The Banter - September 2010

ellie goulding lady antebellum // example // travie mccoy

pearl and the puppets // fun lovin criminals // Hurts the boy who trapped the sun // 30h!3 Also : CD REVIEWS // GIG REVIEWS // Movies // TV // competitions

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Welcome to yet another edition of the Banter

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News Team

Maxwell Lynas Anna Gault Daren Borzynski Sean David Lynsey Cameron Petra Raspel Scott Purvis Simon Cassidy Louise Anne Geddes Lisa Boyle Clare Sinclair Chris Hay Susan Marshall Kate Chambers Alyce MacPherson

This edition has often over the last couple of months been described as the cursed edition. With one problem after another we genuinely didnt think this one would make it to print. But thanks to a small but hardworking team we have once again pulled togther what we hope is another great edition.

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About Us

This edition is packed once again with some amazing interviews and features. We have had the pleasure of talking to Ellie Goulding, Grammy Award winning band Lady Antebellum and the Fun Lovin Criminals as well as catching up with some of the hottest up and coming artists like Eliza Doolittle and The Wanted as well as some homegrown talent in The Boy Who Trapped The Sun and Pearl and the Puppets.

We also have all usual features including Ones to Watch, CD Reviews and Gig Reviews as well as a look at the latest Movies, TV and Theatre news, reviews and previews.

Remember this magazine is all about you and we are always looking from more contributions from volunteers who may be interested in getting involved. If you think you would like to get involved with the magazine or have any feedback about it or have any suggestions of what you would like to see in future editions then drop us an e-mail at info@thebanter.co.uk

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Contents

8

Contents

Issue 3 2010 â—? www.thebanter.co.uk

6 INTERVIEW - The Boy Who Trapped The Sun

Chris Hay chats to one of Scotlands hottest new artists, The Boy Who Trapped the Sun

12 Interview - Lady Antebellum

6

21

Tht The Banter Magazine talks to Dave Haywood of Grammy Award winning country band Lady Antebellum

15 CD Reviews We take a look at the best recent releases in the music world

26 Interview - Ellie Goulding

Kate Chambers interviews Ellie Goulding before her recent gig at the O2 ABC

37 Gig Reviews

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

35

30

42 Interview - The Saturdays

The Saturdays Vanessa caught up recently

with The Banter Magazine to discuss the

new single -- Missing You, Headlinese and Saturdays 24/7

45 Movies

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

49 Theatre & Arts

An interview with Scottee and Myra Dubois and a previews of Scottish Ballets Geometry and Grace

54 Television Sean David takes a look at the last series of Scrubs

54 Fashion

t Lisa Boyle takes a look at Topshops new dark noveau collection

58 Volunteering

Love gigs? Would you like to help out on your community? Orange Rockcorps gives you the opportunity to do both

26 THE BANTER |

Interview

the boy who

TRAPPED THE SUN photography // daren borzynksi

I

t was early when I arrived in King Tut’s to meet Colin Macleod, a.k.a. The Boy Who Trapped The Sun, and I was lucky enough to catch him and his band sound-checking. It is only a few months since I last saw Colin play live and since then the band has swelled to six members and the sound has gone through the roof.

Immediately it was apparent that this is a tight nit group and Colin explains how the unit featuring members of The Moth and The Mirror and Admiral Fallow came about, “It was really organic, it’s all friends. The whole idea is to keep it a revolving thing, base it round the songs and keep it quite fluid. It’s nice having people who are in other bands as they come in and play and there’s no session feeling about it.”

It is clear from speaking to Colin that he has not let any success go to his head, and this can be contributed to the path he has taken to becoming one of the country’s most promising singer-songwriters. He moved to London to further his development as a writer, an environment far removed from his native Isle of Lewis, and worked his way into the limelight and a deal with Geffen Records. His approach is very refreshing in today’s climate of TV made stars.

“I never let myself get into that mentality of I want to be famous, I want to be big. It was always just about the | THE BANTER

interview by Chris Hay

next thing to do. It was literally about 4 years ago I signed my publishing deal, so it’s been a really nice, gradual process.”

Fame seems to be sitting easily with Colin, but surely the adoration at home must have reached naughty levels and he is now a bit of a celebrity?

“No.” he joked deadpan, “not at all. You’ll get in the pub and they’ll say ‘Oi rock star, get us a pint’ and that’s about it.” He clearly enjoys the backing of his fellow islanders and fondly tells of a recent show. “We went and did a gig on Lewis a couple of weeks ago and it was totally sold out and everybody was really excited because it was a homecoming sort of thing. Everybody’s just really happy and excited about what’s happening, probably more excited than I am.”

These are exciting times indeed with the first album, Fireplace, now available. It is an inspired debut that has a mixture of country, folk and blues and just the right amount of pop to make this a release that will appeal to the masses.

It has been a long process in getting the album out there but plans are already underway for the follow-up. Colin enthused, “I’ve started with ideas.

That’s my thing, I just love writing. When I go home

Interview and get a week off I just want to chill out and write.”

By now most fans will be familiar with the story behind lead-off single ‘Katy’ and how a friend suggested his The Boy Who Trapped The Sun moniker to him as he has been garnering much media coverage over the past few months.

Colin is more than happy to be receiving the attention as it means his music is having an impact. He spoke about some of the more peculiar questions he gets asked.

“It’s always the tour story one, ‘tell me your tour stories?’. Surely any tour story worth its salt you wouldn’t remember because you’d be that wasted? ‘You swallowed a live goose, wow amazing’”. He quipped, before recalling a certain probe. “You get the whacky questions. I got asked if I could be a flavor (of a certain sweet) which would I be? I got my little brother to answer it. He’s 17. I fell off my seat (at his answer), but my manager said we couldn’t really use that.”

It is not just the media who have been paying attention to the rapid rise of The Boy Who Trapped The Sun with massive support slots secured playing alongside the likes of Snow Patrol and The John Butler Trio, the latter being a particular favourite.

“That was pretty insane. I asked for the support, I found out we had the same agent, so phoned him up and was like ‘pleeeeeeeeeease’” he mocked in a begging voice. Those were some of the biggest shows to date, but none have been as big as playing with a certain American legend last year, which culminated in a slightly star-struck meeting.

“I was having a yarn with Bruce Springsteen not really thinking anything about it and as he walked away I was like ‘shit, I was just talking to Bruce Springsteen backstage at Hyde Park’. He was really cool, he said ‘I’d love to hear your music, do you have an album?’” which Colin laughed about before saying he had to answer with a sheepish “no”.

Not even meeting The Boss himself could prepare Colin for his appearance on ITV’s The Hour and the chance to meet the one and only Michelle McManus.

“She’s super awesome, she was really lovely. We had a wee yarn and talked about Stornoway Black Pudding!” he recalled, clearly enjoying the former Pop Idol’s chat. “She said ‘I love Stornoway Black Pudding, as you can tell I’m a girl who loves her black pudding’, and I was like yes Michelle McManus, you’re awesome!” It doesn’t get much better than that folks.

The massive support slots have been great experiences, but Colin now wants to take things to the next level and propel The Boy Who Trapped The Sun to the top of the bill in similarly large venues.

“I’d like to do a proper headline tour. That would be nice. The next single is coming out soon and it would be nice of it to make enough of an impact to play a decent size tour and sell out and have things like that. That’s just the dream; it doesn’t seem very real doing that kind of thing”.

I would expect things like that to seem very real, very soon.

Fireplace, the debut album from The Boy Who Trapped the Sun is out now. Scottish fans can see Colin supporting Fyfe Dangerfield at Glasgow’s Oran Mor on the 30th September.

MAGNETIC MAN

D

ubstep has fast become the sound of 2010 with many DJ’s establishing themselves in the mainstream but now we’ve got a dubstep group in the form of Magnetic

Man. Magnetic Man is made up of three DJ’s who’ve already got a firm footing in the music industry, Skream (probably best known for his remix of La Roux’s In For The Kill), Benga and Artwork.

This is a group like no other; all they have are three computers and a whole lot of bass. Mostly they play original tracks that they produce together but they also play remixes of both Benga and Skream’s tracks.

They were quickly signed onto Columbia Records in February 2010 not long after they formed and this was to no one’s surprise. Now they’re starting out on their UK tour playing at some of the country’s top trance and dubstep venues. They’re hitting the Subclub in Glasgow on the 30th of October so if you like your bass blasting and your music synthesized get yourself down there.

All three artists have already proven themselves to be a force to be reckoned with on their own, so together; they’ve pretty much invented the first dubstep supergroup.

COMPETITION

- �������������������������������������� To celebrate the release of Magnetic Mans brand new album, Columbia Records and The Banter have teamed up to offer 10 lucky readers the chance to win a copy of the CD. Q: Where is Magnetic Man due to play in Glasgow in October? a) Subclub b) The Garage c) King Tuts Send your answers by e-mail to info@thebanter.co.uk with the heading Competition: Magnetic Man along with telling us your name, age, address and e-mail address.

Winners will then be chosen at random! Good luck, competition closes September 30th 2010 THE BANTER |

Interview

FUN LOVIN CRIMINALS A

fter over almost two decades in the music industry, Fun Lovin’ Criminals have had to endure many trials and tribulations. Yet they always seem to land on top with critics and fans a like unable to deny the continued ambiance of cool the constantly exude. From 1995’s Scooby Snacks to 2010’s We the Three the three piece from New York City have managed to make their music relevant throughout the years without losing that undeniable FLC sound. A lawsuit with an ex-manager has kept them out of the spotlight for the last five years but they are now based in the UK and touring their sixth studio album Classic Fantastic. Drummer and Brit Frank Benbini almost cannot believe FLC are able to release an album and tour after those tumultuous five years: “It’s a miracle it’s even happened,” he laughs. “It’s been a strange feeling actually getting it out there. It seemed to take forever to do because of the lawsuits and all different things. It’s a big relief really to be out there playing for our fans and doing what we do.”

And what they do is create gigs to remember. Although Classic Fantastic is the first official release in five years, FLC continued to tour throughout their legal troubles. On their first round of UK | THE BANTER

INTERVIEW BY ANNA GAULT

dates earlier this year they even poked fun at those troubles by performing a skit found on Classic Fantastic titled Conversations with our Attorney featuring British comedian, Paul Kaye as his famous New Jersey lawyer character Mike Strutter. “Playing the skit is great fun but sometimes it works sometimes it doesn’t,” admits Benbini. “It depends on your audience. It’s one of those things when you need the audience to be quiet or they’ll miss some of the gag. Sometimes it didn’t work but when it did work it was hilarious. I can barely stop myself from laughing when we do it and when we did it on the record it was definitely a dig at, well, really ourselves I suppose for the fact that we had been in this shit lawsuit for five years.” After getting out of those constricting legal bindings FLC have focused on getting their music to their fans and on top of their earlier tour have played to thousands at several festivals this summer. While they are veterans when it comes to touring, festivals can be a dangerous no-man’s land to survive through. Most of the people being played too are either drunk or high and it can take a lot to hold a crowd’s attention even if you are as well known as Fun Lovin’ Criminals. Luckily for them, FLC’s music is such that it can often bring audiences out of their drunken stupor and into funk rock euphoria. However

Interview Benbini reveals that festivals are not always so much fun for the artists: “Festivals can be a bit stressful for the band really.

It’s a bunch of bands being thrown in on one day and it’s kind of in and out so you’ve got to make the best with it. Whereas with your own show you can walk around get a vibe of the place your playing and your kind of in a slick operation when you’re on a tour and you have your own equipment but with festivals you can end up playing somewhere you’ve never even heard of and they wheel in this kit and you’re just like ‘what the fuck is that thing?’.

“But we love festivals because you get to play with bands you wouldn’t normally play with and there is always something for you to go and see so its swings in roundabouts for the festivals. As far as the show though, with festivals it’s normally a smaller set and condense the hits and you get really great reactions.” Those sets may be condensed but they always transmit FLC’s unique sound loud and clear. Throughout the years the band have mashed up an array of genres but have always satisfied their committed fans while giving the opportunity for new ones to be found. The gentle balance between maintaining a much loved sound and progressing as musicians is difficult to preserve yet somehow Fun Lovin’ Criminals appear to have no problem with it. “It doesn’t matter how hard we try to sound like something we’ve not done before, because we have tried but we just end up sounding like Fun Lovin’ Criminals,” he laughs. “I can only put it down to the fact that the three of us love anything to do with black music, you know hip hop, roots music and reggae and what you have with that is a tempo which is not super fast or super slow and then we have a lead singer who can’t really sing!”

Whether he can sing or not Huey Morgan has undoubtedly been a major reason for FLC’s success over the years. Almost every musician, fan and critic agrees that the man is just effortlessly cool. Yet despite Morgan’s prowess as a lead man and the band’s music Fun Lovin’ Criminals have struggled to receive the recognition and success they have enjoy in the UK and Europe. Benbini, however, has a pretty solid theory on why that is: “Basically what happened in the 90s with FLC is that they pretty much canned a piece of New York and shipped it around the world and if you live in the States, you don’t actually like New York,” he explains. “You maybe visit it once in a blue moon and the only people who like New York are the people who live there. What the criminals did was they captured that suave wise guy, gangster type of thing and they squashed it all into a bit of hip hop music and we love that kind of shit over here but the Americans didn’t buy into it.”

Fun Lovin’ Criminals have had a difficult time of it during the last five years but with another UK tour coming up in October it is evident that they are thankful to be back on track and ready to show once again why they are one of the most exciting bands out there.

Classic Fantastic, the new album is out now. Scottish fans can see Colin supporting Fyfe Dangerfield at Edinburgh’s HMV Picture House on the 11th September.

INTRODUCING

Charlotte O’Connor

C

harlotte O’Connor is a bright new British star who possesses a wonderful voice, which is set to shine this summer. At only 18, Charlotte has already laid the foundations of what will no doubt be a long and successful career in the music industry.

The beautiful, confident and often too modest singer songwriter from Blackburn has built a cult internet fan base, which attracted the brand ‘Quiksilver’, with whom Charlotte now works closely with as an official ambassador.

In December 2008, Charlotte signed a worldwide record deal with Columbia Records, and is currently putting together her debut album.

Charlotte is set release her full debut single ‘Headrush’ through Columbia Records later this autumn but ahead of this, Charlotte will spend August travelling the surf towns of the UK in a VW campervan, sponsored by her friends at Quiksilver.

Fans of Charlotte will be able to purchase her exclusive debut EP entitled ‘The First Five’, only available at these shows along with some self designed t-shirts and a limited edition necklace’s produced by Quiksilver.

Charlotte will aim to keep fans up to date throughout the tour with weekly video blogs, daily tweets, and a tour blog.

Maxwell lynas

THE BANTER |

Feature

the pretty reckless

T

aylor Momsen is obviously a proponent of the old cliché that “all publicity is good publicity” because she never seems to be out of the gossip pages, whether it is for having a go at her Gossip Girl colleagues or for being a model for Madonna’s new clothing line or for smoking and setting a “bad example” for her fans and then moaning about not being a role model etc etc…

You may have seen Ms. Momsen on ITV2’s “hit” series Gossip Girl, if you haven’t you probably have a “Y” chromosome or are over the age of 18.

Momsen has been heralded as Hollywood’s hottest new fashionista and now she is set to unleash her “darker side” with her rock band The Pretty Reckless.

Formed last year by Momsen and signed to Interscope Records, The Pretty Reckless release their debut album ‘Light Me Up’, produced by Kato Khandwala (Blondie, My Chemical Romance, Paramore) on August 30th, preceded by their second single, the garage-rock stomper ‘Miss Nothing’ on Aug 23rd through Interscope/Polydor Records.

The New York quartet released their debut single, ‘Make Me Wanna Die’ to a rapturous response earlier this year and was an iTunes Top 10 hit and A-listed on Radio One and the Kerrang 10 | THE BANTER

network, as well as being Fearne Cotton’s Record of the Week.

The Pretty Reckless’ – the band completed by guitarist and co-writer Ben Phillips, bassist Mark Damon and percussionist Jamie Perkins - first ever UK live show in London was packed-to-the-rafters and described by Kerrang magazine as : “heavy riffs and wailing guitar solos…the crowd are at the Gossip-Girl-gone-grunge’s mercy”.

The four-piece have just finished appearing at Vans Warped Tour which will see them play forty two dates across the US, before heading across to the UK to play a show at Islington Academy as well as their first ever UK festival – V festival 2010.

The Pretty Reckless’ debut album ‘Light Me Up’ is set to be an unflinchingly honest chronicle of Momsen’s experiences, filtered through her unique point of view: “The record is about life,” says Taylor, “It covers everything: love, death, and music itself. It’s rock and roll. It’s sex. Its drugs. It’s religion. It’s politics. Each song tells a story about the trials and tribulations and emotional struggles that I’ve experienced or observed. It’s not a happy pop record, but it’s not Satan-worshiping either. The lyrics aren’t meant to be taken literally, they are open to interpretation.”

Maxwell lynas

Feature ZARIF 15 www.myspace.com/zarif

Ones to watch

It Sassy ������������������������������������������������������������ North-Londoner Zarif is bringing something new to the summer, with the release of her lead single and album by the same name, ‘Box of Secrets’, both due out the end of August.

Formerly signed to RCA, after collaborations with the likes of Groove Armada, Danny Byrd, Breakage and The Nextmen, the talented singer/songwriter is playing by her own rules having set up her own ‘Bright Pink Records’ label. Zarif is now set to challenge the charts with the release of this sharp slice of soul, jazz and pop.

“I could have gone down the route to get another deal…” Zarif explains, “but I decided to set up my own label. Musically I can do whatever I want now and can have more input in every aspect… it’s much more me.”

Already with an impressive performance catalogue to her name, twenty-six year old Zarif is no stranger to the big stage herself with previous performances at Glastonbury, Bestival, V and Wireless.

She has also supported the likes of US superstars Beyoncé and Chris Brown on their respective tours as well as having performed a duet with US R ‘n’B star, John Legend.

Debut album ‘Box of Secrets’ showcases an eclectic mix of melodic tracks, very much rooted in vintage soul but with Zarif’s unique contemporary spin. Executively produced by Fraser T Smith (Tinchy Stryder, Ellie Goulding, N Dubz), Zarif also explores her sound with further production from Tommy D (Corinne Bailey Rae, Jay Z & Kanye West) and Blair Mackichan (Lily Allen).

