Metal & Dust – London Grammar

See, the thing I love about music is that it has the ability to grab certain areas of your mind which haven’t been accessed for years. All the cobwebs can be shed and you reflect on past experiences with a different take on events. Metal & Dust does just that. I urge you to listen to it whilst you’re reading this.

Metal & Dust is the same realisation you feel when boarding an old, reliable ship which you know doesn’t have the legs it once had. It’s nothing quick and painless, but a slow degeneration of a familiar and safe environment which abruptly crashes – leaving you vulnerable and terrified.

It’s a brave topic to document and something that everybody handles differently. Much to my surprise, I clicked on London Grammar’s profile and found three baby-faced people who gave the impression of inexperience – naivety.

They discuss a decaying environment that would have been exacerbated by the longevity of a long-term relationship. The situation of which they sing needs a delicate and sensitive approach. London Grammar performs Metal & Dust as if they’re all too familiar with the feelings. So, perhaps they’ve been here before?

A crumbling house is the perfect metaphor. In my mind, I imagined a lonely old detached home with storm clouds above, slowly and methodically breaking piece by piece. It’s definitely a depressing thought that something with years of history could be so fragile.

I’ve heard Metal & Dust been described as ‘one of those songs you listen to whilst sitting and looking out the window.’ To me, that’s an understandable reflection on this track. If you empathise with its disposition, it’s possible to sympathise and learn from it.

With such a difficult issue to make an entrance with, it feels to me that there couldn’t have been any other way that London Grammar would announce their intentions.

That Slow Time of the Year

Holy shit, it’s already March. The BRIT awards and the Oscars have already been and gone, PS4 announced and Justin Bieber celebrates his birthday today. We’re in a period of limbo which those in a suit and tie would call the ‘first quarter.’ Ignoring all that business lingo, to you and me this is called the stale bit of the year.

Sounds basic enough, but it’s also as boring as it sounds. The problem is, the BRIT awards didn’t promise anything spectacular that could catapult the British music scene into delirium.

Robbie Williams showed us what we didn’t miss by performing as well as a fat guy on karaoke night. Taylor Swift’s performance only became memorable when she was stripped of her clothing (and when she started doing that bendy thing on the floor), and One Directions performance was far to long (should have at least let them say hello before being dropped through a trapped door underneath their feet).

But YAY we have Emeli Sandé! I’d never go on record and deny that she has a big set of lungs, and she could probably sing as brightly as she does from childbirth. The thing is, she’s way too nice for her own good. The BRIT’s needed somebody to appear on stage and point their middle finger at the crowd. The highlight of the night was the two Robbie Williams moments (where he was talking, not karaoke’ing).

Going back to the state of the industry at the moment, above is what we’re dealing with. That is a website for a local music venue. Nothing booked? Not even a Rolling Stones tribute act? Clicking the Ska/Mod page takes you to a place which the internet forgot (it doesn’t exist).

Perhaps I’m over thinking the situation. Like we said, it’s that ‘first quarter’ period. Bastille’s album comes out in a few days at the time of this post – that’ll fix everything I’m sure.

The Playlist: 13/02/2013

It’s February all ready? That’s crazy. In the month where the Foals released their latest album and Azealia Banks also dropped her latest (really, Google it. She actually has), I’ve selected a few hot tracks for you to enjoy as we all continue to watch the snow fall. 

Zedd – Clarity (ft. Foxes)

It’s true that this track was released last month. It’s also true that when it was released, I totally ignored it. Roll on to the next month and this track has made the playlist. The reason? It’s got a great backing, with the vocals sounding rightfully scarred and raw. I’ve mentioned the word truth twice already, but I guess a third truth wouldn’t hurt. It is the bastard child of autotune, which is something I’m willing to forget for now.

Fall Out Boy – My Songs Know What You Did In The Dark (Light Em Up)

The title of this song took me 15 seconds to write down, in typical FOB fashion. 2 Chainz also makes an appearance in the video, lighting stuff on fire with his petrol. What sells this song  for me is a vicious chorus. Patrick Stump bellows ‘Light em up’ under the metallic banner of the drums and the reigning in of the guitars. Like the song above, it has a raw element to it, but in a different realisation all together.

Miles Kane – Give Up

Arguably Miles Kane’s best song. The former Rascals frontman goes all rockstar for us in the video as well. He’s taken tips from Oasis before they went tits up and it’s paid off well for Miles. Don’t be tricked by that though because he still makes it ooze his persona.

Propellers – Midnight Kiss

Speaking of Oasis, the frontman from Propellers has worked out the whole lean forward, hands behind your back sing thing. It’s the last track on the playlist and it’s the wildcard. Introduced to the nation through BBC Introducing, this band have proven popular underneath pop’s Chinese whispers. If this first single isn’t anything to judge by, then they will secure themselves a future.

