Introduction
So Young is a magazine for music fans created by music fans. With its roots in fanzines from the punk era, it has developed into a collaboration between ar tists, writers and musicians of all levels. It’s not about who heard who first, it’s about documenting what is going on right now up and down the countr y and overseas in Pubs, Clubs and living rooms. In a time of disposable music and ar t, So Young is a printed publication providing an insight into the newest talents within illustration and music. With a community spirit we discuss with friends, bands and DJs the ever evolving roster of new ar tists paving the way for 2013 and beyond. Fully illustrated by new and contemporar y illustrators, So Young is free and with our limited print runs is an item to be treasured.
CONTENTS 7
SKATERS
17
Luv Luv Luv
11
Splashh
21
Dalston Calling
13
Wild Smiles
25
Club Psychedelia presents Temples
No Problem
Live Forever
Shed Rock
Luv is all you need
Happy New Year
Colours to Life
CONTENTS
27
Palma Violets
39
Swim Deep
33
Pale Seas
45
Filthy Boy
37
JAWS
50
Radio America
Views from Hampstead Heath
A Penguin called Palpatine
B - Town Youngers
Eamon vs Frankee
Put on your jimmy jammies
Small Tent Lurkers
June 2013
CONTENTS
CONTRIBUTORS A thank you to everyone who contributed to So Young.
Editors Design
Sam Ford
Illustrators
Josh Whettingsteel
Josh Whettingsteel
REN
Matthew Sid-Ahmad
Infinite Bound Mar ia Midtunn
Special thanks
Lucy Starling Tom Dyer Amber Bell
Daniel Clarke
12
Louise Byng
Contacts So Young Magazine
Josh Whettingsteel
www.soyoungmagazine.com soyoungmagazine@gmail.com
Art Director/Illustrator www.joshwhettingsteel.com joshwhettingsteel@live.com
SIDO
Graphic Designer
Matthew Sid-Ahmad
Sam Ford
Graphic Designer www.sido-design.com
www.soyoungmagazine. tumblr.com/
sido-design@live.co.uk
soyoungmagazine@gmail.com
A thank you to everyone who contributed to So Young.
Editor/Music Editor
SKATERS No Problem
Contrary to the name, the inspiration behind SKATERS doesn’t come in the shape of a board. It’s a cultural sense of youth and excitement that fights its way through in everything released to date, and while comparisons to The Strokes are understandably easy; they’re just plain New York lazy. Combining post-punk appreciation with an infectious full-of-punch chorus, SKATERS have created a sound that deserves individual recognition. With singles such as ‘I wanna dance (but I don’t know how)’ and a wardrobe the Beastie Boys would be proud of, you’d be naive to think it’s baseball caps alone that have caused their hype at SXSW this year.
7
No Problem
Illustration by Maria Midtunn
The New York five-piece have recently been signed to Warner Brothers Records following the success of their 2012 EP release ‘Schemers’. You only had to follow one SXSW attendee on Twitter to taste the impact of this band.
As a new band on the scene, obviously getting attention is very much down to playing live. Is it playing live that you enjoy the most or is it writing and creating songs in a new band?
With an album set to be released this year, we were very excited to speak to the lead singer Michael Ian Cummings about the success of the band, New York and the future.
I love playing shows but not as much as writing and recording recently. There is a lot more to learn recording. I already know how to wait around and drink beers all day.
SKATERS is definitely one of the bands we are most excited about this year, how did you guys get together? Josh had dated a close friend of mine for years but somehow we never crossed paths. We knew of each other but not much more than that. I finally met him on one debaucherous evening in LA and we had one of those ‘let’s move to NY and start a band’ type conversations which usually never pan out. Then one day when Noah and I were in NYC Josh called us and said ‘hey i’m flying in tomorrow’. He did. I thought he was a crazy person. That night he arrived we booked 3 shows with only 5 songs under our belt.
On the subject of reaching new fans and getting your music out there, how has the internet changed music since you’ve been involved and would you say it’s helped SKATERS success so far? Yes. When we recorded the first EP at my house we just put it up online for free and we got something like 8000 downloads maybe more... it’s crazy. It would be nice to get paid for your art but here we are, not gonna go down that road. Where we are based in the UK, we only ever hear of a small percentage of new bands and artists from the USA. How does the New York scene seem right now? New York certainly seems to be regarded as a creative hub within America, can you guys point out exactly what it is that creates this vibe? A belief in the idea that what you are creating now matters. Show people that this is important, real and valid and they will follow. What would make 2013 a success for SKATERS? 2013 is already a success in my book. We are recording a debut record at Electric Lady and
9
No Problem
“Misfits, Motley Crue, Journey, and TLC because I wanna see that bus burn.”
