Tuesday 30 March 2010

Interview with Series Two Records

Tuesday 30 March 2010

Here is my interview with Christopher, the founder of the great indie label Series Two Records and the Nebraska Pop Festival

Why did you start Series Two Records?
Series Two had its humble beginnings as a blog. The blog is where I interviewed nearly a dozen various independent artists, some with notoriety, some not so much. Also within the blog I issued recommendations of albums which I had enjoyed. As a result of the recommendations and interviews, I gained credibility amongst music lovers, some of the people in underground bands from some of the most unlikely of places around the world. It was a clear realization that some of the CDs coming in my mail box were excellent sounding, but weren't getting touched or even considered by other labels due to the status quo.

Some of these releases received in my mail box, were simply too good to let dust gather on them, so I thought, why not start a label, to issue some of my favorite underground music, to give the artist more dignity, and a chance to build at least a small audience outside of their friends, family and the few caring others. Sometimes the appreciation factor, the knowledge that real people listen to their work and enjoy it, can mean the life of some of these smaller artists, and sometimes hearing positive comments from listeners of their music via e-mail message, letter post or at a live music show, is enough to motivate musicians to continue making their music and sharing it with the world, sometimes for many more years than they would without proper support. Also releasing in physical matter of any kind assures that the music will always be out there in the hands of someone, and that it won't be foolishly lost by sequestered hands.

With the Series Two collective, there is no profit motivation (despite the existence of many fake DIY pop underground operate them specifically for profit), though make an upmost effort to break even, as in these terrible economic times, anyone foolish enough to lose their own money, isn't likely to have money to put food on their table, and also in danger of keeping their projects active.

Are there any particular aspects to a band you look for with signing them? Or does it vary quite a bit?
There are a lot of factors that go into the aspect of bands of which you choose to release with. Very important factors are the quality within the music. For me I have to be able to relate to it and enjoy it before I would consider releasing it. But also at the same time, the artist has to be directly interested in releasing their work with Series Two and have to be passionate about it also. Bands which send CDs to numbers of labels, and other games like that are clearly situations I do not like or even consider, and very rarely do others. If there is an artist that I enjoy and relate to, but they aren't interested in Series Two, I don't dwell on it. My plate is relatively full, but if I do come across an excellent band I can relate to, one of which is passionate about releasing with Series Two, usually I'll follow through and release them.

You founded and organize the Nebraska Pop Festival. How did that come about?
To design a pop festival, keeping the money factor out of it and putting a primary focus on keeping the fun and fairness alive is something absolutely necessary and fulfilling. I talked with my friend Matt Beat whom was the music director for University of Nebraska at Omaha's student organized college radio named “MAV Radio”. I talked with Matt about organizing a Pop Festival which would benefit MAV Radio. I verbalized to Matt that through my experiences at Series Two, I had established many friendships with others across the world and also mentioned that through my ambitions and labor of love, that I could gather together interested bands to come and play a pop festival in Nebraska organized by myself and that it could benefit MAV Radio, and he agreed with the idea. So in January 2009, we began plans for the first Nebraska Pop Festival, which later occurred in August of 2009. The festival was designed to have any and all proceeds go to benefit the station, and we had good local support from the Nebraska pop scene in addition to artists coming through from Midwest, East + West Coast and a few international artists, some of which arrived through support of their area arts councils. Many of the artists came here to have a fun time, meet new friends, go on vacation, hear some fun new music and also some artists/bands built a tour around it.

On January 1st of 2010, I began work on the 2nd Nebraska Pop Festival, which is due to occur during 5 consecutive days of September 15, 16, 17, 18 and 19 of 2010. Also this year will be one additional night, prior to the festival on August 14th, which we call a “pop rally” and is in place to hopefully build up more support for the festival when it comes around in September. Booking is still underway, and already have booked artists from (11) different states of the USA including artists from Nebraska, Midwest, East + West Coast and also international artists coming from Denmark, France, Switzerland and Australia.

What was the first album you ever bought?
This can be debated… I believe back in '97 or '98 (when I was ten years old), I gathered some hard earned money and bought Chumbuwamba's then new release on tape. Don't have that tape or even a tape player anymore, times and tastes have certainly changed.

