ALIVE Magazine Issue 1

ISSUE

ON E

ALIV E ALBU M C LU B

We spin this issue's must haves for the ultimate ALIVE record collection

T E EN AGE KIC KS

Our editor gives us the low-down on the hottest lace-ups

J A KE B UG G

We catch up with Nottingham’s finest to talk about his new album, the return of live shows, and Ronaldinho

AND IF YOU KNOW YOUR HI S TO RY : ISLE OF WI G HT F E S TI VA L

R OAD TO ISLE OF WIGH T : THE R IFLE S

We take a look at the band's 20 year career as they head to the Isle of Wight Festival

R OAD TO ISLE OF WI G H T : T HE K ' S

We stop off at the beach with newcomers the K's ahead of their appearance at Isle of Wight

C OVER S TO RY: DM A' S

ALIVE head into the studio to find out what makes up the DMA’S DNA

SHEFFIELD F C

Sheffield who?! ALIVE takes a look back at the founders of the beautiful game

G E T TO KNOW: J A M IE WEB S TE R

From electrician to electric (acoustic) guitar

B R E AKIN G BAN D S

A who's-who of wave makers, breaking on the UK music scene

C ON T R IB U T O R S

Jai Mcintosh - John Earls - Louise Schofield - Georgia Murphy - Jes se Lizotte Tom O'Donoghue - Andrew Cooper - Will Ireland - Evie Friar - DMA'S - Jake Bugg

The K's - The Rifles - Dylan Thomas - Red Rum Club - Gen & The Degenerates

S C OT TS

PAUL R AM S DA L E paul.ramsdale@jdplc com

T HIS FEELIN G

M IK EY J OHN S info@thisfeeling co uk

FEAR P R

KAT IE G W Y T H E R katie@fearpr.co uk

ART DIRECTOR

C H R I S TOPH E R GE R R A R D

c.gerrard@essentialstudio.co uk

ISSUE ONE • JUNE 22

COVER: DMA'S

A NOTE FROM THE EDITOR.

As we move ever further into the fast-paced social media society within which we live, the way we consume and produce information is ever-changing. The need to focus on the stories, people, places, and fashion that keeps the subculture together truly matters now more than ever before. This is for the music lovers, the clobber-wearers and the terrace voices. Make it count.

JAI MCINTOSH.

PHOTO: MCLEAN STEPHENSON

Liam Gallagher 'C'mon You Know'

A triumphant third studio album stacked with glowing anthems sure to go down a storm at the historic Knebworth gigs this summer.

Stand out tune: 'Everything’s Electric'

Blossoms ‘Ribbon Around The Bomb’

Another No. 1 record for the Stockport gang full of the smoothest melodies and their best songwriting yet.

Stand out tune: 'Ode To NYC'

Peaness ‘World Full Of Worry’

A brilliant debut album of infectious indie pop packed with relatable, witty lyrics.

Stand out tune: ‘Doing Fine’

Sticky Fingers ‘LEKKERBOY'

The Sydney outfit make a triumphant return with glorious surfy vibes and woozy nostalgia.

Stand out tune: ‘Saves The Day’

The Skinner Brothers ‘Soul Boy II’

Epitomising British youth culture with attitude, mischief, and truly massive tunes.

Stand out tune: ‘Culture Non-Stop’

IT'S IN YOUR HEART, IT'S IN YOUR SOLE.

TEEN KICKS -AGE

OUR EDITOR GIVES US THE LOW-DOWN ON THE HOTTEST LACE-UPS FROM THE SCOTTS MENSWEAR SS22 RANGE.

ORIGINALS

This vintage classic first hit stores back in 1976 having originally been designed in 1972 to coincide with the Munich Olympics, and since then, the Munchen has remained a pillar of adidas’s terrace collections. The premium olive suede upper is complemented by intricate white detailing and a dark brown gum sole making the Munchen one of the outstanding adidas shoes to get hold of this summer.

The adidas Hamburg has, this year, been rereleased in its classic 1982 design. The grey suede bold, black detailing work in harmony with the arched gum sole culminating in a terrace classic.

< ADIDAS ORIGINALS MUNCHEN // GREEN

∨ ADIDAS

HAMBURG // GREY

∧

NIKE AIR MAX PRE-DAY // GREY

Nike rarely fails to create an ideal summer trainer and the Air Max Pre-Day is no different. Inspired by their history of running trainers, functionality and aesthetics combine to offer both improved style and performance. For something a little different, the Air Max Pre-Day is the ideal trainer.

Founded in 1825, Clarks have been shoemaking for close to 200 years and there is no sign that they’re slowing down, or even considering it. The Wallabee has taken centre stage in the Clarks collection, continually attracting audiences due to the quality craftsmanship and comfort of the shoe. With collaborations and colour combo's galore, it's unsurprising that Clarks have stayed at the top of the game for all this time.

< NEW BALANCE 327 // GREEN & ORANGE

New Balance have been leading the way in sports footwear since 1906. However, their meteoric rise to the top of the tree has accelerated greatly over the last few years. A large part of their success is due to their 327 model. Uniquely designed, highly detailed, light weight, and stylish, the 327 must be a part of your summer rotation.

∨ ADIDAS ORIGINALS

The legendary Gazelle by adidas Originals was the shoe that paved the way for many future adidas silhouette's to come. This hemp colourway, premium suede upper and tonal three stripes combine to make an instant classic.

GAZELLE // HEMP

The Kickers revival is well underway. Synonymous with quality and reliability, the Kickers Kick Hi Boots continue this legacy. The tan colourway, leather construction, and classic triple-stitch detailing make this shoe ideal for almost any situation and location. A retro look brought into 2022, the Kick Hi Boots are back.