Speaking of touring, we’ve been asking the bands involved in this issue to dream up a tour bus dinner party/ piss-up. Which four people/ bands (dead or alive) would you invite? Anybody definitely not invited?
getting ready to tour the world, what more could you ask for? We can’t argue with that! With the release of your EP in 2012 and rumours of an album near completion, are there any touring stories you can share to make us LOL? Don’t hold back. Well, we’ve had one very crazy trip to London. Most of the details I can’t spill. But the night ended with a lot of injuries, all self-inflicted. (Holding back) let’s just say I’ll never look at Shoreditch the same way again.
SKATERS
Misfits, Motley Crue, Journey, and TLC because I wanna see that bus burn. What does 2013 have in store for SKATERS? Will we see you in the UK soon? We are finishing our record now which will be out in the summer. Look out for a few 7” singles before that too. Then we will be coming to the UK in May and festivals all summer. You’ll see a lot of us.
10
Illustration by Josh Whettingsteel
SPLASHH Live Forever
W
hen we talk about bands hailing from London and making waves within the city's various “scene creating” capitals, we don’t expect to hear of a band made up of an Aussie, two surf rockers from New Zealand and a sole flag bearer bassist from the UK. Where the Indie radio waves have been top to toe in dreamy, love fuelled shoegaze pop sounds, Splashh are here to shake things up and add some attitude to the equation.Splashh`s brand of Acid Punk has been around for a while, gaining their reputation alongside hype bands such as PEACE and Swim Deep, joining the latter on tour with Spector in late 2012. But this band bring something different. Where musically we find some similarity (with enough distorted surf vibes to swell Birmingham to its seams), in terms of attitude and vocals they do something maybe only a band from foreign shores could achieve. When you listen to singles “All I Wanna do”, “Vacation” and most recently released “Sun kissed bliss” you hear a gnarly vocal presence that holds hands with
the tougher, grittier side of the 1990s: yes, I'm talking Definitely Maybe, Knebworth and punch ups with the paparazzi! Splashh`s Australasian roots allow them to dispense of the stigma that gets attached to every other UK band that brings a Fred Perry polo, an exaggerated side burn or a swagger to their work, and lets an Oasis fuelled childhood create something nostalgic but unique. Where Birmingham is bringing the Love, Splashh have become the Big Smoke’s realists, recognising every young man’s desire to leave something behind and drink it all away. With rumours that out of date Visas have delayed their UK return and sparked a large US tour, you only need to visit the band's Soundcloud to realise its all gonna be worth the wait. The album is rumoured for a June release and I suggest we get up , dust ourselves down, get over the fact that our childhoods were more “Sonic the Hedgehog” than sonic youth, and let Splashh make all our problems disappear.
Words by Sam Ford
12
WILD SMILES Shed Rock
Wild Smiles have decided it’s time to show the people that if you’ve got the talent, drive and an undeniable sense of style in your sounds, then there are no barriers: It’s time for some NEXT HYPE shit. Brainchild of Chris Peden, Wild Smiles’ life began as a solo project within the confines of the shed, recording tunes for those who like some fuzz with their rock and heaps of garage with their surf. Following the orders of his first listeners (a group of friends), he decided to take the tunes out of the shed and into some live shows with a band made up of a friend (drums) and his brother (guitar) .Chris explains that the movement to take the music out of the wooden walls and onto the stage was simple.
13
He explains, “adapting for live was an easy process because Joe and Ben understand the music and are great musicians”. Whilst HMV and plenty of other businesses are suffering their own downfall due to their inability to capitalise their online presence, Wild Smiles couldn’t be more appreciative of the world wide web and the successes it can bring. Creating music in your bedroom, recording in the shed and getting it out to people via the internet is the blueprint of Wild Smiles’ success, adding “The internet has been the biggest helping hand so far - all
Words by Sam Ford
blogs have been really supportive and it gets my music out there.” So what do you get when you combine filthy surf garage rock, a shed, plus a heck of great feedback from countless online blogs? Well I’ll tell you, not only do you get your debut single release on Invada records, but you get the media attention that most can only dream of.
the Grabbing the attention of Radio 1 gods Zane Lowe and Rob da Bank and some priceless airtime upon the station, this has to be a situation beyond Chris’ wildest dreams. By describing these feats as merely a “great start” it seems Chris and Wild Smiles may have bigger things in mind, and it all begins with a tour up and down the country throughout March. We see plenty of bands come and go and more recently we have seen more bands who could well be here for the long run, but we were interested as to what a good measure for success is for a band such as Wild Smiles? Chris claims, “I would
Illustration by REN
www.drawren.com
class success as freedom to get to do this full time.” Wild Smiles are certainly expressing their creative freedom in their music, and if they apply the same attitude as last years work horse and cited influence Ty Seagall, there is a great chance that the filthy surf from the rainy shed could provide the full time dream. Check out Wild Smiles on facebook, soundcloud and their live shows across the country.
“I would class success as being able to do this full time”
The single is released 11th March on Invada records and is available on the ever popular 7” and we love it. Check out one half of the Double A side “Tangled Hair” on youtube now for what might be the most impressive music video creation made by iphone to date.