Speaking of her debut, Zarif reveals; “My favourite track on the album has to be ‘The Day The Music Left Me’. It’s a song about relationships but is also a kind of metaphor for everything that’s happened to me so far on my musical journey.”

Maxwell lynas

THE LIKE www.myspace.com/thelike

It wasn’t supposed to take this long. After debut album “Are You Thinking What I’m Thinking” in 2006, The Like opened for acts such as Muse and Kings of Leon, touring worldwide to critical acclaim.

But after shelving their sophomore album in 2007, drummer Tennessee Thomas (who can also be seen in Scott Pilgrim vs. The World) ran into Mark Ronson while in England. What ensued was the band changing the way they record, eschewing overpolished material in favour of a raw, sixties-style sound and recording nine songs in six days. “On those great 60’s records, the mistakes were some of the best parts of it” said Thomas. Phantom Planet’s Alex Greenwald also provided additional production.

The lineup has also changed since the last time you may have heard them, Thomas and lead vocalist Z Berg are now joined by Laena Geronimo on bass and Annie Monroe on organ.

The Like come to Glasgow on September 1st, and new album “Release Me” is available from the 6th. sean david

THE BANTER | 11

Interview

lady antebellum interview

Lady Antebellums Dave Haywood talks to the Banter Magazine about Grammys, the Grand Ole Opry and the Mocha Club interview by Ritchie Marshall

12 | THE BANTER

Interview The band formed in 2006, how did this come about?

Charles and I grew up together in Augusta, Georgia and we’ve been playing music together our whole lives. We moved to Nashville to become songwriters where we met Hilllary, in a bar of all places. We were out and we met Hillary and the three of us started writing songs together. We had so much fun writing music we decided that maybe we should play a show, so we went out and played our first show. Just came up with a crazy name the day before we played the show and we just had so much fun that we decided that we just had to do it for real.

The name kind of comes from an old style of home in the South called an Antebellum home. We were out taking some pictures in front of an old Antebellum house in Tennessee and because there is a girl in the group, we just kind of went with that and we went out and played our show.

We had written about ten songs together and we played them at the show and got a really good response from the few people, (laughs) probably 20 people that were there, and we loved it so much that we decided to form a group and keep it going.

Who was the first Lady of the US Charts Lady Gaga or yourselves?

You know what’s funny, I think we were out in the country charts but she was out about a year before us in the pop charts. I think we came out about the same time but she definitely beat us in the pop charts. She is the Queen of the Pop World.

Hillary was recently quoted as saying “To have your two best friends on the road with you….” Is that how close you guys are?

Yes we are, Charles and I grew up together and we’ve been great friends for a long time and from the day we met Hillary we just really hit it off really as friends first. Whenever we have days off back in Nashville we end up hanging out together anyway as we have a lot of mutual friends in Nashville.

I call Charles and Hillary my two best friends and we have a blast. We are very fortunate that we get to play music and do what we do, what we love with our great friends so it’s an honour.

Your first US No1 Single and Grammy Award winning “I run to you” was released here in the UK yesterday, what can you tell us about this track?

The way in which we wrote that song was a lot different from how we usually write. We usually start with a melody; I’ll play something on the guitar or on the piano and Charles and Hilary will add a vocal melody but this one we actually worked with Tom Douglas and he had a poem written about all the things we run from, things like hate and prejudice. We were like wow this is a really great poem, so we took his poem brought it together with some music, so this one came along a little differently.

It wasn’t until we got into the studio and had the song produced with some organ parts and electric guitar parts that it took a whole new life. Its one of our favourite songs to perform and we really believe in the message. It’s a really

crazy world that we live in and to have someone that you can run to in tough times.

You were already having much success but was “Need You Now” the song that propelled you on an international level?

You know we weren’t. The day we wrote that song I would never have guessed to what it would have done to our career, it’s really tipped our world upside down. That song seemed to put us on the map on a lot of different ways. We wrote that song and its one of our favourites it almost actually didn’t make it on our album. We had written it and it was one of our favourites but we didn’t think that the label or anyone else would really like it but we showed it to them and they were flipping out and saying “you gotta record this song…”

We went in to record it and kind of the same as “Run To You” once we got in the studio and the way it was produced with our producer Paul Worley it just took on a whole new life and it had a great vibe to it. Once we heard it produced we were like man this could be something special for us so we took a chance by putting it out and people just responded to it. For what its worth it’s about the desperation of missing somebody and sometimes it just takes a few beers and you meet somebody but for us it was hopefully a message that people can relate to and I think drinking and dialling is a worldwide thing.

You seem to be clearing house with a number of Country Music Awards and of course your Grammy, what means more to you being voted by your peers or the Grammy where your work has been recognised across all genres?

You know its got to be the Grammy, that’s just kind of top of the top for us. As a young kid you know all about that award show and the kind of people that are on that award show.

We thought we would be able to make it to that level. It was really exciting for us to be able to get to the Grammy’s; to be nominated and then let alone win was just literally one of the most exciting nights of our lives. Not to take away from any of the country music awards, those are amazing also. It’s just very surreal experiences and things that we are honoured and humbled that have happed but if I had to pick one I would definitely say the Grammy’s.

Being invited to so many Red carpet events you are getting now often seen is designer suits. Are you enjoying the glitz and glam side of your success or are you still more comfortable in your jeans and a country boy at heart?

(Laughs) You know we are still country, we are still rednecks at heart. We enjoy going to these things, getting dressed up and putting on nice suits its always fun. Hillary loves it more than Charles and I do, she is looking at dresses a year ahead of time and what to wear and how to do her hair so she has a ball getting to go to these events and award shows. I would say for Charles the most fun of being at these award shows is getting to meet a lot of people that we are big fans of. We walked past Paul McCartney but never got to meet him but there’s been a lot of stars that we have had the chance to meet that we think are great so its fun for us to get close to some of the stars.

THE BANTER | 13

Interview

and I the most fun of being at these award shows is getting to meet a lot of people that you are big fans of, we walked past Paul McCartney but never got to meet him but theres been a lot of stars that we have had the chance to meet that we think are great so its fun for us to get to see and get close to some of the stars.

Shepherds Empire Bush tomorrow evening for your first ever UK concert, how much are you looking forward to it?

We are thrilled that its actually sold out which is so exciting for us, we weren’t sure what the response was going to be. We have sold a couple of our records here in the UK but had no idea that we would have 2000 people want to come out and see us live. So its just one of the most exciting weeks we have had in a long time. We have been playing America and Canada our whole careers and this is the first kind of step outside of that and so far its been a positive response and the people have been so nice to welcome us here and just cant wait its going to be such a fun night for us tomorrow.

Any plans for a UK return?

We don’t have any definite plans but we are hoping to next year. We go back to the states to begin our first headlining tour back in the states that will take us through the rest of this year but you know next year we are difnitely planning to come back over and we would love to get up to Glasgow, Edinburgh 14 | THE BANTER

and even make it over to Dublin and play other areas outside of London, we would love to play Europe, the UK and Scotland that’s a dream of ours as well.

You of course have performed at the famous Grand Ole Opry – How big a moment in your career was this for you?

That’s one of the most special places for anyone in country music to perform at. It has such a history there its like performing at a theatre that’s been there for around 100 years.

A lot of the history of country music that is just like the mother church of where it all started. That was within the first few years of our career and one of the pinnacles was getting to perform there, we have had the honour to play there around 4 or 5 times and its just a great place , you are on that stage and you know that Elvis has been there, Patsy Cline, Hank Williams and all the great country artists so its just so exciting to play there and we love the Grand Ole Opry.

We understand you support a charity the Mocha Club – What can you tell us about this?

We have some really good friends in Nashville who are part of the Mocha Club which is a great organisation that helps a lot of different groups of people all throughout Africa. We are just part of a partnership that helps people in South Africa learn different trade skills so that they can go out and get jobs and support their families its called the learn to earn project.

Music

CD REVIEWS photography // daren borzynksi

LISSIE Chasing The Tiger columbia  How often do you come across an album without a single weak song on it?

In Lissie’s debut album „Catching a Tiger“, you have found one of this rare species.

It would be a lie to say that this is entirely down to the song-material, because there are a few songs on it that maybe would not have half the impact if sung by another artist.

Lissie’s voice however gives meaning to the even slightly more ordinary arrangements. I normally hate comparisons, because they tend to devalue every artist’s own personality, but Lissie possesses the same vocal control as Stevie Nicks and Martha Wainwright, pulling off both clean, rather angelic sounds as well as rather raw, raspy tones and a mean Belt. All sound equally effortless, and this is truly something you don’t come across too often.

Pretty much every track on the album works in its own way, so it is incredibly hard to name even one that for some reason does not work - so I won’t even try. I will therefore rather point out the songs that deserve to be mentioned separately, and even this seems somehow unfair: “In Sleep“ because it is the obvious choice for a single: Very radio-friendly without being syrupy or cheesy, and possibly one of the tunes you won’t be able to get out of your head for the rest of 2010 (and probably even long after that).

“Bully“ because it proves that a song does not need a massive arrangement to work. “Everywhere I go“ because it is one of the rare songs that cannot be described with words and therefore simply has to be listened to.

I simply cannot help but wonder if this is the debut of one of the genuinely most talented vocalists of our time. Lissie’s next album will show, but for the time being, we are more than happy with this one ... petra raspel

b.o.b. The Adventures of Bobby Ray grand hustle  It’s hard to tell from the title of this album what is in store upon listening but it soon becomes clear that this is a rap album with a difference. While defined as a rap artist B.o.B has made his debut album cross the boundaries of several music genres and created a record that gets better every time you listen to it. Kicking off with the piano laced Don’t Let Me Fall; the album is slow and steady to start with B.o.B’s raps meandering through softly sung verse and chorus melodies. Yet as soon as Bruno Mars’s first few notes of worldwide hit and UK number one Nothin’ On You begin things are kicked up a notch. A real highlight of this track is clearly Bruno Mars’s beautifully executed chorus. The singersongwriter’s voice is so easy on the ears that it is difficult not focus on it but B.o.B makes the song his with his catchy rap interspersed throughout. The album takes advantage of this mixture of superb voices on choruses and fast paced rap again in another UK number one Airplanes (featuring Hayley Williams of Paramore) and new single Magic (featuring Rivers Cuomo of Weezer). Too many of these combinations could outshine B.o.B’s own talent but the album contains enough solo tracks to showcase it. Ghost in the Machine again utilises the piano to give the song an anchor and allows B.o.B to reveal that he can do what many rappers (cough-Kanye West-cough) can’t: sing. Some die-hard rap fans may dislike his mash of pop, rock, hip-hop and rap but B.o.B has managed to produce an album which blends his rap and singing abilities with both melodic piano based tracks and straight up hard beat led songs. Although the highlights are the tracks featuring other famous artists (Eminem, T.I. and Lupe Fiasco to name a few more) it is clear that B.o.B has more than enough musical flair to carry him onto a second album.

anna gault

THE BANTER | 15

Music tired pony The Place We Ran From fiction/polydor  If anyone had any doubts about whether Gary Lightbody’s talents would stretch any further then Tired Pony’s debut album will prove them wrong. With sweeping melodies, a folky kind of edge and beautiful poetic lyrics, The Place We Ran From is hugely reminiscent of any Snow Patrol album but this time Gary is backed by legends such as Richard Colburn of Belle and Sebastian and Peter Buck of R.E.M, and these influences creep into the music. Tired Pony is definitely an indie supergroup if ever there was one and The Place We Ran From is an album that will have you hooked from the word go. All of the influences from each band member are expertly mixed in this album with the usual dash of depression we’ve come to expect from Mr Lightbody and that is what makes it work so well. If you’re looking for something new and explosive from this album then you’re not going to find it, what you are going to find is something that Mr Lightbody does very well and if it isn’t broke then why fix it? alyce macpherson

kylie minogue Aphrodite parlophone/Emi  Aphrodite marks Kylie Minogue’s 11th studio album in a career spanning 30 years and proves she is still just as much of a pop maestro as ever. Although her music has branched off from pop now and again this album has the Australian doing what she does best, dance pop. Aphrodite begins with the UK number one single All the Lovers. The track is heavy on the synthesiser but with its euphoric chorus it almost rises to anthem status. However with Kylie Minogue what you hear is what you get and so the album tends to sound like other Kylie albums with many songs sounding similar. Put Your Hands Up (If You Feel Love) has a slightly more trance sound running throughout while Minogue’s nasally vocals rise and rise to a punchy chorus that will no doubt get devoted listeners to put their hands up but fails to be particularly memorable. However Closer stands out will a looming harpsichord tune that allows for a refreshingly darker sounding song. Yet this darkness is all but obliterated with the tracks that follow including title track Aphrodite.

The song begins with an interesting disjointed beat and has Minogue’s vocals giving more attitude than sweetness as she sings about female empowerment. Too Much swings the album further towards the dance end of the musical spectrum with the synthesisers almost drowning out Minogue’s delicate voice. A guitar shows up all but briefly in Cupid Boy before it is washed out a strong dance pulse yet it causes the track to be a surprising high point on the album. Kylie Minogue is pretty much synonymous with pop music and Aphrodite does nothing but solidify this fact. It features a more prominent dance sound compared to Minogue’s previous album but this will just lead to more bodies moving and what is wrong with that? anna gault

16 | THE BANTER

sound of guns What Came From Fire Distiller  Hailing Radio 1 stalwarts Zane Lowe and Huw Stephens have labeled Sound Of Guns the next big thing in rock and roll and tags such as ‘epic ‘and ‘wall of sound’ have been thrown at the band like knickers at a Tom Jones concert.

The name conjures images of an act with serious firepower and a real fighting spirit, but on their debut album, What Came From Fire, the Liverpool five piece are found to be a bit short of ammunition. It is clear from the signature soaring choruses on display that the aim of the LP is stadium rock.

The opening quickly fires out Architects and Alcatraz (the last two singles), and while the songs do have their moments of grandeur, they lack emphatic and striking elements as the guitars are found to be lacking any sort of edge and the vocals become a bit predictable.

Sound Of Guns clearly take a lot from their influences, which is normal and not something I am against, but instead of producing a distinctive output that is a blend of several artists, individual tracks are comparable to specific bands from very recent times. The flipside of this is that they should appeal to fans of The Killers, The Pigeon Detectives and The Enemy to name a few who are referenced.

The accessibility of the band is shown throughout the album, particularly on the slower 106 and the pounding Collisions, which are catchy pieces of work. Tracks like Elementary Of Youth and Lightspeed have a lot more rock and roll life in them and show a less pop-friendly side to proceedings, which helps the album get stronger in the middle.

What Came From Fire is pretty radio friendly and does have moments that stick in your head, so I would expect to be hearing a fair bit of Sound Of Guns in the near future.

Unfortunately the sound is a bit less a barrage of AK47’s and more cap guns at dawn. chris hay

Music rolo tomassi Cosmology Hassle  I’ll admit before I listen to this album, all I knew about Rolo Tomassi was that one of their singers is a girl, who is pretty hot... oh, and their name comes from the film LA Confidential, which is awesome.

So this was pretty much a new experience for me and one that I’ll say I enjoyed even though most of the album is what the general public would class as “noise” but I like “noise”.

Cosmology is the Sheffield band’s long-awaited second album and on it is a mind-melting mix of riffs, howls, screams, synths, drums and what can only be described as a car-crash of sounds but it works, well at least for me it does but I am unsure of the mass appeal of this “noise” might have. maxwell lynas

freelance whales Weathervanes

columbia  Like a mouse in a fish tank, Freelance Whales’ debut album Weathervanes is confusing, but in an unusual way, cute and attention grabbing.

The unsigned group fronted, most of the time, by Judah Dadone have confused me more than any other band I have listened to in a long time, purely because I have absolutely no idea what they are doing. The range of instruments utilised extends from the completely banal such as Vocals and Guitar, to the slightly unusual of Banjo and Synthesiser, to the frankly insane Watering can on a drum kit. For the life of me, I have cannot understand the purpose of the Watering Can, other than to be weird.

The impact of this however, is that it becomes possibly the friendliest album on the planet. There is even a track called “Let’s be Friends”, which ironically is one of their edgier numbers (which isn’t saying much).

On a serious note, in terms of musicality, other than their unusual choice of instruments and quirky style, there is very little that sets the band apart from the pack. The album has a cheery, peppy rhythm throughout, but that’s really all you can say about it. The lyrics aren’t always great, and there are at least two tracks that serve no purpose. The album is enjoyable as a whole, but this is only because it never does anything that would make you sit up in your chair and turn it off; and in my opinion, that is not a good thing. The reason you never want to turn it off is that it doesn’t change. They establish their comfort zone, and remain there from start to finish.

This being said, as much as I may want to dislike the album for beffudling me, I can’t. It’s a pleasant, laid back listening experience and is an impressive first outing from the Freelance Whales; whether or not their friendly unusual style will last the test of time however remains in question. The tracks “Location”, “Kilojoules” and “We Could be Friends” are probably the standouts of the record.

The album does not rage against any machines, it does not tear the club up or get the party started; it makes a cup of tea and watches the Antiques Road show…and to be honest, there is absolutely nothing wrong with that. simon cassidy

detroit social club Existence polydor  Detroit Social Clubs debut album, Existence, is excellent. From start to finish, without question, it is a well-written and well-executed album.

In listening to the album, it seems to take a refreshing change of pace from other Indie bands currently on the scene. Front man, David Burn, an avid fan of classic Brit Rock bands, Oasis and The Verve; clearly draws influence from his idols. The similarity between Northern Man and Bittersweet Symphony is apparent. This is not to say that the band are simply a cheap knock off of their predecessors, far from it, if anything they have done a superb job of mixing the classic with the modern.

Drawing on a sound, which seems to have been more at home in the mid to late nineties and mixing it with a more modern popular style, creates a genuinely unique sound for the Newcastle based band. The slow building base drum at the opening of Kiss the Sun, which leads into a powerful crescendo of vocals including the words “Battle Begun” seems to challenge anyone who would dare to accuse them of imitation.

The one flaw the album does have, is that every song seems determined to be an epic. While most of the time this works surprisingly well, occasionally it takes away from the overall narrative of the album; that of an average man trying to make an impact and reach for the stars. Additionally, it leaves a great deal of room for clichés and cheesy sounding lines and song titles; “Shining like stars” and Sunshine People attest to this fact.

