Life or Something Like It

Dear Blogging World,

May I first start by wishing you a Happy New Year, I hope that as of yet, 2011 has been treating you well? Secondly, I sincerely apologise, once again for the serve lack of recent blogs. There is no particular excuse for this, other than being supremely busy and actually living the life to write about. Does that count?!

Anyway. Yes, life has been rather hectic over the past few posts... there are two more gigs (yes I know!) that I would like to review, which I really must try to get round to doing. I also have big life news! I'm am starting the new year on a cliche (pretty standard behaviour, you may agree) New Year. New Job. Yes, indeed, I once again have a new job, a new challenge (seriously, this one is the sheer definition of a challenge) and a new location (well, a new-old location, I'm returning to whence I once came) But, yes, apparently you can not hold me down for longer than 3 months. However, this commences in a week, so wish me luck.

This week, my last in my current position and its a pretty hectic one, a friend of mine is launching his fashion brand called 'House of Sunny'. Remember this name, for it will be one you shall hear of many times in the future. His work shall take over the world. I was lucky enough to go and see (and try on) his collection for the show this past week and this Wednesday I shall be venturing to Soho to help out at the show. Cannot explain, quite simply, how excited I am about this. It is going to be the event of the year.

But yes, for now I shall conclude this post here, with a promise of another post soon. Prehaps that could be my ever eluding New Years Resolution, Keep Up With My Blogs More Frequently. Worth mulling over at any rate.

TTFN Fashionable Friends.

Hope in the Air

Not too long after my trip to the Pyramids, a mere two days in fact, I was back in Portsmouth to see an old favourite, in the form of Laura Marling.

Now, a little history, are you ready? The venue was none other than The Wedgewood Rooms. An absolute favourite venue of mine, tiny, dingy and always promises an epic gig. In fact, the venue where I first saw Reel Big Fish play. Now that really WAS a long time ago. This is the venue, is none other, than where rock legends Nirvana played their first ever UK gig, which set off a long-standing love affair with the infamous American Rock band. AND fact fans, if that wasn’t quite enough for you, I used to live on the very road next to The Wedgewood Rooms, none other than Harold Road (I was however BANNED from going and knocking on the door and seeing who lived in my old house. Boo.)

However, back to the music. The evening started with a support band called The Pins. A three-piece girl band, belonging to that newfound rockabilly subculture. Of 1940’s styling, their music was beautifully harmonised and wonderfully sung. They played a good set and plugged their EP and fan sites a good few times – they were good and they showed good potential, you could see from the fact that they were a tad samey in their songs that they are a young band, although many a band have progressed through a career of producing samey songs and succeeded.

Definitely a band, from more, I would check out, however I feel there may be a slight name change a-brewing, as after a few attempts googling I have found another band of the same name. Never a good start, when introducing yourself to the music world, I look forward to a time when more of their music is available.

The Pins

A few beats later and on came Laura Marling. Here I feel I must be honest, I was a tad worried about seeing Laura perform again. I saw her a long time ago, when she was supported by Jay Jay Pistolet. This was the first time I saw her perform and was in love with her style, the fact that she was so unassuming and you felt like she was really showing you a part of her soul.

Anyway, I was worried that since the likes of Radio 1 and the mainstream world have clocked on to her that she wouldn’t be as pure as she was before.

She opened with ‘Devil Spoke’, which was beautiful and moving and I was instantly reassured that this was one who would not be affected by the likes of ‘fame’. Laura then explained that the band would be playing a few new tracks, which she appreciated was annoying when you go to a gig, as she goes to gig’s herself and understands how it feels, however the new tracks were awesome and beautiful and everything you expect from a folk singer who has definitely found her way and is carving her musical path.

A heckler exclaimed partway through the gig ‘I love you Laura’ to which she was left awkward, a little unnerved and explained ‘I never really know how to reply when people shout things out’. You could literally feel the crowd simultaneously falling in love with her and offering her a hug.

The gig was beautiful, pure and everything I hoped it would be. Laura has the ability to make you forget you are in a sweaty, crowded gig and in fact takes you to another place entirely (admittedly, she makes me feel like I should be lying in a field, staring into the sky and smoking weed – but she just has that floaty folk vibe, I’m not a stoner, yea?!)

Another fabulous gig, by a girl who can only go onto the bigger and better things. The gig ended by Laura exclaiming, ‘We are trying to revolutionise the gig world and we believe we are not big enough to do an encore.’ Explaining, maybe if (they) were as big as Madonna (they) could warrant standing off stage for 5 minutes before coming back on to play. Something she was doing the first time I saw her.

