Music Travels

We've Moved

2011-08-14T10:22:00.000+01:00

Thank you for checking this blog, we are no longer here, we've moved to:

www.music-travels.co.uk

The Staves - Haunting Storytellers

2011-05-04T01:11:00.002+01:00

I was told that I "simply must check out this band" called 'The Staves' over the weekend; they were playing the Camden Crawl and my source was a little aficionado of most things 'new music' so I figured that to deny him this passionate request of his, would be foolish. I'm often daft, but foolish I am not (I hope).

Before finding out much about them, their band name evoked an image in my head of a young indie-rock band; skinny jeans and leather-jacket clad with that veil of 'mood hair' cascading down their lugubrious faces, forcing barre chords through an antagonistic rhetoric of effects pedals. I love the fact that my pompous and assuming stereotype was present in all it's ignorant glory as it had the effect of me being entirely proved wrong and for the good.

The Staves are the medley of three Sisters; Emily, Jessica and Camilla, who through a delicate distillation of guitar, ukulele and most stunningly; vocal harmonies that provide such flawless lifts and emotive tones to their work, have produced an utterly haunting and moving sound that could not be further from 'indie-rock' if it tried.

The Staves - 'Winter Trees' (Live at The Magpies Nest) from James McDonald on Vimeo.

Sometimes in songwriting, less is more and The Staves prove this point. There is no production or backing track to offer that supportive underpinning. it's just three girls, three voices, a guitar (occasionally a ukulele) and lyrically beautiful songs. Their harmonies remind me of that distinctive, complimentary, resonant sound that Emmylou Harris, Alison Krauss and Gillian Welch produce. Obviously The Staves don't have the same accent to their voices, but they pitch their harmonies wonderfully and with fantastic control. On occasion Jessica, the guitarist/vocalist, harmonises a melodic line that she plays in tandem on the guitar which is unexpected and completely enchanting.

You can tell that there is so much more to come from these three girls, especially with stage performance and stage craft. On occasion they apologised for the possibility of mistakes being made during a song, before actually performing it and there was sometimes a sense of pessimism with their own material. Quite simply girls; you deserve to be on the stage, you deserve to have people pay money to come and see you and once you begin to build confidence in this knowledge, you have the potential to be truly amazing.

Mexico by The Staves

For anyone going to The Great Escape, Larmer Tree, The Secret Garden Party, Cambridge Folk Festival or End of The Road festival, you have to put these girls on your list of bands to see; you won't be disappointed.

MT

Little Tybee From Across the Pond

2011-04-28T01:45:00.000+01:00

Last week I stumbled across a tweet from someone, or something, named ‘Paper Garden Records’ about a band who had just released their new album. I hadn’t heard of these Paper Garden Records folk but through cunning, logic and sheer fluke, I determined that they must have something to do with records and therefore, music. Sometimes I really do luck-out. I liked the name; I wanted to know more.

Picture by Drew Morrison - www.drewmorrison.com

The band they were tweeting were ‘Little Tybee’ and the record they had just released was ‘Humorous to Bees’. At this point the names involved so far were curiously intriguing and I immediately felt that they deserved a ‘window’ in my busy schedule. My busy schedule so far had been pretty less than dramatic with the highlight being a conversation where I was trying to convince my Nan over the phone that I was not, in fact, her Sister. (Love you Nan).

Who are this band?! If you could imagine Ray Lamontagne after overdosing on lemon and honey; that’s the lead singer/guitarist/pianist. He has that same emotional intensity and communicative familiarity in his voice as Ray but without the 76-a-day habit. You can tell that the place he has discovered these truly entertaining, engaging, distressing, uplifting and everything in-between lyrics is from a world of first-person-experience. Although his use of metaphorical whimsy is amazing. One line I am quietly convinced isn’t to be taken literally is; “I am a termite, stuck in your cedar, eating a structure, making it weaker, I never had my fill”.

Revisiting my question “who are this band”: I ask this as they have managed to create a wonderfully enchanting amalgamation of various layers, displacing the meniscus between soul, folk, blue-grass, jazz, orchestral and pop with fantastic results. The musicianship and melodic dances that occur between the violinist, the percussionist, vocalist, guitarist and bassist, let alone the other interesting sounds they’ve added are wonderful. I might be wrong, but there might even be some ‘Vai-like’ tapping going on with one of the guitars. As for song structure, this is a house of cards in a gentle breeze; you initially feel that the songs might just topple, but they don’t, they hold your attention completely and have you swaying in the same breeze. The arrangements are subtle and provide various lifts to support what I think might be a chorus, and then can disappear altogether leaving Brock Scott’s chillingly charming vocal floating around.

Picture by Michael C Hsiung www.michaelchsiung.com

One of the strongest tracks on the album for me is ‘Revolutionary’. A wonderfully simple piano riff pulses through the track providing that immediate hook, allowing these flavoursome musical tones and textures to be dropped over the top. A crunchy muted guitar picks out the odd note over the top, the violin flows along, the bass makes an appearance and matches the violin to produce a full sound and then the vocal arrives as the vehicle for some incredibly intelligent word-play in the lyrics. This is a good, good song!

The single from the album is ‘Nero’ which is a toe-tapper. No it’s not, it’s a foot stamper. In fact, get up, let’s have a dance. They do it again with the stylistic variance. It skips along this track with some well placed harmonies and a simple drum pattern that keeps a sense of urgency about the track and really adds to the dynamics. Personally, I don’t think it’s the strongest track from the album, but that’s because the album is full of strength. It’s an Arnold Schwarzenegger (I love the fact that was automatically spell-checked) of an album, but with an understandable accent.

This is a strong offering from a label that I am going to be paying close attention to. Paper Garden Records are already building a strong stable. It does seem they specialise in captivating band names however. One other strong offering is ‘Alcoholic Faith Mission’.

Alcoholic Faith Mission - Running With Insanity by Paper Garden Records

Take the time to check out the label, as well as the bands as there is something very compelling and bewitchingly charismatic about them!

papergardenrecords.com/bands/

Enjoy!

What’s the Craic This Week?

2011-04-25T13:29:00.003+01:00

Bit of a diverse offering this week, but as we live in London which is often described as one of the most culturally diverse Cities in the world, it only seems fitting to cast the net a little wider with regards to our highlights this week. We’re starting with one for the more purists amongst you!

Monday 25th April - John Etheridge @ The Red Lion, Isleworth, TW7 6QJ

For jazz fans, this is a bit of a heavyweight line-up! Guitarist Etheridge came to prominence in a late Soft Machine line-up and has since played with everyone from Pat Metheny to Stephane Grapelli and John Williams.

We’re going to drop another option in here for Monday as quite frankly, we think this band are stunning and it’s our blog, so there!

