Fresh out is Pantheonz Of Zenn-la's first release off their forthcoming project, and is one easily rivalling Odd Future's. There are aggressive lyrics, slipknot-like masks and the undeniable strength of it's hip hop beats. POZ consists of MC's Seapa Dee, Order Of Merit Meziah The Omniscient, Apex Zero and The Aurahkel. Check out the madness below.
Tuesday, 26 April 2011
This week's new music #2
My Panda Shall Fly - Injury (remixed by Darling Farrah)
MPSF consists of Sri Lanken(er), Suren Senerviratne, who was originally acknowledged for his remix of Pirate Soundsystem’s ‘Dub N U’. He braces the DJ decks at night after his 9-5 graphic design job at LuckyPDF. He’s supported by Gold Panda and Vondelpark, works on remixes with Terror Danjah and plays for Off Modern. Beautifully reworked dub and electronic sounds result in repeated listens. Download the track and listen to his debut EP, ‘Sorry I took So Long’. Who knows what else we’ll see coming from underneath that beard of his in the next couple months...
j
Curren$y ft Prodigy - The Type
Curren$y doesn't need an introduction, he's been around since 2002 making hip hop beats. His recent collaboration with Prodigy proves his masterful ways with rhythm, vocals and lyrics.
k
Jai Paul - BTSTU
Following Jai Paul’s demo of BTSTU last March, the song appears in its finished form via XL Recordings. Melodic vocals riding big drum claps and synth riffs are things that shouldn’t necessarily work together...but it somehow does. Although it’s not that far off the original, the extra detail thrown in makes the quality of the track a whole load better. His debut album will be released later this year.
j
Shabazz Palaces
They've been around for a while now but in the next couple months, they’ll be everywhere.... Seattle avant-rap Shabazz Palaces are blood relatives of Gonjasufi and a group happy to work in dark and mystical conditions. The rap here isn’t upbeat, but cold and harsh, coupled with irregular drums, and synths appearing from nowhere as voices interrupt each other. They’re signed to Sub Pop, and if you haven’t heard them before, now’s the time to immerse yourself in this visceral, powerful stuff.
j
Curren$y ft Prodigy - The Type
k
Jai Paul - BTSTU
j
Shabazz Palaces
TWEET UPDATE: @QUEEN_UK
So we all know the royal wedding's coming up, whether we're the muslims or anarchists planning to screw it up, or the dedicated royalist, it's something that can't escape our minds, radio, or tv. In light of this, Sweet and Sound decided to catch up with the Queen's thoughts on the middletons, her obsession with gin, and texts from the pope.
Interview with Jerry from Lazy Oaf
At yesterday’s Lazy Oaf SS11 launch, Deerbrains was privileged enough to catch the lovely Jerry from Lazy Oaf to talk about crazy promo video ideas, pet hates and the influence of music on this season’s collection. You can check out their new SS11 collection which is launching online Tuesday 26th and available in store till August 2011.
Location: London
Website: http://www.lazyoaf.co.uk/
To those who haven’t heard much about Lazy Oaf, where did it all begin?
It started off with our designer Gemma Shiel, who finished uni doing textile design, and then she started hand screen printing t shirts in her spare time and selling them on a market stall in Spitalfields. It just developed from there really. This year we’re celebrating our 10th anniversary as a brand, so that’s in October, so there’ll be a big party for that.
There’s some good graphic design stuff happening at the moment, I don’t think there’s a huge amount in the UK of graphic design focused fashion labels for girls. It’s a lot of men’s t-shirts and there are some really good ones, but its more from freelance illustrators who turn designs into t shirts ... I guess we used to do a lot of cartoony and more pun driven designs. There are too many t shirts with logos slapped all over them and clichéd phrases, and we’re over that – there’s just too much of it.
Yeah, especially when Topshop and H&M tapped into it... There’s a lot of cross prints in your SS 11 collection, do you think this witch-house electro ‘explosion’ has merged into today’s trends?
Yeah, I can’t pinpoint the exact stem of that trend, it’s suddenly like everyone’s going a bit Goth. I think it was a bit of a reference from 90s grunge; sort of like going back to 90’s films like ‘The Craft’. I think our designer was looking a lot at the films she used to watch from when she was a teenager for her inspiration... music probably has had an impact, but I’m not sure of the exact reference of it. Our designer just literally goes home, draws loads of stuff and designs, so I guess you get influenced by a lot of different things. I think being in East London, surrounded by lots of different trends, you pick up different concepts.
You also stock sellotape adorned in various prints and diaries etc, how did this all come about?
We’ve always stocked other brands stationary and we stocked this really good Japanese tape that had cakes and stuff on it. Everyone went mad for it, so we thought why don’t we turn our own designs into tape, and so we just did 3 designs and they’ve gone really well. It must’ve been especially snapped up by the younger customer. Since you did used to have cartoon inspired prints, do you think you’ve attracted the younger audience and are struggling to tap into the older market?
Yeah, but I think our younger audience have kind of grown up with us now and been with us for 5 years. So when we started off, it was around 13-18 years, and slightly older guys. Now they’re 16-20, so they want to look a bit more fashion forward and they’re looking at lookbook and all those kind of things. So we’ve tried to grow up with them and also get an older market because we’re all in our 20s, and want to design clothes we want to wear. I think we’ve just reached a point where we don’t want to wear fitted t shirts and cartoon prints. So we were like let’s be selfish and design collections we really want to wear... as well as hopefully what our customer wants to wear.And with the new SS11 collection, have you got any promo videos coming up?
Yeah but it’s not launched until May. We went to Spain to shoot our SS11 look book and our photographer Victor Voltaire filmed bits of the shoot like running into the sea and hanging out in the park and stuff like that.
Nice, if you were to come out with a crazy idea for promo video that would completely take Lazy Oaf out of its comfort zone, what kind of stuff would it include?I reckon it would involve food. I can imagine a giant keg and someone jumping out of it or some kind of giant burger food fight because a lot of our stuff’s fast food orientated. But because we do have quite the young customer we have to keep it slightly tame just so their mums are kept happy too.