Behind the Music: Gamble Street

Utter perfectionists and four (well, three during the interview) of the most determined lads, Gamble Street spoke to me about their dreams of making it big and the hardships they share as they begin to find themselves on the new music rader. January has already sailed past and after releasing their debut music video for ‘Lucy’, as well as making appearances on radio stations such as Croydon Radio the band hope that this year will be their greatest ever.

So the first question I would have to ask you guys is what is Gamble Street about, musically?
Joe: ‘’That’s a tough one.’’
Nat: ‘’Trying to produce good quality rock music, which is enjoyed on a widespread level which everyone can dance to and party to I guess. We’re pretty sick of the generic, mainstream rock music that’s being released nowadays. His girlfriend (points to Jamie) shamefully has got the One Direction annual and I was reading through it today out of interest. One of them listed all the instruments that they could play and one of them can play the kazoo. That’s the only instrument that he can play and it makes me quite angry. Well, not angry…
Jamie: ‘’What’s a kazoo?’’
Nat: ‘’It’s one of those things that goes do-do-do.’’ (laughs).

It’s like a whistle isn’t it?
Nat: ‘’Yeah. Anyone can play the kazoo. When you’ve got people like that making music they’re not really making music…”
Joe: ‘’ They’re just doing as they are told.’’
Nat: ‘’They’re just faces, yeah. We feel like rock starring a bit.’’

What do you mean by ‘rock starring’?
Nat : ‘’All the music is the same. There’s no originality anymore.’’
Jamie: ‘’Late 90’s, early thousands the market was nu-metal and rock music and it was cool. I haven’t got a problem with dance music, I love dance music but everything is really dance based now.’’
Joe: ‘’It’s a bit disposable as well you know?’’
Jamie: ‘’There are people churning out the same track over and over again.’’
Joe: ‘’They’ve got the formula down to a tee I think’’ (laughs).
Jamie: ‘’They have. We want to bring back some rock music that’s a bit different to what’s been heard before because people can get sick of the same stuff. There’s a lot of very generic stuff out there.’’
Nat: ‘’We just want to bring something fresh to the table if anything.’’
Jamie: ‘’Exactly.’’
Nat: ‘’That’s what we are keen to do.’’

In the short time that you’ve been together, have you noticed your style changing at all?
Nat: ‘’It’s developing.’’
Jamie: ‘It is developing, yeah.’’
Joe: ‘’We’ve all got the same vision but come from different influences, so it all kind of becomes a sound.’’

Because you all have the same vision does that mean you work well together?
Joe: ‘’Yeah yeah. When somebody suggests a riff, we will be like yeah yeah I like that.’’
Nat: ‘’That stuff that we were playing [whilst warming up] was an example. One of us will just start playing something and then half an hour later we will still be playing the same thing (laughs). And it will go on and on and on. It’s quite productive in its own way though.’’
Jamie: ‘’Yeah, exactly.’’
Nat: ‘’The musical chemistry is definitely there, which helps.’’

How do you guys go about creating content and lyrics for your music? The song ‘Lucy’ for example, was that about a particular girl?
Nat: (laughs) ‘’Everyone asks me this. Um, yeah, it’s loosely based on someone I have to say. Erm…’’
Jamie: ‘’He’s not going to say who…’’
Nat: (laughs)

Now now, you don’t have to spill…
Nat: ‘’I’m definitely not going to do that. Erm, I’ve always written music since a young age, since I started playing the guitar really. I just made the chords for it one day. When I feel like it’s a good song everything just starts to come together naturally. When I have to think about it too much then that’s when I find that it doesn’t really flow or fit as well.’’
Joe: ‘’You can’t force it really can you?’’
Nat: ‘’No, it’s all natural.’’
Jamie: ‘’Nat comes along with the idea and we will craft it into something. He is a genius. Aren’t you Nat, you’re a genius?’’
Nat: ‘’I’d like to think so.’’ (laughs)

What would you say are your biggest influences?
Jamie: ‘’For me personally it’s Muse. I’ve said it in probably every interview we’ve done. They summarise what I want to us to be, a phenomenal live band, great musicians that get a crowd going. They’ve always inspired me.’’
Joe: ‘’It’s a difficult one for me. As far as electric guitars go, it’s Joe Satriani as far as listens go on my iTunes. He’s definitely up there for me.’’
Nat: ‘’These two know who my inspiration and god is, the great Noel Gallagher and Oasis. As a songwriter, he’s my idol. He’s probably been my main influence.’’
Jamie: ‘’I think you can hear that clearly in our songs as well.’’
Nat: ‘’I think you can, yeah. A lot of people have said that. But I’d like to think I’ve got my own, fresh take on it with these two.’’
Jamie: ‘’I think we draw inspiration from all genres to be honest. I’m a massive dance fan as well.’’
Nat: ‘’There are elements from other genres of music which we do consider and try and work in, especially in the production stage. I don’t think we’ll be one of those bands that sound the same for every song. Especially the songs I write. I try and make them as varied as possible whilst still trying to keep a common theme.’’

