Contents ba Cuba
4-5. Introducing Cu 06. Skindred 07. Noisettes
ote 08. Eastpak Antid
le
Tour & Deep Purp
Lostprophets 09. Billy Talent & 10. Biffy Clyro erview
sic Int 11. Accident Mu
als
Anim 13. Super Furry
For any queries please email:
aga-
info@soundscapem zine.com
you As always, thankPR’s, to all the bands, graoto ph d an writers this phers that made issue happen! r!
Happy New Yea SSM,
ul
s So 14. Devil Sold Hi
x
15. 3OH!3 s
ssion 16. Little Noise Se iew 17. Blackout Interv
iew
Interv 20. Flood of Red 24. Motorhead
on
Horiz 25. Bring Me The 26. Rise Against s 27. Taste Of Chao 28. White Lies 30. Paramore
pp
ny De 33. Gay For John iew 34. Valentine Interv
res, em Crooked Vultu : Chris Moyles, Th ws vie Re CD 9. erna36-3 JKLMNO, Exit Int in, Deaf Havana, ste mm Ra ro, Cly Biffy t Boy, Nural ue, Cartel, Fall Ou tional, Every Aven r, Ian Cook, -Z) Contributors (A e, Alex Brady, Jordan Brewe worth, Nadine Ballantyn a Sillitoe, Paul Tiny at Little nek An s, an Ev yle Paul Esp, Abbie ckout cover courtesy of Ha y Ed Townend - Bla rnes Photograph Press & Tom Ba
introducing Words: Alex Brady
Me Gusta Mucho Cuba Cuba There are times when I despair for the youth of today, with all their hoodies, ipods and what not, tainting a world that was once full of glorious top hats and Model-T Fords; saying that though, I have discovered a glimmering ray of hope for up and coming generations: Cuba Cuba. Morgan, Danny, Sion, Mike and Lewys have united to produce something rather special. “Tales from the Cabin” is a six track E.P which was brought to my attention some time ago and it’s taken me
a while to get around to writing a proper review, mostly because I wanted to keep the precious sounds to myself. The E.P opens up with “Somewhere”, a delicious track full of life, power and a quality of production some mainstream artists should look at investing in. Crystal clear vocals reminded me of a vast and dreamy blue sky; something very rare in Britain and always a delight to behold. “Fountains” does pretty much the same as “Somewhere,” but the energy
In The Know is pushed up another level. It also makes you realise that every track is going to be amazing and that there is something unique about what these young-uns can do. My favourite track has to be “Visualizer,” the harmonious cheering, roller-coaster guitar and gentle jingly-type sounds represents what this band is capable of at their best, only distilled for extra purity. Though when you step back and have a good listen, pretty much every track is an anthem, a quality I have only ever encountered with Angels and Airwaves. The no-nonsense vocals and backto-basics instruments throughout allow the best to come through from Cuba Cuba, rather than suffer what other bands do when they pollute their work with needless effects, guitar solos and power-vocals that make you want to slap the singer and remind them that it’s neither big nor clever. It is very rare that I like every track on an album, mostly because record labels try and fit a variety of sounds in to appeal to as many people as possible, but all this band does seems to be perfection. They are definitely an act to champion, this glorious E.P. hopefully starting them as they mean to go on, and if they get the success they deserve, we might have a music revolution on our hands
.
www.myspace.com/cubacubamusic
Lostprophets
Lostprophets have recently announced their new album ‘The Betrayed’ is to released January 18th. They also plan to release a second single January 4th titled ‘Where We Belong’ and to top it off a headliner tour to match! As the Afan Lido tragically burned down, look out for a new Welsh date soon!
New Venue !!! Having recently opened up, this institute offers a cafe, bar, live music, DJ’s and much more. Found in the heart of Cardiff expect it to be the new Buffalo Bar with such antics as Swn gigs, that ‘student vibe’ and that lego wall you’ve heard about! You can only expect the best in new music and promotion at this jaunty joint! - Cardiff Arts Institute, 29 Park Place, Cardiff, CF10 3BA
Getting Inked You tend to find a lot of tattoo studio’s come and go around Cardiff these days. This is another take over by new artist Anthony Osbourne - Marked For Greatness. If you’re not looking for the traditional tribal then have a nose in his studio quite strangely placed above the newsagents on Caroline Street aka ‘Chippy Lane’. soundscape 05
Skindred Plus:
Dead By April Karnivool Cardiff Solus October 11th
soundscape 06 Words&Photos: N.Ballantyne
First glances at the stage show a bunch of geezers who look like they’ve grouped together for more than musical reasons. They feel to have been randomly thrown onto this tour and at first listen it does seem take a while to sink in and get into. A strange vibe flows out from the singer who feels mature and up to the task to change the minds of the much younger audience he faces. A merge of 90’s rock, melodic vocals and Tool makes up Karnivool. Relaxing yet quite inspiring. It’s good to hearing something like this coming all the way from Australia. Dead By April spruce things up with their singer who strolls on feeling like he owns the place and blast straight into their fierce metal. As the set progresses on, more and more bodies seem to be digging these Swedish boys and so they should as they put on a fine show. I remember hearing Skindred on the radio years ago and thinking... ‘Who the hell are these guys, how can you even mix those music genres up’. Well, over the years, having stormed the press they’ve gone and proven me wrong and making quite a name for themselves. Skindred are on another level live, they’re just something that needs to be witnessed. With Benj’s comical chats with the crowd, whether it’s his own over contextual opinion or jokes galore, the kids are loving it. But it’s that fact that it is Benj who is the whole essence of the band, the one to watch and it makes you wonder if they’d be anywhere without him? 9/10
Live Reviews soundscape 07
Words&Photo: E.Townend
Noisettes ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Cardiff Student’s Union 15th October The amazing voice and character of Shingai Shoniwa sets Noisettes apart from most modern indie bands, that and their incredible fusion of funk, soul and outright pop. Kicking out with the incredibly well known ‘Don’t Upset The Rhythm’, the energy displayed by the whole band – not just bassist and singer Shingai. Originally a blues-punk
band (which explains the energy), they branched out to embrace soul in their second album ‘Wild Young Hearts’. The mixture of pop and a dark blues tinge creates an exciting new mix for the ear. Shingai scales a lit-up ladder during ‘Atticus’ amongst the plush stage setup which includes a massive disco-ball. They also showcase their talent through covers such
as The Killers’ ‘When We Were Young’ and T Rex’s ‘Children Of The Revolution’ as a finale. The punkier side of ‘Scratch Your Name’ is fresh and different, but what really excels is the newer songs such as ‘Wild Young Hearts’ and ‘Never Forget You’. Musically talented and with an electrifying and interesting live show, a definitely memorable night out. 8/10
Live Reviews Words: A.Sillitoe
Eastpak Antidote Tour ------------------------------Alexisonfire, Anti-Flag, Four Year Strong & The Ghost of a Thousand October 14th London Forum
Tonight’s crowd are rowdy and ready to go. The adrenaline is pumping through the kids and they’re launched into tonight when the first band come out. The Ghost of a Thousand are a bit of a let down tonight. Every time I’ve seen them in the past they’ve been fantastic, but tonight they just don’t seem on it. There were quite static and the audience seemed somewhat disinterested. Four Year Strong were not much better either. Just as static and lacking that kick that I would’ve expected all the band on the Eastpak Antidote Tour to have in abundance. Just when I thought all was starting to look lost for this tour, Anti-Flag took to the stage. And the dead in the room (myself included) were brought to life. They chatted animatedly between
songs, invoked chants and sing-alongs and made the kids in the mosh pit do what they were there to do. Their set was amazing and ended with something I’d never witnessed in the lifetime I’d been attending gigs. The band’s technician and drummer, Pat Thetic, grabbed the basics of his drum kit, climbed the barrier and sat himself down at his reformed basic kit in the middle of the kids. The whole last song was played from there. An amazing end, how would Alexisonfire follow? As amazing as Alexisonfire were, I still don’t think they quite made it to the started Anti-Flag set. They joked between songs; like they always do, the songs were sung out loud and proud by everyone in the room, everything from old hits such as “Accidents” all the way through to new tracks like “Young Cardinals”. If you haven’t checked out Alexsonfire live yet, where have you been! I suggest you do next time that they hit the UK. They’re amazing live and tonight was no different. 8/10
Deep Purple
------------------------------November 14th Hammersmith Apollo, London
