positively Kat five!

“Cyberpunk vixen”, Kat Five is fused into so many mixes of science and nature! She is Feral Five’s lead vocalist, a musician, a solo artist in her own right and a key audio tech consultant/events speaker. Just a few of the many hats “K5” wears.

Image (c) Don Blandford https://instagram.com/snapperchap.don/ + https://facebook.com/Snapperchap

Despite modern life, across alternative music’s independence, there’s an organic swelling, with firmer foundations, of eclectic career potential coming to wider attention in no one set way.

TheZineUK’s story spins a web from their artistry. Musical activism is bringing pleasure, hope and solidarity during times that can be stressful and perilous for grassroots venues and talent, alike.

In short, POSITIVITY is still a thing!

Music is one of life’s treasures which can give us hope. What about the musicians, though?

We asked Kat Five what gives her hope?

“Community, creativity and activism. People are really coming together right now to fight for change.”

Humanity, assembling, around the world is increasingly noticeable. This brings balance to the mainstream media’s mostly negative energy. Artists are so important for representing the escapist side of life. Eccentricity is an energy.

Image (c) Don Blandford https://instagram.com/snapperchap.don/ + https://facebook.com/Snapperchap

Feral Five have just appeared live at the giant installation-as-music-festival: Electromagnetic Field, performing an electro spectacle with algorithm visuals, dance, tech, style and interaction.

In April, Kat Five’s debut solo show was wonderfully received at Cro Cro Land Festival.

Both are music stories that are going places, especially since the influential debut album from Feral Five: ‘Truth Is The New Gold’ (2023).

Everybody starts somewhere. We asked K5 “where?”

“At school! School choir, some group guitar lessons, playing that old favourite (not) 'She'll Be Coming Round The Mountain'. Music education is so important. Early influences were amazing artists I saw on TV. The standout was Chrissie Hynde as she played guitar and made anything seem possible.”

It turns out that almost anything IS possible, hence our alternative art movements in sound and vision. Fast forward from school days to having made a genuine mark on the music and tech scenes as well as media acclaim. Read TheZineUK’s Spring’24 Kat Five article for further details.

There’s news for the near future, too. What’s happening, K5?

“Unleashing new music! Planning the next Kat Five single, one of the songs I premiered live at Cro Cro Land Festival, such an amazing place to play. More shows.”

Kat Five (@katfive_) • Instagram

It’s all kicking off!

Image (c) Don Blandford https://instagram.com/snapperchap.don/ + https://facebook.com/Snapperchap

#Zeenagers EXPO is GO!

Mango In Euphoria, The Outers, Jean Genie's Massive Hugs

…and TheZineUK cast and new friends

April 2023 really was a #PopOfTheTops MOMENT. Zeenagers Expo is GO!

#TheZineUK infamous travelling circus, Music People Party, returned to this documentary’s place of creation celebrating an art punk social, in the iconic Amersham Arms. “Big stages are the ones for me…” (Mango In Euphoria).

Good evening New Cross, let’s PARTY! Pic by Dizzy Spell.

Looking forward with a newer wave of alternative sounds, EVERY set brought their entertainment game for an awesome audience who mirrored the on stage engagement with their own cheers and moves. The feedback, still coming, is amazing; “life affirming” (industry scene-shaker, Meli Foris)

Sadly, indie jazzpunx, Brie, were unable to play but gladly the remaining line up proved (oi, non diversifying fest bookers!) that female musicians ROCK.

Jean Genie’s Massive Hugs

Poptastic songs emitted with a stripped down set, Jean Genie & Jonny Hayes showcased magical, melodic stories of reality in surreal times. JG, “Bringer Of Sunshine”, set the tone for an uplifted evening with expansive tunes.

All tonight’s performances were loaded with potential, so emitted an infectious confident joy.

Jean Genie - a living song. Photo by Dizzy Spell.

Music lovers came from as far as Wales and The Midlands to New Cross. It warms the heart that they already want to return to this welcoming space as part of the show. Bless the interdependent grassroots music venue circuit.