Nike's cofounder Bill Bowerman struck inspiration for the Waffle Trainers whilst watching his wife make breakfast using a waffle iron. From there, the design signifying Nike heritage was born. Nike bring back their iconic Waffle design with a fresh new look brought to you with these Waffle One trainers.

Shop the full range at scottsmenswear.com

< NIKE WAFFLE ONE // BLACK & WHITE

∧ KICKERS KICK HI BOOT // BROWN

an INTERVIEW with

jake bugg.

We caught up with Nottingham’s finest to talk about his new album, the return of live shows, and Ronaldinho...

Jake! How has 2022 been treating you so far?

It’s been good, just excited to get going again really. I’ve got a few things coming up, working on some new music, back out on the road in a couple of months so can’t wait. Really excited about it.

You’re hitting pretty much all corners of the UK and Ireland as well, you must be absolutely buzzing to get back on that stage and get that crowd pumped as well?

Absolutely. We have played some of the venues before which I know are great, I’m so excited to get back in there and play some of the places we love playing. Before the first lockdown, some of the gigs really went off, so hopefully there’ll be more of that this time around.

The energy at these gigs at the moment looks incredible. For you to be back in that environment, having a a boogie, with pints flying about the place; you must be having fun?

Definitely (laughs). I think that’s it. It has been an incredibly tough time for most people, so they’re just happy to be back out enjoying life again.

Your debut album is turning ten this year [crazy!] I remember when it came out, the buzz around Nottingham was amazing. How does it feel ten years on?

It’s mind-blowing to be honest, it feels like it was yesterday. So obviously, when we’re back out on the road, we will be playing some of the old tracks for everybody. It’s just crazy to think where the time has gone really, but hopefully many more albums will come in the future.

And of course it went straight to No. 1, not bad as first albums go, hey?

No, probably the best one as well (laughs). It’s strange because the music industry has changed so much in those ten years you know? When that first record came out people were still buying CDs. It is getting more difficult these days, but, you know, that’s not the reason you do it - for the success - you do it because you love it. For me, if I'm staying in terrible hotels and touring in a little van like the early days for the rest of my life, I’d be pretty happy with that.

You've been changing your sound throughout your past albums. For example Saturday Night, Sunday Morning has pop sensibilities going through it. To play those live it must be really nice alongside the older stuff as well?

For sure. What I tried to achieve with the last album is just keeping the energy high and I think it really helps with the live shows, especially when we integrate it with the older stuff. It is just about balancing the old with the new. I like to try and do something different for every album, I try to experiment, it’s important. I know people probably want you to carry on doing the same thing sometimes. It’s interesting to see which album was people’s first as that always changes their perspective. You know, there are some artists that I might not even like their music very much, but they have that one record that I just love. You know, it’s nice to try and make something for everybody.

a e j k

HE WAS THE BEST PLAYER IN THE WORLD GROWING UP IF RONALDINHO DID SOMETHING ON THE TELE, YOU COULD GUARANTEE WE'D ALL BE TRYING IT IN TRAINING THAT WEEK.

I read that this was one of the albums you really enjoyed working on. Was that just because you got to experiment a little bit more?

Yeah for sure. The people that I was working with were very enthusiastic and kept the energy in the studio very high which is always fun. For me, it was more of a test to see if I could bring my sound and my DNA into a more modern sound, and I think it worked. I think it’ll be interesting to see how it develops going forward as well.

The arrangement of the album is very nice as well, you do have those moments on there with ‘Downtown’ and ‘Scene’ and ‘Hold Tight’ which are a little bit stripped back, cushioned in between the more upbeat tracks. Was that part of the thought process for the album?

The arrangement of the album is incredibly important. I love records that you can just put on and leave them on. Whether I have achieved that with this one, I don’t know. I think songs like ‘Hold Tight’, at the end of the record, I just wanted to let people know that part of me and that DNA is never going to go away. That’s what I grew up playing and very much what I am about.

Looking back to the time you were writing and creating your debut album, did you think you’d ever make an album like Saturday Night, Sunday Morning?

I guess not really. As you get older, your music taste develops and you like different things. I think as a teenager you are more close minded, so these days I try to keep an open mind and enjoy the process. If it’s not great then no one really has to hear it. It’s funny, I listen to my own music before it’s out in the ether then not again really (laughs). Unless I am really really drunk and just assessing it!

In terms of videos, do you have an idea of how you would like each track to look?

Sometimes yeah. My idea of a good video is one where I am not in it to be honest, they’re pretty long to film (laughs). We did some crazy stuff with the videos. The song ‘Lost’, I was doing wire work, things I had never even thought about doing. I was dangling up there for a little while thinking, “What on earth am I doing up here?”. I remember I was hanging on this wire, and the directors wanted to have a chat and I’ve just swung around 180 degrees and I’m just staring at the green screen, dangling with no one, and I'm like, “Guys, a bit of help please” (laughs). I think there are a few pictures going around from behind the scenes that are quite hilarious to be honest.

Doing this job over the years, your confidence grows and it shows in the performances and the videos. I am doing things that I probably wouldn’t have had the confidence to do, or had no willingness to do. So it’s nice to be a bit more confident in front of the camera nowadays.

You’ve also scored all of the music for the Ronaldinho documentary. Do you have a fresh canvas for that and Is it something you can just produce from the start?

