This is definitely an album about love. The conversation drifts onto favourite bands. Ben’s being the Beatles, he digs those 60’s - 70’s hooks. I try and blend in and put forward early Fleetwood Mac. Ben prefers late Fleetwood Mac. And Rod Stewart. We parted amicably at this point before things took a turn for the worse. www.myspace.com/benhillmusic
by rachael williams Wander into Detour on Broad Street and expect to blow all your wages. From Lakai shoes to uber-cool Superlative Conspiracy dresses to Volcom pants, this is skater boutique at its best. Scratch beneath this hipster surface and expect to find a little more. Well, you’ll find it downstairs to be precise. This wall-space for local artists has a monthly turnaround and has played host to some fine graffiti, skate, and concept art and sculpture in the three months it has been running. In the spirit of sharing art, Detour’s Manager Toff asks that each artist designs a tee-shirt to produce a special edition range for the shop. A fine exchange. Detour’s exhibition of artist MaG:1C is nestled in happily amongst the women’s section. The first thing that strikes you is the recurring Venetian swirl motif, a familiar sight around Bristol and Bath. Almost all the paintings pay homage to this graffiti landmark, most cleverly in ‘Mmm’, a superb piece with flashing coloured LED’s bordering the frame. The other thing you immediately notice about MaG:1C’s work is the use of texture. Every canvas invited you to touch and stroke, absorb every aspect of the painting. I urge you to check out MaG:1C’s exhibition before you miss out on an opportunity to own some highly original work.
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