YOUNG GUNS ALBUM EXCLUSIVE GET THE LOWDOWN ON ‘ONES AND ZEROS’ ON PAGE 4 REVIEWED: THEIR SOLD OUT EDINBURGH SHOW
PAPA ROACH CHUCKRAGAN BILLY THE KID
REVIEWS * INTERVIEWS * FEATURES
FROM ZEROS After two years away, Young Guns pull out all the LONDON-based five-piece, Young Guns seem to have been missing in action from the UK music scene. But they’re not one to sit on their hands, oh no. In their two and a half year absence from Scottish bars and clubs, they’ve toured extensively through the United States, signed a major recording contract with Virgin EMI, and crafted their third record, ‘Ones and Zeros’. The album is pencilled in for release on June 6, however, these guys love to tease, heading out on a small run of intimate shows across the UK this month to premiere this brand new material. Take A Shot had the pleasure of heading along to their show at Edinburgh’s Electric Circus to see them in action. Opening with ‘I Want Out’ - the first of tonight’s sneak previews of the album - it’s difficult to gauge what Young Guns are trying to achive with this obvious shift in sound. It’s almost like a lite version of their second record, ‘Bones’, only steeped in synths and 80’s pop influence. In the live arena, this jars and feels out of place next to the well loved tracks, and high octane offerings from their previous releases. The front row appear to be lapping it up, nonetheless. Young Guns are famed on the UK scene for their raucous and unrelenting live shows, but at this point, tonight feels a little tame. Disappointing even, as vocalist, Gustav Wood, awkwardly does his best to get the room on side. Of course it works for the die-hard fans gracing the front row, but the revellers at the bar show little interest. That is, until audience favourite ‘Stitches’ kicks in. This emotive hard-rock number from their first record - 2010’s ‘All Out Kings Are Dead’ - draws the first real reaction from every soul in the room, and provides a real contrast from the band’s sound then, as opposed to where they are now. Indeed, it’s these older snippets that seem to be in favour tonight. Tracks such as the empowering anthem, ‘Crystal Clear’, and the menacingly dark, ‘Elements’, have since received a facelift using
S TO HEROES
COVER STORY
stops on their return to the Scottish capital - 9/10 clever sampling - keeping both old and new songs uniform. Musically, the band have never sounded better as they flit from song to song without a hitch. However, poor Wood would benefit from learning the lyrics to his own songs, as he suffers numerous gaffs during what should have been a beautifully delicate rendition of ‘Everything Ends,’ forgetting entire verses at a time and depending on his bandmates to keep him right. This would have been a sterling performance if it wasn’t for that. Hardcore fans are treated to a special performance of another ballad, which the band rarely perform - ‘After The War’. This gorgeously melodic track creates a pensive atmosphere in the room and provides their set with another dimension, proving that they excel just as much in these slower numbers as they do in pacy, energetic ones. Quite frankly, there isn’t a dry eye in the room after this one, with a few other members of the band being affected by the song too. As far as new tracks go, it’s a decidedly mixed bag. ‘Rising Up’, retains the grit the band have shown throughout their previous records; while ‘Daylight,’ seems like a damp squib or a rocked-up version of a Florence and the Machine track - depending on which way you look at it. It’s derivative, repetitive and draws no reaction whatsoever from the crowd. But there is one winner, the band’s latest single, ‘Speaking in Tongues,’ proves itself to be a real roof raiser with a melody that’s guaranteed to stick in your mind for weeks and complex, profound lyricism that vocalist, Wood, is known for. The verdict on the new material? It shows promise, and courage to head off in such a different direction to their previous releases. The die hard fans at the front seem to love it. Topping off the evening in style with the track that made them, the atmosphere in the room seems to escalate. After all these years, ‘Bones’, has proven itself to be absolutely timless - a track (and a performance) to be extemely proud of. MORE OVER THE PAGE >>
5 MINUTES WITH...JOHN TAYLOR We caught up with the Young Guns guitarist after their sold out show to get the lowdown on the album, how the show went and their future touring plans.
Hey John how do you think the show went tonight? I think it went really well. The crowd were great tonight and I love playing Scotland. We always see lots of familiar faces of people who have supported us from the beginning up here and the crowds always go mental. I didn’t really like the venue though. Kind of felt like the bar got in the way of the stage. Personally I prefer playing in Glasgow.