LUV LUV LUV Luv is all you need
LUV LUV LUV may not be the first three words that spring to mind when you think of independent record labels but they host and represent some familiar and soon to be very familiar names within the music industry today. Brain/Luv child of former Queen of Noize, Mairead Nash, Luv Luv Luv management and record label was born in 2010 and boasts the management of Florence and the Machine. Whilst releasing music of the future by Splashh, Gabriel Bruce and 2012 success story Spector. We spoke to Label manager Grania Howard for an insight into the label, what makes Luv
Luv Luv unique, it’s success so far and what the future holds for one of the UK’s most fun-loving labels. The beauty of an independent label appears to be not only the unique relationships they form with bands but the lack of pressure to achieve instant commercial success.
Words by Sam Ford, Illustration by Josh Whettingsteel
18
“Its really fu obviously, su and we bring in.” Did 2012 stand out as a successful year for Luv Luv Luv?
How does Luv Luv Luv measure success and at what point do you consider a band to have become successful? I think it’s quite difficult to measure success, but as long as we (Luv) and the bands are happy, on the same wave length and people are interested then I think we will be somewhere on the success measuring tape! For a lot of our bands, live is a big aspect, and if people are loving the shows, and they’re getting busier and busier then we’re very happy. Obviously people buying some records helps too!
I’d say so yep, we’ve found a lot of new bands that we really love, some of whom have gone on to do pretty well. The general vibe seems to be that labels want bands again. While 2012 was an indie success, do you find it harder to convince or keep bands now that majors are more interested? Luv love a band! But I think there are maybe two types of bands; ones that are suited to majors and their style of marketing and ones that aren’t and will remain cooler being on an indie label. So if some bands are suited to indie labels, what bands are suited to Luv Luv Luv? What do you look for in a band? I think having an identification is massively
19
Luv is all you need
un, uper relaxed g our dogs important, and to be comfortable in that identity, otherwise it just isn’t believable. It’s got to be the whole package I reckon.
Developing artists we have released in 2012 and finding the next ONE.
If you could have signed one band in your lifetime, who would it have been?
Whats the best thing about working for Luv Luv Luv?
Hhhhm, Nirvana maybe? Neil Young? Difficult.
It’s really fun, obviously, super relaxed and we bring our dogs in.
Who are the ones to watch for 2013? Right now I am listening to Bare Pale which I’m really enjoying. And on the pale tip there is also a duo called Pale who I really like. What’s the focus for Luv Luv Luv in 2013 and beyond?
LUV LUV LUV
20
Illustration by Daniel Clarke
DALSTON CALLING Happy New Year
T
he days of queueing for tickets in the pouring rain or even joining an indefinite online queue to see your favourite band have now been put on hold. When you’ve see a band like Splashh for free six days prior, you most certainly don’t pass up that opportunity again. Luckily for us it was the first of November and we all know what that means don’t we? No? Well it’s Japanese new year and to be honest, it was news to us too. However, this celebratory time of year presented us with the chance to experience round two of Splashh and get our first taste of PEACE. Oh yeah, and it was completely free! Sitting around on a Thursday afternoon with nothing else to do but watch your Twitter feed fill up with things you wish you were doing would normally sound dreadful, but this Thursday was different. The perks of having both Twitter and square eyes made themselves known: PEACE and Splashh told their well-respected fanbases they would be celebrating Fiji new Year and they wanted us, the fans, to fill up their guest lists. Hallelujah! After three minutes of determining how free I was that evening (very free), followed by a solid five minutes of emails and tweets to both
bands, So Young’s finest were on the guest list. In a normal world (and on a normal Thursday) if you had told me I’d leave for London at 5pm and wouldn’t arrive until after 9pm, I’d tell you to stick your Dalston trip with your Muse CDs. However this was Wolf Alice, Splashh and Peace. No ordinary Thursday at all. The ninety mile journey from Southampton to Dalston became a war between us and London’s top bully; traffic. Our armour consisted of nothing more than a Google Map print-out, some service station pork pies and half a pack of Wriggleys Extra. So as expected, So Young lost the war and arrived knowing full well Wolf Alice had been missed. We finally arrived in an area, although on the wrong side of the river, where Del Boy necking Marlene behind Boycee’s back outside Nelson Mandella House wouldn’t be a shocking sight. Only Fools and Horses jokes aside; we had arrived. We were guests of the band at the Victoria Inn and it was time to see Splashh and PEACE do their thing. Skipping past a wall of bouncers who were all made of pure anger and a rough childhood, our fear turned into excitement as Splashh broke out singles such as ‘Need it’, ‘All I wanna do’ and the ever-infectious
Words by Sam Ford
22
‘Vacation’. Splashh bring a nostalgia to the newly popular fuzzy surf rock sound that only a band with foreign roots could. You need to see them live, even if it’s just for the extended version of ‘Need it’ where they not only show they’ve got a great sound, but how solid they are as a band. ‘Vacation’ marked the end of the set. It was time for Splashh to jump off the stage and into the audience to make way for the headliners PEACE. Fighting through Dalston’s finest to get to the stage, frontman Harrison Koisser greeted the fun-time crowd in a skeleton onesie; an outfit choice which oddly matched the confused occasion. Powering through a set dominated by hits from the deservedly popular Delicious EP, Birmingham’s champion elect lived up to their hype. Whilst showing those watching live in Fiji how to party, the crowd favourite ‘California daze’ created a sing-a-long worthy of the Asian occasion. The single ‘Bloodshake’ brought the UK’s new year celebrations to a bouncing close with the boys from Splashh leading the way on the dance floor. The night was over and after an unwelcome game of ‘find a toilet without a queue in Dalston’ we were on our way back. Southampton-bound for 3am McFlurrys and a left over pork pie whilst writing letters of recommendation to try and become social media hussies and attend as many of our favourite band’s free gigs as possible! G’NIGHT!