How many artists signed to Series Two have you been able to meet in person?
Proudly I've met over a dozen different bands that I've worked with. And more coming soon, thankfully I've been able to meet all of them inside Nebraska while they came through on tour or while they came to visit me on their vacations, etc., hoping to meet many more of them this year and in coming years, certainly with the way things are it'll be hard to meet them all, but I would love to, and will certainly try to meet all of those that want to be met. I have to remind those reading this, I am no rich man, never been on a plane in my life, but have been on some long car rides that surely aren't much fun : ( , hopefully in later years, I'll get to experience plane rides to make some of these visits possible. It's a bit sad and extremely funny to say to others the farthest east I've ever been is Council Bluffs Iowa. Definitely have some traveling days ahead of me…

In 2009, Series Two released 26 full-length releases, which is quite ambitious. Do you plan to exceed that number in 2010?
I highly doubt that I or anyone else in the indie world will ever be able to exceed that perfect number ever again. That wasn't done on purpose, it was achieved naturally and through a work load = unimaginable to me now. I had released a modest compilation series of (23) which included (522) different artists, and found many artists from the compilations that I enjoyed, many of which were willing to release their music on Series Two, and that's how that release total came about. This year I hope to keep things just like any other year, where I work very hard to help others. That's what I'm here for, even if it's not with Series Two, I help people through various other projects including the Nebraska Pop Festival, DIY labels collective, and Even in the Future blog among various other projects. Always keeping myself very busy and also keeping those I work with very busy too, including giving them information about opportunities available to them, which they can pursue with their music, whether it be DIY compilation opportunities provided by others, doing shows with artists passing through their city or perhaps helping some artists organize mini-tours, and sometimes collaborations with others in songs, among various other interesting things.

This year at Series Two I'll release a retrospective compilation Series, which is 5 discs, all of which are full of music. Aside from the new compilation Series, I'll do some new full length releases that will soon following the release of the compilations. One can never really know how much releases will happen this year on Series Two, as I'm very patient, and work with the artist's schedules and not any other schedules. Sometimes things happen in big spurts where sometimes there is a lot of stuff ready to be released, and sometimes very few things. Since I don't have any stockholders to please, I'll usually release things in batches, and rarely do the artists have to wait extended periods before I release their work.

If you could be any other person for a day, who would you be?
I would like to be Tony Clifton!

What's better - downloading, still buying CDs, or collecting vinyl?
A. Downloading is the worst thing to ever happen, legal or illegal. Buying CD-R's actually is where it's at, and sometimes CDs. Collecting vinyl isn't one of my interests, it seems like a big “fad”. Many people back into vinyl these days were the same people that made fun of it before its resurgence, and many of the people back at it are guilty for putting some vinyl in rubbish before also. With the way patterns are going, there might not be anything physical, and we'll have to deal with downloads. Some labels are very greedy with their vinyl records, there was a label over in Miami selling them at 10 dollars for a record of just 2 songs, and just recently moved their prices down, with various other labels charging similar amounts. I think the value is there with CDs and CDRs, most particularly full lengths, where you can generally get more songs for each dollar spent. Nobody wants to buy a 2 song CD for 10 dollars, so why should they buy a vinyl with 2 songs on it for 10 dollars… The concept of vinyl just seems too foolish to me. Some of the pro's of vinyl I'll recognize such as superior sound quality, and of course the physical artwork is much better, as you would expect with an item of larger diameter. Though who knows, many people fads over time, maybe 10 years from now, CDs could be the minority format and tapes and vinyl take over.

Best band you've seen live?
Best band I've seen live was Poland when they played at Nebraska Pop Festival in 2009. Everything about them was amazing. I don't think I'll see anything like that anytime soon.

Recently though a performance nearly as good, Cleemann live on main stage in Lincoln (late March 2010) as part of the Songwriter Power Ranger series. Everything about the performance was great, and was interesting hearing Cleemann perform on electric versus his trademark vintage guitars. And also was nice hearing him backed by drummer Gary Foster and an overly energetic Dereck Higgins on the bass.