Tonight, Amersham Arms is twinned with The Ferret in Preston by the Massive Hugs latest (artivist, radio air played) single, ‘Ray Of Hope (Ferret Forever)’. It’s also linked to The Old Blue Last in Shoreditch, by the next band, discovered through a song before they played a launch there at the end of last year. Yes please, you can never have too much soaring drama.

The Outers

The Outers are a lively live thrill. Photo by Dizzy Spell.

The Outers are groovy and magnetic with occasional tints of Blur and Blondie but an operatic punky energy of their own. After catching them in December, they were another must for tonight’s show. An interactive indie rock party who made some new friends this evening, they’re also setting up for new releases. Watch their (s)pace!

Coming across new faves like that, TheZineUK doc works via kismet, karma, magick and just wanting to stage a recommendable event. The next set being another case in point - a last minute addition to a Kick Out The Jams show in Autumn 2021.

Mango In Euphoria

Now a released recording artist, London’s glam-punked disco diva is back at Amersham Arms by request and packing punchy tunes in the process.

Mango In Euphoria, disco queen. Photo by Dizzy Spell

If I was a festival booker, Mango In Euphoria, The Outers and Jean Genie’s Massive Hugs would be on the line up of our stage. They suit indie-rock, alt-pop events with an inclusive party atmosphere.

This ain’t just excitement speaking. There were an array musical peers and future-movers at the show. There’s a reason that ‘Hollywood’, the latest Mango In Euphoria single, is hitting all the right notes with independent media and radio feedback.

Could have heard a pin drop for the song ‘Radio Waves’. Jean Genie’s Massive Hugs by Dizzy Spell.

Next month, sussed festival bookers, Kick Out The Jams and End Of The Trail have snapped up Mango’s and Jean Genie’s powerful live sets for two 3 Day Free Festivals in Brighton. Both multi-tasking promoters have impeccable show scouting/artist connecting reputation.

#StageStyle 4REAL!

I had kinkyboot envy of Ade, lead singer of The Outers, TheZineUK editor, Dizzy Spell always sports a head turning outfit, Kat Five is a consistent metallic shimmer of glamour and I couldn’t help but notice how sparkled ALL the live sets were this evening. Musicians making rock n roll dreams of the newer wave kind, live on stage. Like a TV show. That’s uniqulture’s fertile environment of “couldn’t make it up, so just live it”, for ya.

So much MOVE-ment in this movement! Photo by Dizzy Spell.

Great to see Lisa Knight (busy PR and photographer currently on tour with The Kut), Meli Foris of Play It Loud UK (photography, promotions), the above mentioned Kat Five (artist - Feral Five - and techtastic space vixen), John McKiernan Platform 7 Events (virtual dimension technology and arts collaborations), musicians Anita Maj of Lil Minx Records, Ceri James and Alex Wonderland in the house. There was more photography by Neil Anderson (98 Wounds) and as ever, the supportive care of the venue and staff. (cheers Andy and Richard).

The legacy of future making was invigorated by this convention of invention.

Exhibit all this.

The #MusicPeopleParty (December 2017) began #TheZineUK cast and crew's step up into the surreal serendipity of situationism that kicked off in 2018 and forms #Zeenagers - a multi media expo being created between Spring 2023 and Spring 2024 - of the last five (WTF) years,especially. There was an audiovisual slideshow from #TheZineUK documentary on the big screen, then images and clips from tonight will be part of future projections. Appreciation for all there in spirit and support.

The original Pop Of The Tops club (artists, faeries, punks etc) was killed off after a year to "Stay Beautiful" but still inspires fresh ideas. Twisting tuned tales with uplifting energy and chic!

Mango In Euphoria https://linktr.ee/mangoineuphoria by Dizzy Spell

The best thing is that Paul Joyzine has been part of it all. Now one of independent music culture’s most influential standards, Joyzine celebrates twenty years of influence. Down the front for Bloc Party, Art Brut etc at the original Pop Of The Tops and again for these emerging names!

