The Banter - September 2011

ZAC BROWN BAND foo fighters // matthew Morrison

ed sheeran // judas priest // the joy formidable Also : CD REVIEWS // GIG REVIEWS // Movies // Competitions

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Contents

4

inside

Issue 3 2011 â—? www.thebanter.co.uk

8 Interview - Foo Fighters

The Banter talks to Foo Fighters guitarist Pat Smear

14 CD Reviews

7

Tht We take a look at the best recent releases in the music world

8

22 Interview - Zac Brown Band

Ritchie Marshall chats to two time grammy winners Zac Brown Band

26 T in the Park

Maxwell Lynas gives us a round up of this years TITP Festival

38 Gig Reviews

A round up of some the hottest gigs in Glasgow over the last few months.

42 Go Create

46

26

Editorial Team Editor

Ritchie Marshall

Photos

Daren Borzynski Kate Chambers

News Team

Maxwell Lynas Anna Gault Daren Borzynski Sean David Martin Knox Scott Purvis Simon Cassidy Jack Chambers Natasha Reid Tony Connelly

Cover Photo Daren Borzynski

A look at West Dunbartonshires upcoming working in the creative industries event.

50 Movies

A look at the upcoming movies to hit your screens over the upcoming weeks.

A loo

Contact

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About Us

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THE BANTER |

Interview

MATTHEW MORRISON | THE BANTER

Interview by Maxwell Lynas

Interview

W

hen someone bursts onto our TV screens, we hear the cry of “overnight success” and when Glee debuted in 2009 this label was thrust upon Matthew Morrison but it didn’t tell the whole story.

Before becoming a TV star Matthew Morrison was a Broadway star since his teenage years, his first breakout role was when he was cast as “heartthrob” Link Larkin in the hit “Hairspray” and this role lead to further roles on Broadway and even lead to a Tony Award nominated for his role in “The Light in the Piazza”.

Morrison was also briefly in the boy band “LMNT” and Morrison even joined the cast of an American soap but left abruptly soon after due to a “scheduling conflict” and he had small roles in the films “Music and Lyrics” and “Dan in Real Life” So it has been a long and varied journey for Matthew Morrison to get where he is now, where is he now?

Well, he is the star of the TV phenomenon, “Glee” and is now launching his self-titled debut album and his own solo music career.

you don’t have anyone to laugh, so you just have to trust that you are funny because you are not getting that instant reaction.

“That’s one of the reason I wanted to do this album because I get to perform my songs live in front of an audience.”

How did the album come about?

“It’s something I have been wanting to do for about seven years now and “Glee” has really afforded me the opportunity to make that dream come true and to do it in a way I was comfortable with and had a lot of control over, so I just decided to it.

“It was probably the hardest thing I’ve done because I am really busy with my “Glee” schedule but I really want to do it and put a lot of work into it.”

On his album Matthew collaborates with two music icons in Sting and Elton John, what was it like for Matthew to collaborate with them?

“I had never heard of those guys before [laughs].

The Banter caught up with Matthew, as he promoted his album launch here in the UK.

“If I could have dream of any album, doing duets with those guys has completely surpassed any dream I could have ever thought of.

So it may appear Matthew Morrison is an “overnight success” but it has taken him a long time to get to this point, so does the “overnight success” label get to Matthew Morrison?

“It was such a great learning experience just being in the studio with these living legends, who have really paved a path for other singer/songwriters.”

“It doesn’t get to me at all, I know my own truth and I know what I’ve done.

Another duet that appears on the album is one with a famous “Glee” guest star, by the name of Gwyneth Paltrow, you may have heard of her.

“I understand it though, I get it, the world knows because of Glee but I know what I’ve done.”

Matthew has transitioned from Broadway star to TV star and now he is turning his attention to music, what are some of the differences between them?

“Between Broadway and Television, for me there is absolutely nothing like performing in front of a live audience and that is something that has been the hardest to adjust to being on Television.

“That [performing to a live audience] is what fuels me and really what drives me, also you learn a lot about your performance.

“When you are on Television and you say something funny

What was it like working with her, as she is more known for her acting ability than her singing ability?

“We became really great friends on Glee, so it was easier to ask her to do it because we were already friends.

“She has kind of reinvented herself and no one really knew that she sang, so I wanted to let everyone know she could sing.

“Glee” gives certain people a chance to reinvent themselves and I think she definitely reinvented herself on that show.”

Originally, The Banter had hoped to talk to Matthew about his upcoming show in Glasgow but unfortunately just a few days before the interview, his UK tour was postponed.

THE BANTER |

Interview

How difficult was it to postpone the UK tour?

“It was really difficult, obviously it is something I don’t really want to do and to disappoint anyone, I have had a lot of letters and messages from people, who had tickets and were disappointed.

“It was honestly something that was kind of out of my control and I obviously feel really bad about and plan to make up the dates in the future.”

Since the debut of Glee, Matthew Morrison has gone from Broadway to the front pages of tabloids and gossip sites all over the world and has become a worldwide star, how does Matthew deal with all the media attention?

“I don’t “google” myself or anything like that, I don’t really ignore it because obviously I have people around me that keep me informed of what is going on and obviously I want to know how the album is doing and stuff.

“It is just like any other job; you’ve got to be aware of things to navigate your career and where you are going to go.” | THE BANTER

On the show, Glee, Matthew’s co-star Jane Lynch often steals the show as cheerleader coach Sue Sylvester at it is often at the expense of Matthew’s character Will and his hair, how difficult is it for Matthew to keep composed during these scenes?

“It is really hard; we have a couple of rehearsals before so kind of I get all the laughs out of my system but I have definitely ruined a couple of takes because I started cracking up.”

“To my credit though, I have made her crack up twice.”

During my research for this interview, I read that Matthew was from Scottish descent but not knowing whether this was true or just some internet rumours, I thought I better ask Matthew.

“Yea, that was the frustrating thing about cancelling my show in Glasgow, I had some family that were coming to see it, I’m not certain where they were coming from but I was going to meet them at the show.”

Matthew Morrison’s self-title album is out now.

T

Interview

wenty year old Ed Sheeran may seem to have come from nowhere but this is not the case. He’s been touring solidly for the last couple of years in his own personal attempt to beat James Morrison’s record of playing 200 shows in one year. His single A team, surprisingly beautiful for a song about a drug addled prostitute, recently sped straight to number three in the UK charts and he’s only set for more success.

A freestyled rap about Nando’s, yes the chicken place, has gathered more than two million views on youtube and gained Ed the hallowed Nando’s gold card. His songs are a combination between chilled acoustic tracks and looped tracks with hints of rap, his next single is almost unrecognisable from A Team, ‘You need me, I don’t need you’ is released on 28th August. I caught up with him between shows to see what he’d been up to.

How has the constant touring been affecting you?

It’s no different as I’ve been doing it for several years already so has become the norm You’ve been couch surfing in the cities where you where playing, how have you found that community? You must have some interesting stories from those.

I had leave one guys house once in the middle of the night once as he was a little weird and ended up sleeping on the train station.

Has the success of A Team been noticeable to you, in terms of shows and fans, as someone who is playing gigs almost every night?

Yes, it’s been fantastic, everyone sings every word now.

Is A Team about anyone in particular?

Yes, a woman called angel I met whilst working for crisis one christmas.

How do you think fans of A Team will react to the more rap based loop pedal tracks on your album?

Hopefully they’ll like it, a lot have come to the shows and seen clips on the internet so should know I have that side to me.

ED SHEERAN INTERVIEW by lynsey cameron

You’ve toured with quite a few big names, do you think it sharpened up your performances?

I’ve toured non stop for the last few years and every show helps you get better..I take every show as if they’re there to see me and put on the best gig I can.

Your video with Example has gained about a million views on youtube, was this surreal for you? And more importantly did you ever get that Nando’s card?

It was a little surreal, and yes, I have a card now so definitely worth it.

Is there a story behind the paw on your guitar or is it just a logo you have picked up?

It’s just a logo I liked when I was younger and has stuck with me.

What are your words to live by?

My motto is hurry slowly.

THE BANTER |

Interview

FOO FIGHTERS INTERVIEW WITH PAT SMEAR | THE BANTER

Interview

T

he name Pat Smear is not one widely known to the general music lover but any rock fan worth their salt knows the man behind the name has played an intergral part in several seminal rock bands.

While many people would be stumped when asked his name they would recognise him as a guitarist with both Nirvana and Foo Fighters.

The Californian guitarist was born Georg Ruthenberg and began his professional music career in punk rock group, The Germs, during the late 70s and early 80s.

The next notch on Smear’s musical bedpost was brief but cataclismic as he spent a year as a touring guitarist with Nirvana.

The stint saw him play on massive TV shows like Saturday Night Live and feature on Nirvana’s MTV Unplugged in New York. However Smear’s time became a splash in the pond as with Kurt Cobain’s death, Nirvana died also.

Luckily Nirvana’s drummer Dave Grohl soon began the Foo Fighters with Smear along for the ride.

Although Smear has spent time with two of the biggest bands in the world he downplays that time as no big deal.

“Well, it was really fun, and really funny, there was some different people then we have different people now and we made some records, and we went on some tours,” he shrugs.

Despite Smear’s non-chalant attitude it’s clear that he has been a major part of Foo Fighters’ ascension to rock royalty. He appeared on 1997’s The Colour and the Shape which featured one of Foo Fighters’ biggest songs, Everlong, on which Smear played lead guitar.

However for some, still rather mysterious, reason

Smear shortly left Foo Fighters but quick as you can say nine years later Smear rejoined the group.

“I like it better this time round; it’s more fun this time,” he explains. “We’re all grown up now, I think that helps, I don’t know, it’s just more fun, it’s different and I feel more comfortable.”

He initially rejoined the band as a touring guitarist but for Foo Fighters’ latest release 2011’s Wasting Light he became a fully fledged member of the band recording and developing songs on the album.

Wasting Light was recorded in Dave Grohl’s garage and produced by Butch Vig who also produced Nirvana’s groundbreaking Nevermind. Smear says, “This was easily the best recording experience I’ve had, ever, and the best record I’ve ever made too.

Somehow it was really easy, I’ve never made a record that was actually easy, getting to the end, when it was over, instead of feeling like ‘oh it’s been going on and on I just want the end to come’ but this time it was like ‘oh no! It’s over?!’”

With his previous departure from Foo Fighters well publicized in rock circles Smear would be forgiven for being slightly nervous to be recording with the band again but once again he seems to have taken things in his stride.

“I don’t know, there wasn’t a feeling of pressure – Butch helped to make it easy first of all, he fitted in well with everybody, it was like having an extra guy in the band and that made it a lot easier instead of having some boss telling you what to do, if that makes sense,” he reveals. “That helped a lot and that we had practised so much before, and doing it at Dave’s house was so much more comfortable than being in a studio – in his own studio, it was kinda cool but still a studio.”

Wasting Light has also prompted a full music DVD, Back and Forth, a first for the band. Smear explains that the DVD started out as a simple way to THE BANTER |

Interview

document the recording of the album but soon developed into a feature length film.

“We just wanted to document the recording of the record at Dave’s anyway which was kind of the original idea and then it just seemed like the time as it’s been a long time and someone in the band had watched the Tom Petty documentary which was four hours or something like that and somebody said, you know what, we should do this now before it turns into a four hour film!” he explains. “It just seemed like the right time as we were filming anyway to document the making of the record.

“It was decided beforehand; well, originally Dave wanted to do kind of two films; a documentary of the making of the record but also a documentary about the band, but just not at the minute.

“We just thought maybe we would put this on a CD, throw in a DVD with the CD, maybe we’ll just do this

for the fans, in bits and pieces for now, then once James was hired he decided that he wanted the movie to be and it became that. And now its all this!”

While the 52-year-old may have spent over 30 years in the music industry mixing with rock royalty Smear is still able to remember to acknowledge the little guy when prompted: in this case touring support act Biffy Clyro.

“Ah yes! We’re with them today; we’re playing a bunch of shows with them,” he reveals.

“We just did a couple of weeks touring the US with them, they’re great, I love one of their albums. We always have a good time with them.”

Wasting Light has gone number one in 12 countries worldwide so fingers crossed history doesn’t repeat itself and see Smear jump ship after another successful Foos album. feature: anna gault

Interview: Jenn Nimmo smith

10 | THE BANTER

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www.cahonasscotland.com

Feature

formidable the joy

T

he Joy Formidable have received a lot of attention and praise over the last few years since they formed. While this is acknowledged and greatly appreciated by the trio, it quickly becomes apparent that this is a band who are sure of themselves and the music they create. ‘We don’t anybody to validate our work’ says Ritzy Bryan, the lead vocalist and guitarist of the band. ‘It’s great when they do and we really appreciate it but at the end of the day we are really proud of our work regardless of what anyone says’.

The Joy Formidable are a three piece alternative rock band from North Wales who have self produced a laudable debut album which has heads turning on both sides of the Atlantic. ‘The Big Roar` has waves of sound crashing down around you, swirling guitar rifts, sonic youth like drawn out distortions and Ritzy’s dreamy vocals captivating you for 50 minutes. The album came out at the beginning of the year and the band has been touring excessively since then. I spoke with lead singer Ritzy and bass player Rhydian while they were in Montreal on a rare day off. The band had played at Montreal’s Osheaga festival the previous day.

You played at the Osheaga festival yesterday, how 12 | THE BANTER

interview by tony connelly

was it?

‘Our set went really well and we had so much fun, it was amazing`. The fans that turned out were fantastic, a lot more people than we were expecting as well. We weren’t expecting such a great reception to all the songs either.

Did you get a chance to see any other bands and artists play?

Yeah we seen quite a few, it was a great line-up.

We seen Elvis Costello, he was brilliant, I (Ritzy) love Elvis Costello. We hung out with a lot of the bands as well and got chatting to them. The whole festival was a lot of fun, we love playing festivals’.

Your fantastic full-length debut album came out at the beginning of the year.

Why did you choose to self produced the album?

Do you find it difficult allowing someone from outside the band touch your work?

Well we did have help from Rich Costey who’s an amazing producer. But we love the producing side of things too. We don’t see creating an album as just the music, there’s so much more to it than that, the production side of things is just

Interview as important and creative so it comes naturally to us that we should produce it as well. We’ve always done that. Our EP ‘A Balloon Called Moaning` was self produced. Most of our music has been produced in our small London flat, it’s where we feel most comfortable`.

The tracks on the EP are the songs we started off with. We are proud of them and they’re the collection of tracks that we played at our gigs. But we’re always writing and the songs we’ve got on the album now represent us and where we are now. Some of the tracks made it on the album because they fitted in but others belong to that EP and part of that collection.

What’s the lyrical writing process like in the band? Do you come up with the music then write the lyrics? Or do you have lines and phrases that you want to fit into a song?

Ritzy- The lyrics don’t necessarily dictate the music. I’m always writing lyrics and poetry and when I feel it works I’ll put it in with the music. In the past lyrics have dictated some music but now it’s more like whatever comes naturally. We don’t like to restrict ourselves.

Since the release of the album you’ve had a busy year. What have you been up to?

Well we’ve been on the road pretty much the whole time I mean we’ve had a little time off but we’ve mostly been on the road touring. We’re just about to start a tour of the states and we’ll be back in the UK briefly to play Leeds and Reading festivals and then back over to the States. We love touring though, we thrive off it! We don’t see it like a job, we have such an amazing time and we feel so lucky to be doing what we love.

