Carter USM Interview and Top 10 with Jim Bob!

Carter The Unstoppable Sex Machine formed in 1988, released 7 studio albums including '30 Something', '1992 - The Love Album' and 'Post Historic Monsters'. 17 Singles from 1988's 'Sheltered life' to 1995's 'Born Of The 5th Of November'. The bands live shows attracted a hardcore following of loyal fans. Playing Reading in 1991, the band were the highlight of the festival.

In 1998 the band split up and went on to work on their own projects. In 2001 Jim Bob and Fruitbat toured as 'Who's The Daddy Now?' The pair's two bands, Jim's Super Stereoworld and Fruitbat's Abdoujaparov, would play a set each, after which the pair combined to perform a number of Carter USM songs.

In 2007 Carter USM performed 2 farewell gigs. The gigs marked the start of a annual appearance from Carter USM, including playing their first 4 albums in full over 2 nights. This year Carter USM play 3 gigs in London, Leeds and Glasgow, with tickets for the Glasgow gig selling out in 9 minutes.

 

Jim Bob has released 3 books 'Goodnight Jim Bob: On the road with Carter USM', 'Storage Stories' and the recent 'Driving Jarvis Ham'

Hey Jim Bob, how are you and where are you?

Hello. I'm pretty good at the moment thanks. I'm at home in the garden, about to go in though as its getting a bit windy.

How are plans for the forthcoming Carter USM gigs going?

 

Things are beginning to come together now. We start rehearsing next week and we'll rehearse once a week right up until the gigs, so that it feels as natural as possible to be performing as a band and not like we're suddenly doing something alien that we haven't done for ages. We've had a lighting meeting and I've bought some shirts. We're also thinking of special things to add to the gigs to make them different.

 

What's Carter's most outrageous rider demand?

 

To be honest we don't really have any. Maybe because we don't do gigs very often. It's just a lot of drink and food. The first time we got back together the sudden jump in rider size did catch me out a bit and I panicked and ended up getting incredibly drunk after the gig and acting like it was 1992.

 

What the best untrue rumour you have heard about Carter?

 

When the Arctic Monkeys started to get somewhere word did get around that we wrote their songs. I almost started to believe it myself. People would ask me if it was true and I never denied it because it was more fun not to. I'm not saying that we didn't  write their songs by the way.

 

How did you get into writing books, was it a natural progression from writing lyrics?

 

Initially I wrote my Carter autobiography, which I enjoyed and so decided to attempt some fiction. I don't find it particularly easy to write but I do get the same buzz from finishing a book that I used to get from making an album. I think the way I write in fairly self contained chapters is a result of my songwriting upbringing.

 

Where does the inspiration for your books come from?

 

Tiny ideas come from people I know or see or hear about and they then get exaggerated and changed until they bear no relation to what they started out as. And once a story gets going it does take on a life of its own to a certain extent.

 

What bands have you been listening to recently?

 

Not a lot of new stuff I'm afraid. The Jam and Elvis Costello, Rod Stewart, Tom Waits.

What was the first record you bought?

 

John Lennon 'Imagine'.

 

After the Carter gigs whats next for Jim Bob?

 

I don't know exactly. I'm going to try and finish the book I'm writing now. The paperback of Driving Jarvis Ham comes out next year, so I'm hoping that will do ok. I might do some solo touring. That kind of stuff. I constantly write notes of things that I have to do. On my current list it says 'Next year?' I have literally nothing in my diary after November 9th.

 

 

Jim Bob's Top 10 Carter USM songs:

 

1. Anytime Anyplace Anywhere

2. England

3. The Music that Nobody Likes

4. The Only Living Boy in New Cross

5. Sheriff Fatman

6. Falling on a Bruise

7. Travis

8. Glam Rock Cops

9. Nowhere Fast

10. Do Re Me So Far So Good

 

 

For news & information about Carter The Unstoppable Sex Machine go here:

http://www.carterusm.co.uk/

 

Check out Jim Bob's solo stuff & book releases here:

http://www.jim-bob.co.uk/

 

 

 

5 For Friday!

5 Songs To Get The Weekend Started!

D/R/U/G/S - Amphibian EP - Listen Website

Goat - Goatman - Listen Website

Little Dragon - Ritual Union - Listen Website

Walkmen - Heart breaker - Listen Website

Animal Collective - Toda's Supernatural - Listen Website

This week's 5 For Friday was submitted by Zeus

If you want us to feature your 5 For Friday contact us: Email

Mercury 13

Liverpool's Mercury 13 are due to release the excellent debut single 'Searchlight' b/w 'Again! Again! Again!' on 15th October 2012. The band will also play live dates in Liverpool, London and Manchester to coinside with the single release. The band have already played a number of gigs and festivals and have supported some of the North West best artists.