I have to say, in a world where some musicians seem to believe they are God’s gift to the world it is so wonderfully refreshing to see an artist so humble and completely unassuming of her talent. Long may she continue to produce some beautiful music.

Laura Marling

Hearts and Minds. Dreams and Music

Hello blogging world… I apologise for the delay in me writing this, I’m having a few life issues – one of those being a lack of my mac, its poorly and so has been taken away to be fixed, which will take UP TO 4 weeks. I’m on day 6 and I feel a bit like I have lost a limb, possibly two. However, this does not detract from the fact that I have blogs to write… so here goes (on a pc that I’m trying to get my head back round to using)…

A good few weeks ago now or so ago, after a bizarre day at work my Mum, Dad and I travelled to P-Town to the Pyramid Centre to see Seth Lakeman doing his current rounds promoting Hearts and Minds.

Now here, I have to make a slight confession, up until going to the gig, I hadn’t really heard a lot of Seth’s music. I could tell you quite a bit about him, but my pure reason for getting these tickets (apart from the fact they were a birthday present for my dad…) his support act was Delta Maid. One of my new music crushes. So primarily my reason for this particular gig was to see her, the first time I’ve been more excited by the support act rather than the main attraction.

I can’t say that the Pyramids are my favourite of gig venues, I think I have been rather spoilt of the most recent venues I have been to. It was a fine sized room and all, but the acoustics were naff, however, Delta came on and performed beautifully. You really can’t beat a girl on stage with her guitar singing country/blues. Interjected with the stories behind the songs, including Any Way I Want To and Stop Worryin’ Baby.

A blonde Liverpudlian, you would be hard pressed to believe this girl was of British origin when she starts to sing. However, Liverpool is famous for its musical greats and this girl and her guitar are no different. I now have two copies of the same E.P. one downloaded and one hard… I can’t begin to tell you just how excited I am about the album release due in March.

I have read many things written about Delta on the net, in an aim to get to learn more, however most seems to be the same article re-written, so here I am to write something new. This girl is totally awesome, she has an amazing style which she is (as the internet tells you) self-taught… aren’t the best always the self-taught ones? (Lennon and Clapton are the two that currently spring to mind) She has amazing lyrics that really hit home and a beautiful singing voice and she is definitely hotly tipped as ‘one to watch’, well in my humble opinion she is.

All of a sudden the atmosphere shifted and on to stage came 4 young guys, who played a fabulous set to a crowd who were just as up for the performance, if not more so than the band themselves. The band settled in to their first few tracks and it showed all the promises of a fabulous gig. Which it most definitely was.

I have never seen someone play the violin and sing. At the same time. Does that not seriously impress anyone else? Surely the violin is one of the most difficult instruments to learn to play, most can only master a noise to replicate that of a cat being strangled or possibly worse, but here was this gorgeous sea shanty music coming from some of the best violin playing I’ve seen in a long time…

I have to admit, being somewhat of a novice where Seth was concerned, by the end of the gig I was well and truly involved and had it not been for the lack of my Mac, his extensive album range would most definitely already have been on my iPod.

Without a shadow of a doubt two artists I will be seeking out in the future (in fact, Seth is playing, not too far from me on the night of my next birthday… so definitely a possibility of a celebration to be had….)

Flight of the Concorde (2)

On my quest to fit as many gigs into one period of my life as possible November 10^th lent itself to a trip to Brighton-Town in favour of the Mystery Jets.

My apparent knowledge (or lack thereof) of Brighton gig venues being long forgotten (hey, 14 was a long time ago, gimmieabreak, yea?) meant finding the venue was a mission in the cold but a story for another time perhaps.

To Concorde 2 we eventually arrived (note to self, always follow the scene kids – they know where to go) a tiny venue tucked away on the sea front. A fabulously quaint place, which had an expectant excitement quibbling through it.

The first support act was Tribes. A band I have heard a lot of noise about. Once I had initially gotten over the fact the lead singer held a large resemblance to Carl Barat (never a bad thing) I could see why I had heard a lot about this band. They had a really great sound and clearly one or two friends in the audience. Some lyrics were a tad, um, young (?, maybe) for my taste. Songs about a friend’s girlfriend etc. BUT the potential to be an awesome band, who really got the crowd going.

Next on were Is Tropical. With interesting fringe headbands(?) around their faces. However, despite the unique head attire, also another awesome band. Their sound was all too familiar, songs that I couldn’t (and still can’t) quite place, but I think that only added to their success. Different to Tribes and Mystery Jets and not really what I was expecting, which I think is why it worked so well.

