Raw Ramp Music Mag - RedFest Edition

R P AW ___ AW

JULY 2012 A Connoisseurs Guide to the Best in Ravishing New Music

E C R U O S SUB

BILLY VINCENT

FOREIGN BEGGARS

DEAF HAVANA

MISSING ANDY

THE SKINTS

SONIC BOOM SIX

CROWNS . NEW IVORY . LOOSE LIPS . ATTENTION THIEVES . KAL LAVELLE .

LIGHT FALLS FORWARD . PROXIES . ALICE DALE . TAYGAN PAXTON .

BORDERLINE:FIRE . AIMEE . CRITICAL STATE . SAM TM . TREE HOUSE FIRE

AIMEE

From Liphook, Aimée is a 16 year old singer / songwriter who performs regularly on the local music circuit in Berkshire, Hampshire, Sussex and Surrey.

With three iTunes / Amazon / Spotify releases and an EP now available, Aimée is busy writing a whole series of new material, which she is currently trialing at local music evenings.

Aimée has a love of performing at festivals and in recent years has played at WeyFest, Americana International Festival, OnionFest, Secret Garden Festival and others.

As well as her regular shows on the local circuit, Aimee has made numerous appearances with the BBC Radio Surrey, Delta Radio, Brooklands FM, Radio Wey and others.

Check out Aimée at her Facebook page here: http://www.facebook.com/AimeeAcousticOfficial/ Aimée at Weyfest 2011

Image © Neil Mach

“Web Of Lies” - Original Song by Aimée This song puts a dagger right into your tender heart .... Yes, the voice can be sweet as lavender flowers - but the feeling behind the honeyed words is as twisted, gnarled and eccentric as a briar-wood walking stick.

“Truth Be Told” - Original Song by Aimée This is a sweet invocation. Smoky layers of chords create a network of soft pillows for the soft petals of voice. Aimee’s voice glides and shimmers over the soothing sounds.

“No Way Out” - Original Song by Aimée This has an upbeat atmosphere. It’s like the wind blowing in your eyes as you go right up to the edge of the cliff. Pinpricks of icy guitar puncture the air as the voice rises and falls like a gull on the wing. But this is also a stay-at-home song - an “annoying guy song...” it is a song about fighting and winning for your own heart.

Aimée Acoustic Soundcloud Site http://soundcloud.com/aimeeacoustic

Cornish lads - from the land of Jamaica Inn, wreckers, fishers and miners....

They lived besides the ‘Gigantic Atlantic’ in a forgotten corner of the land with the noble banner of Saint Piran flying tragically above- Cornwall is one of the poorest areas in the United Kingdom - being one of four UK areas that qualifies for poverty related grants from the EU.

“Kissing Gates”

Part of the burgeoning ‘new-folk’ scene, their sound is familiar- The Pogues / Big Country spring to mind. But the crowns of their hearts are buried deep in the West Country.

The chancel choir is splendidly salty and bright, yes - singalong to this - but then ask, “Where is everyone? Why is there no one at the Kissing Gate?” Yes, we want a fruity jig - but who will it be with when they all have gone?

“Full Swing” Ahoy! This is a sailors drinking chant - a real jig of a song- swing and swig to this one ... but beware, like rough cider, this has a sting in its tail. And like many a CROWNS song, this has a political dimension “She Swears Like a Sailor” Subtly picked strings and a bouncing rhythm that reminds us of The Undertones- cracking military drums introduce us to the press gang! Yes you will be taken away by this punk-folk tune.

A clatter of drums and some plucky strings loom into view as the lively verse becomes a reality.

“Bodmin Town” This is a fullsome jig - vulgar as you would expect. Gravelly vocals bob up and down like angry waves against the rugged cliffs of the sound. Fling yourself into this, because it flies like a whip in the sky...

Check out the CROWNS here: http://www.crownsband.com/

LOOSE LIPS Up and coming Indie/Rock band Loose Lips are not even a year old and have already released their debut EP, played with acts such as Madina Lake and My Passion and yet have still found time to pop home for a cup of tea. The trio has played live non-stop since their debut in June and have already completed their first British tour. With a new EP in the summer and some great gigs coming up, Loose Lips are definitely going places fast ....

Here are our favourite Loose Lips tunes: “Blue Rubber Blanket” This tartan sounding zippy wireframe musical construction creates a safe haven for a new melodic punk-song set inside. Polished, this is a cracking song - with fizzing guitars and streamers of sound.

“Drive Away” The rhythms pummel away - chipping at the old block. Big bass notes gape for air- then ingest huge lung fulls before diving. Then chords shimmer - the voices are alive with emotion. Nuances seems sad this is a song of sweet sadness.

‘Blindfold’

Loose Lips at Staines

Image © Neil Mach

http://www.facebook.com/looselipsuk/

Loose Lips at Staines Image © Neil Mach

Clear piping vocals are starkly drawn across this chalkboard. The arrangements shine and cut, then the song grabs hold of you -vigorously- by the collar - and pulls you out of danger. We can not see what we want and we want what we can not see ...

NEW IVORY New Ivory is a three -piece band from London.

They formed in 2008 and played several gigs across Europe. In 2010 they recorded their first EP which gained critical success. Dim Mak Records went on to sign the band. We first saw New Ivory this year at the Staines Hobgoblin Jubilee All-Day event. We thought that the band made the hairs on the back of our necks tingle. The drumming (Nite) was like a storm of fire, whilst the driving battery of potency from Mickey on guitars and lead vocals with Alessandro on bass (and vocals) generated enough kilowatts of power to illuminate a small industrial town. We are convinced that these are the ones to watch!

Here’s what we think of their songs: ‘A Knight’ Worrying feedback bashes your brains in before you even f*** start to listen to this one! This is a hellishly determined ride. Scimitar-sharp blades of guitar slash at your back, as the vocals play havoc with your hairdo. Puzzling percussion is just one facet of this extreme mix - of jangles twists and neurotic turns from one way- to the other. Leap onto this with both hands if you want to stay alive in a new era ....

‘Ashes’ Guitars hit their mark with the utmost precision - then resplendent chords create a mesh-work of impressive warmth. Bashful vocals play about, dashing in and out of the bountiful arrangements.

‘This Will Be The Death Of Us’ Characteristic feedback and a muddy soup of sound will drive you wild. A heady strutting verse kicks along - the fiddly guitar trills and follows behind, in the footsteps. Drums begin to rustle up a storm on the horizon, and this emerges as a billowing fog of startling sounds.

‘Orpheus’ Frozen claws dig into you and rip you apart... and then you are thrown around the room like a puppet doll. Your arms and legs will be shaking, unnaturally, long before you realise the dire consequences of ‘letting go’ again. There’s more than a drop of acid in this song. Sharp, sweet and very tasty.

New Ivory at Staines

Image © Neil Mach

http://www.facebook.com/newivory

WHAT’S ON OUR SPEAKERS RICHT NOW SHE - BILLY VINCENT London quintet Billy Vincent released their debut album ‘She’ on May 7th through Something Nothing Records, following on from their critically acclaimed EPs – ‘King Island Coyote’ and ‘Once On The Grand Union’.

Fronted by long-time cohorts and best mates Billy Barratt and David Vincent this album takes the listener on a journey through the vast musical spectrum that shapes the band’s influences – from folk, Americana and even a touch of country – ‘She’ is still an album that unquestionably showcases the distinct, signature sound that could only be that of Billy Vincent.

These are our favourite tracks:

She - BILLY VINCENT

‘Bottle Top’ This Billy Vincent favourite is included on the disc. The faltering vocals create tension and keep you gasping for more. And when the song eventually bursts from the bud, it does so with a gently unfolding show.

‘Dead Mans Shoes’ Gentle stirring vocals are like pillows of sentiment floating in a mill stream. But the lyrics are dark and ruddy critical. Searing violin and small pin pricks of slide guitar make this countryfied.

