The UK has always had an ambivalent relationship with America – our bigger, flashier, richer and more successful younger brother. With imperialism and colonialism a distant memory and resigned to the fact that we have not been “a great power” for oh, ages, in recent times much of the British public have looked on (semi) resentfully as our elected leaders sport asinine grins and stand proudly “shoulder to shoulder” with a war-mongering ex-actor, a war-mongering oil baron and his incomp...

Six ten minute plays by new writers are performed in front of a fascinated crowd. When the hour is up a secret ballot is held for the audience to vote for their favourite 3. At the end of the Festival there is a special “best of Bite Size” where the winning plays are performed again. Astrid by Ella Hickson Starring Miranda Christides and Lewis Reid Set in the space of time after an act of infidelity, but before any consequences set in, “Astrid” is essentially a monologue that vocalises ...

A Real Baby Person by Babs Lindsay Starring Daniel White and Paul Hayes Sadly, the quality dips a little in the second half. A Real Baby Person looks at two (young) parents as they wrestle with the future of their unborn child. The girl asks; “Do you like this child?” the boy replies “I haven’t met him yet”. For the next ten minutes the girl encourages him to explore the possibilities and success levels of their child; “But we must also love her if she wears glasses and isn’t tall and beau...

After much audience over-excitement (impatient, rhythmic clapping and random cheers as the equipment is set up), Tiersen takes the stage looking like a cross between Bob Geldof and Bryan Adams, but more grumpy, more French and (a little) younger. Despite the fact that his more delicate creations could be performed live phenomenally as a duo, for this tour he has opted to recruit a 5 piece backing band and take a proggy, Jean Michelle Jarre meets Pink Floyd trawl through his back catalogue i...

This week on Indieoma we were struck by the notion (or was it a meteorite from outer space? – either way, it felt heavy) that aliens and monsters have occupied the minds of the human race (possibly in more ways than one!!) for centuries. From the folklore of Ancient Greece, to the opium-induced visions of the Romantics, to the modern sci-fi fantasy (or is it?) of the X Files and the Twilight Zone, we have always been fascinated by that “Other” which we don’t (and perha...

This week’s newsletter for anyone who missed it: In the UK we love to talk about the weather. Especially when we have a national holiday. Will we be able to go to the beach for BBQ fun drenched in glorious sunshine, or forced to stay in watching a particularly vicious hangover from April’s showers as it lashes against our windows? If it’s sunny it will either be “too good to last” (grimace) or “far too hot” (gasp, flap, fan, sweat) and if it rains, i...

The Great Escape is Brighton’s answer to the Camden Crawl. It runs from the 14th to the 16th May and it gets better every year… 2009 highlights include: BellX1, Bombay Bicycle Club, Brakes, British Sea Power, Broken Records, Chairlift Cockandbullkid, Cursive, Dananananaykroyd Datarock, Enter Shikari, Evan Dando Freeland, Future of the Left, Gang Of Four, Holy Fuck, Hot Leg, Idlewild, Juliette Lewis, Kasabian, Liam Finn, Lightspeed Champion, Little Boots, Micachu and the Shapes, ...

New Acts confirmed: UNCUT ARENA ~ Squeeze ~ Mew ~ Ladyhawke ~ ~ Teitur ~ Music Go Music ~ Hjaltalin ~ SUNRISE ARENA ~ Little Boots ~ Band Of Skulls ~ Yes, Giantess ~ Sugar Crisis ~ Dear Reader ~ Catherine AD ~ Jonathan Jeremiah ~ Alan Pownall ~ First Aid Kit ~ OBELISK ARENA ~ White Lies ~ Pretenders ~ Flashguns ~ The Chakras ~ Sound Of Guns ~ THE LAKE STAGE ~ Golden Silvers ~ Slow Club ~ ~ We Have Band ~ Post War Years ~ The XX ~ Pulled Apart By Horses ~ ~ Joe Gideon & The Shark ~ Da...

There’s no point in pretending that this is an unbiased review. In 2005 The Rakes came on tour with us for five weeks. Every night I watched them play and enjoyed seeing their set get tighter and tighter. Last week I saw the opening night of their first UK tour for 18 months. It is startling to see how much they have changed… First, though, let’s get shallow with some observations on image and style… Photo by HarleyRose Alan (singer) is now sporting the original haircut that ...

Part One of an occasional new series “Introducing the Underground”… With “Indie” music increasingly competing in the mainstream and the majority of “Indie” bands now eyeing up the majors, Independent Labels are having to look elsewhere and for different kinds of acts in order to compete in an increasingly saturated marketplace. Paul Elsasser, MD of Lime Records, explains why he is turning his stereo up to 11 and looking forward to a New Wave of British Classic ...

