Rather than go into some mass diatribe about how good this band are and how they have changed my life (does music do this? Maybe in some small way perhaps) I’ll let Tim McIver tell you. As you read, click on the link and listen to their music…all will soon become clear that we may be in the presence of something really special.

Can you tell me about your background, how did you get together? what are your main influences?
“I’ve been writing songs for as long as I can remember, but only really started to take things seriously once I started university. I started writing acoustic guitar based instrumentals in my bedroom, recording on very basic equipment. Without much thought, I uploaded a couple of demos onto Myspace and before I knew it we were played by Steve Lamacq on his 6music show and getting offered gigs.

Unable to play the songs live on my own, I turned to my friends to do gigs and we became Tim and Sam’s Tim and the Sam Band with Tim and Sam. Sometimes there were seven of us, sometimes just two, but we all had lots of fun and had some amazing experiences. Highlights included touring with Cherry Ghost, 6music sessions, Latitude, Bestival and eventually the release of our debut album, Life Stream in 2010.

As time went on we started getting jobs and moving to different parts of the country so it became increasingly difficult to get together to write material. Becca (keyboard and clarinettist in Tim and Sam) and I therefore decided to create a side project. It initially startd as a way to experiment with different sounds, but we soon ended up writing lots of material and wanting to release what we’d created. So here we are!”

How has all this (influences and background) affected the type of music you make?
“Four years of being in a band has definitely had a big influence on Golden Fable. There’s a sense of having served an apprenticeship; we’re more mature, measured and focussed than we were in the early days of Tim and Sam, so the whole approach is more thought out.

We’ve always been very much influenced by our lifestyle. We’re not pretending to be mysterious rock stars – we like walking in the mountains and really soaked up the Welsh countryside when writing the album. A pastoral influence was always very apparent in Tim and Sam and it’s something we’ve tried to keep going with Golden Fable.

Our new line-up also had a real bearing on the sound. Neither of us play drums, or have the equipment to record them, so we used our knowledge picked up from recording Life Stream to create new sounds. Often we’d record individual parts of a drum kit, radiators, tables, ping pong balls etc and paste them together. We’d then manipulate them for hours to get the right sound. It was all very much learning and creating as we went along, but it was a hugely liberating experience.”

How does the music transform into the live arena? Being electronica style I’d imagine there are certain problems inherent in this? Do you concentrate solely on the electronica sound or mix it in with acoustic sessions?
“We use a laptop to play the drums, Becca sings/ plays piano/synth/organ and I play guitar and sing. We always try to include a couple of tracks without drums however, and play on tracks completely unplugged in the middle of the crowd, just with acoustic guitar and vocals. We’d love to have a drummer to trigger the samples live, but at the moment it just isn’t practical.”

Talking of acoustic sessions… Motorcycle Emptiness belies the chilled out music you make… was this on purpose or do you like to subvert music in this way… how about a version of You Love Us?
“We chose to do the cover as part of some acoustic sessions we recorded, which will be making their way on to Youtube over the coming weeks. We have a passion for music like James Yorkston/ Nick Drake/ Bert Jansch, so used the videos as an opportunity to show that side to our music. If we find time this year we’d like to record an album of material in a similar vein.

We love doing covers that are very different from the original, but as a rule we only cover one song per band. Therefore it’s unlikely we’ll do You Love Us, but who knows? The choice of cover is usually dictated by a particular chord sequence that lends itself to reinterpretation, so if a Manics song jumps out at us we’ll give it a go.”

Adam Walton is a big fan of your music… how as radio play affected your fortunes. Do you see this as a stepping stone to further success?
“Adam Walton, BBC Introducing and new music radio shows across the board have been so important to us. It has led to live sessions, festival appearances, gigs, interviews, meeting great people and a lot of new fans. Virtually every highlight of our history in both Tim and Sam and Golden Fable is thanks to radio, so we are always hugely grateful and appreciative of their support.”

What are your plans for 2012… upcoming gigs? New music?
“We’ve just announced the release of our new single, Always Golden. It’s out on March 5th, but you can get it right now from our Bandcamp:
http://goldenfable.bandcamp.com/album/always-golden

We’re on tour in March and play the excellent Focus Wales event in Wrexham on April 21st.

We’re also hoping to release our album later in the year. It’s all recorded, we’re just in the process of finalizing the track listing. We’re extremely proud of it and can’t wait to release it. Keep your eyes peeled!”

And there we have it.. right in our midst we have a band who are not afraid to try something different and in doing so have created a sublime noise. Objectivity may dictate that as a writer I should keep a level head when introducing a band to a wider public but on this occasion maybe I am right in letting my heart rule my head. You’ve heard the music, you’ve listened to what they have to say… I’m sure you agree with me now.

Organiser, Bob Spectrum said;

“2012 is all about breaking down barriers and bringing things together. “Last month we put one of Wrexham’s biggest bands Gallops into Chester and then brought The Reads to a capacity in the Wrexham Lager Club. “Welsh language music underrepresented in this town and the new venue will provide us with a platform to redress that balance. “That said we have choosen F.O.E. to open the series of shows as they are truly a multicultural band and we want to send the message out that this is a venue for everyone.”

“F.O.E. are based in Wrexham but host two massive nights both in Manchester and Liverpool but rarely play here. “I believe their mixture of Reggae, Dub step and will be an excellent tonic to get your feet shuffling on a Saturday night. “Support comes from Warsisters who kind of remind me of some of the female-fronted bands we enjoyed in the ‘90s like L7, Lush and others. “Warsisters mix Heavy riffs with delicate vocals and one of the hottest bands on the scene at the moment. “Inspector Drood will DJ and round the night off playing a selection of Welsh music”.