Described bythe Liverpool Echo as “One of the best bands to come out of the city in years” 2012 should be a big year for Mercury 13!

Who is in the band?

Mel Bowen (vox, guitars), Nonny (keys, brass, backing vox), Gary Hart (bass, backing vox), Rooky (drums, percussion)

Where are you from?

We come from all over the NW… Liverpool, Wirral and Bolton.

What's the story so far?

We’ve been writing, rehearsing and gigging for a while now. It’s been going really well and we’ve received lots of positive publicity. We’ve also been lucky enough to play with musicians whom we admire and respect, such as John Bramwell from ‘I Am Kloot’, John Head from ‘Shack’, Pete Wylie and Field Music, whom we supported during Liverpool Music week.
 

We’re currently recording our debut album which will be entitled “Clubhouse for the Ordinary” at our own recording studio on Merseyside, Shabby Road Studios.

How would you describe your sound? 

This is the question every band member always dislikes. It’s always difficult to describe your own sound. It’s much easier when other people do it for you and so far we’ve been informed that we sound like XTC meets Love meets Style Council.

How much does where you come from influence your music?

How much does where you come from influence your music?

Coming from the North West, we’re blessed with the juxtaposition of gritty realism and lyrical daydreaming! We’re influenced greatly by this area; a proud working class area which has experienced so much political strife, but has always stood up and fought back. We’re proud of that. Similarly, as a band we are really influenced by so many great artists, bands and musicians that have come from the NW. If you think about how many world-changing bands have come from this small, urban corner of England – it’s amazing really. So much brilliant music has been created by people from this area! What was it that Ian Brown recently said that he has always thought of Liverpool and Manchester as being the ends of one great city and about giving London a run for its money. Great sentiment. And right too in the musical world.

Over the years some of the greatest bands have come from the North West what do you think the secret is?

It must be our diet of potatoes, peas and gravy! No, the North West has always been a destination place or an arrival point for so many people over the years, whether it be Irish immigrants escaping poverty, or Europeans setting off for a new life to America or Australia. There’s always been a constant influx and flow of different cultures, races, creeds and religions coming in or out of the NW; Liverpool was such a vibrant port and the ship canals importing and exporting cotton and so on. The whole NW has always had eyes on international lands and this has contributed to the area’s unique musical lifeblood. Don’t forget, it was the Cunard Yanks who first imported American Rock n Roll, R&B and Blues into the UK through Liverpool Port during the 1950s.
 

How has the band been received outside of Liverpool? 

Great so far. People who’ve seen us or heard some of the promo stuff have been full of praise.

You've got a new single coming out 'Searchlight' are there plans for an album to follow it?

Our debut single is to be released on 15th October; a double A-side, 45-rpm vinyl and download release: “Searchlight” c/w “Again! Again! Again!” on ‘Cooking Soup Records – Purveyors of Quality Entertainment.’ Our debut album “Clubhouse for the Ordinary” will be released soon after.
 

Where can we catch you live?
 

Our forthcoming gigs are at the Dovedale Social in Liverpool (Oct 18th), Brixton Grosvenor, London (Oct 20th), Manchester Castle (Nov 17th). But, before then we have our debut single launch coming up in October at a secret location in Liverpool.

What’s next for Mercury 13?

Keep on keepin’ on!

 

For the latest information on Mercury 13 check:

www.twitter.com/Mercury_13, www.facebook.com/Mercury13music, or www.mercury13.co.uk

AudioUprisie

 

 

AudioUprise is the latest outlet for unsigned artists to get their music promoted. The website offers a facility to upload new music and get paid for it. Artist can also create their own community to promote themselves and build a fanbase. With many free streaming sites around we spoke to AudioUprise's founder Georgia to find out what is on offer for new artists..

 

What is AudioUprise?

AudioUprise is a newly launched website solely dedicated to unsigned music. Bands and musicians can create their free profile, upload their tracks and gig dates and they're there to start selling to public! We want to broadcast and expose the unsigned world to as many people as possible.  

 

It is an interesting concept, what was your inspiration to do this?

 

The inspiration for it all, it's a fairly long (and not very exciting unfortunately) but the basic jist... it started from a question a friend asked me, 'where do you go to find new music?'. At the time I was using Myspace for finding new music, mainly unsigned, but didn't like the way it was all so cluttered. It'd take me ages to find one band or artist i actually liked because the site had so many things going on there as no focus, along with the fact the stuff i did find was almost old as myspace for unsigned music had kind of died down. Anyway from all this my friend and I got talking about various ideas and it seemed to click- selling unsigned music on a user friendly site. It really just went from that one question.... I suppose if i were to answer the question with a straight forward answer, I'd have to say my friend Tom, without that starting question I don't know if the idea would've arisen.  