This however, is a trifling flaw in what is overall an exceptionally good album. The band have done what so few accomplish in their debut and have offered something genuinely new and enjoyable. Let’s just hope there is more of the same down the road. simon cassidy

THE BANTER | 17

Music

diagram of the heart I And Love And You sony music  I did not know what to expect as I placed Diagram Of The Heart’s debut album into my CD drive. Was I about to stumble upon a melodic gem? The answer, it seems, was yes!

The opening track, “If I Were You” makes my sound system shake. “All I wanna do is dance. All I wanna do is sing,” chants from the speakers and I find myself doing exactly that. The beat is so infectious and the lyrics so wonderfully simple that I cannot help but sing along.

“Dead Famous” – set to be the band’s first single – was made to fill dance floors, with electronic synths prominent throughout. Other highlights include “Tell Suburbia”, “Skeletons” and “Gone For Good” – all will have you singing, I guarantee it!

Simple, bouncy pop songs is what to expect from these newcomers... maybe slightly too simple on some tracks (“Did I?” and “Finally Nice To Meet You”) but genuinely feel-good. This London-based duo of Kye Sones and Anthony Gorry describe their sound as “euphoric, stadium pop” and I think that sums up their sound perfectly. kate chambers

18 | THE BANTER

example Won’t Go Quietly data  London rapper Elliot Gleave (aka Example) has already made a musical assault on the charts with his 2007 debut album What We Made but it went largely unnoticed.

However second time around it is a different story for the 28-year-old. Won’t Go Quietly is a bold and brassy electro pop dance album to get bums off seats and onto the dance floor.

The first song of an album is vital to its success, it has to engage the listener right away and make them want to continue listening. From Space accomplishes this task by combining loud guitar riffs and drum beats with Example’s punchy rap. It then descends into a slow trippy trance beat to match the title of the track but frankly this brings the song down from its strong beginnings. The album’s title track Won’t Go Quietly charted at number six in the UK and for good reason. Blending pulsing beats with melodic vocals rather than raps, it manages to be danceable without being overpowering. Watch the Sun Come Up captures the holiday romance with a sleepy scaling pulse wrapped around Example’s straight forward rap. Towards the middle of the album the tracks become slightly too pulse ridden and but tracks like Something in the Water use a carnival-esque beat and create something a bit more entertaining than some of the other songs. But the highlight of the record is undoubtedly UK number three Kickstarts. The track stands out because of the distinctive beat that provides a backbone for both a catchy chorus and rap to swim through and also allows for fist pumping a plenty. The songs following Kickstarts are given the unfortunate job of living up to their predecessor.

They don’t completely succeed (Dirty Face sounds more like a wasp in your ear than a song) but Sicknote and See the Sea hold up the albums standard with See the Sea bringing a different sound to the album using a sluggish, almost reggae beat. With most of the songs detailing nights out and meeting girls Example is not trying to put across a serious message with his second record. However what he has tried and succeeded in doing is making an album that will definitely not go unnoticed this time. anna gault chris shiflett & the dead peasants Chris Shiflett and the Dead Peasants Columbia  It seems Chris Shiflett has found the time to form another new band, as if his duties with Foo Fighters, Me First and The Gimme Gimmes and Jackson United weren’t enough.

The album is a lot more traditional rock based, and allows Shiflett to really prove himself as a song-writer and musician, one that isn’t always just the man in the shadows of Dave Grohl.

‘Get Along’ and ‘Not Going Down Alone’ are two of the best tracks and there’s a cover of ‘Burning Lights’ by Joe Strummer thrown in just to make the album that one bit better. If you ever wrote Chris off as just another musician. It might be time to eat your words. sarah moyes

Music 65 DAYS OF STATIC We Were Exploding Anyway

hassle  For nigh on a decade, 65 Days of Static have been working to establish their own unique style of live instrumental electric rock. From their early days of simply remixing popular songs, to expanding into a daring new form, the group have steadily built up a monumental fan base in the underground scene. However, in recent years those same core fans have questioned their increased move to a more electro based sound. Can their latest offering We Were Exploding Anyway appease the critics.

In all likelihood, no. Very much removed from their instrumental foundations, 65 Days of Static have shaken things up quite a bit in their new album, trading in their better known style for loud, aggressive baselines and dance beats.

And overall, it works quite well; if you are open minded and have an appreciation for the genre, it is a very good album.

The issue with the album however, is that it seems to be moving into well trodden territory. What made the group so popular in the past was the unique style, this however is not that unique. The style we see adopted is one which is already dominated by The Prodigy, and increasingly by Pendulum, and in some cases tread dangerously close to being an out and out dance CD. A further issue is that the album simply peaks too soon. The tracks Come to Me and Go Complex are by far the standouts, and appear to be what it builds toward from the start. The flaw with this is that there are two tracks, which remain, and they frankly don’t compare to the previous two powerhouses.

Overall a good album, It might not bring back the core fanbase to what it once was, but by leaning more toward the mainstream style, the album has the potential to attract the casual listener, and will certainly come into its own in a live event setting. The only remaining question is what direction does the band take from here? Only time will tell. simon cassidy

eliza doolittle Eliza Doolittle

Parlophone records  Eliza Doolittle’s self titled debut album is a bright and breezy pleasure from start to finish that will leave you whistling her catchy chorus’s all day. Her clean vocals have such a laid back sleepiness to them that give an oddly soothing quality while keeping your rapt attention to every single word that she chirps. Eliza’s album is a bit mad, a bit fun but is not to be taken any less seriously as a result. It’s a brilliant and eclectic mix of Eliza’s wide reaching influences, from Stevie Wonder to The Kinks, twined together which shows through in her music. It gives you the impression that this album was just a happy accidental or perhaps it was just simply effortless. As much as all of this character and playfulness is a wonderful quality, some of the songs on the album are trying to be more serious than the track allows them to be so if you don’t like your music wonderfully random with sometimes questionable lyrics then this is not the album for you.

alyce macpherson

kelis Flesh Tone interscope  The 5th studio album ‘Flesh Tones’ from Kelis marks her transition into dance and popmusic, a huge contrast from her previous R&B based sound.

Kelis has worked with variou s top producers and contributors on the album, including Will.i.am, Benny Banassi and David Guetta, with most success coming from her collaboration with the latter, on tracks ‘Acapella’ and ‘Scream’.

I was initially surprised that the album has only 9 songs and running time is just over 35 minutes, but Kelis makes up for it with quality over quantity. Whether you have only recently been introduced to Kelis or you are a long time fan this will not disappoint.

daren borzynski

love amongst ruin Love Amongst Ruin Music Response Records & Distribution

 Former Placebo drummer Steve Hewitt performs lead vocals, bass, guitar and piano on his debut album.

Having left the band citing musical differences, and being the first solo effort, it’s difficult to know what to expect on the first listen. Lead single “So Sad (Fade)” is what will garner most interest in this album and gets it off to a great start. Fifth track “Bring Me Down (You Don’t)” also stands out among what is a mix of influences including Depeche Mode and Metallica. The premise of a drummer turned solo multi instrumentalist will be of great interest to any fans of Foo Fighters who remember when the band consisted of just Dave Grohl. Of course, it’s difficult to tell what the future will hold for Hewitt but this debut creates anticipation and demand for more. sean david

THE BANTER | 19

Music

travie mccoy Lazarus atlantic records  Travie McCoy or Travis McCoy as he was first introduced to us in Gym Class Heroes has just released his debut record ‘Lazarus’.

And it’s hard not to question why it’s taken him this long to get round to it. Despite ‘Billionaire’ ft Bruno Mars being the first single to be released, it’s ‘Superbad’ which is without a doubt the best track on this record. It’s raw, yet powerful, fresh and infectious as hell. And while ‘Billionaire’ was the obvious choice for a radio friendly summer anthem, Travie really should have let us hear ‘Superbad’ first if he wanted to show people what he was all about.

Hearing a Supergrass sample on ‘We’ll Be Alright’ was the last thing most people will expect to hear on this record, but it works well and I guess Supergrass have just found themselves a new following of fans. A lot of the album is upbeat and the soundtrack to the darker days, Travie also seems to let some of his darker demons out. ’Don’t Pretend’ which features Colin Munroe and Travis Barker. The lyrics could easily apply to his ex-girlfriend Katy Perry, after all there were rumours the whole record was about the breakdown of their relationship and with lines like “Open up my chest and you’ll see a hole cavity where my heart use to be” it safe to say it wasn’t a nice break up. Still with a great solo album under the belt of his baggy jeans I think Travie is the one that has something to smile about now. sarah moyes ozzy osbourne Scream

columbia  You could be forgiven if you forgot that Ozzy Osbourne was a musician, after his career took a side-step into Television star/circus attraction but that is in the past for just now because Ozzy is back doing what he does best – Being a Rock Star.

Ozzy is back with new album Scream and it is well a typical recent Ozzy Osbourne solo album, a few good songs, a few mediocre ones and of course a ballad or two.

Let Me Hear You Scream is definitely the stand out song on the album and could possibly be called “Classic Ozzy” but the remainder of the album lack this.

So, Ozzy do us a favour just patchy up your differences with the boys from Back Sabbath and give us one last Sabbath tour... go on you know you want to.

maxwell lynas

20 | THE BANTER

MARK RONSON COMPETITION Mark Ronson & the Business Intl will be setting bells ringing across the nation this autumn with the release of the hugely anticipated album, ‘Record Collection’, released September 27th on Columbia. To ��������������������������������������������� celebrate the release of Columbia Records and The Banter have teamed up to offer 10 lucky readers the chance to win a copy of the CD. Q: Which female singer did Mark Ronson team up with to cover The Zutons hit song “Valerie”?

Send your answers by e-mail to info@thebanter.co.uk with the heading Competition: Mark Ronson along with telling us your name, age, address and e-mail address.

Winners will then be chosen at random! Good luck, competition closes September 30th 2010 Scottish fans can see Mark Ronson live at the Glasgow O2ABC on Friday 1st October

Interview says. Her electro-pop sound is definitely a departure from church music but retains the ability to make listeners sing and dance along. It is difficult to recall any teenager making this kind of pop music.

She has plenty of time to change and develop her sound as much as like because at only 18 she is definitely towards the younger end of the artists’ spectrum. Yet like most 18-year-olds Ferreira has been met with a few challenges because of her age. “Being young is a blessing and a curse at the same time,” she explains. “People want to make it like a novelty or they want to say that I don’t know what I’m doing but then at the same time there are so many more opportunities because I started so young.” Youth, while great can have its pitfalls but for Ferreira it seems to be aiding her rise to stardom with many critics commenting on how refreshing it is to see someone so young so focused.

W

hen you are an 18-year-old girl you are more likely to be thinking about boys (or girls), make-up and partying as opposed to song compositions and record sales but for Sky Ferreira it is a mixture of both. The 18-year-old Californian has been writing and performing from a young age and is now ready for people to hear what she can do.

Ferreira started out singing gospel and opera music and even entertained an audience with Michael Jackson and reportedly made him cry. At 15 she began taking advantage of teenage angst, started making demos and posting them on the unsigned music super highway that is Myspace.

Instead of blending in with the thousands of others who use Myspace as self promotion, Ferreira was somewhat of a Myspace sensation across the pond. After that it was only a matter of time before she hooked up with Swedish producers, Bloodshy and Avant and began to develop her sound. Despite a traditional musical upbringing Ferreira has now steered away from those genres towards poppier pastures. “The gospel and opera definitely helped me vocally but not writing wise but maybe in the future,” she

Regardless of age, a new artist also has to contend with the initial comparisons placed upon them and for Ferreira it is no different. Most of the PR for the young singer name drops artists from as diverse as Courtney Love and Britney Spears. Ferreira herself is refreshingly honest in her opinion of these comparisons: ““It’s frustrating,” she admits. “I’m my own person you know? It’s flattering but at the same time it’s like I have to prove to people I am my own person which is a bit much. There are people I look up to like Prince and David Bowie and Madonna but there’s none I would actually be like ‘I am that person’.” Despite her young age Ferreira has no qualms about promoting when it comes to her abilities. She has always taken her singing career very seriously and for her it was never just a hobby.

“I always knew what I wanted to do. I don’t even remember when it started. I just started singing and that was it,” she reveals. “I think I always knew I had it, it’s just the timing, meeting the right people at the right time. And also just when I was ready. At like about 14 or 15 it started getting serious and then more serious and more serious.”

Things have become so serious that she now even has world renowned photographer Rankin shooting her music videos. The video for her European debut single “One” was created by Rankin’s hand and showcases not only the song but Ferreira’s effervescent beauty. The video is bold and stylistic and quite unexpected from an 18-year-old.

However relatively new to the business she may be, it looks she is definitely going about things in the right way.

Although Ferreira has been writing and recording music for several years now, she has yet to really cut her teeth on a live stage and make a real impression commercially. With touring being an essential aspect of a musician’s success, Ferreira is anxious to get out there and show what she can do yet she humbly admits she is not quite there. “Playing live is really important but I’m not ready yet. I really need to practice.” But with a look and voice like hers it is unlikely that too much practice will be needed before everyone knows who Sky Ferreira is.

THE BANTER | 21

Interview

30 ! 3 H

Interview with Anna Gault

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onsisting of two young men from Boulder, Colorado, 3OH!3 are a rather unexpected success story in the music business. Having formed in 2004 the duo have carved out a name for themselves in America and have begun to make a considerable dent in the UK charts. However it has only been since 2008 that they have seen real success on both sides of the pond.

Their debut self-titled album went almost unnoticed and similarly when their second album Want was released in 2008 it only reach number 77 on the UK album chart but did considerably better in the U.S. This was largely due to the band’s dedication to touring on the Warped Tour in the U.S. and building a reputation as one’s to watch. However the UK has been more receptive to their singles, especially Starstrukk featuring Katy Perry which went to number three. With more and more bands entering into the ever expanding music universe it can be hard to keep heads above the water but luckily for 3OH!3 they are kind of difficult to ignore.

To come from obscurity into the music industry super highway takes a lot of perseverance and motivation and for 3OH!3 this is no different. However Sean Foreman who makes up one half of the duo (the other being Nathaniel Motte) does not find it difficult to stay motivated but he does find it difficult to travel: “Travelling is hard for us. Nat and I are both tall and Nat is like 6’ 7’’ and fitting into the seats is crazy. We just had 24 hour flight from Australia to the UK and I kind of almost went crazy being in that box for 24 hours but other than that, I mean, we get to see some insanely cool places so I can’t really complain about that.” There cannot be much to complain about when your third and current album Streets of Gold is sitting comfortable number seven on the U.S. Billboard chart. Streets of Gold was released in June off the back of their hit single with fellow electropop maestro Ke$ha My First Kiss. Along with Starstrukk featuring Katy Perry this is the second song released with a successful female artist featuring and 3OH!3’s second consecutive hit. There seems to be a pattern forming. However it is not only 3OH!3 who are guilty of employing other successful women for guest spots on their albums. Jay-Z who is one of the biggest selling hip hop artists ever had help from both Rihanna and Alicia Keys on his latest album, with the latter earning him a U.S. number one and UK number two.

It seems like this formula is fast becoming vital to hitting the top spot. “People like David Guetta and a lot of other artists are really into features,” agrees Foreman. “I think for us though, I 22 | THE BANTER

the

know a lot of our songs have features or at least the ones that are played on radio but for us it is people we would naturally want to work with. I would never want to be in forced situation but with Katy (Perry) we met her on her and our first Warped Tour and we became friends and it just came up down the line to work together.

Once you have listened to an entire 3OH!3 album it can quickly become clear why the songs featuring other artists were chosen as singles; their other tracks are pretty eccentric. Most of them are unclassifiable in terms of genre, with a mashing of pop, electro, hip hop and rock, it sometimes sounds like Run DMC on acid. Similarly the outlandish lyrics and song titles (Punkbitch and Chokechain to name a few) make it difficult

Interview

HEIGHTS

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to even hazard a guess at the song’s genesis. Foreman is also slightly at a loss when it comes to explaining the band’s aims when making a song: “Obviously we are doing stuff that we like to make but I think for us we want to make it something that is really fun to perform and something that comes across live.

“When we started it [the band] it was meant to just be fun songs, partying songs but on Streets of Gold we got into maybe more like ballad songs. All in all when we make a song we set out to make something that is different but still poppy enough for a broader audience to enjoy but we want to make something that is a little bit perverse so it doesn’t just come across like everything else out there. ” It looks like it doesn’t really matter what 3OH!3 are trying to do, it’s working. Their notoriety in the U.S. as highly energetic performers has led to sold out shows in the UK including their upcoming Glasgow date in September. But this notoriety also makes for some high expectations from UK fans who are anticipating a sweat-filled set luckily Foreman is ready to give up some bodily fluids for the sake of a good show: “There’s going to be sweat, tears, blood, drinking,” he laughs. “It’s always different at our shows. We encourage the audience to be just as big a part of the show as we are so it’s just a huge party.”

ooking out for Welwyn Garden City based quintet Heights, who have just signed an album deal with the independent UK label Small Town Records!

Heights join a roster, which contains some of the most exciting names and freshest sounds in rock such as Fei Commodo and Shadows Chasing Ghosts.

Label manger Pete Weeks commented: “We are thrilled to have signed Heights. These guys are a band which optimises the UK music scene right now; they are young, exciting, enthusiastic and keen to succeed in everything they do. More importantly, they fucking rock. We can’t wait to get started on this project.”

Building layer upon layer of beautifully distorted melody, hard percussion and raw soaring vocals seems to be innate to the young band who bring their immaculate influences, such as Cult Of Luna and Isis, a fresh post-hardcore edge.

Heights are currently touring the festival circuit and UK relentlessly and have a live show infamous for its punch.

Guitarist Dean Richardson expands, “We are very excited to announce that we have signed to Small Town Records. We have some great material under our belts so keep your eyes peeled for new songs and make sure you come down to one of our shows for a preview!”