The show starts at 8pm at Saith Seren, Wrecsam on Saturday 4th February and is FREE ADMISSION.

Tell me about Saith Seren…what makes it different from other venues?
“On the surface, Saith Seren is similar to a lot of other pubs in Wrexham; it has Wrexham Lager on draught and a range of cask and Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) approved drinks so it kind of fits in with the Royal Oak, Golden Lion, Nags Head and Horse and Jockey vibe. It’s a traditional Wrexham pub that’s been on the circuit for years. A few years ago with banks being turned into pubs and budget brands flooding in, Wrexham was in serious danger of losing its cultural identity. I think many people are bored of these now and we are seeing a return to tradition. People are more interested in quality than saving a few pence on a pint or meal. Most of the new pubs in the town centre all have a sense of commonality running thorough them which is great.”

What makes Saith Seren unique is that it’s a Welsh Cultural Centre. It is also ideally suited to live music; it has a stage, plenty of room for people to watch and the bar is away from the main action so people can still enjoy a chat and a drink if they want to. I think the fact that it will focus on Welsh language and Welsh culture is what will give it a unique sense of branding.”

What sort of bands will be booked to play…just Welsh/local or from all over? Is it going to be a welcoming environment?
“There will be a focus on Welsh bands, there’s no denying that. For us there’s load of bands who seem to be by-passing Wrexham who are big on the Welsh circuit. With the exception of Focus Wales, Welsh language music is under-represented in Wrexham and we want to use Saith Seren as a platform to readdress that. Sen Segur, Cowbois Celtaidd and many others are already confirmed and we also have local bands like The Scene and Orient Machine playing who have massive local followings. For us regardless of what the focus is we just promote good quality music. We don’t treat any venue or gig any differently from the next. Everyone has to be special, everyone has to be an event!”

What crowd are you aiming for?
“Part of our focus as a business this year is all about breaking down barriers so whether this is about introducing Welsh language music to our current audience or vice versa we want a venue that is open to everyone, where people can just have a good Saturday night and enjoy the music.”

How do you think it will benefit or hinder other such nights… how do you stand out from the crowd… could there be a case of over saturation?
“There are so many other nights on in town it’s easy to state over-saturation but we found last year that by bringing bands in from out of town, people would come from out of town.

One thing we do is look what else is on in town and sometimes plan round that. We love stuff like A Gathering of Folk in the Oak Tree and Central Station’s Rope nights for example, we are always there! I feel there is plenty of room for everyone to co-exist and grow together. We all have a common goal to make Wrexham a great town so let’s do it!”

How do you keep things fresh…there are only so many bands in local area for a small town to have so many venues?
“There are always new bands out there, just waiting to be discovered. It’s so ironic that a great band like The Reads have sold out Telfords in Chester but hardly ever played here.

It would be easy for us to book our mates bands every five minutes but we are always on the outlook for something new. The Reads are a great example of this. Similarly, We//Are//Animal will make their Spectrum debut in Saith Seren in March for example. We will continue to support local music as we have always done but always be adding new stuff.

I hope that Saith Seren will allow us to re-introduce local people to live music. It will be bringing Welsh bands into Wrexham who wouldn’t normally play here so that will make it unique in itself. But that’s not to say it will be just Welsh bands; we are talking to bands from England as well as Scotland as we speak. We simply want to build a reputation for good live music and turn people on to new things. Saith Seren when it was the Seven Stars had a reputation for live music. I think that will return pretty quickly.”

The first Spectrum Presents gig @ Saith Seren features Freedom of Expression (F.O.E.) on Saturday 4th February and is free entry.

For nearly two decades, the Chemical Brothers “mind-bending” audiovisual live show has played to packed houses and festivals across the globe. But it has never been documented on film. Until now.

In 2011, at the iconic Fuji Rock Festival in Japan, The Chemical Brothers played a headline set in front of 50,000 fans which was captured on 21 cameras. Immersing us in the thick of a frenetic crowd, ‘Don’t Think’ captures the synaesthetic barrage of sound, film and light and the transforming effect it has on its audience.

Directed by Adam Smith, one of the show’s visual creators, we are taken on a magical realist psychedelic journey where we feel the show rather than merely watch it.

‘DON’T THINK’ will show for ONE NIGHT ONLY at Odeon Cinema, Eagles Meadow, Wrexham on Friday 3rd February. Show Times are 10pm to 11.30pm. Tickets are £10.00 each available from Odeon Cinema, Wrexham Tel: 0871 22 44 007 www.odeon.co.uk

Trailer

Links

www.dontthinkmovie.com

One of the most pleasurable things about hunting down new music to write about is when the planets align and a band comes into focus who literally take your breath away and remind you of the reason why you put yourself through it. It was one of those rare occurrences that brought The Reads into my periphery. Their debut album Stories from the Border has reignited a faith in what was starting to look like a stagnant music scene. Its pastoral feel mixed with heartfelt vocals and experimental flourishes is a brave one in a climate where immediacy is paramount. I wondered if there was a story to tell (pun intended) about their journey so far.

How did you start, where are you based?

We straddle the border of England and Wales, four of us in Flintshire and two in Chester. Jamie and Marcy (lead guitar and keys) have been writing music together since they were teenagers at school, Clare and Stuart met whilst working at HMV in Chester and Stu put some of Clare’s poetry to music with his trusty acoustic guitar. A mutual friend of Jamie and Stu’s decided as they were musically minded they needed to meet so he dropped Stu off at Jamie’s caravan in the middle of the night with his guitar and that was the start of The Reads. Our first few songs were actually written without all of us ever having been in the same room at the same time! A few years later Clare met and married Chris Goddard who was in a band with his brother Matty. Their band split up and so they were both welcomed into The Reads fold.

