Issue Twenty-One
Squid Crack Cloud Amyl and The Sniffers Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever Just Mustard Crows
Festival season is upon us and as we cling on to memories
Dundalk’s Just Mustard quietly released their debut album
of Brighton’s The Great Escape we look forward to a
last year and since then the noise around them is only
summer of our favourite bands, tents and warm beverages.
getting louder, we chat to the band about how it all began.
Our twenty-first magazine welcomes Canadian Mixed
Back to London and back to old friends, The Rhythm
Media Collective and most exciting live band around,
Method. It’s certainly strange to think they’re only just
Crack Cloud to the cover. We jumped on the phone with
about to release their debut album, and as they prepare
Mohammad of the group to dig into their ethos. If you’ve
to do just that, we give them a call about the album and
not heard about Squid yet then we’re not sure where you’ve
their evolution. Pregoblin are one of South London’s most
been. We caught up with the UK’s busiest new band in a
exciting new prospects. After the success of their debut
Cardiff Wetherspoons to talk influences, working with Dan
single ‘Combustion’ we ask them about song writing
Carey and enjoying what you play. We head to another
conditions, living with Fat White Family and what’s to
‘spoons to catch up with Crows. The London band have
come. Pottery round off this issue’s interview features and
recently released their debut album via Joe talbot’s (Idles)
we chat to Partisan Records’ latest signings about the scene
label, Balley Records.
in Montreal, Canada.
Amyl and the Sniffers have enjoyed an incredible 18 months
Review features include a look forward to Latitude Festival
and off the back of their double EP release, Rough Trade
and as Black midi prepare to release their debut album at
Records have picked up the Australian band to release their
the end of June, we discuss their rise, their approach and
debut album. Staying in OZ, Rolling Blackouts Coastal
what’s next for the band. Who Are You? returns and this
Fever are another band taking some time out following
time we chat to Body Type, Doobie Fontaine, Do Nothing,
the success of their debut album, we jumped on the phone
The Wants, Deliluh and more.
with Guitarist and Vocalist Fran Keaney. Emerson Snowe rounds off a trio of exciting sounds from Australia. He’s just released his debut EP and we caught up with him in Glasgow. 27 Who Are You? Get to Know 3 Amyl and The Sniffers Gacked on Anger
30 Just Mustard Frank
6 The Rhythm Method How Would You Know I Was Lonely?
34 Emerson Snowe That’s Rock ‘n’ Roll
9 black midi Telekinetic
35 Crack Cloud The Next Fix
16 Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever Hope Downs
40 Pregoblin Combustion
20 Squid Houseplants
41 Crows Silver Tongues
25 Pottery The Craft
44 Latitude Festival Henham Park, Suffolk
Opposite, So Young Illustration Competition Winner, Naso Sasaki (The Ramones)
Amyl and The Sniffers Amyl and the Sniffers appear to be living the dream. For a
The process of it all was really smooth, we did one song
band with so many column inches devoted to deciphering
per day so I guess that element of the first EPs was in there,
exactly what influences have been blended to create
that’s the Amyl way of doing things. It was weird recording
their brand of snarling pub-punk, they appear wholly
not in a bedroom, but it was far from difficult.
unaffected. As critics chin-stroke, Amyl continue towards world domination. The shows are still violent and sweaty,
Speaking about the album more generally, could
the mullets remain, but the stages they inhabit only grow
you elaborate more widely on some of the ideas and
bigger. At the time of writing, their eponymous debut
processes that went into it?
album is about to be released worldwide, and it’s a cracker. Moving incrementally away from the pure DIY chaos
We wrote most of the album in a garage in Coburg in
of their previous EPs towards a more rounded sound (in
Melbourne, it took about a month to do it all. It was a big
part due to the production of Ross Orton, who did Arctic
union of all the influences we had at the time, from boogie
Monkeys’ AM), Amyl haven’t lost the grit that makes them
rock to contemporary punk and post punk as well, bit of
so brilliant, but have refined it- a necessary move, when
power pop and some metal as well. We played those songs
taking into account they’ve gone from playing backyard
for a year, got them super tight. Three of the songs were
shows in Melbourne to selling out headline shows across the
written about a month before recording, we jammed about
world in little over 2 years. A mercurial rise, certainly, but
three and of those six, three of them became full songs.
also one that’s never seemed in doubt. You’ve sort of ‘blown up’ now, for want of a better Hey guys! Last time we spoke was back in September
phrase. Has this change from DIY home-recordings to,
2018. What’s changed in the last eight months?
I dunno, supporting the Foo Fighters, changed the way you approach playing with the band?
Since then we’ve toured the US twice doing our own headline shows, recorded our first album, toured Australia,
I think we’ve sort of naturally progressed, we still have the
had some time off, did some modelling for Gucci, played
same approach to live shows as we always have, make them
SXSW and then toured a bit of the UK and Europe as well.
as fun and rowdy as possible. I think the song writing is a
Lots of partying between all that too.
lot more calculated now that we know there’s more than just our friends hearing the songs. People tell me that’s a good
I read somewhere that it’s now Ross Orton producing
thing but sometimes I see it as challenging.
your album [as opposed to Joey Walker and Eric Moore of King Gizzard] – how did this switch come about?
What does the rest of 2019 hold for Amyl and the Sniffers?
Rough Trade put us in contact with Ross, they made the introduction. It turned out we’d have some time in the UK
We’re back on the road for two months, June and July, our
to record so it fell into place nicely.
album comes out a week from the day I’m writing this. Hopefully from then on, it’s gold chains and Maserati’s ‘til
The album’s a brilliant one – quite subtle and refined
2020. Maybe write another album, maybe tour Australia,
in parts, but without losing the energy of your earlier
maybe get back overseas?
tapes. Has this been a difficult step to take?
3
Words by Dan Pare, illustration by Larissa Hoff
The Rhythm Method With The Rhythm Method, what you see is what you get,
But everyone is more focused on coming across as having
two young lads from London who wear their hearts on their
an act instead of being truly honest. There’s a real fear of
sleeves and aren’t afraid of showing it. Their debut record
admitting you don’t know now, you have to have an opinion
‘How Would You Know I Was Lonely?’ is the tangible
and you have to stick to that one, instead of admitting it’s
embodiment - a quintessential and pertinent album for 2019.
something you don’t really know and asking questions. It’s admitting your own faults as a human being.
You buried yourselves away for a fair while to craft the record, how do you feel the band has evolved since we
While you explore notions of anxiety and struggle, I get
last heard from you?
the impression there is always a notion of hopefulness within your music.
