MICHIE ::: Interview

With a widely anticipated new single hitting that there t’internet, we’re thrilled to have caught up with MICHIE for an extensive chinwag.

TSoFDs: Thanks for speaking to us. What have you been up to since your last album release?

MICHIE: Well… I began under a different moniker a long, long time ago in a galaxy far, far away as “The John Michie Collective.” I didn’t choose the name, but it eventually pissed me off enough to switch to just my surname in big caps, “MICHIE,” for this new set of releases. Additionally, there have been significant changes since around 2020. I reflected extensively on the shortcomings in my mixes for “High Vibrations.” There were numerous issues, such as a poor-quality microphone and inadequately mixed drums, as my understanding of mixing was simply amateur. I was constantly battling against subpar equipment throughout the process. While the debut has its merits… like some people absolutely love it… and it did allow me to carve out a little space for myself in the underground indie scene… I view it more as a learning project with some standout songs. Since then… well covid happened… I also dedicated myself to self-improvement and honing my skills, addressing all the weaknesses in my equipment. The delay is partially due to financial constraints; this is not an inexpensive hobby. Did a little collab with two mates under the name “The Roundlakes.” However, it also provided ample time for me to watch reruns of Heartbeat waiting for everything to align.

TSoFDs: Excellent. What would you say has been the biggest upgrade equipment wise and what do you think has been the major improvement in your mixing ability? Also, who is your favourite character in Heartbeat (chortle)?

MICHIE: Well, it has to be P.C. Alf Ventress as he was abducted by aliens in one of the episodes. Bloody hilarious as he spends the rest of the show sitting on his arse smoking cigarettes… Someone at ITV must have wanted to capitalise on that Roswell autopsy video that came out the same year. My biggest improvement in mixing is around the vocals, drums, reverb and panning. I am still not there yet but I know I have made inroads. It think it will likely be another album of struggle before I get to where I want to be. As for equipment… I can sit here and talk about the guitars or mic I have picked up… and I did pick up some nice gear, but the most important element in any bedroom music production setup is the computer. I had to save up for a Mac Studio, and that took a long while as they aren’t cheap. I spent a shitload of cash in that two-to-three-year gap… but kinda marks where a hobby turned a little more serious. I kinda write while the project is open, so every song arrives in a non-linear fashion. Do a little here and there until you have a picture. It’s maybe why my songs are a bit all over the place. Thankfully someone created the psych genre to make it acceptable. That in-between gap of saving for the new computer meant I really couldn’t write any songs. I kinda spent a whole year messing around a little, but it did allow me to cement some relationships that I had made on what was “music Twitter.”

TSoFDs: Music Twitter. What’s your relationship with social media? Has it been mainly positive regarding getting heard or has it come with drawbacks?

MICHIE: Well, everything was fine and dandy before Elon Musk began selling bin juice as champagne. There was a core group of people interested in music, and we could all see each other. There was a vibe. It is fair to say the pandemic created that space. I had to shift over to Bluesky Social because, well, you know. This has caused some issues as the site is not fully open and lacks basic features. It’s one of the reasons my album “Explore” is out in 2025 and not now even though it is fully done. The old community seems to be split between 4-5 different platforms. Shame on those of you still on Twitter. I am calling you out—yes, you. I guess Threads is where I should also be, but the thought of “Meta” in general makes me want to get a lobotomy and listen to Michael Bolton. I feel the people on Threads are only there because they don’t like the idea of starting from scratch. They want those likes, but I’d say you already know those guys, and it’s kind of letting an opportunity slide to expand your circle. I feel if you release, they will find it anyway. I am placing my money on Bluesky being the go-to place in the end as it is essentially old Twitter. There is a level of decency that seems to be present, which is good to see, and they are doing due diligence on building the site. No adverts, and you can build your own timelines. At some point, that will gain traction—it’s just so fucking slow watching them build it. In terms of getting heard and using social media, well, that is a game, isn’t it? You are making content not for yourself or your music but to sell adverts these sites are placing. That is the game. I think I am a bit too old to be messing around like that. What am I going to do? One of those videos of me playing guitar… come on guys every fucker who can play Wonderwall is doing that… how does that make you stand out? But I guess that is a little better than the guys daily shoving a link up in hope someone will click on it. I use social media as a place to connect with people and talk. That is how I promote. I rarely talk politics, sex or religion unless asked… kinda means you are less likely to offend anyone. I feel people will eventually give your catalogue a listen if they are interested in you.

TSoFDs: You’ve stated the new album is a step up in terms of production values, has there been a noticeable shift with regards the songwriting too?

MICHIE: Err, nope… I have a method of writing songs, which is music first and then the lyrics. I grasp the basic feel of what is happening and then determine how many syllables fit that part. Afterward, I write down as many sentences as possible that fit that… then weave a story together. I have no idea how people write lyrics first then music. That is some kind of voodoo nonsense. The song can then get gutted and rearranged as I get into the production stages. I dislike the lyrics part, if I’m honest, mainly because it is always a bottleneck in my process. Primarily, as I am not a wordsmith. I am not an avid reader of books. I have literally only read about ten fiction books in my life. My brain has trouble processing text in general. It may seem a bit weird as I write for a music blog, but I am not great with English. Everything with me is sound and images. One thing I am conscious of is that when I write an album, I do want ten songs that have lyrics on them. I don’t know why. It is kind of irrational, as my favourite band, Pink Floyd, released a lot of instrumental works on their best albums. But for me, I do kind of feel it isn’t an album unless it has that. I don’t set out to write an overarching narrative and I also don’t care if the songs work together. Just write the material and get it up to scratch. Shuffle play and see how it all comes together is my process.

TSoFDs: That seems to be a lot of songwriters’ approach. However, like Zappa, who stated he began to sing/write lyrics because that’s what’s expected from a band, you seem similarly uninterested in words. Did you ever consider just writing instrumentals or does it feel compositionally like your voice needs to be there so you do it intuitively?

MICHIE: I believe it depends on the genre maybe? I have created an ambient/noise record under my old moniker titled “Toward The Rainbow.” It is certainly not everyone’s cup of tea and can be described as a challenging listen. Personally, I appreciate it as it allowed me to experiment with freedom and explore the possibilities within a DAW. I didn’t mind whether anyone listened to it. It was inspired by a Brian Eno documentary, I saw him manipulating settings in Logic that were new to me so I kinda thought “ahh what is the guy messing with?” While my finished product is by no means an “Apollo,” there are some sounds on that record that I have no idea how I created. Ultimately, classic rock ‘n’ roll is at the core of my musical identity. Although I have an incredibly broad taste in music, when I entered the realm of transforming sound into a polished product, I carried with me a desire to emulate classic albums that moulded me during my childhood… whether by The Beatles, John Martyn etc. I appreciate The Chemical Brothers, but their impactful tracks feature lyrics. While my musical tastes are wide, I have an underlying belief that rock ‘n’ roll isn’t truly rock ‘n’ roll unless it includes lyrics. There aren’t really that many standout rock ‘n’ roll albums of just instrumentals… you kinda have to get into Lalo Schifrin or John Barry territory… which isn’t that genre… kinda more jazz… before it becomes acceptable. I don’t know… life is really tough and I think people need melancholy to make them feel like they are not alone. I don’t consider myself the greatest songwriter or vocalist… I would even debate whether I am competent at it. However, it is undeniably challenging, and that is what I find addictive. When everything comes together which is rare, like on a song from my upcoming album “Riding The Light,” it feels amazing. It’s like I am doing what they did and to me it is just as good.  At some point, I would like to find more of a balance between lyrics and sound. One of my favourite records, Talk Talk’s “Spirit of Eden,” uses sound for suspense and texture, yet it remains highly engaging. Perhaps that is an even greater challenge.

