Architects: Interview

Having sold out the majority of their shows, metalcore band Architects are currently undertaking their biggest UK tour to date. With the recent online stream ahead of new album ‘Lost Forever, Lost Together’ and a European tour approaching, the band are raring to put on the best performances fans have ever witnessed. 

2013 was a hectic year for the band. After spending a month recording in Sweden and a recent signing to Epitaph Records, 2014 might just well be their year. 

I spoke to the band’s guitarist, Tom Searle for half an hour, prior to the gig in Manchester. He seemed anxious about the night ahead but was eager to perform some of the band’s new songs for the first time. Topics consisted of his personal experience with skin cancer, the new Architects record and what it is like to be one of the few metal bands backed by BBC Radio 1.  

Let’s have a chat about your current album 'Lost Forever, Lost Together.' What is your personal favourite song from the new record?

Tom Searle: We've actually made a record with more than two good songs on for once. So it’s difficult to choose. I'm really pleased with ‘Colony Collapse.’ We've tried a lot of different things over our six albums. A lot of the time when we branched off it had mixed results. It’s great to do something different and feel like it came together well. It’s been nice to see lots of other people since we streamed the album saying “Oh I love that song it’s awesome.” 

What song was the hardest to write lyrically? Why?  

TS: Well, I wrote C.A.N.C.E.R about myself. I wrote it when I had skin cancer and was waiting for a month to find out the results of the CT scan and things like that. It was more just hard in the sense that if I wrote it I had to make sure it was going to have the right message. I didn't want it to be woe is me but I didn't want it to be too personal either at the end of the day. Sam sings the songs so it wouldn't have made much sense. It’s been a huge, surreal thing in my life but it had to be taken on in the right way. I wasn't sure what the right way was until I ended up doing it. I ended up changing some bits. Some of it sounded so negative and hopeless. At the same time I didn't want to retrospectively change it too much because I wrote it during the month where I didn't know if the cancer had spread. I didn't want to take away any of that brutal and harsh time replicating how you feel. Once you have been told you’re okay, you can’t then go back to how it felt like when you don’t know. It’s a touchy subject so you have to be careful.  

What sort of feedback have you had from fans and critics since you streamed the record? Is it what you expected?

TS: The response has been much better than I thought. You can always expect someone to come out and say “You’re shit,” or whatever. I was very nervous about album reviews. Once you spend so much time on a record, you lose sight as to whether it’s good or not. I think it hurts even more every time you release one. To me, it’s like failure if people only say it sounds alright. People just seem to love the record so much and this is what I've always wanted. I find it hard to process overall. I suppose doing this tour will be the decider.

How many new songs are you playing on this tour?

TS: We’re playing seven. The record isn't out properly until the 10th but I'm hoping that people have checked it out. We weren't going to play as many but when we put the stream out, people liked it so much so we said “Fuck it, let’s play them.”

Did you write or record any extra songs that didn't make the album?  If so can fans expect to be able to hear them at all in the near future?

TS: We did two B sides that didn't make the cut for the album but I don’t know where they’re going. The best songs are on the album in my opinion. 

For those who have yet to listen to the album stream, how would you describe the sound for the new record as a whole? How does it stand out from your previous records?

TS: I think it’s got an overall vibe to it. I got obsessed with making ambient sounds and having it run over big riffs. It’s definitely heavier and darker than at least our last two records. I hope it’s still accessible but still heavy in the way that it’s listenable, exciting and enjoyable. I like music that’s over the top and that was the main thing for me.

Why did you decide to stream ‘Lost Forever, Lost Together?’ 

TS: You've always got to be prepared if someone leaks the album. We ended up putting it online four days earlier than planned. We wanted to have everyone talking about it rather than people just finding a leak online. I think the people that want to support us would buy the record anyway. It was exciting to see it go online, it was really overwhelming.

I read that you spent a month living in the studios in Sweden so you could record the new record whenever you got inspiration. What problems occurred during the process and how did you handle being cooped up for that long? 

TS: Being cooped up was difficult, I mean we did go insane really. It was probably quite unhealthy for our mental state. By the end everyone was pretty burnt out and ready to go home. There were lots of problems but there always is. However, they are only real problems if they can’t be fixed. For example, we would spend a whole day tracking guitars and then find out one of the cables had been broken. I had to go and re-track all the guitars the next day. Despite difficulties, we got to make the album the way we wanted it to be.

Not that this had a huge effect on the record but there were a few key things we would be stuck on for ages. One thing that comes to mind was the chorus of ‘Colony Collapse.’ I was desperate to put a melody on it for Sam, trying shit that wouldn't work. It came to one in the morning, we had a few drinks and I just started humming a tune. I went to the studio, played it, hummed along and straight away told Sam to get in there. I hummed him the tune and he went insane. Together, just in five minutes out of one little bit of inspiration we got it sorted. That’s one of my favourite parts. 

When you were recording Hollow Crown I heard a fact that you use a different guitar tuning for each album, has that continued on the last three albums?