Joey: I don’t know if evolution is the word. We’ve changed, our perspective has changed in the last year. It’s been
Rowan: I think the thing with us is we never really attack
an emotional rollercoaster, we got to points where we
subjects head on. A lot of the songs we write, we never
questioned why we do this and that it could implode in a
make these explicit references but they sound like the era
way. But we battled through that and looked on the bright
we live in. That’s one of the great things about Joey’s lyrics,
side of things.
even though they could be funny or surreal, the serious or hopeful message as you put it comes through, and I like to
Rowan: I think as Joey said our philosophy hasn’t changed,
think I reflect that in the music as well, it comes through
we’re still trying to make each other laugh, that’s basically
without us ever saying it. It’s quite understated.
what it’s all about. But in terms of how we play the game, we should do and have to do it all ourselves. It’s really
What I love about your songwriting as a duo is the bond
exciting to think that we could create a new model dare I
you’ve formed and exhibit as a pair. Would you say this
say ourselves. There’s a lot of bands out there realising that
feeds into your music?
as well. Joey: I’d say first and foremost Rowan and I are very Joey, your lyricism has always been distinctive - fed by
different people, and the best way I can describe it is
personal experiences. It can’t go unmentioned that as a
that I’m a very catholic person and he’s a very British,
generation we need to be more open, would you say this
Protestant person - even though he’s not particularly
drives your own honesty?
Christian or anything. I think the way that’s sort of worked over the years in a productive way is quite strange really.
Joey: From the very start the idea was to be as honest
We’ll disagree on things but it’s always solved in a very
as possible because that’s where we thought we both set
pragmatic manner.
ourselves aside and would also connect with as many people as possible. At first we thought it was just for us, and then
Rowan: I think we’re both men that cry at the drop of a
we noticed that a lot of people connect with it. So that goes
hat as well, there’s a lot of sensitive, surface-level emotion
to show to me that communication is important, which
with us. We’re very easily moved to tears, and I think
seems bizarre. We live in a time where communication is
that’s where a lot of the sentimentality comes from. We’re
how the world goes round with social media.
sentimental old fools.
Words by Ross Jones, illustration by Ji Hyun Yu
6
So Young Illustration Competition 3rd Place, Joe Watson-Price (Dev Hynes0, opposite, 2nd Place, Ian Moore (Hotel Lux)
black midi Black midi’s story has been fabled enough to not be
During those nine hours I watched him slowly nibble away
overblown on these pages but it’s important to reiterate
at a 3-foot baguette whilst wearing an obtuse stetson hat.
the basics. Take four guys, straight outta Brit School, into
He really made that fucker last. I was in complete awe at
the open arms of Brixton’s Windmill courtesy of one Tim
the spectacle before me. At the end of the night, I decided to
Perry, the venue’s resident booker. An all round hero and
ask him, simply, why? His response? “It was 20p and lasted
boon to the underground music scene, Tim was the only guy
me the whole day.”
willing to give them their first gig - apparently the process of securing a debut show was a real struggle for the group.
This is when I truly understood Black Midi’s rationale
It’s a notion that seems almost laughable now as the band
- logic overrides everything. They do things that are
repeatedly sell out venues across the UK and as I’m sure
necessary and sometimes, so pragmatic, that people are
you’re aware, black midi performances have come to define
convinced there’s a mysterious veneer to peel back, an
them. A breeding, pulsating organism that usually work as
ironic secrecy that shrouds their entire being. What they’re
a blueprint for whatever sound they decide to manifest in
actually fuelled by is a matter-of-factness that ensures that
to next, each groove greases the wheel of the next, each
they keep moving forward, no obstacles allowed. I can’t
member part of their own inside joke as they move through
imagine black midi are particularly sentimental about
intense, sometimes uncomfortable, sometimes humorous
their music but I do also think they create it, inherently,
moods and tones that verge on the telekinetic.
for themselves. It’s less to do with emotion and more that there’s so much to create, that time can’t really be wasted
The members, bassist Cameron Picton, drummer Morgan
on redundant junctures. There’s a line in their latest release,
Simpson, guitarist Matt Kelvin and vocalist Geordie Greep
‘Talking Heads’, which states (or rather squalls), “I am
have become just as synonymous with their unconventional
indifferent, I have no interest, I do not care, I have no
live antics. For example, my first encounter with Geordie
interest,” which is the only time I think I’ve heard their
Greep was as bizarre as one might expect; Fred Perry were
lyrics reflect their mindset.
hosting an all day event at the 100 Club, an event which black midi had been asked to play. The event encompassed at least ten hours; I was there for a solid nine. So was Geordie.
9
Words by Harley Cassidy, illustration by Josh Whettingsteel
For a long time, only YouTube could offer sparse glimpses into their world, then ‘bmbmbm’ appeared, ticking on the Speedy Wunderground Soundcloud like a feral child. Their first proper release, it was another signifier that producer Dan Carey’s ear is more adept than most. A tetchy, ominous score pulverised by goblin screeches and a growing sense of self-destruction that leaves you breathless until the very end, ‘bmbmbm’ was the catalyst for an even larger scope of interest that next racked up nearly 250,000 views on a live KEXP video where viewers from all over the world throw as many music references in to a pot as possible - Slint, Can, Minutemen, Swans, Sonic Youth, King Crimson… it began to read like the start of a truly great noise rock compilation CD. The best part? None of them really summed up what you were witnessing and the comments arguing for and against were an entire thread of their own. Pockets of the music industry are still baffled at the meteoric rise of the band and the sheer word of mouth they generate. How can a band so newfangled, be so accessible? How could Rough Trade, home to indie luminaries like The Smiths and The Strokes give way to something so caustic? How have they allegedly bagged a six-figure publishing deal? Well, for one, think about how fucking bored everyone is with the cyclical nature of the industry. For a generation with the worst attention spans to date, I’m sure watching a stupidly tight, improv-based bunch of 18 year olds for no more than 25 minutes is probably quite exciting. It will certainly distract anyone from their smartphone, at the very least. It’s also extremely hard to ignore the brilliant technicality of black midi, whether you ‘get it’ or not. With manic time signatures and the kind of drummer who musicians could only dream of playing with, it’s with genuine intrigue and excitement that people will greet their debut release, ‘Schlagenheim’, on June 21st. No one can even predict what will happen next. I just hope they don’t lose their hearing.
11
black midi
So Young Illustration Competition 4th Place, Marta Giunipero (King Krule), opposite, 5th Place, Ryuta Endo (Girl Ray)
Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever The cusp of summer feels like the perfect time to put
It was originally going to just be one track but we ended up
Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever on the record player. As we
getting another one together so decided to put a last minute
dial vocalist and guitarist Fran Keaney, he’s enjoying some
seven inch out. I’m really glad we did because I really like
rare down time back home in Melbourne.
the artwork for it. The photo is actually of a tile in one of our kitchen’s but the first impression of it looks like some
There’s never much let up for this hard-working band, who,
tropical shallows.
instead of winding down are using a gap in touring to get stuck into their second full-length. “It’s nice to have a bit of
If you look closely you can see the cracks in the face of the
space,” he says, “We wrote a bit on the road but you need
tile. We’re all thrilled with the result.
a clear head and plenty of time to waste.” Having cruised into the hearts of listeners across the world last year with
It lives up to everything we expect from you guys, how
their debut album ‘Hope Downs’, now the idea is to recline
did the track come together?
and let the music work itself out. Fran continues, “At home the analytical side of the brain buggers off and you can feel
‘In The Capital’ has been around for a while actually. We
free to let thoughts flutter in and out, it’s a really healthy
recorded the bulk of that song when we did the album
process.”