23
Happy New Year
safariteam.tumblr.com
Illustration by Josh Whettingsteel
CLUB PSYCHEDELIA PRESENTS
TEMPLES Colours to Life
T
onight, Lennon’s dressing room has travelled back to 1969. Long hair, necklaces and a cigarette always in hand,Temples look like they’ve just been teleported in 2013 to bring the 60s essence back to life.The room is filled with incense smoke and empty bottles of beers,Temples are getting ready for their show. As the conversation starts, the picture I had imagined turns into reality.Temples make psychedelic music their way of life.Their band name bears the same mystery as their songs.Tom, the bassist, explains:“We wanted something that sounded sort of theatrical and spiritual, and also quite conscious, as this is the kind of music we are playing. It’s set around mystery.” Mystery, this word fits Temples. In fact, their songs remain quite mysterious.They haven’t released an EP nor an album yet, only a couple of songs, and if you want to lift the veil on Temples music, you have to see them live.“Psychedelic music is all about the experience of live music and we want to get established and get this across before releasing our record.”, says Tom. The psychedelic aesthetics are all around the band, in their way of talking, of behaving, and even in their artwork, but this is not the only thing that inspire them.They also bring in ancient images into their
artwork.“We’re big fans of a director called Kenneth Anger, and he made some films in the 70s, sort of spiritual imagery and some of his soundtracks are a big influence nd a starting point to this.We just think it’s an interesting mix to blend together.” Constantly exploring and looking for new ideas,Temples constantly push themselves forward. “We want to push ourselves creatively, and just progress, just not stick to - I can’t say stick to what we did on the first album, because we don’t have one yet - but we always push ourselves, we’re always recording.”, explains James, singer and guitarist.This process is made easier as they are recording at home. “There is something about recording at home, you’re not out of your comfort zone so you record a lot more.You can just have an idea, it’s one in the morning and you’re not paying for studio time so you can just plug some headphones and record something you got an idea with. I think it’s really free and it works for the kind of or kind of creative process, there is no limitation in that sense.” Temples know where they want to go, and how they want to do it.They have a single coming up in the next few months, and when talking about where they want to be in a year’s time, it’s easy:“have an album out, be recording the second one and gig as much as we can!”
Words by Coralie Pilté
26
PALMA VIOLETS Views from Hampstead Heath
From festival chancers to the most deservedly hyped band in the UK, meet Palma Violets! So why is it that we have fallen head-over-heels for another four Londoners with guitars in hand? It’s not because NME are standing tallest and proudest claiming to have found the NEXT big band and cannot go a week without mentioning the boys. It’s not because the forever wild, yet modest, bassist Chilli Jesson holds a distinct likeness to a certain David Beckham on the day he scored from 50 yards against Wimbledon
circa 1996. No! It’s because they’re fucking good. We, as did thousands of others, read that tiny article describing a small invite-only gig in the depths of Studio 180, portraying a band who had the world in their hands but no internet presence or demo evidence to prove why. So, just like hundreds of those thousands, we followed up the reading by visiting the Festival Republic stage at Reading Festival, ready to ride the wave of anticipation and expectation. When you turn up to a show and the first song
you’re greeted with is ‘Best of friends’, the only reaction you can really grace it with is to turn to your brother and say “OK, I think I’ve just seen my new favourite band”. Post-festival YouTubing consisted of that song only, until something concrete was released. Everything else I heard filtered into an intoxicated memory and the gig became pretty much just about that song. Since then the band have released what has been described to me by PV’s merch guy as a “Double A side, Palma Violets don’t do B sides”, which includes the arms-in-theair wiggle-your-fingers ‘Last of the summer wine’. Since the singles we’ve been graced with the fantastic album ‘180’. Rather than creating songs with self-righteous and repetitive chorus’, they have given us a taste of brilliance in three minute doses that you just want to lick up again, and again, and again. These are songs that take you on a journey, are for the journey, are for that alone time we all say we need and songs that you can only scream to with your pals. Luckily we’ve managed to get past Palma Violet’s town crier of choice (Harry Violent, AKA merch-guy-come-superstar) and speak to the boys ourselves!