TS: No it hasn't. We had to stop eventually it was just inconvenient. We don’t have enough guitars with us on this tour to even have enough strings for each tuning. We just have to try and compromise.

You are one of the few heavy bands that are being backed by BBC Radio 1. Does this put pressure on you and your music at all? What impact do you think it will have on the genre for the future? 

TS: For us it has no impact. When we got played on the radio a few years ago I didn't feel great about it. When Dan Carter and Zane Lowe played ‘Naysayer’ from our new album I thought, it was fucking insane. It’s great that they support it. You only have to look at Bring Me the Horizon, who have radio friendly songs on their new album and look at their success. 

It’s possible that metal as a genre will become more accessible and cater to a wider audience because of radio. The thing is, you have to break past the barrier that a lot of people have with anything that includes screams.

What country was your favourite to visit when filming your documentary 100 days and how did you overcome the pressures and of being out of your comfort zone during the world tour?

TS: China was pretty difficult to be honest. Bali (in Indonesia) was easy to overcome because the next day we had a three day holiday. We just had to get through the show.  If we showed up to Manchester and 20 people showed up I guess we would be over. In a funny way Bali might have been my favourite place to visit. The only person that knew any of the words was my mum who was there bizarrely.

When we landed back in Europe and looked at the ticket sales for our UK tour, the sales were the worst they’d been since 2009. We had always said if it gets bad then we have to call it a day. That was the hardest bit, thinking “Oh fuck no one likes us any more.” Here we are now doing the biggest UK tour we have ever had. 

Are there any superstitions or routines you follow before each show?

TS: There are no superstitions but the only routine we have is the same as a lot of bands have…drinking. I know that’s a terrible thing to say but you get nerves. We have a rider which has a bunch of vegan food which most of the time doesn't end up being vegan. 

We have a little tour TV that we have had for about five years. It travels everywhere with us so we can play FIFA in the dressing room too. 

What are your plans for the rest of this year?

TS: Touring, that’s it really. We are going to America with Letlive in April and that will be great. We have lots of festivals in Europe and we’re doing Reading and Leeds.  

Is there anything else you would like to add or talk about?

TS: Thanks to anyone listening to any of our records even if they hate the new one. It’s an amazing opportunity even if it is ridiculously overwhelming for us all. It’s amazing that we get to do it, so thanks. 

The band's new album 'Lost Forever, Lost Together'  has recently made it to number 16 in the UK album charts. Pick up your copy from their official website or via iTunes. 

Find the interview piece on http://figure8magazine.co.uk/

Horror Housing

There are so many choices when house hunting - what area of town you wish to stay in, living costs and who you want to live with. It makes renting a house one of the most important choices you will have make… at least for a year anyway. However, in all the rush to find a place within budget, did you actually get ripped off?

From previously hidden damp and undiscovered deposits of unknown origin, to serious safety issues, it doesn’t surprise us when we hear housing horror stories from our fellow students. Who, because they are stereotyped to have low standards of living, find themselves taken advantage of by some landlords who will do anything they can to save money, by providing cheap furniture and crappy appliances.

Of course, some of us are just lucky to have a landlord that sorts problems out in a flash. However, after spending some time reading numerous horror house stories online, it seems others are not so lucky.Website StudentBeans surveyed over 2000 students about university living. According to the results, 50% suffered from mould, 37% experienced animal infestation and 8% even admitted their house wasn’t even fitted with a working smoke alarm.

It seems a certain letting agency in Huddersfield, claiming to be ‘The UK’s number 1 letting agent,’ is taking students for a ride. My own personal experience with this company throughout second year didn’t go down well. Problems included a hole in the ceiling above the toilet, a broken freezer and an attempt to charge money to get my bedroom door unlocked when I hadn’t been provided a key. This experience has made me wonder how many other students are being treated unfairly.

David (not his real name) 21, from London, shared the nightmares of his current house with me, stories that other students can probably relate to in some way or another. Currently in his final year at Huddersfield University, he was lucky enough to have had no problems with his previous housing, until now. “We were almost not allowed to move in because the basement living room flooded the night before the move. The pump in the house had failed and we couldn’t use the room.” He continued: “It’s fine now but the lino for the floor wasn’t even thrown out until about a month ago. They haven’t replaced it at all. The lights in the room have all stopped working now too. Someone came along and fixed the pump but that was only just before Christmas.”

To top it all off, it isn’t just the living room that happens to be a problem. He explained: “The hallway ceiling collapsed leaving a big hole due to water damage. Someone has been to the house, screwed a board into it and plastered it so you can’t see the damage. The light in that hallway doesn’t work and the taps upstairs are all leaking too. We have no drawers in the kitchen, broken freezer drawers and no working hoover.”

David has come to the conclusion that the problem could be a lack of communication between the landlord and letting agents. With this, he added: “The letting agents have said that if the landlord hasn’t sent someone then we are supposed to call them so they can send their own contractors. So far, the landlord has done nothing. The letting agents haven’t been to look themselves apart from when they first showed us the house.”