TSoFDs: On the topic of classic rock and roll, do you think you’d have been better off as a musician in the 60s or 70s or even the 90s? 

MICHIE: I think, first and foremost, I don’t perform live, so my approach and answer to this might differ from other artists. Regarding my sound, I believe I would have been better off releasing music in the mid-1990s, as the industry then was more focused, to some extent, around guitar-based acts and the general public wanted it… unless, of course, you were in the States, where there was a greater interest in hip-hop and all that jazz. My sound would likely have been more fitting for that era than say the 1960s… Maybe the very early 1970s would be a good fit for me as there was such a diverse amount of music coming out between 70-74. Then it turned a bit shit with stadium prog rock and overmilked disco… The 1980s was quite frankly horrific. 2000s was heroin chic which isn’t me… and since then… well… give me strength. Nevertheless, on balance, I would say that now is the perfect time for me to release music. I don’t hear many people doing what I do. No one seems to be incorporating guitar solos in tracks, and the trend has shifted from Les Pauls to cheaper Fenders. Music has zero grunt. There’s a noticeable absence of individuals creating psychedelic music with roots in the 60s and 70s… instead, it’s dominated by beige falsetto vocals and Tame Impala-style sounds. Tame Impala… I kinda get and it has had an influence on me… but everyone is on that bandwagon. I believe I have a distinctive “sound.” Perhaps there isn’t much demand for that type of music. I am happy and if people listen, they listen… if they don’t then I wish them luck with their Oasis wannabie acts… it’s no skin off my nose and they are getting something out of it. Moreover, technology is more accessible now, eliminating the need to depend solely on touring or a record label owned by someone who failed in a band themselves, putting me in debt for their gain. Nowadays, you can start uploading songs with a relatively small investment and use the internet, the greatest tool ever, to directly reach people. That is democracy and I welcome that availability. I have said this before but it really pisses me off when artists say there is too much crap being released and it’s drowning them out. Thousands of tracks a day being uploaded to streaming. You see this… so what? Your music sounded shit at one stage too… it likely still sounds shit… and these guys should be allowed to learn and grow. It is not their fault you have no fan base. We could discuss the financial aspects and the questionable practices of Spotify, the reality is that the money has always been pretty piss poor… I don’t think I would be any richer releasing in the 1970s as now.

TSoFDs: Have you ever performed live and would you be open to performing live in future?

MICHIE: I’ve never performed live, except for busking once in London while incredibly drunk at about 1am in the morning. To be honest, that was fun, but overall, I don’t believe there’s much money in performing live unless you’re involved in event organisation. Building a fan base yes but that is not a guarantee… From what I’ve seen from people who have toured, it seems to be a significant financial burden… especially now with inflation etc… Getting a 30-minute slot at the arse end of the country in some dive and being paid £50 doesn’t fill me joy. I also have concerns about ear damage, spending time in a van with a group of guys who you have to make artistic compromises with. Personally, I would prefer to gradually upgrade my equipment and concentrate on the production side. We all have different aspects of the industry that interest us, but it’s the behind-the-scenes work that interests me. Kinda why I write for a music blog… but at the end of the day… it is all about the studio… pissing around for hours and seeing what sounds I can make… I really do not care if I am missing out on reaching a group of people who still find fun going to music festivals and squatting over a chemical toilet… I understand there’s an expectation that musicians should perform live, but I suspect many artists wouldn’t if they weren’t tied to the ball and chain of a record label and could just create… Plus I have two cats I need to look after… Family first.

TSoFDs: What bits and pieces have you got your eye on equipment wise?

MICHIE: Ah, man, how much time do you have? I’ve got a list as long as my arm, and I also struggle with having expensive tastes. This means that purchases aren’t as frequent as I’d like. I’m still debating whether I’ll release my next album as a vinyl run. A grand and a half means I am making a big dint in Gibson Custom price bracket. Opportunity cost and all that… I’m eyeing a Gibson ES-355, which, in an ideal world, will be my next purchase since I’m lacking a semi-acoustic, preferably a Custom Shop of course. Same goes for a Gibson Firebird for the Keith Richards vibes… man they are sexy guitars… I’m a bit of a snob when it comes to guitars, and something cheap made in Mexico, Korea, or China won’t cut it plus they don’t hold value. I picked up a Les Paul Custom a few years back and it has over doubled in value… kinda a no brainer. Plus, the wood these guitars are made out of are getting close to being banned so its kinda do it when you can. I wouldn’t turn down a J-200 or a J-45 either. Love me a Rickenbacker Bass. There are plenty of other things I’d like, such as a reel-to-reel tape machine, sitar, zither, violin, and so on. Anything that makes a sound, I’m interested in. Music is a never ending and very expensive hobby… like you have the world of effects pedals, software and all the room treatment stuff, mics etc. I literally could blow a million quid on music and only have a few items and still not be satisfied at the end of the day… yes I would be that guy buying the 100k Les Paul.

TSoFDs: The cost involved in investing in your craft compared to how difficult it is to earn money from recordings rather begs the question, how the hell do we get streaming companies to pay more per stream? Or indeed anything at all…

MICHIE: Ah man… I am going to let rip here… fucking hell… There are a few issues here. Firstly, they have the money… they have it. Don’t be fooled by the creative accounting, owning offices that rack up losses to manipulate their tax returns and all that jazz. They have the money. When the wealthiest people in Sweden are the top brass of Spotify, they have the money. When that bald git Ek is casually investing large sums in weapons companies, they have the money. When the owner of Deezer is also the owner of Warner and happens to be one of Putin’s mates and ain’t on a sanctions list, they have the money. Wonder who he has been donating large sums of money to avoid that one? When Tidal is owned by Jack Dorsey, who flogged Twitter to that muppet Elon at a significantly inflated price, they have the money. I am a bit sick of these rich dudes getting richer and saying they have fuck all for the rest of us… Fucking hell… Thatcher and Reagan have been dead a long fucking while… how is their legacy treating you? Have your fucking kids moved out yet to their own house? Open your eyes… The issue here then becomes actual legislation to create a system that protects musicians. Until we make our voices heard by writing to our representatives, which I have done, the industry will continue to enjoy pissing on our strawberries. If someone comes to me and, in a stupid voice, insisting that “these rich white dudes really don’t have the money,” managing to provide this elusive proof, the issue is then getting people to actually pay what the music is worth. I’m sorry, but $9.99 won’t cut it for access to all the music ever made. Then they’ll say, “Oh, we can’t afford that.” Well, cancel your fucking Disney, Netflix, Paramount, Amazon, and Sky subscriptions, along with your Sky Cinema, Atlantic, and all that other shit bolted on you don’t watch. You pay for that. I’m not here to shit on streaming… I think it’s great. In terms of reach and not needing a label… However, the value that people place on it and the way these cowboys are regulated needs a little work.

TSoFDs: I think that’s a perfect place to end our conversation. Let’s leave that bit to simmer in people’s noggins. Thanks so much for your time and best of luck with the new music AND the bank busting purchases 🙂

MICHIE: Cheers!

Presave Explore.

Find the MICHIE linktree here.

Follow MICHIE on Bandcamp.

Feardrops – Doll Drums

Have a ganders at this new music video from gruesome twosome, Feardrops. These are, let’s be honest, pretty disgusting times but in the case of Feardrops at least pretty disgusting times can also genuinely BE pretty. See what I did there? Yes. I’m playing with words. Which is exactly what Feardrops are doing with the title of this dreamy little acoustic number. Doll drums. Doldrums. I know the feeling.