Monday 25th April - Dry the River @ Barfly

Does the lead singer’s voice remind anyone else of Jeff Buckley slightly?

New Ceremony by Dry the River

Tuesday 26th - The Flock @ The Old Queen’s Head

This has the makings of a bit of a musical masterpiece with performances from Eska, Dimbleby and Capper and Crewdson. Three very stylistically polarised acts, but every one of them offers something worth seeing, hearing and experiencing. From the deeply soulful, jazzy vocals of Eska, the driving indie undertones of D&C through to the originality and quirk of Crewdson.

Trapdoor by crewdson

Wednesday 27th - The Cuban Brothers @ Cargo, EC2A 3AY

Quite frankly, this would be an amazing way to round of the ‘hump’ day, with only one more day of work left. The Cuban Brothers are fun! That’s the highlight of this gig oh, and the fact that it is free! If you haven’t checked them out before, get to Cargo, enjoy a cocktail (vodka and fruit juice) and allow yourself to be entertained!

An alternative for anyone looking for something a bit more musically engaging, go and check out The Memory Band @ Green Note, NW1 7AN.

The Memory Band - Apples by the memory band

Thursday 28th - Raphael Saadiq @ Shepherd’s Bush Empire

We don’t have to work Friday, right? In that case this coming Thursday is effectively, a Friday. If you want to get your extended weekend off to a flyer, you could do an awful lot worse than going to see Raphael Saadiq. He recently appeared on Jools Holland and this gig promises to have a party atmosphere with people dancing - a lot! You should also check out the pedigree of the guy, if you haven’t heard of him, you will 100% have heard of the artists he’s worked with!

Friday 29th - The Re:Joice Royal Wedding Launch Party @ The Hoxton Pony

Although there aren’t any bands playing, there are DJ sets from Marina and the Diamonds, The Maccabees and Eddy Temple-Morris. This is an event put on by a chap called Ronnie Joice and his nights always offer something interesting. So, if you are in London and want to continue the Royal Wedding celebrations, pop along before 9pm and you get in for free!

Have a fantastic week and if the sun stays with us; enjoy it!

Tune-Yards: My Word!

2011-04-21T11:12:00.000+01:00

4AD are admirable. As a label they seemingly have an old-school approach to their ethos of A'n'R. I'm not referring to their business model, their marketing & promotion strategy, their brand partnerships or sync/licensing strategy; the focus is not on the 'business' of their approach, this is centred around the fact they look for something different in their signings. Artists such as Efterklang, Bon Iver and Camera Obscura nest in the arms of 4AD, calling it home.

One such act is Tune-Yards who have just released their album 'Whokill' with 4AD and it is a musical treat. In fact, I shouldn't be referring to Tune-Yards in the collective term as this is a musical project born from the truly expansive and encompassing mind of one person, a face-painted lady named Merril Garbus. When you hear the songs, you'll realise why you might be mistaken for thinking they were a band.

For any artists making music in their bedrooms, or their living room, perhaps even their bathroom (good acoustics and we're not room-prejudice) you have to check out this cacophony of inspiration and direction. I think I am right in saying that she must be influenced by musical persuasions such as reggae, African flavours, blues, folk, electro perhaps, pop and punk to name but a slither. Why is this important to artists approaching their music from an 'amateur' facility? Because Merrill has put all these tunes together using a digital recorder and an army of software, achieving an intriguing myriad of harmony.

The first single from the album is 'Bizness'. You can definitely hear the African influence in the beats and the vocal layer in the tune and it has that approach to songwriting that I think the band 'Everything Everything' also offer; it occasionally sounds like two songs which have been bolted together. That may give the impression of a lack of continuity or a nonsensical feel about the song, but quite the contrary, it works well, changing the energy in the song, which is saying something as the song already drives along with a hooky foot-tapper of a beat. In fact on the topic of being 'hooky' Tune-Yards has built hooks into this song everywhere, but never overcrowding the finished product. From the underpinning repetition of "don't take my life away, don't take my life away" to the come-again melodic line that opens the tune and pops up during the listening experience to give that familiar lift; it works amazingly well. Oh, and once you've listened to the song a few times, play it once more and listen out for the vocal retorts that Merrill layers in the background; this song alone, never mind the album, has hidden gems throughout it that kept me coming back for more. She's made me a song addict!

Have a little listen to Everything Everything's tune, 'Photoshop Handsome' as I think it offers similar style of writing and delivery. And congratulations to them for being nominated for two Ivor Novellos, it's great to see artists daring to be a bit different recognised for their art.

I would like to thank another artist for bringing Tune-Yards to my attention and she's amazing in her own right, in fact...4AD: Take a look at Saint Saviour (Thanks Becky!)

Fellow UK-ers, I hope you're enjoying the sunshine! Fellow human beings globally; hope you're enjoying whatever weather you may be experiencing!

MT

Our Music Week

2011-04-18T11:00:00.003+01:00

Interesting week for music and the business of the field of music. For those of you looking to build a career in this industry, we would highly recommend looking into MusicConnex - we're going to be there. They've got some really interesting speakers and it will be a rich soup in which to work your net. (You can't mention 'networking' without being frowned upon, let's invent a new term...contact development...'convelopment'). We are going to MusicConnex to convelop.

This is our pickaderweek:

Monday - Box Of Ghosts @ Monto Water Rats

Vocal reminds us a bit of Guy Garvey. Bit of the XX tonality thrown in there too. Some of the tracks are a touch 'messy', but with the right producer and arrangement, this band could be awesome. Check them out to sample the raw material, for any producers out there; say hello!

Music by Box of Ghosts

Tuesday - TV Nights @ Ronnie Scott's

John Bull & The Bandits have a feel of the Rolling Stones and Steeler's Wheel about them. Solid bluesy/rock with a country/folk undertone running through the tracks. The jam band consisting of the likes of Alex Vargas and Laura Welsh is reason enough to go independently of bands playing. TV Nights is always a good night for the purest music fans!

Wednesday - Daughter @ The Slaughtered Lamb

She's made the list for a second time, this time as the headliner of her EP Launch Party for 'Young Heart'. Steve Lamacq played her on his show yesterday and she is 'artist of the week' on Amazing Radio. You know our thoughts on Daughter, if you haven't yet allowed yourself to be encapsulated in her shawl of emotive lyrics, tones and songwriting, it might be worth considering.

Daughter - His Young Heart EP by ohDaughter

Thursday - Sam Ashford, LOS, Tom Prior and The Gents at 'The Square, Harlow'

Our pick form this line-up would be LOS: Crunchy guitars, high energy, attitude, everything you want from a live band. www.myspace.com/wearelos

The Cow

Los | Myspace Music Videos

Friday - Urban Foxes live at Native Tongue

We really don't know what to say about this band, still cant decide if we really like it or it just confuses us and makes us question our musical taste, so either way; that's a good thing! If you like a fusion of musical styles, check this band out.