What are your influences.. musically, culturally… how does this affect the music you write?

The usual suspects really such as Pink Floyd, The Beatles and Bob Dylan along with Brian Eno, Boards of Canada, Tangerine Dream, Doves, Stone Roses, Super Furries, The Bluetones, Elbow, Miles Davies, Fleet Foxes, Radiohead etc. We’re big fans of comedy music too; Tony Ferrino, Flight of the Conchords, Cassette Boy…. they’ve inspired quite a few comedy Reads tunes!

These influences betray a healthy respect of music past and present with some more than others being immediately spotted on Stories from the Border. It is also re-assuring to see a strong Jazz influence pervading their work. This is maybe what sets them apart from your run of the mill bands and provides an esoteric journey for the more discerning listener. This doesn’t mean that they make the sort of music which is unapproachable for the more mainstream punter. Perversely it makes them more so. The Reads are still grounded in reality.

Was the process a long one to reach the songs on your debut album. Tell me about some early songs you wrote.

We’ve been together for over a decade and in that time we’ve managed to amass quite a body of music. We spent several weeks (with the help of our Producer Jim Spencer) short listing 15 tracks to take into the studio with us. This was then cut down to the final twelve which made it onto the album. The tricky bit was actually deciding on the running order for the album, not picking the tracks!! There was a lot of heavy discussion over numerous pints of beer to try and establish the running order….. which we’d probably still change it if we could!

What will the new album sound like… will it be more of the same or are you looking to expand. What new influences will affect your writing?

The next album will incorporate a mix of some old reworked stuff as well as some brand new tracks, a few of which are already well on the way to completion. We get together every Sunday and have
done almost religiously for the last 10 years and we’re constantly writing new stuff so we’ve got plenty of music to choose from for the follow up! We’re hoping to be back in the studio very soon.

2011 turned out to be a year which will remain in the collective memory of The Reads for a long time. After years of writing and playing the circuit it now seems that the pay-off is approaching. I ask The Reads to look back over the last year and give us a clue as to where they are heading next.

Over the last year or so what have been the bands greatest achievements?

Supporting Evan Dando, a childhood hero of Clare’s at the Tiv in Buckley which is where Jamie, Marcy and Stu spent a great deal of their formative years, headbanging in a darkened corner to many a band! Getting played by Jeremy Vine on BBC Radio 2 was also pretty amazing, in fact all the radio airplay we had last year was fantastic. We were driving home in convoy from Cardiff after doing a live session for BBC Radio Wales when we got a phone call to say Good Omens was being played on Radio 2. We pulled over, cranked the volume up and did a little Carlton dance by the side of the road…. that was pretty special!

How will these achievements affect you… have you noticed a difference in audience size or album sales?

When we launched the album at Telford’s Warehouse last March the place was full of familiar faces, all of whom have shown us unwavering support throughout our musical journey, wind the clock forward to our most recent gig there in September and we were playing to a sea of unfamiliar faces who were all singing along to the words! We were blown away….. I think Jeremy Vine may have had
a little something to do with that!

What do you hope to achieve in 2012?

To give up the day jobs and focus on the music full time. A nice sunny summer full of festival gigs is also on the Jim’ll Fix It list. Our big ambition is for Good Omens to be the soundtrack for a Sky Sports goal montage… or the 2012 Olympic theme tune!! Oh and roadies, we need roadies…

As we can see, humour is never far from The Reads. The idea of them all doing the Carlton dance at the side of the road shows the joy they are taking from these successes. It is no small thing either when considering the geographical origins of the band. By straddling the border they are situated between two vibrant music scenes which may sound ideal but in reality can be something of a bug bear. Taking into account the English/Welsh divide it is refreshing to see that there is no animosity and that they are open-minded enough to see past any patriotic rubbish that can encumber bands. Maybe they have the best of both worlds, that’s for The Reads to decide.

What do think of the music scene in both Wrexham and Chester. Which bands stand out for you. Is there any you don’t like?

There is an abundance of great musicians in North Wales; Gintis, JKLMNO, Heal the Last Stand, Andy Hickie, Sundance, I Am Austin, The Revolutionary Spirit and Chester and Wrexham provide great outlets for them all as there isn’t much in the way of live music venues along the rest of the North Wales coast. The music scene in Wrexham seems pretty lively, unfortunately (through no fault of our own) we’ve sort of been on the periphery of this for last few years, something we hope to change this year. We’ve got a gig at Wrexham Lager Club on 28th January and will be playing at Central Station as part of Focus Wales in April. How does Chester compare to Wrexham. Is it a different crowd… I’d imagine that the Chester crowd would know you (personally sometimes) where-as Wrexham may not.

When we play at Telford’s Warehouse we see it as a homecoming gig really, perhaps because The Reads first ever appearance was at one of their Sunday open mic nights. We always look forward to playing there and seem to draw a fairly good crowd. Last time we played in Wrexham it was the same night as Wrexham FC had a home game in the play offs… needless to say the venue was pretty empty! Bryn Law (Sky Sports Reporter) left the match early and came to see us though, which was nice!

It is a shame to see a band of this calibre playing to empty venues but then this is something that needs more work putting into by other people. For The Reads, they will continue what they are doing and I have no doubt that 2012 will bring them further success. With a gig in Wrexham Lager Club and a prestigious slot for Focus Wales maybe The Reads can become a cross-border sensation. Once this has happened then who knows…maybe the story will expand. I ask for some final words, an epilogue of you like…

Finally… give us some rock n roll wisdom!