Ladyboys! Cabaret! Music! Theatre! and the alternative press… This week at Indieoma we are doing our best to ensure you have a great summer by looking at some of the best artistic, theatrical, literary and musical events occurring over the next few months. Like a more arts and theatre based SXSW, if you are in the UK between the 1st and 25th of May, it really is worth taking a trip to see the cabaret-tinged delights on offer at the Brighton Festival. Watch video footage and read previ...

Brighton Festival – May 2009 Like a more theatrical, arts-based SXSW, the Brighton Festival sees every building in town that can possibly be used as a performance space transformed into a venue or mini theatre. Huge marquees mysteriously appear in the town’s green spaces overnight like mushrooms, while churches, cafes and pubs all play host to various theatrical and musical events. Local artists open up their houses; everyone is welcome to step inside and check out the paintings, sculptures ...

If you live in the UK (or are planning to visit) and can get to Brighton in May this year, there’s a wealth of creative “hits” on offer at the Brighton Fringe. Below is a selection of some of the most interesting events taking place and links to buy tickets. The Parlure Tent: Website: www.theparlure.com Having put together an enviable programme of cabaret-focused events. Due to limited space, there is simply too much of interest to mention in this blog so I will simply say, for some of the ...

Circus Playing an unusually large part in this year’s festival, the idea of “Circus” has diversified hugely since the use of animals in acts has been outlawed (in most places). Here are some of the most interesting on offer this year: The Insect Circus Show Website: www.insectcircus.co.uk Balancing Scarab Beetles, Worm Charming, Wasp Taming and Acrobatic Ants. With extraordinary costumes, comedy, contortionists and knife throwing there is everything you could want from circus and more. Take ...

If you live in the UK (or are planning to visit) and can get to Brighton in May, there’s plenty on offer at The Brighton Festival. Below is a selection of some of the most interesting events taking place as part of the “main” Brighton Festival and links to buy tickets. Teater Patrasket – Wireless Website: http://www.patrasket.dk “5 clowns on a shiny floor, in an amazing universe of light and sound and floating smoke”. Mechanical toys, creaking handles, buzzing bees, clowns, physical th...

Other Brighton Fringe Highlights – Small Capacity Venues: The Invincible Man Dates: 1st & 2nd May 2009 “Half musical, all comedy – Ronny the depressed prison guard goes mad with his newfound power; and pompous director Tarquin has just one hour to save his musical from almost certain disaster.” Venue: The Brunswick, 3 Holland RoadEntry: £8, (£6 Conc) The Big Bite-Size Breakfast /Matinee Shows Website:http://www.bite-size.org Dates: 2nd, 3rd, 9th, 10th, 16th, 23rd, 24th May 2009 “Two...

Not to be confused with “Tunic”, the Urusei Yatsura sound-alikes of the late 90s, The Tunics are currently doing the rounds on the UK’s hype treadmill – possibly in part due to the fact that they often sound a lot like one of last year’s biggest sensations; Reverend And The Makers. Taking the stage at a poorly attended Club NME (which is either a reflection of Brighton on a cold Wednesday, or NME are in big trouble), the band kick off with Waiting (appropriately featuring the vocal refr...

Now entering its second year, Beachdown is Brighton’s first proper, large scale, outdoor music festival since the Essential Festival went under in the late 90s. Held at Devil’s Dyke; a place of Outstanding Natural Beauty on the South Downs, and with a line up that veers wildly between the very popular (The Zutons), to the legendary (Grace Jones), to the fiercely alternative (The Fall), Beachdown covers all bases. Acts Confirmed so far: Grace Jones, The Zutons, Laurent Garnier (live), Super F...

Latitude is held in East Anglia. East Anglia is not very densely inhabited – it is mostly farmland. I have been there only once in my life, I was on tour and (in the absence of any proper concert venues there) we played in a church hall… This is Latitude’s third year and is already looking to be its most interesting yet. With headline sets from the Pet Shop Boys, Grace Jones and Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds Latitude is heading towards a selection that is almost as impressive as the o...

For new bands, getting involved with advertising in the early stages of their career can be the kiss of death. While “overnight” success might seem initially gratifying, the accompanying hype can mean (as many X factor finalists have discovered) that people just as quickly get sick of you. Once you are perceived to have “sold out” it can be very difficult to claw back any kind of credibility. The mid 1990s saw a string of new acts disappear just as quickly as they arrived after sound-tra...

Whether they are made for your own enjoyment, for a party, or to introduce new friends to your music tastes, or simply your latest headspace, compilations are the lifeblood of the music lover. For many years, meeting up with friends for Christmas drinks largely consisted of intense discussions about our latest choices of listening matter accompanied by the earnest swapping of home made compilation CD “Christmas presents”. The compilations acted like a snapshot of a particular time and spa...

In the music industry you are faced with competition at every turn. From the illusory competition of record sales and chart positions (which are more a demonstration of one record company’s financial might over another and who has the best connected press officer and radio plugger) …to the kind of very real competition that you feel as a performer – a competition with yourself and with your band mates, the kind of competition to get out there each night and perform better than ...

