Thursday 22 October 2015

Maiden, Sabbath and Rammstein for Download 2016

IRON Maiden, Black Sabbath and Rammstein have been announced as the headliners of next summer's Download Festival.

It means a final UK festival appearance in the Midlands for Ozzy Osbourne and co as Sabbath bows out after a 50-year career. 


They will take to the stage on Saturday, June 11th, at Donington. Ozzy said: "Download is my absolute favourite summer festival. It's always like coming home. See you all there."

German masters Rammstein will headline on the Friday night, their first appearance there since tearing the festival a new on back in 2013.

Booker Andy Copping said: "In 2013 they delivered quite possibly the best Download headline performance ever! I know they will step up and deliver for us again. If you haven't seen them before, don't miss them - you will not be disappointed!”

Copping has also delivered a third top-rate headliner with Iron Maiden bringing in their Book of Souls tour to close the Sunday night.

Frontman Bruce Dickinson will fly the band, their crew and their entire stage production to Donington on their Ed Force One 747-400 Jumbo Jet.

He said: "Download is a very special place for us. Not just because it’s always great to play on home turf but because there’s a truly unique vibe there, it’s the very heart of England and of Metal, so a fitting place for Iron Maiden! 

"The crowd is always fiercely passionate and the whole band feeds off that famous Donington energy. We aim to deliver a really memorable show for our fans to close the 2016 Festival."

A gazillion more bands will be added in the coming weeks and months, but if the headliners are enough for you - and, quite frankly they should be - head to download.co.uk for ticket details.

Tuesday 20 October 2015

BROOMFILLER Q&A

Band name: 
BROOMFILLER.

Where are you from?  
Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

Who is in your band? 
Richard, with Jack, Chris, Terry & Val live.

How would you describe yourselves?  
Melodic punk rock.

Who are your main influences musically?
BROOMFILLER have been compared to Foo Fighters holding hands with Bracket while sitting on a park bench made by Jawboxx and Husker Du, eating a sandwich made by Bad Religion and Face to Face.

What do you hope to achieve in music?  
Connect with people.

What has been the highlight of your career so far, and why?
Playing a packed 1700 seat venue - The Grove, in Anaheim, CA.

If you had to pick just one of your songs to represent your music, what would it be and why?
How Long, So Long - it represents (lyrically and musically) what I've been going through over the last year, losing both my parents and trying to cope.

Where can we listen to it?
YouTube lyric video link:  http://youtu.be/DoAwQLaZhC0


Where can we find out more about your music? 
Official site - www.broomfiller.com
iTunes link - https://itun.es/ca/s9dS9

Anything else you’d like to say about your band/music that I forgot to ask?
We are currently on a full Canadian tour, please check out our tour dates and come say hi at our Merch booth!! 

Great Hare Q&A

Your name:
Anders Holmström.

Where are you from?
Gothenburg, Sweden.

Name of band:
We're called Great Hare, after lots of nocturnal chance encounters with wild bunnies outside the studio.

Who else is in your band?
The four of us are singer and guitarist Kalle Mogren, bass player Berne Randulv, drummer Lars Olausson and guitarist Anders Holmström.

How would you describe yourselves and your music?
We formed a few years ago after a long hiatus from music to have a refuge from everyday life. So we built a primitive recording studio in a small attic. We turn up and turn on the lights at night looking for melodies that want to be turned into songs. Places that exist for a few minutes, with clouds, storms and pockets of calm. The good ones arrive like waves hitting a beach or echoes of something submerged under the surface.

Who are your main influences musically?
All of us share a love of indie rock, dreamy psychedelic sounds and 80s/90s alternative music. We filter that through influences like Big Star, Brian Eno, Neil Young, The Cure, Neu and Television. Discovering new bands through underground radio and blogs is always fun too.

What do you hope to achieve in music? 
Our aim is to keep chasing songs in the studio and put out singles and EPs on labels we look up to. And getting out and playing in front of people more often, we really miss that!