Yeah, pretty much. The opportunity came about in the first lockdown to score the film, which I was over the moon about, obviously. He was the best player in the world growing up, when I was a kid I just watched him all the time. If Ronaldinho did something on the television, you could guarantee that we’d all be trying it in training that week, so yeah, it was an absolute pleasure. It never felt like work at any point. He’s an inspiring person and to watch him do the thing he enjoys is just incredible. To write music and watch him play football was just the best experience ever, really.

It was a blank canvas, that’s what was interesting. I feel like writing it, you kind of know when it fits and you kind of know when it doesn’t as well. People might watch it and just think it’s terrible!

When you were producing the tracks, were you taking inspiration from Brazilian culture?

For me it was like learning music all over again, learning the guitar all over again. I had to learn four note samba guitar chords and things like that as well as new rhythms and stuff. It was a great learning experience, and that’s what I love about making music. As great as it is, to get something out of it, something people can listen to and hold onto, it’s just invaluable really. I couldn’t think of another job that would top that one, I’d be pretty happy to just score football movies (laughs).

What is the rest of the year looking like?

We’ve got the tour coming up and I'm already working on new stuff, we’re hoping to put a couple of one or two tracks out before the tour as well. You know, with the last record, we would be touring it but we didn’t have the opportunity, so it’d be nice to have something for the road as well.

Isle of Wight

The Isle of Wight Festival is synonymous with summertime. The gatekeeper to festival season, The Isle of Wight Festival is always the first major festival of the season, with people from all over the world congregating on the shores of a small island off the coast of southern England for a trip into music wonderland. Without a doubt one of the pillars of the UK music and festival scene, the Isle of Wight Festival has been engaging audiences since 1968, although there is a slight gap in the history of the festival.

Founded by Rikki Far, Ronnie Foulk & Ray Foulk, the inaugural Isle of Wight Festival kicked off near Godshill in 1968, with headliner Jefferson Airplane supported by bands such as T-Rex, Arthur Brown, and The Pretty

Things. The festival was an overwhelming success, with roughly 10,000 attendees enjoying the final few years of the swinging sixties. However, it was in 1969 when the Isle of Wight Festival elevated to a meteoric level.

1969 was a year that humankind will never forget. The Apollo 11 moon landing, John and Yoko’s bed-bound protest in Amsterdam, Johnny Cash performing at the Grand Ole Opry alongside Bob Dylan, that Woodstock festival, and Pele scoring his 1000th goal - contentious? Not for us to answer. Amongst these culturally lasting events, was the second Isle of Wight Festival. Unlike the year before, the festival exploded in popularity, with over 150,000 people willing to endure any condition to see headliners Bob Dylan and The Who. The Beatles, Eric Clapton, and Elton

John were all reportedly in the audience to witness the return of Bob Dylan, a seismic event in the world of music.

The success of the festival continued into 1970, the last Isle of Wight Festival for over three decades. The audience numbers accelerated further, this time, estimations suggest over half a million people attended the three day event. These numbers make sense when you consider the headliners: Chicago, The Doors, and the Jimi Hendrix Experience. The festival acted as a closing remark, a homage to the swinging sixties and the social, political, and cultural changes that the iconic decade ushered in.

Unfortunately, Prime Minister Edward Heath’s Tory government helped pass the Isle of Wight County Council Act 1971, preventing overnight open-

air gatherings of more than 5,000 people on the island without a special licence from the council. This culminated in the festival stopping for 32 years. Yet, in 2002, the Isle of Wight Festival returned.

The extended period of absence, and all the societal changes that occured within that period, meant that the Isle of Wight Festival restarted small with headliners The Charlatans entertaining a crowd of 10,000. The following year, Paul Weller and Bryan Adams increased the publicity of the sleeping giant of a festival, and since then, the festival has been incrementally growing. The Who returned to headline the festival in 2004, and with that, The Isle of Wight Festival was well and truly back.

Fast-forward to the here and now. The Isle of Wight Festival represents the beginning of festival season and the return of the summer solstice. The event has come a long way, with regular attendances of 60,000 supported by a collection of people and brands, with the core aim of giving quality music a place to play.

Scotts have been one of the brands playing a major role supporting artists young and old, helping them realise their Isle of Wight dreams. Two bands in particular, both at opposing stages in their career, but both equally skilled at engaging crowds with their authentic sound, have taken centre stage for Scotts throughout 2022, The Rifles and The K’s.

FESTIVAL FOCUS.

This Feeling and Scotts return, once again, to Isle of Wight, Truck and Y Not festivals with the hottest tents of the summer for discovering the best new indie and guitar music.

Here is where the seeds of the next generation of successful guitar bands are sown. Bands such as The Amazons, Easy Life, Inhaler, Red Rum Club, The K’s, and Dylan John Thomas have emerged via these stages going on to do big things.

So who’s playing? Sydney shoegazers Planet headline all 3 stages while The Clause and The Skinner Brothers are set to pack out the barn and get Truck festival bouncing. The Lathums' mate and top tip Rianne Downey stars at Isle of Wight along with Spangled and Andrew Cushin who's touring with Noel Gallagher, Paul Weller and Pete Doherty this year. Y Not welcomes new indie stars The Royston Club along with Glasgow’s grunge melody makers Spyres. And that's just for starters! Over 100 brand new acts will play our stages this summer, come see the best new bands before they blow up....

(Over) The Amazons at This Feeling stage, Isle of Wight Festival 2016. Photo - Will Ireland.

Dylan John Thomas at Y Not festival, This Feeling stage 2019. Photo - Andrew Cooper.