OK, when Bill told me that the subject for this feature was love, I admit I was stumped. Trickier still was the prospect of bringing music into it – if “sealing the deal” really is the objective I would recommend listening to anything your (proposed) partner likes and that you, yourself, can stomach. Although, personally I’d find it very hard to be with someone if I hated their music tastes. Instead, I’m going to write about a one-off Hare Krishna “Kirtan” event that was held ...

There is no doubt that the internet has had a profound effect on the music industry. Despite attempts by record companies to adjust to the modern age, each year physical music sales decline further and the labels continue to lose money. That’s not to say they’ve given up the fight. CD prices have been slashed by 50% over the last 5-8 years and now new albums released during the year can cost as little as £2.99 by Christmas. Deeply unpopular copy control technology (which as well as attempt...

Tiger Lillies and Justin Bond – Sinderella 18/12/08 – London, Queen Elizabeth Hall. They might still be a mostly undiscovered gem, but 2009 sees this trio’s 20th year in the business. Tiger Lillies shows are not simply the run-of-the-mill, old favourites, greatest hits and a handful of new songs affairs that you would expect from most groups. Singer, Martyn Jaques’, keeps his creative fires burning by writing a set of entirely new material, along a loosely defined main theme, virtually on ...

Music festivals are not simply a celebration of music; they are also a celebration of the great outdoors and of summer …especially when the sun is shining. With their roots planted in 60s hippy-dom, many festivals profess a green (or at least environmentally aware) outlook and contribute much to charitable causes (Glastonbury famously donates the high percentage of profits to Oxfam, Greenpeace and Water Aid). The trouble is, rigging up staging, sound systems, lighting and what is es...

If, as Bill suggests, art really is the realisation of the ability to comment on the world around us, then you don’t need paints and canvas, you don’t need a computer, you don’t even need a musical instrument. Not everyone has access to these things; the only thing that everyone has access to (and the place where the whole creative process starts anyway) is themselves. Art can simply be a mindset, an approach to your everyday activities. You can create art through every decision you make s...

Personally, I prefer a darker dinner party… French food is (still?) renowned as some of the most sophisticated in the world and traditional French music is synonymous with cafe culture – so what better way to set the tone? Jacques Brel (April 8, 1929 – October 9, 1978) was from Belgium. His songs were sung in French but have famously been covered in English by Scott Walker, David Bowie, Marc Almond and Alex Harvey amongst others. His lyrics tackle the grittier, seedier, seamier sid...

I’d like to think that food and drink (and the ethics associated with their production) are subjects I have always thought about quite deeply. When I was 16 years old I spent a lot of time staring at the sky and thinking. Eventually I concluded that; while most things in life are essentially pointless and ridiculous, the things in life which are pointless, ridiculous and totally unnecessary are far worse. It is well known that red meat consumption in the Western world is already at u...

ME: Last time I saw you play in Brighton you were called Cinerama and you were playing the (600 capacity) Concorde 2. This time you are The Wedding Present and are playing at The Corn Exchange – a massive step up. Is that purely a result of the name change? DG: Partly. Although it’s probably more to do with the fact that we are not doing a London concert so there are a lot of people travelling down for it. Also, with the Brighton Festival on, I’m not sure there were any other venue...

The Wedding Present return with their ninth studio album (their second since reforming in 2004 after a seven year hiatus), produced by long-term collaborator Steve Albini and brimming with confidence and swagger. Santa Ana Winds builds slowly, broodingly and then explodes into another album crammed full of David Gedge’s pop gems about infidelity/not having a girlfriend/pretending to not have a girlfriend/unrequited love/jilted love and unexpected liasons and now he sounds angrier than the so...

Western music has such a rich history, it is worth spending some time investigating it. Sometimes it’s good to take a gamble. I knew nothing about Lydia Lunch other than she had something of a reputation as an underground chanteuse/author/art house actress/poet/artist/performer and all round cult hero. Leaving home at 16 to live in a communal house of artists and musicians and later befriending electro-punk pioneers Suicide, I imagined her as a cross between Nico, Marianne Faithful and ...

As The Hornblower Brothers sit down to take their finals at the University of Sussex, record company executives are already lining up with offers. Originally hailing from Halifax, the band’s lineup was completed more recently with local bass and melodica players. While recent years have seen a glut of overtly regional accents in the UK, since Yorkshire is currently only represented by The Cribs, there is certainly room for the dulcet tones of The Hornblower Brothers singer Als Johnstone....

Part Two: Although his level of notoriety could by no means be described as anything approaching “overground”, it is heartening that after 20 years of ploughing a lonely furrow, playing 200+ solo gigs each year and releasing six studio albums, Hamell is becoming a little better known. Primarily compiled of material from his most recent album; Songs for Parents Who Enjoy Drugs, and a handful of unreleased new songs, The Terrorism Of Everyday Life is a limited edition “bootleg” of the Edinbru...