 

A lot of unsigned bands stream music for free online, what extra benefits will they get from selling music via AudioUprise?

       

There are a lot of sites for streaming free music online but none of which i think have the same feel or user experience to AudioUprise. It's a really simple site for both artists and users. Signing up is free, uploading is simple, it just has to pass a security check and it's up on the site. When selling the music we offer a very competitive commission from the downloads for the artist, money always seems to be a pretty nice benefit! There's a communal gig calendar on the site so people can keep posted on local gigs in their area, equally bands can just direct their existing and new fans from their profile to their gig dates on the calendar. I'd say the best benefit from AudioUprise is the fact we want to help, we want to expose these artists. We feel if there's talent out there, why shouldn't it be heard. People are more than willing to listen, it's just aiding them to find it. We use twitter, blogs, facebook and many other ways yet to come to promote the acts, all for free of course, because it's more pleasure than business. The way we see it for the artists, they have nothing really to lose. With free sign up, extra help promoting and the chance to make a bit of money off downloads we can't not see the benefits. 

 

How much does it cost to buy a track from AudioUprise? 

    

To buy a track from AudioUprise at the moment is set at £0.49p.

 

How is the price of the track set?

 

The price of the track is set at £0.49p as we felt it was a happy medium. We're not pretending to be itunes, we realise these musicians are unsigned so maybe the recording quality won't be as good but at the same time, doesn't mean the music won't be as good,  so it's still worth a fair price!  

       

Are you just working with unsigned bands or will you feature signed bands as well?

 

The site is an unsigned website and i don't think we'll be going to signed act though. The idea from the start has been to create a meeting ground for unsigned musicians and unsigned music lovers. A simple site with no catches, for the moment the way i see it, introducing signed acts on to it could maybe spoil that by pushing the unsigned music to the back, really all we want to do is put them in the spotlight.  

 

How do you see AudioUprise developing in the future?

 

Future plans for AudioUprise, tricky one to say actually. We've already begun to develop the site, I've had a few ideas already how to better it, for both artists and users, so those will be started on very soon. We're starting to develop all our social media platforms, it'll probably start to have more of a community feel to it, more interactive for everyone. Along with the site growing, AudioUprise is doing things outside the internet world. We're actually starting to run events under the AudioUprise name, we want to showcase the talents from the website on the stage. This is probably what I'm most looking forward to actually, I think it'll be great to get the artists out there doing what they love. 

 

If a band are interested in selling music on AudioUprise how can they get in touch?

If any bands or artists are interested in the AudioUprise site and they'd like to join up, they can either go straight to the site or equally they can contact me via email on georgia@audiouprise.com or our main email info@audiouprise.com.    

 

 

You can also find AudioUprise at: facebook  twitter

 

 

       

5 For Friday

5 Songs For The Weekend!

The Joy Formidable - Wolf's Law Listen Website
(Sign up to the band's mailing list and get a free download of Wolf's Law: http://atlr.ec/GetWolfsLaw )

Tall Ships - Gallop - Listen Website

A Me B - They Know (Ups & Downs Mix Tape) - Listen Website

The Ting Tings - Hit Me Down Sonny - Listen Website

Tribes - We were Children - Listen Website
(Tribes have a free live EP that you can download here http://tribesband.com/free-download/)

If you want to send us your 5 tunes to get the weekend started contact us at:
bdblogmcr@gmail.com
www.facebook.com/bdblogmcr
twitter: @bdblogmcr

Tall Ships

 

Tall Ships are a 3 piece band from Falmouth, Cornwall. Having already caught the attention of the national media, the band are due to headline the BBC Introducing Stage at Reading and Leeds Festival this weekend. The band have also released 2 singles this year T=0 and Gallop both available from itunes

 

The bands debut album 'Everything Touching' is due for release on 8th October 2012

Who is in the band and where are you from?

 

Ric and Jamie who are from Brighton and Matt who is from Worcester. Tall Ships as band is from Falmouth.

Does the place you come from influence your music?

Falmouth was a really good place for us to start out. It's an incredibly creative place with loads of interesting people doing interesting things. It was great to exist within its little bubble whilst we decided what kind of band we wanted to be.

How good does it feel to be headlining the Introducing Stage at Reading/Leeds festival?

Pretty amazing. We all went as teenagers so to be headlining a stage their is just un-real. The fact we can say we clashed with the Foo Fighters is pretty ridiculous.

Is this your biggest gig to date?

I would say it is probably the most significant. It's an opportunity to play to loads of people who wont know us and having the backing and coverage that BBC Introducing gives we'll hopefully reach out to new people who haven't heard of us before

How did you get involved with BBC Introducing?

We did a session for Huw Stephens a very long time ago which was fun. Jen Long has also championed us a bit which we're incredibly thankful for!