We All by Urban Foxes

Let us know if you go, and what you think. Everyone has differing opinions, feel free to share them with us and equally if there are bands and artists you think we should check out, send them through!

Have a cracker of a week!

Is Our Home Turf Often Overlooked?

2011-04-17T10:08:00.000+01:00

Britain: Overshadowed and overlooked as a place to visit, tour, feel content with? I ask this question while thinking about the general 'societal wake' that is left from the apparent disheartening wave of...'the news!

I'm not naive enough to think that every item of interest broadcast on the news should be lined by silver, or end in a cheeky twist, it's more that the impression conveyed by a rather significant media artery of information promotes a tonal movement of negativity.

This isn't some political rant, there are people with a deeper knowledge than me and who have a lot more time to talk about the ins and outs of British politics, nay, world politics perhaps. This is me thinking to myself; 'why would people want to come and visit the UK?' So Google helped me out.

True, we don't have glorious year-round sunshine or an intimidatingly tremendous mountain range, or a health and safety executive so non existence that you can float down a torrent of a river, stopping at 'bars' along the way to get drunk on alcohol so potent it could raise the dead. What we do have is culture, variety, charm (most of the time) and something that I hope isn't dying out; an optimistic glow.

Oh, one thing about this video, I still can't quite fathom what cultural significance lies in a group of, let's say 'mature' women playing with large red blow-up balls. Still, you can't have everything can you!

Have a lovely weekend in the sunshine!

MT

Pickerdaweek

2011-04-11T21:02:00.001+01:00

You know when you write a little something, and you swear you hit that 'publish' button, but what you've actually managed to do is simply 'save it as a draft'? This wonderful mistake has meant that the initial entry here may well be slightly out-of-sink with your schedule, for this; we apologise and swear never to do it again - probably!

Monday (tonight): Tom and the Tides @ The Social
www.myspace.com/tomandthetides

Tuesday 12th April: Sugga Buddha Presents Jim Stapley @ The Bedford
Pretty good line-up as it goes, joining Jim are Skinny Machines, Ruth Lorenzo (let's see what the lady from X-Factor has to offer as an original artist) and Johnson Jay (Keith Richards has said 'stuff' about him along with a couple of industry-types, oh and he's Australian so that fits the 'travels' part too eh).

Wednesday 13th April: Loads of Blues - have you ever noticed that in London on a Wednesday? Pretty sure it's not the London blues festival yet! However, for the non-blues fans:

Cloud Control @ XOYO or

The Foxes + The Arcadian Kicks + Danny Mahon @ Notting Hills Arts Club

Thursday 14th April: Saint Saviour @ Hoxton Hall

This is Saint Saviour's EP launch, we've already formulated a strong opinion of this lady and you can read about it here.

Friday 15th April: Daughter + Pete Roe + Lucy Rose

This is a ridiculous line-up and along with Saint Saviour above, the highlight of the week!

So, that's where we'll be this week. If you find yourself in the same place, come and say hello! We'll be wearing T-shirts and trousers, but not necessarily in that order!

Anna Calvi to do the soundtrack for "Dusk 'Till Dawn vs Desperado"?!

2011-04-07T23:48:00.001+01:00

....Of course not, well, not as far as I know at least. Hmmm, actually, something to look into perhaps Miss Calvi?

I was fortunate enough this week to find myself in the realm of BBC Television Centre. I was surprised to have actually found myself in the BBC as the lack of organisation there was astonishing. We were told to stand in one particular queue and ended up on the set of CBeebies, this was not an ideal start to the evening. In time, we eventually found our way out of there after some heavy negotiation with Bob the Builder and a generous offer of a lift from 'Brum'.

Elbow, Beady Eye, Raphael Saadiq, Anna Calvi and The Tallest Man on Earth was the line-up for this week's Later...with Jools Holland. Not a bad line-up for the first show of the series.

This was the first time I had seen Anna Calvi perform live. She was brought to my attention a couple of years ago by a promoter in London who said she had something about her and that she would be one to keep an eye on. Turns out he was right.

Immediately I was intrigued by the set-up of Anna's band. There were only three of them; Anna and her guitar, a drummer who sang backing vocals and a multi-instrumentalist. The unconventionality of the multi-instrumentalist was without doubt the initial draw; she was playing the harmonium, a midi bass pedal, a kettle drum, percussion and (I think) the technical term of; 'shaky things'.

Anna's style was striking, not just musically but her whole image. She was like an amalgamation of Paloma Faith, a Spanish flamenco dancer and a high-powered business woman. This was a good combination, one that worked for her as she was very striking, especially when the electric guitar was added into the mix.

I loved Calvi's sound. The deep, resonating midi bass tones which were flavoured with the distinctive sound of the harmonium, that earthy sound of air passing through reeds worked so well. Her drummer was solid too and brought the tracks together well, never overplaying but working the dynamics of the songs perfectly. Anna has a theatrical yet understated vocal approach, mixing a grungy tone with a clean, pulchritudinous taste that really lifts her songs, particularly in the choruses. The guitar sound Anna produced was a crunchy, indie feel and it punched through the song really well, encasing the energy of the song in parenthesis where needed and then building it in other places; it was great!

Anna Calvi "Anna Calvi" by Anna Calvi

This prompted me to have a proper listen to Anna's tunes upon my return from the maze of the BBC. I was a little surprised to hear that the offering from her album was a little different and arguably confusing when compared to her single 'Blackout'. It turns out that this is actually not a bad thing at all. The album doesn't quite work if you are considering it as a complete body of work, but it's constituent parts are brilliant. The stand-out tune Anna performed on Jools Holland was her single 'Blackout', yet when listening to the album, her style is even more original and interesting. It's nearer to a cinematic offering then simply a musical collection of well written, thought provoking songs, riffs and hooks. In fact, I would like to see that album put to film! (Any takers!)

Anna is embarking on a European tour and if you can make it to one of her shows, I would recommend it to anyone, she will impress, as will her band. We're really interested to see what Anna offers next as she's set the bar pretty high in terms of her creativity.

www.annacalvi.com

She's a grown-up

2011-03-31T01:37:00.002+01:00

Do you remember in 2002 when a young, teenage, rebellious looking character released a song called 'Just a Little Girl'? It definitely resonated with the British adolescent contingent, especially girls in that same vein, and landed just outside the top ten.

The follow-up was a single called 'Misfit' which cracked the elusive and often defining top ten, apparently proving that the combination of pop writers and, quite frankly, delightfully impressive raw talent could be the winning medley (terrible pun, I apologise). However, for whatever reason you may have read or concluded yourselves, the wave of success crested, broke and wained too early for this artist.