Your supporting the Foo Fighters in the States for 5 shows in November. How do you feel about that? Are you excited about meeting Dave Grohl?

We can’t wait! We’re really excited about it. We’ve met Dave Grohl before and he’s really friendly. We have a lot of admiration for him, with what he did for Nirvana and the Foo Fighters. Sometimes when you meet people you really admire it’s not what you expect because they can be total c##ts!

But Dave’s really down to earth and it means a lot to us for someone like Costello!

What’s your favourite drink so Glasgow can buy you a round when you’re here on October 19th?

Ritzy- Haha I love ‘Dirty Martini’s’ and Rhydian likes Cheeky Vimpto’s haha. We can’t wait to come back to Glasgow, we love King Tut’s The Joy Formidable are continuing to tour for the rest of the year which echoes the hard work and drive behind that the band exuberates. Having seen them play at King Tut’s last year I can say that their live gigs are some of the most exciting and energetic that you could imagine. They’ll be back in Glasgow to play The Oran Mor in October so have the Dirty Martini’s at the ready!

Bruno Mars SECC, Glasgow

Mon 31st October

Hurts O2 Academy, Glasgow

Thur 3rd November

Adele O2 Academy, Glasgow

Sun 25th September

Katy B O2 Academy, Glasgow

Fri 14th October

Nerina Pallot Oran Mor, Glasgow

Sat 14th January

Example O2 Academy, Glasgow

Mon 5th December

Ed Sheeran O2 ABC, Glasgow

Fri 14th October

Aloe Blacc O2 ABC, Glasgow

Mon 12th December THE BANTER | 13

Music

CD REVIEWS

14 | THE BANTER

Music Beyonce 4 rca  With everyone ranting and raving about Beyonce’s astounding performance at T in the Park, you’d be led to believe that her new album ‘4’ wouldn’t be anything less than phenomenal.

Although there’s no denying Beyonce’s compelling aura and ability to convey catchy lyrics alongside a variety of melodies, this album may disappoint Beyonce fans hoping for a taste of the sassy superstar who’s album ‘Crazy in Love’ caused an explosion of pop-love from the nation.

Indifferent to the superstars previous albums, Beyonce decided to open up her latest addition with a hearty ballad which is a little too cheesy for even the pop devotees taste.

The track,‘1+1’ is a controversial album opener, with Beyonce crooning about the maths of love and reminding listeners that 1+1 does in fact, equal 2. Vocally, Beyonce is as amazing as ever, yet the irritating, silly lyrics of this track oversee any of the the true savvy that Beyonce is famous for.

The lyrics in ‘I care’ are a little better, a track that sees rapid drum beats combined with synthesizers, yet still fails to convey anything remotely unique, a trait that’s missing throughout the whole album.

‘Party,’a track produced by Kanye West, is an 80s-infused RnB song that is easy on the ears but not quite uptempo enough to be played at an actual ‘party.’ Additionally rapper Andre 3000 features on the song, and fails to deliver anything edgy enough to have made this track a chart-topper.

‘Countdown’ finally reminds us exactly why we love our Beyonce, and offers a sassy vintage sounding melody and lots of ultra-fast, catchy lyrics being fired off by Beyonce – ‘Say it real loud if you fly / If you leave me you out of your mind.’ This will bring a quick relief for all of her devoted fans who love her for her power-girl image, (Single ladies ring a bell?) because the rest of the album might have us to believe she’s either sappy or obsessive.

‘End of Time’ is one of the best tracks on the full album and is sprung to life with the use of trumpets, African drum beats and an off-beat bass guitar.

With so many ballads featuring on this much anticipated album, you’d think Beyonce’s songs were originally meant for this year’s X Factor. We all love Beyonce, but sadly this album is disappointing to say the least.

Despite her massive success, nothing in this album comes near to living up to the hype of ‘Crazy in Love.’ She needs to give ‘Sasha,’ her alter ego a call, and hopefully when she does she’ll tell her to bring her booty down to the recording studio and not just on stage.

Lisa Boyle

the tolbooth sessions Various Artists sony music  For some the Scottish music scene just involves Glasgow and Edinburgh, others might look as far as Dundee or Aberdeen but the Forth Valley area seems to always be forgotten. A fact that’s made harder for some to digest considering both Malcolm Middleton and Aidan Moffat aka Arab Strap come from the bustling metropolis or small average town of Falkirk. Yet it always seems to be missed off the musical map of Scotland.

The Tolbooth is to Stirling what King Tuts is to Glasgow - a small venue where you can catch the best new bands before anyone else. And this compilation answers anyone who may have questioned the Forth Valley’s ability to produce good music.

Charlotte Riley’s voice is one of the highlights of the record, her song ‘Scream, Retreat’ features twice - once acoustic and once remixed by Teklo. Both versions shows her incredible voice but it’s the stripped back version that shows it at it’s finest. Stirling’s Miniature Dinosaurs fly the flag for pop punk bands in the area with their infectiously catchy tune ‘Fight or Flight’. While Friends in America’s track ‘You’re’ starts off slowly before the angst and noise really kicks in and you’re left wishing you’d heard the band sooner.

All the bands on the record have something to showcase and it’s not often they get the chance. But if this doesn’t help put Central Scotland on the map then I’m not too sure what else will. sarah moyes

gomez Whatevers On Your Mind eat sleep records  After winning the Mercury Music Prize for their debut album ‘Bring It On’ back in 1997, Gomez have struggled to produce anything quite as good. The band has drudged through the last decade, producing nothing powerful enough to catapult them back into the indie mainstream. ‘Whatever’s On Your Mind’ doesn’t cut it but that’s not to say it isn’t worth a listen.

The opening song, Options is a wondrous introduction to what hints to being a lovely summery indie album. Up-beat brass and catchy lyrics have your head bobbing, whilst the lyrics repeating the relaxed message, “That’s okay, at least I’ve got options” to all life’s pesky problems. This is easy listening at its best; no thinking required.

They try to spice things up by having different band members on vocals throughout the album but the whole idea lacks personality and flavour. You can’t help but want to give the whole band a shake.

‘Whatever’s On Your Mind’ will not blow your mind. If you want to experience the real magic of Gomez then you’ll need to go back to that debut. Despite a couple of little gems with ‘Options’ and ‘Song In My Heart’, this album is disposable and instantly forgettable. kate chambers

THE BANTER | 15

Music

foster the people Torches’ Columbia  Welcome to summer 2011, is Pumped up Kicks on the album? Of course it is, but does that really matter? No, not at all, have Foster the People managed to surmount it?

Well not quite but it really is a ‘banging tune!’ so who can blame them. Cleverly being snapped up by a major record label and having had tons of cash thrown at them Torches does suffer slightly from an over-polished, overemphasised insistence of the POP machine. Its ‘Call it What you Want’ and the still-terrific ‘Helene Beats’ does at times sound like pop-song making by numbers yet the bands’ hand-clapping/electro synth mixes creates enough interest to fill a long summer evening partying by the beach. Indeed the clever twist is the fact that no song does surpass Pumped up Kicks, it leaves you wanting more and embraces the change of pace showing that Mark Foster and co are no one trick pony.

‘Life on a nickel’ harks back to early 90’s pop, its easy chorus and a repetitive melody seeps easily into the subconscious and you find yourself singing along without really being aware. A controlled use of guitar and synthesisers collide to create a perfect pop bubble that is only really let down by ‘I would do anything for you’ soppy oooh lala lyrics that will be coming to a romcom near you soon. Overall they are the most recent pop vehicle since MGMT and their slightly unusual, trying to be cool lyricisms of Pumped Up Kicks, doesn’t quite work given the grave subject matter dressed up in a bubble-gum melody, so yes, the overall style is slightly derivative but you can safely forgo the lyrics which is too easy to do with Mark Foster falsetto voice and concentrate on moving your feet to the bass line.

Don’t stop (Colour on the Wall) is so close to Scissor Sisters it cant help but be a hit and hopefully the decision to make an album so varied from their first hit will allow them to develop and create fitting lyrics to match their easy melodies and infectious hooks.

heather campbell

16 | THE BANTER

wolf gang Suego Faults Atlantic  Named after a Utopian place that he dreamt of, ‘Suego Faults’ is the debut album from one-man band, Wolf Gang (aka Max McElligott). Said to be influenced from the likes of Kate Bush to The Killers to Duran Duran, I cant help but to compare the overall sound of the album to that of MGMT’s Oracular Spectacular.

The album opens calmly with a brief collection of echoes and effects before bursting into the energetic pop beats of the opening track ‘Lions In Cages’ with a chorus that you’ll find yourself repeating over and over in your head.

Followed by ‘Something Unusual’, an 80s sounding pop track that doesn’t quite reach the heights of your expectations from the first track. The album then struggles to maintain that initial energy as it continues with ‘Stay And Defend’ and ‘Back To Back’.

However hope is not lost as it bounces back with what is certainly one of ‘Suego Faults’ best tracks, ‘The King And All Of His Men’. It is anthemic, beautifully structured to keep that energy and filled with plenty ‘oohs’ which you’ll undoubtedly be singing along to.

After ‘Midnight Dancers’ the album briefly strays away from its energetic pop theme with title track ‘Suego Faults’. It has an elegant piano base and is definitely the albums most romantic track.

Closing with ‘Planets’, a synth-pop affair that connects to the album as a whole and the dream that Wolf Gang was inspired by. “Suego Faults is just a dream that I’m waking up from now.”

Max McElligott may not have completely achieved a musical Utopia but has certainly provided us with an album filled with enough symphonic density and uplifting, energetic beats to last us at least until his next dream. natasha reid

Music pacha Ibiza Chillout Classics newstate  Pacha Ibiza Chillout Classics returns, compiling yet another range of remixes and laid-back chill music aimed to transport you to your ultimate lazy – or party place.

If you’re not quite sure of the Pacha hype yet, you’re probably not quite old enough to have experienced, or been inundated with your friends bragging about the iconic club itself.

If this is the case, Pacha, the nightclub franchise has been synonymous with party-goers for over 40 years, with the first club being opened in Sitges outside Barcelona in 1967. The main club being situated in the heart of Ibiza, Pacha is one of the greatest known nightclub venues to have ever graced the Balearic Islands, holding a capacity of 3,500 clubbers for one event.

The club hosts nights with some of the world’s most famous DJ’s and each and every Pacha album represents tracks from some of these greatest DJ acts whilst providing perfect chill-out tempos essential for summer-time.

Opening up with a track that ideally captures the setting itself, ‘X.Press 2 ft. David Byrne – Lazy’ takes you back to a time where trance anthems weren’t manufactured from pop tracks then sped up. True clubbers will be pleased to hear this doesn’t go on within this album, apart from the exception of one Shakira remix which is actually quite genius.

The compilation album is made up of 3 discs, and combines a range of chillout favourites with some unheard of tracks bound to be lapped up by Pacha fans in search of something fresh. As expected, classic’s such as ‘Underworld ‘and ‘Cafe Del Mar’ make an appearance, and have been titivated up for the 2011 remix.

The compilation is strangely fitting right now despite the erratic Scottish weather we’ve all been enforced with. The Pacha album is great for listening to anywhere; at the park, beach or even at home when you’re just too plain hungover to move, particularly when you’re in dire need of some easy entertainment to keep you sane.

Yet like always, if you close your eyes you can almost feel the scorching sun beating down upon you whilst inhaling the familiar whiff of suncream that endures endless applications on a trip to somewhere like Ibiza.

The album takes influences from 80s, 90s, and noughties indie tracks, mixing down-tempo tunes with the occasional funky guitar riff - the final outcome being some slightly trippy yet ultimately mind-blowing chillout tracks. Highlights from the compilation include ‘Simple Minds- Theme for Great Cities,’ ‘Afro- Medusa – Pasilda’ and sunshine classic ‘ReUnited – Sun is Shining.’

Each of the tracks flow seamlessly into one another, impeccably ordered in accordance to melody and tempo.

Another hit, this album provides ultimate blissful listening for electronic music fans. This album’s great if you are really willing to relax, but if you’re anything short of impatient like myself, by the time you’ve got to hear any chorus’ you’ll already be on to the next track in search of something a little more upbeat. lisa boyle

gypsy and the cat Gilgamesh pid  The more I find about these two, the greater this album becomes. Not only is this Gypsy & The Cat’s debut album, but the pair used to DJ before they decided to be musicians not that long ago. Much respect!

Starting in 2008, lead vocalist and lyricist Xavier Bacash from Melbourne, Australia, had barely picked up a guitar, but continued on a steep learning curve with his friend Lionel Towers to draw inspiration from their favourite bands and bring it to dance music. Apart from playing the small pubs and clubs of London, the guys found it more important to hide away and focus on producing an album‘s worth of songs, just in case they were to sign a contract. What do I say about the end result? These guys must have been children of the 80’s.

Self-indulgence aside, Gypsy & The Cat have reacquainted our generation with past sounds.

Opening track Time To Wander lures you in with a sound similar to that of modern Kings Of Leon and some well placed backing harmonies. The Piper’s Song continues Beach Boys vocals complete with an MGMT synth vibe; after all, these guys did start off electronic. Dance music pops up frequently throughout the album, in the melodies and arrangements.

The 80’s kick in shortly after with title track Gilgamesh and Sight Of A Tear. Think Fleetwood Mac. Not surprisingly, the duo claim to be huge fans of the Bee Gees, most recognisable in the vocals I suppose.

My favourite track is Human Desire, very similar to Mark Ronson’s effort with Boy George, with some haunting background vocals.

The album is not entirely electronic, in fact very musical. I respect that Gypsy & The Cat have disciplined themselves enough to produce an album like this, as well as seeing through their transition from DJs to musicians in such a short period of time. I judged an album by it’s cover on this one, and I was dead wrong. I’d love to see if they can cut it live. martin knox

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Music simple plan Get Your Heart On atlantic  This album is reminiscent of the days when punk pop was at it’s peak. The days of moshers, bike chains on baggy jeans and Avril Lavinge making songs that weren’t about cheating on people and stealing other people’s boyfriends.

This is quite possibly the best album of the quintets career, Even though at a glance at the track listing is features some questionable artists like Natasha Bedingfield and K’naan your suspicions are quickly dowsed when you put the album on and hear the cheery punk, jump about and go crazy, tunes that comprise this new redeeming LP.

hard-fi Killer Sounds atlantic  If you’ve heard that front man Richard Archer says that this band are heavily influenced by soul and dance music you might be wondering where the proof is; well, here’s the proof. This album is less typically indie than you’d expect from this Surrey four-piece.

It’s still got the indie staples but there are a whole lot of 80’s dance music influences chucked into this album, not in a haphazard way either, it’s in a careful and measured approach.

In short, it’s not over kill.

The second and current single from the album, Fire in the House, is a track which the 80’s electro/dance vibe is very evident with the electronic drum beat and this track is followed up by another oddly influenced tune, Give It Up. While Archer sings in his usual husky accented vocals there’s an odd, jazz style whistling that is infectious to say the least.

Feels Good, the fifth track on the album, has what sounds like a sitar in the opening and laced throughout the track which adds an exciting new dimension, undoubtedly without this addition it would probably be a pretty boring and unmemorable song.