In his second year at Uni, T’Hud editor, Kevin Lawson had his own terrible experience: “I’m a mature student so I live in Huddersfield during the summer too and in the first few days of moving into my new house, I realised there was bed bugs. I told the landlord who was good enough to replace all the beds straight away, but the problem still persisted. After a few more weeks and few hundred bites on my arms, the place had to be fumigated and I had to replace my pillows at my own cost.”

Unfortunately for Kevin and the rest of his housemates the problems didn’t end there. When winter came around, mice started appearing in the house. Again Kevin called his agents who accused the students of being dirty. “The house was pretty much spotless, so we knew it wasn’t that. In the end the problem was only resolved in the final month of our lease, and we were never offered any compensation.”

Jess, 20, is another student that had problems with the same letting agent when moving into her new home. Thankfully she is now living in a different house after going through a separate company. “When looking for a house for our final year of university, we decided it would be best to go with a reputable company. We assumed it would make finding and securing a house as easy and simple for students as possible,” she confessed.

Sadly, things spiralled downhill days before Jess and her housemates were due to move in. Like David, there were problems with money amongst the unexpected. “The letting agents took a bond and deposit from us but said we could pay the rest just before we move in. When we tried to pay the remaining amount, we were told that the house had been let to others that were already living there. We never received an email, phone call or letter that gave the slightest indication that we could not have the house.” She explained: “They refused to give me my £100 bond back as it was ‘against their policy to do so.’ I eventually got it back by contacting regional managers. I would never recommend them now.”

David’s advice is something for fellow students to take into account when house hunting. He told me: “I’d say general advice to students is to be a lot more thorough. As soon as you get into the house ask about the electrics and when they were last checked. It really does make a difference if you know what is going on in the house.”

Price, location and admin fees are all something to consider when house hunting and can make all the difference to your bank balance. If money is low, it might be better to consider a private landlord. There are no middle men involved and you don’t usually have to pay an admin fee.

If any students are having problems with landlords or letting agents they can visit the advice office based in the Student Central building at the University. Alternatively, as previously mentioned in T’HUD, there is the Legal Advice Clinic (LAC) based in the Packhorse shopping centre where students can book appointments. Most importantly when signing a tenancy agreement, always read the small print. That five minutes to read the documents can save you from a whole lot of hassle...

Live Review: Reel Big Fish & Less Than Jake

Support:  Ryland Steen, Zebrahead.
Manchester Academy 3/02/14

It is no surprise that Manchester’s gig sold out in a flash with a co-headline tour consisting of ska punk legends Reel Big Fish and Less Than Jake.

There is a sense of nostalgia as the crowd, ranging from aged 20- something fans to middle-aged punks, enter the venue anticipating the lively night ahead. They are in for an energetic Monday night of skanking and puerile humour. Once more, a friendly ska community returns in hope of an amazing performance.  It really is one of the best line-ups for lovers of ska, punk and entertainment. 

Support surprisingly comes from RBF’s very own Ryland Steen, who takes an interval away from his drum sticks to perform an acoustic set. He is followed by fun-loving Zebrahead, who don’t hesitate to get the crowd chanting songs about beer.

Recognized for their bold sideburns and wacky attire, Reel Big Fish take no time at all to get the crowd enticed. They delve into classics such as ‘I Want Your Girlfriend to Be My Girlfriend’ and ‘Everything Sucks’ within ten minutes of the set. RBF’s live sets are all you would expect to witness and more. The guys on brass succeed in entertaining the crowd with synchronised dance moves whilst frontman Aaron Barrett gives it his all with his tongue-in-cheek lyrics. New trombonist Billy Kottage fits in perfectly and proves a great addition playing animated solos. By this point, the set is well and truly on its way and the crowd are a mass of jumping beans waiting to be let lose. 

Manchester hosts privilege to a ‘special guest appearance’ in the form of hybrid act, Sonic Boom Six. They perform ‘Hiding in My Headphones,’ a song from the band’s hottest record, and reappear prior to the encore for ‘She Has a Girlfriend Now.’  

A predictable, yet nostalgic encore comes in the form of ‘Beer,’ combined with a quirky take on rock band The Offspring’s, very own, ‘Self Esteem’. RBF end on a high with the inevitable cover that is Aha’s ‘Take On Me’, leaving the drenched crowd eagerly awaiting Less Than Jake. 

RBF smash through 13 songs in all. It’s a shame they don’t play the 20 songs they have performed during previous UK dates. Still, after 23 years in music, their live sets still remain a joy to witness and are the reason fans keep returning for more.

Finally, joint-headliners Less Than Jake appear on stage at 9:50, resorting to a later curfew of 11pm. With a catalogue as ongoing as theirs, it is hard to predict which songs they will perform. They play fan favourites ‘Look What Happened’ and ‘History of a Boring Town’ and soon give it their all, playing their strongest tracks; something you’re bound to see during a smaller set.