And obviously we’re at your launch party. How do you think it’s all going? Was it really stressful to organise?
It’s turned out pretty good, wasn’t too stressful. The main thing was waiting for the collection to arrive. We have all the ideas and all the designs but it’s always the manufacturing which is sometimes unreliable. It’s been nice working with Kopparberg and the girl who does our cakes, Lucy Vanilla. WAH nails have also been amazing. It’s so nice to bring other people in and brings a new element to this event where rather than us all come along to the shop, our customers are getting something out of it as well. It has been very girl orientated – I think that’s because of the nails.... and probably because our new collection’s more fashion forward.
Thursday, 21 April 2011
Where the fuck have I been..
Well I've been about posting shit up here and there (which Ill put on here) and helping out with the launch of stoolpigeon.co.uk and the odd job with mtv + ch4 (check tumblr for photos)... but the interesting shit is stuff you should check out below:
Yes, vice issue launches in various places around the UK. It's going to be full of boobs, sex and alcohol. Fun.
+ ROYAL WEDDING TRAILER
This is an old granny, this is not boobs. But I promise there some in this CLICK. There's also anarchists, Royalists, Muslim extremists and a whole load of crazy people.
Will do a couple updates on here soon.
Also bands to check out:
Rizzlekicks + Shabazz Palaces
Yes, vice issue launches in various places around the UK. It's going to be full of boobs, sex and alcohol. Fun.
+ ROYAL WEDDING TRAILER
This is an old granny, this is not boobs. But I promise there some in this CLICK. There's also anarchists, Royalists, Muslim extremists and a whole load of crazy people.
Will do a couple updates on here soon.
Also bands to check out:
Rizzlekicks + Shabazz Palaces
Thursday, 7 April 2011
O’NEILL LAUNCHES THE SUPERKINI ONE WAY RUNWAY - A MODEL COMPETITION WITH A DIFFERENCE – TO FIND THE SPRING SUMMER 2012 O’NEILL GIRL
Fucking awesome right?
March 23, 2011. Ibiza, Spain – O’Neill is on a search for a model to become the O’Neill Girl, and appear in the Spring Summer 2012 campaign.
Between April 1st and May 15th the search is on to find the new O’Neill Girl, at www.facebook.com/oneillgirls.
But it’s not just any girl who will make the cut – it’s a girl who has the guts to jump off the end of the One Way Runway and into the sea wearing the new O’Neill Superkini.
Twelve finalists from the O’Neill Girls Facebook campaign will be flown out to Ibiza in June to walk the One Way Runway in front of a panel of judges to include supermodel Elyse Taylor (pictured below), professional O’Neill surfer Raine Jackson and top fashion editors and stylists. 
Although it would appear quite a 'leap of faith', the 'cliff hugging' One Way Runway is not as scary as it sounds – thanks to the new O’Neill Superkini.
The Superkini is the latest and most welcomed addition to the world of bikinis. A leading innovative new design in swimwear, it is made with a new nanofront ™ material, so it sticks to you your body when wet keeping you sexy both in the water and out – and when jumping off cliffs.
The winner of the O’Neill One Way Runway, chosen by the judging panel, will be flown out to a photo shoot on a secret beach location in September 2011 to star in the Spring Summer 2012 campaign.
To be in with a chance to be one of 12 finalists flown out to Ibiza, upload a picture of you in airtime at the facebook page between April 1st until May 20th and get your friends to vote.
The top 12 finalists will be flown to Ibiza for a catwalk with a difference – the One Way Runway. You must be over 18, have a passport and free to travel to Ibiza on June 7th-10th 2011.
Dazed Live 2011
From 12pm-2am on the 9th of April, Dazed and Confused magazine will take over East London in true festival style. Venues such as Village Underground and XOYO will be brimming with arty hipsters adorned in supreme hats, loafers and skinnies.
Various talks, exhibitions and films will occur throughout the day with music kicking off the evening in Village Underground, headlined by Gang Gang Dance. Other names playing include post-dubstepper SBTRKT, Darkstar, Black Devil Disco Club, Alexis Taylor of Hot Chip’s About Group and Aidan Moffat. If you want to find out more or want to buy tickets go to dazedlive.co.uk and they donate 15% of ticket sales to Japan Society Tohoku Earthquake Relief Fund.
Check out the Dazed Live lineup mix below:
Various talks, exhibitions and films will occur throughout the day with music kicking off the evening in Village Underground, headlined by Gang Gang Dance. Other names playing include post-dubstepper SBTRKT, Darkstar, Black Devil Disco Club, Alexis Taylor of Hot Chip’s About Group and Aidan Moffat. If you want to find out more or want to buy tickets go to dazedlive.co.uk and they donate 15% of ticket sales to Japan Society Tohoku Earthquake Relief Fund.
Check out the Dazed Live lineup mix below:
New Music
Pinch x Loefah x Roska
Pinch is a well known name when it comes to dubstep and is the label boss of Tectonics. Pinch collaborations are a rarity – his last one was in 2006 with ASBO. ‘Broken’, Pinch’s collaboration with bass-driven Loefah, produces something that’s pretty impressive where drones, stabs, weighty bass and consistent snares attend to your ears. There’s not much ‘wobbly sub’, which shows Pinch’s influence, and it makes the track a lot clearer. This track is so brilliant; it could be strong enough to define the meaning of dubstep. His next partnership is with Roska for ‘Paranormal Activity’. Roska usually hangs around the 130bpm mark, but here it’s taken one step further to 140bpm – more to Pinch’s stride. This increase makes Roska’s percussion fiercer as it emerges from amid the dark reverb and layered drums. If you haven’t listened to Pinch yet (or even hear of him), pinch yourself and wake the fuck up. This shit’s incredible.
Lapalux – ‘Time Spike Jamz’
22 year old Essex boy, Stuart Howard brings explosive and textured beats to your sweet and sound ears. The manipulation of samples and synths are brilliantly executed and leave you in a trance like state clouded by another-worldly presence. His punk-rock like attitude (although it’s nothing like punk rock… at all) to venturing beyond rules and what other producers have done, is a thing for others to aspire to. There’s nothing much else to say, unless you’d like an essay on his divine talent. I’d be surprised if you were still reading this, not having been intrigued enough by the name of Lapalux.