Generation Tremorists of all backgrounds come together, weave a DIY art show, laugh with escapism. In short, Zeenagers Expo is Go! We’re OI (organic intelligence) so it’ll remain chaotically tangented. Phew.

Everybody mentioned above? Find them over the next few days via our social media https://linktr.ee/thezineuk

'Truth Is The New Gold' say Feral Five

“Free your mind and the rest will follow" (En Vogue).

Intergalactic time travelling artists from the 22nd century, launch an album of art beat future into the atmosphere of 2023

 ‘Truth Is The New Gold’

Digital, Vinyl, CD album, ;available 10th February 2023
Composed, performed and produced by Feral Five.
Mastered by Katie Tavini.
Sleeve design by Glastonbury exhibited Malcolm Garrett (Buzzcocks, Duran Duran, Magazine).
Synthetic AI voice instrument designed by Birds on Mars.

Released via buzz independent label, Reckless Yes Records (Bugeye, LIINES, Fightmilk, more). Alongside general release, available to the membership who support the label.

Pre-save audible escapism
https://feralfive.bandcamp.com/album/truth-is-the-new-gold

Feral Five’s dazzling debut album ‘Truth Is The New Gold’, is an evocative voyage through a Feraltropolis style future city, and an offering of sonic elixir for heart, feet and mind. Leading us through secret spaces, changing skies, personal truths and revelations, the Ferals glide seamlessly between bold alt pop, experimental electronica, and cinematic landscapes.

With acclaimed singles, EPs, and radio play including BBC 6Music and RadioX X-Posure under their belt, the Ferals have now signed with independent label Reckless Yes to take us on a deeper emotional journey in ‘Truth Is The New Gold’. (Reckless Yes Records)

Feral Five - Kat (she/her) Vocals, Synthetic AI voice, Guitar, Synths, Live coding, Percussion and Drew (he/him) Bass, Beats, Synths, Guitar, Percussion, Vocals - emit cosmic angel-disco melody.

Songs are tinted with Cocteau-twinned Duranish Portishead tangents, tech-tok trip-hop beats tackle lyrical home truths about Planet Earth. With ever inventive ways to create and present music and widescreen cinematic tones, these are are just a few facets of this Craft Punk duo.  “Enid Blyton's worst nightmare" Steve Lamacq

Feral Five explore sonic frontiers of technology.

They’ve worked with sonified algorithms, 3D printing, predicting #3dprintinghumans, sampling and creating 3D printed artwork, and using a 3D printer as an instrument when they played Music Tech Fest. Recognition is growing.

As a founding member of both the Human League and Heaven 17, electo legend, Martyn Ware gets it and invited them to create and perform music for his Picasso Portraits night at the National Portrait Gallery in London’s Trafalgar Square as the great Women’s March of 2017 grew outside, ready for the next day.

By 2022, our Space Vixen, Kat Five is no stranger to repping at international technology events and industry/creative community conventions. She’s also been invited to join the Voting Academy for The Brit Awards 2023, thanks to the Music Producers Guild.

Additionally, TheZineUK can attest to her supporting fellow musicians at grassroots venues. Our situationist documentary gets mind expansion help from the kind souled vision of Feral Five.

They’re a golden thread through the zeitgeist tapestry of interdependence exciting dystopia with hope of better days. Over the last few years, especially we’re seeing the cast and crew of this tale gift new possibilities to whatever happens next.

In the multiverse, Feral Five are from a bright and colourful city of peaceful green spaces and artfully astounding places. ‘Truth Is The New Gold’ plays across Golden Rule Plaza sometimes and children of all ages throw shapes and style, blissfully.

This dimension is impressed with them, too:
“Glitchy throbbing beats, whirring electro-fused hooks, and a fierce driving energy”
Get In Her Ears

“Think The Knife with the soundscapes of Sigur Ros”
The Girls Are

"Etherealpop supreme.” Rocklands

Truth Is The New Gold. SOON.

https://www.feralfive.com/