As usual with indie music the guitars don’t stand out too much, but that’s fine. In this music it’s all about hearing every piece together to create an amazing sound and reaching that status quo is just as impressive as a face melting guitar solo in every song. They key to this records finely tuned mix is balance; it’s definitely a fine art.

Not only have they come back with a good sound, it’s a stronger sound than before. It’s maybe not an album you’ll rave about for years to come but it shows that this quartet have life in them yet. They’ve managed to avoid the boring samey feel that you can get with some indie albums by adding in an eclectic mix of instruments but it does leave the question as to what they can do next? Hopefully it’ll be another step in this direction and we’ll see their best album yet.

alyce macpherson

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The second track on the album, Can’t Keep My Hands Off Of You is a catchy upbeat song that you’d expect to be dancing to at many a house party and Jet Lag, the track featuring Natasha Bedingfield shows off some subtle but beautiful harmonies but still manages to keep the punk pop aesthetic that Simple Plan are known for and loved for.

There is a slight slowing down in the middle of the album with the track Anywhere Else But Here that seems a little uninspiring and a bit like filler and upsettingly enough, Freaking Me Out featuring All Time Low’s frontman, Alex Gaskarth, is also a bit disappointing as they’ve tried to add in a synthy, Metro Station effect that just jars with the rest of the song.

Summer Paradise is an odd addition to the album that is surprisingly good. It’s not quite punk pop; it’s pretty much the token acoustic track that has a jaunty, summery feel. The strange addition of K’nann, a Somalian Canadian rapper, poet and musician shouldn’t work with this band but it does. It gives the album a little side step from the die-hard punk pop style and K’nann’s input on the track fits perfectly. Last One Standing is probably the best song on the album that sees Simple Plan take an angsty turn for the better. It’s got the typical “Woah, woah” laced throughout the chorus that makes it quite anthem-esque and worthy of fans punching the air at a gig.

The last song on the album is most odd, lyrics taken from the fan message board feature on the song as well as some of them being sung by the fans too. It’s an odd song that is very like the Good Charlotte strong hold, Hold On. Whether it’s your cup of tea or not will vary depending on how much cheese you can handle in one track but it’s an appropriate closer to the album in any case.

This album is just what, in my opinion, the punk pop scene has been screaming out for; something old school, to remind the scene exactly what it’s about. Although it could be argued that Simple Plan have missed out on fans for sticking to their guns I’d argue that they’ve managed to keep so many fans because they’ve always been true to what they started as and never lost the pop punk charm. For die-hard fans and people wishing to reminisce this album is definitely a must have.

alyce macpherson

Music amnesia Ibiza Anthems new state  This 4 CD album from world renowned Ibiza super club, Amnesia, will take you on a twenty-one year journey through time from 1990 to 2011. Perfect for summer listening, the album most definitely has a party feel to it with instant recognisable classics such as Robert Miles’ Children and Moloko’s Sing It Back while also including current chart hits such as Swedish House Mafia’s massive top ten hit One. Amnesia is a holiday home to most major dance, trance and house artists with the world’s top DJs playing there every summer. The clubs most popular night falls on a Thursday when ‘Cream’ comes to Amnesia boasting top resident DJs including Paul van Dyk and Eddie Halliwell.

The album gives the listener insight into the progression of dance music throughout the years; although vocals stay the same, different DJ’s adapt tracks to suit their own style. Show Me Love, first released by Swedish artist Robyn S in 1996, is one example as it was recently remixed and re-released in 2008 with more emphasis on the beat rather than the vocals.

For those new to the genre, the album is not overpowered by hard core dance which makes it more appealing to a wider audience. rachel mchard

paul simon So Beautiful Or So What decca  Simon without Garfunkel is like Christmas without your favourite uncle. Still quite good but no where near as entertaining and the banter is pretty downhill too.

Paul Simon is still a hippie at heart and his simplistic lyrics might speak to some people but, being from a different generation, which grew up around rebellion and change in the world, hippie sensibilities seem almost silly to me.

The Afterlife starts well, it’s a song that explores the idea of going to meet God. Suddenly the lyrics seem to be about Paul Simon’s recent trip to Argos; “You got to fill out a form first/And then you wait in the line.”

Rewrite is a very repetitive and catchy song that will either irritate you to death or make you smile every time you start humming it. The album titled track starts off with lyrics that seems to be about what Paul’s having for dinner that night; “I’m gonna make a chicken gumbo, toss some sausage in the pot, I’m gonna flavour it with ochre, cayenne pepper to make it hot.” Clutching at lyrical straws springs to mind.

Paul Simons first album in half a decade is a wonderful return to his hippie roots with simplistic lyrics that make you feel cheery and his voice is still just as beautiful as it was in the mid-70’s when he recorded his best known solo album, Still Crazy After All These Years.

Paul has the ability to make you skip between melancholy and chipper within a matter of seconds and that’s a talent not many artists alive today in the music industry have mastered.

Even if you don’t quite understand the hippy influenced lyrics on the album then you will more than definitely appreciate the musical talent that is poured into every track.

alyce macpherson

lady gaga Born This Way polydor  Every good pop record should leave a lasting impression, and regardless of your own opinions on the genre, there is no denying that Lady Gaga knows how to do just that.

‘Born This Way’ is an album of 14 entirely unique tracks which has the enviable quality that all are good enough to be released as singles (although I find it quite unlikely that ‘Government Hooker’ will be hitting the airwaves anytime soon!). Gaga does gritty pop, if such a genre exists – there is electronica, pop, rock and even an operatic element to this truly excellent album. Each track is a miniature story, infused with real life, humour and sadness at times. ‘Born This Way’ is an album of celebration (Born This Way), reflection (Judas, The Edge of Glory) and the downright bizarre (the almost carnival-eque Americano!). Gaga consistently produces fantastic, compulsive music, and I’ve yet to hear a weak track from the woman who has the elusive ability to appeal to millions whilst simultaneously being everything and nothing they can relate to. Pop music isn’t a genre I normally listen to, but Lady Gaga has revolutionised popular music and made it accessible to those, like me, who can’t stand cheesy bubblegum crap. ‘Born This Way’ is yet another example of her ability to get the balance between self discovery and having fun just right. A truly excellent collection of music.

louise anne geddes

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Music toploader Only Human underdogs music  Upon first hearing that Toploader were reforming for a new album I was excited; however, upon seeing the album cover of a little sad and lonely robot I figured that my hopes and dreams of another cult hit emerging were about to be dashed. The tracks on the album are just as hope crunching as opening your Dib-Dab to find there’s no lollipop inside.

Never Stop Wondering is a track full of high pitched whining and mumbling which makes it very hard to make out what the lyrics actually are and this trend seems to continue throughout. Some tracks have a go at being ‘quirky’ with an upbeat melody with depressing lyrics but unfortunately they have just missed the mark on these too. The first single off the album, The Balance Of All Things, just comes across as trite; it tries desperately to be the next cult song to shake the band out of their 8-year hiatus but it, like the rest of the album, falls very short.

The album is one which doesn’t grab you by the shoulders and shout a message in your face, it’s typically indie and happy to carry on without ever really making a statement about the world or anything in it. Instead the album seems to just suggest problems but the song Closure sums up this album perfectly; “You can’t be sad about it now.” alyce macpherson

selena gomez When The Sun Goes Down ac records  Aside from being Justin Beiber’s girlfriend, Selena Gomez has also found time to make a new record with her band The Scene. It’s just a shame she’s now more famous for dating the Baby singer than for her actual music.

The most striking thing about this record is why Gomez actually needs a band essentially they are just a backing band and from looking in the CD sleeve they are pretty invisible.

They don’t even make it onto the cover of the record.

Selena on the other hand does and having recently left her Disneytelevision show, this album is meant to be a more grown up transition into pop music. On paper it should be great - she can certainly sing and there’s a host of guest writers including Britney Spears, Katy Perry and Pixie Lott.

Pixie even features on the track she helped to write ‘We Own The Night’ but it’s not her finest work so maybe Miss Lott wants to keep this little project quiet. But Katy Perry’s contribution ‘That’s More Like It’ turns out to be one of the highlights of the record, it’s quirky pop music at it’s finest. But it’s single ‘Who Says’ that really stands out. It’s the teen anthem of the album, think Avril Lavigne without all the angst.

The rest of the album is mainly filler songs and nothing to shout about. And if Gomez wants to compete with her boyfriend she’s going to have to produce something better than this next time. sarah moyes

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the pierces You & I polydor  You would be forgiven for thinking this was the first offering from the American sisters, Catherine and Allison Pierce, unfortunately this is the 4th studio album from The Pierces and if the rumours are true; it is a last-ditch attempt to garner mainstream success from their own brand of ethereal, soul searching.

Whilst their bright harmonies and rich vocals lend some serious weight to the album the songs take very few risks and run almost unnoticeably from one track to another. Two exceptions are ‘Love you more’ which offer more of a goth-edge glint and ‘It will not be forgotten’ which manages to be melancholic without being self indulgent possibly due to the restraint in the use of tambourines and lilted oooohs prevalent on the album.

There is no denying their tremendous vocal, showcased in the final track ‘I put your record on’ which strips back the over-production of the musical showcase ‘Glorious’ a dated, hippi-esqu love letter to life that is no match for other folk tracks like Noah and the Whale’s Tonight’s the Kindda night for revving up a crown into a lovelife frenzy.

The much hoped for mainstream success should be granted not least so the girls can shake of the shackles imposed by their progression to a major label and get back some of the quirky creativity of there previous album which in looking back far outstrip You & I.

heather campbell

Interview

SUSPIRE S

aturday 3rd September sees Glasgow indie band Suspire launching their second single ‘Salvation Sister’ at The Arches, Glasgow. Produced by Echo and the Bunnymen guitarist Gordy Goudie, the band will release ‘Salvation Sister on Monday 5th September from their own label, Clay Davis Records. Since the release of their first single ‘Legislate for Luck’, the Glasgow 3 piece have been working furiously to raise the profile of the band.

Performing at their first major festival, ‘Rockness’ in 2010, they have since played the Edinburgh Fringe for the second time, and supported ex Simple Minds star Brian McGee. The band have recently been promoting the new single with live sessions at Manchester’s Salford FM and Manchester Radio Online, which led to interest from the USA, and San Francisco’s big indie radio station, Pacific FM, picking up the record for their playlist.

Working with Gordy Goudie (through an introduction from band manager Amy Rew) has resulted not only in him producing ‘Salvation Sister’, but he has now been confirmed to produce their debut album. Clare Kelly, Suspire drummer said: “We met with him over a drink a while ago, at that point not knowing if he’d want to work with us. We knew he only worked with bands he really liked, so when he agreed to work with us... well, we felt privileged. To top that, he’s said he’d love to do an album with us. That’s due to kick off later this year”

It’s been a while since ‘Legislate for Luck’ was launched at Stereo back in October 2009, but the band decided that it was time was right to get their music out there once again.

Kelly says: “We felt the time was right to put out a new single because, well, why the hell not..? The songs were there and we had the backing of a great producer. We just want our music out there, especially if people are asking to hear it. The last couple of months have been bit mental...

Radio sessions and a gig in Manchester, gig in Aberdeen, in-stores, Livescene tour... tiresome but a whole lot of fun.

We’re looking forward to our show at The Arches on 3rd Sept for the launch” With support from Tragic O’Hara, and ‘The Lonely Boy’, the launch of ‘Salvation Sister’ promises to be a brilliant night.

Tickets for the launch night are available from Suspire’s website (www.suspire.net) and those buying tickets directly from the site may receive an extra surprise with their mailed out ticket! Tickets are also available from Tickets Scotland on Argyle Street: 0141 204 5151 at £5.

Paying on the door will be £6 (if available). Follow Suspire on Twitter (http://twitter.com/suspire) and on their website to keep up to date with what the band are up to. louise - anne geddes

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Interview

INTERVIEW ZAC BROWN BAND Interview by ritchie marshall

22 | THE BANTER

Interview

A

fter an eventful year in the charts and on the road, GRAMMY-Award winning Zac Brown Band has proven that “overnight success” can be years in the making.

New fans drawn by the irresistible hit singles, the awe-inspiring musicianship and dynamic live shows might have thought the Zac Brown Band emerged from nowhere. In fact, the band has paid its dues for years and put in its time for just this moment, it may have happened quickly, but it’s definitely built to last.

Zac Brown Band’s second major label studio album ‘You Get What You Give’(Atlantic/Southern Ground Artists, Inc.) was released on September 21st and debuted at #1 on the Billboard 200 and Country Albums charts.

Zac has been quoted as saying; “It’s a defining record...Every step of it is done the right way and I expect people are really going to love this record and see the depth of our musicianship, we’re always growing. Not that we’ve arrived at any grand finale or anything, but the progress from this last record to this one, it’s tremendous and I’m proud of it.”

It is now time for the Zac Brown Band to conquer the UK and what better way to introduce yourself to the country than to support, arguably one of the biggest bands in the world, The Kings of Leon. And The Banter had the pleasure of sitting down with the Zac Brown Band after they had wowed the crowd at a packed Murrayfield.

You have been together for a long time, what was it about Chicken Fried that helped you make the breakthrough?

Zac Brown – It’s my 14th year of touring so it’s been a long journey for me and about seven years ago I met Jimmy first, I got Jimmy to play in the band first and I met John a little bit before that, I was working on a record with him at his studio and then came Coy and then came “sweets?” and then came Clay. Along the way trying to get the right people, dimensional people that are great at what they do but also have life skills.

Functional whole people, some people are not that way. About 4 years ago Chicken Fried came on the radio and it really started to pick up for us and it’s been a blessed journey so far, the last few years have been a blur…amazing.

Jimmy De Martini - Those years before Chicken Fried came out and we started coming out on the radio and had radio hits, like you said paying our dues, we played every gig imaginable.

From weddings to tiny bars to stadiums. We are pretty good at reading a crowd and know what to give them and what they should expect and in any situation I think we can put on a great live show and I think once we started getting popular there was the question “well can they play live?” and we can do that better than anything.

Having paid your dues with endless touring and performances for a number of years was it strange to win Best Newcomer at the Grammys?

Zac Brown - It was amazing; we did not think we were going to win that. It was very strange but to us, back then, in 1998 I thought then “we are going to make it” I thought next year “We are going to be big!!”. But we weren’t ready then obviously but I feel like we are ready now especially ready to travel the world and getting to come here is a new challenge for us. We have done a lot of stuff in the States, not everything, but a lot of stuff so coming over here is really exciting for us.

Coy Bowles - That was a total surprise to us; we had a meeting before that if we didn’t win we were ok with that. And we didn’t think we were going to win so when they called our name out everything after that was blurry. I can’t really remember anything after that from 45mins to and an hour. I don’t really remember being on stage that much, I don’t really remember walking up. I remember screaming and I remember hugging Smokey Robinson backstage.

Chris Fryar – I can remember when we were saying out Thank Yous looking down and seeing Ringo Starr on the front row giving us the thumbs up. That was especially surreal for me because The Beatles won the Best New Artist back in the 60s and to see part of that heritage giving us the thumbs up it was very surreal, a very special moment.

You have also won a number of Country Music Awards and have been nominated for many others whilst not being genre specific. Do you think the much mainstream crossover of country and popular music has played a part in this?