What has been the highlight of your career so far, and why?
Probably hearing ourselves on BBC for the first time. But the other day we realized that we've reached 50,000 plays on SoundCloud which is equally mind-boggling to us. Knowing that someone in South America or Japan listens and likes what they hear makes our day.

And what’s the moment you want to forget?
We still mourn a few tracks we've lost because of our ancient computer.

If you had to pick just one of your songs to represent your music, what would it be and why?
Call Me Stupid from our latest EP. It's a pop song inside a torrent of sounds.
We made it up on the spot after pressing record, and those are usually the best.

Where can we listen to it?



Where can we find out more about your music? 
Apple Music - https://itun.es/se/u0bPO

Anything else you’d like to say about your music that I forgot to ask?
Music is modern day magic.

Sykoya Q&A

Your name:
Anna Marcella.

Where are you from? 

Chicago, USA, but living in London, UK.

Name of band: 

Sykoya (inspired by two giant sequoia trees I like to sit under to write and produce music).

Who else is in your band?  

Eduardo Leal (Bass/Synth Bass), Alejandro Bonatto (Keys) and Curtis ElVidge (Drums).

How would you describe yourselves and your music? 

A blend of electronic, ambient and indie pop.

Who are your main influences musically? 

Too many to name, but if I have to narrow it down...The Knife, London Grammar, Daughter, Depeche Mode, Massive Attack, Radiohead.

What do you hope to achieve in music? 

I would love to be able to do it for a living. I love writing and producing music and I think I will always do it. It would be great to be able to live off of it fully though.

What has been the highlight of your career so far, and why? 

Before the project came together, I got to spend a week recording the EP at Monnow Valley Studios in Wales (some of the greats including Oasis, Queen and Rush have recorded there). I took the tracks and my productions up there and had an amazing week working with the engineers/producers in the studio who really brought them to life. This is actually where I met Curtis, who was interning as an engineer/producer there, so I really feel we started the project together. The studio is set in a beautiful remote region of Wales and is the perfect environment for creativity where you can unplug from reality and focus on music 24/7. I feel this really enabled us to come out with a great EP. 

And what’s the moment you want to forget? 

Difficulties finding a drummer...always seems to be the case! haha! We didn't initially have Curtis in the project because he was still in Wales, so we tried out a couple drummers and all fell through, but it worked out perfectly because in the end it timed perfectly with Curtis moving back to the area, so he could join the project! 

If you had to pick just one of your songs to represent your music, what would it be and why? 

Hard to say. I think we are continuing to develop our sound, as the project is quite new, so I feel that our unrecorded songs are become more a representation, mixing the ambient, haunting vocals from the track 'Closer' with more electronic production like in the track 'Here'. But the EP as a whole still definitely represents us. 

Where can we listen to it? 

https://soundcloud.com/sykoya



Where can we find out more about your music?

Anything else you’d like to say about your music that I forgot to ask?
For any UK residents reading, we have a show on October 22nd at Surya London (Near Kings Cross) and November 3rd at Cafe 1001 (on Brick Lane).

Tuesday 13 October 2015

Jessie Lee Cates Q&A

Your name: 
Jessie Lee Cates.

Where are you from? 
Chattanooga, Tennessee (USA).

Name of band: 
Jessie Lee Cates.

Who else is in your band? 
Ron Miller (lead guitar), Dennis Greene (rhythm guitar), Darius Chignon (Bass), Chris Kearney (drums) and Brenna Fitzgerald (fiddle and background vocals).

How would you describe yourselves and your music? 
I’m a Tennessee girl who loves her Southern roots and loves to make her own way in country music. I draw on classic country sounds and themes, but I put my own contemporary, rock-edged spin on it. 

Who are your main influences musically?  
It depends on the day, really. Some days, I’ll listen to nothing but independent artists I’ve discovered over the years; other days I’m rockin’ out to Patsy Cline or Waylon or Miranda Lambert. A little bit of all of them goes into me and my music.