What would you like to the world to know about Series Two Records?
I'd like the world to know that you can be hard working and honest, and as a result, can have a lifetime of great friendships and memories. You can do anything you want to in this life, even in the most unlikely of places, for example my hometown which is in the middle of nowhere, surrounded by rural farming communities. You don't have to be in NYC, or London to do everything these days, you can do what you want to anywhere, just put your mind to it.

Tell us something interesting about your hometown:
We are known for many things, many not so flattering, which I'm ok to tell you people about. Columbus, Nebraska actively has the highest rate of unsolved crimes, in all of the USA, which includes every city from each of the 50 states; we take the cake on that one. Also back in the 80's we had the highest rate of bars per capita, but no longer have the throne on that one, but we still have over 20 bars to a population of just 20,000. The founder of scientology is originally from the area. Also the founder of Twitter graduated from the public high school here. Chuck Hagel, the famous politician whom was slated to be Obama's right hand man (but for some reason didn't happen) had graduated from the private high school in this city. Also we have lots of problems with low wages here, New York Times came here a few months back to do a story about that, and while here they didn't fail to mention our crumbling downtown. Our wages here are so low, that the average available wage is lower than unemployment benefits, so there is actually people weighing the pro's and con's of those benefits versus having a job. Most jobs here pay minimum wage, which is extremely low here. We don't have much live music here, aside from the occasional cover band, but recently have been given special consideration to help book artists to perform live at a local art gallery, which is certainly promising. Also in the city when most people graduate high school, many of them leave this city permanently, largely because of the jobs situation. Despite all of the evidence, our city still claims to be the city of “power and progress”. Other fun facts, our super Wal Mart is the biggest in the world, and also our McDonalds was the site of the very first “drive thru” in the history of the world. Former heavy weight champ Leon Spinks is an active citizen of the community (he gave Muhammad Ali a TKO in late 70's). Also there is Series Two : - )

And what are your plans for 2010?
I have a lot of plans, spending a lot of time with my University work, Nebraska Pop Festival 2010, and of course the new compilation series by Series Two, among very many worthwhile things. These days, just enjoying my time all the more and finding more ways to appreciate things.


Thanks Christopher! x

Friday 26 March 2010

Nikki Sudden (1956-2006)

Friday 26 March 2010
Today marks the 4th anniversary of the day we lost Nikki Sudden. On 26th March, 2006 Sudden passed away after a gig at the Knitting Factory in New York. From 1977-1980 Sudden was in post-punk group The Swell Maps with his brother Epic Soundtracks. Then in the 1980s he formed The Jacobites with the great Dave Kusworth before releasing solo albums under his name.

In tribute, here are a few of my favourite videos spanning Nikki's career:










Nikki Sudden's Official Site

Thursday 25 March 2010

BRMC at SXSW

Thursday 25 March 2010


Every year it seems like SXSW in Austin, TX gets better! Here is one of Black Rebel Motorcycle Club's many performances from this year's festival. A few of my friends at SXSW were lucky enough to see them, and I've heard nothing but glowing reviews.

BRMC continues their US tour in Milwaukee tomorrow night (the 26th), before heading to the UK in April...all dates here.

Their album Beat the Devil's Tattoo is out now.

Wednesday 24 March 2010

Soundpool's "Mirrors in Your Eyes"

Wednesday 24 March 2010
The band that Ulrich Schnauss claims is "The best f**king band in the world!", New York's Soundpool are set to release their 3rd album, Mirrors in your Eyes on 27th April. From the tracks I've heard, it is the band's best work yet. A mixture of new wave, pop and shoegaze which works surprisingly well. You know it's a good sign when you can hear elements of Blondie and My Bloody Valentine at the same time.

Check out the new video for the opening title track:


And download another album track, the catchy and brilliant "But It's So":
Soundpool - But It's So.mp3

Also, there is a 12" remix version of the album planned featuring a remix from Lawrence Chandler from Bowery Electric.

Soundpool's myspace

Saturday 20 March 2010

Screen Vinyl Image vs. Factory Kids

Saturday 20 March 2010

Back in May 2009, Factory Kids released their debut self-titled album featuring the track "You Gotta Rain" (you can hear the original on our myspace). Now in 2010, electro darlings Screen Vinyl Image have remixed the track, giving it an atmospheric electronic touch that only they can do. It is one of the few remixes I've heard that actually gets better as it goes along...