Zac Brown - I definitely think the genre of country music has continued to change, I think a lot of the stuff, I mean if The Eagles were to come out in modern day they would be country. There is no specific thing there has become such a broad spectrum of things but I think our roots are in the South and our songs that we choose to put on the radio have a real story to them and have the characteristics of a real country song. I definitely think the diversity of, everybody is really diverse now because you can get on the internet and hear a million things for free of all different kinds and I think people are ready for that diversity. We enjoy the freedom, we enjoy being able to make the music that we want to.

Do you feel as individual musicians it’s your individual influences that bring such a diverse mix to Zac Brown Bands music?

Clay Cook - We all listen to completely different styles of music.

When I first got in the band I didn’t really listen to bluegrass much but coming in to the band and getting exposed to country and bluegrass it was amazing. And as a musician its really awesome as we play so many styles that you always feel like you have something to work on. I feel like I can be a better organ player, I feel like I can be a better southern rock slide guitar player so there’s always something to work on. Where as if we just played one style of music it would seem like it

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Interview could get old but have so many areas to kind of pull from like when Hop writes a song it might be more rock and roll than say if Zac wrote a song or vice versa but definitely everybody’s stylistic approach to the songwriting and to the arrangements definitely help for it to be genre-less…

John Driskell Hopkins – I think to a certain degree country music has evolved. Southern people listen to everything so their tastes evolve with it or before it and they dictate what they are going to enjoy on that genre and that radio station so when you through a pop crossover into the mix its very palatable for people who like all sorts of already. Our fans like a lot of different styles of music.

Zac Brown - A song that could be quite folky as an acoustic song, when we bring it to the band and everyone brings their different styles to it and we spend a full day or two days usually just arranging that one song it then comes to life in a way that I didn’t think it could. I don’t think there’s any way that we all thought they would come out that way, we just kind of throw all the ideas in and keep the good ones and that’s how it happens.

Talking about crossovers country music has seen some pretty interesting collaborations lately including Carrie Underwood and Steven Tyler and more recently Jason Aldean and Ludacris. Is there anyone you would like to collaborate with?

Zac Brown – Sting is the next one on the list for us John Driskell Hopkins – We’ve gotten some pretty good ones so far. James Taylor…we’re on a roll.

Coy Bowles – There’s an Atlanta group who I think are probably the most ingenious rap or hip-hop group, Outkast. I would really love to work with those guys. We got to meet them at the Atlanta Grammy Awards and I think that would be really awesome. I think we still have a list of about 50 people if not more than that we’d all like to work with. We all have heroes.

Zac Brown – Springsteen, Sting... those are the next two in my sights to try and track down.

‘You get what you give’ has just been released here in the UK, number 1 in the UK Country iTunes Chart. How has your short time been in the UK? Zac Brown – It has been a lot better than I thought in my head, because I have kids at home and I didn’t want to be away for seven days not seeing my kids and not knowing what the deal was. But its gone by really fast and the people here have been really gracious to us, we’ve enjoyed the culture, enjoyed all the fans, enjoyed performing in a brand new place. It’s been great, I’ve really enjoyed it and look forward to coming back.

Jimmy De Martini – It feels like we have made a little headway too because we got play in front of big crowds thanks to Kings 24 | THE BANTER

of Leon and we got to do our own show at Shepherds Empire Bush and it was all our fans there, around 1500 people or something like that, playing in a theatre, we always used to play in theatres until we got really big in the States, it was great.

I think we have done a lot of good work over here so it was definitely worth the trip.

As a not for profit project ourselves we are keen to hear about others work in the third Sector. What can you tell us about Camp Southern Ground?

Zac Brown – I grew up working in camps for kids. I was a camper there, then I was a counselor, then I was on staff and I lived there for several summers. Getting to work there and behind hands on with the development of the kids and helping I have seen what a difference that can make so now we are building a camp just like the one I worked at. It’s based on helping kids with developmental disorders and helping to expose kids to things that they do not normally get the chance to find. It’s a big project but it’s been a big passion of mine and I knew I wouldn’t to do it since I was very young. That’s what the foundation is about; it’s about helping to get the camp built. We have gotten a lot done in the last couple of years and it will probably be another couple before its up and running but it’s a big passion of mine and I know that all the blessings from the music would come and the resource from that would help us to get it built and would help gather the people together to help us do it You also recently took part in the Letters for Lyrics campaign?

Chris Fryar – That was a project where we teamed up with Ram trucks, they were interested in doing something and we love supporting thr troops. It has absolutely nothing to do with politics; it has absolutely everything to do with supporting the men and women of the military who have to sacrifice being at home. They go overseas and they do their job that they are getting paid to do and the Letter for Lyrics was just a campaign to help the people send a little letter of thanks to those who were overseas. The programme basically would involve you going to a Dodge dealership and you would fill out a postcard and write a letter to a soldier and in exchange for that letter you would get a free CD as an incentive to get you in the door to do something kind for somebody you have never met. It was a great programme.

Coy Bowles - We went to Iraq for 8 days. We toured all over the Middle East and I think it might be the most important thing I have ever done in my life. We went to one base outside of the camp and there were maybe 20 or 30 guys there. Two weeks before two of their guys had been killed, they had been out there living in tents for two years and the last 6 months they had gotten housing. And the look in these guys eyes, they were like 18/19, and the look in their eyes I have never seen anything like that. So we started playing some music and Zac knows some kind of dirty, jokey songs for guys so we started playing those and they started laughing and cutting up and by the end

Interview of it you could see that they still had life in them. Even though it was there, it was very strange. I don’t know if I could ever do that anywhere else, the power of music was definitely represented that day. I still consider myself to be young but seeing someone who is 19 years old and has that look in their eyes was strange to see but it was great that music could help that.

Jimmy De Martini– It went down close to 600,000 letters to the soldiers.

You have also set up your own label, Southern Ground. Are there any artists on the label we should be looking out for?

Zac Brown– If somebody is a Southern Ground artist they have a very, very special gift and they’re part of our team. It’s everybody together trying to help support everyone else. Sonia Leigh is the next one coming up out of Southern Ground and The Wood Brothers, artists that I’m a big fan of. Sonia Leigh next month goes out to radio in the States nationwide and that’s a big deal and the Wood Brothers their campaign is ready to roll out just after that. It’s a big year for us, for me being a part of a music movement, its not about me as an artist, its about how we figured out certain business things that these other artists need. They’ve got the talent, they’ve got the gifts, they are performers but we help them business wise to really get out there and be a part of a movement of music like Motown Records was back in the day. This is our family of musicians and artists and we are all going to try and do it together.

Your video for your next single ‘Knee Deep’ has been released in the US how much fun was it filming the video?

Zac Brown - It was a lot of fun to shoot the video, Jimmy Buffet is one of my favorite songwriters and a big legend in the States and it was great to get to collaborate with him Do you have any plans to return to the UK? Zac Brown – Oh yeah, we’ll be back for sure (points outside to the Murrayfield Crowd) that’s what it’s all about there. You gotta hope as a performer that every play you do counts, that every time you perform it is received and makes an impact and every show that we have done here has done that. It’s refreshing for us, it’s a new dragon, it’s a new dragon to try and slay.

Coy Bowles – The second night that we played with Kings of Leon, we played 200 and something shows a year for the last I don’t know four years we have just been on the road forever playing show after show after show. The Kings of Leon show that we played our second night in the UK is probably one of the best shows we have played ever. To be in front of a completely new crowd and in a new country and a long way away from home was one of the coolest feelings I have ever had in my life.

Zac Brown – The musical heritage here and a lot of the artists we grew up listening to are from here and just the average

person and the amount they love music and they dedicate themselves to it. Somebody made a good analogy the other day, they said “In America people know the choruses to the songs, but over here they know all the verses too”. If you spends hours and days and even years writing one song and you put the song on the record and out there someone knows every word to that whole song, that’s the best. That’s the highest compliment that you can have.

We played Shepherds Bush two nights ago and there were people they’re singing every word to every song that’s on the new record and that doesn’t happen over in the States. The people here seem to be a little more obsessed.

Chris Fryar – We are not on the radio here, so it doesn’t just get played for them. They have to seek it out so the fans that do come are pretty in to your music because they are not just casual fans they had to find it.

Zac Brown Bands latest album “You Get What You Give” is available now in the UK through Atlantic Records.

For more information on Zac Brown Band visit their website at www.zacbrownband.com THE BANTER | 25

Feature

T IN THE PARK 2011 I

t had been awhile since awhile since I had been to T in the Park, six years to be exact. After being to the very first one at Strathclyde Park in 1994 as a young whippersnapper, I went back to the festival in 2004 and 2005 in what seemed at the time as a teenage rite of passage.

Although I enjoyed 2005 immensely, with the Foo Fighters being phenomenal as always, I had been put off the event by the crowd that the legendary festival now seemed to attract and hadn’t ventured back since but when you are given free tickets you quickly put your objections to one side and look out your wellies…

Unfortunately I wasn’t able to make the Friday of the event and I missed Tom Jones and Twin Atlantic *sad faces* but other than those two acts Friday wasn’t of concern to me as I hate the Arctic Monkeys with a fiery passion, for unbeknownst reasons.

So the Saturday saw my triumphant return to Balado, well triumphant to me anyways…

After some milling around in the media area, feeling very smug and self-important with my special shiny gold band on, it was time to go see some acts and the first act that was graced with

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By MAXWELL LYNAS my presence was The Saturdays and oh my days, what a band...

Playing in the King Tut’s Wah Wah tent which was filled with genuine fans, interested spectators the girls sent their fans into a well choreographed frenzy and as an added bonus my future wife Frankie Sandford had silver hot pants on!

Up next was the Rock n’ Roll guitar legend Slash, as the top hat wearing rockstar took to the stage, an annual T in the Park event happened… it started raining.

Slash had pulled in a sizeable crowd to see his set of solo material mixed with some classic Guns and Roses and some Velvet Revolver, well his solo material is good it was the Guns and Roses classics which the crowd ate up.

After Slash it was time to head to the Radio 1 stage to see the magnificent Jimmy Eat World crush T in the Park into tiny little bits.

J.E.W. unleashed a set peppered with classics such as Bleed American, Futures, Big Casino, Coffee and Cigarettes, The Middle and Sweetness.

Feature Ahhh… what a band!

Next it was decision time Beyonce or The Strokes??

I don’t want you to get the wrong idea about me but I went to see Beyonce...

But you see Beyonce did me a huge favour and played her two biggest songs first, Crazy in Love and Single Ladies then she proceeded to play some songs I didn’t know and generally just faffed around (looking immense though) so it was time to go see The Strokes.

And The Strokes were class, although Mr Casablancas didn’t seem too happy about playing on the Radio 1/NME stage and to be fair he has a point, the Strokes are former headliners of the event.

Bruno had the crowd in the palm of his hand and wowed the crowd with a Smells like Teen Spirit / Billie Jean / Seven Nation Army medley and of course with his smash hits The Lazy Song, Grenade and Just the Way You Are. It was now time to head back to the main stage to see the infamous Pulp, while not being their biggest fan I do enjoy some Pulp and they didn’t disappoint with Do You Remember the First Time?, Mis-Shapes, Disco 2000 and of course Common People being highlights.

Whatever you may think of Jarvis Cocker, there is no denying he is an exceptional frontman and the Balado crowd loved him and his funky little dance moves.

Even though I’m a little metal and emo boy at heart, not that you can tell by some of the acts I’ve went to see today, I just couldn’t say no to going to see Swedish House Mafia and I’m glad I didn’t say no.

Swedish House Mafia at T in the Park 2011 is one of the highlights of my life, they were absolutely phenomenal and I normally despise dance music.

The place was absolutely buzzing and the band’s light and laser show was just out of this world.

Catching Coldplay’s final few songs and encore was another highlight, again I’m not a fan but they are an exceptional live band.

SUNDAY Due to interviews (which you will be able to read somewhere in this magazine) I didn’t get to see any acts until Weezer took to the main stage and it was definitely worth the wait but it wasn’t all rosy as I fell victim to a horrible horrible clash, You Me at Six were playing the Radio 1 stage at the same time.

The two bands I wanted to see the most at the festival playing at the same time, what are the chances?

I soldiered on and rocked out to Weezer, who were amazing with frontman Rivers Cuomo in top form.

Interviews and articles about Weezer also comment on how shy and even anti-social Rivers can be but at T in the Park he was the complete opposite – he spent most of his time in the crowd, even getting lost and unable to find his way back the stage.

Weezer cranked out classic after classic and even gave an airing to Wheatus’ Teenage Dirtbag and finished off with the seminal Buddy Holly.

I was then dragged to see Bruno Mars since no one would stay and watch My Chemical Romance with me *sad faces*.

It was now time for the final act of the weekend The Foo Fighters, and T in the Park definitely saved the best for last.

The Foos burst onto stage ten minutes early with Burning Bridge and Rope off their astounding new album, Wasting Light then it was just hit after hit for over two hours.

The Pretender, My Hero, Learn to Fly, White Limo, Breakout, Long Road to Ruin, Stacked Actors, Monkey Wrench, Let It Die, Best of You, All My Life, Times Like These and of course the unparalleled Everlong all featured with Everlong rounding off a set which confirmed The Foo Fighters place as the number one Rock band in the world right now.

As in true T in the Park tradition the event is brought to a close with fireworks (which even the legend that is Dave Grohl sticks around to watch) and a lone bagpiper.

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Interview

judas priest BREAKING THE LAW, oNE FINAL TIME? Interview by Maxwell Lynas

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Interview

B

efore we dive head first into our interview with Glenn Tipton, Judas Priest’s guitarist, it might first be beneficial for a little history lesson to get us acquainted with Judas Priest.

The men’s parents and their legal team alleged that a subliminal message of “do it” had been included in the Judas Priest song Better by You, Better than Me from the Stained Class album.

Judas Priest are a heavy metal band from Birmingham, formed in 1969, the current line-up consists of lead vocalist Rob Halford, guitarist Glenn Tipton, guitarist Richie Faulkner, bassist Ian Hill and drummer Scott Travis.

They alleged the command in the song triggered the suicide attempt. The trial lasted from 16 July to 24 August 1990, when the suit was dismissed.

The band has gone through several members over the years, with founding member K. K. Downing only leaving the band in April 2011, months before the band set out on their Epitaph World Tour (more on this later) leaving bassist Ian Hill as the only remaining founding member of the band.

Judas Priest have been cited as an influence on many heavy metal musicians and bands and their popularity and status as one of the definitive heavy metal bands has earned them the nickname “Metal Gods” from their song of the same name.

They have sold over a whopping 50 million albums worldwide and were anointed the 2nd Greatest Metal Band

by MTV (after Black Sabbath, of course).

According to original vocalist Al Atkins the band got its name from the Bob Dylan song “The Ballad of Frankie Lee and Judas Priest”.

They are known for a twin lead guitar style, Halford’s wide operatic vocal style, and for introducing S&M leather and studs into heavy metal.

They are also famous for non-musical activities too, perhaps most famously for being involved in a civil action in 1991 that alleged the band were responsible for the self-inflicted gunshot wounds of 20-year-old James Vance and 18-yearold Raymond Belknap in Sparks, Nevada, USA. On 23 December 1985, Vance and Belknap, after hours of drinking beer, smoking marijuana and allegedly listening to Judas Priest music, went to a playground at a church in Sparks with a 12-gauge shotgun to end their lives.

Belknap was the first to place the shotgun under his chin; he died instantly after pulling the trigger.