‘And It Fights’ Violins search crazily for a secure landing as horns wander along the ridge of sounds. The creamy vocals add lagging sentiment. This lament is a piece of cut glass vocal gymnastics.

‘Whittled Away’

‘The Ballad of Billy Vincent’ Squeaky violations encrust the verbals inside this piece - the song reminds me of work by The Raconteurs - but this still retains the air of a traditional Irish folk song- a picturesque ride into someone’s fraught mind.

Lyrics like “Morning Comes and you’re wide asleep’ will bring a wide grin to your lips. This is a brave song about being eroded by the many skirmishes we all face each day.

‘Feathers’ This is a haunting folk song- it feels like one of the mossy damp songs from the sepia coloured age of folk-rock ... Perhaps from the Fairport Convention days. Plinks and plonks of sound create the atmospheric spattering, before the violin cries in agony. It includes a traditional structure- gilded with luxuriant guitars.

Magnificent.

WHAT’S ON OUR SPEAKERS RICHT NOW Fools and Worthless Liars

DEAF HAVANA

Bringing a combination of post-hardcore with anthemic pop punk - this Norfolk four piece band provides a disc heavy with creative lustre and lush in sentiment.

‘The Past Six Years’ Acoustically folky foot-tapping pub fare is not what you expected from Deaf Havana - yet this is how it starts. But layers of vocals are generously piled on - to create a lustrous song that has a little sadness within its extraordinary heart.

Fools and Worthless Liars

DEAF HAVANA ‘Little White Lies’ Quality shimmering arrangements and the kind of joyful harmonies combined with sumptuous choral achievements that will make you weep with joy.

‘I’m a Bore Mostly’ This tune is descriptive of our meagre livesdrifting ever away from us- we cannot hold onto the time we are given- it is slowly disappearing away in days of boredom.

‘Leeches’ This hammering song insistently nags you from your complacency. Full of gloriously abundant soundscapes and tense vocals.

The Harder They Fall [Explicit] FOREIGN BEGGARS

Still Getting It - Feat Skrillex Fast as a speeding juggernaut on the space highway to planet turbulence -this track veers along the gritted road till it clashes with the dub escarpment. Superbly fast and quick thinking vocals runaway with the themes... wisecracking and wilfully arrogant as you would expect. With the ‘Still Getting It’ chorus repeating itself into a profusion. Sympathetic growls of mercy abound in times of strain.

What’s Good Ft Lazer Sword The other-worldly feel to this saucy platter of mealy sounds is contributed to by Lazer Sword. Still stirring rapid vocals into the steaming mix, this has vaporous shades of over-indulgence and steamy percolations - all provided at a determined speed of sound. This will make you giddy sick.

Solace One Ft Black Sun Empire Another sci-fi starship meteor- whooshing itself up yonder. This is worked by Dutch DJ’s Black Sun Empire. This stained and filthy song ingrains itself onto your addled brain long before you are able to properly handle it. Flammable and highly addictive. Handle with care!

WHAT’S ON OUR SPEAKERS RICHT NOW Generation Silenced MISSING ANDY This album has a tender and properly magnificent UK Jubilee song on it - ‘The Way We’re Made’ about being brought up in London and made in England .... This is the one we should have had as the anthem for this year’s celebrations. But there we are...

This 16 track album is probably the most significant musical achievement you are likely to hear in 2012. So, if you value your sanity we implore you to go grab it now!

Starting off with ‘Alive’ - this has bouncy ska beats and a skinful of juicy vocals and -naturally enough for Missing Andy- an anthem to sing along to. This will make you jump, clap and cry.

Probably all at once. The vocals and the ambitions of the band remind us of Foxy Shazam - but this has more caustic sentiments than anything done by that glam Cincinnati based band.

No, this is the real thing.

Missing Andy are a British mod influenced band based in Essex. The group comprises Alex Greaves, Jonathan Sharpe, Rob Jones, Steve Rolls and Elliot Richardson. Every generation needs a revolution .... and this year it comes in the form of this quintessential British band.

Yes, these are times of forlorn hope and bad attitudes - but this band will help you put on a brave face when you go out and challenge the real world.

‘Dave’ The lyric “...Dirty Susanna - who has problems with grammar...” reminds us of the pop splendour of Madness and the wit and poetic style of Ian Dury. “She will call you Dave ... even though your name is Steve.” We love the humour and we cannot help smile as we get our knobbly knees out for this one...

‘Money’ This has the glamour of something else- maybe something from Paloma Faith and it has some chattering honky-tonk ‘joanna’ - It is luscious and it fizzes with a certain sophistication and a sizzling style.

‘Scum’

http://www.missingandy.co.uk/

Has a folky acoustic heart ... then the grimy vocals start to gently stir you. Yes, you know this is a song about living now in a world where everyone is a judge- quick to condemn - and we all see the ‘yoof’ on our streets as ‘scum’. Yet, when you are burdened by a huge expectation to be nothing more than ‘a burden’ on society and a little ‘shite’ -where do you go to escape the enveloping trap? Maybe into your head to write a song like this....

WHAT’S ON OUR SPEAKERS RICHT NOW Rude Awakening [CD] SONIC BOOM SIX SONIC BOOM SIX, the explosive and outspoken Manchester-based five-piece, are the most compelling soundclash to rise from the underground for years. A true product of their citycentre environment, The Boom’s sound is as authentic as it is unique. Described by Kerrang! as “taking ska, pop, grime, dubstep, punk and metal apart, then rebuilding them as a hyperactive hybrid.”

‘Sound Of A Revolution’ This sounds like a Nicki Minaj song that has been carted off in an old pram and given a treat by visiting the local tip. It’s full of dangerous jagged pieces- watch where you step... you could cut your feet to ribbons on this one. An amazing ska and soul mix.

‘Totally Addicted to Bass’ Simmering in the back room, Laila K’s eazysqueezy voice adds dapples of light to the doughboard of sounds long before the metal chords come crashing in. Then this is an edgy, fierce steel-encased blast of riotous fun.

Bigger Than Punk Rock

Part & Parcel THE SKINTS

Dedicated to celebrating the sprit of ‘77- this band outshine and outclass all in their field.

Shimmering daring drums rustle up a huge sound - this is ska punk at its finest. Reggae vocals are as smooth as last nights bacardi mix.

Joyful and threatening all at the same time. And that burgeoning metal guitar combs across your brow.

‘Rise Up’ The stench of the club-night leeches its way out of the doors and into the London nightscape - this is sweaty and it is real. A wodge of real Jamaican heat in this city of sound.

‘Rat-at-at’ - Ridiculously fast and saccharine sweet vocals from Marcia sit comfortably next to the woozy and wobbly bass and can ably duel with the slightly more cocky lyrical content. And all the time the bleary background sounds create a funfair atmosphere. A collision of colour and style.

‘Live East Die Young’ - Nothing is more true than this. Always the harshest end of London town ... the East has always been a dire pit of crime and disappointment. This anthem portrays the truth of this.

‘Just Can’t take No More’ - Dig deep into your soul and declare that this song doesn’t leave you sadly gasping.... go on, I dare you. This lament weaves and sighs. It has true reggae grooves to help you, but it encompasses everything you wished you believed in.

ATTENTION THIEVES ATTENTION THIEVES LIVE IN STAINES Attention Thieves operating in Staines was the stark warning. And an ominous bucket of earplugs greeted the audience members flocking to The Hob to see these amazing Reading based rockers.

We were at The Hobgoblin Staines for an exciting evening with the band, and we were already anticipating a pretty unforgettable time. “This is gonna be loud!” Said one grinning patron as he checked over his ear defenders. ”But we are fortunate to have the boys in town.” He smiled.