An electro/dance/indie act (yea, I’m running with that!) Again they did an awesome job and really got the atmosphere pounding.

As a frenzied anticipation passed through the room, finally it was the turn of the Mystery Jets. Opening with Alice Springs they set to work on promoting their newest album Serotonin, which was extremely well received and possibly better known than they expected, the crowd instantly dancing around and singing along.

A few songs played from Twenty One, including Young Love and Hideaway and the boys were just as up for the evening as the audience were.

Will took the lead with their collaboration with The Count and Sinden, asking the crowd “Are you ready to dance?” and dance they did. As did the band themselves.

When Blaine announced “Here’s one you should all be able to sing along to” as they struck up the intro to Two Doors Down. Again another track eagerly lapped up by the crowd.

Not the first time I have seen these boys perform, but most definitely their best performance to date. They were extremely tight and together. It always feels when watching the Mystery Jets like you have just stumbled across them jamming in their parents garage. There is always an air of fun surrounding these boys, they always appear to have as much fun playing as the audience do watching.

Announced many a time that “You guys have made this a fucking awesome evening” from Kai and with that and a three-song encore, the evening was at an end. Even though they played the best parts of both Serotonin and Twenty One, the Mystery Jets have the ability to leave you wanting more.

These boys are most definitely destined for great things. But then I am horrendously biased.

(Photos of Mystery Jets and Tribes - Taken by Yours Truly)

On to the next.... Delta Maid and Seth Lakeman, Portsmouth Pyramids... to be continued...

From Farm Boys to Boy Band

Daniel Dylan Wray finds the evolution of Kings of Leon plain offensive

I’m not ashamed to admit it, I used to fucking love Kings of Leon, and pretty much everyone I knew did, even if they won’t admit that now. I was seventeen when their debut album came out, and it being the first year I could drive, it was an integral part of that summer and subsequently my adolescence. It felt fresh, raw, edgy and damn right good; granted, this was to the ears of a naïve seventeen year old, but, this accompanied by their mysterious background and downright weirdness (like a horror show Brady Bunch crawling out from their barn and being brought up on rock ’n’ roll, moonshine and little else) meant they had everything that was enticing about a young new band to a young new man. I mean, their album was called ‘Youth & Young Manhood’!

Now fast forward a few years – past albums two and three that, regardless of personal taste, undeniably showed genuine progression, musically – and then, fuck me, what went wrong? As their popularity and bank accounts have grown, so too it would seem has their sense of self-importance and self-worth (highlighted in one single night when Caleb moaned that he was cold to a Reading Festival crowd who weren’t cheering loud enough). This band used to be weird. Genuinely weird! I remember watching the NME awards years ago as they grunted their way through interviews looking either completely unwilling, unable to speak, or just really stoned. They seemed to not care about such things; publicity, it seemed, was a downside to being in a band – a necessary evil that allowed them to do what they loved for a living. Then things went so sour. The wretched ‘Sex on Fire’ was the catalyst, transforming them from parameter, semi-commercial guitar band to fully-fledged radio-friendly unit shifters.

They went from stoic, morbid and frigid performers to being in a video wearing vests and standing in front of flames as they pouted for close-ups.

It seems that with this meteoric rise came the arrival of their ego’s and boy did they come big, throwing any sense of ‘what’s best musically?’ out the window and replacing it with ‘how can we become even bigger?’. Their popularity continues to soar and their musical integrity continues to plummet, perhaps making it not too surprising that the band have been adopted by the Oasis crowd now that the Gallagher’s aren’t talking.

Most damning, though, is the band’s refusal to take a break; to go a year without releasing a record; to step out of the spotlight and practice the old absence makes the heart grow fonder trick, even if time can also make for a better album.

It’s as if they fear being instantly forgotten and no longer being considered current or relevant, or perhaps rich. The band’s new album is out this month, which means they will have been doing the album release/promo/touring shtick for maybe three years straight, and its hard to believe that the motive for that is creativity.

They’ll no doubt be back at all the summer’s festival’s again next year, being decidedly un-weird and dodging what they once were, which incidentally was an interesting, publically evasive and promising young band. The U2 comparisons suddenly become pertinent as a result. Remember the young Martin Hannett produced, post-punk U2? Me neither, but they did once exist, and as wholly believable rumours circulate that the other band members have had to try and intervene with Caleb’s personal music writing sessions now that he’s worked out if he writes the songs on the album by himself he gets all the royalties and money, you have to think that not even Bono is that ruthless.