Release Date: 18th April 2011
Format: Limited edition cassette tape exclusive to Bleep.com and MP3 download
Mono/Poly - ‘Needs Deodorant’
Mono/Poly’s easy listening is perfect for those days you wake up with the sun shining and reach straight for that perfect Pimms mix. Much like the citrus fruit flavours stimulating your tongue, the innovative sounds and powerful rhythms invigorate your mind to a state of happiness and content. Which is pretty hard going considering the shit life throws at us.
Mono/Poly is releasing ‘Manifestations’ via Flying Lotus’ Brainfeeder Label on April 4th.
Koolfella – ‘Poise’
Garage beats, a house-feel and Mary J vocals - what more could you ask of from a song? Koolfella’s a young ‘un from Berlin, but his music’s just as good as those who have been in the business for the years. This song knows exactly where it’s going and has the power to completely change the atmosphere of a room – into a good one that is.
Also check out ‘Bring It Back’ on his MySpace (http://www.myspace.com/koolfella89)
Grimes – ‘Vanessa’
Grimes is still staying strong, making beats that incorporate sounds from beyond the grave (well, not literally). ‘Vanessa’ sees falsettos hopping around, reminiscent of a children’s playground in the middle of an apocalypse. The vocals are exactly like that too, gothic and child-like tendencies attached with the choral-like ‘ooo’s’, yet are intermitted later on by far more mature ones. I think this was a whole scheme to simply creep people out. Who can’t admit that the beginning vocals make you want to (slightly) piss yourself, an image of a Korean pop-singer rising from the grave coming to mind? Nonetheless, it’s a change from her previous stuff, that rather from sounding like things rising from graves, was just kept buried below.
EP Hippos in Tanks / Arubutus out April 19th
Pinch is a well known name when it comes to dubstep and is the label boss of Tectonics. Pinch collaborations are a rarity – his last one was in 2006 with ASBO. ‘Broken’, Pinch’s collaboration with bass-driven Loefah, produces something that’s pretty impressive where drones, stabs, weighty bass and consistent snares attend to your ears. There’s not much ‘wobbly sub’, which shows Pinch’s influence, and it makes the track a lot clearer. This track is so brilliant; it could be strong enough to define the meaning of dubstep. His next partnership is with Roska for ‘Paranormal Activity’. Roska usually hangs around the 130bpm mark, but here it’s taken one step further to 140bpm – more to Pinch’s stride. This increase makes Roska’s percussion fiercer as it emerges from amid the dark reverb and layered drums. If you haven’t listened to Pinch yet (or even hear of him), pinch yourself and wake the fuck up. This shit’s incredible.
Lapalux – ‘Time Spike Jamz’
22 year old Essex boy, Stuart Howard brings explosive and textured beats to your sweet and sound ears. The manipulation of samples and synths are brilliantly executed and leave you in a trance like state clouded by another-worldly presence. His punk-rock like attitude (although it’s nothing like punk rock… at all) to venturing beyond rules and what other producers have done, is a thing for others to aspire to. There’s nothing much else to say, unless you’d like an essay on his divine talent. I’d be surprised if you were still reading this, not having been intrigued enough by the name of Lapalux.
Release Date: 18th April 2011
Format: Limited edition cassette tape exclusive to Bleep.com and MP3 download
Mono/Poly - ‘Needs Deodorant’
Mono/Poly’s easy listening is perfect for those days you wake up with the sun shining and reach straight for that perfect Pimms mix. Much like the citrus fruit flavours stimulating your tongue, the innovative sounds and powerful rhythms invigorate your mind to a state of happiness and content. Which is pretty hard going considering the shit life throws at us.
Mono/Poly is releasing ‘Manifestations’ via Flying Lotus’ Brainfeeder Label on April 4th.
Koolfella – ‘Poise’
Garage beats, a house-feel and Mary J vocals - what more could you ask of from a song? Koolfella’s a young ‘un from Berlin, but his music’s just as good as those who have been in the business for the years. This song knows exactly where it’s going and has the power to completely change the atmosphere of a room – into a good one that is.
Also check out ‘Bring It Back’ on his MySpace (http://www.myspace.com/koolfella89)
Grimes – ‘Vanessa’
Grimes is still staying strong, making beats that incorporate sounds from beyond the grave (well, not literally). ‘Vanessa’ sees falsettos hopping around, reminiscent of a children’s playground in the middle of an apocalypse. The vocals are exactly like that too, gothic and child-like tendencies attached with the choral-like ‘ooo’s’, yet are intermitted later on by far more mature ones. I think this was a whole scheme to simply creep people out. Who can’t admit that the beginning vocals make you want to (slightly) piss yourself, an image of a Korean pop-singer rising from the grave coming to mind? Nonetheless, it’s a change from her previous stuff, that rather from sounding like things rising from graves, was just kept buried below.
EP Hippos in Tanks / Arubutus out April 19th
Interview: Steve Strange
1979 Boy George and Steve Strange at Blitz Club London
When I went to see Steve Strange, it was a really strange experience. He is a legend, and was one throughout the 80’s, being one of the leaders of the New Romantic movement. He’s now evolved that into a new movement, the ‘Neo-Romantics’ (get it?), which seem to be gathering at the monthly ‘Face’ night with house DJ’s like Princess Julia. He’s got this great presence about him but it seems he’s slowly losing it. People just aren’t that interested anymore. He’s become somewhat more of a tourist attraction than an innovator. Still… he deserves a lot of respect for what he’s created, done, and the people he namedrops – I mean, knows.
So tell me about the blitz club reopening earlier this year…
It’s like what me and rosemary created 30 years ago and we knew there’d be an interest because I do a monthly event every month called ‘The Face’. ‘The Face’ is controlled about who comes in and who doesn’t – I’m very strict on the door. That night, there were obviously a lot of people who originally were here 30 years ago and also so tickets were sold online. When I heard that and got there I was like ‘Whaaat?!’. I had to control the line, and people have got tickets and I was going to them and saying, ‘really, you can’t come in…’
Right…Do you enjoy rejecting people?