The four-piece band recently opened the new ride – Swarm at Thorpe Park – giving them some great exposure- and also providing a link to the riverside town of Staines. Big Cheese magazine said “There is no doubt that the coming months will see (the band’s) popularity sky rocket.” And given what we saw of the band at the Hobgoblin, we are inclined to agree.

Attention Thieves at Staines 2012

Images © Neil Mach

With numbers like ‘You’ll Be The First One’ the boys entertained the lively crowd. Stitched together with grizzled ebony-tinged guitar sounds, and rhythms of the most incredible intricacy, this is one hellishly hypnotic song. The verse is gradually unfurled by Alex (vocals and guitar).

And the scintillating chorus is a jamboree of colours and textures, as ear piercing sounds (Hag on Guitars) rush up and fly, like streamers in the sky.

‘Can’t Say’ has bruising bass notes provided by Ryan (bass guitar) located inside a maze of tantalizing rhythms and textures, packed full of mystery and false direction. Masterly percussion by Sim (drums) are interrupted by moments of quiet introspection, allowing the stunned audience to take a quick breath before another monster guitar assault. This song peaks in a thundering climax.

It is astonishing and strident stuff. No, it’s not for the fainthearted. But this is the kind of sum and substance that legends are made of.

Attention Thieves are now on an extended tour of the UK throughout May and into the summer.

Check their facebook page http://www.facebook. com/AttentionThieves/ to find a date and a venue near you. http://www.facebook.com/AttentionThieves

SCREAM LOUNGE REDFEST WARM UP Then ‘Tree House Fire’ played an exhilarating set, providing the eager crowd with a generous helping of mashed up reggae, ska and pop sounds.

The audience started to dance right away to the hot and twangy rhythms. This bunch like to create music to move to, and they played a hot and humid set to the excitedly animated punters. We cannot wait to dance along with them at this year at RedFest.

Sam TM at Scream Lounge 2012

Images © Neil Mach

It was a damp and drizzly evening when the good people of Croydon started arriving at the remarkable Scream Lounge (Saturday 7th July) to witness some great musical acts – warming up for this year’s incredible line-up at Redfest. Redfest is a 3 day music festival set in the beautiful rural surroundings of Robins Cook Farm in Redhill, Surrey.

Keeping things totally electrified, the bold Brighton trio ‘Loose Lips’ threw themselves onto the stage, roaring into a riot of punk-shaped sounds and semi-permanent colours… the sensation was like being stood next to a soda-bath full of hyperactive primates … too dizzying to watch – but you wouldn’t want to turn your back on them. ‘Loose Lips’ are a whirlwind of action and energy.

The evening was hosted by Gozibe Limited – formed to manage talented artists and assist them in taking sensible and steady steps to achieve realistic goals. Their mission is the discovery and career development of the next generation of young and aspiring artists. The Gozibe crew are hosting this year’s ‘Introducing Stage’ at Redfest.

First up to the microphone was the young talented singer-songwriter ‘Alice Dale’ – her luxuriant locks managing to make her look like the ‘Lady of ShalNew Ivory at Scream Lounge 2012 Images © Neil Mach lot’ as she sang about old, unhappy, and distant things… but with a voice of incomparable grace and polished, breathy emotion. Her sweet set was Top of the bill were the infinitely artistic rockers over far too quickly. But luckily for all of us, she New Ivory. The ferocity of their musical will is the opening act for RedFest 2012. assault caused some initial damage – a cymbal was smashed in two (quite literally) by the drumThen the audience were served up some cool blue, mer Nite – and the frontman Mickey broke two jazzy offerings by ‘Sam TM’. Dramatic, deep and strings during a more than frantic guitar solo. probing -the Sam TM songs have a heavy tone and distinguished power. While maintaining a sense of His antics included marching off of the stage twice humour and lightness of touch, Sam still manages in mad fits of bothered pique ... climbing onto a to evoke an authentic sense of solemn reality in speaker stand to cradle a guitar - and attempting her songs. to throttle his instrument when it didn’t provide him with the service he expected. He also played Up next were the superior hip hop, rap and RnB that kind of earnest and ardent rock ‘n’ roll that crew ‘Critical State’ revealing their super-pure you thought had disappeared for good with the brand of hyper-ambitious Croydon slickness to the passing of Jim Morrison .... rooms. They are a fun-filled energy pack of pure talent.

Amazing stuff!

LIGHT FALLS FORWARD AN INTERVIEW WITH LIGHT FALLS FORWARD Light Falls Forward are Charlie Evans and Naomi Paget, two musicians hailing from North West London. They met at a party where one was filming the other for a music video. They got talking about Derren Brown and biscuits and immediately decided they quite liked each other.

After moving in together and setting up their home studio, they decided to have a go at writing music. Charlie had been writing riffs and producing music with other musicians but hadn’t found the person to fully realise his ideas. Naomi had been gigging with several bands but had loads of her own material that she hadn’t shown to anyone. They set themselves a challenge of writing an EP in a week between Christmas and New Year. The results became Four Seasons and a Day, their debut EP, which you can find on Soundcloud. The travelling band also features Ed Williams and Tom O’Leary.

Who writes the LFF compositions? How does the song writing get done?

Naomi - We both write them – Charlie tends to come up with a great riff idea and I get a story in my head and then the lyrics start flowing. Other bits of the song develop from there. We both like writing string parts so we take it in turns or whoever gets to the keyboard first does it. Whenever we can, we escape the city and head out to a cottage in the middle of nowhere to write. Big open spaces help us to think… we’ve got a favourite place on the beach in Dungeness where we get lots of writing done.

Tell us about LFF.... What are you all about? What are you throwing into the musical cake mix? Charlie - We’re baking a brioche of acoustic sweetness Naomi - with folk choc chips Charlie - and a light dusting of rock.

Where are you going right now? Who do want to go with? Can we go along?

Charlie - We’re going to a barbecue and we’d like to go with Elbow and take some of their delicious ale with us. We’d also like to take Band of Skulls and Bon Iver – an odd mix but both are brilliant! You’re more than welcome to come! Have you got snacks?

How did your recent European Tour go? Were you happy with the results? What were the standout venues and events? Anything interesting happen on tour?

Naomi - The Europe tour was great fun – we interrailed around staying with friends and gigging and it was really easy. It went so well that we’re going back to Germany in November as we’ve been booked for 3 gigs already. Germany was definitely the place we went down the best but Amsterdam was a great gig too and in Paris we played open mic at a mad little place near the Pantheon. They’d never had a keyboard there before so they were excited to have us.

LIGHT FALLS FORWARD Charlie - The best venue was probably the place we’re going back to play in November called Café Galao. It’s run by a brilliant music fanatic, Reiner, and they only ever put one act on per night so it’s all about the music. The audience were completely quiet, just listening to the music and totally absorbed – it was an incredible atmosphere!

We had a few interesting technical hitches, well more a case of forgetting power adapters, but there was always a friendly local nearby to help out.

Naomi - I think we would definitely agree with words like dreamlike and folksy! And I think our music is very visual in that the lyrics sum up images in your mind, or at least I hope they do and they do for us when we create them.

Naomi - It’s hard to choose just one band to tour with! Elbow probably or Radiohead….

‘Weather the Storm’ is a gently gusting song and evokes an image of paper-bags rustling down empty streets. The keyboards sound noble and luxurious - in perfect balance with the solemn chords. Who plays the keyboards? How important are the keys to your sound? How do you set out to write a song like this? Did the tune come first? How important is improvisation?

Charlie - Or Mumford and Sons – they’re the first band we both discovered together as their album had just come out when we met.

Charlie - Thanks! No-one has told us our keyboards sound noble before! Naomi plays the keys and they are a definitely an essential part of our sound.

Naomi - I love 80’s synths and very reverby guitar sounds - as I was a big fan of The Cure when I was younger.