Download it here for free:
Factory Kids - You Gotta Rain (Screen Vinyl Image Remix).mp3

The track is just a preview of the upcoming Factory Kids remix album, Beautiful Distortion, which features remixes by Jimmy Lee (Trailer Trash Tracys), Nick Duffy (Lilac Time), Richard Formby (producer, Spacemen 3/The Telescopes), Jo Barlett (it's Jo and Danny), David R. (Eulogy Inn) + many more. The album is being released independently by Tim and myself and will be out soon on iTunes.

Friday 19 March 2010

Noel Gallagher for Adidas

Friday 19 March 2010


Noel Gallagher makes a cameo in this brand new Adidas advert. It is one of the first public appearances he's made since the Oasis split last year. Other stars that appear in the advert are Agyness Deyn, David Beckham, Snoop Dogg and a wealth of others....

Noel is set to play the Teenage Cancer Trust gigs in London on March 25th and 26th where he'll be joined by Mani (Stone Roses/Primal Scream) as well as the Crouch End Festival Chorus and Wired Strings. Support will be provided by The Courteeners on the 25th and Plan B on the 26th. Limited tickets still available.

Also, Noel's brother Liam has already been in the studio with his new band. It's reported that the band will be releasing a single before the end of the year. I'm personally looking forward to hearing Liam's new material, while being aware that it won't be Oasis, or a replacement for them. I guess we'll find out...

Oasis' Official Site

Thursday 18 March 2010

Silver Phial

Thursday 18 March 2010


If you are looking for a new group whose tunes can make (almost) anyone feel instantly better, look no further than Silver Phial. This psychedelic folk band not only sounds like they are from the 60s, but some of their photos look like album covers from my mother's old record collection. Listening to them makes me want to wear wildflowers in my hair and wish for summer.

Their track "Aeronautique" (released on their EP from last year) sounds like a long-lost track from The Mamas & The Papas, while "Into The Light" sounds more like a female-fronted version of The Yardbirds.

Look out for their sweet pop track, "Better Side of Life", on an upcoming Emitt Rhodes tribute album.

Listen to them yourself over at their myspace.

Tuesday 16 March 2010

A few minutes with...Daughters of the Sun

Tuesday 16 March 2010

Meet the Minneapolis psychedelic band, Daughters of the Sun. A band that writes songs about demonic possession, doesn't own computers, and loves their hometown.

How did Daughters of the Sun come about?
We've gone through several incarnations of people and realms throughout the years- started with 5 dudes, became 3, then 2, then 4, then 3 dudes again. So it's tough to say when shit really started getting raw- we've always been diggin' up new jams and stews.

Where do you rehearse?
We rehearse in a mega dingy warehouse in Minneapolis. The roof leaks all the time, especially this time of year. but we love it! It totally sets the vibe.

What was your best gig so far? why?
This is such a drag cause we have tons of best gigs- especially house shows, it's hard to fuck up a house show. But I think the one that stands out the most is the Million Tongues Fest in chicago. Getting to play with Ya Ho Wa 13 and our friends Ga'an on the same bill was totally nuts. Just hanging with the original source bros was a total honor, and they can still get down and party.

Worst gig?
Norman, Oklahoma. The spot is eternally busted! A couple real killer hangers, but for the most part just bad vibes.

I love your song, "Light As A Feather", how did you come up with that title?
The song's about demonic possession and skateboarding.

When your band is just hanging out, what music are you probably listening to?
We're all collecting freaks- true diggers. So when we hang out all we do is jam out new shit we've scrounged from record bins recently, which is rad cause it's always changing. But collectively what we've really been getting down with lately is early synth moves like Heldon or Robert Rental, early delta blues like Son House, friends and newer shit like Visions of Christ, Peaking Lights, Velvet Davenport, Baronic Wall, Jeff Witscher's projects, old Crass Records 7"s, fucked folk like Steeleye Span. I mean, the list goes on and on and on.

What was the first album you ever bought?
We're just all gonna say SWV- Sisters with Voices.