Notorious for getting enthusiasts on stage to perform acts such as ‘fat dance offs’, LTJ waste no time persuading the only female bouncer in the room to get up and skank. Further into the set, they attempt to get two teenagers from the crowd to kiss for a whole song. It seems people are party pooping on fun tonight, as all three participants do a half arsed dance before hastily getting off stage. 

There’s never a dull moment at a LTJ show. It’s so great to see that after years of touring, they still know how to throw a party. They bring the set to an end with an encore of established, dance-worthy tracks, ‘All My Best Friends Are Metalheads,’ ‘Johnny Quest Thinks We’re Sellouts’ and ‘Gainsville Rock City.’ 

Throughout LTJ’s set, there isn’t a single moment the crowd have their feet on the floor. Fans have nothing but grins on their faces as they leave drenched in sweat and out of breath. The set-list remains short but displays an upbeat, varied and taut show. A Reel Big Fish and Less Than Jake headlining act is probably one of the finest ska line-ups fans could ask for. The memories will stay with devotees for a long time.

Reel Big Fish: Interview

Formed in 1991, Reel Big Fish are renowned for their sarcastic lyrics, wacky outfits and let’s not forget skanking. The band are currently in the UK on a joint headline tour with fellow ska punk band Less Than Jake with support from Zebrahead.

Fans were left shocked in October 2013 when long time trombone player Dan Regan left the band in order to spend more time with his wife and children. After 23 years in the ska music scene, frontman Aaron Barrett remains the only founding member.

I joined Barrett and trombonist Billy Kottage for twenty minutes prior to their gig at the Manchester Academy. There, we covered a range of topics including songwriting, tour life and crazy fans.

How do you go about writing music and who generally takes the lead when it comes to writing new material?

Aaron Barrett: I started the band, so I’ve always written the songs, at least 90% of them. Sometimes I’ll be stuck on a horn line or something, or some other part. I guess I bring in the skeleton of the song to the band and say, “Hey, this is the idea, do your thing.” I don’t just sit down and write songs, I just come up with ideas. They pop into my head, a little tune, some words here and there, and then I just wait to put it together as a whole song. I don’t sit down and noodle on guitar if anything. It’s all in my head; I’m always in my own head.

Despite line-up changes, RBF has been going as a band since 1991. In your experience how much has the industry changed over time?

Aaron Barrett: Oh my God, I compare the way things have changed in the last twenty years to how it must have been when cars were invented. People were riding around in horse and carriages, and then suddenly there were cars.

Billy Kottage: Then there was the internet.

Aaron Barrett: We had radio, recorded music, aeroplanes and spaceships too. I know that it was over a long period of time, all those things I just mentioned. The internet coming along was that important and life-changing for everyone I think. Being there before and after in the music industry and watching the internet just turn everything upside down, that’s crazy.

How did you manage to promote all your work before the internet?

Aaron Barrett: I can’t imagine. We used to have a physical mailing list that we would have at the shows and people would write down their home addresses. I would go to the copy store and make a bunch of little flyers, lick the stamps and write the addresses out because I didn’t have a printer. I would then drive to all the record stores and put flyers in there for the shows. Now it’s just like, Facebook post, we’re playing.
How are things with you Billy, you’ve only been playing with RBF since October haven’t you?

Billy Kottage: Yeah, October-ish.

Aaron Barrett: He has been playing with the band since last January because he’s been playing with one of the bands that have been touring with us.

Billy Kottage: I had been joining them on stage for a year. It has been good. I was with the band Big D for warped tour. When Dan had his baby, I did the first three or four shows just covering for him and doing things for him here and there.

You guys are well known for your cover songs. How do you go about translating a pop song into a ska punk song? How long does the process usually take?

Aaron Barrett: I don’t know, it just kind of makes sense in my head. It’s easy to make any song a ska punk song, for me anyway. That’s my one talent, my gift.

What’s your favourite cover song that you have done? 

Aaron Barrett: We’ve done some really weird ones. We’ve done a few cover songs. I think my favourite is the Oingo Boingo cover, ‘We Close Our Eyes.’ It has a mash up, a dub sounding piece of shit with all these weird noises and stuff in it. It’s awesome. Then we did a cover of a Poison song with this band called Tat. I think that might be my favourite cover song, but those are not really ska punk songs. Those ones are almost impossible to play live. I think ‘Take On Me’ is one of my favourite songs ever. I always like that one. The fact that it became one of our most popular songs and having an excuse to play it live almost every night… I love it.

So, this is your 4th sold out UK date so far. What are you bringing to the table this time around? Can fans expect many surprises? 

Aaron Barrett: Well, we don’t really make plans. We just kind of evolve I guess and do different things, maybe play a few different songs. We will play a few of the newer songs that we didn’t do last time.

Billy Kottage: and a couple of old songs that we always play.

Aaron Barrett: I think that’s why people like us because we’re half always the same and you can count on it and half you don’t know what we’re going to do, unexpected, which is nice. You can count on us to play Beer, Take On Me and Sell Out, you know, all the favourites. You can count on us to surprise you.