Not really, but what I want, I want people who are original, who are creative and individual. I don’t want them to be inside a club full of people staring at them. I want them to be inside somewhere which is theirs, uniquely theirs, so they can dress however they want and not feel like they’re being gawped at. So it’s not gay, it’s not straight, It’s metro-hetro-sexual friendly. Basically anything goes – in one way or another. I turned 100 people easily away that night and only was on the door for an hour and a half, on top of how many rosemary turned away. The queue at 7 o’clock’ was to the end of the road and there were three tv stations in there. There’s itv, hbtv and the bbc, and there’s our own camera man for our website which is www.theblitzclub.com, its relatively new.
What’s your site about?
It’s about fashion, it’s also got a gallery with original Blitz photographs. It’s got my gallery, and a celebrity gallery with people like Jack Nicholson, Elton John, Sylvester Stallone, Grace Jones and then new pictures which we done last week. We just employed Steven Jones who makes all my hats, he’s going to be out fashion editor and we’re obviously going to have his hats on the fashion section. I’ve also contacted an original blitz kid, John Galliano to be a Fashion correspondent, because we change the fashion ideas every 3 months for the website.
Sounds cool, so tell me more about ‘The Face’…
I do ‘The Face’ every month, so successful. For next time we got another venue in mind (instead of Punk soho), its 1920s art deco, 700 people capacity, I can’t say much else…Also Paradise Point, I’ve been nurturing them, they’ve played the past two Face parties, so I’ve been nurturing them like what to look out for in the music industry, what to be wary of…Vogue wrote a column on them, and said them to be this year’s biggest band. If you go to vogue online, you’ll see it, I’m not just talking bullshit. You know.
Yeah, I believe you…and what would you say is your favourite Blitz club memory?
Most people thought it would be when I turned Mick Jagger away, but I didn’t turn him away because I didn’t think he was cool enough. We had fire officers saying if you let any more in, the shutters are going down, your waitress, the barmen, your club owner are not going to have a club any more. So thank god, a really good friend of mine, the heiress Sarah Guinness, was with him, and he was pissed. He was like ‘don’t you know who I am’, and I was like ‘yeah course I know who you are but I can’t let you in’. And he was having none of it. The best moment was when Bowie came and he asked me if I would style and cast the extras for the Ashes to Ashes video and I gave him my makeup artists and I did all the clothing and styled all the Ashes to Ashes video.
That’s mad… What do you think of the current music scene?
I think it’s great La Roux, Gossip and Little Boots all give us credit for the electro scene. Beth and La Roux say if it wasn’t for Steve Strange and Visage, they wouldn’t be in the electro music scene. And that’s great because when we were at our height and we had a number one single in 17 countries, the music press hated us because they never created us and they were putting us down. That’s basically what the music industry do, they like to take care of a band, rub them in cotton wool, build them up but once they’re successful, ‘boom’, knock them straight back down.
Yeah totally.
Thursday, 31 March 2011
IMPOSSIBLE MISSIONS AT COACHELLA..
So Vice's our new relationship with Coachella, The Creator's Project have been coming up with amazing art projects, we've teamed up with Spiritualized main man J.Spaceman and UK film maker Jonanthan Glazer on a major new interactive installations to be unveiled at Coachella. Have a gander at the project and trailer.....
Wednesday, 30 March 2011
Belle Phoenix - exclusive Interview
How would you describe your music?
Many cats sticky–taped together riding a black horse through the underworld...
What do you think distinguishes you as an artist?
I write songs and sing them and occasionally play guitar.
How important do you think image is with music, do you think music without image has little meaning (and vice versa)? How would you describe your image?
Everyone is different and there are those of us who feel inclined to express themselves through image and music and there are those who express through music or fashion etc. I personally don't think it's important if you express through image and music, just be yourself and do what you love and believe in.
What are your thoughts on grime as the new punk?
Punk is punk, grime is grime
Tell me about your squatting days. What were the worst and best things about it?
The worst thing about it is I lost some friends to drugs, one ended up in a wheel chair because he was high and jumped of a bridge. The best thing about it? There's a certain freedom about it, no deadlines to meet, no bills to pay, no-one to impress, your you without any of the frills so to speak.
Do you think the use of drink and drugs is something that will always be within this music / rock culture? Does it make you feel more like a ‘rock-star’?
Drugs and drinking is beyond music or rock culture! most people take sedatives to escape the 9-5 humdrum or pressures of life or just to have fun, open their minds to something new etc. etc. Housewives from the 1950's onwards were hooked on all kinds of prescription medication to relieve the repressed lifestyles they were living, some even taking LSD a drug created for the government to give to soldiers to be more alert etc. Obviously it backfired and ended up on the streets. The point I'm making is that, as we all know, drugs aren't just part of rock'n'roll music.
The term rock-star sends chills down my spine... I'm not really about being a rock-star. This passion for music has always been in me since a small child, creating is just an expression of who I am.
How would you say you have developed stylistically (and lyrically) from those days to now?
What do you think of the student protests / government? Do you have a strong political viewpoint on all this – even if you are from Australia?
People are suffering in the world, I feel an empathy about that. Is violence necessary? what kinds of minds end up in protest situations, are they just angry young people with nothing else to do but spit blood at the government? Are they just people who want an easy ride? I don't know... I believe in freedom of speech without violence, however I have witnessed many video's documenting young students being hit on the head with batons and knocked unconscious, police officers injured as well, I don't agree with people using weapons against people with no weapons. Should the people pay for the government and it's mistakes? It's been an eye opener researching the current climate and "revolution" that seems to be happening all around the world. Out of curiosity and of course concern, I attended a rally against a nuclear reactor being placed not far from Sydney, at the time I wasn't sure what my thoughts were, I just wanted to try to be familiar with both sides of the story. After realizing what is happening in Japan, I feel validated that I attended. It's important that we gain knowledge of politics and the resistance to get a clear idea of what is going on, I don't believe in a government that puts people at risk of losing their lives or their homes and freedom of choice.
