When we were invited by Tim Burgess to cover his stage at the Isle of Wight festival we thought “If it’s good enough for Ferne Cotton, its good enough for us”. And we didn’t even have to stay by the Main Stage reading lines off a piece of cardboard. Instead after tent mishaps, sunburn and a surprisingly good set by Stereophonics on the Saturday on the Sunday we were able to keep to the task at hand and focus more on the bands, popcorn, dancing around to the Horrors with Samantha Morton. But while we can tell you all about this years festival who knows what happened in the festivals heyday? Well, luckily, Nick does...
Queen Victoria spent her last days here, just over 130,000 people currently reside there and in 1970 it was host to the largest music event the world has ever seen. Welcome to the Isle of Wight! Despite having industries based around the development of space rockets most people will recognise the name as being the venue for a jazz festival, Bestival and most recognisably… The Isle Of Wight Festival. First held in 1968, the event took a 32-year break after the disastrous/amazing event, depending on which way you look at it, in 1970. That year 600,000 revellers saw the last performance from Jimi Hendrix and one of the longest sets ever performed, from The Who (the WHOLE of their Tommy ‘rock-opera’ was just the middle part of the set!) It was successfully re-established in 2002, and has since seen Manic Street Preachers, The Charlatans, Foo Fighters, Faithless and many more take to the headline slots. No doubt due to the low population count the island hasn’t seen any major acts appear from it’s appear from its shores, unless you count The Bees and the bassist from Level 42. But that’s not a problem, as year-on-year it hosts some of the biggest acts around. 2009 sees the event return, again mixing indie acts such as The Maccabees and White Lies with all-out pop stars such as McFly and Paolo Nutini. It’s sure to be a diverse crowd, but there’s something for everyone. Welcome to the Isle of Wight Festival… history will never forget it and you can be part of it.
POPPY AND THE JEZEBELS - U.F.O (remix) DANCE FOR BURGESS - BOY We’ve brought you TWO free downloads for this issue and they come from near polaropposites on the musical spectrum. One from the sweet and ethereal world of Poppy and the Jezebels and the other from the brooding and macabre world of Dance for Burgess. We think they balance each other out rather nicely! We caught up with both bands at the Isle of Wight to find out a bit more about them and you can read the interviews in this issue! Poppy and the Jezebels have given us another exclusive track for our Singles Club. To counteract the grunge-vibe blues of Dance for Burgess we have on hand the summery balm of ‘UFO’. Sparky indie-pop is the name of the game from the four best dressed girls, ever. Produced by Mike Chapman (who worked with Blondie) and diffusing feel-good sounds they’re a band to watch out for.
Possibly the ultimate job ever getting the chance to put on whomever you want in the musical world on a stage, at a festival. It’s all a bit Desert Island Discs: The Reality (only substitute island for muddy field, and discs for actual bands). Either way the Big Top stage at Isle of Wight got the Burgess treatment which turned into one of the best festival line-ups we’ve seen so far this year! We grabbed Tim for a quick chat to ask about festival stress, about Neil Young and choosing the line-up. On Festival Style… “I’m going for the Italian cop look today”
Words Jade French Pic Gem Bowles
On playing the festival… “I can’t get too carried away before the show tonight;
everyone else has played really well today and I want to finish the festival well. I’m really excited to play.”
place, all the She Set got here because they all came here separately. There’s usually seven of them most of the time but there were about ten here today which was kinda stressful as they all arrived at different times!”
the two bands I wanted and once I got them I was quite happy, and quite buzzing. “Then John Giddings the festival organiser said Killing On playing at the same time Joke really wanted to do it as Neil Young… and I was so happy because “I love Neil Young- I saw they were the first band I ever him at another festival but got to see and I was fourteen saw he was on for three On the line-up… years old and they played in hours and thought ‘I don’t “First band that I wanted to Manchester. I went in my know whether I can handle get was the Horrors because school uniform and they blew that’ but I walked in about I was a fan of them on their me away so from then it betwenty minutes into his set first album and the two years came very, very personal.” and he was playing a song in between I got to be really “Black Lips are from Atlanta called ‘Cortez the Killer’ good friends with them. I which is where Michelle was and it’s one of my favourite didn’t hear anything about from, Hatchem because I love songs. It goes on for about their new material because them as a band and Poppy 6 minutes and I ended up they didn’t really show it to and the Jezebels have one of staying for the whole set anyone but I could see them the best tracks of the year because I knew every song growing as people so I knew in UFO and they’re really which was amazing.” it was going to be an amazing forward thinking in style and album. And because they’re stuff.” On stress… close friends I really wanted “The last couple of days I’ve them to play. And I also real- And the Charlatans? been trying to make sure ly wanted Pains of Being Pure “Charlatans, yeah, I was everything’s in the right at Heart on as well. Those are talked into that one!”