What do you hope to achieve in music? 
I have BIG dreams, but I also have realistic expectations of what it takes to make a living in this business. I’d love to win a CMA award, but whether I do or don’t, I'll always want to write and perform well-crafted, heartfelt songs that inspire people, songs that real people can use and sing along to in their real, everyday lives. If I can do that while earning enough to make a decent living, I’ll be happy.

What has been the highlight of your career so far, and why?  
Completing my first album was HUGE! It’s something I had dreamed about since I was young, so the morning I woke up and realized it was my first day in the studio, I was walking on clouds! It’s a feeling that can’t be repeated – it’s one of those once-in-a-lifetime events you thank God you had a chance to experience.

And what’s the moment you want to forget?  
I honestly don’t think I want to forget anything. Don’t get me wrong; there have been moments I could scream – LOUD! - but those are the times when I just got stronger as a person and as an artist. Having dealt with those rough times, I know that any success I have will never be taken for granted.

If you had to pick just one of your songs to represent your music, what would it be and why?  
That’s nearly impossible to do! Each of my songs is so different, and each one has a special meaning to me and reveals a different side of me, so you have to hear them all to get the full picture of who I am as a songwriter and as an everyday person. I guess the one that’s most personal is “Wayward Rose,” an autobiographical song about my life growing up with my dad. There’s raw emotion running throughout that song, and it tells a lot about how I became the artist I am today.

Where can we listen to it? 



Where can we find out more about your music?
I’m on Periscope (linked to my Twitter: @jessieleecates)
I’m also on iTunes, Amazon and CD Baby.

Anything else you’d like to say about your music that I forgot to ask?
I LOVE to hear from new fans on my Facebook, Twitter, Reverb Nation and website!  I always respond to folks who leave me messages, so come visit me on the web!

Midnight Soundtrack Q&A

Your name: 
Marcio Novelli.

Where are you from? 
Canada.

Name of band: 
Midnight Soundtrack.

How would you describe your project? 
Electronic rock.

Who are your main influences musically? 
For fans of: PVRIS, Linkin Park, Nine Inch Nails, Thirty Seconds To Mars.

What do you hope to achieve in music? 
After over five years of secretly making this record, I just want people to hear it, own it and enjoy it.

What has been the highlight of your career so far, and why? 
It's always an unreal and unbelievably amazing feeling when my listeners decide to get my lyrics tattooed on their bodies!

And what’s the moment you want to forget? 
Every moment is a part of the journey.

If you had to pick just one of your songs to represent your music, what would it be and why? 
The Midnight Shh is my favourite song on the record because it's the dirtiest thing I've ever recorded sonically and lyrically.

Where can we listen to it? 


Where can we find out more about your music?
YouTube.com/MidnightSoundtrack

Anything else you’d like to say about your music that I forgot to ask?
Midnight Soundtrack is an opportunity for me to write from a different perspective than my solo project. Everything I release as a solo artist is very personal and serves as a means of therapy for me; I write every line and perform every instrument. I wanted to try something different with Midnight Soundtrack - almost all of the music is created exclusively on a computer and the lyrics tell a semi-fictional story. There is still a lot of me in there but just in a very different way.

Beard Springsteen Q&A

Your name: 
JE Sheehy.

Where are you from? 
I've never been to find a good answer to that question, but Eastern Canada's been home to me.

Name of band: 
Beard Springsteen.

Who else is in your band? 
Just me at the moment, but I'll be working with a drummer in the near future for recordings and live shows.

How would you describe yourself and your music? 
Downer punk is pretty much the most accurate way to describe Beard Springsteen. It's all about taking bad life experiences and putting them in music with a bunch of hooks.