Last year I heard that Amy Studt was booked for a small UK tour and was going to play The Halfmoon in Putney. The fact that she was still performing intrigued me, but I didn't know what she would sing. A few years had passed since the release of her 'False Smiles' album from which the aforementioned singles were taken, but those songs could only be relevant, credible and authentic when performed by the young, teenage, angst-driven Amy, surely.

She played keys and was accompanied by a guitarist. There was also a loop pedal involved and some guitar effects, but mostly it was Amy Studt the songwriter on display. She had a presence on stage that was hard to define. It was as if she was confident in the material, or at least the majority of it, but didn't seem to trust herself that she could deliver the performance. This combination was magnetic as a member of the audience as I was nestled quite comfortably in the palm of her hand and she utterly and convincingly did deliver!

Amy is a truly gifted songwriter. It was like being part of a masterclass with the host having no idea just how good she is. It was a very humbling experience. I know songwriters give a piece of themselves to their work, allowing their listeners a glimpse into part of what makes them who they are, but knowing her work form when she was a teenager and then effectively rediscovering her again it was astonishing to witness how her songwriting had developed as she had, an almost autobiographical feel about it.

Fast-forwarding a touch, I recently read that Amy was working on new material for a third album (possibly) with a rumoured change of direction perhaps. It's exciting to hear that such a gifted artist is still making music and writing songs and I truly hope that a new album is a realistic possibility. There is a song on her MySpace (via Soundcloud) which is a sample of a more recent offering.

http://soundcloud.com/amy-jane-studt/violently-with-love-myspace/s-ubwya

I love her use of dynamics in this tune and how the arrangement, although simple, compliments the lyrics so powerfully. The verses are petite, fragile and almost pretty (despite the somewhat dark content) in the way she sings them and then, perfectly positioned just before the chorus, is a shift in dynamics which is quite biting, highlighting the infusion of violence lyrically and poetically in the chorus. And after all that, if you listen right to the end of the track, you'll hear that she has just performed that live!

This girl who allowed us to see her become a woman is good...very good...buy her music (especially if there is a third album!)

An Alternative Rock Band + Flute + Violin = ?

2011-03-21T23:47:00.001Z

I do like a band who take their MySpace genre listing literally! I am pretty sure that a rock band with a flautist and a violinist is most definitely alternative? I'm all for something a bit different, I wonder if this band will deliver?

I'm currently listening to a song called 'Plutoono of Uno' and it is an amalgamation of a variety of influences; cultural and stylistic. The intro is a sinister little monologue with a suggestive feel that there is something building that is going to polarise this song, especially with lyrics such as 'conflict in the sweetest smile'. Uh-oh, they've mentioned 'conflict', this is going to get heavy! Melodic simplicity is apparent too at the start of the song; it sounds like a sitar is the only accompaniment, or at least a guitar played pretty cleanly through an effects board; either way it works wonderfully.

Cue the crunchy guitar line, and the cymbal heavy drums. This may sound as though it's about to get typically metal, but the vocalist sounds more like an MC who has just stolen the essence of Johnny Rotten, while channeling his vocal character! This song shouldn't work, it's all over the place: Aggressive poetry, humourous interludes, delicate vocals, punky guitar lines, screaming vocals, a flute (maybe) and a violin (perhaps). The craft of the artistry however brings all of that together and makes it mesh, wonderfully!

This tune is just what you need if you've had a day where you would just like to know that someone, somewhere, can feel as wound up as you! (And yet exercise self-control to avoid a prison sentence. Assumption here is that none of the band have been to prison).

The band in question is 'Antlered Man' and they were in good favour with XFM and BBC Radio 6 with their early demos. A self-funded album is awaiting release and I look forward to hearing this when it is!

Platoono Of Uno by Antlered Man

This is very close to blasphemy and sacrilege to many a metal fan, but I would actually love to hear these tunes acoustically. I know, I know, don't burn me at the cross just yet! The reason I would like to hear them acoustically is down to the quality of the songwriting. The lyrics are genius. Very rarely have I heard songwriters in this genre blend such textures so well. Antlered Man can be political, sarcastic, funny, dark, offensive, inclusive, exclusive and everything in between, but in just one song! There are great songwriters in this genre, I know, but I do think this is something fresh and very interesting.

Release the album guys!

www.myspace.com/antleredman

But Which of the Roses Will Bloom?

2011-03-18T00:42:00.001Z

'Quirky' is a term that is used all too often when trying to define the indefinable, especially where artists are concerned; an attempt to brand something that's a bit different, askew from the norm, occasionally a little bit weird perhaps. Which makes it perfectly reasonable for me to use it now of course!

I have been aware of a couple of Roses for a little while now, a couple of roses that aren't packaged in tissue paper and as far as I am aware, not readily stocked and supplied by Interflora on the 14th February each year. (Although, that could be an idea for an EP association couldn't it! Artists of a romantic nature; look into that!) The two quirky Roses I have been interested in are one lady by the name of Loui Rose and the other a certain Miss Lucy Rose.

Both Loui and Lucy are singer/songwriters who have a certain familiar, comparable charm about them. They are not the same artist, their music is not a carbon copy and yet the appeal they have does feel as though it sits in the same playlist. They're a bit like tea and coffee, sitting quite comfortably next to one another in your cupboard, yet you wouldn't mix them together would you, who would want a cup of 'teffee'?!

Lucy Rose writes with a delicate vulnerability that really is rather captivating. She reminds me of Feist, as far as her vocal goes, although her songs form more of a narrative; they're not as experimental, alternative or metaphorical as Feist's work. Lucy lets you in on a more personal level, either through her experiences directly relating to her, of which she develops a wonderful first person narrative, or through fantastic story-telling of her worldly observations, such as the beautiful work she delivers for what many people in London have felt when the words 'Night Bus' are mentioned. Lucy is obviously impressing others as she has just sold out a show at St. Pancras Old Church; what a fantastic venue to compliment Lucy's enchanting voice.

Lucy Rose - Night Bus (acoustic) by Fauna Records

An edgier offering is Loui Rose who offers something a bit different. She still has that emotive persuasion in her voice, although she drapes her lyrics with a more assertive tone. I don't think her songs are as classically open about her thoughts and feelings as Lucy, there is definitely more room for interpretation, although you can still hear the source for the material. 'Cowboys and Indians' for example has a humourous gleam to it which may well have been purposely used to move the song away from a tale of a man playing games with Miss Rose, to one of empowering the girl to take action. You listen and you tell me, see what I mean about interpretation.

I am sure 'the industry' will bring up the fact they are closely named, but does it matter? Both of these girls are exceptionally talented and more impressive than that is the fact they are still developing. There is an awful lot to come from these two girls and I am looking forward to seeing what each of them brings to the arena next.