Have you played many festivals this year and do you enjoy playing festivals?

Pretty much every weekend! We really enjoy it. We turn up, get given food vouchers, free beer, play for 30 mins and then get to enjoy the rest of the festival. We've had some surreal experiences and met some awesome people this summer.

Your debut album 'Everything Touching' is released on 8th October, what can we expect from it?

10 songs in to which we've poured everything we possibly could. It's an honest and ambitious record in our opinion, we really didn't hold anything back.

How long did it take to record the album and where was it recorded?

We recorded it between August 2011 and April 2012 in Bovey Tracey in Devon. We recorded it at the producer James Elliot Fields home studio. It was a beautiful location to record. We ate pasties and made music, it was immense. We also did some recording at mine and Jamies old primary school hall where we recorded 40 people singing for the ending track Murmurations.

Who are the bands main influences?

There are loads. I think the bands that had a huge influence on us when we we're teenagers (Biffy Clyro, Hundred Reasons, Muse Hell Is For Heroes, Brand New etc etc) have really shaped our approach to making music. But past that bands like Battles and Sigur Ros have also really influenced our sound. It's all a bit over the place really. Come to think of it, our sound is a huge mix of hundreds of different influences piled together in the hope of making something fresh.

If someone has not heard your music, what's the first track they should listen to?

T=0. That's the opening track on the album and really sums up what we're about musically and lyrically as a band.

Are you going out on tour to support the release of the album?

Yes throughout October. We're playing all over the country. The dates are on our website www.wearetallships.co.uk

Is there anything people would be surprised to know about the band?

Lots, but that would be telling...


You can pre-order Tall Ships debut album 'Everything Touching' here

Tall Ships are also on Facebook  twitter & Soundcloud

Thanks to Ric from Tall Ships for answering our questions!

Football & Music? Course You Can Malcolm

FC United Of Manchester was formed in 2005 after the Glazier family took control at Old Trafford. As the club and many others slipped away from the fans and further in to the hands of the money men, FC United offered an alternative. A member owned community Football Club, offering each member a vote on the running of the club even down to the admission price and the shirt design.The club is now entering it's 8th season and are currently playing in the Northern Premier League Premier Division.

You might be wondering why we are telling you about a Football Club on a music blog...Well in a small corner of Gigg Lane (The temporary home of FC) before kick off on a Saturday, you will find 'Course You Can Malcolms'. Possibly best described as a club night in the afternoon. At CYCM you'll find home made food, a fine selection of ales, great music and occasionally belly dancers.

Wanting to know more about how Malcolms fits in to the fans pre-match build up, we spoke to one of CYCM volunteers to find out.

How long have you been running? 

5 years.

What is the capacity?

160

Where does the name come from?

It means anything is possible, from the add for a cold relief sweet. Malcolm asks his mum if he can go out and his mum says 'course you can Malcolm. I am far too young to remember this.

Give us an idea of what sort of music we can expect?

Expect anything from death rock to Irish harp music. We try to keep it varied but it does reflect the availability of bands and the prevailing local musical trends.

How do you select the bands to play CYCM?

They have to be a Manchester band, playing original music and stupid enough to want to play at an insane venue on a Saturday afternoon, for a bottle of beer each. Although we did once have the Japanese band My Way My Love, whose singer ended their set with a running jump into the drum kit. Quite a few of the bands do have connections with FC too, including the members of Wu Lyf that played. We also have to thank TNS Records for assistance in organising a couple of the events recently.

How long do the bands play for?

22 minutes, one minute for each player of the football teams.

It's not just music, you've had performances from Poets and Drama groups as well?

Moston youth group MaD have performed at CYCM, Poets, and who could forget end of season belly dancers.

Can you give us a few of the highlights of CYCM so far?

It is a members collective, we organise and run the place ourselves and raise money to benefit the club. Performance highlights for me include the aforementioned My Way My Love and watching Gideon Conn's acoustic set amuse a largely hungover crowd on New Year's Day.

If you could have any band playing at CYCM, who would you be?

I am always grateful for any band that volunteers their time and puts up with us, lugging gear up the staircase at Bury. I would like it if we had a band return to CYCM after having made their fame and fortune and come back for a reunion gig.

Is this going to be the season FC get promoted from the Northern Premier?

Do we really care if we get promoted or not? We will maintain tradition and lose in the playoffs.


CYCM is the live version of A Fine Lung:
http://www.afinelung.com

You can find out more about FC United Of Manchester here

Thanks to Chris from CYCM!

The Lottery Winners

The Lottery Winners describe themselves as 'Born in Salford and raised on romance' 

Having already played a number of high profile gigs, the band are putting their mark on the North West and beyond. The band are due to take a break from playing live as they look to record a record but don't worry The Lottery Winners are a band your going to hear a lot more about.