What would a person who is attending a RBF concert for the first time expect to experience? I’m guessing a lot of dancing? 

Aaron Barrett: Yes, definitely an outgoing audience, sweaty bodies, writhing, feet flying in the air.

Billy Kottage: Maybe a kick to the head.

Aaron Barrett: Yeah you’ve got to be careful, it gets dangerous. On stage expect a bunch of wacky guys doing wacky things. We’re playing music, jumping around and having a good time. It’s just a party. I think that’s why people like to see us again and again. You can watch the show. We are entertaining if you watch. It’s also fun to dance to. Even if you’re way back at the bar, it’s just good background music for dancing.

How do you feel about people that just watch gigs through their phones? 

Aaron Barrett: That’s another thing that’s changed because I remember before everyone had a phone in their pocket.

Billy Kottage: It’s not really bad if people are taking pictures, maybe even a short video but when they stand right in front of you, the moment is happening right there, it’s live, it’s real. You’re only going to remember that you looked at shitty little images and that’s all you’re ever going to see. That’s just the way it is now, especially with younger kids. That’s just how they see the world.

Have you got any plans whilst you’re in the UK, What have you been up to so far?

Aaron Barrett: I think everybody has terrible jetlag.

Billy Kottage: I woke up at 4 O’clock today.

Aaron Barrett: I think everybody made a mistake. We landed, got on the tour bus and went straight to bed and got onto the worst schedule. We were up all night long.

Billy Kottage: We got on that ferry from Ireland too, where we stayed up till seven in the morning.
Aaron Barrett: Plus everybody has been fighting off a cold for the past month or two, so don’t get too close.

You’ve been on your own record label since 2006. Is there much difference to being signed independently as opposed to a major record label?

Do you have to do a lot more for yourself?

Aaron Barrett: Well, when we were on a major label and things were working for us it was awesome because they had a whole group of people, an advertising department and the radio department. They were getting us played on the radio and putting ads in magazines, so that’s cool. We still have that but on a smaller scale for the record label we’re with now. It’s more of a distribution deal, it’s not like we’ve signed to them. Our deal right now is just, “Hey guys, whatever you record just bring it to us and we will put it out.” Before, we had to ask permission to see if it was a good idea and business choice to put on a new album.

Billy Kottage: There’s no pressure to record.

Aaron Barrett: They understand what kind of band we are and what we’re not.

So do you prefer being independent then?

Aaron Barrett: I do, when it was working for us way back in the 90s in the USA it was really cool to have a major label behind us, pushing and helping us get more exposure. When they didn’t care about us and it was more about working against us, it was holding us back from doing what we knew was right to do. In the early 2000s our label got bought out by another label, Jive Records. That kind of all happened again over here in the UK, which was nice. We had the support of a major label over here that were pushing us. It was good but also very nice to be independent. You get to do things the way you think they should be done. From experience up close we know what our band needs, what are fans are like and what they like.

According to Setlist FM you’re playing 20 songs on this tour. Which are your favourites to play live on the current set-list?

Aaron Barrett: We’re doing 20 songs? That’s crazy. They’re short songs though. I like to play all the songs that make people go crazy. A lot of bands don’t like to play their hits but I love to play them because I love to see the crowd explode and cheering, “YAAAY.” You hear a little guitar riff or a horn part and just start moving. That’s what I like, to see the crowd move and react. A song that’s really fun to play on guitar but makes the crowd stare at you in a fused way is not as fun live.

Billy Kottage:  Aw man, that’s kind of hard.  My favourite Reel Big Fish song to play live is probably ‘She Has a Girlfriend Now’, just because it’s a great song. Usually we will have a guest and if not, Matt will sing it. That’ll be fun. It’s got an awesome trombone solo. We’ve been playing some Forces of Evil songs and there’s a song called ‘Angry Anthem’, I love that song so much. I think it’s probably all the “mother fuckers” parts.

You’re a band renowned for getting a mass of fans to skank to your songs. Besides crazy dance moves, what’s the strangest thing you have witnessed in the crowd whilst playing a gig?

Aaron Barrett: Last year there were some people actually having sex, way off to the side. It was at that college, one of the universities. Two crazy kids getting it on right in front of people, it was very strange. Yeah…that was weird, it’s not like we have the sexiest music or it was the safest place to do it.

Are there any current plans for a new album? Have you been writing much since ‘Candy Coated Fury’ (2012)? 

Aaron Barrett: Well, ‘Candy Coated Fury’ was my ultimate masterpiece so I don’t think I’ll ever write another song again. There are no plans right now; we’ve got too many songs already. Eventually we will probably make a new album. Matt just wrote a little piece of a song that sounds really good.

What is your favourite RBF album?

Aaron Barrett: Definitely the live album, which is my ultimate masterpiece, it’s so awesome. We edited the shit out of it, took all the funniest jokes and put them all together. We overdubbed the crap out of it so it sounds so fake. It’s not even real. That was one awesome show the night we recorded it, bam that was it. ‘Candy Coated Fury’ came out really good and we are happy with the songs.