A Tough One!

2011-03-15T01:25:00.001Z

Three bands, four songs each, every one of them offers something different; it's tough being a judge!

I've just been privy to a real quandary. When faced with a band who don't yet seem to have an identity but deliver two cracking songs, another band who have such engaging energy on stage with a front-man (and a lead guitarist) who have a connection with their fans way beyond the number of years they've been playing and finally a band who are so commercial sounding that they could fall down a flight of stairs and land straight in to the lap of a Radio One playlist; how do you determine who is to progress in a competition to play a rather large stage at a rather large London festival? Hmmm...

Welcome to the stage a band called 'Clockworks'. When they started, I have to say that I wasn't particularly impressed. They weren't a bad band, they played well, their songs weren't terrible, but they were a little run-of-the-mill, they didn't offer anything new, inspiring or exciting. That was their first two songs. Then they played their last two songs! My word, if ever there was a label looking to be stuck somewhere for the 'English Queens of the Stoneage meets Incubus', they were they exposed surface ready for the branding! They really woke me up and made me take notice, where had this band come from? It was like they were still trying to figure out their identity. Let me tell you chaps, write and record more of the last two tracks as they were striking, that's your identity!

Second up were the ball of energy and raw performance prowess of 'The Ends'. See this band live. That's it. Well, no, it's not it but if I were to recommend to anyone wanting to be invigorated by a new ska/rock/punk/indie band, then this is the band I would put top, or very near the top, of the list! The man at the front was a revelation. He was confident without being a cocky g*t, he had a strong vocal and original sounding tone and he had that 'yeah, I was born cool' look about him. He straddled the crowd as though they were a welcoming stead and took them for a refreshing ride! If there was any moment of 'down-time', he had this cheeky, lovable yet rebellious lead guitarist who had just as much charisma coupled with a pretty impressive handle on guitar effects and tone. They weren't the tightest band to ever grace a stage, but that will come with practice, more gigs and an understanding of what makes them who they are. They collected fans tonight, effortlessly as they excited every one of them!

The final band of the night were 'Reachback'. What to say about Reachback? This band were made to be commercially successful. At least one of their tracks could be heard on Radio One tomorrow. The lead singer is a kitten-like cutey and she has a sweet outward disposition yet when she sings and performs she is a rocker. She should get lost on stage as the musical waltz ensues with her band members, but she doesn't, she surfaces again and again to reconnect with her crowd, and my word was there a crowd! This band, not only look great on stage, have commercially viable pop/rock songs, but they also have a fan-base! The world of social media is part of their status quo, they're of the generation that simply 'get it'; they engage with their fans, they involve them in what they're doing and their fans go and get them more fans!

Butterflies by REACHBACK

I won't say who 'won' because I don't think it matters. Everyone who played gained fans, not just fans in the marketing sense, but industry fans too. This is the point of playing live and performing as professionally competently and passionately as possible.

Have You Heard of Him?

2011-03-12T16:53:00.002Z

The 'random' function on an iPod or an iPhone is a thing of re-discovery and I for one am hugely appreciative of it. Stumbling across a track from that artist you heard once at a random gig, or someone recommended in passing to you, which then prompted you to buy their EP, or their album, or check them out on FaceSpace, can trigger a memory. Suddenly you find you have a cheeky grin on your face, or equally a tear in the eye, but either way you remember why you parted with your time/money - something had an effect on you.

My latest bout of iPod artist renaissance was through the rich textures of Foy Vance's vocals, doused in a serving of emotional depth which in partnership results in this man having a truly captivating sound. You can hear through every note he sings that the songs he writes have come from a place that has shaped him and his life. The song 'Indiscriminate Act of Kindness' is one of the best stories told through song I have heard. It's a truly astonishing narrative described through a position of observation. It's a strangely constructed song as the content can be uplifting, as the name suggests, but equally there is an undercurrent of sadness through the music and the melody, which I think is curiously wonderful.

Foy Vance "Indiscriminate Act of Kindness" by Natniss]

The album of Foy's I bought after seeing him headline a gig at 'The Elgin' in Notting Hill is called; 'Hope'. Having listened to it a few times now, it's a good body of work, but I feel it could have been something much more than that. The opening song, "Be With Me' has great energy, it builds with new layers being introduced and Foy's roaring vocal over the top just brings it together superbly well. Other stand-out songs include 'I Was Made' which is a beautifully honest tale of finding love, taking it for granted and losing it. Then of course we have 'Indiscriminate Act of Kindness' which has already been mentioned above. Far from being disappointed with the album as a whole, it is definitely a songwriter's album as the craft and application of Foy's art is breathtaking. As a complete body of work, I felt it could have had a more dynamic construct through it, which would have showcased Foy as an artist, not just an astoundingly talented songwriter.

I would still advise anyone who loves a song for lyrics and who is a fan of a voice that can convey such deep-set emotion to buy this record and if you like the music, you simply must see the man live as I haven't even touched on his use of loop pedals, effects and his presence on stage! Whenever he is next in London, I will be going!

Potential vs Polished

2011-03-11T00:15:00.000Z

On the odd occasion, I do quite like a battle of the bands competition. I don't like them all; some of them are a con, they damage music, offer things they can't deliver, pressure bands to sell tickets and give them false promise and false hope. Others don't make any money from their competition (not directly from the bands at least), they offer a platform for exposure, an exciting prize, a good experience, constructive feedback and some free promotion.

This week I had the fortune to be at the latter and the result turned up quite a quandary. The decision as to who won and progressed in the competition was between two bands. One had an interesting sound, at times a little disconnected stylistically, but it really worked - I think! Their performance was unrefined but with great energy, a combination which gave them an engaging edge. The drummer was providing groove, driving beats and dynamics. Their tracks took you on a journey, I couldn't decide if they were indie, experimental, rock, soulful and normally that would turn me into a state of unease, but with this band it didn't. In fact I still don't know if I 'like' their music, but I find myself searching for more of it. This rough diamond was a band called 'Secret Cinema Band' and I'm looking forward to the polished version! (Not too polished mind!)

Official neck for the rope (radio edit) by secretcinemaband

In contrast, the last band were a slick outfit - 'Trail'. They had spent money and time with a top producer, they had worked on their sound, their style was thought through, they had a fan-base, the musicianship was tight and they looked like the finished article. However, I wonder if that may have gone against them slightly. I don't know how they would have developed as a band by going further in the competition. I have a feeling the performance they gave in this round would be the same performance they would give if they were to win and play on a rather impressive, high-profile stage. That would not necessarily have been a bad thing; their set was good, I just think that 'Secret Cinema Band' would give the competition something different, something a touch unorthodox and therefore, something new.