How important is it for you guys to have support from close friends and family when you first released your self-titled EP?
Joe: ‘’Oh, it was paramount.’’  
Jamie: ‘’Literally couldn’t have done it without them.’’
Nat: ‘’Financially, emotionally, investment in time. I’m sure your parents were the first to buy your first instruments?” (looks at others)
Joe: ‘’Yeah.’’
Nat: ‘’It was the same for me. They recognise the talent in all of us. They encouraged and nurtured it from an early age.’’
Joe: ‘’[family] They’re the reason I started playing. All my family play music.’’
Jamie: ‘’They’re our biggest fans, our families, which is nice actually. To have people who are so enthusiastic about something. It’s lovely to be around those people and it inspires and motivates you to go out and try your hardest.’’

You guys have appeared on Croydon Radio as well BBC Introducing. Is recognition by them as important as those closest around you?
Joe: ‘’You’ve got to do those things haven’t you to get people to know who you are and to get your name out there.”
Jamie: ‘’It’s all about the levels of exposure. With the Croydon one we actually got the most listeners that he has ever had, which was lovely. It’s a balance between the two I think.’’

How hard have you found it to build a fan base and to get new people to listen to what you create?
Joe: ‘’Unsigned bands are often taken with a pinch of salt. It’s so hard to get people to listen to it.’’
Jamie: ‘’A new band comes along and people just aren’t that enthusiastic in the first place because new bands come along every day. Instantly, they just dismiss you. We put our EP up on Youtube. It’s on iTunes as well but we just wanted to maximise the audience and the people who could listen to it at a click of a button. We got people to listen to it and the response was overwhelming.
Nat: ‘’We have had nearly 11 thousand views in total on our YouTube channel.’’
Joe: ‘’The video [Lucy] got three thousand views in the first week.’’

What keeps you going? What keeps you motivated?
Joe: ‘’You can’t stop us playing, that’s the thing.’’
Nat: ‘’ It’s literally doing what we love.’’
Jamie: ‘’The thought of getting a deal, getting signed…’’
Joe: ‘’It makes it all worthwhile doesn’t it?’’
Nat: ‘’There is literally nothing else on this planet that I’d rather do than make and play music. I’ll do whatever it takes to get there. I’ll try as long as possible, I’ll work as hard as possible, travel as far as I can.’’
Jamie: ‘’We just want to be able to do it as our life as opposed to…’’
Nat: ‘’a hobby.’’
Jamie: ‘’We’re really trying our hardest to cram it around other things on day to day bases.’’
Joe: ‘’Nothing angers me more than people telling me I do music as a hobby.’’

Do you find it difficult to balance the other things with your music?
Joe: ‘’Yeah, yeah it’s hard. When you’re sitting there and you have to finish off some essay or something and you’re thinking my guitars there, I could write something else or I could practise because I’ve got a gig coming up soon.
Nat: ‘’I’m finding it so difficult.’’

How close do you guys think you are to being signed by a label?
Nat: ‘’It could happen tomorrow or it could take a year.’’
Jamie: ‘’It’s literally time, place and a little bit of luck.’’
Joe: ‘’We’ve just got to do everything we can. Play as much as we can.’’

What do you intend to do in 2013?
Nat: ‘’Hit every big city before the end of the year. We were talking earlier about recording some more stuff later in the year but we’ll see if we can get a deal. Ideally we’d like to wait until we get a record deal then we’ll have a little more money to invest in the album.’’
Jamie: ‘’We like to aim for the stars. We’ve given it a 100% so far and anyone that wants to get signed, who wants to have it as their lifestyle or to make a living out of it then you’ve got to put that effort in. You’re never going to get anywhere unless you do the ground work which is what we’re doing at the moment.’’
Joe: ‘’We all said that everything we do, we will do it properly. Let’s not be doing things at half measures.’’
Nat: ‘’It’s a hard slog. It’s not the easiest of things to do. Me and Joe have travelled back from Nottingham three times in the last two weeks which is not only time consuming but it’s expensive as well. A lot of people might think we sit at home and play guitar and have a laugh. We do that (laughs), it does happen. But you have to put in a lot of ground work as well.’’