The Rifles

Isle of FestivalWight

One of the torch-bearers for the underground indie scene within the UK, The Rifles have been impressing festival crowds for well over a decade. Founded by Joel Stoker and Lucas Crowther after finding inspiration at the iconic Oasis Knebworth gig in 1996, the lads from London have gone on to record five studio albums and an unplugged acoustic album, cementing their place as one of the leading bands in the post Brit-pop scene.

Bursting into the contemporary consciousness of mid-naughties Britain, The Rifles released a hat trick of popular singles in the form of Local Boy, Repeat Offender, and She’s Got Standards. Add to this their regular features on shows such as Soccer AM, and you quickly begin to build a picture of just how well The Rifles have assimilated into the culture and community.

Remaining somewhat on the periphery of the UK charts, The Rifles have maintained a strong following throughout their career. With the support of Scotts Menswear, The Rifles are gearing up for a summer of festivals throughout 2022, kicking off with the Isle of Wight Festival in June.

Shop The Rifles' look at scottsmenswear.com

Hometown Heroes The

ARE BACK AT THE ISLE OF WIGHT

The K’s, unlike The Rifles, are a relative newcomer to the mainstage. There are lofty ambitions at the heart of The K’s as they’re not only trying to make authentic music, but they’re looking to create a culture around the band that extends beyond music.

It is worth mentioning now that, during their first gig at Jimmy’s in Manchester, fans ripped the ceiling off. Quite literally. It is, in part, due to their live intensity that has enabled them to independently become one of the biggest bands in the UK underground rock scene over the last few years. Gigs in Croatia and Serbia took The K’s energy overseas to huge success, diversifying their fanbase and amplifying their sound is what The K’s are about.

With support from This Feeling, the Manchester outfit took their sound throughout the UK, culminating in a headline show at The Ritz in Manchester. The success of their tours have been seen in rapidly growing live audiences, whilst streams are well into the millions at this point.

Considering how the mainstream music media have so far failed to give The K’s pride of place amongst the leading UK bands right now, their success so far is even more commendable.

The K's have a tenacity and hunger rarely seen in the contemporary British music scene post Brit-Pop. Speaking to them you would think they are seasoned professionals already, despite the endearing excitement of a young band on the cusp of stardom. We sat down with Manchester's new boys to discuss their career so far, future plans, favourite moments, and, of course, understanding what makes it onto their rider...

A. First of all, tell us about your infamous trip to Sweden….

K's. What an absolute disaster that was! We flew in the night before, absolutely steaming and buzzing to get out round the city. We’d even picked the clubs we’d be going to! All seemed hunky dory until passport control tyrant Jessica saw our guitars and wanted to ask questions. They took our passports away - it was absolutely awful as you can imagine. After a full day of trying to resolve

the issue, we finally got confirmation that they were in the wrong - the border police even brought us some beers and cigs into the terminal when they found out! We’d already missed our stage time, we literally flew to Sweden to sit in an airport terminal for 24 hours and then come back. Absolute nightmare! BUT, we are back there in July to play the main stage at Lollapalooza, Stockholm, so we can’t wait to finally get to play Sweden!

A. What are you doing right now?

K's. We’re in the middle of our UK tour and apart from a few sore heads it couldn’t be going any better for us. Sold out crowds in places we’ve never headlined before and new K’s

chants emerging in each city - things have really stepped up and every show’s been class.

A. What was it like supporting DMA’S?

K's. It was class, touring the country taking the roof off renowned venues with such a mega band, doesn’t get much better!

A. What was your first ever gig and how does it compare to your gigs now?

K's. Our first ever gig was in Sound Control in Manchester. We had a 15 minute set! We actually went down really well for a first show, but there wasn’t too many there for our set! Now it’s absolutely packed out venues of K’s fans going absolutely mental. The fans at our live shows are by far the best thing about being in the band.

A. What’s your favourite gig that you’ve ever played?

K's. Usually we would always say Kendal Calling 2019, it was just ridiculous the turn out we got. You never know what to expect at a festival but they had to shut the tent down due to the numbers that turned up. However, I reckon our headline show at Albert Hall a couple weeks ago just about topped it for us. Was nuts from start to finish, there’s no feeling that comes close to that reaction you get on stage.

A. Who would be your dream band to support?

K's. I think we’d all have different answers on this one. For me, it would be The Stones, I don’t think you get much bigger than that and to party with Keith. We’ve done sick so far in getting some class support slots with bands we love and there’s already talks of more very soon!

A. What’s the most essential thing on your rider?

K's. Doritos, salsa and hummus. There would be riots in the dressing room if that ever went!

A. When can we expect the debut album and what can you tell us about it?

K's. This is a question we get asked a lot, we have songs coming out our ears and the album’s ready to go, it’s just waiting for the right offer at the right time, and it’s coming!

A. Best new This Feeling bands that you’re tipping?

K's. The supports have all been mint this tour. Special mentions to Rats, Overpass, Rosellas! Fiona Lennon has an absolutely amazing voice too, I saw her name on the Isle of Wight poster for the This Feeling with Scotts stage.

A. Finally, any advice for new young bands?

K's. Do it with people you like to be around. You’ll be spending A LOT of time together!

Shop The K's' look at scottsmenswear.com

For more info about Isle of Wight Festival visit isleofwightfestival.com

FIRST & FOREMOST.

Rick Witter of Shed Seven joins us on a trip down memory lane…

First record you bought?

The first record I bought - if memory serves me - was Shawaddywaddy with Under The Moon Of Love.

First gig you went (who, where, when)?

Other than watching local acts in pubs in my youth, the first ‘proper’ gig I went to was The Stone Roses at Alexandra Palace in 1990.