Heights are set to play the following dates in Scotland Tour w/ The Boy Will Drown & The Bridal Procession 4th October – The Classic Grand, Glasgow 5th October – Tunnells, Aberdeen Tour w/ Flood Of Red & House Vs. Hurricane 10th November – The GRV, Edinburgh 11th November – Warehouse, Aberdeen 12th November – Cathouse, Glasgow www.myspace.com/weareheights

maxwell lynas

THE BANTER | 23

interview

Interview

Interview by ANNA GAULT

24 | THE BANTER

EXAMPLE

Interview Despite being around the music industry since 2004, your second album has really put you in the public eye. How much does this album represent your entire sound?

“Well I mean the first album was very different from the last one. This current album probably only has a few throw backs to my early stuff on it. There is only sort of three pure hip hop songs on the album. I’ve been doing music for seven or eight years and I’m just not about making the same album twice.

People ask me what I represent or what I’m into or what I stand for and really I just stand for good music and honest music and everything I’ve ever made has really kind of been my own opinion or my personal experiences. So you know, my next album is going to be a lot darker than this one. My next one is going to be like an electro grunge album. My fourth one might be an indie album. I’m more interested in making a different album every time rather than making the same album over and over again. I don’t think there is one genre which best represents me.”

What sort of things influenced your song writing on Won’t Go Quietly?

“Everything on this album is from a personal experience.

Millionaires is a real story, Two Lives is a real story, Won’t Go Quietly is based on an ex-girlfriend, Time Machine, whilst it sounds like a space song is about, I suppose, trying to use time travel as a metaphor for keeping a girlfriend happy in a relationship. Something in the Water is based on going on tour, partying and sticking pills in drinks. Dirty Face and Sick Note are just songs about chatting up women and Hooligans is about a bloke who broke his leg at one of my gigs. So you know everything on there is influenced by real life. In terms of my song writing, some people say it’s a bit streetsy, some people say it’s a bit Calvin Harris, a bit Dizzee Rascal, a bit Kanye. I mean I listen to loads of different music so I think if I said to you I’m influenced by Queen you might think well I don’t hear Queen in your music but you know being influenced by something and then carrying it into something is completely different I suppose.”

How did growing up in London influence you?

“Well the reason I got into music was mostly because I didn’t want to get bullied! In London there is a strong black music culture and I was into that and didn’t want to get bullied for not being into it. I’ve picked up a lot of influences growing up in London. And my album, although there isn’t any pure drum and bass songs on there, there are some with it and some garage songs which is very London. So a lot of the stuff is influenced by the London music scene.”

What motivates you to push on and get your music out there when there is not a massive chance of success?

“Well there are not all the multi-millionaires who were in music ten or twenty years ago because people don’t sell as many records but people can still make a decent living off of live earnings. If you work hard at music you know, in ten, fifteen years you might be able to get a million out of the back of it but there’s not going to be many Robbie Williams nowadays, you know, getting paid £70 million for record deals. Everything I do is more exciting than coming in and working a 9 to 5 job.

The excitement of the job is a big motivation.”

How different is it to play festivals as opposed to a gig of your own?

“Well the thing with festivals is that not everyone there knows you. A lot of people might come just because they are a bit inquisitive but there’s nothing wrong with that. At T in the Park we played to 10,000 people in a packed tent maybe everyone in there knew at least one of my songs and then half of the crowd knew all of them. So if you’ve got everyone mixed together going nuts, it kind of creates a ripple effect and you end up having an amazing experience. They are just one off shows and people are there just to let themselves go maybe more so than they would on a Tuesday night when they’ve got work the next day. So I prefer festivals, you tend to get a better reaction.”

Do you tailor your set at festivals to suit the audience or do you just play what you want?

“All my gigs I play for the audience, I don’t ever play for me. If there is a song that is five minutes long and it’s a bit experimental and we think someone is going to get bored we’ll either cut it down or cut it from our set. People pay to come and see you, they want to be entertained. There are a lot of bands who maybe charge 20 quid to get in and then get on stage and do a completely experimental set and only what they want to play which is a bit sad really. I always try and put on the best night ever so they end up sweaty and they’ve been dancing and they’ve lost their voices but they are like ‘do you know what? That was one of the best nights I’ve ever had.’”

Although you have been in the industry for six years do you still new or slightly naive?

“You always learn things but I always think its better to have your success in an industry after you’ve had about three or four years experience. I got to experience all the ups and downs when I was on Mike Skinner’s label and then losing my deal. It teaches you a lot about what to do and what not to do in the music industry.”

How much pressure do you feel for your next single to be successful after Kickstarts success?

“Not really any. I mean Kickstarts was what we launched the album off the back of so it kind of means whatever you release after that you’re not actually under as much pressure. If the single’s already been available on iTunes for two months, there’s not any pressure for it to be top ten or top five. I think the way the music industry works is that you release an album off the success of a single and you hope that it keeps selling albums by the time you release another single. That’s, I suppose, the best you can hope for really.”

How do you measure success?

“I think, honestly, it’s about how happy you are. And you know I’m really happy at the moment in everything, in life, in my relationship, in music. I do lots of exercise, I’ve got good friends and because of my job I get to travel pretty much anywhere I want. There are people out there with loads of money who aren’t happy and don’t have healthy relationships. If someone said to me ‘would you do a song with Jedward for £5000?’ No, because I would rather earn that £5000 myself and keep my integrity.”

THE BANTER | 25

Interview

interview by Kate Chambers

ELLIE GOULDING T

here is already a long queue of fans outside Glasgow’s O2 ABC, cowering unsuccessfully from the rain under a sign that reads, “Tonight: Ellie Goulding. Sold Out.” It seems that everyone is mad about Ellie. After being signed to Polydor Records less than a year ago, the 23-year-old singer from Herefordshire has been caught up in a whirlwind of success.

She topped the BBC Sound of 2010 poll and won the Critic’s Choice Award at The Brits. Her electro-pop debut album, “Lights” went straight to No.1 and since then, she has been taking her hits round the country on a sell-out UK tour.

When I join Ellie on the white leather couch in her dressing room, she seems tired. A self-confessed fitness fanatic, Ellie has hit the gym earlier today despite being exhausted and is still wearing cycling shorts and a pair of purple Nike trainers.

“These are the trainers I designed [to raise money] for a charity for injured soldiers”, she explains, modelling them with pride. “I wear them pretty much every day. They are proper, like, running trainers... sort of scientific ones.”

Running is a bit part of Ellie Goulding’s life, when she can fit it in that is. She has been touring constantly. Yesterday, she was playing Wembley Stadium. Today, Glasgow. Tomorrow, Manchester. She stifles a yawn then apologises. With such a hectic schedule, is all this touring taking its toll on the young musician?

26 | THE BANTER

photography // daren borzynski

“I miss sleep!” She laughs, yawning again as if to convince me. “I really love being on tour but I miss having a routine of being able to go to things, like circuit training. Just keeping mega-fit. It’s hard to keep a routine on tour because I never really know what’s going to be going on. That’s it really, otherwise touring is a great place to be. I get nice food that I want, I get to go to the gym most of the time, I get to be around lovely people. My band are really fun and down-toearth. I don’t have to worry about media or things that don’t really matter. Things that come as a by-product, you know?

This is the main thing. This is my life.”

What a life it is! The release of her first single, “Under The Sheets”, catapulted Ellie straight into the limelight. She was supporting Little Boots on tour. Suddenly, everyone knew her name. Everyone tipped her to be “the next big thing”.

The release of her album caused a nuclear explosion of both praise and criticism. With all this media attention, did Ellie feel pressured to try and please everyone?

“No, I’m not intelligent enough to conjure up some sort of plan of how to make everybody in the world like me. All I’ve ever done is be myself and if that means that I have to get negative and positive comment then so be it because I don’t want to be anyone else. God, I hate this phrase but at the end of the day, I’m just someone who really enjoys playing music, listening to music, performing music and writing

Interview

music. There’s not really much else to it. If people say I’m not really worthy of the hype, I don’t care. I don’t really care what people say.” She giggles, whilst punching the air in a gesture of defiance.

It is refreshing to speak to someone so at ease with their success. Music has always been a big part of her life. “I felt I saw something different in pop music that other people didn’t see.” She smiles, “That sounds quite pretentious.” From what I can see, Ellie is far from pretentious. Sprawled on the couch, she oozes confidence but there is not a hint of arrogance in her personality, just a young woman who is comfortable with who she is and what she is doing. She is all about music. We get to talking about new music and she is eager to mention her new friend, Lissie. “She’s awesome! We actually ended up meeting at Jools Holland, ‘cos I went down to watch Mumford & Sons – I’m friends with a couple of them – and she happened to be performing her song on the same night. I bumped into her in the toilets and we just decided to do this duet.” Ellie joined Lissie on-stage at The Great Escape festival recently, much to the delight of the Brighton crowd.

“She’s brilliant! I really, really love her.”

With a packed festival season already underway, Ellie tells me that she can’t wait to play Benicassim, T In The Park and most importantly Glastonbury. But with such a thirst for festivals, who would play at the Ellie Goulding fantasy

festival? “Hmmm, well I saw the best show of my life the other day: Rage Against The Machine in Germany. Oh my god! I liked them when I was very young, I was like 16 and I was obsessed with them for a while. Oh my god, it was good!” She squeals with delight! “So I’d probably have Rage.

As for the “rocky ones”, I’d have Pearl Jam as well ‘cos I’m a big fan of Pearl Jam. Then I’d have Mumford and Sons, they’re an amazing live band. I’d have Lissie of course! I’d probably have Lady Gaga... and Beyonce, together. This is just an allrounder. I’d have a couple of my smaller bands that I really like: The Middle East, Stornoway – I’m really into them at the moment – and Noah and The Whale I love! I would have something like The Prodigy or Faithless as the dance side of things.” She pauses, looking thoughtful. “Hmm, I need another man don’t I? Oh! I love Paolo Nutini’s album, I love it!

And Bon Iver would definitely play at my festival. So I’d kind of have a bit of everything.”

Although festival organising could be a creditable career move, Ellie appears to be more than content with her life at the moment. “I just really like performing”, she smiles. “And if I can do that for a long time then I’ll be happy.” It’s clear that Ellie Goulding was made to perform and hopefully she will continue making herself, and many of her devoted (if slightly soggy) fans, happy with her music.

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Interview

HURTS

interview T

hey share their stage with a 7 foot opera singer, have performed gigs in a science lab and a church and have the sharpest 80s style around in 2010!

Yes, Manchester duo ‘Hurts’ are definitely something out of the ordinary! Described as ‘moody’, ‘exceedingly stylish’ and ‘impossibly calm’ in the press and media, I’m not quite sure what to expect when I chat to Theo Hutchcraft, the half of the duo described by Joe Stretch as ‘the born pop star’ to Adam Anderson’s ‘calculating visionary’. However, Theo defies the moody label often attributed to ‘Hurts’ (although if you look at their press shots, you’ll understand why this is!) and it is great to chat with someone so clearly passionate about the music they make.

After being a band called ‘Daggers’ together previously, Anderson and Hutchcraft initially worked together for a year exclusively over the internet to make their music.

With the rise of the internet as a platform for emerging talent such as ‘Hurts’, Hutchcraft from his experiences believes this is very positive.

“I think it’s an amazing thing, because it helped people to realise who we were in the first place. It’s a really great way of getting yourself out there when you can’t play live. Also, because we have got a lot of international and European fans, it brings the world a 28 | THE BANTER

interview by louise anne geddes

lot closer and it means we can contact them. It’s really great” Described as 80’s inspired synth pop, Hutchcraft laughs as he says that what sets ‘Hurts’ apart from the rest of the artists out there today is their look!

“I think a lot of it is our look, to be honest! I think it’s very difficult in pop music to separate yourself out, but we just do what we do and it all comes from the two of us. There’s only one of me and Adam! We always wanted to make pop music, and that’s where our heart is” Coming from relative obscurity, ‘Hurts’ initially had a MySpace page for getting their music out there, a page which was pretty empty. Yet the tickets for their first gig were like gold dust, with fans grabbing them with both hands. Is it this mystique that gives ‘Hurts’ an edge? And how did this overnight success affect them?

“It was an amazing feeling. I mean, you go from spending all your time just the two of you, and it’s a really amazing thing when people understand it and are receptive to it. We weren’t going to do any pointless gigs so we organised one special gig. You only play your first gig once, so it was important that it was special”

Interview

Every gig for ‘Hurts’ now is certainly something special, as they perform on stage with a 7 foot opera singer! I definitely have to see this one for myself (4th September at the Oran Mor in Glasgow folks, get yourselves along, if only out of morbid curiosity!), but where did the idea come from. Hutchcraft chuckles as he explains: “It was quite a random thing! We just kind of thought that because we wanted to make the live show different, we tried to see what could make it exciting. The opera singer shouldn’t work really, but once we sat and worked it out, it really complements, there’s something really emotional about it. Something very dramatic I think” Whether or not 80s synth pop is your thing, I defy anyone not to be curious about a ‘Hurts’ stage show! Not only do they share their stage at gigs with a peculiar companion, some of the places they have performed gigs are bizarre to say the least!

“The first gig we ever did in a church was really amazing!

Since then, we’ve played in a boat, we’ve played in a science lab and in an athletics stadium in Greece. They’re all different, and all the festivals are different, but I think the church was quite important because it was a really nice first gig.”

And the ultimate gig venue for Theo?

“An oil rig, or something like that. Or a cruise ship, that would be amazing. Or the Vatican, maybe we could play at the Vatican!”

Ambitious, but given their current success in Europe so far you never know! The boys first single ‘Better than Love’ hit the number one spot in Cyprus and number two in Denmark.

‘Hurts’ have enjoyed a massive European following, and Hutchcraft’s pride over what has been achieved can clearly be felt.

“It was so amazing, so exciting. It’s like, sitting in Manchester on the dole, and you never realise that you’re going to be bigger that that! To know that your music connects people in different countries is amazing. You never expect it, but it really makes you think about your music. It takes you around the world, and lets you see these places”.

‘Hurts’ second single ‘Wonderful life’ was released on 23rd August, and their debut album ‘Happiness’ which features a track called ‘Devotion’ on which the guys worked with the princess of pop herself, Kylie Minogue, will be released on September 6th. The album promises to be a pop fest, but not cheesy manufactured pop as we know it! So what was it like working with the tiny giant of pop?

“It was brilliant, it was such an unexpected thing. When we were recording the album we just wrote her a letter and asked her and she said yes, which is really weird! The recording was great, she’s such an amazing talent, such a beautiful, friendly person” So what’s next for these unlikely pop stars?

“Well, we’ve got the tour coming up, and we just need to keep taking it to the places that want it really, so the music can grow.

And you can’t say fairer than that! louise anne geddes

Sheryl Crow Clyde Auditorium, Glasgow

Mon 11th October

Tommy Reilly O2 ABC, Glasgow

Sat 18th September

Mumford & Sons O2 Academy, Glasgow

Fri 1st October

Hurts Oran Mor, Glasgow

Mon 4th October

Lissie O2 ABC, Glasgow

Wed 8th December

Detroit Social Club King Tuts, Glasgow

Fri 15th October

Mark Ronson O2 ABC, Glasgow

Fri 1st October

Example O2 ABC, Glasgow

Tue 28th September THE BANTER | 29

Interview

interview by Alyce MacPherson

30 | THE BANTER

Interview You’ve been so busy this year already, at the start of the year you supported Alphabeat and then Jamie Cullum, how was that for you, I know they must have been really different?

Yeah it was amazing, Alphabeat the crowd was very excitable and we were playing in clubs and the vibe was really cool and with Jamie Cullum it was all sitting down in theatres so they were completely different but it was good for me to work different venues and just have that challenge.

You started writing songs form a really young age, have you always wanted to perform or was it more like you went into writing and then started to perform?

No, I’ve always wanted to be a singer and I just wanted to have an involvement with the music as well. It was like I wanted to be a singer and a performer but I didn’t want to be just like Britney, I wanted to do it properly and be a part of the music and so I got writing straight away.

Did you write songs for other people before you started writing for yourself or have you always just written songs for yourself?

Well I’ve always written songs for myself but if they didn’t suit me or they took a different path then I would be very happy to give it to someone else but I still haven’t actually given anything away! *laughs* But I’m up for that definitely, I think it’d be cool to work with other people.

Well, so far in the media you’ve been given a kind of chilled out and laid back status do you think that’s because you kind of grew up around fame because of your parents or is that just generally who you are?

I don’t think I grew up around fame really; I had quite a normal upbringing but at the same time I think it’s more who I am. My dad’s quite chilled out, my mum’s a bit hectic, but I think I got more of my dad so I think that’s just my genetics.

I know there’s a lot of people that have been saying you’re like Lily Allen, how do you feel about that?

It’s a bit annoying to be honest, I think our music is completely different and we’re completely different people as well. I mean I really like what she does I just don’t think that my music is anything like it.

You’ve been at a huge amount of festivals this year and you’ve got three more dates lined up for August so do you prefer the festival vibe or do you like touring or is it just a mixture of both?

I love the festival vibe, I think it’s brilliant and I wish we could have them all year round but I like touring in proper live venues as well. I like a bit of both really, I like being able to mix it up.

Have you got any plans for a solo tour for your album release then?

Well when I’m touring with Paloma I’m going to do a couple of my own dates in between them so if I’m in Glasgow with Paloma I’ll go to Edinburgh to do my own show. I’ll go to where I’m not going with Paloma but I would like to have my own tour someday, my own proper tour, that’d be nice.

Yeah, are you looking forward to getting a chance to do your own thing, I know you’ve done a lot of support slots recently.

Yeah it’d be really cool to have an amazing set up and a really cool set and all the right players and everything, it’d be really amazing.

I know you did some work back in February to raise money for Haiti, how was that?

I actually did a fashion show which was quite surreal, it was London Fashion Week. It was bunch of random people really, walking along the catwalk, showing off the clothes, raising money, it was good.

Most of the pictures I’ve seen you in you’ve been in trainers so was it weird for you being on the catwalk in heels?

Yeah, well I always wear trainers, that’s my thing I suppose, I’m always wearing my Nike high tops.

Your song “Running For Life” was in the movie Adulthood, is there any other movies out right now you’d liked to have written music for and been involved in?

Yeah, I loved Inception, I thought that was amazing, I’d have loved to have my music in that. Anything that’s a bit creative it’s always nice to be involved in isn’t it?