Gamble Street are playing at Sticky Mike’s Frog Bar in Brighton on the 10th of February with special guests The Graphic, The Favelas and DJ Miles Bryant.

http://www.facebook.com/events/512407212137675/ – For details on the event. 

That Indie Record That’s Much Cooler Than Hers

How could you lose yourself in a record that’s easily cooler than T Swifts? It’s a tricky task to find one after all. Fear no more, as I’ve scanned the globe for a shortlist of possible candidates that are ”much cooler” than hers.

America – Razorlight

This is a possibility right? Razorlight were cool (once). But how can the Swift’s ex lose himself in this? For one, it’s about America and I’m sure he can relate to that (not that 1D geezer). It’s simple harmony which no self-respecting guy would listen to without a pair of reflective shades and a denim cardi.

Fix You – Coldplay

Back in the day where Coldplay weren’t trying to be the biggest band the world has ever seen it was more than acceptable to lose yourself in this. The rhythm of an acoustic which cushions the keys are delicate, and then you get a gradual build of guitar as the song builds. Unlike the previous, Coldplay are still cool.

We Cry – The Script

To really uncover that ”indie record that’s much cooler” than hers, we have to give a warm welcome to The Script. Whilst you’re are sitting there thinking WAIT, THEY’RE NOT COOL ANYMORE! This is before the days of The Voice (that programme with the spinney chairs). That means it can qualify. Whether it’s better than the two above will be up to you.

Somebody Told Me – The Killers 

Yikes! It’s Brandon Flowers before the moustache. At this moment in time, whilst you’re reading this, I know you’re nodding at ‘Somebody Told Me’ thinking that this is the one. It’s very likely. Released all the way back in 2004, this track has had time to mature like a fine wine.

Thrift Shop (ft. Wanz) – Macklemore & Ryan Lewis

You’d be forgiven for thinking that this is the story of a comedy rapper that hit it big. But it’s been a while since we’ve been graced with such a come-up, willingly fusing humour and a VIP backdrop.

Excuse the charitableness, since normally I’d slip something like this the cold shoulder. Macklemore & Ryan Lewis do something which The Midnight Beast couldn’t fathom, and that’s making something which is essentially poking fun at people who sport the Gucci look whilst keeping it applicable to the likes of you and me.

Even if you lay bare this song without the Macklemore flow, it’ll be likely to waltz it’s way into every fresh DJ’s mix. It’s hard to say where Macklemore would be without Ryan Lewis providing the platform. That’s some gorgeous sax right there.

The epic side story to all this commotion is the decade plus hard work that Macklemore has dedicated towards eventual fame. That’s three EP’s and two albums without major record label support. Fast-forward to the present and his debut studio album ‘The Heist’ has debuted at number 2 on the US Billboard chart.

Behind the Music: The OK Social Club

Formed in the summer of 2011, these four guys are one of the most exciting groups to come from the Edinburgh music scene. Their ambitions have been growing since a successful last year. They closed 2012 by playing at Edinburgh’s New Year street party, sharing the bill with The Maccabees, The View and Reverend and the Makers.

From left to right: Jordan, Gordy, Raff and Chris

As they head into a fresh year, they are preparing themselves for the release of their first album – ‘Nothing in Common’. I caught up with the guys on the Queen of Hoxton’s roof garden, overlooking London’s beautiful skyline to see what 2013 holds for them.

Q: Are you guys nervous about tonight’s gig?

Raff: Not at all.
Chris: We channel the nerves in a positive way!

Q: What kind of rituals do you guys have before you go on stage? Is it booze?

Gordy: They usually tell me off before drinking too much.
Raff: We tend to try and not drink before we go on as much as we can. But recently what we’ve been doing is brining an acoustic guitar to all our gigs and we’ve just been singing like covers and stuff. It’s really good fun, it gets us really up for it.
Chris: A bit of Fleetwood Mac you know? A bit of Sam Cooke. It gets you in the mood.

Q: What brought you guys together as a band?

Raff: Chris and I were playing together and we played on the same bill as Gordy and Jordan one night in Stirling. Me and Chris said that those guys are a really good rhythm section and that we should chat to them and stuff, because we thought they were good.
Chris: The opportunity arose, from one way to another, that we needed a bassist and a drummer at the same time. Then we just kind of got in touch.
Jordan: They stole us (laughs). We put the ball in their court. Gordy played hard to get.
Chris: And we’ve been stuck together for the last year.

Q: I take it you’ve all enjoyed the ride so far? It’s brought you here now, to London.