Let’s not get into that right now! You’re playing in Glasgow in June, is that right? Yeah, we’re playing at the Garage. Now that’s a good venue. We’ve played there a tonne of times, it’s just a really great, really sweaty venue. I love Glaswegian crowds too. Everybody’s p*ssed and enjoying themselves. So let’s talk about the new record. You’re putting it out on vinyl. Why? Well, obviously it’s becoming really popular right now and we’ve never put out an album on vinyl before. It just felt like the right time to do it what with having the label to back us.
The artwork’s going to look great, don’t you think? It really is. I think people buy vinyl for the artwork too, and the cover for ‘Ones and Zeros’ looks awesome so to have it on a larger scale is gonna be cool.
Is there anything else you can tell us about the vinyl press - we’re very excited - can you tell? [Laughs] I think we’re also going to be doing the first press on clear vinyl, so if you have preordered it, that’s what you can expect.
Thanks very much for chatting to us, good luck with the rest of the tour! No problem, it was good talking to you.
Young Guns are heading back to Scotland with a show at the Garage on June 9. Tickets are available from ticketmaster.co.uk
CHUCK RAGAN
LIVE REVIEWS REVIEWS
Chuck proves that folk music is still very much alive - 9/10 WITH the music industry in the state it’s in right now - it’s easy to see why the humble troubadour is a dying breed. Only 1% of artists are able to support themselves financially which has lead to tonnes of bands simply giving up and packing it in. But there are some musicians who still clearly do this for the love of their craft. Chuck Ragan - frontman of Hot Water Music - is one of those. One of the last humble troubadours standing, if you will. Constantly on the road with his buddies, this time around he’s touring with a full band - The Camaraderie - to bring the sounds of his latest record, ‘Till Midnight’, to life. Opening with a rough and ready rendition of ‘Vagabond’, Chuck offers up a frank descriptor of life on the road in the most vivid manner, with vocals that can only be described as awe inspiring. And that’s just the start of it: ‘Nomad by Fate’, taken from Chuck’s third record, ‘Covering Ground’, offers up another reminder of the life he found himself in; while, ‘You Get What You Give’, has the room asway. It’s all fine and dandy giving Chuck all the credit, but having the Camaraderie there gives
his performance an obvious edge, saturating ordinary folk songs with colour and giving them a life of their own. Most notable is Jon Gaunt’s work on the fiddle; tirelessly adding attitude to tracks such as the acclaimed, ‘Something May Catch Fire,’ and, ‘Rotterdam’. Laden with infectious hooks and vocal melodies that roll smoothly along, ‘Non Typical’, is a huge highlight of tonight’s performance. A real roof raiser, this one grabs the attention of many souls in the packed out room. While, ‘Revved’, feels like an absolutle juggernaut of a tune in this intimate, live setting. Suffice it to say, Chuck’s latest material is every inch the kind of music that’s worthy of having a dance to on a mild, spring Saturday night in Glasgow. But it’s his sly addition of the Hot Water Music classic, ‘Drag My Body’, that comes off in the most divine manner, spine tingling and loaded with heart. The audience erupts. Topping off what feels like a perfect performance with, ‘The Boat’, and, ‘For Broken Ears’, one can’t help but leave King Tut’s Wah Wah Hut feeling infinitely better about the state of the music industry.