Any weird phobias and/or band superstitions?
I dunno, we all hate cops so we kinda freak out about gnarly cops.

What's your band's fashion sense/style? Any favourite clothing shops?
We don't really think about that stuff ever so it's hard to answer. We just really wear whatever we can get a hold of. If we had to grip rags we'd just wear rags.

Describe your fanbase in 3 words:
Our thrasher friends.

If you could be any other person for a day, who would you be?
Probably each other- we'd switch bodies but still have our minds. That'd be pretty weird.

What's better - downloading, still buying CDs, or collecting vinyl?
Vinyl- we don't really have computers (we're borrowing a roommates laptop). Therefore downloading and cds for that matter are out of the question. but we buy lots of records and tapes!

Best band you've seen live?
This is also a hard one, but lately the best band we've seen is Larry Wish, a local young freak that gets black-out trashed and makes amazing pop music. Great every time.

Is there anything (previously unknown) about your band that you'd like to share with the world?
No, not really. Everything we want to be vocal about us is already out in the open.

Tell us something interesting about your hometown:
Minneapolis is the best- It seems like it's locked in the middle of nowhere but truthfully is flourishing with rad bands, art and people in general. There's also an underground sewage system that's open to freaks!

And what are your plans for 2010?
We're going to be on tour with friends Vampire Hands in support of our split 12" with those dudes in April and May throughout the US, so make sure to keep yr lobes to the ground. Other than that- we're always hanging out!

Thanks guys! x

Daughters of the Sun's myspace

Monday 15 March 2010

New Thrushes album out now

Monday 15 March 2010
Photo: Jamie Onderdonk

Balitmore's Thrushes have released their new album, Night Falls. The album is full of hauntingly melodic tracks which both embrace their shoegaze and indie pop influences. You can hear hints of Mazzy Star, the Jesus & Mary Chain, Belly and The Raveonettes throughout the tracks which makes for a lovely mix of reverb, fuzz and rock'n'roll.

Night Falls is out on CD and iTunes now.

Listen/preview their music, including an incredible cover of Mazzy Star's "Fade Into You", on their myspace.

Friday 12 March 2010

Weekend Remixes

Friday 12 March 2010


It's the weekend!! To celebrate, enjoy the following remixes. Honestly, I'm not always the biggest fan of the remix, but these I feel are at least as good (and in some cases, better) than the original track. Happy downloading. x

Robots in Disguise - DJ's Got A Gun (IAMX's Shut Up You Dance Remix).mp3

The Dandy Warhols - Everyday Should Be A Holiday (Tony Lash Remix).mp3

Goldfrapp - Ooh La La (When Andy Bell Met the Manhattan Clique Remix).mp3

Tiga - You're Gonna Want Me (12" Dance Mix).mp3

Primal Scream - Swastika Eyes (Jagz Kooner Remix).mp3

Thursday 11 March 2010

Video: Black Rebel Motorcycle Club's "Beat the Devil's Tattoo"

Thursday 11 March 2010
The brilliant new video from Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, "Beat the Devil's Tattoo"...




The album of the same name is out now!

I've also been listening to their live CD + DVD set quite a bit. If live albums are your thing, I recommend it.

Black Rebel Motorcycle Club's Official Site

Wednesday 10 March 2010

Drunken Werewolf #11!

Wednesday 10 March 2010


The newest issue of one of the UK's best underground zine's, Drunken Werewolf, is out now. Issue #11 contains features the up and coming folk act, This Is The Kit (free mp3 at the link), as well as London's Naomi Hates Humans, plus many more...

Drunken Werewolf is available (for free!), at Rough Trade Records at Brick Lane in London, Avalanche Records in Edinburgh, Probe in Liverpool, Moles Cafe in Bath and at Spiller's Records in Cardiff.

Or you can buy Drunken Werewolf for £2 (£3 internationally) here! All orders come with a free compilation by Dreamboat Records.

Drunken Werewolf music blog
Drunken Werewolf's myspace
Drunken Werewolf's Facebook
Drunken Werewolf's twitter

Monday 8 March 2010

A few minutes with...Northern Valentine

Monday 8 March 2010


Robert from the psychedelic/dream-pop band Northern Valentine talks about the band making their own film, visiting waterfalls in Iceland and an interesting first record...