At a time of year when the grind can start to be overwhelming this is a suitably tender ballad which might just chime with the jingle jangle of your Christmas. Feardrops is the brainchild of Junks‘ visonary David William Kay and Pet Conspiracy’s Edo De Bastiani. They are based in Shenzhen, China, giving them a unique take on the modern world and unique surroundings which inevitably bleed into their output.

Give Feardrops a follow on Instagram to keep up with their comings and goings.

Blokeacola ::: Interview

On the eve of brand new Blokeacola release ‘Quasars and Fluff’ (available now), TSoFDs was delighted to have a chinwag and a chortle with the chap himself.

TSoFDs: Hello, thanks for meeting up! Let’s start at the beginning. Track 1, ‘Suspension of Disbelief’, is a really interesting mishmash of sounds and instrumentation – what made you choose it as the first track?

Blokeacola: My pleasure! This was perhaps the first track I recorded when embarking on this crazy double album mission and always felt like the first track. I think that’s because I didn’t want to start with something that made the listener settle into a particular kind of groove and then expect a certain kind of record. I wanted something that signaled this was going to go in lots of different directions.

TSoFDs: Good call. So, how the hell did you go about choosing the running order for this many songs?!!

Blokeacola: Heh heh, it was actually a real worry once I’d settled on my 30 tracks. For a while there I just didn’t know how to put it all together. Then I thought about the White Album by The Beatles and decided to approach it as four sides. That made it a lot easier and I feel like the pacing of the whole thing works really well.

TSoFDs: You pulled it off! Track 2, ‘Famous Doctor Pavilion’, is very punchy and very surreal, how did the lyrics come about?

Blokeacola: I’m glad you asked! There’s a story behind it. Well, the title anyway. I’d ended up on the wrong floor of a building near where I live (Hangzhou, China) and I think it was a private healthcare place or something. Dodgy English or ‘Chinglish’ is, as you know, a regular occurrence here and it made me chuckle that where you had to wait to see a doctor was called the ‘Famous Doctor Pavilion’. It led me to an imaginary place which allowed me to satirise the world we live in, both online and offline. As you say, I wanted to make it ‘punchy’ because the first song is so scattergun, it’s good to give the listener something a bit more straightforward to ease into!

TSoFDs: Yes, I love the way it comes in. What has proved different about making an album which is this long? It’s a lot to juggle.

Blokeacola: The main difference was how I steered the process. There was a conscious attempt to write different types of songs and experiment with more stripped down numbers as much as possible. I figured if I wanted to make something this long then there needed to be more variety. That meant not always having lots of drums, for example.

TSoFDs: One track that does have lots of drums is ‘Mayonnaise Lifestyle’, a hilarious stream of consciousness account of someone home alone, if I’m not mistaken, but what was the jumping off point for the music?

Blokeacola: Those were fun lyrics to write and record (laughs). It might not seem obvious but I’ve been quite influenced by African music, which is a very lazy, reductive way to refer to a whole continent of many different peoples and forms of music, but what I mean is that kind of trebley guitar sound which often doubles up across the stereo field. I’ll hear something like that and then it’ll go through my own filter. I think it’s very common for musicians to absorb things and regurgitate them in their own way. Radiohead were channeling DJ Shadow I think I heard them say once, when they made ‘OK Computer’, but it’s not necessarily obvious to the average music consumer.

TSoFDs: Yep, I know what kind of guitar sound you mean. How long did the album take to make and was it a torturous process?

Blokeacola: The time period was September 2022 to May 2023. You’d think it would be stressful but it was kind of similar to most things I make actually, pretty rapid. The initial writing, recording and mixing was really great fun then that final stage when I needed to make final decisions and tweaks before sending it to the mastering engineer came to be a bit tedious. I suppose having this many tracks makes it a more irritating admin task as well (laughs manically).

TSoFDs: I dread to think! Track 9 ‘Bobby Balloon’ is a noticeable change in sound at that point of the record – what prompted the writing of this fun little tune?

Blokeacola: Good old Bobby. Well, I’d had that guitar part kicking around for years. Knowing I needed different kinds of songs to give the record staying power, I thought this was a good time to lock it down. Having a sense of what kind of album I was making helped me pick a lyrical direction for it that suited the Blokeacola persona. It became a kind of tongue-in-cheek, knowing wink in the direction of ‘Rocky Raccoon’ by The Beatles. A sort of, “What are you doing you silly sod, thinking you can accomplish something similar to the White Album?!!” I think having that sense of fun and not taking myself too seriously helped ease the pressure. It allowed me to knock out a really cool little ditty and create some probably quite familiar characters (chuckles).

TSoFDs: Yes, they come across as very recognizable celebrities or fallen idols. Is it fair to say the stripped down or acoustic stuff is a new way of writing and recording for you?

Blokeacola: I guess it’s not what people who have heard ‘Mango Insane’ might necessarily associate with me but ‘Common Enemy Comet’ on the ‘Wig Game’ EP was pretty well received so that encouraged me I could vary my output. People that knew me before Blokeacola will be aware that acoustic guitar or more melancholy music is something I’m equally comfortable with.

TSoFDs: A track like ‘Carrion’ certainly doesn’t seem like your typical Blokeacola track?

Blokeacola: You’re right. I’d say it’s rare for me with Blokeacola to make something so direct. I tend to find it more interesting to collect lyrical ideas as I go along and throw them together in an abstract and surreal way but that still, somehow, alludes to a deeper truth, at least in my weird mind (laughs). But sometimes a song just writes itself or needs to be written. I’d visited a rundown area of the city where people were just living amongst so much rubbish and rubble that it affected me somehow and sparked a song, not that it’s literally all about that. I’d say it’s about a few different things and works on different levels. It could simply be about a relationship. Or post-truth society. Or late stage capitalism. Or all three!

TSoFDs: Deep! Are there any particular tracks you’d like to draw listeners’ attention to that might not be obvious bangers but have a special place in your heart?

Blokeacola: They’re all my little babies but, if I had to pick one, I do really love ‘Chasing Down Mountain Goats’. I think I was probably wishing I was Cate Le Bon when I was making that. I put my 3rd Dimension (BBD-320) to good use on the vocals.

TSoFDs: (looks confused).

Blokeacola: Sorry (laughs). It’s a bit of kit modeled on a chorus unit Brian Eno used to use a lot back in the day and it’s all across the LP on different things. So that tune (Chasing Down Mountain Goats) might not necessarily be a song that stands out to a lot of people but I just love how the lyrics are relatable, silly and witty all at once and, also, the title documents a rather joyous time in my life bonding with my son playing Zelda, when, I’m sorry to say, a lot of mountain goats were brutally hunted down for their meat.

TSoFDs: Cosmic. To round things off, after this massive audio undertaking, what could possibly be expected to be next for Blokeacola?

Blokeacola: The thought of another Blokeacola release seems downright daft after this but it’ll hopefully happen at some point (laughs wearily and sighs). Really though I want to focus on promoting this record for a good while yet as there’s a lot of material on it that deserves its time in the sun. And there seems to be a worrying and ultimately exhausting amount of sun to go around in Hangzhou (laughs, pants like a dog and mops brow). In terms of actually making music I’ll be shifting my attention to Shrube for the time being, a collaboration with an old pal back in the UK, so look out for that!

TSoFDs: Will do. Well thankfully the rain has arrived now and life here will cool down a bit. Thanks so much for your time and best of luck with this LP. Quasars and Fluff is an incredible record!

Blokeacola: Thanks so much!

Quasars and Fluff is also available on CD.