How long were you actually in the studio recording your album for then because you’ve been doing an awful lot of Who would you say your big influences are then, do you have stuff in between? any specific bands or artists that you love or is it more just I think we got about most of it done in about six months but genres for you? some of the songs I’d written like years ago.

It’s a mixture but I do have a few artists that I really love, I love Stevie Wonder. I listened to a lot of Beach Boys and the Kinks When you got approached by your record company how did when I was making this album so maybe that influenced me a that make you feel, it must have been quite a big step? bit but I like to think that it all goes in one ear slowly and kind of Yeah, it’s really nice to have a company behind you I suppose, just comes out my mouth. just a group of people who are helping you with your projects.

I’m much better now but when I first started I really wasn’t good So what was your inspiration behind using the “Pack up your with the internet and stuff and I can imagine what it would be troubles in the old kit bag”, is it a favourite song of yours? like having to do it so I’m really grateful to have them.

When I was making that, basically, the lyrics just came out when I had the music on and it just sounded perfect and it just fitted So how did you meet the people who are in your band right well with that particular song, and I love that song. I’ve known now that tour with you? that song since I was little.

I met them through other musicians and friends. Obviously I THE BANTER | 31

Interview had to hear them play first, make sure they were right for this and then get an idea if I like them because it’s very important we all get on together if we’re going to be on tour.

It’s good to know that you didn’t have to go through the industry to find people and it’s nice that it was done on a more personal level rather than in a sort of sterilised way.

Yeah, I think it’s a really good idea. I mean sometimes you get these quite generic looking bands they all look really handsome and I just think that so long as they’re good players and good people that’s all that matters to me.

The filming for your single, “Pack Up”, was done in Jamaica, how was that for you?

Oh, it was amazing, I loved it out there, I was only there for three days but what I did see was amazing and we got to go to this little island as well, which is ten minutes of the mainland and it was just so beautiful there, turquoise waters, it was amazing.

When would you say it hit you that you’d made it, like when was that defining moment for you?

Oh, it hasn’t happened yet! *laughs* Really?

Yeah, I’m still struggling to make sure it’s all good basically.

Well I suppose you have so much going on you’ve not had a lot of time to yourself to register it?

Yeah, well, in the last few interviews I’ve had people ask me “How are you dealing with the fame?” and I’m like what fame? I got on the tube this morning, you know what I mean? No one really knows who I am yet, they may have heard my name a couple of times or my music on the radio but still lots of people don’t put the face to the name, so I’m still a normal person.

That’s good! So have you prepared yourself for all the paparazzi and things or are you just going to hope that it all goes well?

I haven’t prepared myself really, I’m just going to take it in my stride. Whatever happens, happens.

32 | THE BANTER

tommy Reilly to perform at West Dunbartonshire Handover Ceremony Event Scotland and the Scottish Government launched a £320k Games for Scotland programme, designed to engage communities throughout Scotland in the lead up to the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games, and to raise awareness of the Handover Ceremony taking place during the closing Ceremony of this year’s Delhi Commonwealth Games on 14th October 2010. All of Scotland’s 32 local authorities will be involved with many events coinciding with the Delhi Handover Ceremony taking place on October 14th.

West Dunbartonshire’s event will aim to locally highlight the formal handover of the flag, which symbolises the start of Glasgow’s reign as the host city of the Games in 2014. The theme of the event will be Sport, Music, Dance and culture featuring Scottish and Asian artists and athletes to highlight Scotland’s rich sport, music and cultural pride and identity.

The event will be run at The Playdrome Leisure and Sports Centre, Clydebank, which will provide an 800 capacity venue, purpose built stage and lighting and large scale screens to beam back the live handover from Delhi to the audience and performers.

The large Playdrome venue will also boast an activities area in front of the stage, which will feature a host Comonwealth Games sports such as Gymnastics, Long-jump and Relay races as well as a special demonstration from local Parkour athletes.

Music will be provided from Channel 4’s Orange Unsigned winner Tommy Reilly, fresh from the Summer festivals, including T in the park and T4 on the beach, as well as a UK and U.S tour itinerary.

Glasgow based AWAZ FM DJ/MC, dancers and live Dhol drummers will also add to the event’s live vibrant atmosphere with stunning traditional Asian dance routines and percussion.

‘The Box’ from the acclaimed ‘The Fusion and the Box’ as seen on ‘Britan’s Got Talent’ will also provide a dance performance to remember. ‘ Celtic Spirit’ will also perform live at the event to add a true taste of Scotland with highland drums and pipes.

There will also be a celebration of sports stars of the past and future, including athletes who have performed and won at previous Commonwealth Games and others who hope to win in the 2014 Games.

Entrance to this event is by ticket only. Check West Dunabrtonshire Council website for further details. www.west-dunbarton.gov.uk MAXWELL LYNAS photography // daren borzynksi

Feature

ULTIMATE ROCK CHIC CHARITY F

ancy yourself as a bit of a rock ‘n’ roll socialite? Then keep your diary free for one of the most promising social events of the year. Rock chic will combine high fashion runway shows, hot music talent, art and generosity together and is purely in aid of a charity which is set to raise thousands for the Paul O’Gorman Leukaemia Research Centre.

The glamorous event takes place on September 17 at trendy venue SWG3 in Glasgow and some of Scotland’s hottest music talents will make an appearance, in order to raise money for the charity.

Electro Band Pooch front-woman and STV online presenter and reporter Laura Boyd is the talent and creator behind this excitable opportunity and decided to launch the major fundraising event after being diagnosed with Leukaemia just last year.

The brave singer, who is every inch the rock chick herself, came up with the edgy charity idea when she felt she had to do something about the life-threatening disease that shook up her enviable lifestyle.

Laura, 29, who is still being treated for her illness said: “When I was diagnosed with Leukaemia last year my world was turned upside down. Professor Holyoake, Mark Drummond and the team at the Paul O’Gorman Leukaemia Research Centre have given me hope and the means to look forward to a bright future. I will feel forever indebted to them and want to raise funds so others who find themselves in my position can have a chance at a normal life.”

The unmissably cool - and inspiring - event will be hosted by presenter and DJ Jim Gellatly, who will be accompanied by a range of glamorous guests such as 70s style soul band ‘The Soul Foundation’ and hotly-tipped electro artist ‘Miaoux Miaoux,’ who will be playing for guests upon entry.

The impressive lineup of entertainment and music talents such as Indie band Attic Light’s, Figure Five, and Laura’s band Pooch

will embrace the predominantly rock theme, and top DJs Glasgow Podcart and Spectrum will also be at the event.

Fashion lovers will devour the combination of cocktails and catwalk, with Superior Models gracing the catwalk in a flurry of designer fashion pieces from the likes of MeeMee Couture, Loula Creates and 2009’s Scottish Designer of the year Deryck Walker.

Well known high street brands Bench and Quiz Clothing will also showcase some of their latest collections and Glasgow West End’s vintage clothing emporium Vintage Guru is set to insert a retro spin on the night.

Guests can also look forward to the raffle and auction, which will feature top prizes from makeup guru’s Bobbi Brown and Benefit, as well as Rockness, Ugg, STV and Apple.

The fun-filled event will lead to way to a more hopeful future for Leukaemia sufferers and as Laura proves, that enjoying life whilst battling a serious illness is possible.

Laura adds “A year and a day after my devastating diagnosis, Rock Chic will encompass music, fashion and art - all the things I love, whilst raising money for the charity that now means so much to me.”

Rock Chic is sponsored by Quiz Clothing, STV, Cawder Golf Club, Superior Modelling Agency, U-Concept and L’Oreal.

Tickets cost £10 for the event on September 17 at SWG3 warehouse venue in Yorkhill, Glasgow. To purchase, email rockchicevent@hotmail.co.uk.

LISA BOYLE

THE BANTER | 33

Interview

Travie McCoy INTERVIEW BY MAXWELL LYNAS

A

h, back in the day I saw Gym Class Heroes in the Glasgow Barfly (RIP), which is about the size of a living room and Gym Class Heroes had to walk through the crowd to get onto the stage, shortly after that the band blew up.

Since then they’ve had three hit UK singles, including Cupid’s Chokehold which was everywhere in the summer of 2007, the lead singer Travis McCoy has dated Katy Perry and has now launched a solo career, singing about being a Billionaire, that’s a long way from playing a basement in Glasgow to a 100 or so people.

The Banter recently got to chat with the newly christened Travie McCoy and ask him some questions.

Why the move into the world of solo artists?

Well, I don’t really look at it as me going solo really, it’s more of a side project. When people first heard that I was doing this project they all thought it was the end of Gym Class, but it isn’t, since Gym Class Heroes stared in 97’, we’ve always had our own sort of projects on the side, and this is just one that happens to be put out for people to listen to on a wider scale, which I’m really pleased about.

What was the recording process like?

When it comes to recording I like to get inspired by listening to all sorts of music, and I mean all sorts. Some people say they listen to everything except from country music, but I like to include it. It’s like storytelling in song, and I like that kind of thing, it is what drew me to hip hop as well.

34 | THE BANTER

Interview Did it differ from recording with Gym Class Heroes?

I’ve been asked this question quite a few times and honestly, it is a lot different. It was sorta scary, it’s the first time I’ve stepped out without my band but the one thing that keeps me from completely freaking out though, is that I’ve got Matt (from Gym Class) drumming for me, so I’ve got that sort of familiar face with me.

What are the plans for touring to support the album?

I’ll be hitting the UK this October for a tour, it’s going to be big!

The UK crowds are always great. I’ve got my next single ‘We’ll Be Alright’ releasing in the UK that month too so it’s all go!

I’m going to be playing Glasgow, Birmingham, Oxford, Manchester and London.

I’ve also just come off tour with Rihanna and Ke$ha in the US too which was incredible.

What is your favourite tour memory?

It was actually on Warped Tour back in 2005 I think. There were so many of us in this hotel room in New Jersey, like The Academy Is…, Fall Out Boy, and we were just completely out of it, it was a heavy night. I remember waking up the next morning in a bath and from what I remember, that was good night.

What do you do to pass the time on tour?

I’m pretty typical, I just read, sleep and play my PS3.

What are your hopes for the album?

I’m really excited about it, so far Billionaire has caught the attention of a lot of people, so hopefully they’ll love the album every bit as much as they like the song. I think whatever ‘Lazarus’ does for me is just going to help Gym Class out, and vice versa really.

Why the name change from Travis to Travie?

It’s not that much of a big difference. For one, it’s just one different letter, and for two, my friends and family have called me Travie since I was a kid, so it just kind of made sense to me to let people call me it too. In a sense, with this solo project, I wanted everyone to feel comfortable with calling me Travie.

Almost like inviting them into the family, y’know that sort of thing.

What does the future hold for you?

It’s something no one knows. I hope I can continue to make music for a very long time.

Could we see a Travie McCoy clothing range?

I don’t know man. I like fashion though. Maybe one day…

What does the future hold for Gym Class Heroes?

In no way, shape or form is Gym Class Heroes splitting or anything. I know a lot of people are worried about that and I just want to lay that to rest. We’re currently about 12 demos deep into our next album so keep your ears peeled!

T

hough she’s only visited once – briefly, aged 18 – New York City throbs and glistens through Karen Anne’s music.

Her band, Ramona, are high on the brick-dust of CBGB’s – they crush the proto-punk roar of The Ramones, the icy new wave shimmer of Blondie and the sultry cool of The Strokes or Vivian Girls into a modern pop gemstone.

It was the lure of New York that drew the adopted, story-writing beauty from Brighton to London at the age of seventeen.

Karen Anne, who has writing songs since she was fourteen, holed up in Camden and went hunting for song writing partners.

However, it was the Brighton scene that proved invaluable for Karen. Bassist James Watts and drummer Fred West (no relation) were discovered through the south coast gig circuit while guitarist Charlie Snelling was discovered at a showcase night at the Brighton Concorde.

The band’s first single ‘How Long’ is out this September.

‘How Long’ is a song about being trapped, which was inspired

by Karen having to return to Lancing, West Sussex last year, when her father got too old to keep working in the family newsagents.

“I was miserable, watching Jeremy Kyle all day,” she recalls, “I was living in Camden, so I went from the heart of London to the middle of nowhere. I was panicking because you’re 25, you’ve just invested a decade into something and to be back there was really tough. That song was a splurge about all the time I was up here. It’s autobiographical I guess, about how much I’ve put into it and if I’m going to get anything back. It’s about London, how you so badly want to be a part of it but you don’t understand what it takes to be a part of it.”

The self-titled debut album is due in the New Year, and Karen promises “all very short songs, a lot of energy. They’re all very catchy; there are no moments you’re going to get too bored in there.”

MAXWELL LYNAS

THE BANTER | 35

Interview

BY LOUISE ANNE GEDDES

I

’m not really into boy bands much at all. There, I said it. I always find them a bit too contrived and false. Well, there’s an exception to every rule and ‘The Wanted’, Britain’s newest chart topping band is it! Tom, Jay, Max, Siva and Nathan are charm personified without being cocky (and that isn’t easy!), ridiculously good looking, and are just 5 guys who are a really good laugh. The Banter caught up with the guys at the Girlguiding Tartan Gig. A self confessed manufactured boy band, the guys laugh when we talk about their boy band status Max says “When we’re introduced on stage it’s like ‘these guys don’t want to be called a boy band, they want to be called a lad band. We’ve never said that once! I think people think that we’re trying to be different but we’re not, we’re just trying to be ourselves” Trying or not to be different, the guys are certainly unique in that there is no pretention about them, and they slag each other off all through our interview! It’s like sitting chatting to my guy friends on a night out, although none of my friends are quite so attractive (sorry guys!). So how does it feel to be a group of lads coming from nowhere, to suddenly being number 1?

Siva says “It feels awesome. It’s amazing to be number one in such a short time and we just want to thank all our fans really for everything” Jay says “It’s really weird because obviously we’re very fresh and flavour of the month just now, so a lot of girls do know who we are (and obviously a lot of guys too!), but there’s also a massive 36 | THE BANTER

group of people out there who don’t know who we are, so it’s kind of like we can walk down the street and no-one looks twice, but you come to somewhere like this and people are waiting for you. Their reaction is phenomenal! So I don’t think we’re at that stage yet where our lives have drastically changed, but there are parts of it that are unreal and I never thought any of us would see it!”

‘All Time Low’ hit the number one spot, and although many people defined it as pop music, the guys have difficulty pinning themselves down to a particular genre.

Jay says: “We’re in the pop category, and we’re in the boy band category, but we’re not in the commercial RnB category. We’re kind of closer to indie. We’re not RnB, we couldn’t be, we’re not cool enough!”

The boys now fall about laughing, and when Tom tells me about his 2010 highlight I join them!

“Yeah, I wore a wig at one point in 2010! (everyone bursts out laughing!). That’s a true story! No, seriously I think getting to number one was our highlight as a band, but mine personally was playing the O2 arena and Wembley Stadium. It’s like a life dream to play somewhere so big. Even though not a lot of people knew us at that time, it was still an amazing feeling to come through that stage. I think everyone wants to come through a stage at some point in their career!”

It’s almost time for the guys to go onstage in front of 2,200 girls so I have to say goodbye. But what’s next for ‘The Wanted’ after having played the O2?

“Do it again!”

Music ELLIE GOULDING O2 ABC, Glasgow GIG REVIEW

Pretty popstars of the female variety are very much in fashion at the moment so it’s no surprise that Ellie Goulding has enjoyed such a rapid rise to fame. She is young and blonde. She can play guitar and sing.

Judging by the queue outside Glasgow’s 02 ABC, she is also capable of writing a good pop song or two.

The venue is packed. Leah Mason (another pretty female) warms up an already sticky audience with her deep, smooth voice which proves a great start to the evening.

Catchy songs like “St. Antoine” and “Waiting on a Good Day” seem to liven-up the crowd. However it is when Ellie Goulding appears on stage that the audience really come to life.

Ellie’s voice is faultless from start to finish, so much richer than on her album and a real pleasure to listen too.

However, after a while it becomes tricky to distinguish one tune from another. I cannot help thinking that Ellie seems somewhat wasted on forgettable electro-pop songs such as “This Love (Will Be Your Downfall)” and “Your Biggest Mistake”. The set is enjoyable nevertheless.

Talented Ellie plays guitar throughout, as well as trying her hand at a drum solo on “Salt Skin” which is without doubt the highlight of the evening, with sharp bursts of strobe lighting adding to the electric atmosphere. The short set ends with “Under The Sheets” and an admiring uproar from the crowd.

Returning onstage for an encore, Ellie revisits her folk routes with a beautiful cover of Midlake’s “Roscoe”. Ellie Goulding makes the song her own. Haunting vocals and beautiful lighting leave a lasting impression on the hushed audience.

COMPETITION

photography // daren borzynksi

Again, I am bewildered as to why this young musician has chosen the mainstream path when her voice and engaging stage presence are capable of so much more.

The final song of the night is “Starry Eyed”. The raucous crowd make even more appreciative noise, singing every line back to the gracious performer, who has taken the time to thank her fans after every song. As the lights go up, I am left feeling a little disappointed. I cannot deny that the set was flawless but it seemed to be lacking passion. It was all too polished, too clean.

Ellie seemed to be simply doing what was expected of her.

Only a few times did the audience glimpse this young singer’s true potential.

In my opinion, Ellie Goulding will have to unleash her talent if she wants to be remembered as more than just another pretty face.

KATE CHAMBERS

Liverpool’s Sound of Guns are making headway since first causing a noise as part of the BBC’s ‘Introducing’ sessions last year.

After a summer of festival appearances (including an ‘eventful’ trip to Mallorca Rocks with The Courteeners), Sound of Guns are set to prove their rock credentials at King Tuts Wah Wah Hut with Detroit Social Club on October 15th and the Banter has a pair of tickets to giveaway to one lucky reader. For your chance to win just answer the following simple question Q: Which city do Sounds of Guns come from?

Send your answers by e-mail to info@thebanter.co.uk with the heading Competition: Sound of Guns along with telling us your name, age, address and e-mail address.

Winners will then be chosen at random! Good luck, competition closes September 30th 2010 THE BANTER | 37

Music

THE GASLIGHT ANTHEM O2 Academy, Glasgow GIG REVIEW

Phenomenal...

If I could get away with that, that would be my review but when you’ve got a 500 word count to stick to; one word doesn’t really cut it. So it’s off to the thesaurus to look for variations of the word phenomenal.