you can’t find anywhere. One 60s film and that’s about it. I think we’ll find him one day…
Words Jade French Pic Hannah Mort
XOX: How did you get to work with Mike Chapman? It was a really odd experience. He literally messaged us on Myspace and said “I love you guys so much” and then followed up with “I’d like to mix you in the future” and we were immediately like “GET ON IT!” and so he produced UFO. Myspace has been good to us- so many people get in contact through that. It’s defiantly got its place for music, you can actually
have a website rather than just letting people know ‘I’m eating my tea’- you can’t run a band through Facebook. XOX: Where do you find your non-musical influences come from? Fashion, stuff like that. Most of our songs are about people who we know and don’t knowlike Frank Chevallier. We went to a flea market and found some like 60s modelling cards and they had loads of models from the 1960s that just didn’t get anywhere and we were in-
trigued by these people who had just been completely lost in time. So we wrote a song about them and what they might be like. It’s great though- there’s loads of Biba dresses in there and stuff. XOX: Can you see why he didn’t make it as a model? He was incredibly attractive! But that was all he had. We wonder if he is still alive actually. We’ve only found one thing about him but it’s like he was in a film that
XOX: How did you get involved with Tim Burgess then? Again, another Myspace story. I mean, we’ve played bands like S.C.U.M. and the Horrors for XOX: Maybe he’ll turn up at quite a long time because we one of your gigs! played at the Underage Club Haha, yeah like “My name before the festivals started and is your song!” that was one of our first gigs [At this point Dom from in September 2006! We were the band makes comes just babies and it was terrifydown the hill- and bearing ing. So we’ve know that crew in mind this hill was a bit for quite a long time now and of a beast and I fell down it Tim Burgess messaged us one twice it was a pretty grace- day saying he loved UFO and ful entrance] that he apparently had us on a That’s the worst thing about list of his Summer tracks that the festival so far- having to he liked. So, it was another one come down the hill… and of those things that we couldn’t the toilets! say no to!
have a similar style anyway. It obviously not as important rehearsals and making music but I think they go together nicely fashion and music. Individually we were all into fashion anyway so we make it part of our music because it’s what we’re interested in. We don’t like bands who don’t like clothes.
XOX: Have you been in Isle of Wight all weekend? Since yesterday. Our hair would have been awful if we’d been here since Friday! We’ve been able to use the showers and stuff backstage XOX: Would you normally go XOX: Where are you guys based which was lovely. Except to festivals anyway? then? they gave us a towel literally Poppy: Some of us do, but In Birmingham. Because most the size of a flannel. We got I love watching bands, love of our gigs are in London our make-up done by MAC going to gigs but also love people think we’re from there. though so that makes up going home afterwards. People are pretty shocked when for it! Mollie: I’m going to a we say we’re from Birmingham couple of festivals after this. instead. It’s a bit hard- we’ll be XOX: Who are you going to The Big Chill and then a playing a gig in London and try and catch today? smaller one then have to drive back at 3 or Defiantly the Charlatans4am and then get up and go to it’s a pity Pixies and The XOX: Are you playing any college the next day. Horrors are on at the same other festivals? time! We’ve had a couple of ofXOX: We love what you’re wear- We want to catch some fers but nothing we can ing by the way! Where did you of Neil Young as well- we properly confirm yet. We’re get your dress from? saw him Hop Farm and we hoping to play a few more- Mollie: Off the internet, off waited like 8 hours to get probably much smaller than this great site called Etsy. I to the front in the rain so the Isle of Wight though! think fashion is quite imporwe think we’re owed seeing And just some more gigtant to us. We always end up him in the luxury of the ging. matching- not like we call each backstage in nice weather! other up on purpose but we
We don’t want to sound like someone or something- we just play what we have inside and try to get it out, you know? Maybe that’s why no one can really put us into a genre”
An oddly shaped symmetry occurred in that Dance for Burgess were the first band of the day and the last band of the day, The Charlatans, evoked just that sentiment. Pairing dark, grooving beats with a stoic view on the world Dance for Burgess are the ultimate in ‘indie band’ terms. We caught up with them and not only found out their opinions on the Horrors but also managed to slide a brief but interesting world history view into the conversation.
On the Horrors… “We want to see the Horrorswe want to see how they’ve changed. I don’t know if it can be the same. I’m quite scared. They’ve changed their style too, it’s strange. It’s almost like they should have changed their name- it’s a new band, a new project.
like London Loves. In Rome there is Fish’n’Chips but nights like that try to copy London Loves but I don’t think it works because London Loves is quite an original.
On influences… “Italian punk is very important to us. We listen to a lot On Milan… of garage music from the “Milan is very bad- have you 60s, especially 1966. We’re ever been there? Tuscany is really into New Wave. We better because it is greener. all listen to a lot of different The clubs in Milan- there music and our influences are are some alternative clubs wide, which is good I think.
On Tim Burgess… “We went to see him in Milan and we gave him a CD that we had recorded. He was really impressed and he asked us to come and play the Isle of Wight festival on the same day that we gave him the CD. The conversation was something like he asked us if we had management and we said no and then he said ‘Well you need to take a plane and then a ferry’ and we were in shock like ‘What? What the fuck you talking about!’ and he said ‘Yeah, you need to play the Isle of Wight festival’- it was amazing really.” On Italy… “Italian society has a big influence on us. Nowadays it is a mess in my opinion; it is like the government of the 80s. It makes us feel really angry. We need to fight what
is going on there; we need to say something which goes against our society. It sounds strange because we love our country but we hate some of the people there who have influence. It’s quite hard for us to make an impact in Italy because we sing in English. So it is quite hard to get through to people with what you are saying. I sing in English because I want this message to be spread as much as possible. I’d prefer to have Italians interested in what I am saying but the other countries all over Europe, all over the World all know that Italy is shit. All the girls want to be TV presenters or dancing girls or the boys want to be football players- no one is saying anything or doing anything to change things. Pop culture in Italy is very different- after the Second World War there was a real boom about plastic, about buying and consumerism. It’s all fiction and there is nothing real. We want to say something and give people a chance to see that things can be made better.” On Japan… “We have a small following in
Italy but in Japan we have a huge following! But in Japan people find music is very exciting. It’s another extreme point of view but better than being bored with music” On London… “We’re coming back to England because we are planning to record a single. We’re having fun with what we do which is the most important thing. We hope to come back in maybe Autumn or Winter. It’s kinda hard though because we are indie, really indie, so we have to arrange everything ourselves and do everything ourselves. It might be good doing it for yourself but it would be easier, no, having people working with you!” On the Isle of Wight… “It was such a rush! We got here with like an hour to spare and had to run to check everything and then perform really quickly. It was good though, the crowd was good. We want to see the rest of the bands now since the line-up on this stage is so good!” Words Jade French Pic Hannah Mort
as support of Neil Young but once Tim had asked us we had to be like “Sorry, we can’t let Tim down nowwe’re going to have to turn down Neil’s support and play in the Big Top”. XOX- What are you going to do when the Charlatans are on at the same time as Neil? HS- Go and watch Neil Young. [Deadpan] No, no I will- I’ll go and watch Neil Young. I didn’t know they were on at the same time- I can’t believe this. We said we would only play as long as we got to see both the Charlatans and Neil Young.