What made you move from over there to Camden?
First I moved to Germany from Australia to play in a band there with friends, I needed to hear english again after some months and decided after being asked to come over here for shows I would stay and catch up with a couple of my old friends, one was the guitarist Mark Alberici who also played on the last album 'The Glorious Dead' in New York's East Village. Mark and I wanted to collaborate on some new songs and unfortunately that didn't really work out so, I put a band together and started playing some shows and staying with friends in Camden in which, it turned out I didn't have the energy to move again, although I think I will soon... I don't like to stay too long in one place.
How is the music over there compared to here?
A lot of Australian folk in which I don't particularly resonate with, although I have respect for a lot of the "underground" scene that usually gets showcased in various warehouses out of the public eye.
Have you ever made contact with the ‘original punks’ strolling around Camden?
Haha! I have actually, I got a photo with them! I'm pretty much a recluse most of the time although I do enjoy socializing with all kinds of people.
Favourite lyric
Lost myself again
Or then again maybe I never did
I been waiting like a fool
For some ship to roll in
I been living in a desert
Livin' in God or Satans dream
Livin' like some kinda cactus
That the world has never seen....
It sums up my life...
Favourite food
Strawberries & Fresh Cream
Where do you think the world will be in 100 years?
That is up to us really, what are we going to create for future generations, we have the power to create a beautiful future, the power is in our hands.
Any last words?
Check this link out:
http://www.sodahead.com/united-states/rare-footage-of-1950s-housewife-on-lsd/question-1496613/
Many cats sticky–taped together riding a black horse through the underworld...
What do you think distinguishes you as an artist?
I write songs and sing them and occasionally play guitar.
How important do you think image is with music, do you think music without image has little meaning (and vice versa)? How would you describe your image?
Everyone is different and there are those of us who feel inclined to express themselves through image and music and there are those who express through music or fashion etc. I personally don't think it's important if you express through image and music, just be yourself and do what you love and believe in.There are elements of punk in your work – do you think it’s something that’s resurfacing in today’s music?
As far as I know, 'punk' originated from New York CBGB's music scene from a magazine called "PUNK" created by John Holmstrom in the mid 70's to describe the new sounds that were coming through, namely, Ramones, Stooges, New York Dolls etc. The name caught on and eventually would be accepted as a label for new sounding bands of the time. The truth is, I don't really know what is resurfacing in today's music, because I'm constantly in my own head and putting my own ideas down for songs that I can become a little ignorant to what is going on in the world of music. What are your thoughts on grime as the new punk?
Punk is punk, grime is grime
Tell me about your squatting days. What were the worst and best things about it?
The worst thing about it is I lost some friends to drugs, one ended up in a wheel chair because he was high and jumped of a bridge. The best thing about it? There's a certain freedom about it, no deadlines to meet, no bills to pay, no-one to impress, your you without any of the frills so to speak.
Do you think the use of drink and drugs is something that will always be within this music / rock culture? Does it make you feel more like a ‘rock-star’?
Drugs and drinking is beyond music or rock culture! most people take sedatives to escape the 9-5 humdrum or pressures of life or just to have fun, open their minds to something new etc. etc. Housewives from the 1950's onwards were hooked on all kinds of prescription medication to relieve the repressed lifestyles they were living, some even taking LSD a drug created for the government to give to soldiers to be more alert etc. Obviously it backfired and ended up on the streets. The point I'm making is that, as we all know, drugs aren't just part of rock'n'roll music.
The term rock-star sends chills down my spine... I'm not really about being a rock-star. This passion for music has always been in me since a small child, creating is just an expression of who I am.
How would you say you have developed stylistically (and lyrically) from those days to now?The attitude in the music has always been the same, although working with producers that don't resonate with your style of music can disguise the truth of a song, if that makes sense? As with everything we are passionate about, we hope we're on the journey of evolving, and I'm not sure if I have or not... The spirit of the songs remain the same although the musicality may change, at the moment it's got quite a lot of Western overtones, likened to Ennio Morricone, or something like that.
Did you have much input into the thoughts behind your underground video? What’s the story of it?
We couldn't afford a video and I had a clip in mind, cherry blossoms and birds and gravestones etc. So we got the only video camera we could find and started to create this clip right on spring time when the blossoms were coming out, it's lo-fi, but it's all we had. The clip represents the cycle of life after death on a spiritual, psychological level. The song came to me as I was waking up from a deep sleep and I immediately wrote down the lyrics that in that moment poured out of me, it was straight into the home studio to record the various instruments the main one at the time being synthesizer and acoustic guitar. There was an eeriness and beauty about the song that haunts me till this day. What do you think of the student protests / government? Do you have a strong political viewpoint on all this – even if you are from Australia?
People are suffering in the world, I feel an empathy about that. Is violence necessary? what kinds of minds end up in protest situations, are they just angry young people with nothing else to do but spit blood at the government? Are they just people who want an easy ride? I don't know... I believe in freedom of speech without violence, however I have witnessed many video's documenting young students being hit on the head with batons and knocked unconscious, police officers injured as well, I don't agree with people using weapons against people with no weapons. Should the people pay for the government and it's mistakes? It's been an eye opener researching the current climate and "revolution" that seems to be happening all around the world. Out of curiosity and of course concern, I attended a rally against a nuclear reactor being placed not far from Sydney, at the time I wasn't sure what my thoughts were, I just wanted to try to be familiar with both sides of the story. After realizing what is happening in Japan, I feel validated that I attended. It's important that we gain knowledge of politics and the resistance to get a clear idea of what is going on, I don't believe in a government that puts people at risk of losing their lives or their homes and freedom of choice.
What made you move from over there to Camden?
First I moved to Germany from Australia to play in a band there with friends, I needed to hear english again after some months and decided after being asked to come over here for shows I would stay and catch up with a couple of my old friends, one was the guitarist Mark Alberici who also played on the last album 'The Glorious Dead' in New York's East Village. Mark and I wanted to collaborate on some new songs and unfortunately that didn't really work out so, I put a band together and started playing some shows and staying with friends in Camden in which, it turned out I didn't have the energy to move again, although I think I will soon... I don't like to stay too long in one place.