Lets start with Palma Violet’s beginnings, how do you all know each other? Sam, Pete and Will knew each other from school and then at Reading Festival 2010 Chilli met Sam. Sam was singing Sweet Jane at a campfire and they struck up a friendship. About a year later out of frustration with other bands and their boring live shows, Chilli found 180 and then we knew we had our place.
“It was a lot of fun but the crowd definately weren’t amused.” We’ve heard of the mythical Studio 180, what can you tell us about it? It used to be a place where they used to educate train drivers. Now it’s a place for artists to hang. It’s also the album title, were there any other names in the running? Greatest Hits or Take Me Back. But 180 seemed more appropriate. Which do you prefer, writing and recording or playing live? They’re both fun elements of the band because they’re so different but definitely playing live.
31
Every band has a different approach to using the internet, how has it helped or hindered Palma Violets? The lack of using it helped us out massively. As we had nothing up, people came down to our gigs with no idea of how we sounded apart from the recommendations from friends which will always be better than a crappy recording or demo. Touring had clearly dominated the past year for Palma Violets, can you dig beneath the chaos and remember a best and worst gig so far? Well our best and worst gig was in the same hour at Sticky Mikes in Brighton. We had already played a show earlier that night and when it came to do this secret 2am gig no one was in their right mind. Everything went wrong
Views from Hampstead Heath
All Saints, it’s not a guilty pleasure. Palma Violets haven’t been on the road all their lives so what were the last paid jobs you did before the band took off? on stage. Sam got electrocuted by a dodgy microphone, all the amps stopped working and Pete decided to become lead singer for a bit. It was a lot of fun but the crowd definitely wasn’t amused. Are there any pre-gig rituals you can share? We form a human pyramid. Your music is very atmospheric and creates a lot of imagery, are there any places in particular that inspire you to write and play? 180, Hampstead Heath, the Imperial War Museum, there are many places but those are the main ones. You’ve been on the road for the NME awards tour this year, any special requests on your rider? Ha, whatever they decide to give us! Usually a bottle of spirits and plenty of beers, some fresh fruit and a lot of chocolate. Do you have any stories from the road that would make us LOL? Peter once got stuck up a tree in Billingshurst. We had to get the fire brigade to get him down.
Pete was on the dole, Will was a life guard, Chilli was a clothes salesman and Sam worked at the British Museum. How do Palma Violets measure success? At what point have the boys from Lambeth “made it”? The taste of sweat in the air during a live show and the tally of STDs at the end of a tour. Well, our main goal is to play for as long as we can so I guess if we were to make it then its when you start getting action figures of yourselves made. Who’d be invited to a PV tour bus dinner party and who’s definitely not invited? Invited; Mica of Micachu and the Shapes, Joseph Goebbels, Guy Fawkes, Syd Barrett, Fred Blood Royale (Fred Macpherson pre-Spector) Not invited: Roger Waters, Harry Styles, Fred Spector (Fred Macpherson in Spector) With a view to the future, who are Palma Violets tipping for success? Gabriel Bruce (check out singles ‘Perfect weather’ and ‘Cars not leaving’) And finally, what can we expect from Palma Violets in 2013 and beyond? Handsome men.
Is there a tour bus favorite, an influence on the band that may not be obvious, or a guilty pleasure?
Illustrations by Josh Whettingsteel
32
PALE SEAS A Penguin called Palpatine
When we spoke to Luv Luv Luv about their tips for 2013, label manager Grania Howard said there was something about the word “Pale” this year and one of our tips for 2013 cer tainly doesn’t disagree. 2012 saw Pale Seas release their first single (Bodies/My own mind) through communion records and we went and caught up with the band from London to talk 2013, penguins and the 90s.
Illustration by Louise Byng
First things first, how did Pale Seas form? Me, Jake and Bish were friends in college. We were in a band back then for a bit which was great because we were playing local shows to our friends all the time. Then we all went to uni and music got put on the back burner for a while. Jake got back in touch with us after a bit, having been writing loads of new music and introduced us to Zealah who became our drummer. We also got our friend Garrett involved for the first single, he does some guitar and vocals on ‘Something or Nothing’ and ‘Amour’ but had to go back to America, we miss him. We’ve mentioned the success of last year’s single release through Communion, but how does a band like Pale Seas measure it’s success? Are there any goals set? It’s weird because at the moment we’re doing things that we’d have considered “making it” at the very start like releasing singles and getting on the radio, but you end up getting used to all that and looking for the next step up. As long as we keep getting towards the next step up from wherever we are then I’m happy for now! Getting on Jools Holland would be pretty sweet too.