First band you fell in love with?

The first band I fell in love with were The Soup Dragons around the time of their first album which was called ‘This Is Our Art’. Go have a listen…

First song that inspired you?

The first song I was inspired by was the entire Smiths back catalogue.

First song you wrote (any good?)

The first song I wrote was with Paul when we were about 11. It was called ‘Creature Of Dreams’ and was basically the demonstration button on a Casio keyboard with me sounding about 4 singing about…. Well, creatures of dreams.

First gig you played (how did it go?)

The first gig I played was about the same time as the above song. Myself and Paul played the song to about 12 German exchange girl students in Paul’s living room.

First time you thought, “Hang on, we are onto something here...”?

The first time I thought, "Hang on, we are on to something here..." was in Paul’s living room whilst playing to 12 German exchange students.

First musical hero?

My first musical hero was probably Elvis.

For all Shed Seven tour dates & festivals go to shedseven.com | Photo - Will Ireland

THE DMA'S DNA

INTERVIEW BY JOHN EARLS. PHOTOGRAPHY BY JESSE LIZOTTE.

A DMA’S show is a guaranteed huge night. The Aussie trio – singer Tommy O’Dell and guitarists Johnny Took & Matt Mason – have become massive over here by offering a barrage of sing-along anthems. They’ve reached arena status with their beat-infused top five album THE GLOW, and are shoo-ins for soonto-be festival headliners. So what’s next for DMA’S? Alive went into the studio with Johnny to find out what else makes up the DMA’S DNA.

How much are you looking forward to getting back to playing the UK?

Oh man, I can’t wait. We learned from covid how important playing live music is. I’m not a big whinger, but we’d become a pretty non-stop touring band and there were a couple of moments where it was getting exhausting. I’m never going to complain again.

How quickly did you get used to playing live again once the pandemic allowed?

I had a bit of a disaster at our first show back. We hadn’t had chance to play THE GLOW’s songs live and the first gig back was at a festival here in Australia, in Woolongong, to 14,000 people. Life Is A

Game Of Changing and Criminals from THE GLOW both need me to trigger samples. I was so out of touch, I forgot to change the sampler’s patch. I triggered the sampler for Criminals, and the riff from Life Is A Game Of Changing came blaring out. I’d been shitting myself anyway, as we hadn’t played in so long, and suddenly the worst thing that could have happened did. But it made me realise it wasn’t so bad, so I just laughed about it.

You sold out Alexandra Palace and Liverpool Arena for THE GLOW tour. Do you feel like an arena band now?

Yeah, we’ve got to that place and we deserve to be there. I maybe wouldn’t have said that before THE GLOW, but our show is really tied off now. I wanted us to have a dance anthem, but I wasn’t sure if our audience would be ready for Life Is A Game Of Changing. It immediately became one of the biggest songs in our show, and the ballad Silver gives us another element we hadn’t really had. We’ve really gone up a gear.

How pleased are you that the fans enjoyed the dancier elements of THE GLOW?

I love that our fans have come on the journey with us. Even our second record, For Now, there were points when we were scared. We thought, “Are people going to embrace this?” over elements like the congos and our first synths. That happened again on THE GLOW, but the fans have jumped on board at every turn.

How does Tommy’s voice fit in with that change?

He’s really developed as a singer.

Totally. A strong point about our band is that we’re instantly identifiable. Once you hear Tommy’s voice, you know it’s us. Even if we tried to do something drastic, it’d be recognisably DMA’S. But, if you listen to songs from THE GLOW next to our

first EP or Hills End, Tommy sounds really different. You naturally take on facets of your inspirations, and you could tell that at first. Tommy’s voice has progressed so much.

How is work going on the new album?

We’re excited about where it’s heading. It’s too early to play any new songs at the UK shows, but we’ll release a song before the year is out. The big challenge so far is that we’ve already got too many songs to pick from for what could be the first

single. It’s being produced, in part, by the the team who worked on THE GLOW, plus a few new faces. Working with different producers on the same record is new for us, but I think it’s important for us to change up producers for each record. They all bring something new. I never want to make the same record again and again, as that’s super pointless.

What’s inspiring you lyrically in the new songs?

I’ve had a strange year, as I quit drinking last September. Lyrically, I’ve had a lot of thoughts about growing up in general. We were a raucous band when we were younger, because that period from 22-28 is when you feel invincible. Now I’m in my thirties, seeing the fearlessness of people

that age is “Wow!” I felt life catching up with me and decided to quit drinking to focus on production and on my health. It’s helped me realise what I want from life. Changes like that don’t happen overnight, and drinking and partying had become less of a priority anyway.

Were you worried you needed to be a party animal to cope with touring?

Sure. People who stop drinking say you need a full year to acclimatise: do your birthday sober, New Year, Christmas…and

in my case a sold-out Alexandra Palace. For a long time, I thought the only way to be creative was to be a tortured artist. That’s bullshit. You’re creative because you work hard and love what you do, not because you drink 10 beers a night and smoke weed. When you’re 18, it doesn’t matter how drunk you are, because you’re playing to 60 people. Suddenly, you’re playing to 10,000 people, some of whom have taken the weekend off to travel to your gig. It’s just disrespectful if you’re then drunk on stage. I’m not saying I’ll never drink again, but it’s been bloody good to reset and focus on what I really want.

You say you’re focusing on production. I presume that’s for other musicians, if you’re not producing the DMA’S album?