How is the music over there compared to here?
A lot of Australian folk in which I don't particularly resonate with, although I have respect for a lot of the "underground" scene that usually gets showcased in various warehouses out of the public eye.
Have you ever made contact with the ‘original punks’ strolling around Camden?
Haha! I have actually, I got a photo with them! I'm pretty much a recluse most of the time although I do enjoy socializing with all kinds of people.
Any tattoos?
One tattoo... on my arm... I'm not proud of it
Favourite lyric
Lost myself again
Or then again maybe I never did
I been waiting like a fool
For some ship to roll in
I been living in a desert
Livin' in God or Satans dream
Livin' like some kinda cactus
That the world has never seen....
It sums up my life...
Favourite food
Strawberries & Fresh Cream
Where do you think the world will be in 100 years?
That is up to us really, what are we going to create for future generations, we have the power to create a beautiful future, the power is in our hands.
Any last words?
Check this link out:
http://www.sodahead.com/united-states/rare-footage-of-1950s-housewife-on-lsd/question-1496613/
Monday, 28 March 2011
Lacoste Live Party
Little was known about the whereabouts of this exclusive event until a few hours before the party started and with a ratio of 3000 people on guestlist to a 400 capacity venue, you knew it was the place to be that night.
Free drinks were freely flowing with Vladimir vodka, wine and all sorts on the drinks menu. There was a ‘backstage’ area, that wasn’t really very backstage, and brushing the shoulders of Jameela Jamil, Reggie Yates, Wretch 32 and Wiley was a regularity. That was all that happened throughout the first couple hours, and as soon as people began getting that little bit tipsy, Wretch 32 embraced the stage. ‘Ride the motherfucking beat like a tractor’, was probably his most anticipated line of the night, and everyone went on a right hype – although I’d like to know what kind of tractors Wretch 32 rides on...
After a mini DJ interlude, Wiley came up on stage. There were whispered rumours that this was all an act, and Wiley wasn’t going to appear (as since we all know, he’s gone a bit mad), but he was there, in his deluded entirety. His hood was half unzipped, not sure if this was the ‘drunk’ vibe or ‘i’m-gonna-unzip-it-coz-it’s-cool’ vibe, but more importantly, was how he performed. It was breathtaking. His eyes concentrated on various cameras, as he spitted out lyrics that sounded genuine and emotional. It seems as if he’s been battered by the music industry, making a mini speech about how dance music makes money etc. However, you can still see the raging passion inside of him when he performs, and at times it seems like this is the last thing he’s got left to hang on.
Everyone was pretty wasted by this point, and people stumbled over to an ‘after party’ at Alibi. What went on there is nothing I can write about on here... Let’s just leave it at that.
Watch a video about the night courtesy of Brownbear.tv
Free drinks were freely flowing with Vladimir vodka, wine and all sorts on the drinks menu. There was a ‘backstage’ area, that wasn’t really very backstage, and brushing the shoulders of Jameela Jamil, Reggie Yates, Wretch 32 and Wiley was a regularity. That was all that happened throughout the first couple hours, and as soon as people began getting that little bit tipsy, Wretch 32 embraced the stage. ‘Ride the motherfucking beat like a tractor’, was probably his most anticipated line of the night, and everyone went on a right hype – although I’d like to know what kind of tractors Wretch 32 rides on...
After a mini DJ interlude, Wiley came up on stage. There were whispered rumours that this was all an act, and Wiley wasn’t going to appear (as since we all know, he’s gone a bit mad), but he was there, in his deluded entirety. His hood was half unzipped, not sure if this was the ‘drunk’ vibe or ‘i’m-gonna-unzip-it-coz-it’s-cool’ vibe, but more importantly, was how he performed. It was breathtaking. His eyes concentrated on various cameras, as he spitted out lyrics that sounded genuine and emotional. It seems as if he’s been battered by the music industry, making a mini speech about how dance music makes money etc. However, you can still see the raging passion inside of him when he performs, and at times it seems like this is the last thing he’s got left to hang on.
Everyone was pretty wasted by this point, and people stumbled over to an ‘after party’ at Alibi. What went on there is nothing I can write about on here... Let’s just leave it at that.
Watch a video about the night courtesy of Brownbear.tv
BBS 003- Lacoste live! 2011- Wiley-Wretch 32- Seb Chew from Jonathan Kugel on Vimeo.
Protest Videos 26 march 2011
There's no point writing about it when I've handpicked some of the best videos about. Just see for yourself.
Protest in Trafalgar Square from James Field on Vimeo.
Sunday, 27 March 2011
VICE
As always, vice throws more sick shit our way (sick as in the 'that is sick blud' not literal sick or fucked up sick..)
NOISEY IS IN THE UK!
Incase you're unaware, Vice have launched a very exciting online music channel showcasing the best new music from around the world, having been showcased at SXSW last week, were now on the road with Noisey's social media...
http://www.noisey.com/
https://twitter.com/#!/noisey_uk
http://www.facebook.com/Noisey
FRATER
Their t-shirts are as cool as hell, the buttons on their cardis aren't so.. but what the hell, it might be the new thing to pay loads of money to buy shit that you would've found attractive when you were in pre-school (I go a bit wierd when it comes to big buttons).
http://www.fraterclothing.com/
They're having a party in Manchester too... WOOO.
NEOMELODICS
So the boys at VBS this week are spanning the globe looking for the best tunes and the weird & wonderful stories that came with them, Episode 1 went up on VBS yesterday and Episode 2 went live today, we take a look at Tommy Riccio's hit song Nu Latitante.
SVENJA SPECHT (her name can't be real.)
Renowned figure in the Berlin Fashion scene, Svenja gives an exclusive interview about her creative process in the studio and her unique collaborations.
http://www.onitsukatiger.com/en-uk
Reality Studio from Onitsuka Tiger on Vimeo.
NOISEY IS IN THE UK!