“Sweet and salty” is how the interview innocuously begins. Hatcham Social aren’t wrong about our remaining sustenance of the festivalAldi’s finest “Snack Rite” popcorn. A tag line, it is decided, is needed. The band throws a few ideas about: “I prefer Snack Rite ‘cos it’s alright”. Discarded. “Snack Rite, it’s alright, lalalalala”. A future Hatcham hit, no doubt. Then comes the best advertising slogan this side of three frogs burping
“Bud-wie-ser”: “It’s not shite, it’s Snack Rite”. Unanimous agreement that this is indeed the case; we promise to pass this idea onto Aldi.
view yourself, you don’t need us!
XOX- Well, care to elaborate on the events? Was it a faceto-face request? E-mail? HS- Well, basically we were XOX - So, how did you get involved with the festival- did Tim playing poker and we were betting the world’s finances just approach you guys? HS- Yeah, pretty much. That’s and he said “You know what; you should play at exactly what happened! a festival called the Isle of Wight”. I mean, it came XOX- Summed it up for you down to a royal flush and there! HS- Yeah, you’re pretty good at we had that. So, we got asked to play the main stage this- you should do the inter-
XOX- To be fair you are going on tour with the Charlatans in America so… HS- Yeah but when they’re on I’ll be playing my Neil Young album. I’ll be like “Wow Tim lip-synchs really well to this!” XOX- We were speaking to Black Lips before who said they’d be sacrificing pigs on stage later. What would you guys do to get attention on stage? HS- Well we’ve slaughtered a cow before. XOX- Why can’t we just leave the animals alone?! HS- Well okay, we’ll slaugh-
ter an aubergine then. Yeah, been fixed or something. we’re gonna chop up aubergines Pretend to be lame and after on stage. we’ve been blessed start to walk. Although I suppose XOX- It’ll be like if Jamie Oliver we shouldn’t mess with the was in a band Big Dog. HS- He was in a band! A really, really shit band XOX- Have you been on a gold buggy today? XOX- Yeah he was, wasn’t he in HS- Yeah, twice. I needed a a band called Velvet Glove or piss against that tree, clicked something? my fingers and said “Get me HS- No I think it was called a buggy”. Nah, we got on Chicken with Parsley. I think one to get to the Ray-Ban he released an album through stage to do an acoustic set. Sainsbury’s finest range… And I must say “It’s not shite… It’s XOX- Did you get free RaySnack Rite” Bans? This really is both sweet and HS- [Whilst blatantly salty. It’s like going to the wearing a pair of Ray Bans] cinema and asking for half and Nah, we didn’t get anything. half. We’re moral- as long as they give us money or something XOX- You’re going on a US tour free we’ll play anything, aren’t you? anywhere. HS- We’re playing ten dates I think. And three with the Mac- XOX- What are the three cabees and two dates on our things you’d bring to a festiown? The best bit is three days val? off at the end though. HS- Probably toilet roll- although it’s okay back here. XOX- You should go and see Baby-wipes. this place called the Abyssinian Baptist’s Church in Harlem. 8am XOX- Ah that’s pretty goodon Sunday is the show, there’s a one item with two purposes. grand piano, a round piano and HS- Two-for-one mate. And an organ all on stage. A choir, you’d probably need some a regular choir and it’s really “I Ray-Bans. I dunno, I don’t woke up this morning and the think you need to bring devil was in my bed”… anything to a festival- bring HS- That sounds amazing! a friend who has a tent. E-mail us where this is. We can Maybe bring some money. pretend that our legs have just Ooh, no bring a black bin
liner as well- you can use those for many other handy things- rubbish bin, poncho, toilet. XOX- This is so much more than three things! HS- Okay, three things are bin liner, friend and some whiskey in your shoe. This [Popcorn once again] really is sweet and salty. How is that possible?