What do you enjoy most, writing or playing live? Both have elements which make them really exciting. Rehearsing a new idea for the first time and hearing it all come together and take shape is a lot of fun. Live is totally different and depends on so many things – the crowd, the sound, how much we’ve had to drink etc. But when it all feels good there’s nothing better than playing to an audience. Does the speed in which the internet allows you to reach listeners affect how you write and release songs? It doesn’t affect the writing of songs at all I don’t think, although we’d never written songs before the internet got massive so maybe it would. Writing always varies – some songs take time and experimentation to get right whereas ‘My Own Mind’, for example, came together within a couple of hours. I think the internet influences the releases quite a lot though, since both the singles we’ve released so far have only been available physically as very limited runs on vinyl, so most of the circulation has been online. Touring for Pale Seas has included a lot of headline dates as well as tours with bands such as Stornaway, do you have any road stories you can share that might make us LOL? We’re always doing stupid stuff. In Switzerland we pretended to be undercover spies and crawled around the hotel for ages before surrendering and handing ourselves in to the guy
at reception who just ignored us. Another time at End of the Road, Jake broke his finger trying to do a diving header on an inflatable penguin that provoked him. The penguin was called Palpatine and they kissed and made up once Jake got back from the medical tent. Besides this one, in what decade would you like to have been alive and playing music in or which time do you feel you’ve missed out on? For me it’s the ‘90s. Although I was alive for most of it I think there’s things you miss out on when you’re that young. I wasn’t aware of a lot of the music until I was older like Pavement, Ride, Neutral Milk Hotel and all the grunge, hip hop and shoegaze that was going on. It would have been cool to hear that music as it was first coming out as I think that helps you connect with it in ways you can’t when you’re listening retrospectively. I think in some cases maybe you’re already subliminally used to music if it’s been around all your life before you actually sit down and listen to it properly. The pop music back in the ‘90s was amazing as well, I still cling to some of those guilty pleasures but maybe I’m being sentimental. I also really wish I could properly remember Euro ‘96, those days must have been glorious. Your career so far seems to have moved slowly from London back to Southampton, is this true and was that the plan gig-wise or is it just how things have turned out? We’re a bit split between the two places at the moment with me and Zealah up in London and Jake and Bish in Southampton. We formed in
London and I think our first five or six shows must have been there, we didn’t play in our hometown until a few months in which is a bit backwards I suppose. The following we have in Southampton is so good, it’s made the home shows we’ve played some of our favourites ever. We got our friends up on stage at Lennon’s just before Christmas and it was chaos. Danny, our manager stole the mic off Jake I think. We love the Joiners too for so many reasons, it’s definitely up there with the best venues in the country and it’s a massive shame the trouble it’s in. What songs have you been listening to recently, any recommendations for those reading? My Bloody Valentine – Only Tomorrow The Brian Jonestown Massacre – Nevertheless DIIV – Doused Ariel Pink’s Haunted Graffiti – Only in My Dreams Unknown Mortal Orchestra – Swim and Sleep What can we expect from Pale Seas in 2013? It might seem like we’ve had a quiet start to the year but we’ve actually been really busy so far. We’re applying the finishing touches to what will be our debut album, which we spent January recording on the Isle of Wight. It’s really taking shape now so keep an eye out for that later in the year.
JAWS B -Town Youngers
I
ntroducing Birmingham’s latest and youngest offering from the depths of it’s indie-pop sea of talent: JAWS. Playing a live show combining early ‘90s shoegaze sounds, some fun synth and charmingly modest vocals, JAWS hold an identity true to their age and fans. If you’ve lost your beanie then you’re more than likely to find it wherever these guys are playing... but make sure you stick around for a set full of songs that are sure to make you dance and lyrics we can all relate to. We were lucky enough to speak to them just after they finished supporting Swim Deep on their first headline tour. Opening for one of Birmingham’s largest hype bands sounds a stressful ordeal but for JAWS it seems to have gone swimmingly. “It was insane, all the shows went off ”, lead singer Connor explains how these shows haven’t just been about the headliners. Maybe this should come as no surprise but not only are the UK’s small venues filled with Birmingham’s hottest new sounds, they bring a whole lotta love with them too. The mutual admiration bands such as JAWS, PEACE and Swim Deep have for each other is clear for all to see. Connor believes the best thing about
37
Birmingham is that “right now everyone knows each other and every one helps each other out, it’s cool.” And maybe it’s this willingness to share the love that has ensured these shows go off in such a big way. What is refreshing to see is that the band’s heads aren’t growing at the same rate as their music. We wanted to know what would have to be in their rider for them to feel like they’ve made it but Connor shrugged off the idea, “erm I’m not really sure, we’re still in that sort of limbo where we’re super lucky to even see a rider, so right now making it would be to have a rider”. The humble B-towners have since gone on to finish touring with Swim Deep and put together a tour of their own. We wanted to know the guilty pleasures on the tour bus but JAWS don’t believe in guilt, “there is no such thing as a guilty pleasure, we blasted ‘90s dance anthems for five days straight”. Well there you have it, JAWS are young, humble and most importantly they sound great. The JAWS ‘Milkshake’ EP was released on 12” vinyl in April this year.