Deep Purple... the room is full of the old and wrinkly and tattooed and yet I don’t mind one bit. The main support for this gig are a band called The Crave. They’re very rock and roll and appeal to the oldies here tonight and for once in a long while I feel VERY young at a gig (it’s a nice change). The Crave aren’t much to write home about though in terms of being unique and I find myself getting a bit bored by the end of their set. Then it’s time for Deep Purple and I was hoping for a wow factor that I just don’t get tonight. Everything is long winded and the band are so static you almost wonder if they’ve all got replacement hips already. I’ve seen old bands many a time before and they move but Deep Purple don’t! And that just outright pisses me off! They play all their greatest hits and the classics, obviously ‘Smoke on the Water’ and ‘Black Knight’, otherwise it was an overpriced birthday present for my mum and she even agreed (and this woman first saw this band when she was 16... she’s 61 now). If she thinks they were bad, I believe her. 6/10
Billy Talent Lostprophets ------------------------------November 1st Brixton Academy
As Canterbury finally leave after I feel like I’ve aged even further and Cancer Bats are up next. They start well, loud as ever. But when no mosh pit breaks out it becomes apparent that there’s not many people interested in them. I was one of the few that was, right up until that point and they seemed to just give up. They become one, big painful noise and it seems the other few that were interested also give up on them and head to the bar instead. When Billy Talent take to the stage it’s clear to see their hardcore fans are here tonight because immediately the mass sing-along begins. They play through all the old and new tracks, mixing up all 3 albums well. They cover my favourite tracks ‘Turn Your Back’, ‘Line and Sinker’ (I still like to close my eyes and picture Dr. Teeth and the Electric Mayhem, the muppets band, playing this song whilst I listen. Works a treat!) and finishing track ‘Red Flag’. All in all, Billy Talent made this gig amazing. 8/10
-------------------------------
Plus: The Blackout & The New 1920’s October 22nd London Forum
It’s an all Welsh themed night tonight. Starting things off are The New 1920’s. They’re alright, fairly lively and the songs are decent enough, but that’s about it. They don’t make my hair stand up on the back of my neck, they don’t make a tingle that runs right up my spine, just a nod here or there of my head or a random tap of my foot. Obviously some of the crowd here love them, but I wonder if they love them because they genuinely think they’re good or whether it’s because Lostprophets said to love them. And the same goes for the next band, The Blackout. Once named ‘Merthyr Tydfil’s finest’, I feel they hold the title well and their songs don’t just sound decent enough, (well in the case of most of their tracks, I could name a few I feel greatly underachieve on the writing side and seem a bit rushed out), they seem pretty damn amazing. There’s a nice mix of riffs and beats and screams and singing. Altogether it’s a joy to my
ears and the crowd are loving it. Dancing like crazy and hanging on vocalists Sean Smith and Gavin Butler’s words. It’s nothing new for a Blackout gig though and for me personally it’s all become a bit too textbook, there’s just no surprises anymore, but they do put on a show that newbies and most kids won’t forget. Lostprophets take to the stage and storm through an epic set and I’m now hanging off their every word. I feel like I’m a kid all over again with this band and it’s the only time I really truly enjoy that feeling. New songs give us a joyous taster of what’s to come with the new album, The Betrayed. They play all the hits, ‘Rooftops’, ‘Last Train Home’ and ‘Last Summer’. Everyone in the crowd is singing along and it’s wonderful. It goes mental when they hit into song Shinobi and rightly so, it’s old school, it’s classic and it’s heaven to anyone in the crowd who didn’t catch on with Liberation Transmission. But as usual they end their set with Burn Burn and that for me is always the song that makes me feel right at home listening to this band.. I feel amazed every time I see them. soundscape 09
Words&Photos: N.Ballantyne
soundscape 10
confront and plummet into the crowd. A cracking end to the set as ‘I punched a lion in the throat’ is the ultimate ender that all, even mums and dads sing along to.
Biffy Clyro Plus:
Pulled Apart By Horses The Computers Cardiff Uni October 25th
A
n unexpected surprise to start the gig off as The Computers walk onstage and not PABH as most thought. Unfortunately for tonight Manchester Orchestra aren’t playing which many feel disappointed at, especially as there is no way for this band to make up for them. Despite the frontman being in your face and all over the shop, at the end of the set it all sounded like a mess.
Pulled Apart By Horses are becoming familiar faces in the touring world, you’re bound to of heard something about them by now. For them to stroll on and get a cheer already shows promising signs for these Leeds lads, who in fairness deserve the praise as every show we’ve witnessed they have whole heartedly put in 100%. No gimmicks, just good ol’ rock n roll, catchy beats and a frontman who isn’t afraid to
Gazing at the lighting rig you do wonder what they’ve got install for you. The mic’s are placed evenly out onstage and a uni packed full of fans are too excited to wait any longer. 15 minutes late and these Glaswegian trio don’t hesitate to kick off their set in blazing style. Surprisingly, it only feels like recently this band have made it to the big time and considering they’ve been around since ‘95 it shows how dedicated the fans are by singing every track from old to new right back at them. Such a powerful and emotional experience it is to see this band in action, songs as ‘Machines’ really break down the night from their other harder and pacey tracks and help keeps the crowd engaged throughout. 9/10
Ac ci dent Mu sic Interview
Cardiff Barfly October 27th Tonight we catch one of Wales’s finest upcoming rock acts Accident Music, having formed from a barrage off old torn up bands, these four decided it’s time to move on from the past with a new voice and outlook on the music scene. Coming from a variety of backgrounds helps these lads perform together onstage, showing true showmanship and something that somewhat feels professional about them already. A striking set even if it’s to a pathetic turn out as most have ventured off to watch some loon play an acoustic guitar elsewhere. 10/10
----------------------Words: A.Sillitoe
When exactly did Accident Music get together? Chris: A year ago. This time last year exactly. Why the name Accident Music? Does it have any meaning to you? Chris: Not particularly. We didn’t have a name for a bit and we were like ‘Right before we start, we need to have things in place before we can do anything. We’ve
got a couple of songs, before we’ve gotta learn them all we need a name’. I was on the BBC website in work ‘cause it’s the only website I can look at in work because it’s all filtered... god this is the most boring story in the world. I was half reading about an accident that had happened nearby and half reading something about some shit band getting signed and one of my managers came over and was like, “what you looking at?” And the two tabs at
soundscape 11
the top said Accident Music. So I text them lot and we all sort of agreed on it because we were past caring by this point, we just wanted to play. So it’s nothing special, just two words stuck together. We know you’re a fairly new band, but are there any plans for releases in the near future? If so what are you planning to release, an EP or something bigger? Mike: A calendar featuring Chris in just his jacket. Chris: No, we’re gonna start tracking our first single shortly after we do the tour over the next two weeks. Then probably look to release early next year a single. Just because Biffy Clyro’s new album has just come out and ‘Mountains’ is on there and that song is like two years old, so you can use a single to tie you over for longer now. An EP is just a waste of songs. So we just gotta get singles out first, you’ve gotta have singles for albums. Is there anyone in particular you’d like to tour with? Chris: It’d be nice to tour with some decent bands. soundscape 12
Biffy Clyro I’d like to tour with. It would be epic to tour with Rammstein because they set themselves on fire with kettles and stuff. You feel like you’re out to cause some controversy, is that the look you’re going for? Chris: Not so much out to cause controversy. Five, Ten years ago local bands were all up for helping each other out and if you got somewhere, it was all well and good cause then you’d help everybody else out. But all the bands that sort of did get somewhere have turned their backs on everyone and are a bit like we’ll take our mates out and that’s about it and shit on everybody else. Then they’ll be in Kerrang and be all like “Oh yeah everybody from our home town hates us”. And the fact of the matter is they’re only where they are because other people helped them out and now they’re not willing to return the favour to other people which is fucking bollocks. So we just want to play as many shows as we can with as many bands as we can and people think it’s controversial helping people out unlike the people that don’t help people out then fair enough.
Mike: Good answer. Chris: Worse thing is, you’re trying to get onto a tour and it’s all corrupt! You’ve gotta pay to get onto a fucking tour 9 times out of 10. Moneys not the issue. You get the money together to try and buy on to one of your old mates fucking bands shows and they’re like ‘We haven’t got a say who the supports are.’ and then you’ll see two welsh bands they’ve taken out on tour with them four times before and they blatantly did have a say in it. We’re asking this question to everyone we interview. What era would you go back to if given the chance and why? Chris: 1994. so I can see the manics on the ‘Holy Bible’ tour. That’s simply it.