Raff: It’s been a really good year. 2012 was a fantastic year for us.
Chris: Yeah, It was a really good year for us.
Raff: And we are in London, playing a gig that’s quite busy at the moment and we’re not even on yet. The only thing we can complain about is…
Chris: Trivial really.

Q: Such as?

Raff: Him drinking too much (points to Gordy). Trivial!
Chris: Our timekeeping, you know, stuff like that? We get annoyed and we think what the point?
Raff: When everything doesn’t run as smoothly as how you’ve got them pictured in your head you get annoyed. I do anyway.
Chris: I think we all do a wee bit. You just have to let it go. Like we said, last year was a big year for us.
Raff: Throughout the year we complained about a lot of things, like this isn’t going right…
Chris: We’re not rehearsing enough, we’re not doing this and we’re not doing that…
Raff: Not enough people are coming to our gigs. But when we got to the start of this year and we looked back at what we have done and we realise that we have achieved more than we’d hoped for.
Chris: What we planned anyway.

Picture by Adam Fox

Q: So this year is going to be a big year definitely, you have an album coming out in February don’t you?

Raff: Fingers crossed. You want it to be bigger and better (than last year). That’s what they say isn’t it?
Chris: You want every gig to be better than the one before. If you don’t have that then you don’t really want to do it anymore. We just want to do bigger and better than what we did last year.
Raff: We had a massive end to last year by playing the street party at Edinburgh’s Hogmanay.

Q: How was playing at Edinburgh’s Hogmanay?

Raff: It was incredible.
Jordan & Chris: Surreal (laughs).
Raff: It was the best feeling in the world.

Q: You were on the bill with The Maccabees weren’t you?

Raff: Yeah, and Reverend and the Makers.

Q: I take it you met all of them? What were they all like?

Raff: They were really great guys. Reverend’s (and the Makers) got a really great team and they do the acoustic ritual thing as well. They are always singing with their guitars.
Chris: If Orlando from The Maccabees is by chance reading this interview…
Jordan: What kind of guitar is that yellow Gibson that you’re using?
Raff: Not your junior melody maker thing that you use sometimes.
Chris: No, the yellow one.

Q: Whilst putting together your album ‘Nothing in Common’, what influences did you draw upon?

Raff: Well the music that we listen to doesn’t really come across in the sound of the album or the band, in general.
Chris: You just hear little bits here and there.
Raff: I listen to anything that has a really good melody. I listen to Sam Cooke; I love Fleetwood Mac and The Beetles. More recently I like The Cribs.
Chris: It’s like we always say though, if you have influences, you have them and then try and hide them as much as you can.

Picture by Adam Fox

Q: Why do you feel like you need to hide your influences?

Chris: Well you want people to take you seriously. You have to put your own spin on things; you have to come up with your own ideas. You can’t just rely on what people have done before and I think a lot of bands fall short on that. They don’t innovate at all, they just kind of copy what has been done.
Raff: I like the Strokes a lot. I love The Strokes and people often compare us to The Strokes. I don’t want them to say that we are just like The Strokes, because we’re not.
Jordan: (we have) Different stories to tell, you know?
Raff: That’s exactly it. I didn’t grow up in New York or Switzerland.
Chris: No, you grew up in Portobello (laughs).

Q: Do you guys draw a lot on personal experiences to write your music. What do you look towards for inspiration?

Chris: It’s Raff that writes lyrics and melodies. But a lot of things are born out of situations that we’ve got ourselves into (laughs).
Raff: That’s exactly it. Its things that have happened that stick in your mind. I don’t write a great deal, but the songs write themselves basically. It sounds pretentious to say that, but it just comes to you. It happens really naturally.

Q: When you guys are touring or making music, do you have any squabbles?

Chris: Yes. The thing is, we get on so well…
Raff: When things are going well (laughs).
Chris: But that’s because we know each other so well! If you don’t have arguments then it leads to other stuff and things get suppressed. Things then manifest themselves in strange ways and that’s how bands break up. It’s healthy I think.
Raff: But it’s not often.
Chris: I mean, every band has it.

Q: What would go on your rider?

Raff: A meal deal would be good for me.
Chris: Jack Daniels.
Raff: Jack Daniels, Guinness, larger, water, Doritos.
Jordan: Dip, sandwiches, Pasta salad. Something like that.

Q: So no crazy stuff like a Koi Carp tank?

Chris: Not yet.
Raff: I had the most outrageous request though for a rider.
Chris: We got asked for Hogmanay what we wanted on our rider so Jordan said that he wanted a steak diane, cooked medium rare with chips.
Raff: I didn’t tell them to do that (laughs). You’ll be surprised what you can get away with to be fair.
Jordan: I requested that and a bowl of lucky charms.
Raff: Again, I didn’t ask (laughs).