Trail - Album Compilation by Trail

Both acts were good and it was refreshing to see talented bands in a competition such as this. I look forward to the final!

http://www.facebook.com/hardrockcafelondon

All By Himself - Mike Dignam

2011-03-09T01:04:00.001Z

Who was that voice I could hear in the crowd? It was definitely furrowed with a northern twang, a unique sounding shrill, something that I've heard before on TV, I'm convinced, oh, hold on I can see where it's coming from, it's a girl by the name of Diana Vickers!

I was at the Garage in Islington last night to check out a singer/songwriter who is starting to pop up everywhere I digitally turn. He's yet another example of an artist who is working hard, without the support of a label, grinding out a name for himself. He's pushing the boundaries as far as producing music, delivering interesting videos, stamping his mark on YouTube, performing live and touring the UK, all with little or no budget. He is a self-perpetuating artist, funding his development through selling merchandise online and at his gigs. He knows what his fans like and what they want and he delivers. It's refreshing to see an artist interacting like that without the input of a label. How does Mike know what they want? He's asked them, many times and through many different formats. He doesn't rely on marketing statistics or business forecast, this seems like a much more human, engaging approach.

Vickers was proving that she really can project that voice of hers! I can safely say I think Mike has a fan in her! She was certainly vocal in her appreciation of him, his songs and his band, and rightly so! Mike is one of these songwriters who knows how to write a chorus, a hooky, relevant, tension-builder of a chorus and that is going to stand him in good stead! I heard people in the audience compare him to a 'modern James Morrison'. (I think that may say something of Mike's fan-base as I am not sure when James Morrison became 'antique').

Although his fan-base may be young, his songs aren't patronising, condescending or shallow; not in the slightest. His lyrics are personal and expose Mike's experience in life along with the peaks and troughs associated with it during his 21 years! He's either been through a lot or just has an uncanny talent for documenting what flows through his head. Personally, I think it's the latter.

Mike's recent break, again a break that he forged himself, was supporting Joe Brooks on his UK tour. He promoted his EP and merchandise at every gig he played, he had his picture taken with every fan that asked and he was an engaging, charming guy. This swelled his following on Facebook and ultimately positioned him so that he has now booked and is performing his own headline UK tour! The London show that I was at was the first of a six date tour and if the faces I recognised in attendance were anything to go by, this guy is going to have a lot of interest in him!

You can check out Mike, his music, his merchandise and his gigs here: www.mikedignam.co.uk

Introducing Mr. Robbie Boyd, Shall We Chat?

2011-03-07T00:32:00.001Z

'Do It Yourself' as a 'model' in music, has been a term that has been growing up hand-in-hand with the onset and development of the 'digital revolution'. Singers, songwriters and artists have access to increasingly cheaper, higher quality recording software and hardware, combined with an even cheaper platform in which to connect with their audience, so cheap in fact it's free; the world wide web.

At some stage in an artist's career, even a 'DIY' one, they will have to perform 'live'. This is a fundamental skill for any artist looking to expand on their online profile, gain further exposure and showcase themselves not just to new and existing fans, but to certain facets of 'the industry'. That doesn't necessarily have to be record labels, it could mean promoters, managers or booking agents for example. Generalising the 'DIY' model; you might not need or want a record deal, but there is still room for other areas of the music industry to develop your career.

Why do I mention this, and apologies if it was a smidgen of a waffle. Last week I met a singer/songwriter by the name of Robbie Boyd. He has been writing songs, promoting himself through his online profiles, performing regularly and building an ever-growing fan-base. He is a driven guy and keen to get his music to the masses performing either solo or with his 6/7 piece band, a band I might add that are extremely tight and compliment Robbie's quirky, effervescent lyrics and songwriting style beautifully.

The underpinnings to Robbie's sound is identifiable as 'folk' but there is something else there, he'll describe it as 'funk', I'll describe it as 'a cheery disposition with a cheeky wink'. Robbie writes good hooks and his songs leave you smiling, which is never a bad result (even his more sombre tunes!)

Robbie and his band are gigging regularly in London and I would highly recommend going to check them out as it's a great experience. They'll wrap you up in the music with welcoming arms and give you a friendly peck on the cheek, in a totally appropriate way of course.

I caught Robbie at a studio and thought I would ask him some questions. Some people may call it an interview, I will label it simply as an informative, friendly chat! Over to you Mr. Boyd...

This Ain't No Hymn: Saint Saviour

2011-03-05T00:01:00.003Z

Saint Saviour has been creating works of intrigue, beauty and wonderment in various guises for a while now. As the focal point of Groove Armada's live delivery of their last album 'Black Light', she has captivated audiences with her engaging performance and soaring vocals. With writing credits on the album, she has added 'Grammy nominee' to her ever expanding list of accolades, achievements and her growing profile.

With Groove Armada putting their live band to bed, Saint Saviour has been released to the public, and for this, the GA boys should be commended, congratulated and thanked. Their change in direction has given the music listening public the chance to experience one of the most exciting songwriters, performers and creative artists in recent times.

Saint Saviour has recently released her EP, 'Anatomy'; a collection of songs that should be downloaded and added to your iPod immediately. Your iPod is not as happy as it could be without these tunes and you love your iPod don't you? You're iPod deserves to be happy. With a brand new website launched this week, should you wish, you can purchase Anatomy here: http://saintsaviour.co.uk/shop/

Proving that you don't need a label to release music and videos through, Saint Saviour offers us the first track from her EP; 'This Ain't No Hymn'. The blend of atmospheric guitar, welcoming the floating, celestial, penetrating vocal of Saint Saviour sets the tone beautifully. The range of her voice and the lyrical poetry takes you on a ride through the dynamics of the track, still allowing you to get lost in the deceptively driving beat, yet always holding out the guiding hand to bring you back to the melody and the song as a whole. The production on the track is subtle enough to lift it without taking any magic or mystery away from the performance and musicality, this has been well thought through and is the perfect compliment. I can definitely get used to this. The video below was self-funded by Saint Saviour and captures the feel of 'This Ain't No Hymn' along with her enthralling, captivating qualities; wonderfully.

Other people have compared her to other artists and if you would like to do that well that is just fine, however I don't think I am going to do that. She is who she is and I look forward to following her career for a long time to come!

When Bands Get it Right

2011-03-02T01:35:00.000Z

Hard Rock Cafe, London, tonight hosted round one of their battle of the bands contest with the chance for the winning act to open Hard Rock Calling in June for Bon Jovi. Think of them what you will, but for unsigned artists trying to gain a following and exposure, it is a fantastic prize and opportunity, and in fact a fantastic competition outright.

Three bands performed and their styles varied from a pop/rock/funk direction through to a slightly heavier, crunchier, indie/rock vibe. What was interesting was the almost evolutionary development from the first band through to the last band in their performances.