but for a number of reasons it didn’t end up on the record because I wasn’t happy with the lyrics. It was a bit of a
They’re far from forcing anything, “You might waste a
loner and it didn’t really have any friends on the album. I
whole afternoon on a song that you’ll shelve three hours
kept working on it and had a breakthrough after I’d read
later but then a guitar line might emerge from it three days
a book by this Australian author called Gerald Murnane.
later that works.” Despite how it might seem from the
It really tied in with what I’d initially felt for the song
outside, not much has changed for the bunch since signing
which is a hard to describe feeling of connection despite
to Sub Pop and releasing a string of brilliant records.
distance. I came up with the melody for the song when I
“We’re just way busier,” Fran says, “We still juggle the
was swimming a few summers ago and came up with the top
band with our work like we did before but it’s all a bit more
line melody. At that time my nan had passed away and all
hectic. We’re not driving sports cars or anything, it’s just
these disparate sorts were coalescing in this general idea of
us as usual really and a lot of the songs in our band are
connection despite distance. It was already imbued with that
about working and looking out the window. If we were just
feeling but then after I read this book ‘Border Districts’ by
outside the window maybe we wouldn’t know what to talk
Gerald Murnane it seemed to have that same feel to it and
about.”
the lyrics came together quickly. So I re-did the vocals and the song was brought back to life.
You’ve dropped a great seven inch to bridge the gap to future material, how did that come about? It was just a case of putting some more songs out there really.
Words by Rhys Buchanan, illustration by Janice Chang
16
That track is a lot more enigmatic than your other
I love that people at your shows just dance to the guitar
material?
music, would you say that underpins your ethos?
Those songs are a bit more opaque than the rest of the
I really love that people dance to our music. It’s not really
album. I think the lyrics let the feeling of the melody hit
about looking at us, we’re just encouraging other people to
you a bit. That was my thinking for that song anyway, I
move and enjoy it. People dance in all manner of ways. I
felt like the song had already said what it needed to in the
also like seeing people who you wouldn’t think would move
melodies but it was just a case of finding the right words
to our music. That’s what I love about The Stone Roses, you
to emphasise that. It took me a while to get there but
get these big trojan football supporters singing these grand
eventually I solved that puzzle. The lyrics to ‘Read My
melodies, there are so many big units at their shows singing
Mind’ fit well with that as well. I think they both have a
along.
similar feel and it all works well. You wouldn’t normally see football fans sing flowery There’s a lot of you guys in the band to contribute, is it
choruses, I’ve always really liked the idea of playing floral
an interesting balance when it comes to the songwriting
pop songs to grown men and watching them dance.
process? Tell us a bit about your relationship with Sub Pop then? It’s something we’re tweaking and talking about a lot at the moment because we’re writing the next album and are
It’s a dream to be honest and it’s continued to be that way
a fair chunk of the way through. Sometimes somebody will
because they’re so supportive. They’ve believed in the band
have a small part of a song or a verse, chorus, lead melody
from day one and we couldn’t be more thrilled with the way
or even concept, then we add to it once we have a fully
that it’s been going. They feel like family. We’ve been to
formed idea. When we started it was a lot more like that.
the office in Seattle a few times and it still feels surreal to
A lot of our favourite songs are the ones that start with a
go there. I don’t think it will ever feel normal.
scrap of an idea that has been pulled apart and taken in another direction then recorded on a phone then picked
In terms of the new record, are you hoping to go at your
apart again and frankensteined into a song. The songs are
own pace?
just natural reflections of the five of us and our chemistry really. We could not have written those songs but for the
I think we’re eager to get something out as soon as we can.
five of us playing them together. Tracks like ‘French Press’,
The plan is to record in the back half of the year. We’re a
‘Clean Slate’, ‘Wither With You’ or ‘Mainland’. A lot of the
fair way along but the idea is that we’re going to finalise
songs on the new album have been a bit more aware of that
some lyrics and come up with a few ideas while we’re
process. We’ve been going in and letting the songs go. It’s
travelling. We’ll be playing a few new ones at the upcoming
been way more organic without sounding too cliché.
shows as well. The songs change so much when you play them live so we’re excited to get them out there.
Is it important for you not to overthink things then? Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever play the BBC Sounds I think so for sure. It’s better when accidents happen as
stage at Latitude Festival this year.
well. For example if a drumstick is dropped and the snare falls out for a few seconds then we’ll leave it out. Or at the start of the song ‘The Hammer’ there’s a false start and we decided to try and relearn that weird mistake. It’s those sort of things that we want to try and capture a bit more. It’s the same with the melodies and lyrics that just fall out of you, they’re the ones that we want to trap and keep hold of. It’s an inexact science and it can be a slow process but if we give it enough time then we’ll eventually catch a fish.
17
Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever
Edwin Burdis, courtesy VITRINE, London / Basel
Squid It’s been a whirlwind twelve months for Squid. From
But it’s either do that or drop two songs which we can’t
playing their first major festival set at Green Man, to now
really afford to do. It’s made us realise we’re really excited
having a full summer and beyond booked-up for 2019, the
about playing longer things if and when the time comes.
band are louder and more focused than ever before, whilst being all prepped for the release of their debut EP. We sat
I feel the EP finds a middle between the subtle pacing of
down outside a friendly local Wetherspoon in Cardiff with
‘Terrestrial Changeover Blues’ and the percussive drive
Ollie, Anton, Louis, Laurie and Arthur to discuss what lies
of ‘The Dial’ or ‘Houseplants’ - in terms of your writing,
ahead for this increasingly intriguing group.
do you feel you are conscious about your overall body of work and the way it grows?
Your EP that’s on the way is an expansive, considered and eclectic listen - full of esoteric turns and effortless
Ollie: I think the thing with stand-alone singles is you can
fluidity. Would you say this represents how you work
only try and be one thing. ‘Houseplants’ is a big, punky
as a group, with seamless and perhaps unspoken
tune and that’s it, but with the EP we’ve had the chance
unification?
to do ambient, punk and loads of different genres and put it under one thing which is what I think we’re really good
Anton: It’s not like we go through things without
at. But just doing stand-alone singles is a good way to be
discussion, we always have disagreements, but that’s
pigeonholed and having a coherent body of work is really
how you produce good things as a group, you have
exciting to us.
disagreements and you find the best way out of that. You need to have different opinions to make something
Arthur: We’re five voices, and if we were always shouting
interesting. We like working eclectically, bringing in a mix
and were really fast all the time we’d be unbearable people
of different things and trying not to keep things under one
to be with. We’re definitely not, we’re all very different
banner. Making sure that we don’t remain stagnant and
people and we all have a lot of different things to say a lot
always trying to introduce different things.
of the time. So I think naturally what comes out will always develop and will always be varied.