Who is in the band?

We are, The Lottery Winners. Thomas, Robert, Katie and Joseph.

How long have you been together?

In this line up? About three months, feels like forever though. Katie, Robert and I (Thom) have been together for just short of four years now. They have been the worst four years of each of our lives.

Where's the band from?

We're each from various places in Greater Manchester, but the band are from, and always will be from Leigh, Lancashire. We won't forget it either. 

Whats the story behind the band's name?

The name was born out of irony, we had no money to buy guitars, so it just seemed apt. Of course, in high insight, it was a terrible decision, it's an awful name.

Where can we find your music?

We have hidden 10 golden tickets in various bars of a well known chocolate brand. The lucky bearers of the golden tickets can contact our head quarters and, in exchange for their ticket, have a tour of the huge factory in which we build our tunes. Haven't you seen it on the news?

In truth, we're working hard on a record at the moment, as soon as we're ready we'll try to make sure it's absolutely everywhere, including chocolate bars.

Where can we see you live?

We've just finished a pretty big tour, and so we're taking a little break to work on our record. We'll still be playing the odd show, mind, just to tame the craving we each feel in our veins when we're not on stage. If you keep on top of our social media websites, I'm sure you won't miss a thing.

Which other bands are you listening to at the moment?

Lots and lots! A few of the bands that we've played with recently, that we're digging, are The Heartbreaks, who've just released a very handsome debut album, Jeramiah Ferrari, who've just released a very handsome EP and the Minx, who've just released a very handsome debut single. I should probably stop plugging other band's records though, right?

What was the first single you bought?

I wish I could say it was something cool, but it wasn't. I know that since the age of about 5 I was uncontrollably obsessed with Queen, a guilty pleasure I suppose I still suffer from.

Can you give us 6 random numbers that might make us Lottery Winners? (we will split the winnings)

No, I'm sorry. 

What's next for The Lottery Winners?

Who knows? All I can tell you is our record is the best thing you, I or anyone else will ever hear in our entire lives, ever.

I'm joking, of course.

Or am I?

You can keep uptodate with The Lottery Winners here:

Twitter  Facebook  Reverbnation

The Last Stance Of Independence

Earlier this year Music Week awarded Sound It Out record shop the honour of 'Best Independent Retailer' at it's 2012 award ceremony. Sound It Out is the last remaining record shop in Teesside. It's friendly and knowledgeable staff give it the character that keeps its customers coming back for more.

Against the flow of the High Street, where we have seen a number of 'music' retailers disappear over recent years, there are still some independent record shops who are doing good business and are here for the long term.

There is a passion for vinyl that will never be seen for a digital release, it's the smell, the sleeve design, the message in the run off groove, sometimes even the gatefold finish, and the fact an mp3 signed and framed would look crap on your wall. You normally find what lies behind the door of an indie record store is a community connected, promoters, DJs, bands, crews and maybe just the odd record geek.

We spoke to Sound It Out about what keeps an independent record shop trading in the digital age!

Can you give us a bit of history of Sound it out?

Sound It Out has been in existence since the 1990s. Tom has owned the shop since 1998. The shop started with nothing more than a few records, a coffee machine and a couple of battered sofas. Local punks and youths used to come in and hang out. Since then the shop has grown to accommodate approximately 50,000 records with a worldwide customer base.

How does Sound It Out continue to survive when so many other indie record shops have disappeared?

Diversity is the key. We don't judge anyone on their musical taste and we stock a huge range of styles and genres. If its available we'll pretty much sell it. The ethos of indie record shops years ago was 'That's too mainstream for us, try WH Smith or HMV' The days of being able to do that and thinking you're too fashionable are over. We also believe that we offer a customer experience that is second to none. We have won national and local awards that attest to this.

Do you think anyone is to blame for the decline in record shops and physical sales or are we just moving with the times?

The decline in record sales and indie music retailers is definitely a signifier in shifting priorities with today's young people. The advent of the internet and iTunes has had a massive impact on music sales. If anything is to blame it is that. Kids today generally see music as a disposable form of entertainment, unlike thirty years ago when all they had was a record or tape player, and four channels of television. Record companies who release vinyl are becoming wise to this and most new releases actually come with mp3 download codes or a CD included, giving those that enjoy their music on the move the opportunity to do so as well as having the record to play at home. We have a hardcore of about 50 fantastic young people, aged from 10 to 20, coming into Sound It Out who buy vinyl, and we believe they are the future of our business.

There seems to be a lively music seen around Teesside with festivals and venues attracting new and well established bands, does that have an impact on the shop? 