(Courtesy of Jamie) Never trust a stage manager with eyes like saucers and a very runny nose…

You can listen to The Reads Stories from the Border here:
http://soundcloud.com/the-reads/sets/stories-from-the-border/

Playing to a capacity crowd, it is clear from the start that the lads from Camera are relishing the prospect of playing in such grand surroundings. Flanked by all the trappings of such an environment they seem dwarfed by the altar and the cross. It is soon apparent though that these are seasoned professionals now and after opener Take Me Back and old classic Abersoch, Camera soon settle into their groove.

The music that Camera play is difficult to pigeonhole with influences ranging from sources that span the whole spectrum of music. One thing that is prominent are the heartfelt vocals of singer Matt Nicholls. The first few songs find him somewhat singled out by the surroundings which only adds to the atmosphere that tonight something special may happen. That “something special” happens on the song 6/8 when a groove kicks in which is so deep and throbbing that it is both expansive and intimate at the same time.

Rapturous applause greets this song as the band take it further into the heights of the church. Vocals wail, Ben’s bass rumbles and Steve’s guitar hits new heights of alchemic magic. Five songs in and they have the performance in their pocket. From here-on in the first part of the session is a mix of old and new which peaks once again with a tremendous All The Time and final song Midnight Sun.

The second part of the session is a chance for Camera to show their lighter side. Augmented by Rachel and Gemma on backing vocals they manage to make the sun come out from the clouds (in a manner of speaking) as they play Delilah and Let the Wind Blow. This idea of the sun coming out is soon put to bed though by a return to their more darker side with possible highlight Wait For Me.

Once again the crowd are treated to a masterclass in rage and despair as the music sends us down a swirling vortex of darkness.

Crystal Ball seems rather unsubstantial after this but does provide to lighten the mood in time for an extraordinary Happiness which brings to mind Tom Waits at his most drunken. Featuring an accordion, it does seem at odds with the rest of the set but it does show a side of Camera which reveals a sort of playfulness. After this, all that is left is a cover of The Sun Ain’t Gonna Shine Anymore and set closer Tell Me What It Is. An excellent night of music in wonderful surroundings which will go down in legend as one of the highlights of The Year Of Culture 2011.

Links

Camera
St Giles’ Sessions

The final concert, seasonally named ‘Winter’ takes a festive bow at the church tomorrow night with a performance from one of the towns most cherished bands (and mine), Camera. It seems Christmas has come early.

This will be a one-off chance to catch the band in the atmospheric surroundings of the Parish Church and, as with all previous St. Giles’ Sessions, expect the usual collaborations and surprises that have become well known over the year. Doors are 7pm, with tickets available from www.seetickets.com, Wrexham Tourist Information, Yales Café Bar and The Foundry on York Street in Wrexham.

Let’s hope the sessions continue next year and beyond, it’s been an invigorating change to see some of our great bands in the intimate surroundings of one of the greatest buildings in the area.

Links

Camera
The Foundry

They produce a fortnightly live music program which aims to showcase the best up and coming live music from our area and is recorded as an ‘as-live’ broadcast with the students taking roles as directors, producers, audio engineers, camera operators and the like.

Heal the Last Stand were introduced and interviewed by the legendary Hacienda DJ Graeme Park (who lectures at the Uni) and then performed some live tracks, including their classics and new material, in front of the cameras and a live audience.

You can view the video below:

Presenter: Graeme Park

Director: Conor O’Brien
Vision Mixer: Gaz Owen
Floor Manager: Jessika Deans
Camera: Natalie Jones, Kevin Young, Dan Thomas

Production Assistants: Alex Pickering, Emily Woodvine, Jamie Hughes

Audio: Sebastien Allemand

To view other live music sessions by the University, go to their website: www.glyndwr.tv.

The Roseville Band formed in November 2006 from the ashes of another local band, Crosbi. Spurred on by the success that Crosbi gained brother’s Andy and Steve Jones continued the hard work and grafted a sound reminiscent of Dexys Midnight Runners combined with the more grittier blues of Neil Young and The Rolling Stones. Augmented by a two piece horn section they are an exciting prospect with a powerful live show. It is not just older artists who provide influences though with a disparate range of newer more experimental artists such as Arcade Fire and in particular Wilco giving them a fresh edge.

Signing to independent record label Tri-Tone Records they have already released two albums ‘Little Eyes in the Universe’ (2010) and ‘Shake the Walls’ (2011). Constantly on tour they have been championed by The Guardian, received airplay on BBC6 Music and BBC Wales as well as prestigious gigs at Glastonbury Festival and Liverpool Sound City. As the new year approached they are hard at work on their third album and this is where I catch up with them.

Will the new record be more of the same, or will you be looking to experiment withyour sound?

“We’re definitely experimenting a lot more with the third album. I think it’s been a really creative process for us to record and release the first two albums the way we have – in just over 12 months. It’s meant that we’ve been constantly working through a process of writing, and demoing, then recording, and releasing the music; which has given us the scope to keep everything fresh – and I think that’s important for a band; because there’s so many examples of records taking forever to be released, and then by the time everyone gets their acts together, then the band can just feel so low on energy – you know, when they’re having to repeat the same trick for so long. So we’re always working on new songs to keep the energy up, and on this record that’s really noticeable. There’s lots of energy in the new songs, it’s a bigger and darker sound (compared to that on the first two albums), and we’ve been working a lot more on bringing in new sounds onto this record, albeit done by guitars, or other instruments. But you’ll have to wait until the New Year for all that, as we’re not gigging the new songs live until then.”