Ollie: It’s a nice stepping stone between lots of earlier stuff and the more energetic live show that we do and we’re
Anton: But I think it’s also too early for us to be thinking in
happy to have that. It’s the mixture of the jazzy elements
three years time we want to of done this and this. One of the
but with the post-punk edge to it. At the moment everything
most exciting things about being in Squid is I have no idea
is very directed by how our live set works, because we are
what type of music we are going to make next.
only given thirty minutes set time, so we play it like it’s a post-punk thing and blast it out, but I think it’ll be quite
Louis: I think when we recorded ‘The Dial’ with Dan
exciting when we get an hour set time so we can bring in
(Carey), and considered the energy we were able to capture
everything.
in actually working with him for the first time, I don’t think we’d have been able to assume that when we did our EP that
Anton: I think we all feel we are a bit desperate to do
A, we would’ve been doing it with him still, and B, that it
longer things and experiment. We always used to have gaps
would be something that was as much of a mix of different
in between our songs and mess around, there was a bit of
energies in the different tracks.
improv and it was more of a considered thing.
Words by Ross Jones, illustration by John Molesworth
20
It’s so great to work with him again because he’s proven
Anton: I don’t want to speak for other bands, but from
that he’s able to capture all these different sounds that we
our perspective, the lyrical point of view is mostly Ollie,
are wanting to put together. Listening back to it, it’s all very
then secondly Louis, then third it’s me. We use the voice
different, but there is a cohesion and it’s really nice to hear.
as just another instrument when we write things, people start making noises over what we write musically, that
I get the impression that once you found your sound
develops into sounds, then into words. I think that’s why it
you quite quickly began to expand on it, the personality
comes across as feeling as playful as the music sometimes,
and identity of the group becoming very much a
rather than the music serving the lyrics, it’s all part of one
whole concept rather than separate entities - was this
thing. But I will say that also lyrically some things don’t
important for you to be able to present?
seem cohesive, because when we’ve got three different lyricists sometimes we write separately and then throw them
Anton: That’s it, we want it to sound good and not a mess,
together.
and we do write with a listener in mind. It’s not like we’re just writing just for the sake of making music, we do
Your lyrics embrace this elusive surrealism while still
actually want to make music that people enjoy listening to
being laconic and wit-filled - I feel like it captures the
as well as ourselves. The main thing we are trying to do is
abrupt and anxious unknowing of modern life through
have a good time.
the characters you encounter?
Ollie: We throw a lot of stuff away, there’s a lot of stuff
Louis: Yeah it is and I think that stems in part from when
we’ve forgotten about. It happens very quickly, you are
Ollie puts together lyrics for a song we’ve been working
always writing and then you don’t even speak about it, you
on and then I add something on that might end up serving
just don’t play it again.
as a kind of chorus, there’s a dichotomy of meaning or theme. I think for any kind of thought that is slightly surreal
Louis: I think in a way that comes from us being more
that’s fair to say because it’s two streams of consciousness
disciplined and being aware of what we’re willing to drop.
going together, maybe directed at each other and slightly
If something doesn’t feel like its really enjoyable to play
conversational but often thematically quite different. So
then either that’s a point where we feel the need to develop
I think there is an almost intentional confusion that we’re
it and that could take a while or we’ll drop it until it feels
willing to put together two different lyrical approaches in
like the right time to bring it back again. I think that’s fair
the same song.
to say, with the live set especially. Anton: If you’ve got something to say that isn’t a lot of Anton: We all know eachother so well that we can sense
words and you can just do it then you don’t have to worry
when something is not working out.
about people getting in your way. I mean obviously if any of us were writing really crap lyrics then we’d be like “what
Laurie: We’re all from different musical backgrounds, we
are you doing?”
all know each other so well and we know we’re all good musicians, so we know when things work. Sometimes with
Ollie: I think there is a lot of pressure to be political in this
music it’s as simple as some things work and some things
current climate of bands, especially if you aren’t writing
don’t, and we all have a similar understanding of what that
about Brexit or a crisis or something.
is even though we all bring slightly different things to the table.
We probably find more inspiration in people like Limmy and Bob Mortimer.
I love how that sense of unification as a group feeds into the lyrics, it feels like sharing the duty gives your music
Squid play The Lake Stage at Latitude Festival this year.
this fuller picture of the narratives you are depicting, which some of your contemporaries can perhaps get lost in by being too focused?
21
Squid
Pottery Pottery have created a massive stir over the past few
Paul: We’re really just trying to please ourselves. When
months; earning the title and being labeled as one of
you keep listening to certain bands over and over, and you
Montreal’s most exciting new bands. With their dashing
get bored of it. You could just make music rather than of
Canadian charm, hint of British wit, and fierce energy, it’s
look for new music. We’re trying to make music to excite
easy to see why so many have begun to lust over these five
us! With psychedelia, we’re not trying to be psychedelic
lads. After much perseverance, Pottery have locked in a
but I think we all like that genre in general. We see things
deal with Royal Mountain (Canada) and Partisan Records
differently; being weird.
(ROW) for the recently released EP, ‘No.1’. The wait has paid off in the band’s favour as they continue to create a
Before properly releasing any music, you were opening
major buzz and attraction wherever they perform. I sat down
for acts such as Parquet Courts & Thee Oh Sees. Were
with Pottery whilst at The Great Escape to grab a much
these shows that you were able to book through your
needed caffeinated beverage and overdue catch-up.
connections in other groups?
How did the group of you come together to create
Jacob: For the Parquet Courts show, I sent an email to
Pottery?
them initially; they never got back to me. We then played a show for this promoter in Montreal called Greenland, and
Austin: When I moved to Montreal, I met Jacob
he really liked us and wanted to hook us up with another
[Shepanksy] on the first day. Jacob and Paul [Jacobs] knew
show. I asked “what about the Parquet Courts show?”, but
each other prior to that.
there wasn’t a budget for it. So we said “fuck it, we’ll play for free. We just want to play the show!” We ended up
Paul: Our friend Eddie told me about Austin as we were
playing the show, playing for free, we got a beer each, and
looking for a guitar player for my band. After I met Austin,
a few friends on guest list. We got on with the band really
he mentioned he needed a drummer for their shit. We just
well and they invited us to play a couple more shows the
started jamming together from there. We essentially met
following months. It worked out well!
through our bands. You’ve since received a co-release deal from Royal Can you tell us a little about the Montreal music scene...
Mountain & Partisan Records. What made these two
How does it vary from English speaking parts of
labels feel like the right fit for the band and the debut
Canada?
release?
Austin: A lot of DIY spaces closed down but now a lot of
Jacob: Royal Mountain is just a Canadian label. We signed
official spaces are opening up. It’s in a weird transition.
to Royal Mountain and shortly after; we were talking to
I think we mind our own business a lot. I don’t think we
a couple of US labels but things didn’t work out and the
really have too much to say about the actual scene itself.
people didn’t feel right. We ended up meeting a lot of the Partisan people and really got along with them. They’re the
Your sound and structure varies; you can go from
best. They aren’t just a record label; if we needed something
sounding psych rock to aggressive punk. Would you say
or if we were in a hard spot as a band, they wouldn’t say
this is a real statement to the personalities and creative
“Oh sorry we’re just a label!” They’d get in there and try
mindsets involved in Pottery?
and help out as much as they could.