How did Northern Valentine come about?
I used to work in radio and was hearing a lot of great music every day. It made me want to make my own music, so I started getting gear and finding things that could make the sounds that I was hearing in my head. Before I knew it, there was a core group of people in Northern Valentine, depending on who is around at any time.

I love your band name. Where does it come from?
This is a terrible story...but it started by me saying I loved the word Valentine and that I wanted to use it somewhere in the band name. The Northern part actually came from a random word generator! We liked the sound of the two word together and it just stuck. Not very interesting I know...

Where do your rehearse?
We have a room in our house where we play, rehearse and record.

What was your best gig so far? why?
I think my favorite show so far was when we played at Viðeyjarkirkja, which is a very small church on the island of Viðey, just off of the coast of Reykjavik, Iceland. We were some of the first notes of music heard in the church since 1774. People took a ferry over to the island to see us, and it was a magical afternoon.

And the worst gig? why?
We drove 8 hours to a show in Virginia, only to find out that nothing had been promoted, the headlining band had dropped out of the show, and the other supporting band didn't feel like playing. We wouldn't have minded so much, if it hadn't have been an 8 hour drive and then another 6 hours back home!

Your song "Gullfoss" has such a dreamy, wonderful sound to it. What was the inspiration behind the song?
The inspiration for that song came to us after our first trip to Iceland. Gullfoss is a huge, beautiful waterfall in Iceland and it takes your breath away when you see it from a distance and then get right up into the water.

When your band is just hanging out, what music are you probably listening to?
We have a lot of different musical tastes between all of us. Some of the band favorites that we all listen to include Sigur Ros, Pink Floyd, Mew, Godspeed you Black Emperor!, and some of the music we've recorded that we haven't put out yet.

What was the first album you ever bought?
This drags out some skeletons from the closet...my first album was "Make It Big" by Wham! I was 8 or 9 years old and I had heard them on the radio the day before. All the kids at school were singing it, so I caved to the pressure.

Any weird phobias and/or band superstitions?
I guess my only real phobia or superstition would be trying to make sure we show up way too early for shows because I like to leave room for the unexpected to happen.

What's your band's fashion sense/style? Any favourite clothing shops?
We're pretty much a thrift shop, jeans and t shirt kind of band. I love rolling into a new town and finding the Salvation Army and looking for local t shirts.

Describe your fanbase in 3 words:
Relaxed, Intelligent, Respectful.

If you could be any other person for a day, who would you be?
Someone who gets paid to sleep all day, so I could catch up on some sleep and still make some cash. Not kidding, that would be great!

What's better - downloading, still buying CDs, or collecting vinyl?
We're going to be releasing more digitally in the future, which I appreciate because it takes up less space in my physical world. However, I still love putting the needle on a record from my collection of vinyl. I guess I'm old fashioned in liking to have a physical release with great artwork and the experience of having that in my hands.

Best band you've seen live?
Sigur Ros still manage to get me every time I see them. There is so much emotion built into their music, and it is often not overly complex. Simple is beautiful to me.

Is there anything (previously unknown) about your band that you'd like to share with the world?
In September 2009, we released our first film, "Leopard's Mouth", as part of our live soundtrack project for our 2005 album of the same name. That film almost ended up costing us over $25,000 to make, because some of our film crew were on the verge of being arrested for trespassing during a location shoot.

Tell us something interesting about your hometown.
It is very small...with two traffic lights and 5-6 pizza shops (for some reason), General George Washington stayed there for a bit on his way to Valley Forge and we've had the pleasure of playing our music there a few times.

And what are your plans for 2010?
We have another festival performance and a special show in New Jersey coming up in May. After that we're in the studio working on putting the finishing touches on a follow up to our 2008 album, The Distance Brings Us Closer, on Silber Records.


Thanks Robert! x

Northern Valentines' Official Site
Northern Valentines' myspace
Northern Valentine on last.fm

Sunday 7 March 2010

Video: Goldfrapp's "Rocket"

Sunday 7 March 2010


Allison Goldfrapp, looking flawless as always, driving a 18-wheeler carrying a very phallic pink rocket while a man wrapped in silver tape goes along for the ride......need I say any more?