Billy Kottage: The same for me with the live album. It’s kind of hard to not like it, for me at least anyway.

Aaron Barrett: They’re all good in their own way.

I didn’t realise how much editing it takes for live albums.

Aaron Barrett: Well, I don’t know, I think we over did it more than we really needed to. We had a lot of new band members and we’d been playing a lot. We felt like a better band. It was just an excuse to re-record everything. I mean, it was recorded live but we’ve added extra and doubled the guitars, little things like that. The jokes are all live. Then we did a DVD in 2009 called Live In Concert…what a creative name. The DVD wasn’t overdubbed or anything, it was completely live. It really sounds just as good. We were going through a time for a crazy period in our lives.

Single Review: Hard Out Here - Lily Allen

Lily Allen has made a highly anticipated come back with new single Hard Out Here. Just days beforehand saw her cover Keane’s Somewhere Only We Know. Allen unveiled the new song online recently without any previous build up or broadcast. Often portrayed as ‘gobby’ in the media, she has spoken out through music about the hottest issues on women in pop. With everything up in the air we all knew we weren’t going to end 2013 without allowing her to have her say. Hard Out Here is exciting, infectious and gives the audience exactly what they want to hear.

Allen’s return has arrived completely at the right time. Recently the media have focused on news covering objectification of women in the music industry and almost anything to do with Miley Cyrus’ latest antics. Allen uses irony not only in the use of lyrics but by adding a touch of auto-tune to compliment the word ‘Bitch’. Lyrics include lines such as, ‘’If I told you ‘bout my sex life you’d call me a slut but when boys be talkin’ ‘bout their bitches no one’s making a fuss.’’ Hard out Here has resulted in having one of the catchiest hooks of the year.

The song is saturated with feminist views about women having control and authority in the music industry, plus how women deal with pressure in a male dominated society. Allen covers topics about women’s roles, expectancies and how they have become viewed as the norm in culture. With this she adds lyrics, ‘’you’re not a size six and you’re not good looking. Well you better be rich, or be real good at cookin’.’’

Lately the video for the song has become a major discussion. Allen uses visuals and sarcasm to mock the recent issue. However she does it skilfully by replicating things you see in videos such as Robin Thicke’s Blurred Lines. His video recently received criticism stating it is offensive and sexist to women. At one point in the video, balloons are formed to read ‘Thicke has a big dick.’ Allen takes this idea as her own but replaces it with the words ‘Lily Allen has a baggy pussy.’ The background shows scantily clad dancers ‘twerking’ in time to the beat. it supports the concepts that some women in the industry are encouraged to be seen as appealing sex symbols but then get nothing except degraded for it. Issues aside Hard Out Here is none other than a welcome return from an artist that, in 2009 confirmed she was quitting music. 

Live Review: Bring Me the Horizon

With support: Sights And Sounds, Pierce the Veil

Nov 5^th 2013

Manchester Academy

With the venue having released 100 extra tickets prior to tonight’s sold out gig, Bring Me the Horizon are here in Manchester for the second time this year. The band have a notorious reputation in the rock world for putting on outstanding live shows. Bonfire night is prepared for a miss this year by many as one of Britain’s biggest metal acts are set to perform a night fans have anticipated.

Due to the immense queue still running down the street outside, first support band Sights and Sounds regrettably don’t manage to gather much of an audience.With 8pm rapidly approaching, the stage makes way for California’s very own Pierce the Veil, who do their duty to get fans hyped up for the main act. The venue is almost over capacity and fans are still only just entering the building. The half an hour set showcases a tight, instrument heavy performance alongside singer Vic Fuentes’ feministic vocals. Although the songs aren't spectacularly varied when playing live, Fuentes’ knows how to work the audience. PTV are a crowd pleaser, however it seems their music is aimed at those of a younger age. 

The crowd are never a relaxed bunch when it comes to Bring Me the Horizon concerts. Straight after renditions of Can You Feel My Heart and Shadow Moses, the room splits into two. A wall of death commences as old-school favourite Diamonds Aren't Forever, sends shockwaves of excitement through the crowd.

It seems BMTH have gone all out for this set. Fans are hypnotised by heavy blasts of smoke, thick guitar riffs and what can only be described as Sempiternal style videos playing in the background. The way the concert charges the audience emotionally tonight just goes to show how much the bands production has improved. The hauntingly compelling And the Snakes Start to Sing is echoed through the room followed by Empire and heavier track It Never Ends.

 ‘‘I want to see a circle pit. If you break an arm or a leg you won’t have to go to school tomorrow,’’ vocalist Oli Sykes yells. Full of charisma and jokes, he captivates the audience with his boundless energy. Sykes is on form tonight and is totally in his element. Much to everyone’s delight a mixture of old and new songs are performed. He encourages the crowd to get on each other’s shoulders for fan favourite Blessed With a Curse which contains an abundance of call and response and an intense guitar solo. The venue is complete with circle pits and crowd surfers. This is and never has been the type of gig for the faint hearted.