Before I wax lyrical about Gaslight Anthem and their outstanding awesomeness I feel that I should mention tonight’s support band Glasgow’s own and a Banter favourite Twin Atlantic.

Twin Atlantic seem to be doing things the old fashioned way – touring, touring and more touring and tonight this hard work seems to be paying off, as they take the stage in front of a massive hometown crowd, unfortunately this hometown crowd doesn’t seem to know much about Twin Atlantic but the band work tirelessly to win over the majority of the nonplussed crowd and they do it with the band receiving a hometown reception by the end of their short support set. “You’re Turning into John Wayne” was a particular highlight tonight.

This show was originally scheduled for the ABC but due to overwhelming demand it was upgraded to the Academy, and it is easy to see why as the Academy is bursting at the seams.

Gaslight Anthem appear on stage to the opening strains of “American Slang” and to rapturous receptions, the band breeze through “Old White Lincoln”, “The Spirit of Jazz” and “Stay Lucky” with the uncompromising ease of band that has been doing this sort of a thing for twenty years not a mere five years and three albums.

38 | THE BANTER

Lead singer Brian Fallon looks every inch a rock star tonight, inviting the easy comparisons of The Boss, as he commands the heaving mass that is the crowd inside the Academy tonight.

There is sometimes a rare moment you experience at certain gigs, you get a cold chill running up your back and neck, your arms covered in goosebumps, you know you are witness something special, well tonight I experience one of those rare moments when Gaslight Anthem launch into “59 Sound”, it is just astonishing.

Tonight, Gaslight Anthem gives Glasgow a showcase of their new album, American Slang with “Bring It On”, “Boxer”, “The Diamond Church Street Choir”, “The Queen of Lower Chelsea” and “Orphans” all receiving an airing tonight and the new songs effortlessly slip into a set that includes “Even Cowgirls Get the Blues”, “Miles Davis and the Cool” and the awesome “Great Expectations”.

Gaslight even manage to sneak in a cover of The Who’s “Baba O’Riley”, which sounds immense, before the disappear and then reappear for tonight’s encore, which includes “We Came to Dance”, “Wooderson” and “We’re Getting A Divorce, You Keep the Diner” from the band’s debut album Sink or Swim.

“Casanova, Baby!”, “Here’s Lookin’ at You Kid” complete the encore, with “The Backseat” bring down the curtain on what is an incredible performance from a band with the world at their feet. maxwell lynas

THE STRIKE NINETEENS 02 ABC2, Glasgow

Music

GIG REVIEW

photography // daren borzynksi

You come to expect certain things in life: taxes, death and unsigned bands doing the same old thing to try and get noticed. Whilst their efforts may be sincere, there has to be recognition that it is only the very best and the most unique that get noticed.

The Strike Nineteens, a four piece from Dumbarton, have managed to rise above the masses with not only their polished live performance but also in their approach to promotion. I was in the audience to witness the launch of their 2nd self-financed album, A Farewell To Everything, at the O2 ABC2 on June 19th 2010. I was filled with no expectation and no reason to believe that I would experience anything different from the many ‘album launches’ that I had attended before. I had however, heard through the ‘grapevine’ that these guys were worth catching.

The show began to the thumping sound of The Beasties Boys ‘Sabotage’ and I was immediately taken aback to see a 30ft by 15ft backdrop splashing classy visuals and live footage announcing the arrival of something special. I was effortlessly caught in the anticipation as I watched the names, David Muir, Andrew Malley, David Thompson and Paul Kerr dance across the thoroughly impressive stage.

The Beasties fell silent as the room fell into total darkness and the opening chimes of the guitar fell on the 350 capacity audience. Golden Smiles, the opening track and first track on the album, set a lively tone for the evening and instantly brought the crowd in on the act. Without pause but with seamless musicianship The Nineteens, as their fans affectionately know them, drove straight into Unite and Fight.

The 80-minute set continued to roll from single to single and culminated in the epic and moving performance of the album’s title track, A Farewell To Everything. As with all good things, it seemed to be over moments after it had all begun and I was left pondering the £6 entrance fee I had invested. This measly fee was the greatest value for money I have enjoyed in the music scene and I would have happily dropped three times that amount for a ticket.

The Strike Nineteens are all that is good about live music. They are lively, talented and inventive. They can be found via their Myspace site at www.myspace.com/thestrikenineteens. david miles kingston

THE FEATURES King Tuts, Glasgow GIG REVIEW

It seems that no-one can talk about The Features without mentioning Kings of Leon in the same sentence. The fact that this Nashville group were plucked from obscurity to become the first ever band signed to Serpents & Snakes (Kings of Leon’s new label) is big news! Since then, The Features have been making waves across the pond in the UK. Everyone wants to know what the world’s biggest rock band sees in The Features.

I made a conscious decision not to make any comparison between both bands when I went along to see them Features at King Tut’s. That didn’t last long. Long, scruffy hair styles and tattered shirts instantly had me thinking Kings of Leon, with the heavy guitar and haunting vocals only confirming this thought.

There was even the occasional “Caleb-esque” shriek from The Features frontman!

Despite the growing hype, The Features looked completely relaxed on stage. They opened with “Golden Comb” taken from their 2008 album “Some Kind Of Salvation” which has been re-released this year. The room instantly erupted with hooting and clapping. The band got lost in screaming guitar and

thudding drum. Everything looked so frantic yet felt so intimate. I was instantly smitten.

Surprisingly, the gig was far from sold-out. However, this allowed the small group of faithful fans space for some furious head banging, without the worry of injuring an innocence bystander. The crowd seemed in good spirits, singing every song with such passion that you’d swear it was their own.

After only a few songs, I could see what the hype was about.

The Features are an exciting band. Their energy is infectious.

Songs like “Temporary Blues” and “Lions” can only be described as perfect rock-pop anthems that should be sending stadium sized crowds into a music-loving frenzy.

With such a big sound, The Features are wasted on small venues and even smaller crowds. Their smart lyrics combined with awesome instrumentals seem to be getting drowned out in a sea of cheap, dull pop music. Hopefully with rock-god’s Kings of Leon now taking them under their wing, The Features will eventually get the recognition they deserve both here in the UK and back in the US.

kate chambers

THE BANTER | 39

Feature

S

ince the pilot event in 2008, the biannual underground music event ‘One Creative Scotland’ has committed itself to providing Scotland’s musicians, visual artists, film makers and other creative minds with a platform to showcase their work. With past acts including Salon Society (www. myspace.com/salonsociety), Anna Meldrum and The Cinnamons (www.myspace.com/thecinnamons), One Creative Scotland never fails to offer a diverse and eclectic mix of talent and there is something for everyone, whatever your musical or artistic preferences. This year’s One Creative Scotland event, however, was a little bit special. Being filmed for a TV pilot, Saturday 31st July’s event was arguably the best event yet. The Tollhouse Studio was buzzing with tons of people coming together to share in a night of creativity and brilliant music!

The atmosphere as always was fantastic, with so many like minded people coming together to appreciate the fruits of Scotland’s many talented performers, artists, film makers and more! The night was hugely successful, and Clare Kelly of Glasgow indie band Suspire and pioneer of the One Creative Scotland movement is quietly confident about the TV pilot: “There were so many times when I was thinking that so much could easily go wrong, but I really couldn’t have asked for it to be more successful than it was. On the night, at least five of the artists said that they were really happy to be part of such a collective” Once edited together, it is planned to pitch the pilot to the BBC or Channel 4. Should this be unsuccessful, Kelly plans to put it out on an online channel. Such a vibrant event though should 40 | THE BANTER

really be experienced first hand, and I would encourage anyone who enjoys music or art to get along to the next event, which will probably be in January 2011, but check out www.tollhousestudio.co.uk or www.myspace.com/onecreativescotland to keep up with the latest. The actual event on July 31st was the finale of a trio relating to One Creative Scotland. Tuesday 20th July saw Kelly appearing on BBC Radio Scotland, discussing the Creative movement, followed by a discussion in the Apple Store in Glasgow on Thursday July 29th alongside Paul Duffin, also of Suspire and Clyde 1 DJ Jim Gellatly, who once again presented the main event. As well as art work and music, the Tollhouse Studio now boasts a brand new studio where short films, including an interview with Mr Kil were screened.

The musicians and creative artists were, as always a wide and diverse mix, something Kelly maintains is very important for an event such as this: “I think it is the collection of genres that make the event quite unique. We kicked off with a jazz band, followed by a beat boxer. Then we went straight into a female solo acoustic act, and an indie band. We try to get as much of an eclectic mix as possible.”

Ray Harris and the Fusion Experience (www.myspace. com/thefusionexperience) opened the night with a fabulously energetic set, and I defy anyone to hear the track ‘Scaramunga’ without it sticking in your head! Beat boxers Louie and Bigg Taj (www.myspace.com/biggtaj) followed, not everyone’s cup of tea and certainly not mine, but every genre was certainly represented on the night! Other acts included:

Feature •

• •

•

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Tragic O’Hara (www.myspace.com/tragico harauk) David Duffy (www.myspace.com/dduffymusic) Jiezuberband (www.myspace.com/jiezuber band) Alan Panther and the Energy Treadmill (www. myspace.com/alanpantherandtheenergytreadmill) Anavris (www.myspace.com/anavris) Emma Gillespie a.k.a Emma’s Imagination (www.myspace.com/emmasimagination)

This last act, Emma’s Imagination is definitely one to watch, according to host and Clyde 1 DJ Jim Gellatly. The female solo acoustic had everyone mesmerised in the chilled out acoustic Studio B, with her gentle melodies and pure voice.

Gellatly says: “She’s on the verge of something very special”.

Also involved in the Sky1 series ‘Must be the Music’, Emma is certainly one to watch in the coming months!

Visual art on the night was of the highest standard, and my personal highlight was an amazing portrait of Morgan Freeman by Mark Getty, which was unfortunately not for sale! Visual artists included: • • • • • •

Tom Brown Adam Cassells David Chan Rebecca Cusworth Tom Deeprose Tilde Engstrom

If you think you’d be interested in getting involved with the One Creative Scotland event, get in touch with Clare Kelly through the Myspace page (www.myspace.com/onecreativescotland) or Facebook (search Suspire).

With all the organising that One Creative Scotland takes, it’s surprising that Suspire have any time to gig at all themselves! However, the band have been very busy since the launch of their single Legislate for Luck on 5th October 2009, on their own label ‘Clay Davis Records’, in association with First Aid Records. They have a new manager, Amy Rew (daughter of Simple Minds 2nd drummer, Mike Ogletree), have toured France, played at Rockness in June and are currently on a 2 week long tour of the USA and Canada!

Kelly smiles as she tells me about Suspire’s year so far: “Rockness was absolutely fantastic. It was our first major festival, and it was a wonderful experience for us”.

With help from Echo and the Bunnymen’s Gordon Goudie to organise their 2 week US and Canadian tour, the band are looking forward to playing gigs in San Francisco, Seattle and the Railway Club in Vancouver. Check out www.myspace. com/suspire or Facebook to follow what the band are up to on their blog by Kari Corbett who also covered the One Creative Scotland event. With upcoming gigs supporting Ex-Simple Minds Derek Forbes and Brian McGee on September 3rd 2010 at O2 ABC2 in Glasgow (www.o2abcglasgow.co.uk/), and Babyshambles drummer Adam Ficek’s side project Roses Kings Castles in the Classic Grand (www. classicgrand.com) on November 6th 2010, it’s clear that Suspire have got a lot more to look forward to this year! louise anne geddes

Irvine Welsh gives fans a chance to be in new novel Irvine Welsh, best known for ‘Trainspotting’ which made him one of the best known names in contemporary Scottish literature, is supporting the charity Scottish Love in Action (SLA) by naming a character after their competition winner (http://www. sla-india.org/fundraise/irvine_welsh_prize_draw.html). The character will be named in ‘Skagboys’, a prequel to ‘Trainspotting’, which will follow the early days of Renton, Begbie and co and is due to be published in April 2012.

The competition proceeds will go to SLA, who provide funding to a grassroots non governmental organisation which runs projects in the South East Indian state of Andra Pradesh, caring for nearly 600 once destitute children in ‘Home-cum-Schools’. Many of the children in the homes are orphaned to AIDS, murder or suicide and have been forced into prostitution, living on the streets, and are ostracised by society. Welsh is keen to support SLA, having seen the poverty of the children in India for himself. He said: “I’ve been a frequent visitor to India and have visited several projects in Calcutta on behalf of UNICEF. Poverty is obviously a huge issue, but lack of opportunities goes beyond essentials like food and shelter and employment” Scottish Love in Action was set up by Scottish nurse Gillie Davidson after she took a youth expedition to Tuni to build a Home-cum-school 10 years ago. Davidson says: “Many of the children we care for have only managed to survive by scavenging in rubbish tips, or living on the streets where they are open to being trafficked into prostitution or forced labour. We give these children a chance in life. Irvine Welsh has been fantastic. We’re grateful to him and all the others who have given their time and talent to make a difference to the children we care for.”

SLA relies entirely on public donations, and £300,000 is required to maintain care for the children. £30 per month would provide a child with food, clothing, education and medical care. To enter this fantastic competition and help SLA to help provide street children in India with their basic human rights, get clicking at http://www.sla-india.org/fundraise/irvine_welsh_prize_draw.html louise anne geddes

THE BANTER | 41

interview by Sarah Moyes

The Saturdays Vanessa caught up recently with The Banter Magazine to discuss the new single -- Missing You, Headlines and Saturdays 24/7 You’re new song “missing you” has just been released – what’s it all about?

We did the video in Spain actually, which was a lot of fun. We’ve never been away to do a video before and the weather was just amazing. It was the first video that we’ve done which wasn’t stressful at all because when we weren’t filming we were all just sunbathing.

It seems like a bit of a holiday then?

Yeah it was just so much fun.

How does this single compare to your previous releases?

I think it’s a tiny bit different. I don’t think people expected us to come out with this as a first single because it’s a bit different from all of our other stuff.

The whole new album is completely pop still, and the rest you’ll be able to indentify that it’s The Saturdays. It was kind of a risk for us to take and we’re very luckily that people have responded well to it and people seem to really like it, so that’s really cool.

You’re coming back with your new mini album Headlines – why did you decide to go that route rather than releasing a whole new album?

Well that was the plan to release a full album, it wasn’t actually planned this way. We had a few months off at the beginning of the year and we were in the studio all the time recording new songs. We had all these songs and we couldn’t wait to maybe the end of the year to release them. So we put half of the songs onto this album. It’s kind of like a fan package really – and we’re really excited about it. amy macbeath

42 | THE BANTER

the saturdays

Interview

Interview Earlier this year we saw you on Popstar to Operastar–how was that whole experience for you?

It was a completely once in a lifetime opportunity for me and I’d never done anything like it in my life so I learnt so much through it. It’s like learning a new language and it was a completely different technique.

Do you ever think you will get the chance to bring something you learnt during it into The Saturdays?

It’s a completely different way of singing, I think I will just leave the opera where it is right now.

Do you think you might touch that side of singing again some day?

Maybe you never know – and least if I need to do it again I already have some of the technique there What kind of music do you all listen to when you aren’t singing your own songs?

If I’m honest, each and every one of us is completely different in what music we listen to. Even though we all get on so well, we are completely different in that sense. I like listening to lots of old stuff and I love my Beyonce and Corinne Bailey Rae and people who have their own individual style.

What about bands and artists you might like to work together with in the future?

Oh yeah – we’ve always said we would like to work with someone like Ne-Yo. He’s really cool and he writes really good songs, so someone who is like that. And I think with people we would all like to collaborate with, we are all on the same page.

We all love what’s current and out now So what about plans for the rest of the year – a lot of promotion for the new album ?

We are pretty much doing that. Obviously we’ve got the new mini album and the single is out. We’ve also got a new TV show coming up which is out in a few weeks.

What are you guys doing for that?

It’s called the Saturdays 24/7 and it’s literally them following us around from 5 o’clock in the morning with no make up on until god knows what time. It’s kind of shows what we’ve been doing backstage and what we are like behind the scenes.

Because when we do interviews and stuff you see us all sitting there but you never get to see what we are really like, so I think it will really give people an insight into everything else that goes on.

How have you all found having the cameras there all the time?

I have to be honest at first I think we were all like ‘oh my god this is weird.’ I mean you don’t wake up at 5 in the morning and expect a camera to be in your face when you’ve just got out of the shower. But it’s not that bad at all, it really isn’t. And you get used to the cameras being there, so now it’s like you are doing stuff and you can’t believe they have just filmed it. We’ve still got another month of filming to go, but the first show airs on the 26th of August.

Kirsty Almeida is being hailed as the return of the enigmatic true eccentric, her music and her life are described as magical.

Her debut album, ‘Pure Blue Green”’ is said to be “a timeless spectrum of soul, folk, blues and sumptuously intricate voodoo pop”.

Kirsty Almeida was signed to the legendary Decca label in the summer of 2009, her debut album (like her) took the scenic route to get here: mostly written in two months in a friend’s converted stables in Sheffield in 2007 where she lived the artistic dream (immersed in paints, fabrics, instruments and fairy lights) while she and her band, hewn from Manchester’s vibrant jazz scene, conjured the musical magic. “A lot of musicians will talk about The Magic,” she says. “Something happens in the room and I can see colours or flashes of light or I’m overwhelmed by texture.”

‘Pure Blue Green’ was produced by the mythological Youth (U2, Primal Scream, The Verve, Beth Orton, one half of electronic duo The Fireman with Sir Paul McCartney). The first time Youth heard her songs he was astonished and told her “this is really well-rounded, amazing, sophisticated song-writing’”.

Finding an instant connection through their musical, ideological and psychedelic minds, they became inspired collaborators, recording the album in October/November 2009 at State Of The Ark Studios in Richmond, Surrey, grotto of valve equipment, a Steinway B grand piano, a Hammond B3 and a dazzling vintage Wurlitzer.

Prior to recording, Kirsty and her musicians (drums, upright bass, keyboard, guitar, trumpet, trombone, saxophone) spent two weeks on an experimental adventure – relocating to Spain where they played, sang, swapped instruments, fought, cried and laughed “until, by the end, I had a proper, real band, as opposed to me singing over some session musicians”.