RIVAL SONS
They bring some California cool to Glasgow - 10/10
RIVAL SONS are a firebrand in that their super cool, super slick take on hard rock is impossible to ignore. It’s this robust element of their music that has earned them huge success, especially since the release of their latest record, ‘Great Western Valkyrie’. It’s in support of this record that the band are currently out on tour. Tonight’s stop: Glasgow. It’s instantaneous. Opening
with ‘Electric Man’. It’s a huge track and sets the tone for the rest of the night. As far as highlights go, nothing could top the moment Rival Sons brought out the big guns on ‘Where I’ve Been’. Normally, ballads can go one of two ways. They either sink like the titanic or they stop you in your tracks on your way to the bar for another pint. This is the latter. It’s hard to think of many modern day rock vocal-
PAPA ROACH NU-METAL legends take to the stage at the Barrowland Ballroom on their ‘F.E.A.R’ tour. With a setlist as dynamic as it is full of surprises, the five piece put on a show to remember. Vocalist, Jacoby Shaddix is every inch the frontman as he
belts out nostalgia filled tracks such as ‘Last Resort’ and ‘Getting Away With Murder,’ with flair and vigour. But it’s, ‘Between Angels And Insects,’ that stirs the biggest reaction from tonight’s crowd with its heavily emotive lyrics and thunderous riffs - 10/10
ists who could deliver a vocal of the calibre Jay Buchanan delivered tonight. In short: it was magnificent. Rounding off with the catchy fan favourite, ‘Keep On Swinging‘, there are but two conclusions we can draw from this evening: 1 – believe ALL the hype you’ve heard about Rival Sons because they really are THAT great; and 2 – they have the best damn knees in rock…
Exist Immortal ‘Darkness Of An Age’ ON the cusp of metal and electronica, Exist Immortal create an almost apocalyptic vibe on their debut record. It’s a slow burner and may take more than a few listens to fully appreciate its grand sonic landscapes, but once it sinks in, it’s an album that you will continually
REVIEWS
find yourself going back to time and time again. Skip to ‘The Void’ and ‘Insanity Project’ - 6/10
The Gentle Storm ‘The Diary’ - 10/10
DUTCH duo, The Gentle Storm are putting out a concept album called, ‘The Diary’. Naysayers, before you start rolling your eyes – give it a chance, will you. The album focuses on two 17th century lovers – a sailor and his wife. When the sailor goes out to sea and leaves his wife behind, their only way to communicate is through a series of letters. These letters are the basis from which the songs on ‘The Diary‘ are formed. The album’s first disk, entitled, ‘Gentle‘, is told from the perspective of the sailor’s wife and is deeply rooted in folk music. It’s dark as it is delicate; soothing and haunting in the same breath. The disk’s opener, ‘Endless Sea‘, affirms that with vocalist, Anneke van Giersbergen’s voice taking centre stage. The first disk on this release can only be described as good folk music. It’s good for the soul, with its dreamy harmonies and jaunty string interludes. Light, airy and melodic; this disk’s stand out track is ‘The Storm‘. It creates drama by way of fre-
Oh Captive ‘Two Mirrors’ THIS is the second full length offering from Bristol hotshots, Oh Captive. ‘Two Mirrors’ delivers an impressive array of indie rock tracks simply made to thrust your lighters in the air to. Drawing influence from the likes of Twin Atlantic, ‘Motion, No Mo-
netic pianos and divine vocal harmonies. On the flip side, the album’s second disk, ‘Storm‘, offers up the exact same tracks, but in a more cinematic context. It’s bold and almost apocalyptic. In fact, it’s easy to see this being a film soundtrack; everything on this disk is larger than life. There are less fiddles and more cracking guitar solos, and a choir complementing Anneke’s lead vocal. It creates drama in a much more rich and extravagant way – bridging the gap between folk and hard rock like few are able to do. Again, this version of ‘The Storm‘ steals the show, playing with light and shade, and the contrast between angelic vocal melodies and the accompanying string / guitar combination
tion,’ makes headroom as the record’s highlight. All in all, a strong and courageous offering - 8/10
giving the track a smidgen of danger. Perhaps this is just a great song because no matter which way The Gentle Storm treat it, it still has the capacity to make the hairs on the back of your neck stand up. It’s otherworldly magic. The verdict? Throw out your scepticism about concept records, and artists recording two versions of the same track, because ‘The Diary’ is a sterling example of both. It takes great talent to execute such a change in sound from one disc to another and The Gentle Storm are talented above anything else.
BILLY THE KID
With over 20 years’ experience in music, Billy The Kid could well be the new face of Girl Power. We caught up with her to discuss touring, recording with Frank Turner, sexism and influences.
You’ve just finished your set here in Glasgow, supporting Against Me!, how do you think it went? It was awesome! I’m so excited to be here because I’ve been dying to come my whole life, and just like everybody said it would be they [the crowd] were incredible.
How’s the tour going so far anyway? This is the third show so far and I’ve had a cold the whole time. But that’s the only bad thing I can say about it. On the first night, they [Against Me!] were like, ‘Billy, why don’t you stay on our tour bus with us?‘, so it’s been like one big slumber party ever since we first met.
INTERVIEW
the radio or some kind of pop star. So I just try to stay true to myself and hope that it works out.