HS- [awed silence] What a question. Just leading us on to trap us and leave us in there. So, basically we sound like some Trappist monks from 1534 who eventually sounded like the Doors. XOX- Yes! So it’s like the first man who ever sang “Ahh” HS- Oh my god, that is just what I sound like! We wrote that didn’t we! What’s that track called? It’s called “Ahh”…
001? HS- Ohh yeah, I know what you mean. We knew you knew you see. Otherwise we would have beaten the information out of you. We’re only here for the food… [long, expectant pause].. .”It’s not shite…”
XOX- If this was on ITV2 you would have earned quite a bit out of sponsorship already… XOX- Who is it you’re sick of HS- This is on ITV2 being compared too? apparently; well Isle of HS- Echo and the Bunny- XOX- Have you seen that Mel Wight festival is. We’re men Gibson film about where the first not on it though. Yeah songs came from? It ends with a we’re 01HSO1, 02HSO1, XOX- Ah, Jesus! rendition of “A Lion is Eating My 01HSO3… HS- Nah, no one has said Foot Off”. we’re like Jesus yet but I ap- HS- We haven’t, but we must. XOX- Wow, we can just go preciate where you’re comand check into hotels now as ing from. It’s only a matter XOX- Another future Hatcham you. You recently took on anof time though. I mean hit? other member too didn’t you? we’re fucking good but not, HS- Yeah, we’re aiming to reach Is that just going to happen you know, that good. out to the zoo-keepers. They at regular intervals until you like animals, we love animals. end up like the Polyphonic XOX- So you sound like Do you like animals? Spree? Orange Juice, Echo and the HS- I don’t think we could Bunnymen XOX- Who doesn’t? afford to be like the PolyHS- Yeah Orange Juice we HS- What’s you’re favourite phonic Spree because they get that a lot. There the two animal? must need a really big tour that people always write we bus. Half of that band left sound like. XOX- Cats because they couldn’t afford HS- Cats! That’s so obvious to pay them all around XOX- That’s weird thought Europe. We struggle with a because people said Orange XOX- How did you make up band of four… Juice sounded quite like the you’re name? Doors… but you don’t sound HS- Our real names or our XOX- It would be magnanilike the Doors, so when does band names? mous to say it would be one that stop? of you- but who would be the XOX- Aren’t you like Hatcham first to go?
sweet ginger dreads. No one has ever been brave enough to have ginger dreads. In the video for ‘Stars’ said ginger dreads are digitally THREE THINGS WE LEARNT FROM enhanced via a ‘slow-mo’ effect in which Mick diagoHATCHAM SOCIAL nally enters the screen and Always bring a snack to an ‘falls’ whilst the dreads flail interview- preferably popcorn. behind him in the ‘breeze’. This kept the guys around for A moment of cinematic at least twenty minutes whilst excellence. we interviewed them (we’re Simply Red started after seenot under the illusion it was ing the Sex Pistols. ULTIour scintillating conversation: MATE IRONY! Thank you Snack Rite!) Hucknall is a political Bin liners are so much more animal. He has commented than bin liners. They can also that derogatory references to double as ponchos and toiletsXOX- Yeah! That’s who he his He is best friends with looked like. [Another couple don’t give money to the Big Tony Blair. He is a food Issue donate heavy duty black of people walk past] connoisseur. He co-owns a bin liners instead! HS- I like that guys headresturant with Johnny Depp Chicken and Parsley is a real band, really cool. and John Malkovich called XOX- No, the ginger one! He’s good name for a band- we ‘Man Ray’ in Paris! And think they would guest feagot a good head of hair… he was the previous owner ture Jamie Oliver and Trappist Speaking of which- what of La Tasca which means monks and release an EP called are your opinions on Mick “Soulful Red Hair” in Cataeither “A Lion is Eating My Hucknall? lan- hahaha. HS- Mick Hucknall? Simply Foot Off” or “An Ode to Snack Rite”. Red? Possibly the worst band ever. Hucknall is a horrible, pervy man. He is a 5 REASONS WHY: MICK HUCKNALL sickly man. If a vagina was ISN’T UTTERLY RUBBISH to turn into a human being it would be Mick Hucknall. Okay he’s a creepy and gnome Words Jade French He’s a big media hype who look-a-like but mean he balPic Hannah Mort doesn’t even sing his own ances all that out with some HS- Jerome. The newest member- lets face it, last in means first out. To be honest though if he heard that he would probably cry. He might have quit already… [Interrupted by an old guy with slicked back hair and wearing a waistcoat]. Wow, he’s cool. He looks like that guy from Dirty, Sexy Money… You know the old one. The old, hot one… HS- There is no old hot one… Do you mean Donald Sutherland?
songs. XOX- Not a fan then? HS- No.
If you were curating a stage at Isle of Wight what would be your top 5 choices of bands be Kip: Suede, Pulp, Stone Roses, Supergrass, Smashing Pumpkins (playing Siamese Dream) Alex: T. Rex, the Exploding Hearts, Phoenix, Melody Club, the Lemonheads Lots of influences from C86 to Dinosaur Jr to 60s girl groups can be heard in your music. What you say was your biggest non musical influence. Kip: Friendship
Pains of Being Pure at Heart are phenomenal. It’s quite hard to put your finger on just quite why they are so good. It might be their cross-over appeal, managing to sound a bit like everything from Belle and Sebastian to Dinosaur Jr to Black Tambourine, from the 1960s to 1986 with a touch of undiluted indie and back again there seem to be so many layers to the band that it is surprising their resulting songs are full of simple-feel good and effortless melodies. It’s a skill to combine so much musical talent and influence
and whip up songs which sound so fresh and unclogged. Under all of the comparisons and after trying to crow bar the band into various genres there is more than a nuance of new which make the band refreshing. Live songs like “Young Adult Fiction” comes out as a blissed out affair with Kip and Peggy’s vocals harmonizing and breaking apart at the right moments to create a shoe-gazey, melancholy indie track. “This Love is Fucking Right” is a tight song with hooks and slight macabre undertones (yep, incest). Each component of the band
is important, if the drums dropped at one point or the bass waned then it wouldn’t be half as good as it is. Bringing the indie-guitars back with an unrelenting unrepentant attitude and we are so glad that they are! We asked them some questions relating to the Isle of Wight and The Charlatans for obvious reasons:
The Charlatans are known as The Charlatans UK in the US because a band over there had beaten them to the name. We’re you aware of the original band and when did you first hear of Tim’s Charlatans Kip: Actually, I owned the Charlatans (US) record. The same thing happened to Suede, as they’re known as “The London Suede” in America (if they’re known at all). There was a British “Nirvana” as well. Luckily, there aren’t any other “Pains of Being Pure at Hearts” that we know of... As for hearing “Tim’s band,” well, my friend used to have this DJ night in Portland, OR (USA) where he played a lot of British pop and psych, and The Charlatans
were one of his favourites. It’d always be the record that I’d always ask, “Wait, what is this?” because it was good, but I never knew what it was. Your recent gig in Manchester on Morrissey’s birthday was hailed by many there as gig of the year so far. Are all your gigs this nuts or was there something special that night? Everyone knew they were witnessing something special and the reaction was amazing. Kip: The Manchester show was definitely exceptional. While our tour has been really great and the reception super positive, the level of madness, crowd surfing, moshing and general ferocity of devotion witnessed at that show was entirely incredible and beyond anything we’d ever witnessed. Alex: It was incredible but also totally surprising! Which makes it all the more fun.