Words by Sam Ford
image
www.joshwhettingsteel.com
SWIM DEEP Eamon vs Frankee
Swim Deep: a band at the forefront of Birmingham’s indie revolution with outfits to match.
had a little cry after while holding each other.
If Swim Deep haven’t stolen your eardrums quite yet then it’s likely they have at least stolen your Tumblr feed. The fan-girl favourites have created a baggy ‘90s frenzy with pop gems such as ‘Honey’, ‘The sea’ and their most recent release ‘She changes the weather’. Their album is set for a July release and we managed to speak to Cavan about the recent tour and how the summer is shaping up. The first headline tour, it must be pretty exciting playing so many sell-out shows! What has been your favourite experience of the tour so far? It’s been so amazing! Playing Birmingham Library was great, it felt like a real home show, we all
39
We were at the first night of the tour in Southampton, I think even we feared for your lives during that stage invasion! Did you expect such a positive response to these shows? No! I thought it was going to be a quiet night in at The Joiners but everyone was crazy, was a great way to start the tour. Are there any pet hates about touring with other bands or touring as a support band that you’re glad to be rid of for a while? We used to have to take it in turns to get drunk every night as we only got about seven beers, but now it’s a different story.
Eamon vs Frankee
Illustration by Infinite Bound
We’ve heard of bands demanding fresh exotic fruit, sushi and even Lotto scratch cards, are there any specific must-haves for Swim Deep before a show? We have to all have Cheesestrings otherwise we’re a mess. Also we make sure our tekky has a can of Coke with his name on; he’s a massive pop-guzzler.
I drunk lots of Gin in Birmingham and during our last song I had a little puke on stage, that’s pretty LOL right? The B-town scene has gained some deserved recognition of late, what’s the best thing about B-town outside of the music world? Mark Robinson (Zack’s dad).
Do you have any stories from the road so far that might make us LOL?
“we have to all have cheese strings otherwise were a mess.” 41
Eamon vs Frankee
“we were gonna call ourselves Oasis but our manager said it’s already taken so we went with Swim Deep.” I always find the naming of bands quite a fascinating thing as once a band is out there and popular you can never imagine them being called anything else, were there any other names under consideration or any crazy suggestions? We were gonna call ourselves Oasis but our manager said it’s already taken so we went with Swim Deep. Is there an influence or guilty pleasure across the band of which we may not pick-up directly from your songs? We’re all massive fans of the Vice City soundtrack due to our Grand Theft Auto addiction. That’s something you may not have picked up on... (Austin not included).
You’re the headline band and have the chance to host your own tour bus dinner party, who’s invited, dead or alive, and who’s definitely not invited? The Jackson 5, Tom Beal (Splashh bassist), Teddy Sheringham, Cara Delevingne and Harry Styles are all invited. Not on the list I’m gonna have to say, Ant and Dec. And finally, 2013 is definitely an exciting year for Swim Deep and fans alike, what can we expect from you guys this year? An album, break-up, reunion and Greatest Hits tour along with a Christmas number one!
Swim Deep
42
Cheesestring addictions, a Christmas number one and a potentially public attack on Ant and Dec are predicted this year for the band but here’s what So Young thought about Swim Deep on the first night of their tour. The show’s sold-out status wasn’t a surprise. Swim Deep’s laid back surf sound is riding the top of the wave of the indie-pop resurfacing in music right now, alongside fellow Birminghambased bands Peace and JAWS. The Joiners was surprisingly full for the first support band Lions Are Smarter Than I Am, which allowed the sound to ripple through a swaying crowd without being met by an awkward sober audience hovering around the bar. As the numbers rolled in, New Desert Blues, who have recently supported Peace, took to the stage and with their self-proclaimed ‘Noir Americana’ sound the soft hazy vibe kept the younger crowd mellow. JAWS spread a torrent of excitement through the crowd, in a way only the headliner usually can. As the buzz grew, the front began to chant their name while a number of people joined in with the betterknown singles such as ‘Toucan surf ’. Surprisingly the young band were genuinely touched by the crowd’s support. When Swim Deep’s frontman Austin Williams surfaced onto the stage to the interesting choice of ‘Fuck it’ by Eamon, dressed in a glittery long sleeved black top, you’d have been forgiven for mistaking him for Justin Hawkins;
43
a tall skinny guy sauntering around in feminine clothing. With their long sun-bleached hair, old band tees and checked shirts mixed with Austin’s glam rock vibes and a tie dyed bed sheet for their backdrop; Swim Deep certainly looked the part. After warming up with an unreleased track they really got the crowd going with ‘90s popreminiscent ‘Honey’ and the “ooh ooh baby’s” turning a rainy Southampton into a sun-drenched California. By ‘Beach justice’ a full-on mosh pit was in action. This was followed by Led Zeppelin’s ‘Down by the seaside’, which slowed the pace back down and allowed for variation within the set bringing energy in waves. Austin has the charisma and stage presence to rival even the most established frontmen. With no hint of nerves or stumbling that would be expected of such a young new band. Saving the newest single ‘The sea’ until near the end kept the crowd enthused throughout the previews of their new material. Ending the night on a high with the incredible ‘King city’ and inviting a fan to play tambourine resulted in the crowd washing up on the stage causing mayhem, a broken string and tumbling amps. Undeterred and after clearing the stage, Swim Deep successfully gave ‘King city’ another shot. Exiting the stage to ‘Fuck you right back’, by Eamon’s nemesis Frankee, took their opening full circle. Unfortunately for us, these intimate shows with Swim Deep will undoubtedly soon become a thing of the past.