Joe Adhemar ::: Interview

TSOFDs: Thanks a lot for conversing with us today Joe. First of all it’d be great to know a bit about your background, how you got started in music, where you come from and the name of your projects and how they differ, depending on what hat you’re wearing. If we’re not mistaken you have two music projects and you also produce for and collaborate with other artists?

JA: I guess a lot of people at this question would start with when they played in their first band but I think the origins are when I sat down aged seven, after a couple of years of piano lessons, with my grandad. He played a decent level of jazz guitar post-war. His explanation of the 12 bar blues (in C – the pianist’s most friendly key) set the hares running for me as a songwriter. My mum never forced me to practise after that day. Projects? I definitely wear a few different hats, as you put it. To begin with I have the somewhat unoriginal artist name ‘Joe Adhemar’ which I still regret to this day using for my songwriter project. I wish I’d gone for something mysterious that has less personality attached. But there you go. I also spend a lot of my time doing remixes and production work for others. Mostly paid work but I do write on my SoundBetter profile, ‘I adjust my rates to match your financial circumstances’. I have a well paid day job so the financial side is not as pressing but I also have a burning desire to retire from the industry I am in, so one day I can make it my livelihood. The final project is The Invisible Squirrel. I try to keep this low key on the personality side. In fact it often allows me to be irreverent on Twitter. This artist profile is all about getting people up dancing or at the very least nodding their head with zero acknowledgement of  ‘Joe’ (apart from here).

TSOFDs: We love that pesky squirrel. How do you find the time to juggle all this different music, work, family, social media/promotion, etc? Are you a good organizer when it comes to time management or do you just somehow manage to muddle through energized by the creative buzz you get from it all?

JA: I do seem, in comparison, to have quite a large output but there are two factors at play. I have an incredibly supportive wife, Sarah. She spends much of the day at work (with horses) and is quite happy with me spending most of my time in the studio. Secondly, I have nearly 20 years of experience using the DAW Logic Pro, with experience producing backing tracks, stage show music and have produced around 300 Karaoke type tracks for my own covers band (not now) or for others. Having many of the ‘answers’ from that experience, really helps in how to achieve ideas quickly. More recently I have spent a lot of time trying to unravel the secrets of mixing and mastering. To be fair, most artists during the last two years have advanced their technique and knowledge whilst lockdown gave them the opportunity. I feel I graduated from the bedroom demo skill level to genuinely calling myself a producer sometime at the end of 2021. 18 years after I got my first Mac.

TSOFDs: Let’s hear it for the wives! You’ve had a fair bit of success over on Bandcamp – what advice would you offer someone pitching their latest release? Do you believe there’s an art to a successful pitch or is it simply down to the music?

JA: 2022 was amazing for me on BC. I got featured on ‘New and Notable’ as both Joe and Invisible Squirrel somehow. How do you pitch? That is a question best answered by visiting their website as much as you can and seeing what they pick. What you write as a pitch is an entirely personal affair but what I can safely say is that both mine definitely lacked hubris and narcissism and were brief explanations of the artistic aims of the music. I think the first track they listen to needs to be as original and strong as you can muster. Obviously.

TSOFDs: Great insight. Is it fair to say you’re something of an unofficial ambassador for Bandcamp? You’re noted for trying to impress upon people the virtues of the platform. Why do you think it’s so important for artists and consumers alike to try and prioritize it more?

JA: I am so glad you asked this. I have no affiliation with BC, so cut that ambassador chat out right now! My stance regarding Bandcamp is this: look at the relationship all the BIG streaming players have with the artists. They hoard your data. They keep your fans’ identity secret. They pay you fk all. They have no incentive to allow any DIY artists to flourish. The big labels want hegemony and Spotify particularly (when you look under the hood) are owned by the corporates. So don’t expect your Spotify pitch to be read, ever. Bandcamp is still very niche but from where I look, the only people who can change that are the artists themselves. I remember Twitter in 2009. VERY niche. Now look at it. If someone opens a vinyl store in your town, would you walk in to the shop and berate the owner that no one knows about it? Nope. You’d tell your friends to get down there and show their support I hope. Until one day it is thriving.  So I will continue to go on about them. There is amazing stuff on there and a lot of rubbish too. But we all know how to skip. In fact Bandcamp tells you who listened and who couldn’t get beyond the first 10% of the song. I wish one or two artists who whine about the platform took a look at those stats. They might just find out why they don’t sell purely from that statistic. 

TSOFDs: Haha well we did state ‘unofficial’. It used to be the case that every artist dreamed about getting signed and doing music full-time. It feels like people are seeing through this now more and more. So many news stories regarding the mental health toll touring takes recently and of course fewer and fewer are making any decent money from recordings. Is it really worth the pressure a label will put on you to make endless TikTok content whilst taking a big fat percentage of the negligible amount you earn from streams anyway? 

JA: I’m of the opinion that streaming has been a great opportunity for absolutely anyone to be heard. It is such a wonderful moment for even the shyest bedroom crooner sat there with GarageBand and a two octave keyboard to know that their music, if you search hard enough for it, is global. The flipside is so many people are releasing music that would never have made the light of day before streaming happened. So the egalitarian accessibility has diluted the overall content massively. So listeners have only so many minutes in the day to read or listen. Sadly, I often find that some of the loudest voices on social media are paradoxically the worst musicians. It’s like they got trapped in a bucket list moment and no one ever told them they should just stick to playing the guitar badly at family gatherings. But thankfully these oxygen thieves all possess a narcissism that they, should they read this, will never know it applies to them. So I can say such unkind things with no ill effects! I might even be one of them  I hear you thinking. They are probably right! As for record deals. So few bands get signed these days maybe because four/five rowdy punk boys/girls are far harder to mould than one, fame-hungry, attention seeking singer. This is after all, the economic epoch of zero hours jobs in a world run by the cleverest sociopaths. It also seems that the 45 second TikTok clip is all the masses need to hear in order to choose whether they add a track to their Spotify liked playlist rather than invest their downtime on an album. BUT, things are changing. My daughter Lucy (aged 20) is now buying vinyl and has stolen the 40 or so Radiohead CDs I had collected in the 90s. So there is money to be made from guitar bands. But no effort is being made to move the young listener market over. It’s more an underground backlash to the corporate bullshit from a youth that has amongst them, a real sense of rebellion. Not quite the spirit of 1977 but watch this space. Album listening is making a revival and hopefully the major labels might try a bit harder to catch on to this momentum. I also think that bands are not political enough. Show your rage and the angry will catch on. I am laughing right now because I have nearly finished a song with my favourite collaborator, Jim Sanger, called ‘Revolution by Hashtag’ that includes the lyric, ‘Where is the Spirit of Joe Strummer?’

TSOFDs: We’ve taken far too long to get to your fabulous new record, ‘About the Soul’. What do you think makes this album such an important progression for you?

JA: Thank you for calling it fabulous! Progression as a musician took a real step back for me in 2013 when I mangled my finger playing cricket. It is now virtually redundant (right hand fourth finger) due to the incompetence of the surgeon. So awful were his methods I got a significant amount of compensation from his employer the NHS but I used the money wisely and bought the whole Native Instruments package which enabled me a limitless palette of sound/instrumental choices. The twisted finger meant I could no longer play Chopin but it honed my ability to progress as a pianist rhythmically. I also began to study at that time how the best songwriters construct a song when I was writing backing tracks. That sort of forensic level of song construction and mix techniques, how to build to a chorus, how drummers play, etc, gave me an insight, five years later, how to write more effectively. Fast-forward to 2020 and we all know why we got more time to pursue our art. I learnt with the first three albums how to competently mix, so when About The Soul, my fifth, arrived I had sufficient expertise to release it without feeling like I was an imposter. The mixes are strong and loud enough yet retain the dynamics without banging hard against the limiter (another pet hate of mine – I compile radio shows for a few people and many of the submitted tracks are thick black blocks with zero headroom). So, the progression is ongoing but right now I feel competent enough to produce others and mix others to a standard that is good enough to nibble away at the established professionals. As for the songs themselves the only thing I can say is their fabulousness is not something I can comment on. I am proud of them all but accept they’re not to everyone’s taste.