.
Mike: 10BC so I could party when Jesus was around... After this it kind of loses sense as everyone gets carried away with magic carpets, panning for gold with Billy the Kid and the dinosaurs! Find Accident Music on myspace at: www.myspace. com/listentoaccidentmusic
Super Furry Animals The Coal Exchange November 20th ------------------------------Of all the places in Wales you could have been on the 20th November, most would assume that the hottest ticket was for the Children In Need concert in The Millennium Centre. However, for a 1’000 strong tribe of Hometown Unicorn’s there was only one place on Earth that could fulfil their need for musical satisfaction. After closing down two years ago for major refurbishment, The Coal Exchange’s grand re-opening played host to a show entitled ‘Recreation’; a celebration of what would have been Creation Records 25th Anniversary next year. The venue was awash with beer and beards, but most of all Welsh pride, as the crowd were safe in the knowledge that they were about to experience a group of one of Wales’ proudest (if not quirkiest) sons: the Super Furry Animals. That was, of course, after the shameful excuse for a support act had finally left the stage. Despite his rock credentials,
soundscape 13
former Ride frontman Mark Gardener, and some guy called Adam, well and truly sucked every last drop of excitement out of the building. They were apparently playing some of Creation Records’ back-catalogue but it was hard to tell through their monotonous bleating if they were playing a well know classic or a self-penned splodge of soft rock. The chant of “S FA-okay, SUPER FURRY ANIMALS!” spread in pandemic proportions once “Adam Gardener” had left the stage, dragging the atmosphere back from their embarrassing embrace. Every so often, whilst the stage was being set, you saw a man with curly hair and a bobble-hat walk down the side of the hall, which quickly turned into a game of “Spot the Bobble-Hat Man”. As it goes, “Bobble-Hat Man” was actually Gruff Rhys, highlighting my naivety and the fact that I’d only listened to the band a whole two days previous. My shame aside, when Gruff and the gang came on (holding a totally unnecessary “Applause” sign), the crowd erupted. ‘Slow Life’ lead from the front, closely followed by ‘(Drawing) Rings Around the World’ and ‘Golden Retriever’, showing right from the beginning SFA’s innate abiity to create utterly
diverse songs but tie them to gether with the single thread of psychedelia. This running theme was projected onto the screen behind them, as every member of the set list was accompanied by MDMAzing visuals. Every song was filled with emotion, going through the pure rage of ‘Inaugural Trams’ (during which Gruff handed the mic over to a card-board cut out of Paul McCartney to deliver the German spit), body-swaying romance in the swooping ‘Juxtaposed With U’ and a fantastic rebellion in the anthemic ‘Man Don’t Give A F**k’. But it was ‘Crazy Naked Girls’ from their latest album ‘Dark Days/Light Years’ that caused the most mayhem. With its sexplicit lyrics and raunchy rhythms, it was impossible not to become drowned in the crowds’ chaotic thrashing of bodies. ‘Keeping the Cosmic Trigger Happy’ was the last hit to ring through the wooden-beamed confines, sounding like The Beatles being thrust into the 21st Century by a rocket of synths and riffs. It was at this moment that the entire room’s patriotism was realised in a hybrid of Welsh/English slurs of endearment, solidifying that this was a night to be proud of your roots. Words: A.Evans
Devil Sold His Soul Plus: Shaped By Fate
Clwb Ifor Bach November 6th -----------------------------Where there’s Shaped By Fate there’s bound to be trouble or a piggy back induced
pit. Locals show their faces at the front and prepare themselves to bring on the dancing (hardcore dancing that is) and let the force that is SBF start. A fair set from the lads, a
few new tracks slipped in and thoughts from the frontrow come off as ‘alright’. May take some listening to however, but nether the less, SBF shows are always frantic and full of mates ready to pummel the hell out of each other, even the singer Paul. They’re just one of the few metal bands still remaining around cardiff that are actually good at what they do and worth watching. Last time DSHS were in Cardiff, they played in the dingy underground venue that is Barfly, this time they’re taken a step up to Clwb and although being the same size takes on a whole new atmosphere. It feels like everyone here is intended to be here, not for the sake of it or planning to leave early at that matter, and as time passes on through their strobe lit only set you get a sense of the whole emotion that compiles with them as you watch intently. Their singer really pushes himself to deliver such strong vocals that coincide with hard riffs that’ll make your hairs stand on air. Tonight is purely not just about the music, it’s about the performance and love for music. 10/10
Words&Photos: N.Ballantyne
3OH!3 Millennium Music Hall November 2nd ------------------------------From when the first 3OH! 3 fans ran across the room to claim their place on the barrier, anybody could tell the atmosphere of inside the Cardiff millennium music halls was going to be crazy. The room began to buzz with excitement as the spaces on the floor quickly began to fill.
Eventually the audience grew restless and started chanting for their headlining act, making the famous hand gesture which so many of the fans had printed on their T - Shirts. The lights suddenly went and 3OH! 3 burst onstage to a sea of piercing screams. Nathaniel Motte and Sean Foreman are so energetic, bounding from one side of the stage to the that’s it’s impossible to know who or what to look at. 3OH! 3 are the kind of band that you don’t have to know their songs
Words: J.Brewer Photo: I.Cook
Electro rockers Bamboo Shoots from New York opened the show, their songs had amazingly dancy intros which got the crowd extremely hyped. “Let me see you wiggle” frontman Avir Mitra shouted, the crowd responded with ten times more. Bamboo Shoots much more than crowd pleasers. The crowd didn’t have a chance to recover and were kept moving by an epic DJ set from “I Make Dirty Love”. to be able to enjoy their live experience, as the show has so much crowd involvement, chanting, clapping and the beats of their songs are so intoxicating it’s impossible not to want to dance. The crowd seemed very impressed with 3OH! 3’s preview of their new song, and danced wildly despite having never heard it before. Their song “Chunk Change” and “Star-struck” stood out as the most intense songs on 3OH! 3’’s set making the
floor dip though the fans jumping. They took everything 3OH! 3 had to offer and chanted for an encore which of course was their UK top 40 hit “Don’t trust me”. They finished with a bang just had they had started. Whether or not you like 3OH 3’s catchy, American, electronic, rap-pop, there’s no way you can dispute the energy and sincerity of their live performances. soundscape 15
Little Noise Sessions MENCAP Featuring: Lostprophets, The Blackout, The King Blues & Egyptian Hiphop November 28th ----------------------------We get let into the chapel way before the gig starts and sit around for ages incredibly bored. Jo Whiley takes to the stage and says about the initial idea for this night. Then introduces Egyptian Hiphop. Frankly nobody has a clue, we clap a little (this journalist will try anything once). They begin and the room goes silent. No one wants to say it aloud but we’re all thinking it; these guys are awful. They’re dull, they haven’t said anything except to apologise when their second track goes wrong. We wait for the next band with forced smiles. The King Blues take to the stage and the singer starts with a poem and says “fuck” more times in a church in 10 minutes than I think that word has been uttered in soundscape 16
churches for the entirety of the churches life! Then they start to play and immediately there’s something different about them, the lead singer has a ukelele and I love ukeleles!. Their songs are upbeat and jolly and they make you want to smile. It’s totally different to Egyptian Hiphop and it’s fun! The Blackout are up next and they manage to play a lot of acoustic songs (more than I managed to work out that they could turn into acoustic tracks). It’s nice and calm for once and Im enjoying the change. All the songs sound just fantastic and I have to commend drummer Snoz Lawrence for totally having the best voice of the night for me. It’s flowing and beautiful and the set is nice until they play their last track and I feel like they’ve ruined it all slightly. Singing plugged in the line “This is the Blackout and you’ll find out it’s gonna come and take everything you love away” is horrible enough (I hate artists name dropping themselves into
their songs, with the exception of Limp Bizkit because all their songs that do that cannot be taken seriously), but to play it all soft and acoustic was horrible. My friend turned to me and went “that was not a good choice” and frankly I agree! Then it’s time for that band again, Lostprophets, the band that not only manage to amaze me as ever but lull me into a sense of security. They’re like my security blanket in this setting and the soft acoustic tones are absolutely beautiful. This band unplugged are better than most bands have ever been unplugged and I think an acoustic tour would not be a bad thing for them. But anyway, they stick to the slower songs from their catalogue and still manage to get in some jokes and all feels so awesome. It only gets better when they get a choir to help them out on a few tracks, including new single “Where We Belong” and it’s breathtaking. This gig I don’t think I will ever forget. 8/10
The Blackout
“We wanna put the Christmas lights on in Merthyr Tydfil..”