Part One: Around six years ago I saw Hamell on Trial for the first time, I’ve seen him maybe three times since and he has blown me away each time. There are no props on stage, no costume changes just one man, a battered, old, acoustic guitar, a microphone and an amplifier. Born and bred in Syracuse, upstate New York, Ed Hamell is a one man whirlwind of energy and entertainment. He may play the acoustic guitar, but it is the loudest acoustic guitar you will ever hear; think more punk rock...

For obvious reasons I don’t tend to talk too much about cover acts for Indieoma (or anywhere else for that matter) but sometimes something so bizare comes along that it deserves some publicity. The launch of the latest issue of One Eye Grey magazine is one such occasion. Although Indieoma is primarily concerned with music, it is also concerned with independent thought. One Eye Grey retells London folklore and ghost stories in a modern setting and describes itself as a 21st century equiva...

Mice And Rifles – Beginner’s Luck EP In recent years, country music has received bad press for it’s right wing connotations, it’s heavily pro-Christian stance and the images it conjures up of small town, white Americans sunning themselves behind white picket fences and voluntarily tuning into the horribly bland, country pop/rock rubbish that dominates the U.S. airwaves. Much of this criticism has perhaps been justified – remember how The Dixie Chicks were demonised in 2003 (both by ...

Local hardcore quartet who, after several successful jaunts around Europe, close their fourth UK tour with a triumphant homecoming show which sets the room on fire, despite a disappointing turnout. Signed to Lime Records and with their first single, A Look Over, released this week, From Plan to Progress (http://www.myspace.com/fromplantoprogress) have a laudable, gung ho, DIY attitude, which possibly explains their success in garnering an international fanbase so early on. If more bands jum...

Over the last three years, Eels shows have been presented as a (mostly) acoustic trio backed by a string quartet with little interaction with the audience; a heavy rocking, overdriven trio with a dancing security guard and now, a laid-back, fun-loving duo. Recent Eels activity has included the release of the best of collection; Meet The Eels, a 50 track rarities compilation; Useless Trinkets and the publication of Mark Everett’s autobiography; “Things The Grandchildren Should Know”. The BBC...

After finding Cave’s soundtrack to The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford pretty much faultless, I’m now finding myself strangely drawn to Dig Lazarus Dig. Maybe I’ve changed, but I’ve really never liked Nick Cave. Some artists mellow with age (often coinciding with a dip in quality and the rejection of all that made them great), for a while it seemed to me as though Cave was doing just that. However, this album is much more “meaty” than recent releases under The...

The Chemical Brothers – B-Sides – Vol 1 (Virgin Records) They may be Lilly Allen-dating, arena filling artists now, and therefore not in slightest bit underground, but I think the fact that they continue to reinvent their sound while consistently producing good records, is justification enough to warrant some coverage here. Culled primarily from their 12” vinyl releases (and complete with one obligatory “unreleased” track), this ten track ITunes exclusive is the first of a two part serie...

Peter Moyse’s (http://www.myspace.com/petermoyse) short, three-song set soundtracks silent film footage of the life and breeding cycle of the seahorse. I’m guessing that the music wasn’t composed deliberately for this purpose, but it is funny how simple acoustic guitar music takes on an altogether otherworldly quality when paired with an in-depth look at seahorse anatomy and embryos – sample subtitle “gaseous excretions in the sack walls”. Next up are Blood Stereo (http://www.myspace.com/bl...

I first blogged about the West Hill Community Centre around this time last year. I don’t want to repeat myself by going through what a bizarre, but brilliant, venue it is again (if you scroll back you can still read that blog) – suffice to say it is a church hall unlike any other. Its ethos certainly fits in with the Indieoma philosophy – I don’t know of anywhere else that is so fiercely independent, while remaining totally open and uncliquey. Events at West Hill are life af...

Chris TT is celebrated as something of a folk hero. Support tours over the past eight years with the likes of British Sea Power, Ben Folds, The Divine Comedy and Jim Bob (ex-Carter USM) and a prolific schedule of headline gigs have enabled him to release (and sell) five albums independently. Lyrics which tackle political, social and environmental issues and his dogged determination to do things his own way (that is, the very long, very hard, very low-budget way) has won him critical acclai...

Electric Soft Parade – No Need To Be Downhearted (Truck Records) This is the third album from Brighton-based brothers Tom and Alex White who, since being dropped by BMG in 2004 for daring to experiment on their second album, have also busied themselves finding cult success in the US and UK as half of Brighton super group, Brakes. While the poppiness of No Need To Be Downhearted has echoes of their first album (which was responsible for much of their initial success), the arrangements are...

or, Hang The DJ…Part 3 Diamond Hoo Ha Men leave the stage.  The DJ starts to play.  Disappointment after disappointment follows.  The first song is a decade old, mainstream “indie” superhit.  Maybe it was an appeal to the nostalgic side of (what was essentially) Supergrass playing a venue of similar size as when they first started. That would be forgivable.  However, it gets no better.  Blondie’s One Way Or Another is followed by London Ca...