Naomi - This song was a classic case of Charlie coming up with the guitar riff and this story of walking along a stormy coastline and braving whatever lies ahead came into my head.

The music tends to flow out fairly quickly when it’s a good song and we know pretty soon whether it’s one to carry on with or one to put to one side.

‘So What’ has a lot more masculine rockiness going on inside its head- but even this song is dappled by shining piano keys.

What sounds (not necessarily music) inspire you?

Charlie - Naomi likes reverby everything! I don’t think there are any particular sounds that inspire me to create, I just play about with a guitar until good things happen.

‘Liitle Things’ has such good vocals, the piece really reminds us of Annie Haslam in her ‘Renaissance’ days. This track is reason enough to go out and get the album “Songs Charlie - Improvisation is part of the process, find- and Shadows.” What’s going on in this song?

Let us know ... How did you come to write ing the right sounds and working out where you want the song to go. We’ll play around with a song this? for a bit, but we tend to have a fairly strong idea Naomi – Thanks! It’s hard to remember back to from the get go. how it happened…

You cite influences like Coldplay and Foo Charlie – I came up with the two chimey guitar Fighters- but we feel your sound is more chords temperamental and has a faintly dreamlike folksy sound. It reminds us of ‘All About Eve’ Naomi – and then I came up with the big arpeg- but is full of classic illustrations- also giated piano in the chorus. I think that was a reminding us of ‘The Leisure Dungeness weekend creation.

Society’. Are we right? So, if you could tour with just one artist/band- who would it be Charlie – it all just fell out really quickly and we with? were both very excited about it! Adding the strings Charlie - I don’t think we said we sound like them for the final recording was the perfect finishing but you can draw influences from everywhere. You touch for us. can take a melody line from anyone’s music and it could work well in our band.

LIGHT FALLS FORWARD ‘Here & Now’ sounds like a hymn. It’s a hymn you might sing to yourself as you swept out the old barn. A song that exalts life. Is that how you want to be heard?

Naomi – We’d love to be heard in that way – exalting life is a great compliment! That song is a funny one as I wrote the lyrics as a love song for Charlie to sing but the melody was too high so I’m basically singing a love song to myself!

Charlie – this was another Dungeness one that came about after a frustrating weekend of not coming up with new songs and with a couple of hours to spare before we had to pack up, I came up with the guitar riff on an electric guitar and Naomi started singing.

‘Right From the Start’ has soft keys and slightly remorseful and uncertain nostalgia filled vocals- these are laced with the lightest of strokes of guitar. This is a song for the morning mist or an evening filled with past regrets. Tell us about this song. What do you hope to achieve?

Naomi – that one was a late addition to the EP. We had recorded two other songs to go on it, but when we listened back to everything they didn’t fit with the rest so we created Right From The Start and recorded it at home.

Charlie – We’ve all had days where you feel like you’ve let something pass you by, but this song is about overcoming those demons and realizing there’s still time to do what you want to do.

Naomi – We write because we love it but we’d like it to mean something to other people and connect with them in some way…. I suppose that’s what we’d hope to achieve.

Charlie - That and world domination!

Are you looking forward to playing Red Fest? The festival is packed with some heavy metal bands and a whole load of raucous ska, dub and dance beats. How does Light Falls Forward fit in with this music scene? What have you got to say to the RedFest audience? What have you planned for the Festival?

Naomi – We can’t wait to play Red Fest – it looks like a lot of fun! We’re on the acoustic stage so don’t think we’ll clash too much. I like festivals that are a proper mix of music so everyone can find something they like. We haven’t made any plans for the festival yet – we will probably wander round and see what grabs us.

Charlie – Sometimes you need a break from beats and blips, we can be the chilled start to people’s festival day. To the audience, I say hello, please come and listen to our music and have a great weekend!

Thanks… Thank you!

LIGHT FALLS FORWARD were talking to © Neil_Mach June 2012 Check out the band here: http://www.facebook.com/LightFallsForward http://www.lightfallsforward.com/

KAL LAVELLE Kal Lavelle is an Irish born singer songwriter now living in London. Her songs are instantly captivating, with a voice that Alex Zane has praised as simply “beautiful”.

Kal began playing guitar after winning a thousand pounds in a Mars Bar when she was 10 yrs old.

With the money, she bought her mother a washing machine and for herself, her very first guitar.

Her single ‘Breakfast At Tiffanys’ was recently chosen as ‘Single of the Week’ on iTunes, which in turn, saw her debut EP ‘Shivers’ climb to #5 in the iTunes Singer/Songwriter album chart. The iTunes US & Japanese stores also featured her in the ‘New & Noteworthy’ section.

Three of her tracks have featured on Tom RobinPhoto: Tom Bunning - http://www.tombunning.com/ son’s BBC RADIO 6 show & her song ‘Downstairs’ was selected for the BBC Introducing Podcast. She was recently asked as a special guest on the show, Here are some of our favourite Kal Lavelle songs: which was broadcast Nationwide.

Artful (Dodger’s) Mark Hill was so impressed by Kal’s vocals, he asked her to feature on his track ‘Could Just Be The Bassline’ - the first single from his new album. The track featured on Music Week’s prestigious ‘Playlist’, was Dj MistaJam’s (Radio 1 & Radio 1xtra) ‘Jam Hot record of the week’ & was playlisted on Radio 1xtra. (With the video on rotation on MTV.) Kal spent last year supporting her friend & last year’s REDFEST artist Ed Sheeran.

‘Shivers’ spirals downwards like a whirly-gig outof-control. Then faint thunderclaps of power and energy loom onto the horizon and the ‘Don’t Let Go Of Me...” lyric becomes nightmarishly real. This song (and this girl) may appear fragile, but they have backbones of steel.

‘Downstairs’ trembles like a faltering candle.

Vocals are redolent of the kind of fragrant nostalgia employed by Lana Del Rey. The gentlest of piano keys pick out the route for the dainty steps of each meaningful note.

‘Gypsy Blood’ - sighs and breathes a veil of simple misty anxiety around you. The aura of this eerily beautiful song gently grows until it fills a room.

‘Disaster’ has a heart of despair beneath the black robes of its own making. ‘We don’t even touch .... anymore’. Loss and emptiness is drawn in charcoal and uncomplicated repetition of symbols and ideas.

Check out Kal here:

Download SHIVERS here: http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/ B005540TZ2/trainedeye-21

http://www.facebook.com/kallavellemusic

SUBSOURCE

MUSIC FOR A DOOMED GENERATION Rising against the mainstream hype-machines, crowds of the nameless and faceless writhe and twist to the undeniable and unique sound of SUBSOURCE as it rages out from sound-systems in sweat drenched rooms across continents.

The snarl of punk, the oscillating sub bass of dubstep, the relentless ferocity of drum’n’bass and metal get chewed up and spat out amongst electronic glitches.

This beat and bass driven live punk rock act makes ravers throw shapes, rockers bang heads, and rude boys throw their hands in the air. With regular tours as far reaching as China and everywhere in between, a solid ever increasing fan base, and the completion of their most exciting recordings to date, SUBSOURCE are proving to be unstoppable in 2012.

In addition to their live reputation and award nominations for festival performances their sound has been heard across the mainstream and pirate radio waves and synced everywhere from video games to TV. This summer saw the completion of “SUBSOURCE – A Dubumentary” a film that shows the small wins and big losses of breaking an underground band on their journey across Europe.

The documentary has recently been nominated for a prestigious award.

Not just content with being a live act check out their impressive resmashed series, SUBSOURCE refix classic tunes Testify (RATM), Breed (Nirvana) and Toxicity (SOAD) racking up tens of thousands of hits, smashing their way round the blogs and dance-floors alike.

Everyone is keen to have a little bit of the SUBSOURCE sound with them and supports have ranged from Skindred, Sonic Boom Six and Enter Shikari to Dizzie Rascal, Example and Dreadzone and studio sessions with Far Too Loud, Jurassic 5, and The Prodigy.