B
efore the gig we managed to grab singer Gavin and guitarist Matthew of The Blackout for a quick natter about the new year and what it holds for them.
---------------------------So at the start of next year you’ll be hitting the road for Rock magazine Kerrang!, what’s it like to be asked by magazines to play for them? Gavin: It’s really flattering because you don’t expect it. You read those magazines as a child and all the sudden you’re in them and you’re in
the front cover of them and then they’re asking you to play their tours. It’s amazing. Matthew: I think some amazing bands have done it for the last few years as well. So it’s privileged to be thrown in with them lot. Will there be anything special going on for the K! tour? Anything you’re planning to do? Any covers? Any songs with the other bands? Gavin: We are trying something, but we can’t tell what. Mainly for the London show I think it’s gonna be.
Matthew: It’s more like a show this time. Gavin: We’ve got a crew, we’ve got light designers, so it’s going to be a bigger show than all the ones we’ve done before. So hopefully it’s gonna be bigger and better. Matthew: We haven’t really done any lights since Kings College like 3 years ago, so it’s good to have that back. (Gavin promises us he’ll cartwheel at the London show of the K! Tour. If he doesn’t, he’s in trouble!) soundscape 17
What can we expect from The Blackout in 2010?
it takes to liven your crowds up?
Matthew: Probably writing and recording.
Gavin: We’ve found the bigger the band, the harder working the band, the nicer they’ll be. They’re more genuine. Just be approachable, make an effort. Even if we don’t like a bands music or it’s not our cuppa tea, if they’re nice and other people dig them we’ll take them on tour.
Gavin: We’re going to try and get back to Japan and then maybe try out Australia and see how that goes. But definitely writing new material towards the middle of the year. You’re playing a gig for charity MENCAP tonight at Union Chapel in Islington with Lostprophets, how did that come about? Gavin: Just turned up on our itinerary one day and I was like “What’s this? Oh we gotta learn acoustic songs... brilliant”. I think we were just asked. Someone knew someone who was like “Oh maybe The Blackout will be up for it” and we got asked and were like yeah let’s do this. It’s for charity as well, which is always cool and nice to do something different. Throws us out of our comfort zone and keeps us thinking all the time. We’ve never really done full acoustic shows. Matthew: We’ve done like 2 or 3 songs here or there, but that’s about it. Is there anyone The Blackout would be looking to take out on tour with them next time you guys hit the road in the UK for your own shows? Anything you’d like to suggest as a way to get to play with you guys to any bands out there who’d think they’ve got what
Matthew: All the bands we’ve ever asked to come on tour with us have been our friends really. Gavin: Even with the bands we’ve never met before we’ve been really lucky ‘cause they’ve all been amazing. We’ve been really lucky where we’ve always got on with other bands. Soundscape Magazines favourite question for our website: If given the chance, what era would you go back to and why? Gavin: To see the birth of the renaissance, oh there’s too many! Or just go back to the 1980’s. I’m gonna go with... 1870-1890, where drugs were rife through the UK. People were prescribed heroin to get over all sorts of things, cocaine was in soft drinks. I’m gonna go back there just to see if everyone is off their faces. I wouldn’t partake in any of this, I just wanna see if people are off their trolley. Matthew: I’m gonna go
back to the Middle Ages just so I can appreciate how good everything is now. Even though we all moan about it now. The new single is out... Some people have been asking, why have you changed the name of the song? Gavin: I think it was our radio people suggested it because people are idiots and can’t remember song titles, so they need a lyric from the song to remember what the song title is. What are your musical plans for after the single? When can we expect to see some funny videos on youtube of you guys in the studio for album number 3? Gavin: We’ve been really lax on the filming front of late because we thought we’d lost our camera. But then we were talking to Jay and Sean and we were like “We dunno where the camera is” and all the sudden they were like “Oh yeah it’s in our house”. So we haven’t been filming much, but we’ve got another single out probably to coincide with the Kerrang! Tour and I want to make a DVD. Matthew: We’ve got footage pretty much since the band started and when we used to tour in just a van. Loads of it’s on old VHS so it’s going to have to be converted.
.
Gavin: It’d be interesting to watch because sometimes you forget the things you do
soundscape 19
Quick Fire Round Top 3 new bands you guys would recommend to check out right now: Young Guns, Tiger Please, Revoka. Favourite thing to do on a day off: Sleep! Not travel anywhere! Do anything to keep you busy!
Words&Live Photo: A.Sillitoe Stock Photo: T.Barnes
Top 3 places you’ve visited whilst touring: Tokyo, Berlin, Koln! Best venue you’ve ever played: Astoria Wildest ambition for the band: We wanna put the
Christmas lights on in Merthyr Tydfil. One thing you have to have on the tour bus: A Driver! Worst bus mate: Pablo’s feet.
(That’s the sound guy!)
FLOOD OF RED INTERVIEW
B
efore their striking set at Barfly we caught up with guitarist Calum and keyboardist Dale for some serious and not so serious questions.Who knew they were so close to mother nature... What genre of music do you consider your work to be and what are your major influences? Dale: I’d say we’re... a rock band. Calum: Yeah, Alligator Rock and Roll. We’re just a pretty alternative rock band, we incorporate all sorts of genres into our music, and I think that’s a good thing that we can’t really put a name on our music style. Our influences? Um, gosh, when we were all younger we listened to bands like Alexisonfire, Thursday, Refused, Trail of the Dead, and Hell is for Heroes. But certainly now, all six of us listen to so many different things it’s hard to pin one band as a musical influence. I think we all take musical influence from like life itself. I know Jordan lyrically does, like when we wrote our album we were all going through some personal struggles and I think you can hear it in our record, that there’s a definite melancholy to it. So I think it’s totally personal. And I mean, there’s so many bands we’ll listen to and just go, that’s such a good song, I wish we could write a song like that, but we’re not plagiarists though. We try to stay as original and we try to be as honest in our music as we can be. What made you decide to make an album teaser video? Dale: That was just a promotional idea, just something extra, sort of like an advert
that people can watch and enjoy. It’s got the first track of the album on it as well. Calum: It was our friend Steven Hill, we work really closely with him on a lot of the artwork that we do for our flyers and merchandise and literally two weeks ago he phoned me up and was just like ‘I’v got this idea just to make like a video as a teaser for the record. Is this cool if we do it tomorrow or whatever when you guys get home’, and we were just like yeah, sure. So we just walked around Glasgow and filmed a whole bunch of different things from just the idea that he had. D: In just a couple of hours. C: Yeah, it was made that night. We’re probably gonna make a few more actually, when we get home. I’ve got an idea for one, I think Steven has some more ideas. Why did you release your album early for only a dollar? Calum: It was honestly just a promotional thing. We run our own record label and so we can more or less kind of do what we want. For a band like us, who aren’t like a big band, we don’t have a major label backing us. It’s us and a few other people that work at our record label. We’re trying to save money and making CD’s, trying to get them out into shops and promoting the album in magazines. It’s all fair and well, but you know for a band our size it just might not work and that’ll be wasted money. In the last three or four years alone the music industry’s changed so much. Our music is just gonna be free. We could release a record in the shops and people would download it anyway. So it was an
Words: Anneka Sillitoe
idea that we had talked about, if we just made it available for like a pound or a dollar or something as a digital download, it would draw attention to it because people would be like wow it’s really cheap and you’re getting fourteen tracks for the price of a chocolate bar. It was really just an idea that we had and we were just like yeah, hell let’s do it, let’s actually just make it available for a dollar as a digital download before the actual release, just to hopefully get people’s attention. A lot of people think they can’t download it because it’s a dollar but that’s just
because of the company that we’re working with, it’s an American company. Why has your sound changed so much since the EP? Dale: I guess it’s just been a natural progression. We’ve not really recorded or released anything apart from An Hour Away since the EP so it’s been a huge gap. No one’s heard how we’ve changed so everyone thinks it was a sudden change but it’s just been natural. Calum: There’s more or less been two years of music that we’ve been writing since our last release. D: A few of the songs on the album we’ve actually had since just after Lost in the Light was released.