Yeah. I can’t say who they are yet, but me and Mason have been writing with other people a lot, which we started doing during the pandemic to stay busy. I know I’ve got a lot to give as a producer, but I haven’t done the time yet. Where I have done the time is as a songwriter. A lot of our co-writing sessions have been with producers who don’t have my years as a songwriter. I can show them how to write a pre-chorus, a middle-eight and an outro, and they’ve taught me about programming and how to create sounds. I’m going to do a lot more producing in future, starting with my partner Hayley’s record. That’s a good way to dip my toe in.

That’s Hayley Mary from The Jezabels. Did you have to negotiate with Hayley to get your production start on her first solo album?

No, she forced me to do it! I wouldn’t have thought about moving into production, but Hayley kept pushing me. She said, "You’re producing my album, I’m going to force you." We’re a good team for pushing each other forward. I’ve done the same with her before. Hayley thought about quitting music for a while. I’d go up to her, strumming my guitar and saying, "Just sing a melody." From that, we ended up writing a song that’s going to be on her record.

Has writing for other artists together changed your relationship with Mason?

It has a bit, actually. Because we live in

separate cities, we hadn’t been writing in the same room together for DMA’S so much. We’d work on our own ideas, then try to join them together when we met. We’ve realised from the writing sessions that we work best when we’re forced into a room together. Part of that is down to the work ethic. If we’ve both taken a day out to meet up and so has the artist you’re writing with, you feel obliged to get something done. If you’re with your bandmates, it’s easy to go “I’m not feeling it, let’s head home early.” If you’re with an artist you don’t know that well, nobody wants to feel you haven’t made an effort. Sometimes, forcing the work can get a great song over the line.

So much for waiting for inspiration to strike as a songwriter…

Some artists do that, and that’s cool for them. But there are thousands of ways to write a song, and I lean into the elbow grease method. I play the numbers game: I try to write one song a day, even if it’s crappy. My other goal is to get back to the feeling I had when I was 15, first discovering the mystery of songwriting and making music. If I can get back to that person, it’s a successful day.

Do you ever get back to the headspace of when you wrote your first songs when you’re on stage?

Sometimes, yeah. We played at The Old Blue Last pub in London for This Feeling and Scotts last Christmas, a really special show. Mason wrote Switch before DMA’S were even a band – he played it to me on the piano and I fell in love with it. When we played Switch at that tiny pub, the kind of venue where DMA’S started, all those memories flooded back and I got quite emotional.

When you and Mason are writing with other musicians, do you ever think, “This is too good. We’re keeping this for DMA’S”?

During sessions, I say, "Let’s just write a song. It can be for you, me or we could even give it to someone else. Let’s just write the song and work that stuff out later." Where a song ends up? That’s why you’ve got management. They can work that shit out!

DMA’S play at Neighbourhood Weekender, Neck Of The Woods, Rock N Roll Circus, TRNSMT and Reading & Leeds festivals this summer. They also play their own Live At The Seaside shows in Margate and Scarborough on July 8-9.

PEOPLE WHO STOP DRINKING SAY YOU NEED A FULL YEAR TO ACCLIMATISE: DO YOUR BIRTHDAY SOBER, NEW YEAR, CHRISTMAS… AND IN MY CASE A SOLD-OUT ALEXANDRA PALACE.

Festival season continues into August with Rewired returning for a second year. The all-day-andnighter (DJs till late!) hits the Brudenell Social Club in Leeds (13th August) and The Garage in London (14th August), showcasing some of the most exciting new indie artists from up and down the UK, including:

Rats (who’ve recently toured with DMA’S and Liam Gallagher.)

Pastel (who’ve been picked to open for LG at Knebworth.)

Gen & The Degenerates (who’ve just finished touring with Skunk Anansie.)

To celebrate the debut issue of ALIVE Mag, £6 tickets are available by scanning the QR code adjacent!

Describe your sound in 3 words? Chaotic, defiant, joy.

Who are your biggest influences? Blondie and Amy Winehouse.

What’s coming up for you?

We've got a busy festival season up ahead including Rewired Festival and 2000 Trees. Plus our own headline tour in autumn!

Gig of the year so far? Has to be Manchester (Victoria Warehouse) on the Skunk Anansie tour. It's the biggest audience we've ever played to and it was such a rush.

Favourite venue?

UP & COMERS... GEN & THE DEGENERATES REWIRED.

The Jacaranda in Liverpool. It's kind of a dive, but it's got so much history. It's where we played all of our first gigs.

Other new bands you’re loving?

Fitzroy Holt are brilliant, so is Libra Libra. I also love Bambie Thug and our Skunk Anansie touring partners Holocene.

Dreams / ambitions for the band?

For us the next big goal is being able to quit our day jobs and do the band full time. We have such big dreams but that feels like a good place to start.

(Above) Gen & The Degenerates, courtesey of Glam Gig Pics.

Rats at Invisible Wind Factory (above) and Pastel (below). Photos - Jon Mo

of the

THE FOUNDERS BEAUTIFUL GAME.

words // JAI MCINTOSH

For fear of indulging too much into cliché, Bill Shankly famously said, “Football is not a matter of life and death. It's much more important than that.” Yet, where did football originate, who were the originators, and which club came first? Step up Sheffield FC, the world’s first football club.

Football is the measure of society, a mirror that reflects not only the polarising attitudes at the heart of British society, but also the unity, togetherness, and passion that holds a nation together.

A pillar of societies around the world, football affords people a snippet of escapism that real-life rarely does. In football, history is just as significant as contemporary form, if not more important. Heritage is often used as a badge of honour, or a point of ridicule depending on the legacy your club has in the annals of footballing history.