Most recently Molotov was released. It is the opening track to the Generation Doom EP, coming out in August 2012 and is featured in the epic ‘World of Tanks’ One Year Anniversary Video’.

SUBSOURCE We were lucky enough to catch up with this truly amazing band at the Boiler Room Guildford: A doomed and condemned cyberpunk generation of damp Surrey urbanites turned out in force during the weekend’s wet & windy conditions to party with their favourite cross-over band. Subsource are not punk, neither are they drum’n’bass.

They’re not modern indie rock. They are not dubstep nor metal – they are an amalgam of all of these styles. A truly holistic sound. Theirs is the sound of justice and conscientious inclusiveness.

But, more importantly, they drive their audiences wild with their hysterically energetic live sets and their blistering hot musicianship.

Promising some bombastic pieces such as the recent single ‘On My Video’ (created as a result of the riots in London and railing against the lack of values / worth in a consumer society) this song goes giddy with those spraying & wallowing splash-bass beats, strained to-the-max vocals and gigantic proportions.

Subsource are also famous for their re smashed covers, clocking up thousands of internet hits by re-treading old songs by the likes of RATM and SOAD. One of these, ‘Breed’ (Nirvana), is a pelting sand-storm blast of sounds that will make your eyes water. It is an effervescent vortex of energy that pulls you down into its depths, whilst you are left crazily fighting for breath.

We especially liked the band’s latest work such as ‘The Feeding’ (from the brand-spanking-new ‘Generation Doom’ E.P. ) with it’s pendulum of rhythms swaying one-way, then the next.The spots of sound are ripped away like sticking plasters, only to be re locked and wedged into gaps elsewhere.

But the piece centres around a well-spring of golden sentiment and a giddy ‘Feeding’ chorus.

This vessel may be cracked and stained, but it still holds the juice in. Take some!

Our favourite new song is ‘Molotov’ with beeps and sparks of electronic energy and squeals of pain, as those lacerating guitars take hold. This is razorsharp and full of throated grunge. With ‘Kurt Cobain’ style vocals and a series of hugely successful riffs … any metal fan would be proud to have this in his collection.

Or ‘Kill The Thief’ which introduces the audience to an ambient side, of low oscillations, which spit along amiably before the full majesty of the show really takes hold. This then becomes regal. It is power – but wielded for the good of all.

Moving towards a memorable climax and looking forward to a storming version of the Queens of the Stone Age standard “Feel Good Hit of the Summer” we suddenly lost all sound – suffering some ‘technical difficulties’ that nearly put paid to the show. Apparently, a brand new amplifier performed an act of ritual suicide. And so Boiler Room was left silent. After some helpful advice from the audience, like “Turn it off and turn it back on again” and “Try giving it some red bull, it normally works for me.” The band reluctantly withdrew back stage for at least 30 min, whilst a replacement amplifier was found.

Back on stage to a rapturous reception, Subsource seemed a little subdued, and the mob certainly seemed calmer – “We can’t see any sweat on the crowd in the front” screamed out front-man Stuart – and the party got going again.

And what used to be filthy, dirty dub is now becoming so heavily tinged with metallic ideas that one delighted onlooker exclaimed “It’s like watching Gary Newman crossed with Pantera – it’s like dub-u-metal – I love it.” © Neil_Mach April 2012 http://www.thesurgeryproductions.com Grab the ‘World of Tanks’ ‘Molotov’ track here: http://www.subsource.co.uk

MISSING ANDY It may have been a twisty, inglorious route to the top table of pop for these mod-class heroes.

Getting to the finals of a talent show ( Sky1’s ‘Must Be The Music’) alongside an eleven year old schoolgirl harpist, was an inelegant way to promote their careers, but at least the hard won experience has provided the essential skills that the band needed to survive and to grow.

Being chucked out of a concert, (after swearing on stage in front of an audience of 8,000 children in a scouting ‘Jamboree’ near Frinton-onSea in 2008,) was also awkward, but at least it generated a lot of media attention for the band.

But the boys have now settled into a regular routine of recording, writing and performing … and they are working hard on new material – which they have promised their many fans will be a treat for the ears. We were lucky enough to see the band perform in concert at the CLUB NME VS REDFEST gig at KOKO in London.

Missing Andy at KOKO

Image © Neil Mach 2012

Missing Andy is a five piece indie rock act from Essex. They are riding high right now, after performing at the famous SXSW festival alongside The Wombats, The Pigeon Detectives and Lightspeed Champion, amongst others. The band has also been asked to be part of a soundtrack for ‘Chain Letter’ a Hollywood film ( featuring Nikki Read of ‘Twilight’ fame.) They are playing this year Redfest on Sunday, July 22 – along with Foreign Beggars.

“Missing Andy are legitimate heroes of the working class” The driving rhythms and dirty dance beats of Jamaican ska mixed with powerful beat music has always been a tremendous lure for any true London (or Essex) based band. Social historians often overlook the fact that the mod scene was originally concentrated on the all-night dance clubs … it was not all about violence as cool-dressed scooter-boys set about kickin’ the f *** out of rockers on Brighton beach. In the true sense of Mod, Missing Andy are legitimate heroes of the working class. They are workers, thinker and players. Their kind of pop rock is designed to be as tasty and as fresh as possible. They are the legitimate successors of the original mod bands like The Small Faces.

On stage, the band plays chiming jams, rigorously stuffed with generous layers of plush arrangements and an intense party of lively sounds. Their powerful vocals amaze the crowds. Songs such as DAVE (about dirty Suzanna, who has trouble with grammar) is a ska / pop treasure. Those Chas n ‘Dave riffs chug along bravely, while tufts of honky-tonk piano (by Jonathan “Jon” Sharpe on keyboards) clink away merrily in the corner. At KOKO this song was stuffed with Benny Hill style gags, the language was the tongue-in-cheek kind of humour that we all adore… along with the kind of madcap stupidity you might associate with “Madness”. The villains of the peace were cheerful and cheeky in that nudge-nudge naughty English style. The bouncing beat of this superb little ditty had us all moving.

When this band plays, you can not help but think that even Braintree seems exotic… And in songs like “Money” the drums ratatatting ( from Elliot Richards on percussion), sound just like guns firing on the mean streets- perhaps evoking images of a hot night in Spanish Town.

MISSING ANDY

Missing Andy at KOKO

Image © Neil Mach 2012

Freshly squeezed notes, and a fanfaring upbeat chorus is just the kind of thing you might find in a nightbar alongside a shanty-town in Rio. The masculine voice of lead singer Alex Greaves resonates, but it is highly evolved. Songs like this tend to drill more and more deeply in the skull every time you hear them. Blazing and beautiful.

The England that ‘Missing Andy’ creates on stage is a very real England. The images are soggy, disappointing and gray. People are tired and always complaining. The roads are dangerous and dirty. And everything is changing. We feel cheated.

We feel insecure. And we feel afraid of the what will come.

We were really moved by “The Way We’re Made (Made In England)”, which is the strongest of the band’s many anthems. The text of this hymn invited us to cut the crap and get on with our lives. The lyrical rhythm and the rapping-style beat were fairly predictable – reminding us of “Stan” (Eminem) . But we all smiled at the many clever allusions and concepts scattered along the road.

It was a piece of extremely powerful pop, and is still rightly regarded by many fans as the band’s masterpiece.

But each Missing Andy song has a future in it.

And there are always smiles with friends to enjoy.

Good times can always be found – even if they are still some way off- beyond the distant corner. We will not be ground down. The music will keep us healthy and safe. And if we have a little luck, we might even be able to scrape ourselves together a makeshift living along the way …

“ the audience just wanna get up and dance some more ” ‘Alive’ is the most Jammy fruit of all of the Missing Andy’s output. Frizzy, fuzzy and fizzy – This is powerpop slammed out without even a pause for air. Venting anger in a song is what this is all about. But those ‘Oh Oh Oh’ choruses and a dancing punk rhythm gives this piece an elegant touch, making the audience just wanna get up and dance some more. This is like a protest song, with pom-poms. Bloody marvellous!