Who are your main influences musically? 
I've been writing the Beard Springsteen material over the span of five years, so my influences have evolved a lot during that time. For this project, I'd say Hüsker Dü, PS I Love You, Eric's Trip, The Sainte Catherines and Dinosaur Jr. were the biggest ones. Other than that, I listen to a wide variety of music, from obscure French pop to weird jazz records from the 1970s. 

What do you hope to achieve in music? 
Playing Sackville New Brunswick, which is basically the greatest place on Earth for live music.

What has been the highlight of your career so far, and why? 
I've only started working seriously on Beard Springsteen recently, but the reaction after I released Broken English has been great. I've sold music in Japan, got fan mail from France, made fans in Italy and got positive reviews from all over the place. In my 14 years of playing music, this has been one of the highlights.

And what’s the moment you want to forget? 
Any bad out of town show where no one shows up (including the soundman).

If you had to pick just one of your songs to represent your music, what would it be and why? 
I really like Never Gonna Be The Same. It captures the essence of the downer side of Beard Springsteen and has a Guided by Voices feel to it as well.

Where can we listen to it? 


Where can we find out more about your music?
Bandcamp (Broken English is available as a pay-what-you-want download): https://beardspringsteen.bandcamp.com/album/broken-english

Anything else you’d like to say about your music that I forgot to ask?
People really like the metaphors of the lyrics on the EP. The only thing is most of the lyrics of Broken English are not metaphors. 

Wednesday 7 October 2015

CENTREFOLDS Q&A

Your name: 
Martin Iles.

Where are you from? 
Bath, UK.

Name of band:
CENTREFOLDS.

Who is in your band?
Tom Corneill - guitar/vocals, Phil Smith - guitar/vocals, Rich Beeby - bass, Martin Iles - drums.

How would you describe yourselves and your music? 
Anglo-Indie-dance-punk-euphoric-neon-pop-rock.

Who are your main influences musically? 
In terms of influences, there’s a bit of a journey to cover but it goes a little something like this… if Foals and Radiohead went out for a few drinks but bumped into Everything Everything and LCD Soundsystem on the way, you’d get part of the picture. Thing is, on the way back they stumbled into Ryan Adams and Patrick Watson in the kebab shop who were having a deep and meaningful conversation over a chicken doner about the illicit relations between Elbow and Queens of the Stone Age. It had all been a tremendous affair and got a lot of people worryingly aroused, including Soulwax, The Beatles, Muse, Bombay Bicycle Club and Darwin Deez.

What do you hope to achieve in music? 
Reaching out to new ears.

What has been the highlight of your career so far, and why? 
Highlight for us has got to be playing at Glastonbury Festival.

And what’s the moment you want to forget? 
We played a few terrible venues in the early days, one in particular where we regretted accepting a booking at a venue in Somerset without looking into it (will not name and shame the pub). We played to a tiny crowd in what appeared to be a conservatory and members of the audience were mostly asleep before we started and those who were awake looked like extras from 'The Hills Have Eyes'. There was definitely something in the water or perhaps it was something to do with the radioactive looking cider everyone was drinking.

If you had to pick just one of your songs to represent your music, what would it be and why? 
You, Me & Debauchery. It's our current single which represents our current blend of indie-dance-euphoric-neon-pop-rock.

Where can we listen to it? 
https://soundcloud.com/centrefoldshq



Where can we find out more about your music?
Twitter 
Facebook 
Soundcloud
YouTube 
Bandcamp 
Official Website
Spotify 
iTunes

Anything else you'd like to say about your band/music that I forgot to ask?
Here's some things other people have said about us...


“A creative multi-genre breakfast of champions, combining the best bits from punk, electronica, French house, trance and rock, bringing it together to create a sound that’s going to see Foals cowering in a corner behind Soulwax” – BBC 6 Music

“More hooks than Abu Hamza in velcro. There’s swagger, there’s verve, the complete package” Absolute Radio

“Twanging guitarmongery, full of dumbpunk swagger” – NME

“A certain amount of English charm and English grit” Amazing Radio

“This band have the ability to craft addictive melodies while crossing genres” Fred Perry Subculture

Doug Stalnaker Q&A

Your name:
Doug Stalnaker.