Q: Is there anything you guys want to say to anybody who would be reading this?

Raff: Just give us a chance. Have a listen to our album which comes out on the 4^th February, which you can get on iTunes. If you write to us we can send you a hard copy as well. Also, within the year from February the 4^th we are going to release our second album. That’s our goal between us. We have our album launch on the 1^st March with an after party, potentially.

Picture by Adam Fox

Behind the Music: EasyLies

Sometimes, inspiration can arrive in the most clouded of forms or in the most unexpected of places. I caught up with EasyLies recently as they told me that sometimes, they even create music whilst on the toilet.

Huddled upon a wooden bench in the freezing temperatures outside Club 85 in Hitchin, you could excuse me for thinking that the four young lads sitting in front of me have stayed up beyond their bedtimes. When they began to open up about their experiences, their influences and dreams about the future it was apparent that there was a more mature mind on all of their shoulders.  So meet Jamie, Ryan, Casey and Kieran, who together make the indie group EasyLies.

Q: What is the EasyLies style?

Jamie: We’ve been called indie; we’ve been called funk and pop.
Casey: It’s called EasyLies rock. It’s a mix of jazz, metal, funk, indie, pop (laughs).
Jamie: I suppose we’ll let other people decide really.

Q: Do you all have the same personalities? How do you guys work as a band?

Ryan: It was hard a first, playing different styles. I came from a metal background, and [playing] jazz and stuff then into a different scene. It sort of clicked quite well in the end.

Q: In the track ‘Side of You’, I caught some [Red Hot] Chili Pepper vibes.

Casey: That’s a strong influence of ours
Kieran: Yeah, we grew up listening to them.

Q: Is there anybody else that has influenced you?

Kieran: They [Red Hot Chili Peppers] were probably one of the strongest actually. It was at first Arctic Monkeys and The Kooks because we wanted to be an indie band, but we kind of veered off a bit.
Casey: I think it was kind of our personalities coming out a bit more.

Q: You guys are very technical aren’t you? Especially in the song ‘Side of You.’ Is your favourite thing to construct a song with your guitar first and then the lyrics later?

Jamie: When I do the song writing I do the guitar first, and then everything revolves around that guitar so you know what the feeling of the song is like. Then you can add the lyrics to it. I don’t really understand how people can write a song and then put a tune to it because it’s the song that sets the mood for the lyrics in my opinion.

Q: From other artists I’ve spoken to people seem to have their own ways with doing it.

Jamie: Casey likes to do his song writing on the toilet (laughs).

Q: Explain that one then? 

Casey: Um, okay. I decided to go to the toilet. I brought my guitar with me. Um, I sat down for about half an hour or so and I came up with a bit of a chord progression and a bassline. I then threw it to the guys and we smashed it all together. The lyrics weren’t really there when we went to the recording studio…
Jamie: Fifteen minutes before recording the song we thought, what could we say? (laughs).
Casey: So we changed it from perspective to perspective. It starts off like, perhaps it was your fault, then perhaps recognising it was my fault and then oh, it was just us.

Q: Do you find a lot of inspiration on the toilet?

Kieran: There’s a lot of feeling isn’t there? (laughs).
Casey: It sounds weird but, um, it’s very therapeutic. During the day I just sit on the toilet even if I’m not doing anything. You just kind of wind down you know? It’s the only kind of time that I really have to wind down before I get on with other stuff.
Jamie: Sir Isaac Newton had the apple tree; Casey has the toilet (all laugh).

Q: With the song ‘Side of You’, how did you come about writing that? Was it through personal experience?

Casey: We usually write songs about being alone (laughs). It was… it was about no one in particular, but it was about everyone really. So it was this side of this person that you have never experienced and when you get to know them, um, they just kind of drop it on you really. You’ve never really seen it, hence you never seen this side of you before.

Q: Are you guys going to still be writing whilst gigging?

Ryan: There are already two songs that just need to be finished off and then they’re done, which are completely different I’d say.
Jamie: We usually do them in groups of two.

Q: So which direction is your music going in?

Ryan: It’s got a bit… heavier.
Kieran: It’s rockier.
Casey: It’s way more technical as well (laughs).
Ryan: It’s a bit harder to play (laughs).
Casey: It’s kind of simpler, but it’s still way more technical as well.
Kieran: Because, when me and Casey joined the band we were still learning our instruments.
Casey: Yeah, we’re still learning.

Q: Finally, what are your guys plans for 2013?