TSOFDs: If someone’s taste is appealing production and songwriting then they’re onto a winner. You’re big on your Arturia synths. Any ones in particular you just can’t resist going back to? If so, what is it about that particular synth or those particular synths that makes it/them so suitable to your style of music or approach?

JA: It’s always going to be the Yamaha CS-80. Its pads are just so lush. But I find each one of the synths in the collection has something that can be used. Even the DX7 which I loathed by the time the 80s was over. But it has some really great spikey percussive sounds up its sleeve.

TSOFDS: It feels like people are doing the 80s so much better these days, if that makes any sense! What’s your production process like? Do you write a song before sitting down at the computer or do you compose using your DAW? Is there a set way or order you approach things or does it differ from song to song? 

JA: Various methods:

1) I sit down at my normal piano and just noodle away. Waiting for the glorious mistake that makes melodic sense.

2) I hear a great bit of drumming and sit down and try and play it myself then use the rhythmic foundation to build a song.

3) I find an epic sound and just make that the backbone.

Lyrically it’s harder. I am still trying to ween myself off the rhyming but hopefully the cliched couplets are nearly all gone. I managed to chisel in rhyming ‘brambles’ with ‘shambles’ the other day, so when I do fail, it’s hopefully not too contrived.

TSOFDs: Are you someone that uses a wide selection of gear or do you have a limited amount of equipment you go back to again and again? Do you mix entirely in the box or do you use outboard gear as well?

JA: My gear is mainly software samples played via an 88 note KOMPLETE KONTROL keyboard. I have a real grand piano, a Squire guitar and Neumann microphone through an LA-610. My monitors are my favourite investment. They have a bottom end of 37Hz which means a lot as a mixer. Most of the guitar you hear on my albums is either Jim Sanger or me playing an open tuning guitar. My bass is always a Rickenbacker sample that I play on a keyboard.

TSOFDs: Always fascinating to find out what the cornerstones are to a person’s overall sound. Let’s round things off by discussing music that shaped you and music you’re listening to right now – which household names do you think are key influences on your style of output and which independent artists are you enjoying these days you think should be reaching more listeners?

JA: Overground bands/artists I love right now who I strongly urge you to check out if you haven’t heard of them, are Pinegrove, Squid, Crystal Method, Kate Tempest, and Rover. My household named major influences are Radiohead, Talk Talk, Peter Gabriel, Blue Nile, Ray Lamontagne, Asgeir, LCD Soundsystem, The Shins, Nine Inch Nails, Gary Numan. I could go on. As for the underground. In no particular order we have:

Silvi. She has the lungs that make you sit up and take note. She appears to have got a decent band together so she can grow as a performer. The scene is fickle but she has a strong chance of getting signed if she writes a killer album.

Blokeacola. He has a signature sound. And his lyrics are the best in the scene. He is also the least show offy guy on Twitter which makes me love him even more.

The Roundlakes. These are three guys I know reasonably well complementing each other’s strengths. They all sing but my heart lies with James Willows who does the plaintive Thom Yorke vocal thing brilliantly.

The Heavy North. Traditional thumping rock band but their lead singer has the larynx of Otis Redding after a good night out shouting at the moon. They are immense live.

Skylu. Not many people know that she has run an open mic in London for a few years. She has excellent tunes. Her voice is astounding.

Arcade State. Trying hard to muscle in on the gritty rock band scene, these lads from Glasgow have a tall order to catch fire but their tunes are solid as fk.

Silver Haar. I produce these lads. They are all excellent musicians. Done well, their next album will turn heads. And they can do it live just as good.

TSOFDs: Plenty of recommendations there for us to track down. Thank so much for your time.

JA: As is always the case, I hope I have not come across as too arrogant with my answers but like most people, self-belief can crumble any time (and to be fair, my streaming stats could easily give my doubt a comeback tour) but in summary I’ve really enjoyed my year so far. Slow organic progress, picking up listeners on the platform I love – BANDCAMP!!

TSOFDs: Not at all, it’s always a relief when interviewees are willing to provide comprehensive answers, if for no other reason that it means we don’t have to edit our questions down so we’re not overshadowing the artist haha. Take care Joe and thanks again.

Find all of Joe Adhemar’s releases on Bandcamp.

Feardrops ::: New Music

It’s not often you hear a new outfit rapidly firing off material of immediately consistent high quality but, fresh out of Shenzhen, this is exactly what the seemingly perfect pairing of Feardrops has set about doing.

First announcing themselves to this steadily broken world last month, with the raucous thrash pop of ‘Cold Outta Virtue’ sounding like a cross between The Ramones and Nirvana and, yet, still very much of the now, it quickly became obvious Feardrops had no intention of being pigeonholed. Changing pace and keeping us guessing with a second and more introspective release, ‘Sucks Right Now’, they conjured up something more akin to The Velvet Underground, be it with a poppier appeal, partly via some synth stylings not a million light years away from peak Dandy Warhols.

Now the duo are shifting down a further gear with the blissfully melancholy ‘Not Like Hollywood’, which, dare we suggest it, has something beautifully Bowie about it. Presuming you have a soul, you will find yourself suitably moved and soothed by the video below:

Blending electronic elements with guitars can be tricky to negotiate for lesser musical mortals but Feardrops strike a mesmerizing balance, maintaining rather than diluting a raw sound where it suits the material, sprinkled with tinges of psych, and diving into more expansive sonic territory when the impressively skilled songcraft on show requires it.

Far from feeling bloated, bingeing on these first three tracks has us positively salivating over the prospect of where Feardrops will position themselves next, with fourth release ‘Sandman’ hitting our feeds some time next month (release date TBC), no doubt providing a welcome break from the endless doom-scrolling.

Follow Feardrops on Facebook, Instagram and Spotify.

The Jojo Man Band ::: Interview

TSOFDs: Newer audiences may not realize you’ve a long and rich musical background partly through your enduring professional relationship with your brother Woody. I even read you wrote some songs for Madness – is that true?

TJMB: Yes, my whole family are musicians or work in the media. Both my grandfathers were musical conductors, and my father’s father got the OBE from the Queen for his contribution to music. I co-wrote 6 songs which appear on albums by Madness, and I think ‘Another Version Of Me’ was a single or major release video. I was in a band with my brother at the age of 12 and we had a few different bands before I went crazy and left the whole scene and it was about that time that my brother joined Madness (at that time called The North London Invaders). In 1993, me and my brother were involved in a band called FAT and we travelled Europe doing gigs. Then in 2010 we formed the Magic Brothers and released an album called The Magic Line. 

TSOFDs: That is one rich family heritage! How long have you been making music under your current moniker?

TJMB: I started calling myself The Jojo Man Band because I didn’t like my own name and wanted to put music out under a different name so I picked a song title which was ‘Jojo Man’. When I was looking for a website address Jojo Man was already taken so I decided to call myself The Jojo Man Band. It was about making it official on sites like Spotify, etc – I needed to create social media to prove I was the only ‘The Jojo Man Band’ so I set up my social media everywhere and luckily I was the only one, so I got my blue tick of authentication. That was January 2020, and I’ve really enjoyed being The Jojo Man Band, mainly because I still like the name!