Oftentimes, the majority of our collective footballing attention is directed at the professional leagues. Whether that be the free market magnates sitting atop the Premier League, the tribulations of fallen footballing giants working their way back up the leagues, or the relegation battles at the bottom of the football league, we rarely get a second to look back to understand where all of these narratives originate. Let’s go back in time...

It’s 1855, and Sheffield Cricket Club are in the process of organising an informal kick-about to maintain fitness throughout the winter months, without any rules, naturally. The success of the day, despite the odd injury, subsequently led two members of the cricket club, Nathaniel Creswick and William Prest to form Sheffield FC in 1857. With the original headquarters being the greenhouse of club President Frederick Ward’s father, and games being organised between members of the same club, often married vs singles, football as we know it began. Throughout 1857, Nathaniel Creswick, William Prest, and a small team of friends spent time studying the rules of Mob Football, a popular game in British universities at the time. The aim of these studies was to better understand the need to involve a set of codified regulations that would govern the game, preventing foul play and injury.

Following a year of debate, a grand meeting was called on October 21, 1858, to put together this list of rules and regulations which, a year later when published, were named the Sheffield Rules. Whilst these rules eventually adapted, the Sheffield Rules defined key tenets of the game which remain today, such as corner kicks, free kicks, thrown-ins, and fouls.

Over the following decade, the foundations of football were firmly established. Clubs all over the country often adhered to their own rules and regulations, making unifying around one association a sisyphean challenge initially. Following the formation of the Football Association in 1863, a standardised version of the game was beginning to take root, yet, it wasn’t until fifteen years of debate and dispute later that amendments were made by Sheffield FC in accordance with the FA, creating a standardised format from which football was played.

Sheffield FC played their first game outside of their hometown against Nottinghamshire in an 18 v 18 match held at the Meadows Cricket Ground in 1865. The following year, Sheffield ventured down to London to play the first intercity

match against London City at Battersea Park under FA rules; this game is often credited as the match where heading was adopted as a regular feature of a football match. 1867 witnessed the first football tournament, the Youdan Cup, which was played under the Sheffield rules. The remainder of the century witnessed a collection of footballing firsts. 1872 was the year the first international match was played between England and Scotland. The following year, Sheffield FC played in the FA Cup for the first time, a competition which, in part due to the quality of the football and the growing support, saw the FA Cup develop from a London-based competition to a nationwide competition.

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IN 2007, THE CLUB CELEBRATED THEIR 150TH ANNIVERSARY, WITH AN EVENT ATTENDED BY FOOTBALLING ICONS BOBBY CHARLTON AND PELE.

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As football became a professional sport in the mid 1880s, Sheffield FC were unable to compete with clubs such as Aston Villa and Notts County, leading the club to ask the FA to create a tournament for amateur teams, the FA Amateur Cup, a tournament the club would win in 1904 which, to this day, remains a point of pride for club and the fanbase. In footballing terms, the 1904 success was one of the high points of a challenging yet joyful twentieth century. Other notable successes come in the form of a trophy win against Eindhoven in 1946, a trophy which, to this day, remains in the trophy cabinet at Sheffield FC. The club also won the Yorkshire League Division Two title in 1975-76 and the Yorkshire League Cup in 1978.

In 1957, the club celebrated their centenary with a party attended by the Duke of Edinburgh. The club's milestones quickly became the main source of pride and celebration, with their 125th anniversary being celebrated with a game against Manchester United in 1982. 2001 also marked a major date in the history of Sheffield FC as, for the first time, the club had their own ground, Dronfield. The early 2000s provided the club with two more major milestones. Firstly, in 2004, Sheffield FC and Real Madrid were both recognised by FIFA with a Centennial Order of Merit Award. In 2007, the club celebrated their 150th anniversary, with an event attended by footballing icons Bobby Charlton and Pele whilst matches were played against Inter Milan and Ajax at Bramall Lane. The 24th October 2012 was the 155th anniversary of Sheffield FC. To commemorate, the date has now become widely recognised as World Football Day, testament to the heritage, history, and influence of the world’s first football club.

So, where are Sheffield FC now? The side currently sit just above the relegation zone of the Northern Premier League East Division. Whilst domestic form might not be at the desired level, the club remains competitive and active in the community, running a collection of community outreach programs focusing on education in the local area and charitable works such as Boots For Africa.

The world of football owes a significant amount to Sheffield FC. A club built by visionaries whose ideas and messages still remain front and centre of the beautiful game to this day.

For more info about the world's oldest club visit sheffieldfc.com

JAMIE WEBSTER

Over the last five years, Liverpool’s Jamie Webster has gone from electrician to the main stage, enthusing crowds throughout the UK and America with his rapturous, politically motivated, and melodic songs that focus on the tribulations of the working classes in contemporary society.

Jamie Webster continues to go from strength to strength following the success of his debut album We Get By, which charted at Number 6 in the Album Charts and Number 1 in the Folk Charts. His second studio album, Moments, released January 28 2022, recorded at the legendary Rockfield Studios, contains the authentic Jamie Webster sound whilst delving further into the messages and melodies that make his music so unique.

Hailing from the streets of Liverpool, Jamie Webster developed a small following singing cover songs

in the bars and pubs of his hometown. A die-hard Liverpool FC fan, Jamie used to go to both home and away games, integrating with the match going fans, and performing Kop-end songs to enthused Reds fans. Due to this, his reputation began to rapidly develop amongst the Anfield faithful.