The local music scene does have an impact on the shop. We sell tickets for local gigs and have many local bands and artists performing in-store most weeks. We also sell music made by local musicians. On a wider scale, bigger and better music festivals in our region are ensuring that established acts are becoming more and more interested in playing in our shop. Recent months has seen the likes of Maximo Park, The Futureheads and punk legend TV Smith perform in Sound It Out. We also get customers from other areas of the country visiting the shop when a particular band or artist is playing nearby.

For new and unsigned bands it not as easy to sell their music to record shops, do you still play a part in promoting new and unsigned music?

We receive emails and phone calls from many unsigned bands and artists who want us to stock their music. We also have local artist sections in the shop. We try to help in any way we can with promoting them too.

A film was made last year about the shop, can you tell us a bit about that?

The film, called 'Sound It Out', was made by a film-maker who is an ex-native of Stockton. Its a fly on the wall documentary which shows who we are, what we are, and why we do what we do. There are some characters in it who have become quite well-known locally as a result of appearing in the film. The documentary was selected to be shown at SXSW Festival in Texas in 2011, and from there it has travelled across the world from America to Australia. Its been shown at independent cinemas and received rave reviews from Empire magazine to the New York Times. The film was funded by the public who each received credits and/or perks for helping out. The DVD was released about six months ago and has proved to be one of the shop's biggest selling items which we find quite amazing!

If there is one album everyone should own what would it be?

That's a difficult question. It'd have to be The Clash. 'London Calling'

Whats on the stereo at the moment?

Paul Giovanni's 'Wicker Man' soundtrack on limited sunshine vinyl!

Whats the rarest record you've had at Sound it out?

Probably something really predictable like The Beatles white album or Pink Floyd's Dark Side Of The Moon with the rare solid blue triangle label. we seem to get lots of really rare Jazz too, which the Japanese seem to love.

In 20 years time do you think will we still be buying physical music formats?

We better be. I'm not getting a real job!


Sound It Our records are base in Stockton-on-Tees, 15a Yarm Street. TS18 3DR

Online www.sounditoutrecords.co.uk

On Twitter: www.twitter.com/_sounditout

For more information on the excellent film about Sound It Out visit http://www.sounditoutdoc.com/

On The Road With The Subways

The Subways play Reading / Leeds festival 2012 at the the end of this month followed by a UK tour. We caught up with drummer Josh Morgan and asked him about life on the road.

It's festival season again, whats makes Reading/Leeds festival special for the band?

Billy and Charlotte went to Reading festival as punters a year or two before we first played (unfortunately i couldn't afford to go!). Since then we strived to one day be on the festival line up, like it was an initiation into becoming a real band. We played 2004, and to perform where Billy and Charlotte once saw The Von Bondies was quite an experience for us. Its really reflective of how strange and unpredictable the industry is.

Can you remember much about the first time you played Reading?

It was a long time ago, but i do remember being nervous. The anticipation of playing the biggest festival local to us was an overwhelming experience. I loved every minute of it.

Will you get a chance to catch any other bands over the weekend?

I hope to catch The Hives and Future Of The Left. Fingers crossed that i find the time. There's no better way to prepare for a show than to watch a favourite band whilst sipping a casual beer.

Have you got a favourite festival you like playing?

I tend to favour smaller festivals nowadays. Like 2000 Trees, Y Not Festival or Cockermouth Festival. For me atmosphere plays a huge part and these offer a relaxed, family oriented feel. God, i sound really old.

Your back on the road with a UK tour in September/October, how much are you looking forward to that?

I cant wait to get back to playing clubs. I do love festivals, but i do miss the sweaty, stale stench of a club! Earlier this year on about the 40th show of our club tour i said "man, i cant wait to play festivals and soak in the fresh air and see loads of bands", but now after tons of festivals I'm thinking back the other way! The grass is always greener...

What's the one thing you cannot live without on tour?

Video games. Impossible to tour without. I actually think i would lose my mind.

What's on The Subways rider? Have you every put an outrageous on you rider and it's been delivered?

We are as polite as we can be with the rider. At the moment it's the standard beer and snacks with a small request for the promoter to make a compilation of his favourite songs for us. We have asked for photos of our favourite actors in the past, nothing too outrageous. I was thinking of asking for an animal from each promoter and start a farm in the bus.

What plans have the band got after the tour?

We will continue writing, but take a small hiatus. We haven't had a break in years and i think it is due. I plan to get a little education and spend time with my family. We are very exited about our new songs and we plan to record them all ourselves when we are ready.