TSOFDs: Yes it seems like it can be inspiring for artists to create a new musical identity for themselves. There’s a very distinctive and appealing vocal sound on your songs which binds everything together, how did this come about?

TJMB: My vocals still are a bone of contention! It really depresses me because some people are less than positive about my vocals. The fact is I tune my vocals in. I also use a filter on my vocal tracks to make them sit in the mix. I would have given up singing if I listened to everyone, the fact is I like the sound of my voice so keep on using it in my songs. Thank you for saying it sounds appealing, that’s nice to hear!

TSOFDs: If you were to do a different project it would certainly be great to hear what your natural voice sounded like but it’s a really cool thing you’ve got going with your vocals for The Jojo Man Band specifically, because even if you have quite a lot of variation in your song styles there’s always something that makes it instantly identifiably you, in my humble opinion – I really like it – your voice slots in there neatly like a well arranged instrument. Speaking of the more natural approach, I’ve enjoyed seeing you strumming your guitar on posts you’ve shared online – is this generally how you start your songs – on an acoustic guitar?

TJMB: I use guitar, bass, piano or drums to start my songwriting – it could be anything. The lyrics are always the least important consideration as it’s all about the music, the melody and the beat.

TSOFDs: What’s the process after you have a song idea you want to see come to fruition – do you have musicians and producers you work with to get everything recorded or do you do it all yourself?

TJMB: I make a demo playing all the instruments, then send the files to two genius musicians – namely Tim Maple and Accy Yeats. They will copy everything I’ve done then go the extra mile and add their own arrangements. They send me their files which I will then mix and master. I play bass on the finished product.

TSOFDs: That’s a really interesting insight and the process is yielding powerful results. You always end up with something that sounds really accomplished with a strong personality to it. You come across like one of those songwriters that just plucks ideas from the air. Does it come easy or can the songwriting be quite frustrating?

TJMB: Without jinxing everything I find writing quite easy, but having said that it normally takes me 10 songs before I come up with something that I’m really happy with.

TSOFDs: I see you as part of a rich vein of melody driven UK songwriters spanning from The Beatles, The Kinks, early Pink Floyd, through to the likes of ELO, Blur and beyond, but who would you say are your chief influences?

TJMB: The Beatles’ music is my spiritual home, and I must add that Madness have taught me a major lesson in songwriting and what is possible that I just wouldn’t have learnt without them. I’m not sure how much I can be aware of what has influenced me, I’m not that self aware, but I love early Motown, Steely Dan and most of the music that came out during the 1990s.

TSOFDs: All great stuff and cornerstones I can really pick up in your output. You’ve likely seen the music industry change a lot since you started writing songs – how do you feel about the current situation – do you largely see social media, independent distribution and online streaming as a good thing?

TJMB: I’m so not a man of the analogue age – I wasn’t active until digital recording was in its fullest swing. It’s quite obvious that it’s better for creative people to release their music. It’s still true that if you are stupid enough to want to be world famous you will need the help of ‘The Bank’. ‘The Bank’ means major record labels.

TSOFDs: Yes it’s great that artists have more independence nowadays but frustrating that certain music that merits a wider audience is lost in the crowd and just doesn’t have the reach due to lack of backing. There’s always pros and cons to everything though. You’re very prolific. I know a lot of prolific musicians feel perplexed about how to approach releases – is it better just to get the music out there when the muse comes calling or should artists be trying to pace themselves?

TJMB: You’ve really summed me up, ‘perplexed’ is just how I feel. My music brain says to me to release everything right now and all the time, while another side of me says, play the game. I can’t advise about this as I’m totally at sea!

TSOFDs: I don’t think anyone really, truly has the answers these days – everything is so up in the air. My hope is for societies to find ways to ensure more artists are simply creatively fulfilled and not struggling financially. You’re part of a really supportive Twitter based music scene, which acts would you urge our readers to listen to, follow and, ideally, purchase music by?

TJMB: I’m very happy with the kind people I’ve found on Twitter – long may it last! If I was to suggest some artists to listen to they would also be the artists I am regularly talking to on Twitter – in fact I haven’t heard anything decent from established artists lately at all. Check out The Happy Somethings, Blokeacola, Alex Highton, and Juliet and Nanette. I’m sure I’m missing somebody and will feel like a melon soon. Thank you for thinking about me in this interview.

TSOFDs: Our absolute pleasure. You’re one of our most fantastic finds in recent years and we await every new release with eager anticipation.

Find more music by The Jojo Man Band on Bandcamp.

 

Geddy Laurance / Michael O Split EP ::: New Music

Geddy Laurance and Michael O have released a veritable treat of a split cassette via York label Safe Suburban Home which you can also sample on Bandcamp.

Both artists boast impressive CVs, Ged drumming for cult indie legends Boyracer, as well as playing in respected acts such as Downdime, City Yelps, Wonderswan and the Vat-egg Imposition.

With many perhaps remembering him from Bay Area band The Mantles, who released music on various indie labels including Mexican Summer, Michael Olivares began his solo journey around 2013.

If you like your music lofi, psychpoppy and indie punky, then this is the release for you, particularly if you’re a fan of the works of Modern Lovers, Syd Barrett, Durutti Column and Kevin Ayers.

Asked how the split single idea came about, Ged states, “I have had a longstanding love of the record label Slumberland Records and American indie/alternative has been my defining love of music so to do a split with a US artist seemed like it could work well. The owner of the label Michael Shulman has a superb and very broad taste in music, has released and continued to release, in my view, some of the best indie music in a generation. Boyracer were part of his roster back in the 90s and I have followed what the label has done ever since. I knew some of the releases that Michael O had done with his band The Mantles and I asked him. It came together really quickly from there.”

As rapid and successful in its execution as the project has turned out, it might not necessarily have been that way, given there were significant constraints. Michael O explains, “I was in the middle of moving, so didn’t have an easy music situation, set up for recording. It was a little challenging at first to find the time and space to create these songs. Both final songs were originally more sparse but the deadline was later than I thought, so I added some more parts. These two songs were recorded on an 8 track. I did a scratch track of keyboard, drums then acoustic guitar, vocals, and built up from there. I always seem to knock over or unplug a device during the process and spoil “the best take”.

Decide for yourself whether Ged and Michael nailed their best takes.

Order the cassette now on Bandcamp.

Lunar Bird ::: Interview

TSOFDs: Congratulations on the new record. There has been quite the build up of releases leading to the full album statement – what’s been the thinking behind your release schedule and how do you think it’s all gone?

Fran: Thank you, we’ve been very excited to share it with you. It’s going great, we have enjoyed giving you a taste of what’s to come. We have had lots of plays on the radio, we’ve just made it into the second round of Guesthouse’s Bandzai competition, we made the front cover in SWND Magazine, and we have a radio playlist on Spotify. We had some amazing help and guidance from HelpMusicians through Covid. We felt now is as good a time as any to release in spite of Covid, we need to keep moving forward and we don’t know for sure how long this will continue. HelpMusicians guided us on how and when we should promote our latest tracks. They helped us with our online presence so we may better reach our fans. They gave us help with funding for our latest music videos and promoting our latest releases which has been imperative, especially as gigs and shows closed down. We never got to debut them with a release gig, but we’ve enjoyed performing them online to you instead. We just can’t wait to get back out and perform them again!

TSOFDs: How great to get that kind of assistance. The pandemic made the online experience even more important than ever before. You have a striking presence on the web – did you feel you had to double down your efforts in this regard because of coronavirus?