Where are you from?
The United States. Born in Ohio, grew up in West Virginia. Now living in New Mexico.

How would you describe yourself and your music?
My genre is ‘psychedelic folk.’ I record my songs in my garage with the Audacity digital audio editor. I use acoustic and electric six-string guitars as well as an acoustic twelve-string guitar.

Who are your main influences musically?
John Lennon & Paul McCartney, Nick Drake, Donovan, Pete Ham, Kurt Cobain, and Ian Curtis.

What do you hope to achieve in music?
I am a songwriter first and foremost. My goal is to have my songs performed and (hopefully!) recorded by others.

What has been the highlight of your career so far, and why?
Being signed by my publisher (Voice Ranch Music, BMI) only a month after I began sending out my demos.

And what’s the moment you want to forget?
Nothing worth mentioning. I wouldn’t want to forget a negative moment in any event. It’s better to remember and learn from one’s mistakes, however big or small they may be.

If you had to pick just one of your songs to represent your music, what would it be and why?
There are several – ‘Another Piece of You,’ ‘Youngstown Girl,’ and ‘She Is the Sun’ come to mind. If I have to choose one I would say ‘She Is Anyway.’ It’s a Psychedelic Folk love song that contains what I feel are some of my best lyrics and chord progressions. I used acoustic six and twelve string guitars to record it.

Where can we listen to it?



Where can we find out more about your music?
I have more songs uploaded on YouTube at the moment.

Anything else you’d like to say about your music that I forgot to ask?

My peculiar brand of psychedelic folk is just a small contribution to an indie music scene that is so very organic, vibrant and diverse. Social media/the internet are powerful tools that have enabled me to connect with songwriters and musicians I would have not discovered otherwise. Indie music is not an ‘either/or’ ‘you or me’ – it’s a communal effort and I believe that we need to support each other via Twitter, sharing links, and word-of mouth. The more music the merrier!

Opening Needle Progress Q&A

Your name:
Dylan Middleton.

Where are you from?
Blackwood, South Wales.

Name of band: 
Opening Needle Progress.

How would you describe yourself?
The type of music that Michael Jackson's old monkey Bubbles would have produced (in his heroin years of course).

Who are your main influences musically?
John Frusciante, Meatpuppets, Department Of Eagles.

What do you hope to achieve in music?
Make some noise that stays away from the cliche, horrid music that engulfs today's popular culture.

What has been the highlight of your career so far, and why?
Getting airplay on BBC radio was pretty cool, especially with the amount of shit they put out daily.

And what’s the moment you want to forget?
Nothing. Its all been one mini adventure.

Where can we find out more about you and your music?

Anything else you’d like to say about your band/music that I forgot to ask?
If anyone wants to revive music to a decent state again, then that would be appreciated.

Friday 2 October 2015

Made Wade Q&A

Your name: 
Made Wade.

Where are you from?
Now based out of Ottawa after living in Toronto for nearly a decade, but originally from London, Ontario.

How would you describe yourselves?
A multifaceted lyricist and entertainer who specializes in rap music, rap battles, and spoken word poetry.

Who are your main influences musically?
I have an eclectic appreciation for hip hop (ranging from boom bap to trap) that extends to several other genres. Basically, I don't care if you're a metal head or a country singer. If you've got some talent and some work ethic then I can find some merit in what you do. BUT - if I have to play favourites, some of my big influences are: Big Pun, Big L, Gang Starr, The Roots, OutKast, Bone Thugs, Cypress Hill, Yelawolf and I could go on for days.

What do you hope to achieve in music?
Because I don't just make music, I also do rap battles and write spoken word poetry, I would love to make a career out of all three. The dream would be to continue receiving grants to make music so I could tour the world and make a living from my live performances while also being commissioned to compete in rap battles and write/perform poetry pieces.  