None of the bands were 'bad', far from it, it's simply that the first band didn't know how to connect with their audience, there was something missing. I'm not sure if it was a deficit of charisma from the frontman, a lack of depth and dynamics to their delivery of their material, or the fact they simply didn't feel like a unit, a group of musicians pulling in the same direction and engaging with the music listeners.

In comparison, the final band were an electric opposite to the first! They had a frontman who just about balanced an innate confidence while tracing the border of cockiness. Every band member believed in what they were doing and what they wanted to achieve and most of all, they played with the audience: They drew them in, asking for their interaction not by instruction but through their enthusiasm, energy and drive! They performed their songs knowing that of course, they meant something very special to them, but they also performed them with the need for them to become something special to their audience! This is a passion that seems to be lost on many bands nowadays. Yeah, it's all about the music, but that needs to be how you make your fans feel too!

And the winners were....The Rubicon!

Daughter, Oh Daughter

2011-02-28T23:04:00.001Z

It must have been around eighteen months ago now when a young singer/songwriter crossed my listening path through a competition for a scholarship. Her name was Elena Tonra and she made an indelible mark on my appreciation for heartfelt, evocative, thought-provoking, moving and above all; brutally honest and open songwriting. She went on to win the scholarship and I was not in the least bit surprised, her artistry and talent was compelling and addictive through it's abundance.

A good song is a good song despite any production. The essence of songwriting is still through connecting with your listeners through lyrics, melody and emotion, is that not ultimately true? Often such a test is when a song is performed acoustically, surviving on it's raw form, it's attributes that make it fundamentally recognisable as quality. That is what you get from Elena's writing.

'Daughter'. Elena is now 'Daughter'.

Daughter's songwriting has built on the honest vulnerability from her early work, her lyrics provide a poetic, romantic narrative allowing a listener access to her experience and observations of life. She won't shy away from sharing times when she may have felt exposed, broken, distraught, hurt or equally when she has experienced elation, empowerment, happiness and a cheeky suggestion of agression. Songs like 'Peter' touch on the complexities of rejection, unrequited love, possibly jealousy, bewilderment and dissatisfaction. At least, that's what I got from the song and I think that's one of the main considerations and objectives of music; the conclusions you draw from your own personal listening experience. (At this point Daughter may well tell me that I am way off and it's actually about a pet rabbit called Peter who contracted bird flu, an irrational fear of fluffy tails and ended up flying away!) I've had an idea, have a listen to 'Peter' and see what you think:

It's not just Daughter's songwriting, it's her delivery. The video above gives you an idea of how simple guitar playing supports a beautifully haunting and ethereal voice, and when she performs live she truly captivates an audience, holding the crowd in the stunning presence of her work. Daughter has already appeared on a compilation released by Communion and was part of the HMV Next Big Thing, which is quite apt as I can see her fulfilling that tag line!

Have a little visit to Daughter's world: www.myspace.com/ohdaughter

Worldly Places to Travel - A Facebook Survey

2011-02-28T00:28:00.000Z

A few months ago I posted something on my Facebook wall. I would like to claim that it was akin to a call to arms, but I think that may be overstating just a touch. Whenever I have had the pleasure (for the most part) of talking with anyone who has traveled, the highlights of their experience in doing so is always positive. I'm not naive, of course there may have been instances when they may not have had the most positive of experiences all the time (one particular story of a friend contracting salmonela on day 2 of his 130 day stint of a South East Asia tour, and not realising via the gift of actually being diagnosed, until day 127 of said tour!) But for the most part their overriding conclusion of having embarked on a travel adventure is one of positivity.

With this in mind I wanted to see where people had been, their top three places to visit on this planet, perhaps with the intention of visiting them myself one day! More than 100 people commented! It's not as if I have tens of thousands of friends on the social media phenomenon, so the fact more than a century of people took time out to comment must suggest that their experience of traveling affected them quite a bit, made a lasting impression!

Here are the places that people have been to and have made their 'top 3' list:

"Any part of New Zealand mate and most parts of Australia...Melbourne...Sydney...then the east coast but count them all as one mate

Thailand without a doubt x

New York and co. Mayo in Ireland

Moliets...south of France

Jamaica

Russia

Canada

Prague, absolutely stunning.

New Zealand was definitely my favourite

Amboseli national park Kenya ( for the wildlife and sheer beauty of the place with Mt Kilamanjaro in the background), Cuba, (Havana for the sights and culture, Varadero for the beaches) Egypt (Cairo for the sights, any Red Sea resort for the AMAZING snorkelling and diving). - does that count as three or five?!?

Rio de janeiro!

Budapest, especially the view of the river and city from the castle,

New York ( but not the tourist bits ( try Washington Square Park on a Late Sunday afternoon in the summer - sit with your feet in the fountain... reading a book while listening to the students jamming ( I heard the best concert of my life there for free), or go to a Saturday/Sunday street Market and try food from all over the world

Delhi ( or any part of India, the colour and sounds are indescribable, seeing it on tv just doesn't compare

San Francisco - the view of the hills, trams and Golden Gate Bridge are unforgettable

Mombasa Kenya (especially Tumaini Childrens orphanage in north Mombasa - spend a day helping out, it's a wonderful place).

Boston, the city is great, so is the whale watching trips from the harbour

Cologne, has the most beautiful Cathedral (I'm not religious but this place is stunning), also has 6 fantastic street markets

Montreal, stunning city and the cathedral of Notre Dame is the most beautiful building I have ever been in!

Maldives, Australia, Canada, New Zealand and Fiji............ Obviously you need to start with Sydney!

Whitsundays in Oz, Borneo and the whole of Thailand! These posts are giving me itchy feet damn it!!

Carcassonne in France-it's an amazing medieval city with cobbled streets that you can explore and disneylands fairytale castle was based on it.

Hawaii - I went to Oahu for my honeymoon, touristey but still excellent. Suggest you do an island hop though for all the islands.

San Francisco - stopped off on the way back from Hawaii. Great place, Wifey and I walked everywhere. Probably best way to see a lot of it.

Canada - Vancouver/British Columbia. Some of the most breathtaking scenery I have ever sen, lovely people, great place. Lots of places for bike riding/walking etc.

On the wish list - New Zealand, Russia and more of Canada.See more

Siem Riep Cambodia... It's Amazing!!

Birmingham's pretty cool

Ring of Kerry

Vietnam

Kenya

Ooh, I have another one - Angkor Wat in Cambodia. You have to get up at 4.30am to get there for sunrise but it is totally worth it.

Paris

Bath (I know it's not exotic, but it's a beautiful city nonetheless)

Anywhere in Turkey particularly the Coastal regions

Israel is fascinating

Egypt

Moorea ( a tiny Island off of Tahiti)..long trip but AMAZING

Roatan island in Honduras, fiji and hong kong

Definitely Cambodia, West Coast of Australia & Fiji

West China and Canada - two TOP places. Plus....Pandas

New Orleans back in 1976!!