soundscape 21
C: The thing about Lost in the Light is that it was released February 2007, and those songs were already two years old. When you’re in a band it’s all cool to play older songs and stuff that you love but for us when we write a song, every song we write we want to be better than the one we wrote before that and so we’re constantly just trying to push ourselves. And it’s just a natural progression. We’ve always had a lot of melody in our music and it’s always been aggressive. I think if anything it’s just us growing up as people and actually learning how to play our instruments and learning how to write music. I guess on paper it looks like it’s a massive, massive change, but for us it’s just another day. D: The main thing now though, is we’re writing songs that we actually all love and would all listen to rather than just playing songs that we think the kids would like. C: When we were younger it was just like, ‘right, let’s put in a breakdown here because that’d be cool, the crowd’ll like jump up and down, and we’ll have a really fast bit, where we can jump around on stage too’. Has anything really surreal ever happened to you whilst on tour? Calum: God yes, it really has. I cupped Mother Nature’s breast the other night, it was ridiculous. And I know you’re just like, ok... this guy’s fucking weird. This was our tour manager’s fault, we were driving on the motorway at like four o clock in the morning and he rolled his window down, stuck his hand out and he went ‘oh you know if you curve your hand it feels like a boob’. And we were just like what?! So we’re all hanging out the side of the van with our hands with like eighty mile per hour wind going ‘yeah it’s kinda
almost like a boob, it’s like Mother Nature’s windy boob’. That was very surreal, I never thought I’d get that close to nature. Every day’s surreal, I look at touring as one of the most surreal things ever. When I was fifteen this was a dream for me, and now it’s my actual job. I never in a million years thought that we would exceed our expectations from when we were younger. It’s just crazy that every day I have new goals and new dreams about what’s gonna happen to us in the future. It’s mind blowing that this is what I actually do for a job, it’s so much fun. Dale: I feel kinda guilty that I don’t work nine to five... C: There have been some really surreal moments, like when Charlie Simpson lifted me up and put me on his shoulders once. I also high fived Bruce Dickinson the first time we played Download Festival. And then a week later Bruce Dickinson’s on his radio show talking about us, playing Flood of Red and it was one of the older songs off our EP Our House is a Fish Tank and he started talking about his cat going ‘I’ve got a cat and he tries to get the fish out of the fish tank all the time. Flood of Red remind me of my cat and my fish.’ Never in a million years would any of us have ever pictured that ever happening. Do you intend to release future albums yourself? Calum: Yeah. There’s pros and cons to doing it ourselves. Obviously we have a lot more control but then again we’re a small band and if we were to have a number one album it would be too much work for us. So maybe it’d be cool to work with another record label, a major label, or an independent label. The thing is, Dark City records is only in the UK so if we want to get our album out in Europe or
America, the best thing for us to do would be to work with a record label rather than trying to do it ourselves. But in the UK, for sure, we would definitely like to try and carry on keeping as much control as we can. But if the right offer comes along from the right sort of people, then I guess we’ll maybe look into it. What was the reasoning and idea behind all the drums that you have at the end of your live set? Dale: Just to make the show a bit different. Rather than people paying to see us play our songs that they’ve already heard we might as well add in an extra bit, to make it a bit more of a show. Calum: In our studio we don’t practice that much but when we’re in there we work really hard on making sure that we’re playing tight and the best that we can, maybe adding some extra stuff to the set that will make it more interesting. It’s cool to go to a gig and listen to songs that you know from a cd but at the same time it’s cool to go to a gig and listen to songs that you know from a cd with a whole bunch of extra crazy shit going on. I mean, Graham’s a really great drummer and he knows a lot about percussion and we were just sitting in practice one day and we all just started banging drums together and it just kind of clicked. There’s actually video footage of us from Sherwood Forest, we went into the middle of the woods and started banging trees trying to do something similar. That’s not online, but I’m thinking about putting it online. We just get bored and try and make stuff as interesting as we can. If you could go back to any era, what would you pick and why? Calum: Dawn of the dinosaurs baby. I
dunno, I’d maybe go right back to the beginning of time to see how it all happened. Or I’d go into the future and see what the hell was going on, see if aliens existed. Dale: I’d go to Woodstock. C: The 80’s is a pretty happening decade. D: 60’s. Round about the Beatles and Bob Dylan sort of era. C: 50’s America. I watch Forrest Gump and I think, my god, I wish I was Forrest Gump. He lived an awesome life. I think I’d definitely like to go back to the 80’s, just to hang out with Kool and the Gang and my mom. I’d love to see my mom in the 80’s. I think it’d be hilarious to go back to when my folks were young and just hang out with them, when my dad was my age right now, I’d be like hi Joe, he’d be like, you look awfully a lot like me. What are your favourite video games of all time? Calum: Super Mario World for the Super Nintendo. Dale: Grim Fandango for the PC. C: Super Mario World is just like the ultimate game. D: No, Grim Fandango is. C: Grim Fandango’s great but Super Mario World, it’s got drama, it’s got action, it’s got comedy, it’s got romance, it’s got Yoshi. What more do you need? It’s fantastic. I just think it’s really cool. I think I look like a Goomba. From the Super Mario movie you know how they’ve got like the really small heads. There’s the one Goomba that turns into a good Goomba and he’s the really smiley guy. He looks exactly like me when I laugh. D: And sounds exactly like you
.
soundscape 23
Words&Photos: N.Ballantyne
Motorhead
-----------------------------------Plus: The Damned Newport Centre November 13th
It’s that time of the year again and as the new year comes a little closer, the regulars come out to tour, and from that The Damned take the stagE. From what looks like a bunch of has beens couldn’t be further from the truth. A very outgoing performance from these legendary punk rockers, something that feels to be lacking from all these olden bands return
soundscape 24
ing to the stage these days. The Damned however are with it and play with the crowd throughout their lengthy set, maybe to the point they could have easily headlined. Motorhead have quite the name to them, no matter who you say it to they will have heard of them, whether good or bad. People would expect to see quite a show off them and quite a show is what you get if you’re seeing them for the first time. However, if you’ve seen them a fair few times around the same time
for the past few years you’ll know by now that their set can start to feel similar and slightly stale. Although Lemmy and his pervasive rock voice carry on for the entire set (even if it sounds like he’s dying when he natters to the crowd between songs), but to really appreciate what they chuck out tonight you have to be one hell of a die hard fan. To be fair, listening to Lemmy splutter out some Welsh made the show that tid bit more intimate, even if it was counting to ten. 7/10
Bring Me The Horizon ----------------------------------------------------------------------Plus: A Day To Remember Bristol Academy November 18th They couldn’t have crammed any more kids in here even if they tried, even for the supports the place feels and reacts manic to them. A Day To Remember find themselves as the main tour support for BMTH and well deserved too. Although they play a up and down set, some of it feels triumphant and some of it feels lacking taste. They still get on with it and let the crowd indulge.
To me, this is quite an obscurity place to see BMTH play, having seen them previously as main tour supports and in a small welsh club barely fit for 200 people, it just goes to show even as one of the UK’s most hated bands there’s nothing to stop them from getting to the top. Their set is frantic, menacing and full of love as Oli commits himself to the crowd all night, only to induce them into more mayhem and sing backs. They’ve come along way in just a short
while but certainly show how much they’ve grown up in performing and equally to their second album their sound on stage. They manage to quickly fly through the set and considering they’re headlining academies these days it might be about time for them to play that little bit longer than fifty minutes, even if they only have 2 albums and an EP, surely there’s always more they can offer to fans! 8/10 soundscape 25
Rise Against Plus: Thursday, Poison The Well Cardiff Student’s Union November 22nd
------------------------------------------Poison The Well open up the night of wellknown yet obscure punk rock acts. Their long independent standing makes them equally the most well versed yet least known act of the night. The blending of post-hardcore, Deftoneslike crooning vocals and over a decade of experience amounts to a well-considered, note perfect but ultimately stale performance. There were punk beats and hardcore breakdowns making the brutality and skill apparent in the music, but besides their spritely (in comparison to the rest of the band) rhythm guitarist and bassist (who have only been with the band since 2008) there is no live spark to speak of. Every note seemed to be on the verge of exploding into something incredible, but then was pulled back and kept restrained and mediocre. The emotionless music focused approach left a bitter taste in the mouth – why go see a band live when they’ll sound exactly the same as in the studio? Where Poison The Well lacked energy, Thursday certainly brought it back although with the sacrifice of not sounding anywhere near as good. Where the cross between new and old punk changed from sounding fantastic (a la At The Drive-In) to sounding like Thursday is hard to pin point, but despite the microphone whipping ferocity displayed by lead singer Geoff Rickly, the music failed to really capture the fantastic energy that can be created from such music. They were joined on stage by Rise Against’s singer Tim McIlrath during ‘Suffocation of a Dead Man’ – the more serious of last show antics during the night. This brand of post-hardcore is just on the edge of turning into a dreaded emo creation, but just holds on to enough hardcore roots to make them boring. The influence of bands such as At the Drive-In is shown through passable atmospheric sections, but Thursday still lack the fire and originality that kicked ass during the start of the century.