Part 2As stage time draws near, the sense of expectation that was so prominent earlier has been diluted to the extent that I begin wondering if the room is genuinely full of people who don’t like Supergrass (in which case you have to ask why they went to so much trouble to get tickets and ponder on the morality of those tickets not going to better homes).  All of which means that Diamond Hoo Ha Men are about to test-drive their gold studded jumpsuits on one of the harshest UK audie...

Part 1Diamond Hoo Ha Men are the duo Duke Diamond & Randy Hoo. They are better known as Gaz Coombes and Danny Goffey from Supergrass.  Tonight they play their first ever gig as a duo.  Debate is raging as to whether this is a genuine new/side project, or merely a means to preview some new Supergrass material before it is finalised for release – at Guilfest 2007 the band did after all debut a new song called Diamond Hoo Ha Man and certainly one reason why bassist Mick is no...

God Fires Man – The Dark EP (Xtra Mile Recordings)Hmm, I was starting to get tired of every single band from New York being achingly cool, new wave/disco punks.  Luckily this four track screamathon with (gasp) fairly heavy guitars has made me appreciate the fashionistas again.  With New York being one of the most cultural, cosmopolitan and exciting cities in the world there is no excuse for any band hailing from there to sound so uninspired.  God Fires Man could just as e...

6)    How does the 28 Costumes creative process work? It varies a lot, but most of the time it starts with me writing a basic song at home then bringing it into the practice room, playing it to the other guys in the band and then we all suggest this and that and putting things elsewhere and different parts and fleshing it out and whatnot.  It’s pretty much all in.7)       You’ve had two record labels so far, how have you found work...

Scouse four-piece, 28 Costumes wear their local influence on their sleeve.  Their recently relased Electrical Fever EP sounds in turns like every successful Liverpudlian band that has ever existed all mixed up with nursery ryhme melodies and given a modern twist.  While the title track lends a slightly hysterical vocal to light, La’s-esque, jangly guitars, other tracks offer a twist on the Wombats formula with occasional shades of Echo and The Bunnymen.  The past three ye...

Blog 5In January 2003 we recruited our fourth drummer; a serious Mancunian whose desire to get things right seemed to fit perfectly with our own new found “professional” drive.  We managed two rehearsals before the first gig of the year (quite an achievement by our standards) and I even paid £50 for a second-hand bass amp.  We took an extra-early train up to London to collect the amp but quickly discovered that it was actually far too heavy to take on public transp...

Nick Cave & Warren Ellis – The Assassination Of Jesse James By The Coward Robert Ford (MUTE) Perhaps it’s the fact that he’s an Australian who sings in an American accent, or maybe it’s his appropriation of “Wild West” imagery to tell murder stories he was not involved with, but – with the exception of “Where The Wild Roses Grow” – I usually find Nick Cave’s material hard to believe and a little tedious.I have, however,&nbs...

So you have an idea for your own radio station and you are convinced there is an audience for it.  What happens next?  How do you make the transition from internet radio to FM radio?  Phoenix FM’s Steve Mead advises: How did it Phoenix FM grow?We started off as a RSL (Restricted Service Licence) operator which meant we would to apply for a 28 day FM licence.  This would entitle us to up to two 28 day broadcasts a year.  While proper airtime is always an advantag...

For many years the choice of songs played on UK radio has been dependent on the whim of just a handful of people.  The vast majority of local radio stations simply play the biggest selling/blandest hits of the moment (and the past) and, while BBC Radio One has made gestures of catering to wider tastes (for example with the broadcast of John Peel’s show and, to an extent, The Evening Session), its daytime playlists continue to lack imagination.For a blissful period in the mid 90s, g...

Just as playing songs fast takes a certain skill and focused energy, so too, does playing them really, really, slowly, and while an evening listening to slowed down versions of (already quite slow) dark, country music may not appeal to all, Jim White is a good reason to put any prejudice aside. Somewhere between Tom Waits (without the fake voices), Nick Cave (without the pretentiousness) and a less urban Eels, his striking debut album; (The Mysterious Tale of How I Shouted) Wrong Eyed Jesus, ...

Julian Cope – You Gotta Problem With Me? (Invada Records) In the late 70s/early 80s The Teardrop Explodes were a great and vital part of the UK post punk music scene.  Their frontman/songwriter Julian Cope continued in fine form right through the 80s and into mid-90s.  However, after being dropped by Echo Records in 1997, it all went rather quiet. He remained busy though and over the past decade has self-released 8 albums of new material and published three books.  Troubl...