Vance was the next to follow suit but only blew away the lower half of his face. This was possibly because the weapon was slippery with blood.

The band are also the influence for the 2001 movie Rockstar starring Mark Wahlberg and Jennifer Anistion, as the movie is based on the life-story of Tim “Ripper” Owens, who was singer in a Judas Priest tribute band and was then chosen to replace singer Rob Halford when he left the band in 1992.

(Let’s not hold that against the band now!)

Halford rejoined the band in 2003, after an ever-growing demand for a reunion from fans.

Some people will probably recognised some of their songs from video games, as in the 2000s, Judas Priest had become known to a new generation thanks to their music being included on the soundtracks of several popular video games, such as Gran Turismo, Guitar Hero and of course the seminal Grand Theft Auto: Vice City.

They have also recently appeared on American Idol (again more on that later).

With our brief little Judas Priest history lesson over and I hope you’ve paid attention as there will be a test later (only kidding!), it is now down to our chat with Glenn Tipton, who sounds exactly how you would imagine a Brummie metalhead to sound like, about their appearance on American Idol, their upcoming singles collection and whether or not the end of their Epitaph World Tour is the end of the band.

When Judas Priest announced their Epitaph World Tour, it was billed as “The Farewell Tour” with Rob Halford saying: “I think it’s time, you know. We’re not the first band to say farewell, it’s just the way everyone comes to at some point and we’re gonna say a few more things early next year, so I think the main thing that we just want to ask everybody to consider is don’t be sad about this, start celebrating and rejoicing over all the great things we’ve done in Judas Priest.”

Then on January 27, 2011, it was announced that Judas Priest was in the process of writing new material; the band also clarified their plans for the future, saying that “...this is by no means the end of the band. In fact, we are presently THE BANTER | 29

Interview writing new material, but we do intend this to be the last major world tour.”

Speaking at a press conference in Los Angeles on May, 26, of the new material Glenn Tipton said: “It’s quite a mixed bag. Really, there’s more sentiment on this album. In a way, I suppose, it’s also our farewell album, although it might not be our last one. There are some anthems on there, which pay tribute to our fans” It seemed their announcement had everyone confused so I asked Glenn to clear it up for us if the band were saying their farewells to touring or the music business in general: “This will undoubtedly be our last world tour; we’ve done it for over 30 years now and there has got to be an end to it at some point.

“We might have confused the issue a little bit, but it is not the end of the band, I’m sure we’ve got at least one more album in us, so it is not the end of the band we are not retiring or anything like that but it will be our last major world tour.

“Even with festivals we aren’t sure, if someone came along and offered us something that sounded really worth doing and good for the band and then if we felt we could accomplish it we would give it strong consideration.”

In one of the band’s announcements to clarify that they weren’t retiring they announced that they were writing new material, I asked Glenn how the new material was coming along: “We’ve recorded some of it, we have mixed three tracks and written about ten so they aren’t finished yet but the songs are there, we have put the basic tracks down but there is still a lot of work to do.

“The problem we have got now is we’ve got such a tight schedule, so after a 6-8 week period on the road you need to get away from music and just relax so we don’t have time to be creative.”

The band have an upcoming Single Collection for release in August, so I asked Glenn if he could give us some information on this collection: “It is a bit of Priest history, it is a boxset of all the singles we have released over the years, Priest aren’t really a “singles” band so it is just key tracks that have been released throughout the years is perhaps a better term for it.”

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As mentioned before Judas Priest performed during the finale of the 2011 American Idol season with contestant James Durbin, the band played a mixture of two songs: “Living After Midnight” and “Breaking the Law”.

This marked their first live performance without K.K. Downing. I asked Glenn how that American Idol appearance came about: “The reason we did that, well there was three reasons, it is watched by 30 million people alone and it has always been our mission to fly the flag for metal and to promote metal and what better way to do it and we’ve never believed that there has been any rules of regulations of where or how you have to perform.

“James Durbin, the guy we did it with, is just a total metalhead and it was great to see a guy like that stand his ground and also fly the flag for metal, he is a really nice guy and we liked him and we just thought it was a really good idea and we really enjoyed it.”

The band has fans of all ages, with parents perhaps passing the band down to their children like an heirloom, does this help with the longevity of the band: “Yes I think that is part of it, it is great you know in the audience you see teenage kids 13 or 14, some of who have been turned onto the band by their parents or some have discovered the band for themselves.

“We’ve sort of gone full circle, it is quite amazing, if you asked me honestly 30 years on if I would still be here playing Judas Priest music I would have asked if you were mad.

“A lot of that is down to the fanbase and we are getting across to the younger generation and if you can get across to teenagers and for them to like your music you are doing something right.”

A career that has spanned 40 years, must have had many highlights, so what sticks in the mind of Glenn Tipton?

“Off the top of my head, the two things that stick in my mind are the Oz Festival in the states where there was over 300,000 people that was pretty incredible.

“In addition Live Aid was a great thing to be involved with, not just because it was a great cause it was just a very emotional day, due to the fact it was for a great reason and everyone got together and pulled their resources together to make a lot of money for people who really needed it.”

Feature

TOP CELEBS PROVE THEY ARE “REAL MEN” P

op Stars Westlife, Vampire Diaries actor, Ian Somerhalder, DJ, Reggie Yates and 90201 star Matt Lanter show their support of charity Women’s Aid’s campaign against domestic violence, as they model a range of exclusive charity t-shirts.

With one woman in four experiencing domestic violence in their lifetime, the campaign sees magazine Cosmopolitan magazine join forces with Women’s Aid and department store Debenhams to back the call that ‘Real Men’ do not abuse and control women – physically, emotionally, sexually or financially.

Designer at Debenhams favourite Henry Holland has created a range of men’s t-shirts available exclusively at the retailer’s stores and online. The t-shirts carry the slogan ‘I’m a Real Man’ and sell for just £12 with profits going to Women’s Aid.

happen, but that’s when a real man uses his intelligence to talk it out.”

Westlife’s Shane Filan said “My wife is my best friend. The thought that people are afraid to go home to their partners for fear of being abused physically or emotionally makes me feel sick. It’s not easy but you need to get help and get out.”

Kian Egan also of Westlife added “Any man that hits a woman is not a real man, he’s a coward. With my wife Jodi, I think it’s my job to protect her and stop anything bad happening in her life. Abusing your partner is the opposite of that. I want her to wake up and feel safe.”

The September issue of Cosmo, on sale from Monday 8 August, carries a seven page feature covering the issues surrounding domestic violence as well as quotes from the celebrities all talking about why domestic violence isn’t acceptable.

Radio 1 DJ, Reggie Yates said: “When I heard that one in four women is affected by domestic violence in their lifetime, I was horrified. That’s why this campaign is so important. A real man is happy to support the women in his life and appreciate them.

My mother and my sisters are so important to me. Violence just doesn’t make any sense.”

Actor Matt Lanter from 90210 said “A real man wouldn’t lay a finger on a woman. He treats his partner with respect, love and support. Men are physically stronger and have no place abusing that power. Everyone has problems, and arguments

If you or a friend are experiencing abuse in a relationship, you can go to the Survivor’s Handbook at www.womensaid.org.uk or call the National Domestic Violence Helpline (run in partnership between Women’s Aid and Refuge) on 0808 2000 247. alyce macpherson

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Feature

That’s Not All Folks by alyce macpherson

Y

ou can keep your Gagas’ and you can most definitely keep your Cher Lloyds’ because there’s something better on the horizon, in fact, it’s been on the horizon for some time and it’s called nu-folk.

The nu-folk movement started some time ago, when Noah and The Whale swam their way into our hearts with their lovable and catchy summer of 09’ song, Five Years Time.

Since then we’ve seen an absolute deluge of artists following in their footsteps; the likes of Mumford and Sons, Tired Pony and Seasick Steve.

Tired Pony is a folk project which boasts Gary Lightbody 32 | THE BANTER

from indie revelation Snow Patrol, Richard Colburn of Glasweigan wonder Belle and Sebastian and Peter Buck of arguably one of the fathers of indie, R.E.M. While Seasick Steve might be seen as a novelty act by some his charming sounds actually made sure that he stood out at the most recent Latitude festival among other ‘safe’ artists like Paolo Nutini and The Vaccines.

It’s not just these artists and groups that made their name in folk but bands and artists who have now turned their hand to folkier sounds are a long list too. Panic at the Disco dropped the exclamation mark from their name but their album Pretty Odd was actually something to exclaim about.

Feature

It was a charming album that moved the band away from their flashy past and into their more mature future. It was on all accounts, an experiment but a successful one none the less. A perfect example of how well this album was executed is the song ‘Folkin’ Around’ which has all the staples of a classic folk song; a catchy intro, fiddling and an upbeat melody with a slightly more depressing message.

Dallas Green from Alexisonfire began his own solo project ‘City and Colour’ which has been an underground success which in the past year has exploded and become more popular. His most recent album ‘Little Hell’ has not been as well received by all fans of City and Colour but it’s also brought in new fans. The album that bought Dallas Green large recognition, ‘Bring Me Your Love’, is composed of beautifully haunting songs that will stick with you forever once you hear them once.

Most recently, Charlie Simpson from Fightstar (and before that Busted) has entered into the folk arena with his solo album, Young Pilgrim which has received mixed reviews to say the least. We’ve even seen hardened rocker Lemmy from Motorhead take a sidestep into folk when he recorded an advert for the beer brand Kronenbourg. In the advert Lemmy plays the extremely famous ‘Ace of Spades’ on a harmonica while singing in his familiar growly tones; although we cannot rule out the fact that Lemmy was probably in it for the free goods and he wasn’t really exploring his desire to do something on the folkier side of life.

So why the shift? It could be a simple case of people jumping on the bandwagon which has proved so fruitful for so many but to give bands and artists the benefit of the doubt I would like to speculate that folk music allows artists to pour their emotions into their graft like few other art forms. Blues has similar qualities but folk has the fascinating ability to put a depressing message over an upbeat tune.

Looking back in time you can see that folk music has played a large part in society during times of peril, providing people with a message from which to unite behind. American girls The Dixie Chicks enjoyed a spike in their popularity during the Second Gulf War with their album ‘Home’ and in the early 70’s when America was in Vietnam people like Bob Dylan and Cat Stevens took their slice of fame.

The current climate has seen the public being lied to and deceived by many of the higher powers then perhaps folk music’s popularity will indeed spike again. In times where it’s difficult to trust some of the people who run the country and provide reports for the public it’s understandable that folk music with its unashamed honesty and powerful messages should thrive once again.

LIAM BAILEY

Y

ou may or may not be familiar with Liam Bailey.

He’s not exactly burst onto the mainstream but he’s not sitting in the shadows either. This talented chap has released two EP’s and worked with the multi-talented Chase & Status.

Bailey’s music is pop-soul and The Guardian reckon he has what it takes to rival the landslide of talented female artists that we’ve seen emerge in the past few years. He sounds like he’s an artist covering old lesser known songs or is indeed, just an artist from the 60’s. Perhaps that’s a good thing though, he’s convincing at least.

Bailey said that after hearing the late great Miss Winehouse’s debut, Back To Black, he was so inspired he banged out his first EP, ‘2am tracks’, just weeks later. The EP wholly written by Bailey and his guitar consists of just three tracks which was true of the second EP, ‘So Down, Cold’, as well.

Liam’s forthcoming album, Out Of The Shadows, will hopefully see a rise in acknowledgement for the soulful Nottingham lad, as he rightly deserves. A down to earth guy who’s rocking an afro has got to be good news for the music industry.

Now under both Lioness and Polydor record labels and fresh off his tour with Jessie J in April 2011, Liam released the first single, It’s Not The Same, off of ‘Out Of The Shadows’ which will be released in September. Hopefully, as his album name suggest, Liam will be emerging from the shadows and into the mainstream music scene.

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Interview

BENJAMIN FRANCIS LEFTWICH

Interview by natasha reid

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Interview

B

enjamin Francis Leftwich is a singer/songwriter whose dreamy, melancholic style of acoustic music has earned him recognition and appreciation across the music industry and made him one of the most exciting artists to have emerged in 2011.

Born in York in 1987, Benjamin grew up listening to music everyday and at the age of ten picked up his first guitar to try it out for himself. At seventeen he fronted an indie-rock band, “Nicoles” with his friends before embarking on his solo career.

“I decided to go solo mainly because I like having control over the gigs. When you’re playing with a band, you have to adhere to the band dynamics but when you’re playing by yourself, you can feed off the mood of the gig.”

Having control is a factor which Benjamin enjoys not only with the gigs but in the songwriting process also. With any solo musician you feel more connected with their lyrics in the sense that it reflects the individuals emotions and thoughts as opposed to a band collectively. Writing songs is a skill which clearly comes easily to Benjamin. “In terms of the songwriting process, I don’t have a formula which I follow as such. I pretty much pick up the guitar, jam out for a bit and see what happens. I don’t necessarily do lyrics first or melodies first. I find it is a natural thing with me.”

From South African and Australian parents, Benjamin has had the opportunity to spend time in places such as Sydney where he chooses to write a lot of his songs. However, he has confessed that it doesn’t take much for him to be inspired to write.

“Anything I’ve seen or anything I do really can influence my music. I guess my favourite artists whom I take inspiration from would be Bruce Springsteen and Ryan Adams. I like a lot of classic sing-alongs too. I love The Beatles and listening to a lot of that kind of music I would say has influenced my style a bit.”

Far from The Beatles, Benjamin has said that if he could collaborate with any musician it would interestingly be Mike Skinner from rap/garage project, ‘The Streets’. “I think he’s an

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Interview amazing lyricist and just generally a really good song writer.

I like a lot of his tracks.” That is a collaboration I’m sure a lot of people, no matter their music taste, would be interested in hearing.

Without the ‘power’ of a band on stage, capturing the audiences attention may prove difficult for some artists but not for Benjamin as he successfully manages to draw the audience in to his music. “Alot of the gigs are really quiet. They are less like that at festivals obviously because the crowds are a bit more geared up for it but usually when I’m doing my own shows, it’s really calm and quiet. It’s always a nice atmosphere actually.”

In October 2010, Benjamin set out on his first headline tour across the UK showcasing his debut EP ‘A Million Miles Out’ in seven different cities. “The first time I properly got out and done my headline tour was amazing. Seeing all the people turn up for my shows and all the support I got was really good.”

However, before his success with his debut EP, he admits to finding it hard to break into the music industry and thinking at times that he was never going to get anywhere. He offered advice to those wishing to follow a similar path. “I’d say just to be true to yourself and just to focus on the music more than anything else. Trust your instincts and make sure you’re careful before you get involved with labels or anything like that. There’s lots of places now where you can put your music out there, like Twitter, Last FM, Myspace etc so be innovative and confident and just go for it.”

Benjamin’s success so far certainly has not gone unnoticed with Radio 1 DJ’s, Zane Low and Fearne Cotton praising his track ‘Atlas Hands’ which he released in 2010. The track also made it into Jo Whileys top tracks of 2010 and earned him an invitation to play her Little Noise Session show at the Union Chapel in London. This, Benjamin mentioned, was a highlight of his career so far as well as playing The Borderline in London on his last headline tour. Following his ‘Million Miles Out’ EP, Benjamin released his full length debut album ‘Last Smoke Before the Snowstorm’ on July 4th of this year. “I made it in a sort of Church Hall in Grimsby Park in North London. It was a really nice place.