Recording the album at State Of The Ark over two intensely productive weeks, Kirsty and “the boys” were continually inspired by Youth’s mesmerising talk of voodoo music, New Orleans funeral marches, circus music, Bond themes and the classics of the 1970s.

Kirsty had a ball. “Youth is a maverick, renaissance artist so it was an amazing experience,” she smiles. “He’s so creatively open.

Essentially, he’s the guy you see at festivals next to the speaker, dancing away on his own. He really feels it.” maxwell lynas

THE BANTER | 43

Interview

P

earl (Katie Sutherland) and the Puppets have been getting some significant attention since winning the Scottish Sun’s New Band award in 2009. Having supported Alphabeat on their UK tour and recently having supported Elton John at Watford Football Stadium, they are clearly on the way to something special. Self described as folk pop, the relaxed melodies make Pearl and the Puppets the perfect summer listen!

The Banter caught up with Pearl before she went on stage at the Girlguiding Tartan Gig. What a whirlwind of a year! Only half way through 2010, and Katie’s highlights would make a chart topping band green with envy.

“I just did the biggest gig about a month and a half ago, supporting Elton John at Watford Football Stadium. There was like 20,000 people! I was like ‘this is either going to be a nightmare, or the best gig of my life’, and it was the best gig of my life! It was really cool! That and signing my deal was pretty great!”

After a gig in front of so many people, the upcoming tour in

smaller Scottish venues should be total skoosh for the former primary school teaching student, right?

“You know, I get more nervous in front of 10 odd people than thousands, it’s really strange! At more intimate gigs I get really nervous. It can be good, but if it’s to new people it can be quite nerve wracking because they don’t know you and you’re up there. But it’s cool, I’m getting more used to it now! I couldn’t imagine myself doing this a few years ago!”

So with her upcoming tour, and having already played such a massive gig so early in her career, where do Pearl and the Puppets go from here? Well Katie, whose favourite venue is Glasgow’s own ‘King Tut’s Wah Wah Hut’ has a few ideas!

“Maybe a big arena in London or something. I’d love to play the 02 Arena one day, that would be amazing. I’ve been to a few gigs there and it always sounds awesome”.

Pearl and the Puppets single “Make me Smile” was released on August 16th 2010 – check out www.myspace.com/pearlandthepuppets louise anne geddes

44 | THE BANTER

Movies

THE REBOUND

Following the failure of the Zorro movies to set the critics on fire, the pressure was on Catherine Zeta Jones before the Rebound was even released. The movie was finally released 2 years after it was filmed, suggesting according to some critics ‘a troubled edit’, which didn’t bode well for the movie. I was pleasantly surprised however by this romantic comedy which wasn’t all canned laughter and awkward funnies as expected. Zeta Jones stars as Sandy, a 40 year old mother of 2 who finds out her husband is cheating. She moves away, starting a new life in a new city. Enter Aram (Justin Bartha - remember the one who played the groom in ‘The Hangover’?), a sweet young man 15 years Sandy’s junior who offers to babysit the kids. Inevitably Sandy and Aram get together, and predictably they have issues they have to overcome but ‘The Rebound’ tackles these in a hilarious but often tender manner, throwing most chick flick cliches (but not all!)firmly out of the window. Zeta Jones and Bartha have definite chemistry, but her kids are the definite stars of this movie, with their sharp one liners and brutal honesty!

A surprisingly good movie.

cinema REVIEWS by louise anne geddes

inception

Inception - I am a harsh film critic, but I can say in all honesty that this is one of the best films I have seen in the past ten years. ‘Mind screw’ is one way of describing Inception, and it may be the only way! Leonardo DiCaprio stars as Dom Cobb, an international fugitive whose job it is to steal people’s dreams from their subconscious while they sleep. With his highly skilled team (including the fantastic Joseph Gordon Levitt, of 500 days of Summer), Cobb is highly regarded in the world of corporate espionage, but can no longer see his family. When he is asked to perform inception (planting an idea into the subconscious, as opposed to removing it), with the promise that if he should succeed, he will see his children again, Cobb enlists the help of the brilliant young student Ariadne (the excellent Ellen Page) to help him engineer a dream world real enough to convince young Robert Fischer (Cillian Murphy) to break up his father’s company.

It should be the perfect crime. But everything doesn’t go to plan....With fantastic supporting performances from Cillian Murphy and Marion Cotillard, Inception just might be the perfect thriller!

If you see one film this summer, make sure this is it!

KNIGHT AND DAY

What Knight ������������������������������������������������������������������������ and Day - This action comedy was already off to a bad start for me by starring Tom Cruise. Even Cameron Diaz, queen of the cheesy rom com couldn’t salvage this lack lustre plot. Diaz stars as June Havens, a car mechanic (see how far fetched this movie is?!) who finds herself on the run with Roy Miller (Cruise), renegade secret agent who is being pursued by the FBI. Enter Fitzgerald (Peter Saarsgard, who stole the show), the agent whose job it is to bring Miller in.... or is it? The plot of ‘Knight and Day’ is similar to that of earlier summer blockbuster ‘Killers’ starring Ashton Kutcher and Katherine Heigl, the only difference being that ‘Killers’ was genuinely funny. ‘Knight and Day’ relied on a few funny, but predictable scenes (Diaz waking up wearing a red bikini Cruise dressed her in being one) to carry this movie. Some weren’t even that funny (imagine a stand up comedian telling a job no-one laughs at - that awkward silence where everyone looks at the floor). Inoffensive if you’re looking for something you don’t have to pay too much attention to, but not very memorable.

THE BANTER | 45

Movies

Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World 12A

AT CINEMAS NOW

Meet charming and jobless Scott Pilgrim (Michael Cera).

A bass guitarist for totally average garage band Sex Bob–omb, the 22–year–old has just met the girl of his dreams…literally. The only catch to winning Ramona Flowers (Mary Elizabeth Winstead)? Her seven evil exes are coming to kill him.

Scott Pilgrim has never had a problem getting a girlfriend.

It‘s getting rid of them that proves difficult. From the girl who kicked his heart‘s ass – and now is back in town – to the teenage distraction he‘s trying to shake when Ramona rollerblades into his world, love hasn‘t been easy.

He soon discovers, however, his new crush has the most unusual baggage of all: a nefarious league of exes controls her love life and will do whatever it takes to eliminate him as a suitor.

Despicable Me u FROM 15TH OCTOBER SALT 12A AT CINEMAS NOW Angelina Jolie stars in Columbia Pictures’ Salt, a contemporary espionage thriller. Before becoming a CIA officer, Evelyn Salt (Jolie) swore an oath to duty, honor, and country.

She will prove loyal to these when a defector accuses her of being a Russian sleeper spy.

Salt goes on the run, using all her skills and years of experience as a covert operative to elude capture, protect her husband, and stay one step ahead of her colleagues at the CIA. 46 | THE BANTER

In a happy suburban neighbourhood surrounded by white picket fences with flowering rose bushes, sits a black house with a dead lawn.

Unbeknownst to the neighbours, hidden beneath this home is a vast secret hideout. Surrounded by a small army of minions, we discover Gru (voiced

by Steve Carell), planning the biggest heist in the history of the world. He is going to steal the moon (Yes, the moon!) in Universal‘s new CGI feature, “Despicable Me”.

Gru delights in all things wicked. Armed with his arsenal of shrink rays, freeze rays, and battle–ready vehicles for land and air, he vanquishes all who stand in his way. Until the day he encounters the immense will of three little orphaned girls who look at him and see something that no one else has ever seen – a potential Dad.

Movies

OUT NOW

MARMADUKE

15 At cinemas now

In this family comedy event, the super-sized, ultra-awkward lap dog is living the good life with the Winslow family, including beleaguered dad Phil, Phil’s wife Debbie, their three children, and feline pal Carlos. But when Phil uproots the clan from Kansas to California, Marmaduke finds his life turned upside-down. He must navigate the volatile Mutts vs. Pedigrees turf wars, woo the purebred of his dreams, and overcome a fall from grace from his new four-legged friends and his much put-upon family. .

THE OTHER GUYS 12A

FROM 17TH SEPTEMBER

NYPD Detectives Christopher Danson and P.K. Highsmith (Dwayne Johnson and Samuel L. Jackson) are the baddest and most beloved cops in New York City. They don‘t get tattoos – other men get tattoos of them.

Two desks over and one back, sit Detectives Allen Gamble (Will Ferrell) and Terry Hoitz (Mark Wahlberg). You‘ve seen them in the background of photos of Danson and Highsmith, out of focus and eyes closed. They‘re not heroes – they‘re “the Other Guys.”

WORLDS GREATEST DAD DIARY OF A WIMPY KID

PG

At cinemas now

Meet the kid who made “wimpy” cool, in a family comedy based on the best-selling illustrated novel Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney, the first in a series that has thus far sold 24 million copies.

Diary of a Winpy Kid chronicles the adventures of wise-cracking middle school student Greg Heffley, who must somehow survive the scariest time of anyone’s life: middle school.

But every cop has his or her day and soon Gamble and Hoitz stumble into a seemingly innocuous case no other detective wants to touch that could turn into New York City‘s biggest crime.

It‘s the opportunity of their lives, but do these guys have the right stuff?

15

FROM 1OTH SEPTEMBER

Robin Williams stars as Lance Clayton, a man who has learned to settle. He dreamed of being a rich and famous writer, but has only managed to make it as a high school poetry teacher.

His only son Kyle (Daryl Sabara) is an insufferable jackass who won‘t give his father the time of day. Lance is dating Claire (Alexie Gilmore), the school‘s adorable art teacher, but she doesn‘t want to get serious – or even acknowledge publicly that they are dating.

Then, in the wake of a freak accient Lance suffers the worst tragedy and

the greatest opportunity of his life. He is suddenly faced with the possibility of all the fame, fortune and popularity he ever dreamed of, if he can only live with the knowledge of how he got there.

THE BANTER | 47

Movies

Y

whip it 12 lions gate home entertainment  Ellen Page can really do no wrong. She was nominated for an oscar for Juno, just starred alongside Leonardo Dicaprio in inception and now she’s back in Whip It. The film is laced with a very spice girl like girl power message - girl from small town wants to escape and joins the roller derby team as her ticket out! Co- starring Juliette Lewis and Drew Barrymore who also makes her directoral debut.

It’s smart, funny, inspiring and gives everyone that hope they can do whatever they want. Even if it’s just a made up story on the big screen.

sarah moyes

did you hear about the morgans PG

SONY PICTURES HOME ENTERTAINMENT  Hugh Grant and Sarah Jessica Parker play Paul and Meryl Morgan, two high-flying business types from New York whose marriage is in disarray due to infidelity and infertility. As they try to patch things up matters take a turn for the worse when they witness a murder and are put in the witness protection programme. Sent to the middle of nowhere in Wyoming they must deal with mother nature and the backwards locals as they try to salvage their marriage and avoid a professional killer who won’t give up. Grant and Parker pretty much reprise their roles as Sex and the City’s Carrie Bradshaw and Bridget Jones’ Diary’s Daniel Cleaver in this culture clash comedy, meaning the film should appeal to fans of the two famous franchises. . chris hay 48 | THE BANTER

ou might not think of Scotland as a politically engaged, tolerant and multicultural society but thanks to the Document film festival we have already started establishing this image in countries across the world.

Document is a film festival held annually in October in Glasgow and it is dedicated to international human rights issues. The initiative behind Document is that they hope that, by using film as a platform, they can help raise the profile of human rights issues around the globe as well as sparking debate on many topics ranging from immigration and asylum to environmental concerns.

The festival attracts not only Scottish documentary filmmakers but filmmakers from other parts of the UK and international filmmakers too and because of this there is a wide range of human rights films shown as well as a diverse mixture of topics covered.

The films showcased at the festival offer a better understanding of the human rights issues raised within them and have a strong educational value as the topics covered in the films tend to be ones which the mainstream media will shy away from covering themselves.

As usual, Scotland provides a gritty realism away from all the polished mainstream media.

But Document doesn’t just hold the film festival once a year and forget about human rights for the rest of it, they work tirelessly collaborating with many individuals and organisations throughout Scotland and the UK who are with the issues raised in the films that they screen each year.

Collaboration is central to Document’s success as they let the collaborators decide the content and direction of the festival each year helping to keep things fresh and grow within it’s already well established structure. Organisations such as the Glasgow School of Art, Amnesty International and LGBT Youth Scotland have participated in the festival from the very start and are still contributing today to make the festival the success it is.

The great thing about Document is that they are always looking for volunteers to help be a part of their festival and this year they are looking for volunteers with experience in Event Management (particularly music), Project Development and Fundraising and Programming. If you think you’ve got what it takes to do any of these jobs and you want to be a get experience in the film festival industry while also educating yourself on some of the most important issues affecting the world today get online and apply at http://documentfilmfestival.org/volunteering But if you just fancy going along to the festival to see it for yourself it’ll be held over five days at the Centre of Contemporary Arts in Glasgow between Wednesday the 27th of October and Sunday the 31st of October.

See http://cca-glasgow.com for full ticket prices and details. alyce macpherson

Theatre & Arts

W

ithout shape and elegance, an evening at the ballet would be little more than a garish display of feathers, an uncontrolled flounce in ill-fitting tights set to a disengaged, disinterested orchestration. It is reassuring to know, therefore, that Scottish Ballet’s latest gala presentation is a celebration of Geometry and Grace.

Symmetrically aligning three international productions, the programme challenges the nature of space and shape in the choreography of ballet’s most progressive figures. Taking its inspiration from the regularity of geometry, the pieces’ speed and rhythms are pure mathematics, forming complex and intricate shapes across the stage without disconnecting from the centralized humanity at the heart of the genre.

Scenes de Ballet, the season’s major revival of revered choreographer Frederick Ashton’s 1947 work, is perhaps the most infamously groundbreaking of the three productions. In an era in which ballet seldom stretched its pointed toes beyond the moralistic, predictable fairytale, Ashton overturned convention by breaking free from the story-telling narratives favoured by his contemporaries.

By channelling his fascination with algebra and geometry into the movements and rhythms of his dancers, Ashton created something hitherto unknown in ballet: a fluid and coordinated

equation, beautifully brought into being on the feet and on the arms of a perfectly aligned ballet troupe. In perfect equilibrium, Scenes de Ballet’s classical Stravinsky score and Picasso inspired costuming combine to create a chic yet astute production, dripping with double-strand pearls strung from the lemon and blue bodices of its elegant ballerinas.

Accompanying Ashton’s seminal classic is Ashley Page’s more recent Fearful Symmetries, a piece which furthers her predecessor’s obsession with formulaic design whilst creating something more abstract, more progressive for modern ballet audiences. This Olivier Award winning production takes its artistic cues from the geometrical designs of Mark Rothko and the New York abstract expressionists, littering the shallow stage with angular, lean choreography and setting it against Antony McDonald’s magnificent backdrop of soft manmade starlight.

The pieces, supplemented by a new work by San Francisco Ballet’s Val Caniparoli, will open at Glasgow’s Theatre Royal on the 18th of September before moving on to Edinburgh’s Festival Theatre, His Majesty’s Theatre in Aberdeen and Eden Court Theatre in Inverness. scott purvis

THE BANTER | 49

Theatre & Arts 60 year old social sentiments from Weimar Germany, we’re engaging with what’s affecting the political climate today. We addressed the rise of the Tories, and predicted their return to power in April with our show ‘Return of the Yuppie’.

You’ve come a long way from London. How do you think your style of performance will be received at the in Edinburgh?

Scottee: We’re more concerned with the Fringe itself. For too long it has been a festival open to the middle class, high earning, G2 white folk. We think it’s about time the festival was opened up to the world and engage in new ways with its existing audience. We are streaming the show on chatroulette every night, audiences are given our twitter account to post their critique during the interval and they are encouraged to use mobile phones, flash photography and drink throughout.

In

a small Edinburgh chip shop, Scott Purvis met two of the most progressive artistes in contemporary cabaret. Scottee, Time Out Performer of the Year, and Myra DuBois, “the Primark of Performance, are out to change the face of performance art. The smell of battered sausage gathering between their black sequins, they answered questions about their art, their message and their tireless crusade against nipple tassels...

“No bad lipsyncing. No bleeding. No burlesque” – so what can we expect from Eat Your Heart Out? Scottee: A cabaret night with new, innovative and accessible performance. That’s the arts head talking. In layman terms, a bit of a show with a politic and a bar.

Myra: We’ve filtered out the fluff that other cabarets collect.

We’re the only cabaret in Edinburgh without a “Uke” or nipple tassels.

What prompted the need to form EYHO? Scottee: I was bored of listening to covers of ‘Mein Heir’.

Cabaret is supposed to be an art form that experiments with new ideas, not a celebration of ‘vintage’, so the need for something progressive was needed.

Do you worry about the direction in which cabaret is heading?

Myra: We’re not worried about where it’s heading; we’re worried about where it has already gone. Our show is redirecting the genre back on course. Instead of repeating 50 | THE BANTER

You’re from a wide variety of places and backgrounds. How does this impact the show’s dynamic?

Myra: Well we do have company members from Japan, Brazil, London and I’m from Rotherham. Geographically speaking we cover a lot of ground. But we’re all from a working class background; we are managing to create without having to pay for the validation of a drama school to do so. That impacts the dynamic.

What will you show audiences that they cannot see anywhere else?

Scottee: TRUE variety - we’re not talking about multiple burlesque acts in different fancy dress, think the Royal Variety show as curated by art school drop outs on 50p.

Do you worry that you might be too avant-garde for some?

Scottee: No. Our whole aim is to create accessible avant-garde. We’re not one for audiences being subjected to our work, we prefer creating inclusive shows with a bit of a glitter curtain and a cheap pint.

Myra: Anyone who thinks we’re up ourselves has missed the point.

Cabaret and politics have been entwined since the last the 1900s. How well do the two sit together nowadays?

Scottee: With us it is integral. All our work comes from very different places but ‘a politic’ is what binds us, whether it be monarchy, class or sexuality.

Myra: Art and politics have been entwined since before the thirties. Cabaret is just one medium that got popular. EYHO has more scope than Cabaret (with a capital C). It’s inevitable that the work would be, at times, political.

Do you have any theatrical heroes?

Myra: I do love a wronged woman; anyone who fits that bill.