Kieran: As many gigs as possible, plug ourselves.
Jamie: We want to gig in London and Cambridge a bit more.
Kieran: Yeah, spread ourselves out.
Casey: I’m really trying at the moment to get a lot of social media on this. Um, so a lot of stuff on Twitter and Facebook and all of those sites, because it’s free advertising you know? We want to share our music and hopefully people will like it and share it on.

EasyLies are letting their fans become fan promoters. Fan promoters get exclusive content such as special promotions, unreleased music and deals on gigs/merchandise. Have a look on http://www.facebook.com/EasyLies or @EasyLiesMusic on Twitter.

Should DJ’s Play Live?

Steve Angello from the Swedish House Mafia was recently recorded on a video during his live performance with Swedish House Mafia showing him to just pressing the play button on his laptop when he switched songs.

Calvin Harris defended the Steve Angello and others who just ‘press play’ by saying ‘’I think it’s not a problem.’’ Speaking to the BBC Newsbeat site, he went on to say “In the club you want to hear a produced piece of music, you want to hear the bass, you want to hear it as good as it can sound.’’

However, is it okay for the DJ’s who get paid a large sum of money per show to do this? With live music events becoming a luxury as our wallets become thinner due to the economical difficulties we all face, is it okay for DJ’s to not play live especially if ticket prices are forever soaring?

The hot topic of ‘’button pushing’’ has been reignited amongst the DJ world. DJ’s have been debating it for years already, whether it’s among professionals or amateurs. It’s not only been Calvin Harris who have stepped forward to support the idea of ‘’button pushing.’’

Canadian DJ Deadmau5 was also criticised for admitting ‘’we all hit play,’’ on his blog. ‘’ I think given about 1 hour of instruction, anyone with minimal knowledge of Ableton and music tech in general could do what I’m doing at a Deadmau5 concert.’’ He went on to admit ‘’for ‘unhooked sets, I just roll up with a laptop and a midi controller and ‘select tracks’ and hit a spacebar.’’

He did reveal a reason as to why he just presses play during a live show by saying ‘’so that’s my “live” show. And that’s as “live” as I can comfortably get it (for now anyway).’’ But Deadmau5 wanted to clarify at the end of his blog post that ‘’my “skills” and other producers skills shine where it needs to shine.’’

He ended with ‘’you know what makes the EDM show the crazy amazing show that it is?  You guys do, the fans, the people who came to appreciate the music, the lights, and all the other people who came.’’

DJ’s such as Deadmau5 pre-record their live set to avoid the embarrassment of mistakes, which is understandable from the performer’s point of view.

But Michael Gillet, the Vice President of Communications and Media at the university’s student union told me that ‘’it all depends on how the DJ set has been advertised. Most people would be expecting a live set though rather than a recorded one.’’

The University’s nightlife hotspot The Forum prides itself on booking the biggest acts such as Labrinth, DJ Fresh and Example. Students like those who present and DJ on the university radio station, Crush Radio, were outraged to learn about the hidden reality.

Sam Kelly, a student and one of the Crush DJ’s, said ‘’It’s completely not okay for DJ’s to play pre-recorded sets. It requires much more skill and technique on the fly.’’ He went on to say ‘’The Most important skill of a DJ is not to drop bass, or mix fabulously well, it’s to be able to read an audience; tune in with them and play music they want to hear.’’

When asked about if mistakes were an issue and that was perhaps why DJ’s preferred to pre-record, Sam went on to say ‘’Mistakes, if anything, are a good thing. It shows to the audience that the performance is live and creates a connection to the DJ that he’s human as well.’’

Another student DJ, Matyas Koloh, said ‘’I’d say a DJ should mix live on the show especially if their show is focused around that genre of music or focused on a mix.’’

Other students who pay to see these artists live also share the same feeling than the DJ’s. David Brophy, an English student, said ‘’I think it’s just like a full band playing live. They do it, so why don’t the DJ’s.’’ However, he empathised with the artists and suggested that ‘’when bands play live it may go wrong, so I can understand why they’d pre-record their sets anyway.’’

Ever wondered how much these artists like Deadmau5 get paid during a live show? The recent release of the Forbes Rich list reveals a shocking truth. The top ten DJ’s list had Tiesto on top, earning a whopping $22 (£14) million last year. Second to Tiesto was Skrillex, who earned $15 (£9.7) million with Swedish House Mafia third, earning $14 ($9) million.

If you break that down, it becomes $250,000 per DJ slot for the top earning artist. With each gig being roughly three hours in length, Tiesto almost earns $85,000 per hour during a live show. The whole of the top ten DJ list earned more than $7 (£4.5) million in a calendar year. Those above also shared the list with Steve Aoki, DJ Pauly D from the US reality show Jersey Shore and Avicii.