Incase you're unaware, Vice have launched a very exciting online music channel showcasing the best new music from around the world, having been showcased at SXSW last week, were now on the road with Noisey's social media...
http://www.noisey.com/
https://twitter.com/#!/noisey_uk
http://www.facebook.com/Noisey
FRATER
Their t-shirts are as cool as hell, the buttons on their cardis aren't so.. but what the hell, it might be the new thing to pay loads of money to buy shit that you would've found attractive when you were in pre-school (I go a bit wierd when it comes to big buttons).
http://www.fraterclothing.com/
They're having a party in Manchester too... WOOO.
NEOMELODICS
So the boys at VBS this week are spanning the globe looking for the best tunes and the weird & wonderful stories that came with them, Episode 1 went up on VBS yesterday and Episode 2 went live today, we take a look at Tommy Riccio's hit song Nu Latitante.
SVENJA SPECHT (her name can't be real.)
Renowned figure in the Berlin Fashion scene, Svenja gives an exclusive interview about her creative process in the studio and her unique collaborations.
http://www.onitsukatiger.com/en-uk
Reality Studio from Onitsuka Tiger on Vimeo.
Rival Schools - Pedals
It’s been almost a decade since Rival Schools’ last masterpiece, United By Fate, brought together a cult of post-punk mainstreamers to relish in choppy guitar encrusted velour. Frontman Walter Schreifels still retains the talent and ear for largely amiable melodies, with a new found conventional wisdom. However, the real question lies in whether this is still applicable for their fans from the late 90s and early 00s to listen to. I’m sure, by now, their post-punk hardcore hoodie-clad listeners are in their 30s and 40s, no longer into being experimental and ‘rock n’ roll’, but more into raising a family and listening to Radio 2.
Pedals clearly lacks the heaviness and potent distortion of United By Fate, yet this shouldn’t be something viewed as an immediate disadvantage. Deep heart-punching guitar riffs may be a prominent theme in ‘Wiring It Out’ and ‘Eyes Wide Open’, but it’s the slow gentleness and scintillating choruses that eventually prevail; so much to the extent that something like ‘Racing to Red Lights’ could be included in a love mix tape, meaningful lyrics of “you’re driving too fast / racing to red lights” melting the girl’s heart in the process.
Schreifels sounds exactly the same as he did almost ten years ago, grungy growls that grow into something endearing when reaching those high notes. “Love doesn’t know anything / only believes when it believes” he sings on ‘Shot After Shot’, so beautifully executed, conjuring up the image of an emotional Schreifels on his knees, singing his heart out. It seems that ‘Pedals’ carries with it a lot more heartfelt emotion and far less aggression, yet unharnessed drum and guitar accompaniments are what make it just as accessible to its original fans as to its new ones.
Despite the record’s brilliance, it’s back to the inevitable thought that it took them ten years to make it. Many things can happen in a decade; countries, people and genres can all be destroyed to mean no more than a pulp of shit on the side of the road. When Rival Schools emerged, they were fortunate enough to be at the forefront of emo and post-hardcore breaking its way into mainstream, yet commercially led groups such as Fightstar and The Rasmus seemed to triumph. Perhaps in 2011 it’s Rival Schools’ time to once again shine. Their tightly produced, guitar-shredding, euphoric alchemy of symphonies emit the same passion as you would have heard from them ten years ago and, so what if their re-union was an elaborate scheme to get more cash – it worked.
Was it worth the wait? Yes - even if you did grow a few grey hairs and a moustache in the process.
(written for thelineofbestfit.com)
Red Bull Studios First Birthday - review
The labels, ‘press guest list’ or ‘guest list’ adorned the walls outside red bull studios, as inside drink was generously flowing. “Spirit with red bull, sugar-free red bull, cola red bull” decorated the bar menu “...is there a fucking way out of leaving this room without shaking from a caffeine high?” muttered someone behind me in the queue. I certainly wasn’t complaining. Who could with a line-up of Skream, Benga, Benji B, Kano, Foreign Office, Drop the Lime and DJ Mooken?
Before Hackney four-piece Foreign Office were graced the stage, I explored the legendary Red Bull studios. Body guards stood, left, right and centre, guarding what went on behind closed doors. Another room was fitted with luxurious sofas and people printing t-shirts in the corner courtesy of Hit + Run. Yes, they were of course free. As breathless falsettos emerged from a bed of crunchy electro beats, it was my cue to get back to the stage and check these guys out. I presumed them to be another one of those dub step acts, so was pleasantly surprised to be met with guitars, good hair and skinny jeans – and, of course, staggeringly good music. Waves of post-punk vibes and rhythmic beats evolved from George Hume (guitar), James Woodley (drums) and Duncan Hillman (keys). Paul Cousins (vocals), dressed in solid vintage frames, intensely stared at the back of the room as he sung his heart out, his lyrics edgy, ironically bright yet dark at the same time.
As the evening progressed, so did the stacks of empty glasses, and the crowd of people on the dance floor. It was time for Kano. Personally, I’m not a great fan, but after seeing him bring his distinct urban freshness to the stage and the reaction received from this select crowd, I couldn’t stop talking about him afterwards. People were miming the lyrics to his songs, as he charismatically paraded the stage, never standing still for a moment. In the middle of the song he came to the front of the stage where this girl stood, pumping out some chest-attracting, Beyonce-like moves, “I like the ways you’re dancing right there you know. Don’t stop it. Don’t stop it,” Kano muttered, exchanging a couple of his savvy dance moves in return.
His whole set were songs he recorded in the studio, and things he’d not yet played – so it was a genuine exclusive performance. Cameras were flashing, and the room was slowly heating up to the point where it’d be appropriate for Kano to do a cover, singing: ‘Its getting hot in here, so take off all your clothes’. Instead he slammed it out with another banger from a song he’d collaborated with Chase and Status. After that things start getting a bit hazy, and all I remember are people’s arms in the air and drinks on the floor.