Words&Photo: E.Townend
To rapturous greetings Rise Against arrived and slammed out an hour and half set full of new punk anthems. Their energy was matched equally with the incredibly enthusiastic audience. They start with ‘Collapse (Post-Amerika)’ as they mean to go on, fusing political message and raw vocals, guitar, bass and drums – just like punk is supposed to. Mixing influence and experience, their music jumps from metal breakdowns to the influence of their first support act – being ‘greatly inspired’ by Poison the Well. Rise Against’s latest songs from ‘Appeal to Reason’ seem to be the most reacted to by the crowd – showing a relatively new audience. The pits in the crowd build and build with much encouragement from the band and the set spirals into all out rocking until it’s firmly stopped at the end of ‘Prayer of the Refugee’. The band return for two acoustic songs (which involves some of the audience crowd surfing, a bizarre sight) and then again for another three rock songs ending with ‘Ready to Fall’ which features a brilliant solo before blasting out a final chorus. Definitely one for the fans, with every other song or more being treated like a classic. 6/10
Words&Photos: N.Ballantyne
Taste Of Chaos Featuring: Killswitch Engage In Flames, Every Time I Die Maylene and the Sons of Disaster Bristol Academy November 28th
A
bit of a revamp on the Taste Of Chaos this year... Where’s the emo bands I hear you call, well this year there’s none, it’s gone full on metal on us. Opening up are newbies ‘Maylene and the Sons of Disaster’ creating that swarve vibe to a fairly empty academy if we’re honest. This it the kind of gig we were expecting to be packed out from the start. Even as Every Time I Die take to what minimalistic stage they can, they are still apart of the underdogs at this show, privileges seem scarce, the venue still isn’t as full as it should be. Although more seem to engage with the enriching sounds of ETID’s new and old
-------------------------
material, track ‘Floater’ gets the better of the crowd as some life seems to emerge. In Flames feeling the slightly oldies of the line up are looking ecstatic to walk onto stage and see their fans still do exist to the point singer Anders pulls up one lucky guy on stage and predominantly tells him to film the whole song from the stage and stick it on You tube! A full and feeling rather longer than it should 45 minutes later and it’s over. Whether it was the sound in here (it always feels too polished or in this case Anders vocals could have been a hell of a lot louder), but In Flames only felt half en-
joyable as they could be... Or it could be the fact everyone here is dying to see Killswitch headline a finally packed out academy and as always they never disappoint. Walking out to an absurd theme tune plastered with smiles across their faces and t-shirts of shirts to match. One thing you can’t help but notice and watch intently is guitarist Adam D waltzing around in a cape and headband pulling ludicrous rock faces every minute. Killswitch are just one of those bands that get on like a house on fire. You just can’t take your eyes off them. 10/10 soundscape 27
Words&Photo: P.Tinworth
White Li e s Cardiff Uni December 4th I had the fortune earlier this year to get into the NME Awards Tour for free, and, never one to turn down the prospect of free things lightly, I dutifully wandered along to Cardiff Students’ Union in hope of an entertaining evening. Half-way through a star-struck line-up of Florence and The Machine, Friendly Fires, and Glas Vegas, a group of normal twentysomethings meekly took to the stage. The band was called White Lies, and my first impression of them was that they could quite possibly be the illegitimate step-children of some secret union between Editors and Joy Division. Regardless of their parentage, they were shy and reserved with the crowd, but still produced
an enjoyable set. Despite
McVeigh, who was visibly
their lack of character, I
delighted at his captivated
was entranced by their
audience, further empha-
poetic lyrics, euphoric
sised by some creative
synth, and dense guitars.
solos and atmospheric
I had been sceptical origi-
tweaks to their hit tracks
nally, thinking that their
and B-side ‘You Still Love
self-proclaimed ‘darkness’
Her’. An unexpected, but
would lead to just another
hugely dramatic outro to
arrogant burn-out. Some
‘Fifty On Our Foreheads’
ten months later, I took
marked the middle of the
the opportunity to see
set, seemingly giving the
them again in the same
band a final boost of extra
venue, this time as the
energy to turn ‘To Lose
headline act.
My Life’ into a bouncing sing-along, and ‘Death’
I was not disappointed, and even the lighting
a producer of gladly accepted crowd-surfers.
seemed to reflect the mood of the crowd:
I suspect my bias as a
switching from the dull
clear-cut fan may have
blues - assigned to their
influenced my enjoyment
comparatively boring
of the night, but one thing
American support acts -
was obvious: from the
to bright purples, oranges,
buzz of the crowd, both
and the odd smattering
fans and newcomers,
of strobes in the smoke.
White Lies are managing
Touring had evidently giv-
to live up to the hopeful
en every member of the
status so many critics had
band a new streak of con-
awarded them earlier in
fidence: this time banter
the year. (9/10)
was easy and forthcoming from frontman, Harry
soundscape 29
soundscape 30
Words&Photos: E.Townend
Paramore Plus: You Me At Six Paper Route Now Now Every Children Cardiff International Arena December 14th
P
aramore have exploded in popularity since their album ‘Riot!’ was released. They’ve worked hard at it though. Jumping from Cardiff’s Barfly to The Full Ponty to Cardiff Student’s Union and now to the biggest (albeit terrible) venue in Cardiff, the CIA. However big Paramore are right now, they still seem genuinely stunned at the size of the venue (which to me looks tiny after visiting the M.E.N – which they’ll play later on - and the O2 earlier this year). Opening first were Now, Now Every Children from Minneapolis. If anything, the names of bands are getting odder, but this one apparently comes from an inside joke about a typo. They’re strangely shoe gaze although
classify themselves as ‘indie pop rock’ despite strange rhythmic structures from their past in a marching band. The bittersweet vocals soar over elongated guitar notes and off-beat slammed drums. The idea of a warm-up act doesn’t come across, although in retrospect they seem far more interesting when separate from such a dominating tour leader. Paper Route were next, a touring mate with Paramore in the US as well as through Europe. Skittering along with drum machines, synths and a Theremin, their presence was as interesting as their sound with duo lead singers throwing themselves head first into a surprisingly receptive audience (who had probably heard of them through their association with the headliners). The beats and low rumblings of synths are matched in interest by the soft guitar rock overlayed on top. The only British band of the night were You Me At Six, and as their backdrop was revealed, screams from the audience escaped to almost burst the eardrums. Straight from a police-attended signing in Cardiff’s Blue Banana, the group barrelled on stage to even more screams. Far re-
moved from the bands before them, the band was fuelled off their feet by heavy and high guitars, big drum beats and a punchy vocal line to lead. However, their pop rock was so obvious in comparison to the other’s freshness and Paramore’s insanely catchy attitude. However, hundreds of screaming fans can’t be wrong can they? I’d be clichéd and say the atmosphere was building for Paramore, but sadly it wasn’t. Once I got out of the photo pit, half of the audience were idly watching or filming the songs. For such an incredibly energetic and uplifting band, you’d expect more from their audiences. However, the screaming was on a level with major pop stars, and as the 5 piece entered to play an (as of yet unnamed) slow introduction before solidly kicking the crowd in the proverbial face with the stunning ‘Ignorance’ the noise was incredible. The slower ‘I Caught Myself’ from the Twilight soundtrack let the band and the audience catch their breath for a moment before slamming again into ‘That’s What You Get’. Mostly filling the set with songs from their new album ‘Brand New Eyes’, they stormed through a well-rehearsed (and repeated throughout Europe) set. How-
ever, at points the high energy had to flag and the welcome relief of slower songs like ‘The Only Exception’ and ‘Misguided Ghosts’ in the encore were also staggering to listen to over a relatively quiet audience. The energy exploded throughout with amazing performances of songs like ‘crushcrushcrush’ and the finale of ‘Misery Business’ and ‘Brick By Boring Brick’. The brilliant musicianship behind Paramore was out in full force, whilst the incredible voice of Hayley Williams only let up to let the crowd take over, and to laugh during ‘Misguided Ghosts’ at how surreal singing such a personal and quiet song is to thousands of people in a huge hall. The wrought split between the band prior to their latest album is heard within ‘Looking Up’ – “God knows the world doesn’t need another band/but what a waste it would’ve been/I can’t believe we almost hung it up/ We’re just getting started”. And be grateful they are, because despite the pop punk branding, Paramore know their roots (with Refused lyrics proudly emblazoned on Hayley’s shirt, and a Morrissey one on previous nights) and they can really make and play music like the best of punk rock. 8/10
Words&Photo: N.Ballantyne
soundscape 33
Gay For Johnny Depp
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Plus: Outcry Collective & Blakfish Cardiff Barfly 2nd December A triple threat tour indeed, noise, abuse and love all around. Hitting it up on the Barfly stage first is Blakfish, a Brum band to which you need an acquired taste to listen to. Some would say a bit of a mess others would somewhat compare this to music, we’re sticking to some high paced noise for now. However, they do throw themselves across stage to what ever beats the 20 people care to embrace and no more than Outcry Collective do as well, except a
few are finally starting to get into the vibe of things and look alive. Singer Steve is always, and we mean always on an adventure during their sets, jumping his way around the floor and strolling around as if they owned the place. Along with their boisterous tunes and highly noted media press lately only good can come from these boys. Now, however much into your music you are, somewhere along the line Gay For Johnny Depp’s name has been brought up and turning up tonight I was expecting it to be packed full of crazy fans and those just here because they’ve heard the name around. But unfortunately it
was dead. After Barfly have used their smoke machine to the extent that the balaclava chained up members are barely visible on the stage, to viewers like me who are seeing them for the first time, it only takes 30 seconds into their first song for your mind to be blown away and for you to think ‘Why the hell haven’t I checked out these guys before?’. They create a fun filled night, well, if you can call abusing various adoring fans at the front, photographers and anyone in the singers path fun, but in the way they do it you can’t help but smile and enjoy the show with one eye, the others looking out to see if your the next target...