The Ice Hotel in Sweden. Absolutely amazing!

Barbados, beautiful, especially if you like Rum ;-)

Teddington Lock!!

Do the Alps in winter. Awe-inspiring and humbling.

Machu picchu- Peru...nuff said.

Sydney. It's what a city should be

Laos is my favourite x

Australia. Can't be beat!!!!

Thailand...it's absolutely beautiful!

Cambodia is well worth seeing...and Egypt and Turkey are quite nice ;-)

Go to sweden and eat REAL meatballs at IKEA! ;)"

So, there are a few places that were suggested. Apologies for creating just a long list, but I think it makes for interesting reading. Would you have any to add yourself?

This is the next Vaccines-type-band-hype-machine

2011-02-27T01:14:00.002Z

This isn't going to be a lon drawn-out post, I just wanted to share with you a band I have stumbled across who, I think, are going to do exceptionally well. They are named: Tom and the Tides and you can find some snippets of their music here:

http://www.myspace.com/tomandthetides

They've got a bit of a folk thing going on, but a bit edgier with some cool harmonies and actually quite dark and penetrating lyrics. The lead singer and principle writer....Tom (who'd have thought) is a talented guy and has been doing a solo thing for a little while. The addition of the band and the vocal layers is a great move!

Predict them to be signed within 2-3 weeks and single release end of the summer! Let's see how right....or completely wrong I am!

How do you Classify a 'Music Promoter'?

2011-02-27T00:56:00.000Z

What has sparked the title of the post? Well, let me tell you!

I have just got back from watching a gig in central London and to be honest I have found myself disappointed, perplexed and aggravated. The act I went to see is an unsigned artist, she has an amazing voice, and is starting to write songs that are really interesting, engaging and hooky! She is a modern day soul diva-with-a-twist in the making. Her band are tight, she's a quality performer and is building a pretty loyal and growing following.

So, this is where my point/rant begins. What kind of style of act would you think she should be billed with? Singer/songwriters? Other soul-type artists? Pop artists? To be honest I think that any combination of that list would be totally suitable, a chance for each act to take advantage of one another's fan-base in an attempt to build on the recognition of their music and their artistry. However, this 'unnamed promoter' didn't think that would work, what they actually thought would work would be to sandwich this soul artist in between two inde-rock acts, one with a fuzzy electro bass beat sound and the other with that crunchy indie guitar sound. Now, I have nothing against this type of music in the slightest, in fact the first band were really rather interesting, a cocky front-man who did actually have charisma to back up his cheek, tunes which had strong choruses and a well thought electro-production which really added an effective layer to their music. However, their fans didn't know what to do when the soul artist followed them, and I really felt for her! In fact, their fans did know what to do, they went to the bar and proceeded to neck Jaeger-bombs like they were going out of fashion......respectable eh!

The promoter of this event run shows at several venues and I know that they have that classic 'contractual suggestion' that a band, to play and be re-booked needs to bring at least 20 fans. I know that there are many varying opinions on this topic and we could debate them for hours, but i do actually agree with the need for a band/artist to promote themselves. I don't like this 'pressure' from a promoter when they can't even put constructive thought behind the line-up they book! What must that say to the artists? What must that say to the people who pay between £6 and £8 to go to the gig? Personally I think the lack of strategic booking of acts is appalling and is indicative of how completely incompetent and unprofessional these kind of promoters are. They give such a bad name to the intermediate live music scene that it's no wonder many unsigned, up'n'coming bands and artists become despondent and demotivated with the pursuit of their music! They also give a bad name to music promoters in general, which is a shame as there are those out there who genuinely graft and attract customers to their events as they book great acts, promote them well and work in conjunction with the artists, so that everyone is pulling in one direction.

I would be very interested to hear what other people think and have experienced as I think lots of people, especially in music, have an opinion on this sort of thing!

Oh, and to do my bit, the artist I was referring to was this girl:

www.youtube.com/salenamusicuk

She is developing well and I reckon could be one to watch!

The Musical Pursuit of Musicianship Happiness

2011-02-26T01:48:00.000Z

I wonder, where do you stand on the ethos of creating music in today's commercial market? I ask this as I work with many developing musicians, artists and bands and often find myself, for the most part, revisiting the same old conversation points: Have you thought about your brand? What are you doing to market yourselves? How do you promote your gigs? Your releases? Your artwork? Your style? It seems like on occasion; your soul!....Can it really be 'all about the music' anymore?

Well, I think; yes, it can be as long as your classification of music, as an artist/band, incorporates the awareness of getting yourselves heard. This doesn't always have to be by peppering the living hell out of your Facebook and Twitter followers, it might be by writing and recording some truly amazing tracks and then flexing your network-bicep to find some in-the-know, of-the-moment PR people who can magic you on the scene? Either way and however you choose to do it, profile means awareness, awareness means interest, and interest means the curiosity and commitment to spend money.....to spend money on your product, your album, your single, your T-Shirt, your sweat towel!

One thing I do know is that there is no such thing as the 'DIY" model. It doesn't exist, what should exist is the 'DIT' model (although that sounds mildly like a playground put-down, or an STD!) DIT - Do It Together - collaboration is key! Not just musically but with everything that is associated with your music and pursuit of a career. The term 'network' is banded around all the time and often gets tarnished with the brush of cynicism. However, all that means is meeting people and being aware of what they do and what they are about. In 'normal, everyday' life that's simply getting to know someone, and the vast majority of us like to do that! (As a caveat, if the person getting to know you licks their lips a lot while conversing, has a really quite discerning twitch and keeps calling you Maude even though your name is Simon and you are in fact, a man....run.....you do not want to know this person!)

Of course, you might not have a Manager and therefore be outwardly viewed as 'doing it yourself' but who books you for your gigs? A promoter. Well that's one connection/collaboration. Who re-tweets your posts? Your fans and followers - that's one form of collaboration. (Perhaps the most important). Who performs with you on stage? Your band? There you go, another collaborative arm of your DIT (that really is rubbish isn't it) model! The list can go on and on but it's these connections and collaborative partnerships that can benefit you and everyone else involved with you. It's professional symbiosis!

One thing that I do believe in is that there is no such thing as overnight success! Sure, you'll hear bands and artists seemingly appear from nowhere and suddenly be everywhere, but I can almost guarantee you that those artists/bands have been working their musical derrieres off for a fair while, perhaps not in the current form you see them, but work nonetheless. Might be with other bands, other artists, writing, educating themselves; a plethora of activities, all of which culminate in their common trait being realised; their drive to succeed!