After hearing how much some of the world’s top DJ’s are being paid Chris Grange, a student, told me that ‘’I don’t want to spend all the money on their shows if they turn up with a laptop and just plug it in. I want to see some skill. I enjoy going to these gigs by people like Calvin Harris and DJ Fresh and I have never thought they don’t perform live. It makes me feel like it’s a waste of my money, and I don’t have a lot being a student!’’

The debate is not likely to settle down and simmer in the distant future. Whenever it involves money though, especially those who are paying to see the DJ’s live, there will always be heated debate and frustration revolving the money they get from a live show.

 Whilst it’s clear to see why DJ’s such as Deadmau5 pre-record their live sets, it is even more understandable why there is always uproar from those who earn their wage and use it buying tickets to these DJ’s live events. Even when the DJ’s just turn up and press play, but walk away struggling to put their wallet into their pockets.

BRIT Awards 2013: My Predictions

If you haven’t noticed, it’s come to that time of the year again where we must turn our attention to the pinnacle of British music. The BRIT’s are set to take place on the 20th of February at The O2 Arena in London and the organisers are planning to recreate a showcase event with performances from Taylor Swift and One Direction (unfortunately). Below are some of my very own predictions from the key categories from this years awards.

British Breakthrough Act:

Alt J
Ben Howard
Jake Bugg
Jessie Ware
Rita Ora

Winner: Alt-J
This is by far the toughest category. Any one of the above could claim to be the best breakthrough act. Jessie Ware’s debut album was beautifully good, Jake Bugg has unlimited potential and Ben Howard has established a large cult following. Alt-J stand out above the rest though as their debut album, ‘An Awesome Wave’, was outstanding.

British Female:

Amy Winehouse
Bat for Lashes
Emeli Sandé
Jessie Ware
Paloma Faith

Winner: Emeli Sandé
Although it’s another strong category, I can’t see anybody else picking this award up apart from Emeli. She dominates the other nominees in terms of her nationwide popularity, even though I’d argue that Jessie Ware has the better album.

British Group:

Alt J
Mumford and Sons
Muse
One Direction
The xx

Winner: One Direction
The second extremely tough category to predict. The xx have had a stella year, achieving nationwide acclaim for their second album. It will be a straight fist fight between One Direction, Mumford and Sons and Alt-J for this award. At the finish though, One Direction will probably walk away with it.

British Male:

Ben Howard
Calvin Harris
Olly Murs
Richard Hawley
Plan B

Winner: Plan B
I’m plotting a shock in this one. Over the time since the last BRIT’s were held, Calvin Harris has done a lot. It’s not enough to call yourself the best British Male however. Olly Murs hit number 1 in the charts again, but it’s Plan B who should take the crown. Not only did he write the entire soundtrack for his film ‘Ill Manors’, but the album that twinned it was brilliant.

Global Success:

Mumford and Sons
Adele
One Direction

Winner: One Direction
Yep, next.

British Single:

Adele, Skyfall
Alex Clare, Too Close
Coldplay + Rihanna, Princess of China
Rita Ora/DJ Fresh, Hot Right Now
Emile Sandé, Next To Me
Florence+ the Machine, Spectrum
James Arthur, Impossible
Jessie J, Domino
Labrinth ft. Emeli Sandé, Beneath Your Beautiful
Olly Murs, Troublemaker
Rita Ora, RIP
Rizzle Kicks, Mama Do The Hump
Robbie Williams, Candy
Rudimental, Feel the Love
Stooshe, Black Heart

Winner: Rizzle Kicks, Mama Do The Hump
Not the most impressive selection of tunes from the past year but almost all of them could win this category (apart from Candy). If Rizzle Kicks don’t win this one, expect either Jessie J, Adele, DJ Fresh, Alex Clare or Rudimental to take the biscuit. I did tell you it was tough one.

International Female

Rihanna
Alicia Keys
Cat Power
Lana del Ray
Taylor Swift

Winner: Taylor Swift
Either Rihanna or the Swift. Most likely, it’ll be the Swift after her successful last album.

International Group

Alabama Shakes
Black Keys
Fun
Killers
Script

Winner: Fun.
Between the last BRIT’s and this, fun. have been embraced into the forefront with open arms. With Nate Russ even venturing solo recently (with P!nk), I’d expect them to pick up this trophy.

International Male

Bruce Springsteen
Frank Ocean
Gotye
Jack White
Michael Buble

Winner: Frank Ocean

British Album

Alt J
Emeli Sandé
Mumford and Sons
Paloma Faith
Plan B

Winner: Emeli Sandé
It’s no doubt that it’ll be a huge year for Emeli. She’ll effortlessly walk away with most of the titles she is nominated for, and this one is no exception.