Missing Andy gave us all a little hope. © Neil_Mach June 2012 Link:

http://www.facebook.com/missingandyofficial

PROXIES ‘Gambit ‘ Mixed signals are bottled up by the synthy strings that encrust the irregularly jagged enamel beats on this track. You will be absorbed by the sensual vocals and then that brilliant riff.

A sticky candied keyboard piece clunks out some amazingly golden chords. The cushion of sounds even includes a delicious eruption of solo guitar.

A superbly ambitious track.

Proxies at Koko

Image © Neil Mach 2012

Proxies performed their live debut as guests for select dates on English rock band Canterbury’s tour, followed up by acting as direct support for Hadouken!’s concerts scheduled between the band’s dates on Pendulum’s Immersion Tour.

Proxies have toured and performed with the likes of Kids In Glass Houses, Patrick Stum and Metronomy as well as completing a series of headline shows in January 2011. Proxies also performed as part of the Canterbury tour in January/February 2012 . In February 2012 Proxies also performed as part of HMV’s Next Big Thing.

A little while ago the band decided to put together a collection of songs to give away for free. They wrote and recorded all of the songs in their bedrooms- producing them themselves on old & dying lap-tops. Now this 5-song EP has been spruced up and is available to download for free from their site.

We had a listen to these superb recordings- as well as other PROXIES MUSIC ‘In & Out Of Somnia’ In this track, rich textures dip and swirl - a beat grows like an ice crystal - the tender vocals gradually tilt you in the right direction as a great roar of splendid waves crash against your inner defensive walls.

‘No Swimming On The Dancefloor’ Sugary sweet vocals lightly glaze the dusty lacework of the squeaky full-speed sounds before the fullest of rhythms explodes and gushes at you. An enormously enjoyable riff finally finishes this piece off.

!

Wallowing dusbtep yawns and a fiery cavern of frantic dance sounds comes alive. This is an intense and exciting slice of action - sizzling with vibrant lustre and an undeniable pleasure for the ears. It will make you come alive.

‘In Minutia’ Discordant fractures dissipate gradually to reveal a large palette of colours and fading textures. Adorable vocals add a heavenly quality to the tumbling and frenetic percussion, with those throbbing & sighing synths lurking below.

‘If I Had A Penny To My Name’ (ft. Sean Smith) Tempting, anxious vocals pierce the bubbly surface of this amazingly sparkling track.Waves of wonderment and heaps of lush sounds create a vortex of satisfaction before the throws of dubstep create an elixir of disharmony and the yelling in front of the complementary “I’ll do anything for you ...” voice ebbs away.

‘Trojan’ (Inside Your Chest) Repetitive icy notes frame this before fuzzy the frozen chords emblazon and embolden the piece. A cascade of majestic sounds washes over the listener as the chorus rises and kisses the moon. Wallow in those comforting textures! The ripples of sound adorn and beatify the fluttering vocals. For an anxious moment there is disharmony- but the wickedness is overcome by the glory filled anthem. Irresistible.

‘Ready Yet?’ Canterbury (REMIX) This sanctuary of sound is closely woven into tight spheres of concentrated energy. The fury becomes real - rolling into view like a fractious fireball. But the calm voice always sounds noble. There is a luxurious nature to this remix- a heady confection of light and dark -and of warmth and watery doom.

Link: http://www.facebook.com/proxiesmusic

ALICE DALE What’s your favourite of your own songs?

Alice: “Stay with me” - I was about 16 and it was kinda deep - helping someone through (a tragedy.) But it was not so literate that everyone knew what it was about. It was drawn between the lines .... Later I played it at a show and people wanted me to record it ....

How do people get to ask you to record your songs?

Alice: Through YouTube or Twitter. I have over 1000 followers on Twitter and have had over 21,000 views on YouTube in total.

Alice Dale at Scream Lounge

Image © Neil Mach 2012

Why do you think that is?

The flickering and illustrative voice of Alice Dale ia decorated by simply strummed guitar- or rippling keys- her honeyed and nuanced voice adding fragile touches of light and shade to each note.

Alice: Just because I put time into it. I try my best to promote all my stuff. I put new stuff straight onto YouTube so people know what’s going on. I think that if you have got time to record something, you should have time to promote it.

Tell us briefly what’s going on with you right now

What do you think your best quality is?

Alice: I have been with Gozibe since Sept - been the representative at Redfest - I will be the first artist on at the Redfest. (Alice is playing the acoustic stage, and she is the first act to perform in the entire festival.)

Alice: Generally? My confidence and my ability to communicate with people. Without the ability to be able to react with different people I wouldn’t have had Island records follow me. Even ‘Example’ - he saw my video on iTunes and he wrote to me about it.

Are you the kind of person given the chance When I talk to people - I am the kind of person to would get up and perform given any opportu- tell people the truth- I think it is much better to nity? say things out loud - to be true to people - not to follow on like a sheep. I think it’s better to be true Alice: Oh Yes. I am so confident. I was in London than to be fake - basically. the other day and there was a busker and I got up and busked with him.

What other artists do you like?

Tell us about your songs and songwriting Alice: My songs have turned to the indie/acoustic style- because I play piano and guitar. A lot of the time- if I feel angry or upset - I put it into a song.

That’s how it works. You can’t really write on a blank canvas unless you have any paint - and pain is kinda paint. If you have got emotions - you can start to write.

I like Ed Sheeran. He was the first kind of artist who did it for himself- in terms of a 21st century pop music. Before, you had Bob Dylan, Bob Marley, Eric Clapton ... who went out and did it for themselves. But then there was a massive gap where it just went from people doing it themselves to manufactured music. Where record labels said you need to look like this and you need to sing like this and we’ll write your lyrics for you ... Now people can create their music they way they themselves (and the audience) wants it.

Check out Alice on the Gozibe introducing stage. @alicedalee

Taygan Paxton How was your time at The Academy of Contemporary Music ? Did you make good friends at the ACM? What music inspired you whilst you were studying?

About your Jubilee celebrations - How did your weekend go? What were you doing?

How was it?

Taygan: My weekend celebrations were great! I had 2 gigs lined up for the weekend in celebration of the Queens Jubilee. I gigged at The Holbrook Club, North Heath Horsham for there family fun day - really packed and had a lovely time, shame the weather wasn’t amazing though! Then had to dash off to another gig up my to my local, The Dog And Bacon pub in Horsham. My brother organised a acoustic day of music there, myself, my brother and my dad and many other Horsham artists played (Right little paxton fest!) .... it was indeed absolutely packed. Probably one of the best gigs i’ve played! Everyone was in high spirits, having a few too many beverages singing along. Celebrated in the best way - Gigging!

What is it like living near Brighton? Do you busk there? What is your favourite Brighton music venue?

Taygan: Living near Brighton’s very cool indeed.

Such a chilled city. The moment you get down there you can just feel this really cool vibe off everyone. No matter what you’re wearing, or what you look like, nobody cares and I love that ... because that’s just me in a nutshell. I havn’t busked there, unfortunately. I will eventually. I reckon it would be wicked fun. My favourite music venue of Brighton?! Such a hard one! But I’m going to have to say Audio. I’m bang into dubstep and drum and bass - so Audio is totally ideal if you’re into all the skanking and heavy bass. But again, I’ve met some wicked people on a night out in Audio, all been so nice to meet.

Taygan: I am still at ACM at the moment, I finish in 2 weeks - which is sad! But hopefully will be going onto the Artist Development course this coming September. And we’ve got our end of term gig in 3 weeks, which I am thoroughly looking forward too.