their. Maybe it’s the same all over, but we don’t really aspire to (nor could we) sound British or Scottish or Swedish. But at the same time, we really revere the pop traditions of those countries, and are pretty influenced in some ways by those records.
Your debut album has just come out. What are your favourite debuts by other bands and have any disappointed after promising so much? The Stone Roses - S/T The Exploding Hearts Guitar Romantic The Ramones - S/T Suede - Suede Weezer - S/T Vivian Girls - S/T Hefner - Breaking God’s Heart Belle and Sebastian - Tigermilk Supergrass - I Should Coco Rocketship - A Certain Although Morrissey wasn’t there - Smile, A Certain Sadness there was a Smith! Craig Gannon The Strokes - Is This It ‘the fifth Smith’ and guitarist Oasis - Definitely Maybe with Aztec Camera was singing Crystal Stilts - A Light of the bands praises. Do you feel the Night band is more shaped by the great bands of the UK music scene or If you were headlining the bands from the US? main stage of the festival Kip: We’re American and while and were allowed ridiculous we all really admire British Pop rider demands what one thing bands, I think there’s something would you ask for just to see if in our music that isn’t British. they would get it for you? Our songs are about what it’s Kip: A Rainbow like to grow up in America, in the suburbs and the feelings Words Jade French
Words Jade French Pic Hannah Mort
that we rented because it’s the end of our tour so we’ve just been hanging out there and playing in the garden. And chillin’ down by the sea. This is a lovely island; this is my favourite part of England. Is it your favourite island? No, although I’d say it’s my favourite island in England. I want to go to Cuba this summer and I want that to be my favourite island.
Apart from donning the BEST pair of shorts of the festival (of life?) Black Lips also sat with us on a hill whilst we quick-fired some questions at them and let us in on the goss regarding swine flu, mushrooms and Jacobean rituals. What are the top three things you should bring to a festival? Mushrooms, it’d probably be a good idea to bring a tent and some water Looking forward to playing the Big Top later? Got any big plans for the show? We have this goat, and it’s kinda like a ritual, but yeahthis goat and a ritual. Sort of
Cuba’s still communist isn’t it? Yeah. Well, no. Not reallykinda like how China is still “communist” I guess. Cuba’s more communist than like a Jacobite ritual. Last time China but as American’s we decapitated pigs and people we have to pay the customs said it was fake- it wasn’t. They guys to stamp our passports cos we still have the emsmelt horrible. bargo from the Cold War. They tried to nuke us and Anything else planned today we haven’t got over it. apart from decapitating animals? Are you scared of swine flu? I’m gonna DJ tonight, I have no idea where- in a tent some- Nah. I was in an airport in L.A and some lady had a where. Something to do with mask on. If you put that shit free Ray Bans? on the newspaper like swine flu why not put AIDS, How did you get involved with cancer and car accidents on Tim Burgess’ stage? the news and adverts? More It was a birth rite, I think. people die of that than swine flu! Swine Flu is for How long have you been in the cowards. The masks are the Isle of Wight? most cowardly thing I’ve We’ve been here for like three days but not at the festival. We ever seen! got like this 500 year old estate
Dance for Burgess
I’d heard good things about this band so expectations were high and for the first band of the day on the Big Top stage, they filled the atmosphere perfectly. Musically, their talent is overflowing and stage presence is getting there along with their Italian charm but what’s most impressive is the structure of the band as a whole; they fit like a glove.
Poppy and the Jezebels
As well as looking the part, their music was too. ‘Rhubarb and Custard’s melody is so catchy that it will stay in your head for days on end. There are catchy riffs in all of their songs but the track “UFO” really makes you want to dance. The girls are young and have lots more to give.
S.C.U.M.
Normally there is an exciting chill about S.C.U.M. but although they played brilliantly, the vibe wasn’t thrilling and the set was short and in general there was something missing. The lead singer Tom gave a dramatic performance.
Hatcham Social
Already a popular band being described to sound like Orange Juice, Hatcham Social played with poise. ‘Crocodile’ is a tune they played which just shows how endless their talent is. ‘So happy making’ got everyone’s hips moving. Musically, their sound was perfectly conducted and as a band they look like they are comfortable together. Hatcham Social are definitely destined for greater things.
The Horrors
There was so much energy in the performance. This was easily the best band of the whole weekend. It was like they had a hold over the audience. The 8 minute long ‘Sea within a sea’, captivated the audience and the music was flawless, showing how they have developed from their first album. The rendezvous of the older songs was nostalgic and got everyone dancing.