What has been the highlight of your career so far, and why?
Opening for Mos Def was a big one and so was receiving (and completing) my first FACTOR grant-funded album. However, I think the highlight thus far has been opening up the 2011 Toronto TEDx conference with a brand new, never before performed, spoken word piece. It was exhilarating performing poetry of that magnitude that genuinely connected with a captive audience of 750 people. I will never forget the outpour of positivity that my partner (Truth Is...) and I received when we stepped off that stage. 

And what’s the moment you want to forget?
My KOTD GZ rap battle vs Luciano Crakk. Don't even both watching it. If you want to see me at my best, check out Made Wade vs Bulle or Made Wade vs Suspense. Just trust me on this one...

If you had to pick just one of your songs to represent your music, what would it be and why? 
My latest and greatest creation "Lady T.O." because of it's broad appeal and soulful sounds. It's an ode to a city (Toronto) that I once called home and a tribute to loving and appreciating a partner who's not always the easiest to love. It features flawless production by the legendary Relic AKA Rel McCoy and it is by far my best poetry/music video to date.

Where can we listen to it? 
(The Lady T.O. music video has received 14,000+ views in only 2 weeks!!!)


Where can we find out more about your music?

Ian Britt Q&A

Your name:
Ian Britt.

Where are you from? 
Sheffield... and Manchester.

Who else is in your band?
Just me. It's lonely but much simpler.

How would you describe yourselves? 
I'm an acoustic singer songwriter. I've been putting out music for around 10 years and it's been somewhat eclectic/schizophrenic. The main threads being strong melodic content, classic songwriting structures with honest, confessional lyrics and a decent bit of wit. I'm accessible yet unique. Your mum will like it, but also your cool twit mate will find something in there that he could tip his hat too if he pierced the surface (not that your cool twit mate will have the time).

Who are your main influences musically?
Early on it was things like Paul Simon Graceland, Randy Newman, Talking Heads. Now it's anything that catches my ear. From Elbow to Ezra. The Lumineers to Led Zeppelin. If it's good with a bit of a pop ethic, I'll lap it up. (I love face melting dub-step, but sadly it doesn't find it's way into my recordings).

What do you hope to achieve in music?
I hope that my achievements in music help me build my strength towards getting my Gold Swimming Certificate. 

What has been the highlight of your career so far, and why?
I've played South By South West and Radio One Live Weekend, which were amazing experiences. I toured in Holland extensively for around four years, supporting some big artists over there, doing national Dutch radio/TV and playing the mecca venue in Amsterdam, The Paradiso. I've also had a bunch of my music on TV and adverts. My music has been on Hollyoaks in excess of 100 times, so I'm king of Teenage Telly Boppers. I had a few huge breaks in the US and Canada on TV shows The Real L Word, The L Word and Parenthood with a song I recorded in a toilet in Manchester. As a result I gained a ton of new fans over night and the song in question has now had 6.6million hits on Spotify. Not bad for a fully independent artist. 

And what’s the moment you want to forget?
None of it. Every moment helped me learn something. I know that sounds totally tie-dye. But it's true. 

If you had to pick just one of your songs to represent your music, what would it be and why?
The Shape Of Us. It shows my truest, most simplest expression of my music. It's from the base of a song like that, that everything else has come and been built on. I think that song is where I got that form the most perfect. My voice has changed a lot since then and I know more about recording than I did then. But it somehow managed to capture that magic (even if I was sitting in the toilet when we recorded it!).

Where can we listen to it?



Where can we find out more about your music? 


Anything else you’d like to say about your band/music that I forgot to ask?
I am releasing a new EP called "Guardians" on Nov 13th and will also be releasing 2 FREE acoustic versions of songs off the EP before then as a taster before the main course.
The first free song is available right now for free:
The next free song before the EP will be available on Oct 17th so join the mailing list today and don't miss out!