Keep in touch with The Subways Website Twitter MySpace

Catch The Subways on tour in the UK:

24/08/12 Reading Festival
25/08/12 Leeds Festival
22/09/12 HMV Picture House Edinburgh
28/09/12 O2 Academy Sheffield
29/09/12 Engine Shed Lincoln
30/09/12 Central Station Wrexham
05/10/12 O2 Academy Glasgow
06/10/12 O2 Academy Newcastle
07/10/12 Sugarmill Stoke
12/10/12 Roadmender Northampton
13/10/12 O2 Academy Oxford
19/10/12 O2 Academy Birmingham
20/10/12 O2 Academy Leicester
26/10/12 O2 Academy Bristol
27/10/12 O2 Academy Leeds

5 For Friday!

5 Songs For The Weekend

Peace - California Daze - Listen Website

Daughter - Smother - Listen Website

Fixers - Crystals - Listen Website

We Are Augustines - Book Of James - Listen Website

The Staves - Icarus - Listen Website


If you want to send us your 5 top tunes to get the weekend started email us

The Minx

The Minx released the upbeat debut single 'No Friends' in June this year. They have play a number of gigs including some high profile support slots and on Friday will support 'Bad Manners' at Band on the Wall, Manchester. Their fan base continues to grow as they play gigs across the country.

Recently the band played at Kendal Calling. A early slot on the main stage would not normal attract much attention but The Minx pulled in a decent crowd. The music is a refreshing mix of punk,ska and northern soul and sees the band being describe as 'the sound of modern British youth'

The Minx also have their own excellent iphone app with exclusive content, news,music and videos. You can download it here!

Who is in the band?

There's 5 of us, Chris Haddon on vocals/guitar, Paul Robinson on guitar, Kieran McIntyre on keys, Chucky Stuttard on Bass and Andy Evans who hits things ( not people though !) .

Where are you from?

4 of us all grew up together in Wythenshawe, Paul's a Stockport lad but it's only down the road.There's a few great bands from around our way, must be something in the water but they are lovely places!

How did you get together?

Well, as the majority of us grew up together, we've known each other since we were about 2ft tall (expect Chucky, he was born 6ft), we all messed about with music in school and played in bands as youngsters, but we met Paul (guitarist) in college and we decided to give it a proper go. We had our heads screwed on a little firmer and all fell into the same music groups/styles together, so it just naturally happened and progressed really.

Where can we find your music?

We've just launched our brand new 'The Minx' iPhone app (available on Android soon as well), it's a free app which can be downloaded from the app store, it's automatically updated with all new material, shows, news etc, there's also an "Exclusive" tab coming soon which will be full of exclusive content like remixes, demos, loads of stuff. Failing that, Facebook/theminxband , twitter @TheMinxBand and soundcloud.com/the-minx are your best bets. Although we've been told you can hear us in service stations up and down the country so if you're stopping for a bacon sarnie or a coffee keep your ears open. Best place to hear us is to get on I-tunes and download the single and have a good old bop failing that get yourself down to a show and we'll see you at the front.

How much did you enjoy your main stage set at Kendal Calling?

Bloody loved it. It was a great pleasure and quite a shock to have been asked to play the main stage. There were some great acts and inspirations sharing the same stage as us over the weekend, so we had a big position to fill. It's the biggest stage we have played but the energy carried across and as you say we "smashed it"! We love intimate little shows but now we have the taste for the main stages those big ol' bands need to watch their backs.

Did you get chance to see any other bands at Kendal Calling?

Loads! We played on the Friday and stayed until the Monday as a bit of a band weekend away. Some cracking bands, a few highlights would be James, TOY, The Lottery Winners, Hyde & Beast, and definitely Edwyn Collins & Roddy Frame performing A Girl Like You acoustically in a little log cabin. Brilliant.

Have you got any gigs coming up?

Our next show is a local show at Band On The Wall in Manchester on 17th August, we're playing along side Bad Manners. We've got so many pencilled dates over the next few months which are very nearly confirmed, all dotted over the UK including a lot of places we've never been to before. If you keep checking our App, or Facebook/Twitter, all new dates will be updated on there as and when.

What was the last album you listened to you?

We've had The Housemartins/Beautiful South 'Soup' combined greatest hits on repeat in the car for god knows how long. Some outstanding tunes and the production's ace. But we're always finding new stuff to fall in love with and that's ace.

If there is one thing we should know about The Minx what would it be?

Kieran likes to build ponds in his back garden in his spare time.

What's next for The Minx?

As many live shows as we can fit in , hopefully we have a few dates in London, Scotland and around the UK so check the Facebook page and of course we will be back  in the studio very soon! We've been working hard promoting our debut release "No Friends" (Now available on iTunes/Amazon), but we're back in the studio in the coming months with a second release planned before the year is out. We can't wait. You'll love it.

