Went down to the Camden barfly last night to check out another new 1965 Records act... The Metros.
Drawing on a love of the Blockheads, Squeeze and The Specials, these Peckham lads all just out of school explode on stage and make me feel so bloody old. I'm going round their house on Monday to do a photo shoot for press (which we really need to do as the requests are coming thick and fast!). Some NME bods were down there last night and were digging it so hopefully they'll get the album finished next month and we can start playing stuff to people!
If you want to check them out for yourself, they're heading off on tour with Jack Penate, then The Coral, then Milburn. Check out their myspace: www.myspace.com/themetrosband
So i know the summer might be over but I wanted to tip you all off about a beautiful sounding group of men called The Monks Kitchen.
They're signed to James Endeacott's 1965 Records label (home to The View, The Draytones and Holy Ghost Revival amongst others) and last week I went to the launch paarty for their debut min-album. It was one of the strangest and best launch parties I've ever seen. Totally in keeping with band it was low-key, quirky, fun and all about the music. Not some horrible red carpet, z-list celeb fiasco....
It was on a stationary boat called The English Maid, which is moored on the Thames between Vauxhall and Westminster. the Monks played a fantastic set which included their latest single Bringing Hurricanes.
If you want to check them out then go to www.myspace.com/themonkskitchen
So I havent blogged for a while but there's been so much happen recently that I thought it probably worth blogging one out…
I’ve been working with a new band called The Rascals. Never has a name so suited a band… they’re 3 cheeky young scousers who, even though I’m hardly about to claim my pension, make me feel like granddad with their boundless energy and non-stop tomfoolery – which comes across as much in their songs as it does the way they act. As well as being so entertaining, they’re also really bright lads and the nicest guys you’re likely to meet – especially in this industry.
Rather helpfully, they are best mates with another northern band, the Arctic Monkeys, and their first ever gig was supporting the all conquering scallies at Cardiff Arena last month. Not bad for a first gig! I caught the train up there with Alan Wills (head of Deltasonic Records + A&R man for the band) to check out the show and, at the request of the band, took a camcorder with me to capture it all. It was a triumphant debut. Although the lads had played to big audiences before (as part of The Little Flames), they had never played alone to more then a handful of mates before today. The Monkeys crowd seemed to really dig it – and checking their myspace a couple of days later I noticed loads had been on and left positive comments. After their set we stayed to watch the other support, Reverend and the Makers, and then the Monkeys themselves, before heading back to the St David’s Hotel in where both bands were staying the night.
The weirdest thing happened on checking-in…. Miles from The Rascals actually plays on the ’s track ‘505’ and had been onstage with them earlier in the night doing it live…. Well, out of all the rooms in this massive hotel, guess which number I get? When I realised this and showed it to Miles and Alex we died laughing… turns out the same thing had happened to Alex when he was staying in London to do Later with Jools a few weeks before…Anyway, we had a good laugh, which I think the Monkeys needed as they were making no secret they were shitting it about having to headline Glastonbury 3 days later!
I left the band with the camera as they wanted to film some footage in the studio and the following week they sent me their first edit… enjoy! (please note the fantastic camera work in the dressing room and of them onstage)
will blow your mind.... if you ever get the chance to see this band...GO.
I was lucky enough to make two trips back to my homeland of Birmingham last week, and not just to see the family...
On Tuesday I was at the Carling Academy in Dale End to see a new band called The Suzukis who were supporting The View. We arrived just in time to see them take to the stage with possibly the loudest PA and backline system they've ever been let use - they blew our heads off. Imagine Queens Of The Stone Age from Wigan and you're on your way there... They're still writing and recording so wont be releasing anything proper for a while but should be touring loads over the summer and getting an EP out too. If you want an idea of what they're like, here's a video they made on the side last month.
After they came off stage I went back to see them in the dressing room and had a chat about the show. I'd been up to see them in Manchester a few weeks back, when they played to about 100 rather disinterested looking people on a student club night, tonight there was almost 2000 in the audience and they were clapping and singing along like it was their new favourite band. They said it had been the best gig of their lives, and definitely the biggest. It was brilliant to see them so vibed up... or as vibed up as they ever get... you'll know what I mean when you see them. The lead singer Chris has perfected the Liam Gallagher 'i dont give a fuck' frontman technique, and way he sings new song "Never Been So Excited" (which is very sarcastic and about pilled up clubbers going out and thinking everything is great when actually it really isnt) i just find hilarious...
We then moved over to see The View in their dressing room before they went on stage. They were in good spirits and
took a few mins out to film a message for their US fans apologising for having to miss some shows over there due to VISA issues...
They played a blinder onstage. Face For The Radio is clearly the favourite live, the fans sung along to EVERY word... you expect that from the singles but not a random album track like this. Really hope it's going to be the next single... if it is it will be All Over The Radio..
Went to check out their new tourbus after the show, I always find those things amazing. Sat about playing guitar, drinking and chatting tilll some early hour when me and my fellow Columbian Ailsa realised we had better head back to the hotel before being kidnapped and taken off to Bristol for the next show!
On Friday night I returned to the Birmingham Academy to see The Little Flames support the Arctic Monkeys. I've been lucky enough to see both band numerous times recently. The bands are genuinly really good friends and have toured together from the very beginning. Obviously what's happened with the Arctics is crazy (not that they dont deserve it) but it hasnt changed the bands' friendship one bit. The Arctics could ask anybody to support them on tour, and most bands would kill to do it... but they always take the Flames cos they love them! Miles Kane (guitarist from the Little Flames) also plays on the Arctics new album and I was made up to see him join the band onstage for their encore to play new song '505'.