After re-energising myself with those deliciously potent ‘studio mixes’, I bumped into Benga on the stairs, who directed me to follow him into the green room – the backstage area....what happens there stays there. Well, that is, if anything actually happened. It was pretty much a room full of alcohol, food and sweets. People patted Ollie (Skream) and Beni (Benga) on the back as they ventured out into the basement where a crowd of people waited in anticipation for those dub sirens to scream. The set began with the lyrics ‘What you talking about’ surfacing beats dirtier than pig’s diarrhoea as the crowd melted into a moving sea of skanks. The atmosphere in this basement was hotter and livelier than anything I had seen all night.
No-one was simply standing there, and there were certainly no blackberries in sight. This crowd of pretentious music industry talent were finally drunk on enough vodka to let go and get involved. A girl spread herself across the DJ decks, people were slamming the ceiling, and some dodgy looking individuals emerged from the bathroom…ahem. Despite all this mayhem, Skream stayed completely focused on the set, not even taking a moment to drink, which is a talent in itself, where Benga was a bit more flexible to be sociable. They ended their set with a dirty bang, everyone with sweat dripping off their foreheads and yearning for more filth. But that was the end of it.
Buying yourself a litre of vodka, a crate of red bull, some disco lights and trippy sunglasses with a mix of Dubstep, Grime, and Old School Jungle on full blast, would go some way to re-creating tonight but it’ll be a small taste of what went down.
(published on theplayground.co.uk)
Glade Festival
Glade Electronic Music Festival - 10,11,12 June 2011
Secret Location TBA, UK.
Tickets: £135 + BF / Capacity Strictly Limited To 5000
GLADE FESTIVAL RETURNS
The UK’s most forward-thinking electronic music event Glade Festival returns for 2011, revolutionised and stripped back to it’s shiny roots. Taking place at a brand new, as yet undisclosed, venue this year’s festival will feature a selection of the biggest names in cutting-edge electronic music. This years event sees the festival scaled down in terms numbers (strictly limited to 5000 capacity) BUT will feature the same attention to detail which saw the event voted Best Dance Festival 2008 at the UK Festival Awards.HEADLINERS ANNOUNCED
GLADE STAGE:
TRENTEMøLLER
(LIVE feat. FULL 7-PIECE BAND)
DRUMCODE feat. ADAM BEYER,SLAM, PAUL RICH (LIVE ) & JOSEPH CAPRIATI
GLOBAL COMMUNICATION (DJ SET)
ANDREW WEATHERALL / PHOTEK (LIVE)
DREADZONE (LIVE) / KRAFTY KUTS
HYBRID (LIVE) / DIRTYPHONICS (LIVE) / SKRILLEX
ENGINE EARZ EXPERIMENT (LIVE) / DUB FX & THE FLOWER FAIRY (LIVE)
DUB PISTOLS (LIVE) / DIRTY VEGAS (LIVE)
BEN & LEX + More TBAORIGIN STAGE:
LIVE: AJJA, ALLABY, ATMOS, ATOMIC DROP, BROKEN TOY, DICKSTER, FØRM, HEADROOM, LOGICA, M-THEORY, MAN WITH NO NAME, PROMETHEUS, QUANTIZE, SONIC SPECIES, THE COMMERCIAL HIPPIES, TRISTAN
DJ:
EDOARDO, EMOK, HAMISH,
LIQUID ROSS, LUCAS, REGAN,
SHANE GOBI+ More TBA
OVERKILL STAGE:
LIVE:
RICHARD DEVINE, EPROM, ESKMO, YOUNG MONTANA? BROKEN NOTE, LOOPS HAUNT, KORELESS, BACONHEAD
DJ:
SHITMAT, ANXST, BARKER & BECKETT, N>E>D b2b VOLTEK DJS, SQUIRE OF GOTHOS, THRENODY, SILVERMAN, REVOLVA (BUF b2b GHETTOZOID) BASHOUT ALLSTARS, SPONGEBOB SQUAREWAVE, WARLOCK, WARRIOR ONE, RACKNRUIN + MC SEROCEE.
INSPIRAL
LIVE:
GAUDI , INTERNATIONAL OBSERVER , ECHASKECH ,
SLACKBABA, SYSEPHE , MBUKI MVUKI
DJ:
DICK TREVOR , ANS, GEORGE BARKER, TRIPSWITCH ,
ALOK , ALIJI, NAKED NICK, MOON , NOVA, EKANTA , JUSTIN CHAOS , LEWAH
+ MORE TBA
GLADE FESTIVAL 2011 – WE ARE BACK!
This is just the tip of the iceburg. With more artists to be announced alongside more arenas and some of the bnest décor, performance, sound and visual installations in the country Glade Festival is well and truly back!
LINKS:
http://www.gladefestival.com/
www.facebook.com/gladefestival
www.twitter.com/gladeofficial
TICKET INFO.
• Weekend Tickets: £135 + BF
• Camper Van Passes: £50
• Deposit Scheme Tickets: £50 + BFWednesday, 16 March 2011
CHINESE ANARCHISTS & LAMBORGHINIS
This chinese millionare cunt called Mr Han was not a happy man when his new Lamborghini Gallardo broke down after six months. He paid some fellow fat chinese men to fuck the car up with sledgehammers yesterday.
Wooo...It's like chinese anarchy, guys.
Wooo...It's like chinese anarchy, guys.
Lacoste Live
http://www.lacoste.com/live/#/home
What more is there to say apart from <3 lacoste.
Their video on the site is awesome too. You get to choose friends who take you to a party to perve on couples getting it on... Every old man's desire.
LIGHTSHIP STUDIO's
A studio on the Thames Estuary? Quite a statement but it is true, a Lightship was bought by a music producer back in 2006 and turned into a recording studio, we follow the band Mazes and their recording sessions on the boat.
http://www.vbs.tv/en-gb/tigerfound/found-lightship-95-episode-1
http://www.vbs.tv/en-gb/tigerfound/found-lightship-95-episode-1
UMSHINI WAM
VBS has garnered exclusive access to acclaimed director Harmony Korine's short film Umshini Wan. Zef slang pioneers Ninja and Yo Landi of Die Antwoord star as wheel-chair bound gangsters, continue on.....
http://www.vbs.tv/en-gb/watch/umshini-wam--2/umshini-wam
http://www.vbs.tv/en-gb/watch/umshini-wam--2/umshini-wam
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