It is refreshing to see That The Roseville Band are not prepared to rest on their laurels. Perhaps more interestingly is a new found freedom in the studio to push the boundaries a bit more. For a band who are known for their hard work on tour it may seem odd that they choose not to hone the new songs live. It signals a shift in thinking which could finally push the band onto greater success. Talk turns to how they cope with their touring schedule and how life on the road compares to playing in their hometown.

How does hitting the road compare with playing in Wrexham?

“It’s always nice to play in Wrexham, because we’re building a good following here, so it’s a good crowd to play to, and it’s always fun to catch up with friends after the show. That said we tend to only play in Wrexham in general about twice a year – and it’s usually just to promote the release of a record, or in some special circumstances like a festival show, or a one off show like the one we’re doing in town this Boxing Day. You see for us it’s always been about reaching new people with our music, which means getting on the road. I personally love touring and playing in new towns and Cities. We all want to see the world, and this is a fun way to do it.”

What is the reaction from outside of Wrexham, playing to new people can be hard…does this affect the way you approach a gig?

“When we first started out, we were just hounding every promoter around the UK to show a bit of faith in us, just so we could go and play to new audiences. Sometimes it could really work out, and you’d have a packed room of new music enthusiasts really up for it, and sometimes you’d end up playing to the sound engineer and the bar staff – but you’ve got to do those shows initially, because you really learn a lot about yourself as a band. It does sharpen you up as a live act, and gig by gig you learn how to deliver the goods on the road. Also, it makes us really appreciate the shows nowadays, when we go down to London and we’ve filled the venue, and we get treated well by the promoter, there’s a feeling of reward that comes with that, because we’ve built this up from nothing. These days we’ve got people turning up who’ve heard us on the radio, and they’ve bought the albums, and they’re coming to the shows knowing the songs. Knowing that we’ve got that support out there does give us
a belief in what we’re doing.”

What are European audiences like?

“The audiences in Europe are great. We love touring in Germany in particular, and we’re really excited to be going back in 2012, but we want to tour everywhere. We’ll be doing shows in Belgium, Netherlands and Germany in the New Year, and that will be coming off the back of our shows in Toronto for Canadian Music Week 2012, so there’s a good buzz in the band right now, and we’re just eager to get out there and do it.”

Anybody who has witnessed The Roseville Band live will know how consummate and professional they are. They are a band who take every gig seriously and play as if it’s their last one. In a time when so many bands are just phoning in their live sets The Roseville Band hark back to the old days when bands used to crawl up and down the lengths and breadths of motorways looking for their next gig. Hard work has certainly paid off for them and the experience gained from playing to so many different people across the globe has given them the confidence to believe in what they are doing. I decide to ask how they feel about the scene back home in Wrexham and how it has affected them.

What do you think of the current crop of bands in the Wrexham scene?

“There’s a lot of talent in North Wales in general which is great. I’m not getting into the situation of stating that I think any particular couple of local bands are better than the rest or any of that, because the truth is that there are a lot of great local bands making great music, and I wouldn’t want to forget to mention anyone, and I’m sure that there’ll be some great bands out there that I’ve personally not heard of yet. What I will say though, is that there were more albums released out of the local area in 2011 than in any year previously, which is a good indicator of the productivity of it all at this moment in time. I know fully well that a bunch of my friends’ bands are releasing albums in 2012, and so along with our new record, 2012 could (in consecutive years) prove to be the most productive that the area has ever known – and that’s all positive in my book”.

Do you think more needs to be done to help the Wrexham scene?

“There’s much talk and debate on this topic, and that’s good because it shows that people care strongly about it. There’s a bunch of promoters in the area, working hard to put on regular nights, and compared to a lot of other towns in Wales, the local musicians are spoilt for choice for gig opportunities. From what I can see, the bands are really productive right now, as are the promoters, but people are skint, and as a result live music attendances are taking a bit of a hit at the moment. I’m positive overall though, and I think the future is looking really good for new music in the area”.

Having achieved success, would you put it down to support from your hometown or just getting out and doing it?

“Well it’s a bit of both really – and to clarify; its small glories for us so far, as we’ve still got a lot of goals that we’d like to achieve. Our local support has obviously been a great help to us, but you’ve really got to get out there and prove it on the road. Playing to friends and family once every couple of months doesn’t really work in the long run, because a band will ultimately exhaust their audience going down that route, and we’ve recognised that from the very beginning. I think there’s a lot of merit in getting on the road and touring your music, and people do ultimately acknowledge that hard work – not only on a local level, but in the music industry in the wider sense. The team of people we’re currently working with – our label, publishers, booking agent, and PR team – are only working with us now because at some point we went to play these small shows out of town for no money, that they all ended up being at, and consequently began to work with us – so that goes to show that there is merit in the graft”.

I couldn’t agree more about this idea of working hard to achieve success. Going back to the comments I made earlier about the state of the music business these days it is inspiring to see that so many new bands are reverting back to the old ways of touring constantly. Yes, there is no money in the music business (or more likely than not, there is but the companies are unwilling to part with it) but where there’s a will there’s a way as they say. Unfortunately as Andy has stated, lack of money prevents people from getting out to these gigs to support talent. This is something that needs looking into but in the meantime you can rest assured that this will never stop bands from starting out on that rocky road to success. Let’s start now and support local music scenes, bands such as Roseville deserve it. Keep an eye out in the local and music press for The Roseville Band. 2012 looks like it could be their year.

Links

www.therosevilleband.co.uk
The Roseville Band on Twitter
The Roseville Band on Facebook

Hailing from the home of The Beatles and Echo and the Bunnymen, The Universal refreshingly ditch that Merseybeat sound for a more mod orientated, classic Britpop sound. Having toured the length and breadth of the country with excursions to Italy and a planned Japanese tour they are certainly hard working. Playing scooter rallies have gained them a loyal following and their well-crafted songwriting contains elements of Paul Weller/Ocean Colour Scene in its genetic make-up. To hear a snippet of what to expect view the video:

For further listening though, further research in YouTube will throw up some limks to live performances which really highlight how professional the band are.