Eighties B-Line Matchbox Disaster – In The Garden EP In an ingenius move, the physical version of Brighton’s premier goth-rockabilly band’s first release for three years comes complete with free live album and a free ouiji board making it both excellent value for money and chart ineligable!  For those who mourned the band’s last album (2004’s The Royal Society) for becoming too clever and almost too musical, will be pleased to learn that the In The Garden EP...

What Became Of The UK Music Industry? – Part 4 Against a backdrop of major label cutbacks and falling music sales, December 2002 sees The Others still unsigned and largely unheard of. However… In the first seven months of the band’s existence, we had extended our set to around 10 songs, played 14 concerts in Brighton and London and had gone through three different drummers!  Our first drummer only played one gig, our second drummer only lasted one rehearsal.  Our...

Next up is the liberally tattooed Joshua English.  He is from Portland, Oregon and is openly proud of his rawk roots.  However, despite the fact that he has an acoustic guitar strapped to his neck, he seems unaware that tonight is essentially a folk/anti-folk night. While some of the tracks are almost jazzy, the bulk of his set is made up of pretty average rock songs and sadly, that’s exactly how they come across. It’s not that there’s anything particularly wrong w...

After the cult success of Frank Turner’s debut album; Sleep Is For The Week, Xtra Mile Recordings have decided to invest in the acoustic-based solo careers of a whole host of ex-hardcore stalwarts.  The “Softcore” package tour was put together to promote the ex-Million Dead-frontman’s first DVD; ‘All About The Destination’ (out September 24th) and to showcase two of their other brightest hopes: Jonah Matranga has fronted three bands; Far, New End Origi...

Eighties Matchbox  B-Line Disaster – London Scala The Eighties Matchbox B-line Disaster are a cramps-esque, goth-rockabilly band from Brighton, they are friends of mine and until recently, three of them lived next door to me.  Singer Guy McKnight is one of the quietest and most polite people I have ever met.  He is also very, very thin.  Occasionally we would have tea and tofu together; less often we would enjoy an evening tipple in a local pub where he would patient...

New Releases Not a great bag this week…Robyn – With Every Heartbeat (Konichiwa)I am not a pop snob.  Some pop music benefits from phenomenal production and I always have time for a catchy chorus.  Released on her own label after leaving Jive records supposedly to gain more creative control, this is the second single from the Swedish singer-songwriter’s most recent album.  It’s a slice of sparse, pulsing electronica which could have been recorded at any ...

Echo And The Bunnymen – Interview at Connect Festival Echo and The Bunnymen were one of the most critically acclaimed bands of the 80s. They released five solid albums between 1980 and 1987; Crocodiles, Heaven Up Here, Porcupine, Ocean Rain and S/T, after which singer Ian McCulloch left to pursue a solo career.  Between 1989 and 1992 he released two solo albums; while guitarist Will Sergeant and the rest of the band drafted in a new singer and released another album under the Bunny...

Connect Festival – Day 3 Day One had been a mad dash to get on site, pitch tent, get bearings, find media tent and catch a few bands.  So on Saturday night, despite the continual rain, I braved the conditions in order to have a proper look around. Maybe it was the fact that Connect was being held in the Inveraray Castle grounds, or maybe it really is a sign of the times, but the traditional festival fare of greasy burgers, chips and noodles is in surprisingly short supply.  In...

Connect Festival – Day Two Ok, I’ve decided that the strength of most festivals is that they don’t have line ups to die for.  It’s very difficult to see all the bands I want to and the walk from campsite, to festival, to media tent, through treacle-thick mud is making everything take that much longer.  Also, when there is a line up this impressive, a little more thought with performance order should be considered. Today Teenage Fanclub go head to head with S...

Connect Festival – Day one Compared to the rest of Europe In the UK we are spoilt for festivals with Reading/Leeds, V Fest, Download, the Isle of Wight’s Bestival, T in the Park and Glastonbury to name just a few. Personally I have never been a big festival goer – in 2005 I played most of them and very quickly got tired of the constant mud, hippies and bad bands. In spite of this inbuilt dislike, the first ever Connect Festival came up with a line up (and location) that was ...

It’s amazing what a bit of a success can do… Japanese cabaret/pro-feminist pop collective Frank Chickens, scored an independent chart hit in 1984 with their Ninjatune-released debut single; “We Are Ninja (not geisha)”.  They went on to produce five albums and star in their own Channel 4 TV show.  Recent years have seen the group’s founding member, Kazuko Hohki, concentrate more on writing and performing theatrical pieces and the Frank Chickens live e...

Record Label Shmecord Label – Big Scary Monsters (Big Scary Monsters) Shockingly good sampler proving that during its brief existence, the Big Scary Monsters label has already acquired a roster impressive enough to justify its existence.  The compilation opens with two tracks (courtesy of Meet Me In St Louis and House Of Brothers) which could easily fit on Bloc Party’s debut and, aside of a couple of quieter contributions from Secondsmile and Richard Walters, much of the alb...