McFLY
McFLY’s performance was vibrant and cheesy, it shows what they stand for, really. Good, cheesy pop. With a concoction of older songs which got even the old’ns dancing and the new ones for their diehard fans, regrettably I’m referring to me made the set perfect just to have a little singa-long to. The boys charmed their way through it finishing with ‘Five colours’, it was almost a perfect moment in pop history. Almost.
To me McFly are pops equivalent of ryebread. Dry and not at all tasty; but the yearning sense of nostalgia proved too much for two of our XOX team and so I was dragged off to stand at the back of a crowd all dancing like it was 2002 to the band who made Busted go bust. To be honest I couldn’t even begin to attempt a review of the actual gig as I slumped into a reverie half way through and also escaped to the rotting stench of festival toilets but there is one stand out moment of the entire set. No, not the enthused rendition of “Five Colours in Her Hair” (the only song I actually knew) but the 60 year old man who stood near by. Whoever you are sir, I salute you. I thought when people spoke about McFly’s crossover appeal they spoke about the strict 14 year old girl contingent but this man was resplendence
itself in his orange t-shirt and cowboy hat and knew all the words without fail. To see this was a life affirming moment- youth isn’t confined to age, it seems. When his wife joined him I nearly cried. Their bond of marriage must have been strengthened by their McFly fan ship as they crooned “Obviously” together and jumped about gaily to that song that goes “It’s alllll about youuuuu, baby” (I’ve been told that it’s actually called “It’s All About You” as well). As the rainbow splash of pop washed over my head with its ineffable lack of meaning I watched that couple bathed in their rosy McFly glow and changed my opinion a little on the band. And no, I wasn’t on hallucinogenic drugs. I was very, very bored. But thanks McFly, you’ve affirmed life for me- I never thought you’d be the band to do that, either! Jade French
SUNDAY 2ND AUGUST 2009, VICTORIA PARK, GROVE RD, TOWER HAMLETS, LONDON E3, DOORS 11AM CONVERSEMUSIC.CO.UK STAGE THE PIGEON DETECTIVES, MYSTERY JETS, SANTIGOLD (EXCLUSIVE UK DATE), HADOUKEN!, THE CHAPMAN FAMILY, ROLO TOMASSI, LION CLUB ARTROCKER MAGAZINE STAGE PATRICK WOLF, THE HORRORS, GOLDEN SILVERS, THE WHIP, THE XX, FLASHGUNS, MARINA AND THE DIAMONDS, GOODSHOES, VIDEO NASTIES TOPMAN CTRL STAGE METRONOMY, LITTLE BOOTS, TINCHY STRYDER, TWO DOOR CINEMA CLUB, JME, ESSER, PLASTICIAN, PULL IN EMERGENCY, RUSKO, CASPA, LO-FI CULTURE SCENE, TOMB CREW YOUTH MUSIC STAGE LADYHAWKE, TOMMY SPARKS, THE TEMPER TRAP, KISSY SELL OUT, KID BRITISH, FIRST AID KIT RED BULL BEDROOM JAM STAGE BLOOD RED SHOES, SAVING AIMEE, MY PASSION, DISSOLVED IN, I HAUNT WIZARDS, NONE THE LESS, LYKES, DON BROCO MAOAM DJ TENT ADVENTURES IN THE BEETROOT DJS, BLOGGERS DELIGHT DJS, BUGGED OUT! DJS, FREDDIE SMITH (UK CC), MISS ODD KIDD DJ, SMASH AND GRAB DJS, WHITE HEAT DJS MUSIC SPACE STAGE MASTER SHORTIE, FLAMBOYANT BELLA, UNDERGROUND HEROES, THE ALFONZ, SOFT TOY EMERGENCY, BAN RAYS, SOCIAL OUTCAST, 5TH VANDETTA, BIGGA FISH, NAGA, MERCURIC, A TEAM ARTS/RAW TALENT, PURPLE SOCKS Ticket Price £26.50
Getting ready to launch their album on July 15th with a gig where they’ll be backed up by an Owen Pallet (Arcade Fire) arranged orchestra and Mark Ronson DJing for them - haven’t they come a long way. Also, sticking with our love for the ginger one, Charlie said that a girl told him he ‘sang like Mick Hucknall’ but his hearing must be affected by those loud gigs as everyone else thought she said ‘McCartney’ NOT Mick Hucknall Things we like right now..... Golden Silvers - ‘Amazingly tight and brilliant with really poppy songs’ pretty much sums up the music from Golden Silvers whose ability to jump from the 80s-tastic beats of “Arrows of Eros” to the heartfelt
crooning of “Another Universe” as well as fitting in wonderfully poetic lyrics on the side makes them seriously likeable. Flashman - George Macdonald Fraser’s cad of a hero ‘ like a 19th Century James Bond’ says Charlie Gorky’s Zygotic Mynci - “From the very start this band has been the one that united us” Euros Childs’s John Peel backed, Captain Beefheart influenced (enough cool namechecks for you yet?) they’ve been around since the early 90s with little commercial success. Members come and go to projects like Tystion, the first Welsh language rappers and we wonder why chart success evades them. Check out Poodle Rockin for a taster and a right good video
Adam and The Ants - If you’ve not seen Mr. Burgess doing his Adam and The Ants thang then get straight over to YouTube now....Carl Barat’s on it too. Anyway Charlie reckons Adam (or Stuart Goddard as his psychiatrist calls him ) “ just completely sounded like everything that I wanted from music.” Come Dine with Me - On down days at Same Teens Central it’s a toss up between this and Coach Trip and we sometimes settle for both. Tom “I spend hours watching TV on Sundays. Come Dine With Me now is on for like two and a half hours.”