Support on the night comes from the fantastic Babylon Leaf and Shoot The Rabbit.

You can check out their music here:
Babylon Leaf website
Shoot The Rabbit Facebook page

In true Spectrum Promotions style each of these bands have a different signature sound providing an evening of music which still remains eclectic. Tie this in with a DJ set from Zodiac’s Mike Lloyd and you are guaranteed a great night.

We all know what happened to the beloved 12” and 7” discs that we used to love. First little shiny CD’s replaced them with the promise of better sound quality and then the noughties saw the rise of the download generation. Music was no longer perceived as an object to treasure and hold, it was simply a bunch of files sitting on some-ones hard drive.

There has been a resurgence of late in sales of vinyl records. Why this is could be down to any number of factors but probably the most important is that music buyers have finally realised that while it may be easier to download a file it is in no way a comparison to actually owning a physical object. Coupled in with this is interest in Record Store Day and any number of artists releasing or re-releasing their music onto vinyl. Once again vinyl sales are on the rise which is all the more remarkable considering other formats are dropping.

Moonlight Records has been trading now since 1988. Brian, who owns the shop, has managed to keep a turnover going and is now reaping the awards of being one of two shops in Wrexham that stock and sell vinyl records. In the last eighteen months Brian has seen sales of vinyl growing and runs a brisk trade in exchange. This is part of a wider picture now across the UK and beyond as people rediscover the joys of the black disc.

When asked if there was a certain group of people who were buying vinyl it is surprising to hear that it is a wide mix of people. Stating that his biggest selling artists were The Rolling Stones and in particular, The Beatles it is noteworthy that the majority of buyers are teenagers. Whether this is a nostalgia thing or a current trend due to events such as Record Store Day is something for analysts to look into but it is certainly gratifying to the discerning music lover that vinyl is on the rise.

When asked about the trading in the current economic climate Brian said that whilst it is tough, it is all down to how savvy you are. There is a constant need to keep things interesting and finding new ways to promote your stock. In a time when even the biggest stores are going under it is refreshing to see that a small business like this continues to buck the trend.

Formed in early 2011 from the ashes of other punk rock bands which have bitten the dust, Carl, Lew, J and Skip have slowly been stirring up a storm on the live circuit with their energetic live shows.

Their mission statement… “melodic punk for their audience to dance and punch the air to” and this has worked with, amongst other gigs, a slot at Liverpool Sound City and a prestigious support slot with Random Hand.

Now comes the release of their first EP Pornstar Endorsed. This 3 track EP is a short burst of energy and vitality in a scene which has stagnated with too many bands focusing on more deeper concerns.

Fun, bouncy and energetic is the order of the day with The No Name Janes. Coming in at around the two minute mark Punkrock Girlfriend, See You Later S**tface and Violet is Blue fuses the melodic strains of early Green Day with the real punk sound of The Buzzcocks and The Clash.

It is refreshing to hear a band enjoying what they are doing in this day and age. The No Name Janes don’t compromise their punk rock roots in any way providing music which blows away the cobwebs.

Check out the EP at the link below and look out for some live gigs, as they are doubtless going to be a great experience:
http://soundcloud.com/lewis-jones-nnj/sets/the-no-name-janes-ep-pornstar/
http://www.facebook.com/thenonamejanes

Support your local music scene!

Formed 3 years ago by a group of disparate friends with a common love of The Stooges, Captain Beefheart, Nick Cave and although Phil (the singer) denies it 80′s Matchbox B-Line Disaster, they have honed a sound which harks back to the old gothic blues tradition and updated it with a garage rock sound. Using the local live circuit to develop their ideas their music wavers from a maelstrom of punk to a more brooding sound. They are due to enter the studio soon to record their first album, out in Spring, which will build upon the blueprint of their first two EP’s, New Ways To Walk and The Safety Word.

As a way of understanding more of the Fag Machine ethic talk turns to the inspirations and subject matter of their songs. When watching the band play live it is often difficult to discern any themes in the songs so it with interest that I listen as Phil regales me with tales from the dark side, so to speak, and also an hilarious fascination with Hilary Swank.

“You are quite abrasive in your approach, where does the inspiration come from, is it from the more darker aspects of human nature” I ask Phil.

“Yes, in a way. Take a song like Hilary. This is a song about celebrity obsession. It was inspired by the actor Hilary Swank who has, in my opinion, the greatest name ever to grace a person. Although the subject matter is a dangerous one we approach it from a King of Comedy angle. It is about someone who is so obsessed that they cut are willing to cut their own leg off for her”

“There seems to be a certain element of black humour in that, is that something you aim for, and is it something that you think people may have trouble relating to?”

“Yes definitely, anyone who knows us knows that we are very humorous. The subject element asks for a sort of humour to be injected into it.”

“And what about the abrasive element, will that always be there or will you look to tone it down as your music develops?

“Our music will always have a dark aspect to it. This stems from the influences of the band. Then again I can see it being toned down in the future. People have a certain idea that you sit at home listening to all this dark music but that’s not the case, except maybe for Alfie who loves The Fall, the rest of us listen to more mellow music. Its just the way our music is and always will be that there will be a dark element and in the way we play the abrasiveness will always come through.”

We discuss how an audience reacts to this. “There is an audience out there for us, its just a case of finding it. We played in Liverpool and the crowd went nuts for us. Granted they were all wearing Cramps T-shirts so you’re already halfway there!”