Goldfrapp's new single, "Rocket" is out tomorrow, 8 March! Buy it here.

Then their album Head First should be available everywhere from the 22nd....

Goldfrapp's very glamourous Official Site

Friday 5 March 2010

YouTube Friday

Friday 5 March 2010
Because sometimes you don't need a reason....my current YouTube favourites:


Great video of Brasilian brotherly duo, The Soundscapes, performing "Here's When" in NYC.



A track from Nikki Sudden's beautiful set at the Cake Shop in NYC. The chilling "Death is Hanging Over Me", filmed roughly 40 hours before he passed away after a Knitting Factory gig. :( R.I.P. Nikki. ♥



Glasgow band and my labelmates, The Dirty Cuts, from their Nice'n'Sleazy's performance in January. Some of the shadowly figures may be one of my friends and I dancing around. Haha.



This song is quite pretty!




I originally saw this on the Oasis Dig Out Your Soul DVD and so glad it's on YouTube. Noel Gallagher never fails to make me laugh here...

Thursday 4 March 2010

Unkle meets The Black Angels

Thursday 4 March 2010


While listening to BBC 6 Music (please join the campaign save it) I heard a phenomenal new track. While playing the waiting game 'til the end to hear who it was, I never thought it would have been a pairing of one of my favourite electronic acts, UNKLE, and one of my favourite psychedelic bands, The Black Angels. Some might say an interesting collaboration, but a brilliant one...

Listen to/download it here:
UNKLE & The Black Angels, Natural Selection.mp3 via RCRD LBL

The track will be on UNKLE's upcoming album, due out on 11th May.

UNKLE's myspace
The Black Angel's myspace

Wednesday 3 March 2010

Paper Planes

Wednesday 3 March 2010
I wanted to attend Paper Planes' launch party for their new single "Disconnected, I Know" at Mono the other night, but couldn't make it....I'm sure it was great. Here is the lovely animated video for the track, directed by the artist Chop Pop!



If that isn't enough, watch this video for their previous single, "Doris Day". You can see why they are one of the most promising bands to come out of Glasgow:



You can obtain their singles from Mono, and "Doris Day" is available online at luckynumbernine.co.uk

Paper Planes' next gigs are at Glasgow's 13th note on 8th March and Captain's Rest on 18th March

Paper Planes' myspace

Tuesday 2 March 2010

Factory Kids' "One"

Tuesday 2 March 2010

Just another day: Factory Kids hanging out at Brum's Tempest Records...

My band, Factory Kids, will be releasing our 2nd EP with Edinburgh label 17 Seconds Records on 5th April! Even though it's "EP2" it will be called "One" after it's title track. It's a very catchy track and reminds me of a 1950s (or early 1960s) pop track. At the risk of sounding self-important, it really is a great tune....

You can listen to "One" here at the Factory Kids' myspace.

And here's a free download of one of the EP tracks, a sweet song called "Holiday Crease":
Factory Kids - Holiday Crease.mp3

You can purchase the 1st EP, entitled "They Used to Call Me Baby", released last month, here on iTunes. It's also available at emusic.com.

Cheers! x

Monday 1 March 2010

The Brothers Movement

Monday 1 March 2010


On Thursday I saw Dublin band The Brothers Movement at the Captain's Rest in Glasgow. Last time I saw them live was a few years ago at the Luna Lounge (R.I.P.) in New York. Back then, the Brothers Movement was still under their former name, Mainline. I loved their live set then, but enjoyed it even more on Thursday. Their set was absolutely brilliant, banging out one amazing tune after the other. If I had to pick a favourite from the set, I think their live version of "Blind" really stands out.

I highly recommend their debut album, which the NME gave an 8/10. From personal experience, I know it is difficult to find their album in the shops, but you can get it online from Rocket Girl or amazon.co.uk.

Also, if you like the Brothers Movement, also check out their guitarist Danda's side project, Sweet Jane, who I am a huge fan of.

The Brothers Movement's myspace
Video: The Brothers Movement - Standing Still
Video: The Brothers Movement - Blind
 
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