Screens disappear, unveiling huge glowing initials ‘BMTH’ as the band launch into the finale of the show. It is the riveting, second single from recent album Sempiternal that closes the performance. Sleepwalking sends the crowd wild one last time. Not one person in the room is standing still. Confetti floods the venue to put an end to an outstanding performance full of empathy, ambience and an insane amount of chaos you would expect to see at a BMTH concert.

Set List 

1: Can You Feel My Heart

2. Shadow Moses

3. Diamonds Aren’t Forever

4. The House of Wolves

5. Go to Hell for Heaven’s Sake

6. And the Snakes Start to Sing

7. Empire (Let Them Sing)

8. It Never Ends

9. Deathbeds

10. Chelsea Smile 

11. Antivist

Encore

12. Blessed With a Curse

13. Sleepwalking

Interview: Tonight Alive.

Tonight Alive Q&A Session 

‘‘We became different people and the people that we want to be’’ - Wakkhio Taahi, Tonight Alive

After recent release of their second studio album ‘The Other Side’, Aussie, Pop Punk band Tonight Alive are due to play their 4th performance of 9 date UK tour. Since forming in 2008 whilst still at high school, the band have gone from strength to strength maturing together with a passion for what they do.

Fronted by 21 year old Jenna McDougall, Tonight Alive have not only been busy writing and recording new album but have toured relentlessly promoting their first studio album ‘What Are You So Scared Of.’ Unfortunately, in 2012 exhaustion hit, band members became ill and they cancelled the rest of their upcoming commitments. Perhaps this time around things will be easier.

I chatted with the two guitarists Jake Hardy and Wakkhio Taahi before the bands gig at Manchester Academy 3 on the 3rd October. It is only 3pm and a group of young fans are already outside the venue anticipating the night ahead.

Who do you feel your music speaks to the most? Who do you think your target audience is?

WT: I guess we never really think about who our target is, but I think on this album there are a lot of personal things that Jenna has written about and I feel that a lot of young girls are really grasping onto it because it’s something that they can relate to. Growing up and going through things, this was our way of giving back to our fans that had the stories.

Who/what are your influences when it comes to writing and recording?Do you look up to anyone?

WT: Yeah, definitely, it’s changed a little bit. This album was influenced not so much by other music but by personal experiences, especially touring with bands we really look up to. We wanted to resemble what they were doing in a sense and what worked for them. We had a lot of growing up to do in that time because we were still young. We’ve grown up literally with the band so we became different people and the people that want to be.

You’ve done a couple of international tours now. Who has actually been your favourite band to tour with?

WT: We have a couple. Young Guns, they’re a really good live band and the most decent bunch of lads. Pierce The Veil are a really professional band too. That’s what we want to do, their kind of stage show.

JH: Oh and Bring Me The Horizon,they were on Warped Tour with us and they just like sounded phenomenal, it was incredible. So I’d say those three bands at the moment.

You recently released new album ‘The Other Side’ did you come across many challenges when it came to writing/recording it. How is it different to other records you have released?What did you learn about yourselves in the process?

WT: Definitely, as much as you can come across I guess. We went through a manager change which was really hard for us. We were all really burnt out ‘coz we’d been touring so much. Jenna was sick with her eczema, it was just a rough time for us as well, we were still opening for people and yeah I guess it was just a really kind of challenging time in our lives and the bands career but we ‘made it out the other side.’I think the main difference though is that we matured a lot more. We had more to write about because Jenna was still in high school and we hadn’t really encountered much. When we did ‘The Other Side’ we had been around the world a couple of times so we had a lot more to write about.

Is there a big difference between the music scenes in Australia as opposed to shows you play in America and the UK?

JH: Yeah, when we were first starting we played at a lot of youth centres but many of those have closed down. You get a couple of international bands every year but then other than that, there’s not much else for them to play at if they’re a young band. It’s more just clubs and stuff. Whereas over here there’s so much music press like Kerrang magazine, Kerrang Radio and BBC Radio1 that are more than happy to play rock music whereas back home our radio doesn’t really play Australian rock music.

WT: We have one rock show called Short, Fast, Loud. We never get played on it.

I was actually going to ask how you felt about being the main feature of Kerrang magazine.It must gain you a lot more fans?

WT: Well yeah, I couldn’t believe that they did it really to be honest it’s amazing really. We were so honoured to kind of be a part of it like that; it’s a huge step to take.

As young musicians there was a time you couldn’t get served in bars despite playing gigs in some, what did you do for entertainment whilst on the road? Have you got any eventful stories to tell me?

JH: The drinking age in Australia is 18 so we were all alright but Jenna had to wait outside and be escorted on stage in some venues.

WT: She had to wait in the stairwell until she could play and then she had to go out straight away. And then when the majority us weren’t 21 in the states so we would just hang out in the van.

JH: The drinking laws are pretty relaxed over there so you could always get someone else to buy it for you.

You had to cancel some of your tour a while back because Jenna was ill. This time you’re on tour till mid-December are you doing much after that?