“And what about Wrexham?”

“We have a following who turn up to every gig. They are very loyal as well which is great. The job now is to reach out to people who haven’t heard us and stumble into one of our gigs. If only half of those people enjoy it then I’m happy.”

Talk inevitably moves to the Wrexham music scene. In a town of this size there are a variety of venues and nights mixed in with a group of promoters all trying to do what they can to bring live music to people.

“How do you see your band fitting into the current music scene in Wrexham? Do you think the scene is healthy?”

“Its certainly healthy, there are quite a few venues for us to play and we love doing it. Perhaps the biggest stumbling point is that there is no specialism. This would stem from it being a small town. There is no one place for genre or just plain awkward music”

I agree with him on this point. There are numerous bands in Wrexham but for a band such as Fag Machine who are going to rely on a core audience of people it can be difficult to attract them to a night of music which is going to be eclectic. We discuss that maybe more could be done to attract more music fans. Possibly reaching the people who are in college but aren’t old enough to get into the venues.

Finally I ask Phil for his thoughts on other bands in Wrexham.

“The Mayors are certainly one band who stand out. Unfortunately for them they seem to be taken for granted now as they’ve been at it so long. What people forget is how consistent and fun they are. Mother of Six are another band, I know I’ll get crucified for this but I think Keiron is one of the most soulful singers in Wrexham.”

I laugh at his honesty. The discussion descends into other topics away from Fag Machine and the interview ends.

Next time your out in Wrexham keep an eye out for them. In three years Fag Machine have come a long way. Take a chance and enjoy the dark side of life for a change. You will not be disappointed! Check out there music here: http://soundcloud.com/thefagmachine

The prize, an initiative of SWN Festival and co-founders Huw Stephens and John Rostron, will be selected and judged by a panel of industry figures and music experts.

A shortlist of 12 albums released between 1 August 2010 and 31 July 2011 will be announced very soon with the winner to be announced at SWN Festival 2011.

Huw Stephens, Radio 1 DJ said:

“The Welsh Music Prize is a chance to highlight incredible albums made by Welsh musicians, and bring their music to a wider attention. By inviting a panel who love, make or work with music to judge this award, it will be a chance to celebrate the wealth of recording talent that exists in Wales, and shine a light on some exciting, diverse and excellent albums.”

John Rostron, SWN Festival organiser said:

“We’ve long thought Wales should have a critically judged music prize which celebrates the great diversity in genre and language which comes from this country. I’ve watched developments such as the Nordic Music Prize and the Polaris Music in Canada and how they’ve been great platforms to discover new bands from those countries. We hope the Welsh Music Prize does the same for bands in Wales.”

More information will be announced on their website very soon:
www.welshmusicprize.com

They will headline the Spectrum at a Fringe event this Saturday.

Andy Jones of The Roseville Band who play the Lager club on Saturday said:

“It’s great to playing Wrexham on the last night of the Eisteddfod. We are in the middle of a UK tour and have played fantastic gigs in Cardiff, London, Brighton, and Coventry amongst others. We have had a great reception at all of these but it’s great to play.

The gigs arose as both promoters and bands were keen to play during Eisteddfod week back home.”

The Roseville Band, whose new single ‘Sister Silvia’ is Radio Wales’ single of the week.

Also joining The Roseville Band at the Lager Club will be Mechanical Owl, Jon Lawrence, Heal the Last Stand and James MacGregor. The Event starts at 8pm sharp and admission is £4.00.

This summer’s exciting programme includes the European premiere of From the Feather to the Mountain by former NYOW member Hilary Tann, Liszt’s evocative symphonic poem, inspired by the laments and triumphs of 16th century poet, Torquato Tasso, and Prokofiev’s magnificent fifth symphony.

William Aston Hall, Wrexham
10th August 7.30pm
01978 293293

Tickets: £12, £9 concessions, £6 under 25s and are available from http://glyndwr.ticketsolve.com/shows/upcoming/tags/classical

Korda is quite the big cheese in the music industry, here’s why… He’s worked with Madonna, Green Day and Muse, credited with signing bands such as Ash, The Enemy, Pendulum and Foals and in 2009 launched his own label ‘Infectious Music’ and signed the Australian band Temper Trap (you’ll know their single ‘Sweet Disposition’).

The free session is particularly aimed at anyone who is involved in the music industry around these parts – musicians, promoters, roadies, managers, label folk etc and is being held within the Llangollen Steam Railway Station on Thursday 21st July from 5pm.

From 6.15pm, a panel of further industry experts will join Korda, offering hints and tips for those looking to make the most of their music, ranging from playing live to reaching radio and collecting royalties.

Want to attend?
You need to confirm your place by emailing hello@welshmusicfoundation.com.

It’s an ace idea – organised by musician and teacher Gemma McHale, local budding musicians aged 11+ of any playing level are being encouraged to take part and perform. One of last year’s successes are a young band called ‘Kickstart’, who formed at Band for a Day,
they’ve since played school events and talent shows.

The participants are grouped into bands early on Sunday and they will then work with their own professional music mentor throughout the day, preparing a number of songs for their performance at the public evening concert.

It costs just £30 for the whole day, which includes a free ‘Band for a Day’ t-shirt (the best bit). Go to the Llangollen Fringe website for an application form and other info: www.llangollenfringe.co.uk.

It’s a winner – top notch production and a witty storyline which juxtaposes the lyrics cleverly and pretty much illustrates Danny’s everyday life.

He’s supporting Charlie Simpson (Fightstar, Busted) when the poplet turned rocker turned Frank Turner rip-off merchant plays Central Station on the 8th August and is planning a full UK tour at the end of October.