Eliseo: Regardless of the terrible situation we’re all experiencing right now, I think that artists can always strengthen their own identity through such a powerful means as the image. The image creates and supports fascinations, conveys ideas, draws attention. Our concept of image is conceived as an integral part of our musical work. Clearly, the impossibility of creating a direct connection with our audience through live concerts, pushed us to make even greater use of this means. Now, our aim is to spread the word about our debut album release. We’re trying to do this online to the best of our ability, but we can’t wait to be back on stage to achieve our objective completely.

TSOFDs: It’s certainly helping you stand out. The music is a heady mixture of psychedelic dream pop, I’m hearing Kate Bush and Beach House in there. What would you cite as other important influences or touchstones?

Roberta: You named some of our favourite artists. However, there are so many different influences on our sound including David Bowie, The Cure, Cocteau Twins, Broadcast, Pulp, Björk but also Ella Fitzgerald and Claude Debussy.

TSOFDs: Always nice to converse with fellow Broadcast enthusiasts! How does the songwriting and recording work? In tandem? Or do the songs get written on the piano for example before working out the fuller recording arrangements as a group?

Roberta: Well, it depends. Sometimes Eliseo writes a song on the bass or on the synthesizer. Then he shows me his lyrics (he’s an incredible lyricist!) and I add the main vocals and some secondary synth lines. At times, the song comes from my subconscious, I can hear it in one of my dreams. Sometimes, I just sit down and write the harmony on the piano/synth. Then Eliseo writes a badass bass line. Usually, we write the full arrangement later, trying different structures and instruments in the studio. I think it’s important to stay open-minded and let the song take shape freely.

TSOFDs: Sounds like a strategy that will always help things feel fresh. Wales is a small country with a big artistic heritage and output. What is it about Wales do you think that gives it such a rich seam of culture?

Ross: I can confidently say that Wales is filled with a lot of proud people who spend a lot of effort into maintaining and building their heritage. Of course… it’s built on the land of song! So there is bound to be creativity pouring out of the country! I think it is the heritage, the male voice choirs, the bards of old that really helped mould our artistic input to what it is today.

TSOFDs: Yes that would certainly help explain the beautiful uniqueness of musicality. There’s Italian heritage in Lunar Bird too of course I think I’ve read – would you say that manifests itself too in the overall sound?

Roberta: That’s true. Eliseo and I are from Italy. The album was recorded at Sudestudio, Lecce, Italy. You cannot, undoubtedly, dissociate from your roots. However, only few Italian artists had a real impact on our sound. But I bet that you can hear that influence, if you ever listened to Italian music from the ’70s.

TSOFDs: I will certainly try to now! Your music videos are quite dazzling. How are they conceived of and how do you decide on the locations?

Eliseo: The fact that I directed the majority of our music videos, helped us approach the essence of our  aesthetic consistently. The music video represents an important opportunity for us to create a solid  scenography for the ethereal and mysterious soul of our songs. I guess this is the main reason why we decided to release so many videos. Before the shooting, we always start with a concept that may reveal something hidden: a subtext, a hint, a possible interpretation upon which to build a unique and peculiar imagery. I like the idea of someone listening to one of our songs, naturally visualising a frame from its music video. As if they were two inseparable elements: music and imagery. As for the shooting locations, we filmed at some incredibly suggestive places like primitive caves and salt mines. We are very picky and we like to select every single element attentively so that everything is harmonious and coherent with the song’s and the band’s spirit.

TSOFDs: You’ve succeeded in that aim for sure. What is the aim for the live sound – do you seek to replicate the sounds on the records or do you like to interpret the songs differently when gigging?

Ellie As the drummer, I jumped on board with Lunar Bird after the album had already been recorded with someone else (Andrea Rizzo) on drums. So although I try to capture the same vibe and majority of the movements of his playing, I like to add my own flair to it when performing live. Nothing majorly different, but I always add something else to keep it fun and to challenge myself.

TSOFDs: That makes perfect sense, music often naturally evolves once it is played again and again in a live setting anyway, even if it is the same person playing. What’s the plan with regards to a gig or tour schedule – have venues begun opening again – are promoters looking for acts? Have the venues you played pre-Covid found it difficult to survive?

Fran: Venues look set to open between June and September in the UK. We’re testing the waters and excited to finally start gigging again. We have gigs booked in Sicily for September which I’m very excited for. It’ll be amazing to gig in Roberta’s native land after all the shows she has performed in mine, and in my experience Italians know how to party! Venues have suffered greatly throughout this pandemic, but I’m sure with the passion we all have for live music that somehow they’ll make it through. It’s what we’re all hoping for.

TSOFDs: Despite the challenges currently for musicians it sounds to me like you’ve a lot to look forward to. Thanks for your time. Before you depart here’s a chance to tell our readers about another artist or band you’d like to big up, just to round things off.

Roberta: Thank you for having us. There are so many incredible artists we know that deserve to get heard. Mr Bewlay is definitely one of the most promising!

TSOFDs: Duly noted.

Lunar Bird is out now.

The Other Ones ::: Interview

The Other Ones are a London based band on the Reckless Yes label featuring Steph (Vocals), Vicky (Bass), Francis (Drums) and Nick (Guitar). We lucked out and managed to reel Steph and Vicky in for an online chunter.

TSOFDs: Steph and Vicky, thanks so much for talking to us. First of all, congratulations on the new record – are you happy with how it’s been received?

Vicky: Thanks for having us! We are over the moon with how the album has been received. It’s been a long time in the works and we’re honestly just thrilled that in the midst of the SHITSHOW that has been the last 15 odd months we were able to get our music out and heard!!

Steph: Thank you! Yeah it’s been a long time coming with the album, we worked on it whenever we possibly could so it’s so nice that it’s finally out there. It seems to be going down alright! Cannot wait until we get to play a gig so we can finally perform the crap out of the album.

TSOFDs: I’ve listened to the LP on Bandcamp but sadly I’ve not had the pleasure of a live show. There’s some wonderful production flourishes on there but underpinning it all is the sound of a really formidable live band I’m sensing. Not being able to gig at the moment must be a real downer – how are you coping with that and London pandemic life in general?

Vicky: Honestly I’ve found one of the hardest things about lockdown has been not being able to rehearse or play gigs. With not rehearsing you miss not just the playing but the general fun we always have at rehearsals. Not being able to play gigs SUCKS, I always take pride in our live shows and that people tend to have a good time at our gigs so not being able to do that is so frustrating. General pandemic wise? I’ve never watched so much TV in my life. For someone who is notoriously antisocial, I can’t wait to go to a bloody club (and then go home after 10 minutes because my feet hurt and the music is too loud).

Steph: I miss performing SO BAD. It’s driving me crazy not being able to unleash on a stage. I’ve always said I feel like I’d go mad without this band. Not being able to perform just sucks. I feel like work is my whole life at the moment… which it kinda is. I just miss sitting in a pub garden, or round a mate’s house drinking wine watching shit telly. Lockdown didn’t change much for me as I work as a dental nurse so I’ve been working throughout, it just sucks not being able to do anything else! The tube’s been a-lot nicer though.

TSOFDs: Silver lining! One for Steph. You have a really clear and relatable vocal style. Who would you cite as key influences on your approach to singing?

Steph: Hmm that’s quite a question. There’s no secret that I love good old emo bands like My Chemical Romance and The Used. I love being able to really give emotion through singing, and be able to outlet what I’m feeling through those means. I dunno if I’m describing that right haha. When I was younger I actually trained to sing opera but that was a long time ago! I’m also quite the musical theatre nerd and did up to Grade 8 so that probably has a huge influence. I usually like distinct voices like Kate Bush, Cher and Bowie – someone who really tells a story through their style of music.