Your stage name is Billy The Kid, do people ever think you’re a guy, before they listen to you or meet you? I played my first show when I was a teenager, which is why I got the name ‘Kid’ because I was always the youngest. Sometimes I think my stage name works in my favour because people think that I’m a guy and so I’ll maybe get a show or something but I like like to live in a world where it doesn’t matter, and gender isn’t an issue. Luckily I’m coming from the punk scene and that’s the way it’s always been. The worst thing is that some people expect a certain thing when they see me play, like when some people say to me, ‘I was expecting you to not be able to play guitar because you’re a girl‘. But the good thing is that I can hopefully show people that not all girls suck at playing guitar. That’s an awful stereotype.
“I never was trying to be on the radio or some kind of pop star”
You worked with Frank Turner on your latest album, what was that like? It was pretty fun because he was the acting producer, but we just spent a lot of the time playing music. He played bass, I played guitar and his drummer, Nigel, played drums and it was all live. So there wasn’t really much telling me what to do.
Are there any female musicians you look up to? When I was growing up, artists You started out your musical like Ani DiFranco as a guitar player, career fronting a couple of bands, but also, all the Riot Grrrl stuff in the but you mostly just play by yourself, is that 90’s. Some of my first records were from around right? that time; it started with Nirvana, Bikini Kill and Billy and the Lost Boys was the first band I then Babes in Toyland, even Hole. Just all of started out in. But even now, sometimes I’ll play these girls who really kicked ass with their music. with a band if it makes sense. But it’s easier for me to just play by myself a lot of the time. The Is that something you hope to bring to the plan in the future is to have a band that I can take table with your music? out on tour with me. I hope so! That would be a great honour for me to be able to pass that on, because there’s not Is it daunting for you to be out on stage on many of us out there, you know? your own? Sometimes it is. Sometimes I do get a little bit We spied your book on the merch table, tell nervous about it, but overall I’m just excited to get us a bit about that? out and play shows. I’m just happy I get to do this It’s called ‘The Smallest Small Ball’ and it’s about a cartoon me and my little buddy. We go on some – every day is an opportunity. adventures and learn a few things. The message You’re pretty DIY in your approach to making behind it is that you can do anything you want if you set your mind to it. music, is that an important thing for you? Yeah, it’s always been important for me to do my own thing but luckily I’m in a world where I can Lastly, can we expect a UK tour? continue to be myself. I never was trying to be on Hopefully soon. I’m dying to come back!
NEW POLITICS NEW POLITICS ON FANS, KOALA BEARS AND TOURING THE WORLD!
IT’s been a whirlwind ride for pop-rock trio, New Politics. Formed in 2009 by fellow Danes, David Boyd (vocals) and Soren Hansen (guitars and vocals), they quickly garnered a significant following in Copenhagen. However, they soon found themselves in New York after signing with RCA (and picking up Long Islander, Louis Vecchio, to lend his skills on the drums). Now, they find themselves having toured with some of the biggest names in music such as Fall Out Boy and Pink. Valuable experience according to Hansen: “I think playing those big shows really inspires you and makes you realise how hard you have to work. And what’s more inspiring than playing with bands you’ve grown up listening to?” This exposure enabled them to grow their fan base - the band’s
Twitter account sports an impressive 59,000 followers. And it’s social media that the band relies on to build a relationship with their fans: “Social media is such a good thing; if you are having a bad day, you can just log on and say hi, and you get so many nice responses, and it’s a great feeling. They’re fans of our music, but it’s almost like a group of friends that we’ve created,” explains Vecchio. But fans aside, their music speaks for itself. You might have heard their catchy hit single, ‘Harlem’ doing the rounds in 2013, however, there’s one theme that comes up frequently in their back catalogue: women. When one particular track, ‘Berlin’, is brought up, Boyd and Hansen giggle mischieviously to each other. “Berlin is actually a girl from Berlin...” begins Hansen. “She has a different name, but I don’t want
her to know it’s about her,’ explains Boyd before realising he’s let the cat out of the bag. He becomes more serious: “Well, now she knows! But I think it also has a lot to do with the irony of our lifestyle. We’re in a different city every other day and we have these one night affairs with all these cities.” A different city every night must be commonplace for any touring musician - the band are just about to head to Japan for the first time. But they already have other places in mind about where they’d like to go next: “We’d like to go to Australia. We’ve never had a chance to go there,” Soren tells us. When asked if they’d have their picture taken with koala bears, David Chirps, “we’d love to smuggle some home!” Their third album, ‘Vikings,’ will be available on DCD2 Records at the end of the year.