A little article found in this months Loud and Quiet by Daniel Dylan Wray. A paper I have loved for a while, for many reasons. But this one just forefronted itself ahead of the others. This, a rant, I have had on many occasions, in varying states (quite often in a club, when Sex on Fire has come on in the small hours of the morning) and leads rather nicely into an issue I currently have.

A new found favourite artist has been dropped by his record label, the artist in question is Alan Pownall. The label, Mercury. It is a shame that within the music industry there only seems to be one focus. Money. As it was once sung, ‘money makes the world go round’ and whilst that is true, especially in these ever-tough financial times we appear to be sailing through. It saddens me that the main focus is no longer the music and is in fact just the money. Whether that’s the artists or just the record labels, I’m sure the line between becomes rather blurred in some places.

Alongside this fact, is one that in fact, talent has been over passed for shows for worthless individuals to showcase themselves to a majority who don’t actually have an interest in music, but in fact just regurgitate the crap that the mass-media force feeds them, believing that it is decent. Whilst this happens, there are real artists, with real talent and a passion for playing who are ignored because the people with the power to do something impressive, ignore the power they have to influence and inspire and instead decide that they won’t make enough money out of selling someone who actually has talent and therefore result in selling music with scantily clad individuals gyrating about to promote their ‘musical abilities’.

Of what little influence I have here on this blog, I would like to promote a few AWESOME bands, who have some real talent and have inspired me, there is a much longer list which would include the likes of the Beatles/Stones and Clapton. But here I would like to go for the lesser know awesome individuals who really deserve the airtime.

Jay Jay Pistolet - http://www.last.fm/music/Jay+Jay+Pistolet

The Mummers - http://www.last.fm/music/The+Mummers

Lissie - http://www.last.fm/music/Lissie

Diane Birch - http://www.last.fm/music/Diane+Birch

Delta Maid - http://www.last.fm/music/Delta+Maid

Kassidy - http://www.last.fm/music/Kassidy

Alan Pownall - http://www.last.fm/music/Alan+Pownall

Polly Scattergood - http://www.last.fm/music/Polly+Scattergood

Andy Clockwise - http://www.last.fm/music/Andy+Clockwise

And. Just for the record. The first album I got when I passed my test – Arctic Monkeys - Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not. Now there’s a driving album.

Third Times a Charm

First in the line up of a personal gigging marathon I am undertaking this Autumn, last week, the fabulous Scottish band that are Kassidy played at the intimate Borderline in Soho, London. As a new found favourite of mine, this was to be my third time in seeing the boys perform in 3 and a half months… obsessive? Maybe.

However, in my arguably obsessive state, I’ve been lucky to see these boys progress, even in that short space of time, which has to be said, is pretty exciting for the future.

Although slightly later than scheduled… all thoughts of lateness were swiftly forgotten once they struck up the opening to Night in The Box. There was a fabulous energy from the Glaswegian quartet, which was mirrored perfectly by the lively crowd of clear followers. Barrie-James crooned away across beautiful rifts and harmonies that filled the room effortlessly. With a fabulous grit to his voice, you can’t help but be mesmerised and affected in a rather powerful way that is only really felt live.

Although currently there are some pretty powerful forces across the board within the music industry, who specialise in a heavy folk with spectacular harmonies, these boys have a special way of capturing you with their performances and in my view would be hard pushed to be beaten at what they do.

A fine ending to The Traveller, in lyrics stating ‘This is where I wanna be’ I couldn’t agree more, there was nowhere else that evening I would rather have been. Filled with a real sense of passion and feeling, Kassidy show a real gratitude for a crowd who have come to listen and enjoy. These boys are serious masters at their craft. Looking back, to what understandably can only be described as a hesitant performance at the ICA those few months ago, it is extremely exciting to witness these boys coming out and blowing you away with the force of their music.

Performing a range of songs from their Rubbergum EP’s and a few new sounds for good measure, the set appeared to be headed at light speed towards its end.

An inspired end to the gig, which built up until the building, was fit to burst, with Hamish and Barrie-James who extended their musical talents to adding their own beats to the ending of The Betrayal. A trick which ended their superb Reading set in August. Watching three guys, beat their way on a drum kit to a fantastic build up of an ending, is something I defy you not to smile about.

Thankfully after only moments the boys came back to play their two song encore, ending in my personal favourite of Stray Cat. Another ace evening of music from a group of boys I stumbled upon by mere coincidence and now, without them my music collection would be empty without. The progression of this band in the past few months is astounding on its own merit. Lets hope they keep progressing on to the bigger and better things they deserve.