Part 3 – 2002/2003: One of the reasons that the Sanctuary group reported profit rises in 2003 while the other labels stalled is because it specialised in signing "long-term heritage acts"; with broad appeal and solid fan bases - it effectively became a ‘sanctuary’ for rock’n’roll has-beens.  Owner Andy Taylor explains the Sanctuary strategy; “Only 5% of music buyers are fanatical about music but they are our key market.  ...

Tense and edgy, Belisha veer wildly between following the mould of classic punk bands like Sham 69 or The Damned at their gothiest and crossover nu-punk bordering on metal. Currently in the midst of a successful summer of gigging (and getting banned from venues), Belisha are genuinely one of the most interesting bands around at the moment.  Their stage shows involve flamethrowers and custard pie fights, their last single won single of the week in Kerrang and they have even started to in...

Belisha interview Part 2: 4)  What are the songs about? They are a mixture of war stories, the problem we have with certain religious practises and our struggle against ‘the idiots’. I like songs that tell a story – that’s why we cover ‘Rasputin’ by Boney M.  5) You’ve toured the UK (and abroad?). What were the best/worst smells you came across? Dan: I’m going to turn this one over to the whole band – me first.Worst: Our old bas...

With prime, mid-90s Britpop a definite reference point, The Screening sound like a cross between Puressence and the sorely missed Mansun, with occasional flashes of early Manics.  Their live shows are attracting an increasingly rabid following both in the US and the UK.  They do big songs in a modern way and, in a refreshing contrast to the current round of guitar acts proving popular, they sound nothing like The Libertines.  Once again the UK record industry proves it has its...

Pull Tiger Tail – Hurricanes Fourth single from the B-Unique signed London three-piece.  With a vocal that is equal parts Kele Okereke and Brandon Flowers (but thankfully without the smugness of the latter), and music which melds The Killers’ eye for a crafty pop song with the less jerky moments on Bloc Party’s debut, it’s curious that Pull Tiger Tail remain relatively unkown. So far they are without a single UK Top 40 hit, but their gruelling round...

Part 2 – 2002 continued: The Others first gig may have been a success but the UK record industry is finding times hard.   The British Phonographic Industry announces that year on year music sales have fallen by more than 15%.  Three main reasons are given.  Firstly the world’s top five music markets – the US, Japan, France, Germany and the UK are in recession or close to recession.  Secondly, an increase in digital piracy thanks to the gre...

Part 1 – 2002: During the five years since my band came into existence the music industry has changed dramatically.  Recently the changes have become more rapid and more extreme. Now barely a week goes by without more news spelling doom and gloom for the record industry.  In the last two months, leading cut-price CD chain Fopp has closed all it’s stores and HMV have reported major financial difficulties with profits down 73%.  Global CD sales are down by 5% on ...

UK music offered little excitement in 1997.  Britpop had been and gone and most newly-signed bands were either pale imitations of the big hitters, or part of the Catatonia / Stereophonics / Dadrock yawnathon sweeping the nation.  Thankfully, glam-glitter-cabaret concept group David Devant And His Spirit Wife emerged to introduce a splash of colour to an otherwise drab scene.  Devant concerts opened with singer “Vessel” leaping through a paper screen clad ...

In 2006 Domino-signed Clearlake released their third album Amber.  This year their contract was renewed ensuring that the world will witness more of their unique brand of songwriting.  Between writing sessions, singer Jason Pegg is moonlighting with a few other projects.  In addition to performing  several piano-led solo gigs, he also curates Tone Dogs; a new, occasional, improvisation-based club night.  It’s an interesting concept and Indieoma gets the lowdown ...

  Herman Dune – I Wish That I Could See You Soon (Source Etc) First single from the Berlin/New York/ Paris-based alt-folksters’ 8th album.  Like much of Herman Dune’s “Giant” LP, I Wish… is a glorious, summery-pop song which sounds a little like Elvis being covered by Belle and Sebastian (complete with fey indie trumpets) and is accompanied by a spectacular interactive video; click here to see a special message. Too bad the acoustic version ...

The Ocean Rooms has two line-ups over two floors.  Upstairs the thrillingly named Canadian five-piece Grimskunk (http://www.grimskunk.com) kick off proceedings.  They feature a singer who grins maniacally while playing a two note keyboard pattern, a long haired, black-clad, very metal guitarist who bizarrely remains seated throughout the entire set and a band who create a swirling, distorted backdrop of heavy, vaguely Arabian sounding “rock”.  Next up are Children ...

Now in it’s 2nd year, Brighton’s Great Escape Festival works in the same way as Manchester’s In The City and Austin’s South By South West.  Essentially it’s a three day industry event which features a smattering of fairly big names – this year it’s The Rakes, The Magic Numbers and British Sea Power – as well as an awful lot of smaller, up and coming acts.  Daytimes are filled with various (no doubt thrilling) conferences on such topic...