25
Words by Sarah Morrison, illustration by Seba Cestaro
Dry Cleaning We’re called Dry Cleaning and we’re from South London. The music we play is post-punk with a slight Americana edge to it. It’s quite rocking but minimal with a mostlyspoken vocal. Can you tell us something that you collectively really love? Chicken nuggets. What can we be excited for over the next 12 months? Our first EP, ‘Sweet Princess’ is coming out soon. Then we’re doing a mini tour throughout August. Come and say hi. Dry Cleaning play The Alcove Stage at Latitude Festival this year. Body Type Hi, Sophie here! Body Type is myself, Georgia, Cecil and Annabel. Four lonely hearts who decided to start a club
Deliluh
band. Our music is honest and raw and the sound of us having the most fun we have ever had in our lives.
We all basically met through the DIY music community. I (Kyle) met Jude through tending bar at one of his former
Can you tell us the story behind one of your songs?
band’s shows (HSY). Erika’s old band (Mazola) played shows in a garage behind Jude’s house years ago, and also
‘Insomnia’ -a new song on our recent EP - is the result of
played at my apartment a few times. Julius met the lot of us
me moving to a seaside town south of Sydney, walking
after moving in with me through a recommendation from
along the beach absolutely in awe of the beauty of the
our friend Ami, and joined Deliluh soon afterwards. Erika
horizon and how it was making me feel. It’s something you
and Jude joined not long after that... Kinda complicated
don’t see often when you live somewhere built up, with
on paper, but we were all exposed to each others’ music
smoke and skyscrapers obscuring your view - but it’s so
through shows around town before playing together as a
healthy for the mind and soul to get that space every now
unit.
and then. So this song is a reminder to go and take a breath and stare into the infinite and think about beautiful things in
Can you tell us something that you collectively hate?
your life whenever you get the chance. Corporate involvement in DIY culture.
27
Dumb
The Wants
Hello we are called Dumb, we live in Vancouver BC Canada
We are The Wants from New York City, specifically
and we make a variety of rock music.
Bushwick, Brooklyn. Our music is a blend of danceable grooves, anxious energy, and emotional yet enigmatic
Can you tell us the story behind one of your songs?
lyrics. We use deceptively simple components that interlock like techno percussion and pop forms.
Ryan from Mint (our label) told us that if one of our songs got picked up by CBC it could pay for our entire album
What’s special about where you’re from? Has it inspired
in royalties, or something like that, so we wrote a song
your music?
called ‘CBC Radio 3’. It’s all about wholesome shit like acknowledging and confronting your reservations and
There is no city with more energy than New York. That
limitations, like not being able to get your song played on
energy can be intoxicating or excruciating; we do our best
CBC radio for example.
to channel it, but it’s always volatile. Our work is inspired by these extremes and the intensity and focus with which one must live every day here.
Do Nothing What’s special about where you’re from? Has it inspired your music? Nottingham has a super diverse scene where everyone gets along really well and supports each other a bunch. Because of that it doesn’t feel like a competition, which definitely helped us grow and improve. Can you tell us something that you collectively really love?
Doobie Fontaine
Breaking even on gigs is rare but enjoyable.
Doobie Fontaine is an alter ego; although as we know life imitates art. So Doobie Fontaine has found a sort of rebirth
Can you tell us something that you collectively hate?
as a revolving cast of musicians, centred around core four members. We’re from England, Australia and New Zealand.
Overpriced service station sandwiches.
We’re all currently based in London. The music we make is road music for a surf trip, or a fly fishing excursion, or a Stetson convention. But it’s also city music. It all exists within a wider slacker ambience. Can you tell us something that you collectively hate? Spending more on taxis getting to the gig than the gig pays us.
28
Just Mustard Hailing from Dundalk, Ireland, shoegaze rock quintet Just
We just had loads of songs that we liked and we all
Mustard are hot shit at the moment. After releasing their
collectively said that we listened to albums more so than
debut album ‘Wednesday’ last year, they’ve become one
EPs and so we were like “Let’s just do an album then!”.
of the most talked about new acts on the scene, with their
There were a few people maybe advising us not to do it
show at this year’s Great Escape festival resulting in queues
because no one knew who we were! But it was something
around the block to get in. Dropping their brand new AA-
we really wanted to do. I’m really happy we did! But it’s
side in May, the two tracks - ‘Frank’ and ‘October’ - show
strange. We released it in May last year and we got a review
different sides to the group, working as an exciting glimpse
in December! It’s strange as well because we’ve got new
into what they can achieve and what they’re hoping to do
songs that we want to be playing but people who really love
in the future. We had a chat with vocalist Katie Ball to find
the album are wondering where their favourite album tracks
out more.
are!
Going back to the beginning, how did you all meet?
What are you working on now?
We were all in the same social circle and we’re all from the
We’re working towards a second album, probably will
same town. It’s quite a musical town so most of my friends
be around early next year, but nothing set in stone yet,
would be in bands or have something to do with a band, so
and we’ve released a double A-side. We released ‘Frank’
we all just started hanging out and making music together.
which is more like the happy, light side to the sound and
We didn’t have a drummer and just had a few friends who
then ‘October’ is the darkest song. We play it last at every
were drummers helping us out at gigs, so we didn’t really
show and we really like the song. It’s quite a scary song,
start properly until Mags [Shane Maguire], our current
quite nightmarish. The vocals start really lullaby-like and
drummer, started playing with us and that was about two
then there’s like a wall of noise after which sounds like a
years ago.
nightmare. It ends on the guitars making a really loud noise for a really long time. If it happened for any longer it would
Was it pretty harmonious how you all saw yourselves as
be really awful. We cut it up at the right time! We end on
a band?
that because we were like “what song can we play after that?”.
It’s changed a lot over a while. When we started, we were still trying to figure out what we liked. We had similar
How have you grown from releasing your debut up to
influences so we were just playing music like our influences
now?
instead of taking inspiration from them and trying to create something different. It took a while to get to making music
Musically, we’ve just been gigging all year, I don’t
that we were actually proud of. I think the first time that
remember the last time we had a writing session, so it’s hard
happened was when we wrote ‘Pigs’, with the minimal
to know. Our sound checks last week turned more and more
drums and bass loop. I feel like we’re still changing and I
into jams because we’re just mad to get in the room and
feel like there could still be more changes.
write together. It’ll be interesting to get back into a room together and see how things have changed musically with
What made you want to put out ‘Wednesday’ when you
us. I’m looking forward to that.
did?
Words by Elly Watson, illustration by Rebeka Lukošus
30
www.edwinburdis.com
Courtesy VITRINE, London / Basel
Emerson Snowe Emerson Snowe is the moniker for Brisbane based
I don’t really look at them after I write them down, I just
songwriter, Jarrod Mahon. Infusing 80s synth pop hooks
put down the first thing that comes into my head - it always
with confessional lyrics, his new EP ‘That’s Rock ‘n’ Roll’
ends up being quite open and personal, as that’s the kind of
is both emotionally hard-hitting and sonically sublime.
person I am really. I couldn’t put something on and try to
The musician/visual artist chatted to us from his hotel in
make it look cool.