We had lots of good times there and it was a really creative couple of months with everyone involved. I’m really proud of the record but i’m keen for people to make up their own minds about it. If they like it, then that would be really cool.” So far, his album has had brilliant reviews with one review comparing his sound to be as smooth and delicate as silk. He has showcased the album in a second, sold out, headline tour across the UK and also played a few festivals including none other than Glastonbury.

Acoustic music is becoming a crowded scene with the likes of Laura Marling, Bon Iver and Ed Sheeran having emerged in the last few years. It would seem that any artist would have to have something really special to be able to compete. For Benjamin though, it seems a challenge that he has grabbed with both hands and managed to overcome successfully whilst making the music that he loves.

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foster the people

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ME have called them “a fresh evolution of modern music.” while the Sunday Times say that they have “greatness within their grasp.” but who are Foster The People?

They actually formed in 2009 when they were called ‘Foster & The People’ but after many people misheard and mispronounced the name, Mark Foster decided that ‘Foster The People’ gave off an image of looking after people and nurturing them and he could get on board with that, so; the name stuck.

The first single off their debut album, Pumped Up Kicks, you might know it as ‘that song I’ve been humming all summer long’ has turned out to be a big success for FTP and musically, has put them on the map. After a slow start ‘Kicks’ made it to number 18 on the Billboard Hot 100 and number one on the US Alternative chart; not bad considering this was the boys first single.

After the mini hype that surrounded this song the band then released a self-titled EP to test the waters and the reaction as good; apparently they weren’t destined to be a one hit wonder.

Despite this small success and two sold out shows in some of London’s hottest joints the band aren’t really that well known but that’s all about to change. With their first album, Torches, released earlier this year it would seem that this trio are just about ready to explode onto the music scene.

The band are making pit stops at some good festivals this year too; Lollapalooza, Glastonbury, Australia’s Splendour In The Grass and Belgium’s Pukkelpop festival are all on their hit list and they’ll be doing all of this after a healthy round of gigs both in the UK and over the pond.

Soon after the band formed in 2009 they were signed to Columbia records and it looks like they’re slowly starting to snowball in fame. Front man Mark Foster recently admitted that he didn’t even predict this rise in fame for the band, “A tidal wave came, and we’re swimming like hell.”

alyce macpherson

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Music

GIG REVIEWS 3OH!3 02 ABC, Glasgow GIG REVIEW

A queue so big outside the ABC that tourists were taking pictures; a band so highly anticipated there were riots. Okay, there weren’t riots because we’re all civilised and we all love a good queue but there was definitely wide spread excitement.

By five in the evening the queue was already beginning to creep round the corner and up the hill towards the Art School so that pretty much speaks for how excited people were for this show.

The night kicked off under Europe’s biggest disco ball with Texan rapper, Hyro Da Hero; a cheeky young man absolutely full of beans. His mix of hip hop and southern style music made for interesting listening; the crowd and I were pretty hooked.

Usually the first act on at a gig is hardly given much attention but Hyro commanded the room with his energy and style, he’s definitely one to watch.

Innerpartysystem (yes it’s all one word) were, as promised, an audio and a visual feast. With 25 strip screens in a slightly curving cage around Jared Piccone astride the electric drum kit and two synths on either side of the stage; well, you knew that it was about to get loud in the ABC. The best way to describe an evening with Innerpartysystem is that they have more bass than a deep sea fishing trip. The moment their set started the screens started coming to life in a giant equalizer which morphed into trippy patterns throughout the set which ran together seamlessly. Much dancing ensued as a result of IPSs’ funky beats and haunting lyrics.

They opened their set with one of their best known and most popular songs, Money, to which there was much cheering, raving and accidental drink throwing and closed with their new single, American Trash which was released on the 18th of May 2011. Innerpartysystem are one of those bands that 38 | THE BANTER

you have to see live before you die; it’s an unusual and elating experience.

Thankfully, the 3OH!3 lads didn’t keep us waiting too long after Innerpartysystem had left us but unfortunately they didn’t live up to expectations. 3OH!3 have been very busy, they were in the UK twice last year and this was their third time in Glasgow within two years so needless to say, they were pretty worn out and unfortunately it showed.

On stage, Sean Foreman and Nathaniel Motte seemed tired after playing just one song. They opened with Starstrukk which features Katy Perry but seen as Miss Perry wasn’t there Sean sang her part, which didn’t sound as great as he doesn’t exactly have Katy’s pipes; it was, however, a valiant effort and it was appreciated.

Throughout the night the duo just seemed to get more and more run down as the set went on and although crowd interaction at gigs is a good thing I felt that 3OH!3 went a bit overboard and actually spent about 5 minutes between songs talking to the crowd and trying to rile them up.

After the halfway mark Sean and Nathaniel seemed to pick up a bit but the standard of performance they produced just wasn’t up to the mark. The lads began their encore songs with the unusual choice of R Kelly’s “I Believe I Can Fly” which was actually very well received.

The odd sing-along was followed up with the probably their best performance of the evening, a song from the new album called ‘Robot’. All in all, it was a good night in the ABC with a high dancability rating and the added gem of discovering new talent in Hyro Da Hero, but the show was definitely stolen from the no doubt knackered 3OH!3 boys by the New Yorkians from Innerpartysystem.

alyce macpherson

Music ANDREA CORR ORAN MOR , Glasgow GIG REVIEW

Since The Corrs hiatus in 2006, youngest of the band Andrea is the only Corr to have continued with a musical career recently releasing her album ‘Lifelines’ featuring her take on some of her favourite songs.

Still looking every inch the beautiful popstar in an elegant, backless dress, Andrea took to Glasgow’s Oran Mor playing a sold out set to Scotland’s heartiest Corrs fans. With a six piece band behind her, she managed to effortlessly allure the audience with a sound never straying too far from that of The Corrs.

Her version of The Velvet Undergrounds’ “Pale Blue Eyes” was certainly a stand out track from the night as well as recently released single “Tinseltown In The Rain.” However it was the classic Corrs hits that received the loudest and warmest cheers from the crowd with “Runaway” mid-set sending them into a frenzy. After a few more album tracks, Andrea closed her set with the ever popular “Breathless” once again gearing the crowd up and inviting them to sing-a-long in which they did loud and heartily.

Even after a five year break, Andrea proved that there is still space on the music scene today for her own pop/folk style of music, whether it be her as a solo artist or as a member once again of family band, The Corrs, she certainly left us fueled with speculation.

natasha reid

BATTLES THE ARCHES , Glasgow GIG REVIEW

There was a slight sense of the unknown as Battles took to the stage of The Arches. This was my first time seeing the band live, but for many this would be the first time seeing them since the departure of Tyondai Braxton, and playing now as a three piece.

As the opening pitter-patter of Africastle chimed out the levels of anticipation were high amongst the crowd. The teasing build up soon gave way to the fierce onslaught of the opener from new album, Gloss Drop, and there was no holding back from there on.

The band is on tour in support of the release, so it was no surprise that the set list was made up almost entirely of tracks from the recent addition.

Ice Cream was immense, sounding even fuller live, and the screens behind John Stanier’s drum kit came to life - literally - with the track’s guest vocalist, Matias Aquayo, being projected and singing along.

The other guest vocalists from the album also popped up along the way, including Gary Numan on track My Machines, and gave a live feel to the recorded elements. It was a nice touch that really worked for me, though Numan fluffed his lines (well, Ian Williams queued the video in wrong) and had to start again.

Gloss Drop is a fantastic piece of work, but live it is a totally different beast; tracks like Dominican Fade and Sweetie & Shag had such a bigger kick, and the live persona of the band notches everything up a level.

So often I’ve left a gig thinking that the actual live aspect of a performance was missing, but there is a lot of life and soul involved in Battles set up. All three members are constantly active, and Ian Williams is particularly enthralling to watch as he manoeuvres between instruments, and basically orchestrates everything.

Battles left the stage, and were hounded with chants of ‘one more tune’, and whilst every headline band seems to do an encore these days, this was one of those occasions where it was ardently demanded and rightfully so.

The band finished on album closer Sundome, and as a first time attendee I can say they are one of the best live bands out there.

The acid test was always going to be the response from those who had seen them as a four piece, and, from what I could gather, Battles have not missed a step. I probably wouldn’t have believed anyone saying different after witnessing that show anyway.

CHRIS HAY

THE BANTER | 39

Interview

ALice interview Gold Interview by Maxwell Lynas

40 | THE BANTER

Interview

I

was lucky enough to catch up with the lovely Alice Gold before she took to the T Break Stage, Alice had pretty much just arrived at the site when we sat down to have a chat.

Alice had just came from opening the Saturday ‘s Main Stage at Ireland’s Oxygen festival where she was moved up to the main stage after Jessie J pulled out due to her broken ankle.

How was opening Oxygen Festival yesterday?

“It was really really good, I got moved up to the main stage which was amazing and I got a good reaction which was nice.”

Do you like playing festivals?

“I love festivals, I like playing outside and seeing the sky when I am performing.”

Your debut album, Seven Rainbows, has just been released, so why should someone go buy your album?

“They should go buy my new album because I think they will be surprised because it is full of diverse tracks, you’ve got your radio singles and ballads and some rocky tracks.

It is perfect music to drive in your car to, up really loud and with your window down or just listening to it at home having it down low on the hi-fi.

It’s a classic debut album, it definitely has a 60’s inspiration but it also has a contemporary feel as well, it is a must.”

Who are some of your influences?

“Definitely the old heroes, like Pink Floyd, Zeppelin and Jimi Hendrix, Hendrix is my hero, all of those people really.

As well as Neil Young and a lot of other classic songwriters and I love Billie Holiday as a vocalist and bands such as The Pixies, Sonic Youth and other folky stuff.”

Are you checking out any bands that are here today?

I’m going to go try and see Pulp straight after my show and I think that’ll be all I’ve got time for, I’m shooting my next video tomorrow in London, so I need to go get the sleeper down from Edinburgh.”

What are your live plans for the rest of the year?

“I’ve got the iTunes festival next weekend in London with White Lies and The Naked and Famous, which I can’t wait for that and then I’ve got my first headline show at The Lexington in London on the fourth of August.

Then there are various other festivals all over the country, Jodrell Bank Live, Kendal Calling and Cornbury Festival and V Festival.”

david ford

A

t the 2009 Latitude festival, David Ford performed just before Thom Yorke, though his name was never on the bill. There to play keyboards in his friends’ band, Ford got bored of the acts on stage in the afternoon, took to Twitter to alert any of his own fans on site, grabbed his guitar and played an impromptu set.

By the end, he had a crowd of around 400 for a performance Q magazine called one of the festival’s highlights.

Last summer, unsurprisingly, Ford is part of Latitude’s official line-up. Certainly, no-one who has seen Ford’s explosive live show - involving masterful use of a loop pedal to layer vocals and instruments - has left unconverted, from the critics who frequently give his concerts 5 stars to an American hotel chain owner, who caught a gig in London earlier this year without knowing who Ford was and was so blown away he gave the singer free hotel rooms every night on his recent US tour.

What may surprise Ford fans, however, is the upbeat nature of some of his songs.

Let The Hard Times Roll is Ford’s most boisterous, life-affirming album to date. As well as influences from his idols Tom Waits and Bob Dylan, there are nods to The Faces, Bruce Springsteen and early Beatles and Stones.

There are surf guitars, trombones, violas, customised keyboards and strange homemade instruments Ford built to recreate the exact sounds he had in his head, the strangest a machine that makes the sound of metal being thrown against a concrete floor.

Five years on from the release of his debut album, I Sincerely Apologise For All the Trouble I’ve Caused and three from its follow-up Songs for the Road – both of which graced the end-of-year, Best Albums lists in The Sunday Times and Word magazine – Ford is poised for mainstream success to match his music’s critical acclaim.

maxwell lynas

THE BANTER | 41

Feature

‘GoCreate: Working in the creative industries’

O

n Saturday 17th September 2011, West Dunbartonshire’s ‘Pulse’ initiative proudly presents GoCreate, a ‘working in the creative industries’ event within Unit 23 Skatepark, Dumbarton. The event will run from 3.00pm to 9.00pm and provide information and advice for young people interested in the creative industries as well live music and pro rider bike demonstrations.

As part of this free event young people attending will have a chance to engage with a panel of specially invited industry guests through a question and answering session, providing an insight into the panel’s experiences and advice on how to get started in a creative industry career.

The panel of industry experts will include, Dee Bahl, longstanding Biffy Clyro manager, Ally McCrae from Radio 1’s ‘Introducing’ music showcase broadcast, Danny MacKaskill, Street Trials Pro Rider, Laura-Jane Clements from Rock Radio Marketing & Events, Ally Grey from Digital Distributors EmuBands and Dave Stanton, internationally acclaimed Photographer. In addition, Radio Clyde In:Demand Uncut presenter and The Sun music columnist, Jim Gellatly will compere the event. Speaking on the merit of the GoCreate event, Jim Gellatly added, “It’s great to be on board, and along with the other panellists I hope we can show the wealth of opportunities that are available in the creative industries. With the current talent show culture I think it’s important to show that appearing on the X Factor isn’t the only route to success in the industry!”

42 | THE BANTER

In addition, there will be a live music showcase performance in the newly formed Unit 23 ‘live venue hall’ from exciting new Scottish Rock band Vukovi, a special local guest support band and skatepark demos from the internationally acclaimed Street Trials Pro Rider Danny MacAskill and local Pro BMX riders Chaz Mailey, Kriss Kyle and Connor Mailey.

It is hoped that overall the event can provide a useful insight into working within various creative areas as well as providing relevant vocational information and advice on the day. Ronnie Harper from The Pulse Initiative added, “This is a great opportunity for the young people who live in West Dunbartonshire. GoCreate is an empowering initiative that offers young people an insight into the creative industries”.

The Creative industry is a cocktail of instinct, skill and culture which many possess. Equaly many may shy away from the creative industries because they simply don’t know what’s out there. That’s why GoCreate is an important event to hoist for the young people of West Dunbartonshire”.

Tommy Regan, GoCreate co-organiser also added, ‘We hope this event will create a real buzz and excitement for local young people who are interested in creative careers and a chance to see that there are many different routes and creative opportunities available.”

To register for this great free event visit www.wdcevent. com from the 18th of August 2011 to book your ticket to a creative future.

Go

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www.wdcevent.com ents music | marketing | ev

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Interview

INNERPARTYSYSTEM interview by alyce macpherson

44 | THE BANTER

Interview

I

n the compact dressing room behind the stage of the ABC lurks a threesome with more talent in their bones than the collective plots of the Hollywood Forever Cemetery. On the sofa along the left wall sits Patrick Nisely and Jared Piccone and on the sofa on the back wall Kris Barman lounges casually mucking about on his laptop.

As their tour manager left the room I introduced myself and Kris Barman moves up so I can sit next to him.

They all seem very laid back, and although Patrick may be the front man of the band he actually says the least, he’s quiet but nods and smiles throughout the interview, Kris continues playing with his laptop but not in a rude way, he listens to the conversation going on and inputs occasionally, while Jared is the most lively, making jokes and doing most of the talking.

I don’t officially turn over to the interview but chat orientates in that direction and Jared says that it’s good to be back in British water, “this is the first place that things kind of popped off for us so it’s always nice to come play in the UK.” The bands new EP, Never Be Content, was released digitally on March the 7th and released as a CD on March the 28th.