Mask modeled and designed by Harriet Photography by moriphoto.co.uk
Available from the following outlets: See Tickets, seetickets.com, 0870 2643333 /Ticket Web, ticketweb.co.uk, 08444 771000/ticketline.co.uk 0871 4244444/lastminute.com/ gigantic.com/Rough Trade East, Dray Walk, Old Truman Brewery, 91 Brick Lane, London, E1,roughtrade.com, 020 7392 7788
Tickets strictly available only to those between 14 and 18 (including 18 year olds) Line up subject to change and not in order of appearance. Subject to license underagefestivals.com myspace.com/underage_club conversemusic.co.uk underage.youthmusic.org.uk/ myspace.com/topmanctrl
Highlights recorded for future broadcast on BBC Radio 1
Before the Isle of Wight Festival, I had never heard of Killing Joke. But seeing them there, I was blown away; their stage presence, and the fact that they can still draw a huge crowd after 30 years amazed me. During the electrifying Charlatans’ set that followed them, they were put to the back of my mind, but on the way back to my tent, Jaz Coleman’s words were ringing in my ears. He had spoken to the crowd between songs claiming, ‘This is a post consumer society; everybody now has nothing!’ It made me think about the way I live and the future of our society and our world. I think this is what makes Killing Joke so unique; they have the power change people’s lives and the way they can express anger and rage yet still sound beautiful is like no
other. They have always been surrounded by controversy because of the shocking imagery on the album covers including ‘Laugh? I Nearly Bought One’ with a priest walking among soldiers doing Fascist salutes.
them live] and I wanted something in my tent that meant something to me in the past and inspired me”. Although I hadn’t discovered Killing Joke before the festival, I certainly have now. As soon as I got Because of this, they never home, on the back from a really made it big in the recommendation from Tim mainstream, but that didn’t Burgess himself, I went out stop them gaining a huge fol- and bought their first, selflowing, with many fans still titled album, and their 5th totally dedicated even today. effort, called Night Time. Their most famous member is This album has many of Martin Glover, AKA Youth, their big hits like ‘Eightwho has gone on the produce ies’ and ‘Love Like Blood’, many well-known artists like and if anyone is wanting The Verve and The Futuresomewhere to start with heads. He is also one half of the band, I strongly advise electro-duo ‘The Fireman’ this album. I keep pressing with Paul McCartney. it on my friends, trying to get them to listen to it As a band, Killing Joke have because it will change their inspired many new bands, lives. including Tim Burgess, lead singer of the seminal rock band The Charlatans. He Words Ciara Hill recently told NME, “I was Pic Gem Bowles 14 years old [when I saw
GOOD ALBUMS, BAD ALBUMS, WHERE TO START, WHERE TO AVOID I first discovered Killing Joke when I was 19 whilst checking out records in music and video exchange in my home town of St Helier, Jersey. I picked out the 12” of the Turn To Red EP, The cover really grabbed me as it reminded me of the French film La Haine with the gritty council estate cover but with an infa-red two dimensional imagery. I played the first track and in came the synth intro, at first it reminded me of New Order but once the bass and drums kicked in, I knew it was far to fat and dirty to be compared to the clean sounds of new order! Straight away I was hooked! As much as I know they hated the clash, they reminded me of Joe Strummer fronting Public Image Limited metal box era, though Jaz Coleman struck me as a more in-depth character. I knew I had to find more of their stuff so I proceeded to get my hands on
anything I could. The album ‘Night Time’ was available in Woolworths on CD so that was next on my list! As soon as I played the first track just from the intro I knew this album was gonna blow me away! The title track begins with an intro of 80’s dark disco guitar hooks and lyrics “Bloodstains - night covering the crimes” the vocal power on this track is amazing! But it’s the stand out track and their biggest hit to date ‘Love Like Blood’ that makes me want to replay it again as soon as it finishes. The dynamics between the vocal and guitar is like a dream come true! Pure magic. I knew I had heard this before but I never knew who it was by, but always wanted it and now I had it. I knew as soon as I heard ‘Eighties’ that Kurt Cobain had definitely ripped off the guitar! But as Picasso once said “good artists borrow, great artist steal” Kurt probably said that with a wink ;) The next album I got was the debut Killing Joke as well as the 7” single
for Requiem! The Wait is a great stand out on the album, the progression is quite articulate but it’s the b-side to requiem ‘change’ that really does it for me! The bass line reminds me of knight rider and the vocal delay has totally inspired me with my own music. Outside The Gate was my next buy but this was where I felt a bit let down! None of the songs grabbed me! It was like they had lost the essence after writing what was to be there best album ‘night time’ an album which set the bar higher for other bands. Fire Dances is another key moment! Like the after math to ‘turns to red’ 2003 was ok but ‘night time’ will always blow me away! That was their greatest moment. The dark experimentation of their sound has paved the way for my band The Gaa Gaa’s and Jaz Coleman is one of music’s hidden gems. Long live Killing Joke! X
SUPPORT FROM HATCHAM SOCIAL September 2009 17 - San Diego,CA The Casbah 18 - Los Angeles,CA HenryFondaTheatre 20 - Chicago,IL Double Door 21 - Detroit,MI MagicStick 22 - London,ON London MusicHall 23 - Toronto,ON The Mod Club Theatre 24 - Montreal,QUE Les Saints 25 - Boston,MA Paradise Rock Club 26 - Brooklyn,NY MusicHall Of Williamsburg 27 - Philadelphia,PA Theatre Of Living Arts 28 - New York,NY Bowery Ballroom 30 - Hoboken,NJ Maxwell’s October 2009 2 - Baltimore,MD Ottobar 3 - Washington,DC BlackCat 4 - Asheville,NC The Orange Peel 5 - Atlanta,GA The Loft 6 - New Orleans,LA One Eyed Jacks 7 - Austin.TX The Parish 8 - Dallas,TX Granada Theater 12 - CostaMesa,CA The Detroit Bar 13 - Pomona,CA Glasshouse 14 - San Francisco,CA Bimbo‘s 365 Club
Buy now: One Night Only Trousers just $9! Oh and he plays harmonica for Paolo Nutini – + 100 cool points.