Glasgow about love songs and trusting his gut. In your writing you’re very open about your personal So everything seems like it’s getting pretty crazy for
struggles. Were you consciously subverting the stigma
you right now, the Emerson project is really picking up
that surrounds mental illness through your music?
momentum… With my mental health I can only talk from my perspective It’s really special that all this is happening. At the
of things, this is how I’m feeling - I’m up I’m down,
Birmingham show the other night, there were
constantly, y’know? There was a part of me that wanted
trans kids coming up to me and saying how much ‘Human’
my writing to be uplifting in a way. I really love how with
had resonated with them and it’s really beautiful. Most of
Brian Wilson’s stuff for The Beach Boys, the music is so
the time I’m like “no one cares, no one’s listening” and it’s
uplifting but unless you’re really listening to the words or
so easy to think that, but in reality there are always people
reading them you wouldn’t think too much on it. I do think
out there that are watching what you’re doing.
that people often think that [having mental illness] is about being sad all the time, but there are beautiful things out
When did you realise that the music you were writing
there and I think the music, especially with this E.P, is quite
was good?
representative of that.
It was around July 2016, and I went to my parent’s place
While only seven tracks long, the E.P has several long
and I picked up this nylon acoustic guitar that I learned to
songs, ’Our House’ and ‘Could You Love Me’ are so
play on when I was ten. I was like I’m actually going to sit
gorgeous. I’m interested to know, what draws you to the
down and do a song a day or something, see what happens
art of the love song?
and for the first time ever, when that first week was up I had seven tracks that all sounded similar, and that had never
I think all the songs on the E.P are love songs, even ‘If
happened for me before. I was like, “These songs actually
I Die..’, it’s a love song to life in a way. It’s probably
sound like one piece of music” so that’s when I started
something that comes from my fascination with french pop.
putting stuff up online. I wrote all the stuff for ‘That’s Rock
It’s not something I think of but everything comes out like
‘n’ Roll’ pretty much in those first two weeks.
that, maybe because it’s one of the few things I know or understand, like I don’t understand that many things in life
Do you tend to treat your songs like a journal?
but I know what love feels like and I know what caring for someone feels like, I think that’s one thing that I can really
Totally, it was all about like trusting my first instinct. With
talk about.
the lyrics the way that they come out they’re usually the first draft.
Words by Eleanor Philpot, illustration by Rafal Kwiczor
34
Crack Cloud Crack Cloud have just won The Great Escape. Criminally,
played some post rock and some black metal for a little bit,
this is the first time I’ve seen the band but I do so twice in
but always with a hint of some social political ideas and
one day to make up for it. Since releasing their two EP’s
philosophies. It was always kind of important that we were
in the LP format, the Canadian mixed media collective
telling our truths, our story. So when he (Zach) facilitated
have dominated most conversations when it comes to
Crack Cloud, which was a demo that he put together
new favourite bands. Live, it’s more a sonic maze than a
which was six songs that I think we deleted by accident,
journey, with every member adding a vocal role to their
that’s when I kinda noticed he was onto something. The
flawless playing, inflicting whiplash as you try to keep up
communities in Canada are pretty unique because everybody
with who’s doing what. As a collective they span to 20 or
revolves around each other and there’s a lot of crossover
so members, originating from various areas in Canada, but
between musicians and bands. When he put together the LP
as a live band they shrink to seven. Their early story has
which is the two EP’s, that was compiled by a whole bunch
been told plentifully, substance abuse and the recovery from
of different musicians who are friends of ours. And when I
those substances has been the catalyst for all things Crack
heard ‘Anchoring Point’ that’s when I was like, “I’m gonna
Cloud, and led by drummer and lead vocalist Zach Choy,
jump in on this now”. I realised that we wanted to make this
their two masterful post punk EP’s were born. Whilst on the
a multimedia project because we’d always worked on films
road in the UK, the band have released a new single titled
together, we made shorts and we are fans of cinema and
‘The Next Fix’, an early teaser that not only serves as a beat
storytelling with interesting narratives. It was important that
laden contrast to favourites such as ‘Drab Measure’, but
we mashed our minds together and with different people and
also the beginning of ‘Pain Olympics’, which we believe to
all the more unique artists we knew in our communities.
be the title of their debut album. Crack Cloud are an energy that strive to be more than a band, pushing boundaries,
So it seems that Crack Cloud is more an idea that people
neglecting the expected and welcoming the like minded.
can freely buy into as opposed to searching out a group
The collective appear to prioritise what’s around them,
to fill a role…
creativity and their relationships before any financial goal, and I jumped on the phone with Mohammad to talk it all
Because of how malleable our music scene felt, it just felt
out.
weird to create a band and say this is the band and these are the band members because it didn’t work that way. It
Take us to the beginning, or what you view as the
was easier for us to make music and shoot out ideas by
beginning of Crack Cloud…
collaboration without the intention of like, “oh this is an album we are going to make” and “oh this is an EP we
Roughly 2015, 2016, Zach Choy has kind of been the
are going to make”. It just kind of came to be. And Crack
founder of this whole project. He made a lot of basement
Cloud still kind of operates in a way where we are not really
tracks and bedroom tracks with a lot of sound exploration
looking to break into the industry or anything, we just want
and I think for the most part it was a way for him to learn
our music to be heard and if anything comes out of it, we
how to record track ideas. He’d always been very musical
know what we want to succeed in life. We want to feed our
and we’d played in lots of musical projects together since
family, feed our friends and to facilitate spaces where we
we were quite young. They were mostly like punk bands
can constantly be creative and use that creativity as a means
and then we followed the flow of what was trending at that
of healthy living.
moment,
35
Words by Sam Ford, illustration by Josh Whettingsteel
There seems to be a strong rejection of the term ‘band’
As a collective that was built upon personal recovery
and a heavy lean on the multimedia collective. Why is
and personal creativity, did you ever expect to be taking
that?
Crack Cloud and those debut EP’s into the world in a bigger capacity and how does that affect your creativity?
I was trying to make sense of the ‘band’ too and to me, and this is in my own words not anyone else from Crack Cloud,
I didn’t have any expectation and I think that helps our
I think the allure of what made a band special back in the
motivations. You know, sometimes I’m on the road and I’m
day is that you’d see a record and look at the cover and you
thinking, “I wish I was back home being creative” but we
see this world that they’ve created and you buy into that.
have now learnt different mechanisms to keep that creativity
You couldn’t just look up the guitarist’s name and look up
on the road, to keep working and communicating with
their latest tweet from yesterday which kind of destroys
people back home. I know we are going to play Roskilde
that illusion. I want to celebrate everyone’s individuality
in June, and the goal is to hopefully get some of the other
because we live in that world now and it’s hard to buy in
members to come out and put on a huge stage show and
and it feels too much like a capitalistic endeavour or a
show this project in different lights.
company as a ‘band’. I really want it to be fluid. The issue that’s obviously going to come with that is how you divide
So the growth of Crack Cloud welcomes in more of the
things but it’s all about communication and making sure
collective when it comes to performance?