The release of Allez Allez in 2018, his revised version of the classic L'estate sta finendo by Righeira, catapulted him to the centre of Liverpool’s fan culture, seeing him regularly perform to thousands of fans prior to major fixtures. The BOSS Night events only further enhanced his reputation, as the Liverpudlian singer songwriter performed in front of 60,000 fans ahead of the 2019 Champions League Final, as well as duets with Jamie Carragher and Alisson Becker.

Alongside Chelcee Grimes, Jamie performed for the Reds after their Premier League triumph in 2020

whilst his song This Place, a homage to his hometown, was used as the anthem for Liverpool’s success.

However, whilst his love of city and club takes pride of place, Jamie Webster has captured the hearts and minds of the passionate working classes throughout the UK and Ireland, with tours regularly selling out and gigs being as lively as you’ve ever seen, including three back-to-back nights in The Olympia. The collectivity and togetherness at his shows separate Jamie from the majority of other artists, and it is this togetherness that has taken him across the pond to America, more specifically, Texas.

After three years away due to COVID, SXSW returned to Austin. Coming back to the States, but entering Texas for the first time, Jamie Webster took his sound to the stages of Austin and the reaction was exceptional. Performing twice across the week-long festival, once at the

get to know o

ALLEZ ALLEZ ALLEZ

British Music Embassy and once at The Green Jay, it’s safe to say if he wants to return, he will be welcomed back with open arms and enthusiasm.

Upon his return to the British Isles, Jamie continued to tour Moments, including a gig in Blackpool with friends The Lathums. To give Moments its moment, the album continues to elevate Webster up the levels of the UK music scene, beating his debut album’s chart position, this time finishing in the top 3. Producer Dave Eringar, who has worked closely with the Manic Street Preachers as well as others, found an ideal synergy between artist and producer culminating in Moments being another huge success for Liverpool’s finest.

Moments focuses on the polarising opinions and working class struggles that continually fracture British society. Yet, there are some introspective moments of love and compassion that radiate through the album, giving the album a depth and character that continues to endear Webster to audiences old and new.

As festival season quickly approaches, Jamie Webster will undoubtedly be one of the standout artists to see this summer. If you don’t know, get to know.

One of the finest acts to have recently emerged from the underground scene, Liverpool’s trumpeting, Tarantino bandits Red Rum Club took the UK by storm on their recent headline tour bringing the party wherever they go. Those who have followed their triumphant rise over the last few years have been treated to gigs full of unbridled, almost hysterical joy, as fans sing back every word and get the dance floors shaking when the familiar swooning trumpet of their favourite tune kicks in. Their rise is not stopping any time soon, so if you want to see these guys before they’re playing the really really huge venues, it’s last chance saloon. Next step: global domination (they’re off to the States - again!).

You can follow all of Red Rum Club's upcoming shows at redrumclub.com

Photos - Gary Prior at Visionhaus Music

Catchy, captivating and oozing charm. It's no wonder this club is booming.

For fans of: Catfish, Courteeners, The Lathums. Check out: Mrs Narcissistic & Mariana.

BREAKING BANDS.

The wave-makers, breaking on the UK music scene.

Dutch ethereal shoe-gazers touring with Pixies this summer.

For fans of: Her’s, Lo Moon, Art School Girlfriend. Check out: Ocean View & Blank Page.

Got the songs and swagger to be Manchester's next big guitar band.

For fans of: Kasabian, The Cooper Temple Clause. Check out: Sweet Lullaby & No Violence.

Pretty much the hottest new band in the land right now. Gonna be massive, and that's a fact.

For fans of: Muse, The Breeders, Hole. Check out: Come Over (Again) & I Can't Drive.

Anthems galore. Watch out for these at all the major festivals this year.

For fans of: Coldplay, The Verve, Doves. Check out: Frontline & Blindside.

Joyous live performances & cosmic, hip-swinging anthems.

For fans of: Bowie, Blur, James. Check out: Good Life Better & Headspace.

Championed by Noel, Weller & Marr et al. Relentlessly releasing spine-tingling singles.

For fans of: Noel Gallagher, Jake Bugg, Sam Fender. Check out: Runaway & Where's My Family Gone?

Scruffy Scouse indie with pop hooks for the masses.

For fans of: The Streets, The La’s, DMA’S. Check out: Patsy Decline & Figure It Out.

Every single song they've released is an anthem. Another Manc band sure to blow up and blow up big.

For fans of: Oasis, The Verve, The Charlatans. Check out: Born Under a Cloud.

LISTEN UP!

Swirling swaggering psychedelia gaining momentum with every release. Sure to explode post Knebworth.

For fans of: Oasis, The Verve, The Charlatans. Check out: Deeper Than Holy & Isaiah.

An incredible voice and golden songwriting. A must-see new live act.

For fans of: Damon Albarn, Leonard Cohen, King Krule. Check out: Medicine & Kelly.

Here’s 20 new tunes you need to add to your summer playlists now…

TOGETHER AT LAST. SUMMER AT LAST. A SUMMER OF FREEDOM, FRIENDSHIP, FLARES & FLAG-WAVING. NO INHIBITIONS. NO RESTRICTIONS. NORMALITY RESUMED. A SUMMER OF AFTERS, OF THE UNEXPECTED, AND OF ONE DRINK ONE TOO MANY. OF CAPTURING THE MOMENTS THAT LAST A LIFETIME. ARMS IN THE AIR; FORGETTING WHERE WE ARE, BUT KNOWING THAT WE'RE HERE. WITH THE PEOPLE THAT MAKE IT ALL WORTH IT. SEIZE THE DAY, MAKE IT COUNT. MAKE IT COUNT. THE SUMMER OF '22, THIS ONE IS FOR ALL OF YOU.