I’ve made some ‘forever friends’ as I call them at ACM, which literally means i’ve made friendships and memories with the people there that will stick in my life forever. Everyone is so down to earth, genuine people which you don’t get much of anymore and there is not one person I dislike. I have been taught about some of the best music/musicians ever created at ACM, and its opened my mind into listening to the gritty music that started the industry off and its really inspired me to give a listen to everything from Pantera to Ray Charles. But I would honestly say that artists like Ben Howard, Alex Clare, Ed Sheeran and Two Door Cinema Club have done it for me! Ed Sheeran studied at ACM and look where he is now - incredible.

How did you continue your musical education? Do you take singing / guitar lessons? How important is it to continue to improve musically?

Taygan: I am going to continue at ACM hopefully starting in September. But I would really like to start making my own indie label in the future and discover new up and coming artists to get onboard my label. Everyone deserves a chance, and loads and loads of artists my age are starting to loose faith in what they do because they feel they’re not good enough for the industry that’s out there .... and there is some AMAZING talent about that i’ve discovered - and I think everyone deserves a chance. So i’d like to create a professional, but fair, label in the future and really get down and discover the real raw talent that hasn’t ever been heard before.

I’ve never taken a single singing lesson in my life! I’ve been singing since I was about 11, the standard singing along to S Club 7 back in the day with the hairbrush and I wanted to be a vet at that time believe it or not.... but I had a burning passion to become a musician after I discovered that I could sing a couple of notes in pitch. I had about 2 months worth of guitar lessons from a really incredible guy named Henk -

Taygan Paxton They have always pushed me to do my music and it’s a good feeling to know they are behind me all the way. They come to my gigs, sort out my travel to gigs, helped me if I need anything - I cannot explain the amount of care and love I have for the Paxtons.

We occasionally have a jam together me and my dad, or me and my brother. My dad is in a originals band and so is my brother, and they both do the occasional acoustic gig as well. There’s always a guitar laying about in the house, so we tend to just have a little jamming session when we can.

I’ve gigged once with my brother on my first ever gig, he played guitar for me whilst I sang. I really enjoyed it actually. I would like to do it more!

Amazing guitarist and a good friend of my dad’s How important is the performance aspect of and he’s the one that kicked off where I am today! music for you? Did you ever consider yourBut I carried on learning on my own, which I am self ‘in show business’ or do you see yourself still doing to this day. Good old YouTube. as a minstrel?

How exposed are you to new musical experiences? Do you go to a lot of concerts or go clubbing? What is your favourite radio station? Do you download the music? What was the last song you downloaded?

Taygan: The performance aspect of music is key when being a artist with just yourself and a guitar. I know alot of people think of acoustic music as slow, pretty, heartbreaking stuff and don’t get me wrong, I have written and gigged alot of that but I do like to jump about a bit and get the audiTaygan: I am lucky really. The majority of my ence involved. I love hearing them sing my own family are musical/musicians so I’m exposed evsong back to me, it’s one of the most rewarding eryday. I go to alot of gigs, I love it. I am a very things to hear. You’ve written a original song and sociable person so going out to a gig or clubbing you could have 300 people singing it back to you, really opens that side of it up. Also, I just love amazing. But yeah, it is very important. I like the music. Anywhere there’s music - I’m there. My audience to feel the passion that I feel when I’m favourite radio station would have to be Heart. I’m up on stage. not hugely into No.1 chart stuff, but I’ll give everything a chance and that’s probably why I listen! I I don’t really see myself as either! I’m just taking do download music indeed, and yes I do pay for it! it as it comes really. If anything happens, sure. i’ll The last ALBUM I downloaded was the new Mavgo with that. erick Sabre album ‘Lonely Are The Brave’ Such an amazing artist. I sit and read the lyrics whilst I lisAre you looking forward to RedFest? What ten and it’s just so passionate, every word .... and do you have planned for the performance? it’s nice ‘cause I can relate to a lot of the lyrics.

How important is family to you? How supportive is your family? Do you collaborate (musically) with members of the family ?

Taygan: Silly question really.................my family are number 1 in my life, I couldn’t explain my love for them or how important they are to me, they are incredible. They have never ever forced me into anything. When I was growing up, I obviously changed my mind on my career choice and my future plans - they backed me up every time I made a choice.

Taygan: I AM SO EXCITED. It’ll be my 3rd year going to RedFest and it just gets better and better everytime and the fact I am performing just makes it 1000x better! I’ve had some of the best weekends of my life at Redfest, I’ve still got the memories in my head from 2 years ago. Such a wicked, wicked festival. I have some new material planned for my performance! I am very excited to play it to everyone. I think these last few months I’ve written some of my strongest material in a while, and I can’t wait to jump around and share it with everyone! But the rest of its a surprise...... http://www.facebook.com/taygantp

MISERABLE TWAT The World of Music ~ Seen Through The Jaded Eyes of a Miserable Twat

Things I Hate About Festivals 1 The Friendliness A wise man once said that “ Hell is other people.” And so it is. Now, normally, I can put up with the supercilious, arrogant, intolerant, self centred, insular, selfish tossers that I normally have to put up with on a daily basis.

But at festivals everyone becomes ‘super friendly’ - as if something simply magical has just happened. They are all suddenly sincere and matey. And loving and caring.

And we all know that this is some kind of suspended reality and that they are not normally like this. British people are normally insufferably rude and a bunch of self centred nobs- so this must be some kind of out-ofbloody-body para-normal fookin’ experience that you and I are having. Either that or we are surrounded by a bunch of lying fookin’ hypocrites - and on Monday morning they will be back to their normal weasly selves.

The bastards.

2 The Mud If I wanted to wear fookin’ wellies and trudge around a manure soaked field in some god-forsaken piece of the shite countryside, I would have chosen to be Farmer Giles.

But, like the sage one in the fookin’ butter advert says ‘That’s their career choice - not mine’. We are basically city based creatures - we need concrete, metal, proper pavements, coffee shops, drains and bus shelters to save us from going fookin’ mad.

3. The Equipment Unless you are Lady fookin’ Gaga and you have a team of willing Sherpas and a Boeing CH-47 Chinook readily available to haul all your shite around for you, then you will probably be travelling to the festival with a whole bunch of assorted crap that you will not need and that will be damaged, destroyed and stolen within 30 mins of arriving at your soddin’ poxy destination... and that’s after draggin’ it through all the mud and shit to get to your final fookin’ pitch. So you have lugged a whole pile of junk half way across Britain for no poxy reason.

And don’t try bringing anything actually useful into the site with you either. Because the security at the gate will have it off you. I went to a festival in Hyde Park once and the security bastards wouldn’t even let me take WATER into the enclosure.

It was pissin’ down all day - but you couldn’t take in water! The fookin’ great bastards. My entire equipment now consists of the crusty pair of shorts that I’m wearing. And that’s fookin’ it.

4. The Camping If I wanted to go camping (and I don’t) then I would choose a secure camp site in the South of France with swimming pools, 24 hour barbecues, cocktail bars and some beach volley. Where semi-clad bronzed Latino beauties flaunt themselves on sun drenched white sand beaches. Where the tents have four bedrooms, electric lights, air conditioning, hot and cold running water and who were put up by somebody else. And taken down by somebody else too.

In fact, come to think of it, the only camp site that would appeal to me would be a 5 star luxury resort.

But instead we are supposed to get all excited because we can pitch our supposedly ‘pop up’ tents in a stinking mire, on the side of slopping wet hill, with a million other losers who all think that being huddled up together in a World War One trench within a millimeter of each other - is somehow ‘cosy’ and ‘fun’.