9/10
10 Questions with... Words: P.Esp
Valentine
soundscape 34
Not that we at Soundscape need an excuse to feature a great band but here’s vocalist Emily Ellis of Valentine, a Los Angeles based rock band to answer our questions. 1. How did you get started? I began singing when I was really young, in church and stuff. I continued as a teenager singing through high school and sang in groups and bands along the way. When I finally realized who I was as a person, I found my home playing the style of music we play today. The band Valentine started in Vegas, but is now located in LA. After some member changes, Ryan (guitar) and I got together and began writing songs. It was such an amazing creative relationship that we developed. The songs began pouring out and I felt that I had finally found right where I needed to be musically. We found Dan (bass) and Eric (guitar), who made the music grow even more and completely kill it on their instruments. With that, the band was complete. 2. What have you got going on at the moment? We are releasing our first record, “Today it begins...� We have been putting our blood, sweat and tears into this album, literally. Every waking moment we are writing, or recording, or designing art work for the record. This is our baby! We have nurtured it in
our studio and watched it grow into something that we are so tremendously proud of. Now its time to show it to the world today it truly begins. 3. Favourite music and why? I love and have an appreciation for every style of music. I will blast some Underoath, switch it up to A Fine Frenzy and finish with Brand New. The biggest thing to me about music is passion and emotions. When I can either relate to the artist or feel their passion through lyrics or performance, I am drawn to it and become addicted. 4. Favourite book and why? The most recent one I read was called the Shack. It was intense. It made me think and question a lot about faith and life. It dealt with loss and that was something I was really going through at the time. Second though has to be Heroin Diaries from Nikki Sixx. That shits intense! Really opened my eyes to the life they led and to the destruction drugs causes in music. Everyone should read both, maybe back to back, then read them again! 5. Favourite film and why? Charlie and the Chocolate Factory! I want to live in that place, that’s like every kids dream! 6. Best experience in the business? Warped tour definitely! It was like musician summer camp. Everyday we got to wake up, set up our equipment and merch
booth, walk around and talk to kids, play a show to people who actually were there to hear bands play, meet other bands, make a bunch of friends and have a band BBQ every night. I would be on warped tour for the rest of my life if I could. I’ll be the old bitch with her Doc Martins, dentures and backstage pass! Seriously an experience that every musician should get the chance to have. 7. Why should Soundscape readers care? Our music is something to make you stop and listen. It not only hits hard but it leaves you singing the chorus for days after you hear it. We pride ourselves in making music that we are proud of and won’t let anyone tell us how or what to create. It’s our passion and all we know, so for us to try to conform to a “predisposed path” would be impossible. We are paving our own way and wont stop until we have reached our goals. 8. Tell our readers an interesting fact about Valentine? We recorded our entire record by ourselves. We didn’t have the funds to go into a huge studio and waste hundreds upon hundreds of dollars on recording. We are of the DIY mentality and when we want something, we go out and take it. We wanted a record, so we set the shit up in our house. I recorded all the vocals in a closet, decorated with christmas lights of course and all the instruments were tracked in our living room. Needless to say, we have really understanding neighbours who deserve copies
of the CD when it’s released! 9. Who are your role models/ idols? Musically, Janice Joplin, Pat Benatar, Ani Difranco. Basically, I like it when women are not afraid to have balls, step out and be themselves. If the world doesn’t like it, well... screw them! 10. Hardest thing about the current business? In the sea of bands and artists out there you have to carve your way and create a name for yourself. If you fail to do so, you will just be one of the talented guys down at the local bar singing your heart out to a waitress and the clean up crew. It’s a shame that so many amazing artists are overlooked. I have seen some of the most extremely talented people who will probably never be “signed” or “make it” merely because they weren’t in the right place at the right time rubbin’ elbows with the right people. The days where labels will come out to see a band and actually search for music is dead. The readily available internet has killed the need for them to go in search of a good open mic on a friday night, they simply type in a url and are taken to a million bands at once. This is the catch, it can be your best friend or your worst nightmare depending on your Myspace plays
.
Check out www.myspace. com/valentine for more info. *Valentine are now signed to a Japanese record label who will release the bands debut album in January 2010.
CD Reviews well known for The Beatles album of the same name, is only the beginning. The humour we are familiar with from the Radio 1 crew make it more enjoyable than just listening to a decent musical album or being paid for typing a few hundred words about some songs.