that everyone’s needs are being met. Yes. We think about how all of these things will grow and This attitude and approach is quite unique, especially
we joke about how one day Zach will step out, I’ll take a
compared to the ‘band’ world in the UK…
step back and Zach’s younger brother will take over and start drumming, keeping it as the malleable, fluid, creative
It’s taking from a lot of other musical cultures, hip hop
outlet where people can come in and carry the torch. And
has a lot of crews and ensembles, everyone is represented.
trying to be you know, Meta about identity and people. As
Everyone has their moments. Sometimes someone might sit
I’m talking to you and explaining it to you now, I’m getting
out of a song and people await them, people look forward
your ideas you know. I think that’s what Crack Cloud is, it’s
to their individuality and what they might bring to the table.
a lot of talking, It’s a lot of arguing with each other, a lot of
Realistically I want this to put a magnifying glass to my
debate and then coming to terms to put it into something we
community, that’s kind of my goal and then hopefully all
are proud of.
the people who aren’t represented on our live stage will get their chance because they’ve been bustin’ their ass too. Speaking of those outside of the live set up, where else does Crack Cloud exist? To be honest, now, we are all pretty much situated on the west coast of Vancouver and everybody there that’s involved either has a really personal history with us or has just met us, like our motivations and they know our history and goals. I think they are attracted to that and I hope they feel that there’s a lot of creative liberation. All this other stuff that’s happening like going on tour is just the icing on the cake. We are lucky and we don’t take this for granted.
37
Crack Cloud
You’re touring off the back of the success of songs that
We needed Richard (Label Manager) as he’s put a lot of
were written the best part of 2 years ago (known strictly
faith in us. When he met us we were probably at our lowest.
as an LP and not an album), and as a collective who
When people were questioning our motivations you know
seems to be so forward thinking and ever evolving, do
and because of our history, you don’t make friends all the
you still have a connection with those songs?
time when youre getting fucked up. That’s something we have to own and redeem trust, he definitely saw us at a
Definitely have a connection as they feel timeless to me but
pretty low point but he was convinced by our motivations.
we are playing four new songs at the moment on this trip,
He took a risk with us and we are eternally grateful to him.
giving a tease of what’s around the corner. We really want this to be our magnum opus and to really kick start the idea
Crack Cloud strikes me as a project that’s led by
of what Crack Cloud is fully capable of. And hopefully
relationships and people ahead of an end product or
reach towards greater milestones. The narrative we are
ambition…
about to tell with ‘Pain Olympics’ is something that’s been formulating in our heads for over ten years, since I met
Without a doubt, even the text on my leather jacket (in
Zach. We are really excited to start dropping some of that
the video for ‘The Next Fix’) says “Nadam” which means
stuff soon.
repent and it’s just the idea of confessing your sins so you can take that weight off of your shoulders as we are going
You’ve just released ‘The Next Fix’ and it’s a departure
to be here for you. We wanna see striving communities, it’s
from the LP…
as simple as that. Bringing the best aspects of religion into our lifestyle without being dogmatic.
The way that we set out with Crack Cloud is that nothing that we make can be fit into one box and we don’t want to be stunted that way. I think that’s what’s going to make Crack Cloud, Crack Cloud. We don’t want people to know what to expect each time we drop a single. I was stressed up until two hours before we had to hand it (the video for ‘The Next Fix) in. I wish I could’ve expanded on it more because in the video there was so much sensitivity to the subject matter that it was actually draining. It was a hard thing to share and I didn’t know how people were going to digest it. Do the sounds of ‘The Next Fix’ represent a new immediate future or just confirmation that you shouldn’t think you know what’s coming? Yeah, don’t think you know what’s coming and it’s going to make sense in the album and it’s not going to seem like it’s out of place at all. We have another song and video done which is hopefully going to come next month. But we decided to subvert some expectation a little bit rather than go for the classic post punk sound and that’s the risk taking we want to take and it’s fulfilling. Your relationship with Coventry’s Meat Machine Records is fascinating and proves further how you’re willing to reject the industry and its norms…
www.joshwhettingsteel.com
38
Pregoblin Pregoblin was initially started two years ago, at the singer/
Many times I haven’t written it down, and forgotten it. It’s
songwriter, (and Jessica Winter’s uncle) John Lawrence
like that bit by Mitch Hedberg, about writing jokes. If you
Winter’s house, in his shed/studio in Brixton. The band
know it? He’s in bed, an idea comes, and he has to decide
then formed over a period of a year, with many different
whether its worth getting up to write it down. That’s me.
members. Since releasing their first single, ‘Combustion’
Then I bring it to Jessica Winter, and we record and write
we at So Young have been obsessed and thought we’d catch
them together, a lot of the writing happens in real time, we
up with former Fat Whites collaborator Alex Sebley to find
have something special.
out more. You wrote ‘Touch the Leather’, which is an era defining How would you describe Pregoblin?
song and definitely one of our favourites from the six years we’ve been running So Young. What were the
A nice idea.
circumstances in which you wrote that particular song?
The South London scene has flourished in the wake of
I was in Algeria with Lias and Nathan, we wrote it there. It
yours and your contemporaries’ initial critical acclaim
was originally about hot leather car seats.
and notoriety in Brixton. How do you feel about that scene, have you been around it at all?
It seems you’ve almost lived a parallel life to the Fat White Family. In and out of the band, living in the same
It’s pretty amazing. I remember when nobody was talking
area and living a particular lifestyle. The Fat Whites are
about South. It’s nice.
now seemingly living a cleaner lifestyle and taking the music a bit more seriously, which appears to be the
I’ve read about your taking of Pregabalin to get off
case with a lot of the South London old guard recently.
heroin. How did that transition and/or the use of
‘Combustion’ seems to lean this way but is it the time for
Pregabalin affect your songwriting and creativity?
clarity and a slightly clearer sound from you?
I did use pregablin initially to get off heroin, and at the time
I live with Nathan and Lias. We’ve all lived together off and
it was funny to call the band PREGOBLIN. The effects of
on over the years, and shared a lot. I was never in the FWF.
the drug do make you feel impish, and the name just stuck. I
I was in The Saudis.
can’t actually say that pregablin or any drug has ever helped me write any songs. I wrote the beginnings of ‘Combustion’
I wouldn’t really call myself the old guard, PREGOBLIN
when I was clean. And I take addiction seriously now, as it
only just started. After the Saudis, there was a period when
should be. And take a dim view of people who glamorise
I made no music. When I did start again, I knew I wanted to
drugs.
make something different. I think we did that. I wasn’t clean for most of it. So I can’t really say a cleaner sound was due
What conditions need to be present for you to write a
to a cleaner life style, it wasn’t.
song? What else can we expect from Pregoblin in 2019? I wish I knew. I’ve learnt to trust a process of nothing for ages, followed by something.
We have a new single coming out soon. Thank you.