Watch the video

It’s available for download only from iTunes, Amazon and Bandcamp and they’ve made a music video to accompany it which is probably, certainly, the first music video to feature variable sized dancing Eskimos, take a look at it here:

Their album is using being funded by a new innovation – PledgeMusic.com – which enables fans to pledge money to the band in order to fund the production of the album, in return for gifts – tickets, VIP treatments, ‘gigs in your front room’ etc. The Subways are donating some of the funds to several charities.

Ever since crashing into the UK rock scene in 2005, The Subways have cemented themselves as a ‘must see’ live act and have been regulars on the festival circuit – Glasto, Reading/Leeds and T in the Park – playing most of them each year.

Advance tickets for the gig are £10.50 and are available from Yales Café Bar, Wrexham, seetickets.com or the box office – 0870 4445556 – get them while you can.

What was once a World War One billet hut has played host to over 1000 musicians from around the world, including Steve Harley (Cockney Rebels), Roddy Woomble (Idlewild), Alabama 3, Gideon Conn, Fairport Convention, The Beautiful South and Tom Williams and
the Boat to name just a few.

The shed has its own website – www.songsfromtheshed.com, which has weekly updates from the owner, Mr Earl, who videos the performances and uploads them to the website.

The shed’s reputation within the music industry is now such that the record company suits have been known to trawl the website and videos in search for new talent, as well as booking their own up and coming bands a performance in the shed.

If I were in a band right now and was looking for some exposure – I’d get on the website and start hassling Mr Earl for a slot. I think next week he’s got Shed Seven in for a performance.

Here’s Roddy Woomble’s Shed Session:

The 2011 Glasto is a special one because it’s the last one… until 2013. It precedes a fallow year for the festival next year, so those who are regulars at the event are making the most of this weekend. Local authorities, villagers, religious fundamentalists and event acts of God have tried to stop Glastonbury in the past but it seems the unsuspecting and humble toilet has put paid to next year.

Yes, the cost of portable lavatories is blamed for the 2012 fallow period according to organiser and owner Mr Eavis. There’s a sever shortage of them as the capital drains the nations portable toilet coffers to supply the Olympic games and in turn pushing the price of the few remaining sky high. Who’d have thought it?

It’s safe to say our local music has always had a close connection with the festival. In 2005 Cream Tangerine made it to the finals of the Glastonbury New Talent Competition, narrowly missing out to an unknown band called The Subways.

3 years later, Andy Hickie and the Merry Maiden’s made it through to the final of the same competition. Although they didn’t win, Mr Eavis himself was so impressed with their performance he gave them a slot to play at the festival anyway!

Fast forward to 2011 and Andy is playing Glastonbury again, albeit without his Merry Maiden’s and double albeit not at the festival itself. He played at the nearby Glastonbury Tor this week before welcoming the Summer Solstice at Stonehenge alongside another local act Heal the Last Stand, who are actually playing the Glastonbury Festival itself. They played the Small World Stage in the Green Future Fields area on Wednesday 22nd and then on the 23rd June they play the Tadpole Stage before taking to the Small World Stage again on Sunday.

Links

Glastonbury Festival

The music kicks off at 7pm with the after party at Central Station from 9pm.

The gig will be the first date in a month long tour for the Roseville as they set off around the country to support the release of their debut album ‘Shake the Walls’ on the 8th August. They’ll be taking in Brighton, Coventry, Winsford, Bristol, Liverpool, London, Leeds amongst others. A decent trek like.

Links

The Roseville Band on Facebook
The Roseville Band on MySpace

The tour has taken Andy and his band ‘The Merry Maidens’ to Liverpool, Cardiff, Newport, London and as far a field as Glastonbury Tor and will culminate in a full band performance at St Giles’s Church, Wrexham on Saturday 2nd July as part of the ‘St. Giles’ Sessions’ concert series held there throughout this year.

The special events are a part of Wrexham’s ‘Year of Culture’, The Foundry Creative Centre for business and the Arts have come together with Independent Concert Promoters Lateral Arc to present ‘St. Giles’ Sessions’, four live music concerts at the Parish Church of St. Giles in Wrexham Town Centre.

The Sessions were launched in April with a rapturous, sell-out performance by local stars Heal the Last Stand, and the forthcoming performance promises to be equally as spectacular, with tickets already selling fast.

The Summer Concert will take place on Saturday 2nd July, and is headlined by local ‘super-group’ Andy Hickie and the Merry Maidens. With his guitar and harmonica Andy has been described as ‘The Welsh Bob Dylan’, by radio DJ’s and fans alike, singing his tales of freedom, love, and life on the road, as well as his powerful singing of traditional Folk ballads. When joined by The Merry Maidens, the seven-piece group fuse their influences of folk-rock, roots, and alternative sounds to create what promises to be ‘a gathering of folk like no other’.

The Autumn and Winter concerts in the ‘St. Giles’ Sessions’ series will take place in October and November. Dates will be announced shortly after the 2nd July concert.

Tickets for Andy Hickie & The Merry Maidens Concert are priced at £7.50 full and £5.00 concession and are on sale now:

In Person From:

• Yales Café Bar, Hill St. Wrexham (01978) 358 780
• The Foundry, 15, Yorke St. Wrexham (01978) 345 220
• Wrexham Tourist Information, Lambpit Street, Wrexham (01978) 292015

On-Line at:
www.thefoundrywrexham.co.uk/stgilessessions

All ‘St. Giles’ Sessions’ concerts take place at St. Giles’ Parish Church, Temple Row, Wrexham, LL13 8LY. Doors Open 7pm, first performance 7.30pm Finishes 9.30pm