Chris Moyles
‘The Parody Album’ (10/10)
I currently have a substantial backlog of albums to mock, praise and burn so I never hear again, but I’m willing to suffer the wrath of editors over delayed work just to squeeze out a review of “The Parody Album”. A long awaited effort by Chris Moyles and the breakfast team, I have to say the high hopes of fans and listeners have not been met; in fact they were smashed into tiny pieces and ridiculed for being so low, this album is exceptional and I don’t think anyone quite expected it! Many of the tracks will have been heard over and over through his radio show, but the effort put into each song for its album appearance has created something outstanding. The professional sound you would expect fromsomething recorded at Abbey Road Studios, soundscape 36
The lyrics give you something to savour and hold your attention throughout, while Moyles’ bass fuelled vocals fit in seamlessly with the atmosphere and intention of the album; but it’s Dominic’s outing as football’s José Mourinho, Dave’s “Album Track” and Carrie’s “Dance Wiv Me” that reaffirm that this is an incredible team effort so please don’t just praise Moyles when listening. The stand out quality of this album though it is that it works just as well as a musical effort, if not better, than as a comedy production. Each track is rich in sound, perfectly mixed and the equal of any top industry artist which is something often sacrificed in other humorous works. “Barack Obama” has to be the defining track, not for the lyrics before you get too puzzled over my choice, but because it’s a splendid combination of the musical quality and fun I have been jabbering on about. Honestly, and surprisingly, it might be my favourite album for the year! A.Brady
Them Crooked Vultures
‘Them Crooked Vultures’ (7/10)
You can’t deny that when you stick Dave Grohl, Josh Homme and John Paul Jones together to form one hell of a supergroup, the beats you’re going to get aren’t one notch off funky. There’s just something you can’t quite put your finger on first... but when you do you realise it’s just recent QOTSA shenanigans spruced up and popularised by the fact they’re all rock stars. Homme’s vocals often drives the tracks with his distinct pitches, again along with that spruced up QOTSA guitar rhythm. You can’t deny it’s not a good and well produced album, but then again you can’t deny that this is a completely new and original sound their making, the whole album just feels fifty fifty. If only their last few albums sounded this good, would this group even exist? Now get onto Spotify and check out tracks ‘No One Loves Me & Neither Do
I’, ‘Mind Eraser, No Chaser’ and ‘Gunman’ to make up your own minds. N.Ballantyne
Rammstein
‘Liebe Ist Fur Alle’
Biffy Clyro
‘Only Revolutions’
(9/10)
Biffy Clyro’s time seems to be now. They’re not far from the top and despite having been in the business for so long they still have a huge amount of talent left to express as we can feel from this album. It’s pretty much everything you could expect it to be off Biffy, those sing song alongs, those pacey moments, that acoustic moment, those intense moments that make your hairs stand on end and the moment you remissness in hearing such tracks as ‘Mountains’ live or for that matter wanting to. It’s undoubtably their most triumphant hit of this album despite being so old and well known already. Their second most notable track ‘That Golden Rule’ just carries them to another level. You could just listen to this again, again and again. Mon the Biffy! N.Ballantyne
(5/10)
If you one for the web then you can’t have missed Rammstein’s latest uproar of their first single ‘Pussy’ and of course the slightly disturbing video to coincide. They’ve had a lot to make up since the last dreary album and after all this waiting around to see what they were going to wrangle out next and cause a hype... this album really wasn’t worth it. It feels reused, recycled, like the band themselves are uninterested and just not exciting enough, basically painfully uninteresting and considering this is Rammstein we’re talking about and one of the most exciting bands to see live it pains us to give them a bad rating. N.Ballantyne
----------------------------
DEAF HAVANA ‘Meet Me Halfway, At Least’ (8/10)
Deaf Havana hail from Norfolk and ‘Meet Me Halfway, At Least’
is the bands debut album. The band have quite a heavy sound, mixing crunching riffs with fast drumming along with the aggressive vocals of frontman Ryan Mellorbut. They also have the amazing melodic vocals of guitarist/vocalist James Veck-Gilodi which fit perfectly into the sound of the band. The album kicks off with ‘This Town Is Ours’, a track which shows the angst side of the band but also has an the accounted for melodic chorus. Next up is ‘Friends Like These’, which was released as a single along with a video, a cracking track with another genius chorus that’ll stick in your head for days and days. The track ‘3 Cheers for The Easy Life’ has guest vocals off Gustav Wood of the Young Guns and is the gem of the album that encounters one hell of a breakdown in the middle. ‘Another Day In This House’ is a personal favourite track on the record that uses another trademark kick-ass chorus that Deaf Havana bring. Another notable track is ‘I Guess I’ll Be Leaving Soon’ which really shows off James’s voice amongst different time changes. This record gets better with every listen, the production is immaculate and the musicianship is off the scale, I can’t even fault the songwriting. P.Esp
JKLMNO EP
Cartel
Thirty seconds into their first track and i’m sitting here bewildered and stunned at the brilliance of what these boys are doing. This was something I wasn’t expecting to hear, but what a great pleasure it was. Only four tracks, but what a four tracks of well produced, well executed bit of light heart warming rock n roll. Lyrically rich and full of your poppy piano sympathies fit for an arena, it’s thoroughly enjoyable. We can only suggest that you head over to their myspace and hear this lovely noise that is JKLMNO to yourselves.
‘Cycles’ is the bands third album. They play a blend of pop and alternative rock, but please don’t write them off with all the other bands that are around right now because Cartel are that extra bit special. The album’s first track ‘Lets go’ was released as the bands first single and is, in a nut shell, what they need for a good introduction to the album and the band as a whole, with unique rhythmic crunching vocals from singer Will Pugh, it’s a cracking start. Next track ‘The Perfect Mistake’ moves us to a more pacey number that merges with a memorable chorus. Thats the good thing about this album, there’s a variety of tracks you should, actually, must check out, such as ‘See Me Now’ and ‘27 Steps’. Every song on ‘Cycles’ is a little different, some are pure pop rock, others are your loveable alternative, modern rock tunes. They’re just the type of band that pulls all this off with ease. As well as the production being is crystal clear, it’s just a great sounding record, that impressed I’m off to check out the
‘Cycles’
(10/10)
http://www.myspace.com/jklmnomusic
-----------------------------
Exit International EP (9/10) If you had the chance to pick one of these bad boys up from one of their enchanting shows, then you obviously have some music taste. Who knew what you could do when you throw two bassists together. Hit track ‘Chainsaw Song’ feels like an adventure on it’s own and in so many levels lyrically, where each bass has it’s own rhythm and destiny along with drums that hold this mess of a hit track together. We can only hope next years recordings are as mysteriously good as this... soundscape 38
Every Avenue
‘Picture Perfect’ (8/10) As a fan of Every Avenue’s first album ‘Shh, Just Go With It!’ I was very disappointed I missed them on tour with Hey Monday recently, so was looking forward to hearing ‘Picture Perfect’ the bands latest album. The band, a 5 piece from Michigan, play high energy pop/punk/rock and they did not disappoint with this album. It starts with hard rocker ‘For Always. Forever’, then straight into mind blowing hit ‘Mindset’. The lyrics work it’s way through the track like a story you can’ stop listening to. ‘Tell Me I’m A Wreck’ is the first single that really emphasise the striking vocals of David Ryan Strauchman. Piano based song ‘Happy The Hard Way’ shows the band can slow it down and still sound their best. Throughout the band don’t seem to lose sight in what they started, no fillers, just high energy, good quality pop punk songwriting. P.Esp
(9/10)
band’s other albums. P.Esp
‘Folie a Deux’ left off, which is hair on end tingling awesome. You may not be a huge FOB fan but this album just goes to show the amount of respected hits they actually have and how they still are one of the most consistent bands of their genre... You cant argue with that. P.Esp
-----------------------------
Fall Out Boy ‘Believers Never Die Greatest Hits’ (10/10)
I’ve been a fan since ‘Take This To Your Grave’ and I think FOB have always been a great band who have always had the confidence to write some blazing rock hits, which this Greatest Hits album shows off. It features all the songs you know and love, a good mix of all the albums starting with ‘Dead On Arrival’, a track I feel still holds up today, then we get ‘Grand Theft Autumn/Where Is Your Boy’ a bonafide classic. Everyone knows the tracks off ‘From Under the Cork Tree’, ‘Sugar...’ and ‘Dance, Dance’. One thing that stands out about this album is that the band has never stood still, they have always tried to take it a step further and try something different, they could have written ‘Sugar...’ twelve times for each album and it would have sold, but they haven’t and you can’t fault them for that. You also get the cover of ‘Beat it’ too! The two new track’s they’ve plastered onto the the album are also promising hits. ‘Alpha Dog’ carries on where
Singled Out Lostprophets ‘It’s not the end of the world but I can see it from here’
Nural ‘Entitlement’ (10/10)
It’s not often I am completely blown away by an album, in fact before this Nural record I can’t remember the last time it happened, but this album completely blew me away, it still does, even after a of couple months it’s still the first thing I go for on my ipod. This modern rock record has it all, terrific vocals, terrific rhythms, terrific production and all the rest. The album kicks off with “The Hits Keep Coming”, which is probably the best stand out track (although to be fair, they all are), it’s an angry number but with a glorified vocal delivery. Next up track “Stop Me When You’ve Had Enough” continues in the same vein with killer riffs. It’s the kind of record that as soon as you’ve finished listening to, you just want to listen it all again, songs such as ‘Up Against’ and the super-catchy ‘Me Or The Music’, or even when they slow it down on ‘Say what you will’, the effect is nothing short of stunning. I cannot recommend this album enough! P.Esp
Having spent some time away we expect nothing less than the Lostprophets to come back with an enormous and top notch album. However, we have to wait till next year for that! So for now here’s their first single (and video to match)... Well, they’re back on the rooftops and back with a chanty-won’t-leave your-headfor-days chorus. It’s just starting to feel like LP are exhausting themselves. There was once a time when they were young and raw, now they feel to be creating only what the kids like... but hey, I guess that’s what they’ve always done right? And done bloody well too. 6/10
Any queries contact: info@soundscapemagazine.com