Words and illustration by Josh Whettingsteel
40
Crows As anyone with an ear for the dark and the heavy knows,
It legitimises you, in a way. The album took so long to put
Crows have been a brilliant staple on the live circuit for
out because we were being dicked around by labels, and
around half a decade - without really gaining the recorded
our drummer had to move back to the US. Things became
success they’re probably due. Indeed, since the release of
more drawn out due to necessity, but we were gigging
2016’s ‘Unwelcome Light’ EP, lineup changes and label
throughout this period, so it wasn’t like people were going
frustration led to a quiet period release-wise, with the band
to completely forget about us.
admitting the period “felt a bit like banging our heads against a brick wall”, and even acknowledging “there were
Your album came out on Joe Talbot’s [Idles] label,
times we wanted to pack it all in”. But with the release
Balley Records. With Idles, they were plugging away
of brilliant first album ‘Silver Tongues’, Crows’ vision
for years until the penny finally dropped and the world
seems to have finally been vindicated. Showcasing both the
understood them. I feel their success has bled over into a
frenetic energy of their live set (indeed, several tracks from
lot of other bands, especially those of a heavier volition.
the album are re-recordings of older songs) – but also more
Why do you think this is?
forward-looking, expansive, almost shoegaze-y territory in the latter half, the album is a testament to what can be
Idles are so supportive of other bands. Touring with them,
achieved with sheer determination and uncompromising
they were literally shouting out bands for the crowd to listen
commitment to the sort of music they wanted to create. We
to in between songs. Going back to their success, as long as
met with Crows in a dark Wetherspoons on a sunny day, to
people are pissed off they’re always going to want heavier
chat about the album, the state of the world, and who the
music, some sort of angry sound to channel it through.
band would most like to punch in the face (Nigel Farage/
Especially with what’s going on in this country at the
“Someone people really love, like David Attenborough”).
moment, it’s prime time for this sort of reactionary, punk-y
.
music. It fluctuates in popularity, but it won’t go away.
The album’s been out for a couple of weeks now- how’s it Talking about the album more as a body of work; what
been received?
sort of ideas/ themes did you try and work into it? Really good, great. We had no idea how it was going to go because it’s been such a long time coming, and there was
Because we’ve written the album over the course of a
the worry people would no longer give a shit. The only bad
couple of years, there are so many different themes and
review we had was from some blogger, whose complaint
topics on it. It’s maybe different to other albums because
was that it didn’t sound the same the whole way through, so
we didn’t sit down and write it based around a cohesive set
wasn’t post-punk enough.
of things, but more collected the sum of our experiences over the last few years. There was also an element of trying
It was in 2016 that you put out your last EP- you talk
to broaden the spectrum of what we were playing. So
about worrying whether people still care, but the album
much music has been written that everything is going to be
feels like it’s been received on a much larger scale from
rehashing something that’s already been done, to the point
your previous work. Is this the case?
where it’s just trying to make a sound your own. In terms of the album, it’s really important to us that it sounds good as a
I think part of it is actually having an album out, it makes
fluid body of work, not just a selection of individual songs.
people think ‘oh, it’s all more serious now’.
41
Words by Dan Pare, illustration by REN
Latitude Festival As heat waves threaten and springtime showers keep our
As we scroll down the line up, that’s where our true
feet on the ground, it’s the perfect time to look forward to
highlights arrive, bands such as Crows, Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs
festival season and more specifically, Latitude. Henham
Pigs Pigs Pigs and The Murder Capital play the Sunrise
Park, Suffolk is where you’ll find the festival from the 18th-
arena and inject some healthy noise to the weekend. BBC
21st July, it boasts an eclectic line-up of radio darling pop
tastemaker, Huw Stephens takes over The Lake Stage once
and comedy. If you dig deeper, you’ll also find some of the
again to bring some of his favourite new artists to Latitude.
most exciting new bands around, many of which you’ll have
We can’t say we disagree with his choices as he invites
seen in our pages.
Black Country, New Road, Buzzard Buzzard Buzzard, Squid and Working Mens Club along to play. London’s primary
Main stage treatment has been given to godfather of the
independent promoters for new sounds, Bad Vibrations
London scene, Baxter Dury and he’ll be sure to use his
look after the lower realms of the line up but small print
early slot to bring the hits from recent album ‘Prince of
is rectified by big sounds. Be sure to catch Viagra Boys,
Tears’. The BBC Sounds App plays host to the second
Gently Tender and Dry Cleaning at The Alcove stage.
stage at Latitude this year and it’s here that you’ll find an influx of guitar bands. Over the three days the stage ranges
Latitude Festival tickets are available via their shop. Full
from indie legends, Primal Scream to Kent noise makers,
details upon their big poster on the left.
Slaves and London’s The Big Moon who begin their return to stages after some time away to write. Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever have had one hell of a year and turned up the excitement for their upcoming festival performances with the release of 7” single ‘In The Capital’. You’ll find the Australian five piece on the BBC Sounds stage too.
Words by Sam Ford, illustration by Josh Whettingsteel
44
So Young Illustration Competition 6th Place, Rachel Summers (Pulp), opposite, 7th Place, Nuria Just (Fat White Family)
So Young Illustration Competition 9th Place, Jolanda Jokinen (Haim), opposite, 8th Place, Mari Kinovych (Alabama Shakes)
So Young Illustration Competition 10th Place, Josie Sommer (The Ramones-Judy is a Punk), opposite, 11th Place, Sofia Figlie (Alabama Shakes). Previous spread, 12th Place, Steve Nelson (Sports Team)
So Young Illustration Competition 14th Place, Maria Frade (Beth Ditto), opposite, 13th Place, Alex Ram (Joy Division)
So Young Illustration Competition 15th Place, Kingston Poplar (Nirvana), opposite, 16th Place, Leanne Rule (Slaves)
So Young Illustration Competition 17th Place, Joshua Rush (Prince-Purple Rain), opposite, 18th Place, Stefanie Rohnisch (Beth Ditto)
So Young Illustration Competition 19th Place, Maria Teresa Lagana (Goat Girl)
So Young Illustration Competition, opposite, 20th Place, Vitoria Bas (The Beatles)
Editors
Sam Ford
Josh Whettingsteel Writers
Dan Pare
Ross Jones
Harley Cassidy
Rhys Buchanan Sarah Morrison Sam Ford
Elly Watson
Eleanor Philpot
Josh Whettingsteel Printed By
Ex Why Zed Email
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Artists Josh Whettingsteel Holly Whitaker Naso Sasaki Larissa Hoff Ji Hyun Yu Ian Moore Joseph Watson-Price Marta Giunipero Ryuta Endo Janice Chang Edwin Burdis John Molesworth Seba Cestaro Rebeka Lukosus Rafal Kwiczor REN Rachel Summers Nuria Just Mari Kinovych Jolanda Jokinen Josie Sommer Sofia Figlie Steve Nelson Alex Ram Maria Frade Kingston Poplar Leanne Rule Joshua Rush Stefanie Rohnisch Maria Teresa Lagana Vitoria Bas Darren Shaddick Photos for Collage April Arabella
Holly Whitaker
Jennilee Marigomen Benedicte Dacquin Art Direction
www.joshwhettingsteel.com Special Thanks Sam Craven Cal McRae Jamie Ford Ross Jones
Cameron West
Opposite, Stella Donnelly by Darren Shaddick
soyoungmagazine.bigcartel.com