TSOFDs: And how are the songs conceived? Is it very democratic or is there someone you’d say is the driving force in the group?

Vicky: The songs come together usually by either, Nick plinking about on guitar and me thinking of some words, or me thinking of a phrase or an idea and then Nick finding a melody underneath it. Once that’s done we’ll wrangle some words together, get a draft to the band, Frannie will find his groove and we’ll make sure the tone is comfortable for Steph to sing in. Then thrash it about, maybe change keys and we’re good to go! There isn’t a set “person” who dictates the songs, if anyone has an idea we’ll see how it works in a band dynamic.

Steph: What Vicky said. I’m usually doing a lot of humming or “la la la-ing” to make a melody/learn one. It’s really become a group process now we’ve been together a while. Or it’s a song I wrote for my GCSE music exam – made better by the rest of the group!

TSOFDs: Thanks for letting us in! One for Vicky. What or who inspired you to play bass?

Vicky: Aha. Well. I sort of fell into playing bass. I tried playing guitar but couldn’t understand how a chord was on the strings and it just makes my brain hurt. So Nick suggested I play bass and next thing I knew we were having rehearsals and putting on gigs. I’ve come to appreciate some great bass players and musicians this way though, I never set out to be like a particular artist so it’s evolved quite naturally. Kim Gordon and Kim Deal are the ultimate bass heroes though. I should change my name to Kim.

TSOFDs: Bass is so much fun to play and you gotta love the two Kims. Your album is really well put together. Great musicianship and arrangements, and top production. Your recorded sound is really evolving. Did recording the album come easily? Was there someone who took a lead producing or was it more collaborative than that?

Vicky: Thanks! Big shout out to Matt Hill and Jack Longman for the sound. Recording is so much fun, luckily we all have a mutual understanding of what’s required when we record and how we want things to sound so we’re pretty good at communicating that to Matt Hill (3sixty studios) in the studio and he adjusts to what we need. None of us take a lead in the production, except if someone has got a particular song that has a style for them, it’s all very democratic and laid back. For me I knew roughly how I wanted ‘Glittering Splinters’ to sound so I was more than happy to tell Nick to keep playing certain bits and adding in fills, etc, but there is no dictation on how things should sound. Still wasn’t allowed to smash a glass at the end of the track though.

TSOFDs: Gutted.

Steph: What she said. We are so lucky to know some great people in music. Matt Hill and Jack Longman just seem to know exactly what we are after. We have such a great time in the studio too that it just makes the whole process such an amazing one. Until Vicky just tells you “that was shit do it again” after a few wines. She’s usually spot on though, we can do it better and she eggs that on.

TSOFDs: There you are readers, it sounds like a band having fun and it was a band having fun. London seems something of a double edged sword for musos. One of the best places to be for music but an extremely challenging place to survive, now more than ever. What are the day jobs that help you keep the wolf from the door?

Vicky: London is a bloody hydra as far as I’m concerned. So many heads to try to keep up with. I’m a civil servant so very far removed from the band identity! I also write for Kiss n Make Up Presents website which is a great creative outlet as I get to interview very cool bands.

TSOFDs: Excellent.

Steph: I’m a dental nurse in East London. I look in people’s mouths for a living – such fun during a pandemic. The PPE is just mental and the sweat is unreal. I do often sing while I’m in the surgery though which actually goes down quite well with the patients!

TSOFDs: That’s a fun image – thanks haha. I’ve heard your label has an interesting model to encourage sales in this age of streaming. Can you tell our readers more about that?

Vicky: Reckless Yes has come up with a great angle for encouraging sales. Essentially you become a member of RY in which you get sent vinyls, releases, etc and news about the RY bands and any cool stuff to look out for. It’s a great way of encouraging people to keep buying music instead of just streaming and it’s a fab way to find new bands. The RY group is fantastic too, all the bands are really friendly and supportive of each other.

Steph: What Vicky said! RY have been so welcoming to us and really have a-lot to offer. Being a member gets you loads of cool stuff, and an introduction to some amazing bands you may not have heard of yet. It’s a win-win situation – they save their members money while being fair to the bands so no one misses out.

TSOFDs: Brilliant concept.

TSOFDs: There are some rather iconic London venues. Dublin Castle. Hope and Anchor. Do you have a favorite place to play you’re itching to get back onstage at?

Vicky: The Victoria in Dalston. Hands down some of our favourite gigs have been there. The Biddle Bros is also excellent and I’m sure last time there was a dog there which is an instant boon. More venues should have puppers.

TSOFDs: Ha brings to mind a solo acoustic gig I played many years ago to an empty pub in Huddersfield where all I could hear was the sound of a dog lapping at a metal water bowl really loudly. Any other places?

Steph: Oh I love The Victoria. They have a cool green room too. The stage is a bit high though so jumping down can cause problems when I’ve gotta get back up. The Dublin Castle has a special place in my heart as that was the first place I ever played with The Other Ones! I just can’t wait to be back in venues watching bands and performing.

TSOFDs: I played there years back and Amy Winehouse was in the bar one night, not that I was sober enough to notice, sadly. Dang. What other act close to your hearts do you think our readers should be checking out? Perhaps a band or artist from your local music scene that deserves more attention?

Vicky: Any local band needs some lovin’ just now! I’m going to put forward Fightmilk because they are supremely talented and 100% worth checking out.

Steph: Panic Pocket – 4eva & always. I’m in love with their music as it’s just totally relatable and I find myself singing ‘The Boss’ on a daily basis.

TSOFDs: They shall be sought out. Thanks so much for your time both. We hope you’re back rehearsing and gigging before too long. Take care.

‘And In the End…’

Forgive me for sounding like an old fart but, when I was young, music was a lot more tribal. I remember running for the school bus one morning and, on arriving just in the nick of time and too breathless to think of a suitably scathing retort, a girl in the village remarked, “You’re not a mosher anymore.” I’d had a haircut so the stunted logic was I’d switched my musical allegiances and was now considered a “trendy”.

If I could teleport back to that time with a pirated cassette copy of ‘And In the End…’ then I presume the aforementioned girl’s head would simply melt just a few tracks in, such is the giant, swirling, delightful assortment of superficially unlikely musical bedfellows.

But that is the joy of the times we’re living through, the music consumer of today will switch from genre to genre without even thinking about it, let alone questioning it. That at least smacks of progress right? What also makes this a wonderful time for music consumers, is how much music is readily available for a negligible amount of dosh via streaming services.

It comes at a cost for songwriters and musicians however because the royalties are negligible as well. This makes a charity such as Help Musicians more important than ever. Particularly in a pandemic world where gigging has ground to a halt.

Help Musicians is an independent UK charity for professional musicians of all genres, from starting out through to retirement. They help at times of crisis, but also at times of opportunity, giving people the extra support they need at a crucial stage.

This compilation is a great way to support the above charity and it contains a brilliant and varied amount of music that is sure to pose no interruption to the typical music fanatic’s broad audio diet. At 81 tracks long this is not a compilation you’re going to necessarily be getting through in one sitting. And there’s so much to digest it will surely prove a gift that keeps on giving in the form of repeat listens.

I could wax lyrical about particular acts included but that would mean omitting all the other equally brilliant ones. So instead let’s heap praise on music journalist Simon Tucker for bringing all these artists together for such a top cause. The successful execution of this project is testament to the high regard he must be held in for so many musos to get involved. 

All there is to add is at this price this is a veritable bargain, considering the monthly fee of a streaming service.

Ram it in your earholes.