Already, it’s received great reviews and numerous fans but a question that’s been popping up constantly is whether it was intentionally made into a sort of 30 minute full set.

Jared explained, “I don’t think there was any intention in that really. I think we just started making stuff that we really liked and we just went from there. We did what we love to do.”

Innerpartysystem are, arguably, best known for their tracks Money, from Never Be Content, and American Trash which was released as a download only. However, despite both these tracks being politically edged Jared denies that IPS are a political band, “I think that for us, every song we write is different. It’s whatever strikes Pat to write at that time. (At this Pat nods and smiles) I mean for us, it just so happens our two most popular songs are politically based so sometimes people think of us as a political band which couldn’t be farther from the case.”

For the IPS boys it’s all about the live shows, when they’ re writing they like to keep in mind how the song’s going to sound live. Kris looked up from his laptop long enough to tell me that once they’ve written something they always head down to Jared’s basement to see “how it sounds through speakers and stuff.”

Jared reminisces that playing with Pendulum in the US “was awesome. I mean it’s nice to be with a band that are insanely good at what they do.” I interject that they’re pretty similar, musically, so that must have been nice too, “Yeah, I mean we do have a similar set up to what they do, theirs is just on

a much bigger scale.” Kris added “They’re like cream of the crop of like technical geniuses so we’ve learned a lot, stole some of their tricks.”

Although IPS might sound perfect together and a genre all of their own they’re actually a product of clashing genres.

Both Patrick and Jared started out in emo bands while Kris has a more electronic DJ based background; through this we get the hypnotic sounds only they could produce.

Jared told me about how he feels their musical backgrounds have worked, “I think it might hurt a little bit in getting known very fast because everything is so genre specific. I think at first it took us a while to get rolling because nobody knew where to put us. People were like, ‘what kind of band is this?’, ‘I don’t know, I’m not sure’, ’if I can’t categorize it I can’t like it, what do I do?’ But in the long run I think it’s been better.”

Rumours circulated for quite some time before Jesse Cronan left the band in the March of 2010, and although he’s being missed on stage, “with the live shows we had to do things a bit differently to make up for him”, Jared, Kris and Patrick all still hang out with Jesse. In fact, he was actually on tour with them as he’s now playing synth for 3OH!3.

It’s been widely accepted to classify IPS as ‘industrial rock/electronica’, however, the boys still don’t feel at home in the rock genre. IPS will be playing the UK date of Sonisphere this year but they’re pretty unsure as to why they got asked to play the typically heavy rock festival, “Well, we’re stoked to come over and play at festivals of course but we were very confused when we got booked on Sonisphere but like anything else we’re just going to give it our all and see what happens.”

Already, IPS have worked with a huge array of artists including some prestigious names ranging from the likes of Joy Division, the Beastie Boys and David Bowie to 30 Seconds To Mars, Underoath and Twin Atlantic and have so much under their belt to this point.

The lads already have written a lot of songs for their new album which they promise will be, “the same way [as the EP] just less in a pop formula, it’ll be the kind of sounds and the same kind of vibe just more mature, more thought out.

I think we’re less concerned with getting to the chorus right away. It’s just going to different areas; it’s going to be more psychedelic.”

So, what to expect from Innerpartysystem? Expect to see and hear more of them, that’s for sure, but also expect to have your imagination pushed even further because if they’re promising an even more psychedelic sound than what’s on their EP then your ears might just fall off in sheer ectasy.

THE BANTER | 45

JAMIE WOON

interview

Interview

by kate chambers

46 | THE BANTER

Interview

W

hat defines a successful musician? Many would

venues up and down the country. It seems that a packed out

argue that it takes more than just creativity and

ABC crowd are eager to hear what the fuss is about.

talent to become a star. You need to have that

extra something that makes you different. I think it’s

I get chatting with a zealous fan, who tells me he’s hooked

sometimes referred to as “X factor”. In other, less clichéd

on homemade videos that Jamie posts on Youtube. “It’s

words, it’s really just about having a big, shocking

amazing what he can make with just his voice and loads of

personality that confuses but entices us mortal humans and

electronic equipment,” he tells me eagerly. “He’s pressing

makes us stick you up on a pedestal. It’s Lady Gaga’s pointed

buttons, moving things, I don’t know what he’s doing but it

shoulders.

sounds amazing!” It sounds very exciting but it seems that we will all have to wait.

When I caught up with Jamie Woon at the O2 ABC, he couldn’t have been nicer. I watched the band’s sound check

Despite the doors opening at 7 o’clock, I hear that Jamie

and while his keyboarder shouted and demanded, Jamie

will not be playing until nine and there is no support act to

stood with his arms tightly folded and looked at his shoes. If

whet our growing appetite. Jamie told me, “Jono McCleery

it weren’t for the occasional nod bringing him into view, he

has been supporting me on most of this tour – not tonight

would have been lost in the vast darkness behind the stage.

unfortunately –he’s got a beautiful rich voice, wonderful musicianship, Nick Drake-y style” Unfortunately, we are

As we walked off to a quieter dressing room, no one spoke.

subjected to repetitive rap music instead. I notice that the

Jamie tugged his sleeves as if hoping he could disappear in-

“Reserved” area holds a mixture of every generation.

side his baggy sweatshirt. I rambled on, laughing at my own

Jamie’s mother is well-known Scottish folk singer Mae

jokes, talking to myself, trying desperately to fill the silence.

McKenna, who was raised in Coatbridge before

This didn’t improve the situation, as now Mr Woon felt he

moving south. Jamie tells me that most of his family still call

had trapped himself in a room with an escaped

Coatbridge home, “A bunch of my relatives are coming along

mental patient. All this and the interview hadn’t even begun.

tonight.” he smiles shyly. “I don’t come up to Glasgow that

I couldn’t help but wonder how someone so introverted

much anymore, I’ve not been up for a few years. Well, apart

deals with having to do so many interviews.

from when I’m doing gigs and last time I came up, no-one could come so they’re all coming tonight.” And sure enough

“No, I don’t mind interviews really.” He whispers, “They can be

they’re all here, nice and early, even his grandmother!

very interesting and sometimes they can be pretty run of the mill. It depends. It’s like speaking to any person: sometimes

When Jamie Woon finally appears on stage the crowd erupt,

you have a good conversation and sometimes its small talk.

especially his family who are screaming “We love you”, before

But it’s nice when people want to find out more.”

he launches into “Street”. The song is so melodic, with echoing vocals that reverb through the room and has

I very much doubt that he will remember this as one of the

everyone swaying. His voice is thick, smooth and pitch

good conversations. And to make things even better, the

perfect.

band have continued with the sound check so I feel like Jamie is on mute and I can’t find the remote control. I nod

Earlier in the day, I asked him if Glasgow had a special place

like a polite crazy person.

in his heart, with the family ties. “I do like Glasgow,” he says, “but it’s one of those things... I’ve not really explored it much

For anyone who is unfamiliar with Jamie Woon, his

myself. I’m always coming to see family, in the car and

beautifully eerie debut Mirrorwriting has delivered a fresh

Coatbridge is not Glasgow but I’ve always liked it here.

electronic sound, combining scarily heavy bass with deep,

There’s a proper buzzing scene. And the patter’s always

melodic vocals. He came fourth in BBC Sound of 2011, with

really good.” I try to imagine well-mannered Jamie on a busy

his name being mixed up with the likes of The Vaccines and

Sauchiehall Street Saturday Night, engaging in Glesga

James Blake. He is currently touring the UK, playing sold out

patter.

THE BANTER | 47

Interview

“We did a tour with La Roux last year as well and played at the O2 Academy, we had a wicked night out then.”

This Glasgow crowd are expecting a wicked night out too!

When the drums kick in and the ghostly backing vocals start “Oooo-ing”, the crowd cheers as he belts out “Night Air”.

There is no denying that Jamie Woon has a rich, soulful voice which is a pleasure to hear live. After only 38 minutes, he informs us that “Lady Luck” is the last song.

When he returns onstage to do an acoustic encore he plays a powerful rendition of “Spirits”, using only his voice and a Line6 DL4 which records and plays back on a loop. Although I find it completely mesmerising, I am suddenly distracted by something else. Around the room people are having

natalia kills

conversations that are drowning out the music. One guy is making a phone call. Too many others are texting. Some are laughing loudly. But back onstage, Jamie Woon has hypnotised himself.

When I asked him about fame and fortune, about this whole “X Factor” culture, he whispered to me, “None of that bothers me. I knew it was just going to take as long as it took. I didn’t realise an album for a long time because I wanted to make sure that I had my own style; that I’d sort of done my groundwork and learned to play live. It wasn’t like I wasn’t enjoying gigging; it wasn’t like I was wishing I were bigger.

I’ve always been quite happy doing what I’m doing. I just want to play live loads and make more records.” And looking at him, he seems utterly lost in the beautiful maze of his music.

As for some of the crowd, it’s lost on them. Nowadays our brains are constantly stimulated through constantly available Internet access. We can have whatever we want at a click. So even when we pay to see a talented musician play an intimate acoustic set, he must still do something spectacular enough to make us put down our Blackberry’s.

Jamie Woon may not have that “X Factor” personality yet. He doesn’t have shoulder implants. He is a soft-spoken young man with a powerful voice and a burning passion to make good music. But will that be enough?

48 | THE BANTER

A

Bradford girl at heart with an L.A. post code and Uruguayan and Jamaican parents; you’d better believe there’s a clash of cultures going on here. Natalia Kills, a 24-year-old who moved from shy, retiring Bradford to loud and proud L.A. in 2008, wasn’t long in her new area code before she got picked up.

She managed to get a name for herself with her first demo EP, ‘Wommanequin’, which she wrote and produced herself. It turned a lot of heads including those of will.i.am, Cherrytree Records and Interscope took her in a joint deal. Even socialite royalty Perez Hilton has been raving about this young lady and even booked her to play at his One Night In Jersey gig in Atlantic City.

Natalia is no newbie to fame though, she’s been on and off the telly since she was seven-years-old and played Amy Franks in the long running BBC radio drama, The Archers.

During her time on the screen and radio Natalia was already writing songs and some of them have featured in films and televisions. You might have heard her trendy tones over the top of things like Sleepover, Just My luck, Entourage and more recently, the adaptation of a Disney classic, Beastly.

Her first single, Mirrors, was released in the UK in April 2011 and her second single ‘Wonderland’ was released in Germany at the same time. So far the lady has supported an impressive roster of female artists including Robyn, Ke$ha and she’ll be supporting Miss Perry-Brand on her California Dreams tour for five dates later on this month.

Her debut album, ‘Perfectionist’ arrives on the shores of the UK on the 16th of August (a day after the singer celebrates her 25th) and you can expect to hear her first single from that album, ‘Free’, which features one of her label heads, will.i.am.

Gaga might be the queen now but Natalia, as she puts it, Kills. alyce macpherson

Interview

THE PIERCES A

labama-born Catherine and Allison are sisters, songwriters, and singers as soon as they could speak they were singing, and it was always together. They’d sing in the house while their musician dad played guitar. They were raised on Simon and Garfunkel, The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Al Green, and Joni Mitchell and I got a chance for a quick chat with the girls before they performed on the Red Bull Bedroom Jam Transmissions stage at T in the Park.

After some misunderstanding with the girls due to my Scottish accent (which they said they liked ;-)) we got down to our little “T” break chat: Do you prefer playing festivals as opposed to your own shows?

“There is something very raw and alive about playing festivals but it is a bit of both.”

Backstage, are festivals a lot more relaxed, do you try and enjoy yourself more?

“We haven’t really been able to, we’ve had interviews and we haven’t really had time but we’ve got friends playing this festival so hopefully we will get to hang out.”

When you go out on stage do you go out to win over the crowd or just go out to enjoy yourselves?

“I feel like you have to up your energy a little and some time it is easy and the crowd is there for you but sometimes you’ve got

by maxwell lynas

to put a little more focus into and that draws the people in.”

Your new album, You & I, came out at the end of May, can you tell us a little about it?

“We wrote the songs over the course of a couple of years and we sat down with our producers and chose the songs which we felt gave us the best and most complete sounding album.

“We recorded half of it in New York City at Electric Lady and the other half in London at Coldplay’s studio.

“It was just really fun, we didn’t have a label at the time and we were just being creative and just making music we love, and that is the best way to do it.

“We love the album, and it is doing well.”

Obviously you are sisters, how is that on the road? Do you get along or is there points where you have just had enough of each other?

“All of the above, sometimes we get on really well and sometimes we don’t.

“It is that way with anyone you work with but it is probably a little more intense being sisters and being family.”

Since our chat, Cat & Allison have announced a new UK tour in October and they will be performing at Oran Mor on 8th October.

THE BANTER | 49

Movies

GLEE: THE 3D CONCER

PG

AT CINEMAS NOW

The smash television sensation GLEE became a record-breaking summer concert phenomenon, selling out instantly. Beginning August 19th – and for a limited period only – Gleeks everywhere will be able to experience the unique concert experience in the immersive magic of a 3D cinematic movie event.

one day 12A AT CINEMAS NOW Adapted from the internationally praised and bestselling novel, One Day charts an extraordinary relationship. After one day together in 1988, Emma Morley (Academy Award nominee Anne Hathaway) and Dexter Mayhew (Jim Sturgess of Across the Universe) begin a friendship that will last a lifetime. Over the next twenty years, key moments of their relationship are revealed on the same day – July 15th – of each year. Dex and Em face friendship and fights, hopes and missed opportunities, laughter and tears. And as the true meaning of this one crucial day is revealed, they must come to grips with the nature of love and life itself.

50 | THE BANTER

3D FRIGHT NIGHT 15

FROM 2ND SEPTEMBER

Senior Charlie Brewster (Anton Yelchin) finally has it all going on: he‘s running with the popular crowd and dating the most coveted girl in his high school. In fact, he‘s so cool he‘s even dissing his best friend.

But trouble arrives when Jerry (Colin Farrell) moves in next door. He seems like a great guy at first, but there‘s something not quite right – but everyone, including Charlie‘s mom (Toni Collette), doesn‘t notice.

After observing some very strange activity, Charlie comes to an unmistakable conclusion: Jerry is a vampire preying on the neighborhood.

Unable to convince anyone, Charlie has to find a way to get rid of the monster himself in this Craig Gillespie–helmed revamp of the comedy–horror classic.

Movies

coming soon

RISE OF THE PLANET OF THE APES 12A JONNY ENGLISH REBORN 15 from 7TH OCTOBER

In his latest adventure, the most unlikely intelligence officer in Her Majesty‘s Secret Service must stop a group of international assassins before they eliminate a world leader and cause global chaos.

In the years since MI7‘s top spy vanished off the grid, he has been honing his unique skills in a remote region of Asia. But when his agency superiors learn of an attempt against the Chinese premier‘s life, they must hunt down the highly unorthodox agent. Now that the world needs him once again, Johnny English is back in action.

With one shot at redemption, he must employ the latest in hi–tech gadgets to unravel a web of conspiracy that runs throughout the KGB, CIA and even MI–7. With mere days until a heads of state conference, one man must use every trick in his playbook to protect us all. For Johnny English, disaster may be an option, but failure never is.

at cinemas now

RISE OF THE PLANET OF THE APES combines fantastic storytelling with the next leap in Visual Effects for an emotional and action-packed motion picture experience unlike any other.