The Little Flames played a brilliant set and then came out with us to watch the AMs, it was a top show although I was a bit annoyoed at the football crowd/yobo audience that decided to talk all the way through the new songs... after a while we decided to move into the wings and watch the rest from the side of stage. Got some great photos:
Straight back into it after the Easter break, went down to Mark Ronson's album launch party last night at Allsopp Wedel in Westbourne Park. The venue is a small art gallery so it’s all one room, bit of an informal mini warehouse style vibe holding around 250-300 people. Now, the offer of a totally free bar from 8pm till stupid o’clock with Mark Ronson and his mates from YoYo Djing throughout is a hard one to refuse… so few did. The place was packed by the time Daniel Merriweather took to the stage to join Ronson for an ‘unplugged’ version of their current single “Stop Me” (the cover of the Smith’s song that you cant get away from on radio at the moment). That album is gonna blow up this summer, there just isn’t a bad track on it! Oh to be Ronson at the moment… So many artists would sell their parent’s homes to work with him, if I were him I’d be demanding at least £20k just to get out of bed in the morning… and then I’d probably have to kick the 27 women out of it first. He pulled in an impressive amount of recognisable faces to the party too... Candie Payne, Natasha Bedingfield, Will Young, Edith Bowman all there dancing till the early hours…
Right, I’m off to wrap my ears around the new Editors album again… been listening to some of the tracks over the last 2 weeks but finally got a full copy yesterday and cant leave it alone. Definitely the album I’ve been looking forward to most for the last 12 months… and I’m so glad to say it really doesn’t disappoint! Anyone who saw the shows at the end of the last album (I went to all 3 nights at Brixton!) will recognise a couple of the tracks “Weight Of The World” and “Bones”, they’ve totally nailed them in the studio…. WOTW in an epic masterpiece, but believe me the new track “Smokers Outside The Hospital Doors” should take them to a whole new level, the sound of a band that have totally upped the bar.
And finally, if you’re Australian, write for music trade magazine and have a loud mouthed girlfriend… stop reading my blog and learn to buy your own cigarettes.
completely magic moment... Paul Weller joining Noel onstage to sing All You Need Is Love. Sadly I didnt manage to get it on video... I do have Noel closing the night with Strawberry Fields Forever though... enjoy:
And some pictures
And the crowd erupting during Dont Look Back In Anger:
I was lucky enough to get a ticket to see our guys The View support Noel Gallagher at the Royal Albert Hall last night as part of the Teenage Cancer Trust concerts.
I got there about 8pm, just time to weave through the masses and get a drink before taking my seat as The View skipped on stage about quarter past. By this time the place was pretty full up, mostly with blokes in their 30s, some with their wives/girlfriends, some with kids, the rest probably let off the leash to have a night out with their mates, drink lots of cider and exchange stories of seeing Knebworth shows. I reckon a good 75% of the male audience in there had the same haircut Liam has currently... the others only probably didnt because they were going bald. This was for proper Oasis fans, the ones who were there from the start, they've just grown up now. You get the picture.
So The View appeared, dressed in Dior suits clutching their acoustic geetars they looked comfortably at home in the venue. Amazing it was only 12 months ago that I saw them do an acoustic set in a pub over the bridge in Putney... at which point no one outside of Dundee knew who the hell they were... now they're supporting Noel Gallagher at the Royal Albert Hall having had a number 1 album just a couple of months ago. I was initially worried about the sound, as the cavernous albert hall is not always the best for bands, however they had it bang on. The band rattled off all the favourites from the album, as well as the Squeeze cover Up The Junction... which is a fooking brilliant song just for how simple it is...and I was so glad to see done live.
The lads looked really confident throughout, joking and speaking to the audience between all the songs... whether the audience understood a word is a different matter... from the chatter i heard either side of me, the majority didnt. By the time they finished on Wasted Little Djs the crowd was up on their feet.
You'd be amazed at what you can achieve in a year.....
went up to Manchester on Thursday night to watch 2 Deltasonic bands - The Suzukis supporting The Little Flames - at Jabez Clegg (think it was some sort of student night). Had a pretty hideous trip up there, stuck in a baggage rack on the most packed train possible from Euston to Manc.... but got to the venue about 9.30pm, in time for a quick drink and catch up with both bands before they went on. It was the first date of The Little Flames' tour so I was going up not only to check out the set but also aws armed with buckets of badges, posters and flyers that I'd had made up for them to hand out at all the venues. its really brilliant seeing how excited artists get when you show them a pin badge with their band name on!
the suzukis new stuff sounded great, cant wait till they finish their album. great to have a proper laddy ROCK band going on... no indie schmindie nonsense worrying about what shoes they're wearing or their haircuts.
the flames took to the stage about 11pm, played a blinding set, same as they had when supporting the Arctic Monkeys last month.
We then went on to a pub round the corner called Big Hands (apparently 'the' place in manchester for music types), Londonders should imagine it as like the Crobar but slightly sweatier.
Woke up on Friday morning and had breakfast at the hotel sat inbetween Jonathan Wilkes (Robbie William's mate who presented you've been framed i think) and the scottish guy who played alongside Gwynyth Paltrow in Sliding Doors.... showbiz or what! Then caught the train to liverpool to visit the offices of Deltasonic Records for a couple of hours.... then headed back to London though Manchester again... ended up back at my desk in Putney Bridge about 5pm.... ughghh... ready for the weekend!
Some photos:
The Suzukis playing WHAT A WAY TO START THE DAY:
'Odessey and Oracle' was the first album recorded in Abbey Road studio 2 after The Beatles' Sgt Pepper sessions. For that reason alone you should check it out. It's completely amazing and like stumbling on Pet Sounds (if you'd never heard it). The band broke up before it was released so it was never given the attention it should have. Go and get it.
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davidwatts1978 said:
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