5. The Food Look, a hot dog is not worth five fookin’ quid. A franfurter costs - at most - about 20p to buy. A bun costs about 5p. Now I realise that the greasy looking creature who is burning the sausages on his B&Q barbecue had to lug the soddin‘ thing all through the steaming mud and shite to get here - and that he had to light the poxy charcoal in the rain- even though it is sopping wet. So add another 20p on for his basic services. And he probably wants to take home about 100 quid for the days work. So, even if he sells a hundred dogs, that still means it should only cost you and me about £1.45 for one.

These bastards must be going home in stretched fookin’ limos at the end of the weekend! And then they probably go ‘real’ camping at one of those 5 star camp sites I just mentioned. The fookers.

Check out more moans from the Miserable Twat at : http://miserabletwat.com/

Borderline: fire

Borderline:Fire at Boileroom

Image © Neil Mach 2012

Borderline:FIRE are one of Reading’s fastest growing rock bands. Since their debut EP ‘All That’s Left Of You’ the band have progressed and added a synth player to complete their line-up ( not at The Boiler Room gig) . Borderline:FIRE recorded their debut single ‘I Wanna Go‘ at Empire Studios and then went on to record a video with Daniel Broadley films. They also toured around the country to promote the single in Nov/Dec 2011. This summer they will be releasing their debut mini-album titled ‘This Trojan State’ as well as appearing all over the South, including performing at RedFest alongside Modestep and Young Guns.

At the superb Guildford venue The Boileroom the hale-storm eruption of guitars kicked off the gloriously powerful set. Decorated with attitude and annihilating power right from the very start. This band also possess muscled melodies and sinewy delicate harmonies.

And that puts them into an entirely different class.

And with Borderline:FIRE you get the feeling that every inch counts … they’ re not playing at making music – they are serious about making you think.

A scalding cover of Example’s – ‘Changed the Way You Kiss Me’ was sour, melancholy and gruntfilled. Epic and gloomy in one sitting. If you are going to cover a song like that, then this is the way to do it. Put your signature on it. And send it through the night air. Bloody amazing!

A new song ‘Brain Wash’ was hollowed out normality – a dark world of paradoxes latent with power guitar firestorms. In between was a profusion of sounds including an infinite balls out bass guitar together with a ‘Love is not a game…’ chorus that bled attitude and was a prominent plea for sanity.

Their big number ‘I Wanna Go’ has nervous ticks of percussion that begin to infect your mind. A long winding guitar twines like a rattlesnake lurking. Then the verse assertively steps up to the mark and is punctuated by a brazen chorus, and this is where the larger trademark harmonies are employed. All the while the lead guitar adds an intricate web of thin, subtle patterns. The devastating final piece of this song is a profusion of brilliantly twisted shapes and glittering patterns – a feast of sounds and textures.

Catch Borderline:FIRE as soon as you can…. highly recommended. See them at this year’s REDFEST. © Neil_Mach July 2012 Link: http://www.facebook.com/borderlinefire

Today In Rock Today in Rock the little known US prog-rock outfit ‘The Gentle Witch-Wizards of Pythia’ issued the world’s largest gate-fold sleeve. The title ‘The Piper at the Tubular Stairway to the Crimson Craters of the Moon’ was issued on Prismatic Records on this day in 1974.

When fully opened out, the gigantic gate-fold sleeve measured over 25 feet by 25 feet. The album could only be completely opened out in a suitably large field or an empty basketball court.

Thomas ‘Gatefold’ Winterbottom of Lower Salt Ash, Nr Addiscombe Down, Surrey received shortlived notoriety for being the only living person to be able to reveal the vinyl within 2 minutes. His famous attempt was televised by the popular TV show Nationwide. Even though hampered by long greasy hair, cow bells, love beads and stupidly floaty sleeves on his cheese-cloth shirt, he still managed to unravel the disc within just 1 min 57 seconds- establishing a new world record.

Disappointed rock enthusiasts routinely spent an average of 4 days frustratingly searching for the 12 inch gem hidden with the reams of cardboard.

Only to find that, once placed upon the turn-table, the recording was just a disappointing 2 tracks long (each 20 minutes) comprising of overblown and pompous claptrap played by a bunch of know nothing yet technically inefficient, thoroughly tedious nerds Today in Rock Australian band ‘The Mixtures’ changed their name from the ‘Dolly Mixtures’.

Record label bosses said that the name was way too effeminate. Their manager - one time heavyweight sheep fondler and goat stealer Tommy ‘Big Buns’ O’Learey had already suggested calling the band the ‘My Little Pony Boys’. This was turned down by the label bosses and the band membersas well as were his other suggestions, including ‘The Powderpuff Boys’ ‘The Love Hearts’ and ‘The Cupcake Girls’. The supremos at the major record label ‘Hollandaise Records’ asked ‘Big Buns’ to try to come up with a more macho name for the lads.

All he could come up with was ‘The Sugar Almond Tutu Sisters of Canberra’. Facing a revolt from his band, their fans and his label, he finally settled for ‘The Dolly Mixtures’ on this day in 1965. The band quietly dropped the word ‘Dolly’ without telling him.

Today in Rock - at the Little Sicily Nite Bar on Columbus Road, Los Campessinos, CA - the manager of the doo-wop singing group ‘The Four Tops’, Miles ‘Romeo’ Leadbetter announced that he was sacking Pershing high school student and lead singer of the band - Levi ‘Wrinkle Winkle’ Finklestein - from the act thus making it the ‘Three Tops’. He claimed that this was due to poor time keeping- apparently ‘Wrinkle Winkle’ had failed successively to get to auditions on time. Manager ‘Romeo’ then went outside for a smoke, and when he came back into the Nite Bar he sacked Nat ‘Tensing’ Dunnett- thus making the act the Two Tops. He claimed he had to let ‘Tensing’ go due to his poor personal hygiene. Apparently, ‘Tensing’ had been treating his veruccas on the tour bus and farting a lot. Manager ‘Romeo’ then popped out again to consider his next move. And after an espresso coffee in a nearby Five and Dime, he went back to the Nite Bar and sacked the remaining Two Tops for disagreeing with him about his earlier management decisions.

The ‘No Tops’ had limited chart success and did not prove to be a big hit with the punters especially at the planned live appearances that they were booked in to do. So, after a very serious amount of negotiation between record label bosses and management, ‘Romeo’ had no alternative but to reluctantly take back the newly redundant singers.

Collectors of rhythm and blues nostalgia of the period still look out for the limited edition ‘No Tops’ issues released around this time. These prized discs are remarkable because, although they contain elaborate instrumental arrangements and exquisite orchestral pieces, they contain little (or no) vocalisation.

Today In RocK Today in Rock Buddy Holly finally settled on the name ‘Crickets’ for his long suffering backing band. Buddy had toyed with the idea of calling them ‘The Earwigs’ ‘and also ‘The Tapeworms’ and ‘The Dung Beetles’. His backing band were outraged, saying that he didn’t take them seriously as musicians - and demanding a more fitting epithet.

The recording artist spent at least 3 months touring the US as ‘Buddy Holly and The Maggots’ but - due to poor ticket sales and remonstrations from record label bosses- Buddy relented and settled upon ‘The Crickets’ on this day in 1957.

But it was said that Buddy was never happy with this name - his preference had always been ‘Buddy Holly and the Pubic Lice’

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Today in Rock … Bill Haley (without his Comets) refused to come out and play to an audience of four million people at the Vermont Airbase, Stowe on the eve of the Presidential Elections 1964. This is because Bill thought he heard someone call him ‘Porky’ in the dressing room. Bill refused to leave the corner of his dressing room and began to suck his thumb, whilst cuddling ‘Theo’ his precious teddy bear and the ‘only person who truly loved him’ . He asked the promoters to be left alone till at least ’tea time’. It took the organisers of the event over nine days to disperse the 4 million disappointed audience members. And they caused $9500 worth of damage to crops in the surrounding fields as they trampled away. ($142,000,000 in today’s money.)

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