Watch out for a tour and debut album from The Minx later this year, You can find the band here:

 Twitter    Facebook    Soundcloud     iphone app

Ramsbottom Festival 2012

In 2011 Ramsbottom made it's debut on the festival circuit. It featured a diverse line up of acts and entertainment for all the family. The festival is set under the shadow of Holcombe Hill and Peel Tower at Ramsbottom Cricket Club. 2011 included appearances from, Mark Radcliffe, Badly Drawn Boy, The Waterboys, Guillemots, Kid British and Otis Gibbs amongst others.

Away from the music, Ramsbottom hosted an impressive line up of food outlets including Tibetan kitchen and a beer tent featuring many locally brewed beers, including the festival's own brew. With rides for the kids and performance areas that included an appearance form the Whalley Range All Stars, you could be forgiven for thinking Glastonbury had been compacted and move in to the Cricket Club for the weekend. 

The festival returns this year with a strong live line including headline performances from The Inspirals Carpets, I Am Kloot and Roddy Frame. With reasonably priced tickets and perhaps the best mode of transport to arrive at any festival, Victoria Robinson told us more about Ramsbottom Festival.

Why did you decide to hold a festival in Ramsbottom?

The Festival is organised by The Met and as a venue and organisation serving the community in Bury we needed somewhere local to the area. Ramsbottom was an obvious choice for us. It's a fantastic town with lots to offer visitors and the Cricket Club is bang in the centre and a great venue for music!

Is it important for the festival to work with local community?

Absolutely. Although we are a small festival with big ambition we quite simply would not have got to our second year without local support. Both the sell out early bird tickets and the army of volunteers have proved that the community want this event to work as much as we do, which is a lovely feeling!

How would you describe the festival in one sentence?

Very difficult question. "The very best Manchester and Lancashire has to offer in music, comedy, workshops, food and booze in a stunning riverside location and the only Festival in the the UK accessible by steam train."

Would you say the festival has something for everyone of all ages?

Of course! We've worked very hard to make the Festival as inclusive as possible, from ticket price to travel. Kids and adult tickets are as low as we could possibly make them and under 6s are free. There will be tons of activities for kids (young and old!), great food, great music, great comedy, workshops, a funfair and a silent disco if the choice is just too much! Arriving by steam train is an absolute must for families or there is also camping available if you want to get into the full festival vibe.

What makes Rammsbottom festival different to other festivals?

We've tried to balance established names with really talented rising stars. So for example you have the Inspirals and I Am Kloot with being supported by the likes of the Janice Graham Band and people like Liz Green (winner of Glastonbury Emerging Talent Competition) who are bursting with talent. We've also got a bit more to offer - it's fun, affordable and friendly for kids so no need to get a baby sitter.

The atmosphere of the Festival last year was amazing - people genuinely loved the weekend and wanted more. This year we've lowered the ticket price and increased the entertainment - other festivals couldn't say that! As mentioned above we're the only Festival where you can take a step back in time and arrive by heritage steam train - we might be the only festival in the world to offer that!

The real ale bar was great last year, will there be a 'festival ale' again this year?

Local to Ramsbottom, Irwell Works Brewery are currently hard at work brewing tons of the Festival ale. We are all looking forward to sampling the goods before the weekend!

Which artist are you most looking forward to seeing this year?

For me it's the Inspirals. I've been listening to them from the age of 13 and never seen them live. Although I'm actually looking forward to every day so can I also add Liz Green, Leisure Society, I Am Kloot, Seth Lakeman, Magic Arm, Molly Bloom, Louis Barabbas and the Bedlam Six and Harp and a Monkey? Oh and dancing in the Silent disco with Mike Joyce and Clint Boon DJing. So pretty much everyone!

Is there any artists you would have like to have had playing this year that couldn't make it?

I love the line up this year but it would be an absolute dream to have Elbow headline one day.

Rain or Shine this year?

Shine - we haven't had any summer yet! Although the weather doesn't really make any difference - it's tons of fun rain or shine.

What's the long term future for the festival?
We want to make this an annual event and are keen to do so. If we continue to get the level of support from the community, Council and police and The Met still has capacity and enthusiasm to organise it I can see it lasting long into the future. 

Victoria Robinson is Marketing Manager for Ramsbottom Festival & The Met, Bury.

Tickets are still available for Ramsbottom Festival online, over the phone and in person here

As well as arriving by steam train at the festival, transport is available from Manchester and Chorlton. The festival also offers 'off site' camping. For more information about Ramsbottom Festival visit the official website

Follow Ramsbottom festival on twitter and facebook

For more information about The Met, Bury visit the venue's website

5 For Friday!

5 Songs For The Weekend

Alt-J - Matilda Listen Website

Django Django - Hail Bop Listen Website

Egyptian Hip hop - Moon Crooner Listen Website

Plank! - King Rat I, II, III Listen Website

Tame Impala - Elephant Listen Website

This weekend's tunes were submitted by Zeus

If you want to send us your 5 top tunes to get the weekend started email us!