Band Members

Barrie-James O'Neill

Hamish Fingland

Lewis Andrew

Chris Potter

Kieran Logan – Drummer

Thomas McNeice – Bassist

I can't have children. They might grow up to wear Jack Wills clothing.

My awesome mother whilst reading The Times today spotted a fabulous article that she left out on the side for me to read (she does that rather regularly- awesome really) However, this one is a cut above, seriously made me laugh. She knows my bugbear for companies such as this and therefore knew I would enjoy a rant by a fellow bystander who has been left behind in this madness.

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I can't have children. They might grow up to wear Jack Wills clothing.

Sathnam Sanghera - Wednesday September 29th 2010, The Times

A few months ago I wrote an article for The Times magazine about wanting a baby. Male babyhunger was a neglected phenomenon, I complained. Too often men are portrayed as getting saddled with babies, when some experience broodiness as intensely as women. But I'd like to take it all back. I don't want children anymore. For one reason : I couldn't risk fathering offspring which grew up to become consumers of Jack Wills merchandise.

In case, like me a week ago, you have never heard the name before, I should explain that Jack Wills is a rapidly expanding fashion brand that has 1,700 employees, 36 shops in Britain and aims itself at posh students. How posh? Well, the shopping guru Mary Portas has remarked that "wearing Jack Wills is a mark of class, wealth, even education, and you very much have to be in the club", Polly Vernon has written in The Observer that "you know you're posh if you live near a Jack Wills store", while The Sunday Times recently revealed that one of the company's early marketing ploys was to send one of its signature hoodies to the head girl and boy of every public school in the country.

The company also sponsors polo events and yacht-club balls, has designed T-shirts for the Eton rugby tour, employs "a bunch of impossibly beautiful, incredibly polite brand ambassadors called Seasonnaires" to spread its brand message, runs shops that resemble boarding schools, and, frankly, the last time I took so violently against something I was 14 and reading about the death penalty.

The idea of a designer fashion label for students is preposterous enough, given that they already have one in Oxfam. But creating one for public school students is particularly bewildering. After all, they already have a uniform - a school one - and then, out of hours, they have plimsolls, flip-flops, golding baseball caps, brightly coloured polo shirts (collars up), dangly ear-rings, sleeveless puffer jackets, jogging bottoms, bangles and pashminas. The idea of slapping a Jack Wills logo and price tag on to this, the default look of every last Muffy, Hugo and Isabella Anstruther-Gough-Calthorpe, is pointless. And cheeky. And, as a social statement, really quite offensive too.

The posh have been mounting a comeback for some time. You can't move 50 yards in London without spotting something painted in Farrow and Ball's country house paint colours; Barbour jackets are back; our TV screens are graced by the likes of Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, Kirstie Allsopp and Tomasina Miers; and you may have noticed that our Prime Minister, Chancellor and Cabinet are a bit posh too.

But the cultural manifestations of this poshness have until now been subtle, the politicians in question have arranged for the concealment of pictures of them in top hat and tails, and asking political candidates to shorten double-barrelled surnames. In contrast, Jack Wills, whose logo is nothing less than a pheasant in top hat and tails, represents something new and terrifying: the wilful celebration of inherited wealth and privilege.

In a time of economic distress this is crass enough, but the label exacerbates matters by mocking the working classes while doing so: adopting the hoodie, the symbol of the youth underclass as a signature item; selling an image of the world that is, in the words of The Sunday Times Style Magazine "sort of like Skins, but with nicer houses and pleases and thankyous"; and by nurturing the kind of fans who respond to criticism on Facebook pages with remarks such as: "Ur just jealous because we're not chavs and have good taste."

Indeed, it turns out I 'm not the only one who has taken against the brand. Jack Wills may have 131,679 fans on Facebook, but there are also 60,852 detractors belonging to a group called, "Why are you still in your PJs? Oh sorry, didn't see the Jack Wills logo", and another 22,557 affiliated to a page entitled "Jack Wills brings all the rahs to the yard, and they're like, put it on daddy's card."

The label, which claims it will have a turnover of some £90 million this year, is notoriously secretive and doesn't allow journalists much access. The owners of the company probably realise that if people knew about Jack Wills outside upper-middle-class towns such as Winchester, Aldeburgh and Reigate, it would spark mass civil unrest. There is one thing I can bring myself to admire about the company, apparently it flogs branded Jack Wills condoms. Which at least reduces the chances of its customers reproducing.

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It is at this point that I would like to state my particular problem stems further than just Jack Wills, but in also its brand competitors with dark shops, club music blaring and fake shop assistants.... No names need mentioning.