Domino-signed cat obsessives continue to promote their third album with a one off show supporting American noise-trio Deerhoof (http://www.deerhoof.killrockstars.com). Recent years have seen many supposedly “alternative” acts go overground in the UK.  While some are perhaps deserving of their success, many have simply benefited from a combination of clever marketing and songs written deliberately for radio.  Neither Razorlight, The Killers nor Keane are doing anything pa...

New Singles Round Up: Frank Turner – The Real Damage (Xtra Mile Recordings) Chris Chinchilla excitedly championed Frank Turner’s (http://www.frank-turner.com) solo work back in February and this release confirms his enthusiasm was justified.  The jaunty title track is a story of waking up hungover on an unfamiliar sofa, in a stranger’s living room, resulting in a questioning of one’s entire existence.  Providing excellent value for money the EP also contains ...

After 11 years and 3 albums, overground commercial success remains frustratingly out of reach for Camera Obscura (http://www.camera-obscura.net/).  Despite a well attended tour taking in such notable venues as London’s Koko and Glasgow’s ABC and their song Country Mile soundtracking a current Tesco TV advert, the band are not even signed in the UK.  It’s a sad fact that their existence as a going concern is thanks to Madrid-based record label Elefant (http://w...

Recent Album Release Round Up Big Strides – Cry It All Out (Tall Order Records) Described as a “loose limbed body of punk energy, jazz, funk and blues”, Let’s Get Nice is a standout track combining breakbeats, super fast double bass and a half sung, half yelped vocal which vaguely reminds of Graham Coxon. A little overlong at 16 tracks, the album largely consists of laid-back, funky blues with an occasional harmonica or trumpet.  The fact that this London trio wou...

Part 2 of the interview with PowerSolo singer Kim Kix… 1) The UK can be pretty hostile to a lot of European rock bands – Do you find having an American sound has helped you like it helped The Hives a few years ago.  Have you played in Britain yet?  What sort of response did you get? KK – Yes – tell me about it! We’ve played in the UK on tour, at showcases and as support for The Blues Explosion.  They like us – every show has been fun and the ...

PowerSolo (www.indieoma.com/Powersolo) are a hard rocking Danish trio who recently wowed crowds at SXSW with their mix of Cramps-esque garage and rockabilly.  Crunchy Frog label mates of Junior Senior and The Raveonettes amongst others, they’re led by the charismatic Kim Kix and are currently in the middle of a European tour to promote their recently released third album “Egg” . 1) So you’re from Denmark – why the American garage/ro...

Question:  What do you do when you consistently make innovative, gloriously unique records and are described as the best live act in the UK by The Guardian, but continually find yourself derided by elements of the mainstream media pertaining to be musical taste makers and ignored by the population at large? Answer:  You use your downtime to set up and run your own monthly clubnight and fill it with people who know their taste is good. Every month club/pub venues Brixton Jamm,  ...

After devoting blog 3 to the unusualness of this venue, here’s a quick review of the artists who played: First up is The Diamond Family Archive (http://www.myspace.com/thediamondfamilyarchive).  Not a family at all, but one man with a penchant for creating lazy, country-tinged daydreams.  Using loop pedals to build a layered canvas of sound, he then accompanies himself on guitar and toy piano.  The looped static noise gives an eerie, lo-fi feel which is …pleasant....

A couple of months ago I witnessed the Brighton date of the Phrased and Confused tour – an investigation into the relationship between words and music and which comes first.    Aimed at “the kind of person who buys their CDs with the bigger booklet, has a favourite lyric, a poetic outlook or appreciates the wordsmith at their anvil”, the night consisted of live sets by earnest singer/songwriter Chris TT (www.myspace.com/christtuk); ex-Delgado, now signed solo to 4...

When you go to (or play) a lot of gigs venues tend to blur into one another.  While seeing a band or artist “play a good gig” in a venue with “a good soundsystem” may be enjoyable, sometimes it’s the setting that makes it truly magical.  The Others’ debut single was promoted with a four week jaunt around all the venues that UK bands are supposed to play when they release their first single.  At the time it was exciting, it was bound to be, i...

Abdoujaparov (Album launch) – Water Rats Theatre, Kings Cross, London   With the “pressures” of success and stardom having chewed up and spat out many once great acts in the past, rock’n’roll is as notorious for its acrimonious band break ups as the music that brought them their fame.    For a while, around 15 years ago Carter USM were one of the biggest bands in the UK.  In 1997 they split.  Afterwards erstwhile singer Jimbob went s...

Aside from a brief flirtation with Nick Drake records in my teen years and more recently, an introduction to the darker areas of alt country through Jim White’s excellent but rather unsettling “Search For The Wrong Eyed Jesus” documentary, I’ve never had a particular fondness for the acoustic guitar. I guess most of my practical experience of acoustic guitars has either been as a basic song writing tool or a way to sonically flesh out a complete track.  As an obse...