In Caesar, WETA - the Oscar-winning visual effects team behind Avatar – have created a CGI ape that delivers a dramatic performance of unprecedented emotion and intelligence.

Man’s arrogance sets off a chain of events that leads to intelligence in apes and a challenge to our place as the dominant species on the planet. Caesar, the first intelligent ape, is betrayed by humans and rises up to lead his species’ spectacular race to freedom and the ultimate showdown with Man.

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FROM 2ND SEPTEMBER

A young female headhunter (Mila Kunis) in New York convinces a potential recruit (Justin Timberlake) to accept a job in the Big Apple.

Despite an attraction to each other, both realize they¹re everything they¹ve been running from in a relationship and decide to see what happens if they leave emotion out of it and keep it strictly physical.

THE BANTER | 51

Movies

HARRY POTTER AND THE FINAL CHAPTER

by maxwell lynas

“Harry Potter is about confronting fears, finding inner strength and doing what is right in the face of adversity. Twilight is about how important it is to have a boyfriend.”

— Stephen King

I

don’t think there has been a book or a series of books that have captured the world’s imagination as the Harry Potter series has, some may argue Lord of the Rings but I don’t see a Lord of the Rings theme park in Florida.

We all know the beginnings of the Harry Potter; an unemployed mother, Edinburgh cafes, several rejections from publishers but once Bloomsbury, a small London publishing house, took a chance on J.K. Rowling’s manuscript the world had a new phenomenon.

Since the release of the first novel Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone on June 30th, 1997, the books have gained immense popularity, critical acclaim and commercial success worldwide.

As of June 2011, the book series had sold about 450 million 52 | THE BANTER

copies and been translated into 67 languages, and the last four books consecutively set records as the fastest-selling books in history and of course has lead to a film franchise, which is the highest grossing film series of all time, with $7.4 billion and counting in worldwide receipts. The series consists of eight motion pictures all of which (unadjusted for inflation) are in the top 40 highest-grossing films of all time.

On July 15th 2011 the final chapter of the Harry Potter saga was written with the cinematic release of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2, which has gone on to smash box-office records, much like its literately equivalent.

I was asked by The Banter’s editor Ritchie if I wanted to write a Harry Potter piece due to my fan boy ramblings on my Twitter account (@MaxLynas (shameless plug)) prior to the Deathly Hallows Part 2 coming out and as you can tell - I agreed.

I have to admit it was difficult to decide what aspect of Harry Potter to write about as fourteen years have passed since the Philosopher’s Stone (Sorcerer’s Stone for any Americans reading) novel came out and as you can imagine there have

Movies

been screeds and screeds of copy written about the Harry Potter series and the effect it has had on this and that.

The series has affected a lot of things in our life, it has even affected our lexicon with words such as Muggle being entered into the Oxford English Dictionary but I thought I could write about the affect it has had on my life and the memories the series, both book and film have given me over the years.

I was a latecomer to the Harry Potter series after my mum bought me the first three books; /The Philosopher’s Stone, The Chamber of Secrets and The Prisoner of Azkaban, in a set from the “book people” in her work probably around late 1999-early 2000 when I was aged 12. At first I wasn’t enamoured about some wizard but what do you expect from someone whose literatary escapades extended to the weighty tomes of the Goosebumps series.

It’s slipped my mind how I ended up picking up The Philosopher’s Stone but when I did, I never put it down and The Philosopher’s Stone turned into The Chamber of Secrets which turned into The Prisoner of Azkaban… I was hooked.

Looking back now, it seems the early summers of the 21st century for me were defined by Harry Potter, a trip to Edinburgh with my best friend and his family resulted in the purchase of the newly released The Goblet of Fire. Safe to say I wasn’t much fun on the the trip back home.

Even during the three year gap between the release of The Goblet of Fire and The Order of the Phoenix, my summers would involve Harry Potter whether it be re-reading the books or watching the newly released films.

I even remember buying The Philosopher’s Stone on VHS from Blockbuster on the day of release, hell I’ve bought the films on DVD and then again on Blu-Ray. Yes. I am that sad.

Shortly after the release of The Goblet of Fire, I was lucky enough to go to a book reading and signing with J.K. Rowling and I managed to get my copy of The Philosopher’s Stone signed and to this day it is probably my most prized possession. Even after reading that J.K. Rowling’s signature had made it on to a list of the world’s most valuable autographs the thought of selling it never crossed my mind.

I remember queuing at Asda for the midnight releases of The Half Blood Prince and The Deathly Hallows and going straight home to devour Harry’s new adventures until I would drop the weighty books on my face as I fell asleep.

I don’t think I will ever queue for a midnight release of a book ever again.

On the lead up to the release of the final instalment in the Harry Potter film franchise – Deathly Hallows Part 2 I went back and re-watched the seven previous films and from the opening scene and the opening chords of John Williams’ exquisite score I sat there with a big Cheshire cat grin on my face.

Now after seeing Deathly Hallows Part 2 - obviously at a midnight showing - and even with its flaws it provided me with a suitable and satisfying end to my journey with the Harry Potter franchise.

Well, I wouldn’t say it is the end as I can definitely see myself reading the books again and I will definitely watch the films again and there is always the very intriguing Pottermore, which is set for an October launch.

I included the Stephen King quote at the beginning of this article as it sums up the appeal of the Harry Potter universe compared to other franchises, in twenty years time I bet young kids are still picking up The Philosopher’s Stone for the first time and falling in love with J.K. Rowling’s characters while other hit franchises will be consigned to a dusty bookshelf or a box in the attic.

My 11-year old little brother is a perfect example of this, he just finished reading The Philosopher’s Stone for the first time the other day and I felt a pang of jealousy as he is just about to venture into the world of Harry, Ron, Hermione and Hogwarts for the first time.

As I said earlier it has slipped my mind how I ended up picking up The Philosopher’s Stone for the first time. No doubt my mum pestering me to read it had something to do with it but whatever it was I’m glad that I picked up The Philosopher’s Stone that first time because to this day Harry Potter is something I just can’t put down.

THE BANTER | 53

Television

GAME OF THRONES by simon cassidy

W

hen HBO announced the launch of their new epic drama Game of Thrones, for many die-hard fans, it was a dream come true. On closer examination however, it was reasonable to approach the project with a sense of trepidation.

Based on George R.R Martins hugely successful fantasy series, A Song of Ice and Fire, the project seemed to have an advantage from the beginning. Over the years, the books have amassed an incredibly loyal, vast, fan base; however this is not always a guaranteed recipe for success (those who endured Eragon in the cinema can attest to this.)

Similarly, the show had assembled a strong cast consisting of established names and plenty of fresh faces to keep it interesting; the centrepiece of the line up being Sean Bean in the lead role of Eddard Stark.

Considering his past roles in similar productions, Bean would appear to be a natural choice. There was however a sting in the tail. The casting of Bean draws immediate comparisons to Lord of The Rings. While this undoubtedly appeals to the target audience and peaks the curiosity of the general public, it sets

54 | THE BANTER

an ambitious measuring stick for a new project. Combined with the typically hard to please fans of the book, who expect nothing less than perfection, and Game of Thrones suddenly becomes a gamble.

The writers and producers would also have to tackle the issue that fantasy has only ever enjoyed fleeting success on television, and has never been truly tested on an exclusively adult market. With so much riding on its success, did Game of Thrones live up to the hype?

Prior to the series premier, I had never read, nor indeed heard of A Song of Ice and Fire, and truth be told, I had expected yet another Lord of The Rings rip off…this was not at all what I received.

Author, George R.R Martin, described the series as “The Sopranos in Middle Earth.” I believe this is putting it mildly.

Set in the medieval environment of “The Seven Kingdoms”, Game of Thrones has everything you would expect, and what many loath, about the fantasy genre: Kings, Knights, Wizards, Dragons, Monsters. What sets Martin apart from the pack however is that rather than emphasise these aspects, they are

Television simply a backdrop to a world of political corruption, intrigue, betrayal, sex, murder, alcohol, foul language and twisted humour.

Furthermore, in spite of being the supposed central character, Eddard Stark (Sean Bean), shares almost equal screen time with a host of other characters, each portraying their involvement throughout this chaotic environment. Kind of Tolkien meets Tarantino.

What is potentially more surprising is that while Bean delivers a superb performance as an honourable soldier, husband and father caught up in the political world he does not understand; he and the rest of the cast are acted off the screen by the fantastic depiction of Tyrion Lannister, or “The Imp” by Peter Dinklage.

While this shouldn’t come as a surprise considering Dinklages extensive back catalogue of films (including the racist little person from In Bruges) it is the first performance where he has truly seized the role and made himself the star of the show, forcing the audience to take note of what is undoubtedly a superb talent.

There was also a refreshing career comeback from Mark Addy in his portrayal of the drunken King Robert Baratheon. After spending the last several years being the dad in those Tesco adverts, it was a genuine treat to see “the fat bloke” from The Full Monty, once again sink his teeth into a more challenging role.

Some critics have claimed that the show is “spoon feeding” the story to the audience, a claim backed up in a recent interview with Sean Bean. In my view this is not a fair criticism. Regardless of how popular the books may be, the vast majority of the population have never read A Song of Ice and Fire. When tackling a project on this scale, a certain degree of dumbing down is inevitable. The alternative is that the story becomes incomprehensible, and the casual viewer simply stops watching. What this “spoon feeding” actually creates far more comprehensive story telling than many film adaptations in the same genre are able to achieve. Rather than a criticism, this could be evidence that perhaps television is the ideal forum for book adaptation, rather than cinema.

Overall, the series of gambles have obviously paid off, as Game of Thrones became one of the first shows ever to be re-comissioned for a second series after reception to its premier episode, and has gone on to be nominated for 13 Emmy Awards, including Outstanding Male Performance nomination for Peter Dinklage.

The story is complex, well thought out and frequently leaves you on the edge of your seat. Combined with a scope and scale which would not look out of place on a Hollywood blockbuster, make Game of Thrones a must see. So taken was I by the debut series, that I have since bought the books…and advise you all to do the same.

THE BANTER | 55

Feature

R

ecession, credit crunch, tough economic climate... it seems you can’t switch on your TV, or open a magazine without someone telling you how depressing the financial situation has become for everyone, especially if you are a young person.

Doors have been closed, purse strings have been tightened, and the apologies of “we’re recovering from a recession” resonates the eardrums of young people like the baseline of a Pendulum song.

But it seems these tough times have actually had a positive impact on some young Scots after new research released by Barclays has brought light to YUFTIEs, a new type of young person. YUFTIEs are “Young Ultra Forward-Thinking Savers”, a new generational trend of responsible, ambitious, cash-conscious 20-somethings who are saving almost a fifth of their monthly income for specific life goals.

YUFTIEs are ahead of previous generations in achieving their life goals and are urging their fellow 20-somethings to follow their lead. But what exactly does it take to become a part of the YUFTIE elite?

Saving a little, and often, will hopefully mean you can get all the things you want as well as have some money aside for those unexpected, sometimes not-so-nice, surprises. Adopting a rigorous saving habit will also help you to avoid debt and improve your appreciation and management of money.

Starting a savings plan doesn’t mean having to put a lot of money away each month. However, in a bid to fight your temptation to spend or to accumulate a higher rate of interest, it’s worth opening a dedicated savings account.

A savings account differs from a Current Account in that it lets you earn some extra cash through an interest scheme and it can also limit your access to the money you’ve saved.

Interest is the amount of money added to the funds you have 56 | THE BANTER

deposited in an account. The longer you have money in your account and the more you save, the more interest you’ll earn.

When you open an account, make sure to check what the interest and account conditions are. Most accounts will allow fairly easy access to your money, but some can require up to 90 days notice or can limit the amount of monthly withdrawals you can make.

When starting a savings plan, just remember to shop around, speak to other people, and get as much information as possible before opening an account.

There is vast range of different services that can help you on your path to “YUFTuality” and it can be difficult to sieve out exactly what is on offer. Fortunately, Young Scot, the national youth information charity for 11 – 26 year olds, has done some of the initial groundwork for you!

Yes, just like a 99p coin, Young Scot is making finance simpler.

It’s expanding its money-related services to ensure young people better understand how to manage their finances.

Young Scot has a variety of different resources to help you explore the individual areas of the finance world. Visit the Young Scot Extra website for informative articles, or call their dedicated InfoLine to get your query answered directly. Pick up a copy of the Young Scot Extra Life Support Manual which is a breakdown of different young person-associated life subjects and is also a directory to official services and organisations.

Young Scot’s partnership with finance organisations across the nation ensures that the information it provides remains accurate and relevant – making it you’re one-stop, money shop.

So whether you‘re ready to break away from the Bank of Mum & Dad, you’re trying to escape from a prison of debt, or simply want to know more about the world of finance, visit www.youngscotextra.org/money

Out of sight, out of mind?

I in 4 lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people may experience domestic abuse.

Very few will access formal support. www.lgbtdomesticabuse.org.uk

Interview

SYP - LOVE EQUALLY by alyce macpherson

T

he Scottish Youth Parliment is to launch its “Love Equally” campaign to get Scottish Government to work quickly on Marriage Equality. Marriage Equality is the concept that if two people love each other they should be able to get married regardless of gender.

It’s not all a gender issue though, Love Equally is also trying to get mixed sex couples to opportunity to be joined by civil partnership and if religious organisations want to perform same sex marriages or mixed sex civil partnerships they should be able to.

On Monday the 1st of August SYP launched its campaign to urge the Scottish Government to allow same-sex couples the right to get married and now members of the SYP from all over Scotland will be getting the message out there. Already they’ve been getting very positive feedback from Scottish youths who agree that the law should be the same for everyone.

Research that the SYP has carried out has shown that the majority of Scots, from all age groups, support marriage equality and with marriage equality already a reality in 10 other countries (Argentina, Belgium, Canada, Iceland, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, South Africa, Sweden, and Mexico City), and several US states now allowing gay marriage, it might be time that Scotland looked to the good examples that its neighbours are setting.

The campaign will be popping up at loads of events to spread the word including festivals, local youth group meetings and 58 | THE BANTER

they’ll also be meeting with some politicians to try and get them on board too. It’s not all talk though, the MSYPs will also be using red silicon wedding rings branded with their simple message “LOVE” which will be helped to get their point across.

Much like the silicon wrist bands that had a popular explosion a few years ago, the MSYPs are hoping that they’re lovely rings will be seen on everyone’s hands soon.

It seems to be good news in the Houses of Parliament for the campaign as the Greens have committed themselves to bringing forward a legislation for same-sex marriage in the next session of parliament, the Lib-Dems have pledged their support and Labour have promised to consult on the issue.

If you’re interested in getting the word out or even just showing your support, visit the website for the campaign at www.syp.org.uk/love-equally-W21page-232- and sign the petition or copy and paste the link onto your Facebook, Twitter or just send it to your friends. You can also find loads of helpful information on the page and find out in more detail what the campaign is all about.

As Grant Costello, the Chair of the SYP said; “The core purpose of the Scottish Youth Parliament is to involve young people in deciding the future of Scotland. The young people of Scotland have told us that two people who love each other should be able to get married and it is now up to us to lobby the government and ask politicians to listen to them and make their voice heard.”

So get your voice heard and get involved.

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