Powder blue, Miami Vice suit and winning smile – what more do you need? We particularly like the “tribute to Michael Jackson” shoes (R.I.P)
Taking tribal to a whole new level. Facial expression reads “Man, not another person asking for my photo”, but one hat on head and another hat in hand cries out the opposite. We particularly heart his slave ring.
2002 called and asked for their Arab scarf back. We should also mention that this one was found in a portaloo.
Mmm, short shorts and pasty pins. Always a winner. Topped off with catwalk model hands on hips pose and suddenly it’s love.
If you really want to accessorise to the full, pull off the pose and look really festival chic then stand next to a Biffa skip and leave a rotting banana skin at your feet. Such a hot look right now.
After slagging off C-Dog Church and informing us that Yes – his Strongbow headscarf and sweatband did indeed match his boxers we also realised his sunglasses approximated swimming goggles = winner!
Courtney? Kurt? Is that you? No – just a couple revamping the grunge look. The grey joggers and double denim look actually looks good on these two. Jealous!
Who needs clothes with legs like that. Summer diets starting now? Yeah.
Cute shoes and socks combo = ‘de rigeur’ at Isle of White festival.
“Hey, I know I’m going to go and watch Razorlight in my PJs.” Cool and comfortable in one fell swoop.
Ironic that a toilet sign is pointing straight at this guy’s paisley waistcoat.
Red flower in hair, faux-zebra print bag and near see through lacy dress. One word: Amazing!
Where do you start on this guy and his perfect pose? Just drink it in and enjoy.
Photography and Words Hannah Mort
whole 3 seconds before they launched into “America”.
The HorrorsIt could have been a touch and go moment, how would the Horrors blend their new material with the old? Would they still have the same ethereal stage presence? Would people appreciate it? It was a rhetorical nightmare. Thankfully, the Horrors seamlessly sashayed through their set with confidence. Further confirmation the set was good came because Samantha Morton was dancing and gave Forrest a big kiss on the forehead in appreciation for the set! Maximo Park Dub-step / Hip-hop DJ setNeed we say more? Good weatherHahaha Google Weather, it did not rain like you said it would. Although we
unnecessarily brought all our wellys with us and mini-panic attacks ensued over the lack of waterproof gear the sun shone on relentlessly and gloriously reminding us that you do enjoy things better in the good weather. It also reminded us that as members of the British public we can moan about anything. Sunburn = not good.
water bottles and gave us useful directions, told us some festival history as well as helping us during the mini wristband crisis on the Saturday.
RazorlightSurely 99% of the world holds the name Johnny Borrel in some sort of contempt, especially after the all Homemade cous-couswhite ensemble debacle but Saviour of hunger when you watching him prance about have £10 to your name at a the stage (thankfully in festival where the average price black skinny jeans) so I was of a burger is £7 surprised to enjoy their set. I was reminded of those great £4 Hotdoghits “Stumble and Fall” and Similar vein as above + free “Get it and Go”- sure, they ketchup and mustard. sound very similar and the lyrics get repetitive but that Nice Securityfirst album was pretty good. The guy on the Main Stage VIP We didn’t stay for the whole area deserves some recognition set but a sense of reminisas the NICEST security guard cence wafted over and felt we have ever met. He filled our nice even if it did last a
Red Arrow DisplayNow, I beg to differ. This wasn’t a surprise as much as a shock. I’ll admit the moment they drew a loveheart in red smoke was pretty sweet. When they first decided to fly over our heads with the loudest noise ever though (and made me scream) wasn’t pretty sweet at all. I, sadly, was in a minority and the majority of festival go-ers were in awe of their prowess in the sky. Sand StageA stage made of sand. It was an artistic feat of genius (although I bet their glad it didn’t rain- see point number three). Words Jade French
One Night Only (dicks)Getting their photo taken by a guy who was the spitting image of Ronaldo
The Red Arrows- Or blokes dressed as them getting all the girls
Fearne Cotton and Rufus HoundSamantha Mortonfeeling the “festival vibe” whilst Enjoying the Horrors and Forrest’s presence to the full in reading lines from massive cards being held up and saying the Big Top how “spontaneous” everyone was. Gavin Hensonw/out Charlotte Church reclining on a bench with a beer Kyle from the Viewclimbing over a fence Charlotte Churchw/out Gavin Henson walking Mick Hucknallalong dressed like she was go- Well, a photo of him but this ing to a wedding with “paps” was more than enough for Jade literally running backwards in and Forrest and Hannah! front of her to take a photo! Rosie Huntington Whiteley - Sitting around doing what models do best, with Tyronne Wood to boot.
EDITOR - JADE FRENCH DESIGN - RYAN DOYLE & MARC EDWARDS FASHION EDITOR - HANNAH MORT WWW.MYSPACE.COM/SAMETEENSMANCHESTER