Scottee: Lisa Stansfield. Nuff said.

Finally, do you have anything to say to the lip-sync artists, the bleeders or the girls out there who are still twirling their tassels?

Scottee: End it.

Myra: I’m kissing my teeth. scott purvis

Feature eat your heart out Edinburgh Fringe capitol  With so many acts not-so-coyly dropping their silk gloves around Edinburgh, Eat Your Heart Out is a much needed revitalisation in the suddenly overexposed medium of cabaret theatre.

Welcoming its audience to climb onto the stage with them, harass them with flash photography and act as strange screens for their even stranger projections, Eat Your Heart Out’s talented London cast have crunched and chewed the heart of cabaret, spitting out cliché and savouring the absurd. Clinging to the inclusive spirit of early century cabaret, the two hour long piece blends magic with comedy, song with sociology and politics with black sequins.

Strolling onto the venue’s small and empty stage, founder [ Scottee] is a striking and enthralling performer. Voted TimeOut performer of 2010, his design and audience control is remarkable, reminiscent of the music hall greats. He is part of a proud lineage of professionals who can earn a crowd’s attention without a radio microphone or the need for special effects, relying purely on his quick wit and sense of spontaneity. In his dishevelled costuming and draped with a multicoloured boa of scalped drag queen wigs, Scottee is a treat to the eye and to the mind.

The thrill of the piece is in its complete refusal to construct the oft-quoted fourth wall between actor and audience. In drag queen [Myra DuBois the piece has found a witty and charming mediator, dryly responding to the audience’s input with the conversational ease of a smiling Coronation Street barmaid taking a Hot Pot order. Visually striking in her eagle-like warpaint and towering in stature, DuBois recounts her Rotherham roots in a series of hilarious and well crafted monologues. Through this, she strips away the commonly perceived drag stereotypes and challenges the outmoded nature of end-of-the-pier drag.

Unpredictable and wise, DuBois is drag at its most progressive and most comfortable, an admirable quality in heels so high.

Miss Annabel Sings, the group’s talented and wry chanteuse, insists that the audience join her on stage for some helpful group therapy. Gently strumming her guitar and weakly smiling like an over-medicated primary teacher, her songs are passionate yet sensitive portrayals of the melancholy loneliness and isolation of city life. Effectively illustrated by unsettling video installations, her performance is accomplished and multi-facetted, an insightful view into a remarkable way of thinking.

Amidst the song and spoken word are the wonderful [Masumi Tipsy] and [Daniel Somerville]. Making her Fringe debut from Japan, Tipsy’s erratic and absurdist choreography bears a strong narrative, smoothly developing from the restrained dance of a Pierot to a thrashing and erratic seizure. Whilst it would be a shame to ruin the big surprise at the end of Sommerville’s act, his interpretation of the evolution of English identity throughout history is one of the Fringe’s most cunning and satisfying tricks, doused in history and countless pints of lager.

A late night in the company of the superb Eat Your Heart Out is a rewarding one. The group have seemingly done the impossible and made the avant garde accessible, bringing to the Fringe a vibrant and diverse showcase of vignettes which strike at the heart of performance art without ever descending into the unintelligible or the disengaging scott purvis THE BANTER | 51

Feature

S

aturday 21st August saw over 2,200 members of Girlguiding Scotland descend on Glasgow Royal Concert Hall to watch some of the UK’s top artists and bands at the Girlguiding Scotland’s ‘Tartan Gig’. This year’s gig was extremely special for all involved, because this year celebrates the centenary year of Girlguiding.

The gig saw performances from Alesha Dixon, The Wanted, Pearl and the Puppets, Carrie Mac, Twenty Twenty, Aggro Santos and Ironik. The event was hosted by STV’s ‘The Hour’ presenter Michelle McManus who looked as fabulous as the all female audience wearing her flashing bunny ears and light up ring! Michelle was overjoyed to be involved with such a fantastic event for young women. She said: “I have more than once been described as a feminist, so I’m all for these organisations of young women having great role models to look up to. All you hear about in the media is about youths going out and vandalising stuff, and girls are forever being talked about in the media, how their drinking is increasing etc, so it’s nice for us to see these girls coming along here and getting the reward they deserve for all the good work they do throughout the year. I think it’s really great as well that these bands take the time out to come along and do these events because they are equally as important as all the festivals.

It honestly remains to this day the best gig I’ve ever presented” On the day, The Banter chatted to ‘Carrie Mac’, ‘Pearl and the Puppets’ and the nation’s favourite new boy band, ‘The Wanted’ who have recently achieved chart success with their number one single, ‘All Time Low’ (check out the interviews with them 52 | THE BANTER

and Pearl and the Puppets!). The atmosphere was absolutely electric (quite literally – all that could be seen was a sea of glow sticks, flashing bunny ears and wands!), and everyone involved gave absolutely fantastic performances but The Wanted were definitely what the girls had been waiting for, and could be heard screaming for them on the ground floor!

Emerging Scottish singer Carrie Mac spoke of her pleasure at being a part of such an event: “It’s a really good thing but it’s a really weird thing! I’m just a normal girl, but because they’re younger they look up to me, and it’s really quite an overwhelming thing. I hope that if they see me and what I’ve done and because I’m from Scotland they’ll go ‘Oh, I could do that too’. Outside the reality TV thing, it’s good for young people to see that you can work hard and succeed. If I had been going to see something like this at their age, it would have been so inspiring for me!”

Having recently played at ‘In Demand’ at the SECC with JLS and Alexandra Burke in front of 10,000 people, it’s clear that this rising star with a huge voice is on her way to great things.

Her single ‘Hello’ is released on August 29th, and given the massively loud reception she got at the Tartan Gig; I don’t think Carrie is going to have any trouble making it to the top! Check out www.myspace.com/carriemacmusic for more!

2010 has been a particularly successful year for Pearl and the Puppets. Hailing from Kirkintilloch, the self described folk-pop band have been enjoying significant recognition. I spoke to singer Pearl (Katie Sutherland) about her whirlwind year: “I just did the biggest gig about a month and a half ago. I

Feature

Picture the Change launched by Amy MacDonald ©All photos copyright of Girlguiding Scotland

supported Elton John in Watford football stadium in front of 20,000 fans!”

How does Katie feel about being seen as a role model for the girls at the Tartan Gig? “It’s strange. It’s really nice, but it’s strange! I was their age not that long ago, so to have them look up to me is strange. In a really nice way! I think the gig is going to be great, and a lot of them won’t have heard my music before, so it’ll be nice” Check out www.myspace.com/pearlandthepuppets plus our exclusive full interview!

Finally, the band that the girls had all been waiting for! The self confessed manufactured boy band ‘The Wanted’. Totally charming, and ridiculously attractive, the guys are possibly the nicest boy band in Britain. Jay, Nathan, Max, Siva and Tom are hilarious, enthusiastic and just genuinely nice guys.

Max says “I think it’s cool to show that we’re just 5 normal lads, and we’ve got to the top this month with a bit of hard work and graft” “They all look up to you as a role model and we just try to lead by example” Check out our full exclusive interview with The Wanted.

To have a gig such as this, bringing together already established acts with the cream of the UK’s rising talent is a wonderful thing, and it is clear that the girls who the gig is for were inspired by what they saw and had an amazing time! To find out more about Girlguiding, the UK’s largest voluntary organisation for girls and young women (Rainbows begin at 5, up to Adult Leader’s at 65), check out www.girlguiding.org.uk louise anne geddes

W

hat do you want to change? The Scottish Youth Parliament (SYP) have recruited Scottish singer/songwriter Amy McDonald to help them launch a Scotland wide consultation, ‘Picture the Change’, which will see young people asked how they think Scotland could change for the better. Members of the SYP will then pass this information on to the politicians, telling them what Scottish young people want, and hopefully really changing the picture in Scotland.

In the lead up to the 2011 Scottish Parliament elections, the SYG will release a ‘Youth Manifesto’, which will feed directly from the feedback gathered during the consultation process.

Derek Couper, Member of the Scottish Youth Parliament says: “In order to ensure the manifesto is as representative as possible we will be attending numerous events, festivals, school sessions and youth groups all over Scotland between July and October to speak with as many young people as possible.

It is aimed that the finished manifesto will be communicated directly to the decision makers in government.

McDonald says: “It is important that young people get their chance to influence Scotland’s politicians, and the creation of a Manifesto by the Scottish Youth Parliament provides that chance. I am happy to help, and urge young people to get involved and have their voice heard in this positive way.”

MacDonald will join the newly elected Board of Trustees at the Scottish Youth Parliament. Derek Couper says: “We are enormously grateful to Amy for coming along to help launch this for us, and for showing her commitment to Scotland’s young people” louise anne geddes

THE BANTER | 53

Television

Farewell to Scrubs.... by sean david

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hile Scrubs truly came to an end last year after eight seasons, the show was given a stay of execution for one more year being completely transformed in almost all but name.

While many critics were more concerned about cheapening the legacy of the series following the spectacular hour-long finale, creator Bill Lawrence emphasised the importance of keeping people in jobs during the global recession, as well as addressing the fate of spin-offs noting that AfterM*A*S*H may have been a failure, but that Cheers made way for Frasier, which went onto match the original show in running for over a decade.

Sadly, the same couldn’t be said for what would become of Scrubs. Taking inspiration from law school drama The Paper Chase, the show would centre new medical students under the tutelage of Turk and Dr Cox with the occasional appearance from JD and other former stars. Judy Reyes was the only remaining cast member not to return while The Janitor (Neil Flynn) dropped in briefly in the season premiere to leave his mop and bucket behind. Stressed and downtrodden lawyer Ted would also leave the hospital along with his girlfriend Stephanie.

Inspired by Lawrence’s friend, Dr. Jonathan Doris’s own experiences as an intern while studying medicine, the doctor 54 | THE BANTER

was one of a few medical advisors to the show, along with Jon Turk and Dolly Klock, with JD, Turk and Molly Clock (Heather Graham) being named after them. Doris also appeared in “My Finale”.

For the last several years, the showrunners had come to terms with having to end one day, and had expected it to be much sooner. Laverne (Aloma Wright) was only killed off in season six given everyone assumed the show would be over, resulting in her return as “Shirley” the next year.

With the looming departure of Zach Braff from the camera, the narrator role was up for grabs, and would be taken by the new “JD”, Lucy Bennett (Kerry Bishé). Spoiled rich kid Cole Aaronson (Dave Franco) would become her boyfriend by the end of the season while the older, harder living Drew (Michael Mosley) gives medical school another go after a stint in jail, eventually becoming an item with intern-turned-teaching assistant Denise.

The concept of the medical school edition had preceded season nine, with “Scrubs: Interns” being an online spin-off, with “Scrubs: Med School” being a rumoured title should it reach television, as it did. The X-rays in the final title sequence would actually include the “med school” tagline.

But on March 22nd, Braff would post on Facebook the inevitable news - “Many of you have asked, so here it is: it

Television

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uring the summer months, some television shows take a break along with the rest of us, but with the season almost over it’s back to work for those on the small screen. However, as normal every year we say goodbye to several series, some prematurely and others having outstayed their welcome.

Major cult shows Lost and Heroes have both breathed their last, with the Flight 815 survivor Jack Shephard’s last moments providing a dignified ending to one of the most engaging stories told on television while on the other hand, Heroes was simply killed off after public interest plummeted in its fourth season.

After a fantastic first season, the writers strike in 2007 meant the second year never really got off the ground. More than making up for it the following season, by the end of year three the limitlessness of superpowers began to wear thin.

We also bid farewell to Jack Bauer and 24 for the time being, with a feature film in the works and it has emerged that after 25 years, Larry King’s iconic interview show on CNN comes to an end to make way for one of America’s favourite Brits, Piers Morgan. appears that “New Scrubs”, “Scrubs 2.0”, “Scrubs with New Kids”, “Scrubber”, “Scrubs without JD” is no more. It was worth a try, but alas... it didn’t work.”

Many shows have been retooled in the past, but for every success story there is a failure. One Tree Hill overcame a common hurdle in moving from high school drama to regular soap fare by skipping ahead four years in their timeline, then yet another twelve months after losing Chad Michael Murray and Hilarie Burton. The A-Team went from fugitives running from the law to working for the CIA by the time season five came around, but failed to compete with the likes of Miami Vice.

If there’s anything left to look forward to, it’s that cinematographer John Inwood had filmed the series with widescreen and high definition in mind – despite the series only being aired or released in standard definition format at present.

Nevertheless, Scrubs fans can’t be too disappointed in the show’s departure. While Lucy, Cole and Drew will never return, the true sendoff for the series was still delivered last year and doesn’t need to be tied down to a chronological order. Even though ABC pulled the plug; by retaining jobs for cast and crew in an economic downturn, the show’s death was a noble one.

Out with the old and in with Mitch Hurwitz’s latest effort, Running Wilde. After the cancellations of Sit Down Shut Up, Brothers, and American networks passing on his remakes of The Thick of It and Absolutely Fabulous, Running Wilde stays true to his use of the Arrested Development cast. After the complex but rewarding series was cruelly cut short, each Hurwitz show seems to be an effort to avenge his hit’s demise.

Fun loving billionaire Steve Wilde (Will Arnett of Arrested Development fame) is reunited with childhood acquaintance turned humanitarian Emmy Kadubic (Keri Russell) who is determined to make him a better man. David Cross, also of Arrested Development fame, is part of the series while another regular is Britain’s own Peter Serafinowicz – who co-starred in Couples Retreat with Jason Bateman. And guess which show Bateman previously starred in. The trailer for Running Wilde gives off a “rom com” feel to the point where it may have been better remembered as a movie rather than facing the 2011 television scrapheap.

The upcoming season is also time for new producers to shine, including Superman. Smallville’s Tom Welling – lead actor turned director and executive producer of what will be the longest running sci-fi show in US history – has prepared for what will be in the final season of the show by taking on an executive producer role in a new series entitled Hellcats.

Alyson Michalka (Bandslam) plays Marti Perkins, a student left with no option but to join the competitive cheerleading squad when she loses her scholarship. Ashley Tisdale (High School Musical) stars as team captain Savannah Monroe while Matt Barr – who One Tree Hill fans may remember as “Psycho Derek” - is Marti’s friend Dan. Social networking now being just a part of everyday life, it should come as no surprise that Twitter has inspired a new sitcom starring William Shatner. Writer Justin Halpern has quoted the witty, sometimes grumpy, always politically incorrect comments from his father for over a year. One wonders if everything he says is 140 characters or less, or if we’re really missing out on some good tirades. Nonetheless, the success of the tweets has led to the release of a book known as “S#*! My Dad Says”, and now a sitcom.

The title of the show itself has already been causing a ruckus, but the real challenge lies in converting observations such as “who in the f**k is Tila Tequila? Is she a stripper? Yeah that’s a stripper, son, I don’t give a s#*! what you say” into something capable of making the air weekly in a primetime slot.

Just a little over a year ago, many Chuck fans feared the fate of the show, which courted cancellation after budget concerns before being given a mid-season debut in January this year with increased product placement from Subway. The show remained a success and returns with business as usual in the new season. After three years, General Beckman (Bonita Friedericy) finally joins the main cast while guest stars will include Bronson Pinchot, who is still best remembered as Balki Bartokomous in the eighties and nineties sitcom, Perfect Strangers.

Running Wilde may surpass Arrested Development, while Tom Welling could witness Hellcats and Smallville meet their end simultaneously. Some shows may become the next Lost or 24, while some may not last until the winter holidays. But with each new show like a present to unwrap the new television season is always as exciting as Christmas Day. sean david

THE BANTER | 55

Fashion

Topshop’s exciting new Dark Nouveau collection! by lisa boyle

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s an avid lover of leather, lace and of course, Topshop, I am rather excited about the new Dark Nouveau collection from Topshop.

The collection features lots of gothic lace, sheer fabrics and studded pieces which will look amazing teamed with this winter’s set trends such as khaki and metallics.

Black faux fur has also been thrown into the equation and looks polished and edgy when teamed with lace fabrics which are at the centre of this luxe collection.

A must have from the line is the A-Line leather skirt which will vamp up blouses, rock tees and corset tops whereas the black lace maxi dress will give designer gowns a run for their money.

The oversized tees are oh-so wearable and feel halloween-esque, sticking to a sleek palette of burgundies, greys and of course, more black.

There’s no doubt that this collection is going to be yet another Topshop sell-out, especially this Autumn where next season’s collections are all about clashing textures and luxurious fabrics. We’re guessing Lily Allen and Miss Mossie will be the first in the queue there.

- Cropped biker jacket £50.

- Sequin crop £30.

- Leather skirt £58.

- Stud gilet £50.

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Feature

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his month Orange RockCorps announced tthat they will be rewarding volunteers with Ticketmaster Gift cards to expand ‘The Collective’ to build the Orange RockCorps community nationwide.

Building on the massively successful Manchester and London gigs, Orange RockCorps’ groundbreaking initiative encourages young people to volunteer their time for a concert ticket, is now possible across the UK. Working with its national network of charity partners and supported by the extensive Do-it.org search database to provide a wide range of volunteering opportunities, Orange RockCorps “Give, Get Given” initiative is now available to everyone: Wherever and Whenever.

By giving at least four hours to ANY charity ANYWHERE in the country, volunteers can now earn tickets to a gig of their choice as well as being entered into numerous additional prize draws.

Volunteer Ambassadors who get more than 10 friends involved will be rewarded with an exclusive BlackBerry smartphone.

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Now established and praised for their gigs in London and Manchester as well as worldwide locations such as Paris, Tel Aviv and Marseille, the HUGE demand to take part, volunteer and celebrate an ability to change the world, has allowed Orange RockCorps to establish The Collective.

Stephen Greene, CEO and Co-founder of RockCorps said: “The Collective is a celebration of everyone who has given four hours to their community, wherever,whenever. This is a natural extension of our Gig programme – and we are thrilled to link up with Ticketmaster so new volunteers will be encouraged nationwide, through the power of music, to get involved in their communities” For more information and to volunteer please go to: www.orangerockcorps.co.uk or call 0800 954 7625

alyce macpherson

Model Behaviour

Volunteering - A fashion trend everyone can follow View the complete collection at www.volunteerscotland.org.uk Contact us on 0141 941 0886 or text Volunteer to 80800