Words by Sian Fardon
www.calumtorbett.com
“I wish we could play in the 40s. We’d be really ahead of our time.”
An interview with FILTHY BOY. . . .
FILTHY BOY Put on your jimmy jammies
We caught up with ex-housemate and one quar ter of Filthy Boy, Michael Morrissey to talk feature length biopics and the internet.
How did the band form? We’ve been friends since year 7 and started to pretend to be a band at the end of music GCSE. School ended and we kept on going. Briefly describe Filthy Boy… We’re four pasty white boys. With attitude. Which do you enjoy most, writing or playing live?
47
Playing live and doing a good gig is an incomparable feeling and so is finishing a song and being happy with it. They can be just as nervewracking and satisfying. Which bands/musicians would you like to collaborate or tour with? We’re playing with King Krule at the end of this short tour coming up and that’s gonna be interesting. We’re fans of his.
Put on your jimmy jammies
“We’re four pasty white boys. With attitude.” How has the internet helped or hindered your success so far?
Does the speed in which the internet allows you to reach listeners affect how you write and release songs? I don’t think it’s affected what we’ve written but we might have kept a stronger attachment to our older songs because of how people have enjoyed them and the feedback we get. It’s good to be aware of what people think of certain songs and it keeps you enthusiastic when you have to play songs you could otherwise be bored with.
Filthy Boy
It helps to be able to share easily and have direct contact with people who are interested but none of us are that great with being on Facebook so it’s quite hard to keep on top of. It’s a strange new obligation for bands to build their online fan base in terms of units but in a way I guess it’s the modern equivalent to posting flyers around. You have to be good at it. Uploading a song to BandCamp or Facebook isn’t the same as making demos and sending them to stations and labels. But for us it can’t have done anything but helped.
48
Do you have any road stories you can share with us that might make us LOL? We haven’t been on tour yet but gonna do some festivals this year and I’ll get back to you. I can make one up anyway. Once we all tried smack and five-somed with a roadie called Geoff. What is your favourite new band, and do you have any tips on bands to look out for in the future? We all somehow separately came across Mac Demarco. We all like him. We also love a band called Hot Head Show and a friend of ours called Jerkcurb. Besides this one, what decade would you like to have been alive and playing music in? I wish we could play in the ‘40s. We’d be really ahead of our time.
What are your views on the London music scene ? We’ve only ever really played in London and rarely go out of it. We can only imagine there are tighter communities of bands and punters in towns and counties. I always hear Manchester’s the place to be. What songs have you been listening to recently? Can’t speak for the others but these are mine. St. Vincent – The Strangers Mac Demarco – Cookin’ Up Something Good Dirty Projectors – About To Die Beach Boys – California Girls What can we expect from Filthy Boy in 2013? Festivals, Best Of album, feature-length biopic and comeback/reunion tour.
49
Put on your jimmy jammies
infinitebound.com
RADIO AMERICA Small Tent lurkers
Entering the Festival Republic tent at Reading festival last year, I watched the crowd become amazed by an absolutely mental frontman and his awesome band. Oberhofer were the first American band I had seen winning over the crowd and being digged by Britain’s small tent lurkers. They were raw, exciting and crazy, so what wasn’t to like? Perhaps I was late to the party, but in 2013 it seems we suddenly have an influx of American bands and they’re stirring a lot of hype. Bands such as Haim and FIDLAR & SKATERS have seamlessly slotted into the UK’s growing scene, building upon the platform of 2012 success stories Wild Nothing, Wavves, DIIV and Friends. Maybe this means we can stop clinging on to early Kings Of Leon? It certainly made the wait for The Strokes new album a bit easier. Besides, we can’t wait for The Killers to release a good record again, let’s be honest, it
will never happen. America is known as the land of hope and glory, and it’s certainly providing the hope! It’s new, it’s different and it’s bloody exciting if you’ll excuse my language. From where I’m sitting, it seems we’ve developed a fierce but romantic rivalry between the UK and the US, where each are loved mutually. There seems to be a certain togetherness that means we can forget the continental divide and just dig the new sound of 2013! Haim - Falling FIDLAR - No Waves SKATERS - Armed Teen Mom - I Wanna go out Bleached - Next Stop Drowners - Long Hair Fanzine - L.A.
Words by Jamie Ford
52
www.danielpatricklilley.co.uk
safariteam.tumblr.com