JH: I think we might be getting a month and a half break at home till after Christmas then starting back up.

WT: We recorded the album at the start of the year and then we have just been touring so we haven’t really been home this year at all.

Talking about tours, is there anything different you’re expecting on this tour than the previous UK one you did?

JH: We’re not expecting anything, but the kids have been incredible, I think we’ve doubled in crowd sizes than the last headline tour we did here and it’s incredible because every night we’d go out there’s so many more than we’d expect.

What impact do you think social networking is having on the music industry? Do you think it’s a good medium to talk to fans/promote singles/albums, or just a just a place for internet trolls?

WT: I think it’s a double edged sword really. It is really good way to keep in touch and everyone worldwide knows what’s going on. Even if you haven’t been to their country for a while you can still talk to them and for that side of it it’s good. There’s also the sense of entitlement I think. The internet is so reachable that fans tend to feel like they owe so much more. Then you get the people that can just say whatever they want with no repercussions because they’re on the internet.

JH: I think you just have to find a good balance, between the two.

We’re at that age where social media is a massive part of music and the media, I know you must have had this question so many times but the double edged sword must come into illegal downloading too?

JH: So many people will find out about new music obviously through downloading it and they’ll learn the words but usually will be asked to buy the CD however it does cripple the music industry as well.

WT: We still have our really dedicated fans that buy our stuff and support us, there’s not much we can do, we’ve just got to record our album.

JH: Kids always want to have something that they can bring in to sign. It’s nice to have memorabilia. So I think there will always be a market, it’s getting better. I love CD’s I love reading the booklets and stuff but I guess kids that are born in the 2000’s have never really had that as much. They’ve not grown up with that and those are the kind of fans that are coming through now and they want everything online. These days everything is so accessible.

Thank you for the time.

WT: Thanks for having us.

'The Other Side’ is now available to order on Tonight Alive’s official website:

http://www.tonightaliveofficial.com/uk/music/other-side

Live Review: Paramore

20^th September 2013

Manchester Phones 4U Arena

Paramore are here in the UK to promote their new, self-titled album. It’s their first tour in the UK since the Farro brothers left the band in 2010 other than the occasional Festival date. With past band bust-ups frequently in the public eye, the key trio have returned stronger and better than ever. Manchester sees the first night of the six date headline tour, with support from Indie band Eliza and the Bear and Synthpop act Charli XCX.

Frontwoman Hayley Williams, as always is the star of the show. Bringing with her yet another creative hairstyle she gives it her all, strutting about on stage in tight, glossy leggings. For such a petite lady Williams carries such a solid, striking voice, one which has matured over time. Tonight she is here to prove critics that this is not the end for Paramore, simply just a new start. With sleek dance moves, angst and crowd interactions the whole stage is ablaze with their infectious persona and the main trio, as a whole are on fire.

The few years out of the limelight focusing on writing and recording has made this band sturdier than ever. With the help from seasoned touring musicians the performance is tight, varied and conveys lyrics about heartbreak and love that the audience can, in some way or another relate to.

 ‘’This year has been such a roller coaster for us, so far in our lives it’s been ok to let go,’’ Williams states as she rehearses a speech about how tough the last two years have been for the band.

Paramore surprise the audience by performing acoustic song ‘In the Mourning’, written a few months after the Farro brothers quit the band. Williams pours her feelings out in front of a 10,000+ audience. This one can only be followed by another devotee favourite, ‘The Only Exception’.

The set-list primarily consists of a mixture of songs from the new album ‘Paramore’. A few classic tracks are incorporated here and there, mainly hit singles. The arena interrupts into song throughout the show as fan favourites ‘Ignorance’, ‘Decode’ and ‘Crushcrushcrush’ blare out from the speakers.. The three acoustic interludes provide a break from the captivating set in which guitarist Taylor York and Hayley Williams set themselves up on alternate sides of the stage with one spotlight.

During most celebrated single ‘Misery Business’ Williams brings the crowd to a halt , surveys the crowd and pulls up a fortunate teenage girl introduced as Amy from the audience. Together they sing until the end of the song, take a bow and leave the stage on time for the encore.

Paramore conclude with a combination of acoustic and electric tracks from new album, ‘Part II’, and emotive song ‘Interlude: Moving On’. Fresh single ‘Still Into You’ is the big finisher for the night. The fact remains that this band can handle whatever is thrown their way, care about their fans and can still pull off a memorable show in the process. They aren't going anywhere in a hurry.

Set List.

1. Grow Up

2. Fast in My Car

3. That's What You Get

4. Ignorance

5. Decode 

6. Interlude: I’m Not Angry Anymore 

7. Daydreaming 

8. When It Rains 

9. Last Hope 

10. Brick by Boring Brick 

11. Interlude: Holiday 

12. Crushcrushcrush 

13. Now 

14. Ain't It Fun 

15. In the Mourning 

16. The Only Exception 

17. Pressure 

18. Misery Business 

19. Encore:

19. Part II 

20. Interlude: Moving On 

21. Still Into You