#ZINEANDHEARD FUTURE PICKS #1

Created during Independent Venue Week 2020, Britain’s last week in Europe, a venue full of friends, old and new, helped to create positivity with Louise Schofield: Pop up TV studio, DIY news reporting on happening arts and culture and a live(ly), inclusive music social.

Studio? Intimate and iconic Hope and Anchor. 

TV courtesy of presenter, tech-star and multi-talent Louise Schofield. 

Culture (Ruby Blue, a travelling music fan, already in TheZineUK documentary when Simon Baker made the ‘Cause You Got Me’ video, which is where we met).

There was heartwarming support from friends there in person or spirit, and even a quick snapshot session with musician, Kat Five. 

Much of Future Picks (our artists/event links etc preview) was ad-libbed like this. What mostly ensued was singing and laughter. We should do it again!

Click to hear ‘Butterfly Wings’ the first solo single by Kat Five released on 28th February.

It wasn’t all plain sailing though. Some people were struck ill that week (including two of the headliners, MOSES, argh Victor can you sing with flu?). Original support, The Rills, were unable to play the show, hopefully another time. 

Kudos to RtN herself, Rhiannon, who stood in at the last moment and graced us with her honey choc voice. We got a preview of future release material. The crowd completed what made it all worth while.

RtN Makes Music

Zeenager crew star, Sonja Amoretti, is so organised that when I (Caf) forgot the handstamp (DIY promoter schoolgirl error), Sonja arrived and did the door with everything needed. An event and band manager in her own right with professional efficiency. Appreciation for that.

We started 2020 as a reflection of this documentary. Informal, fun and small. This made the gig a high quality entertainment that was also a bit like a house party.

Thanks for coming to London for the show, Adele! xx

There will be quite a few results to add to new mates / futures made, a news report, teaser clip, Instagram TV and four interviews, so far. There is a lot of potential in the way that we operate.

The aplomb with which Louise Schofield, one of the most prolific and seasoned up and comers, operates, is impressive. On-the-hoof set up and go tech/presenter, she scripted, hosted, documented, edited and uploaded generating a wealth of content. Thank you for pulsing such positivity. Heck, the branded cue cards and mic are clues to potential, beyond her engaged passion.

That was it. We all ENJOYED being there. Besides being fans of MOSES, who we were chuffed could come to play (and help us start this), we’re mad for music in general. When we’re not at our own gigs, we’re at somebody else’s, budgets permitting!

Between us, we have the seeds of an affordable Event Management / EPK Kit / News Reporting set up, and know quite a lot of bands. True News. Cheers to good souls, James (bass) and Victor (vocals) of MOSES for this engaging interview. They talk videos, a new single, working with producer Gavin Monaghan and, “When You’re Down, You Need L” – they got it from another music guru, radio presenter John Kennedy.

I caught up with MOSES ahead of their headline show for our brand new night Future Picks with The Zine UK. We chat, brand new music, artistic music videos, w...

In Independent Venue Week’s #IVW20, a community of music passion in a grass roots space, during an exceptional week where anxiety, outside our escapism, was high, but so was Hope. Music is our Anchor.

Words: Caffy St Luce (Events)

CALVA LOUISE, UNSETTLED.

Interview. “…we are always at the edge. But we never lose our minds.” 

Thanks to artistic bright visions and hard work, Calva Louise are already roaring in the ’20s, no puppet strings required.

Image by Conner Dixon

Over the last few years – and now armed with the startling debut album, ‘Rhinoceros’, their seeds are blooming. 

2019 was an incredible year of landmark releases and shows, internationally. It was rounded off with a dazzling new EP – ‘Interlude For The Borderline Unsettled’ – and their own (triumphant) tour.

With acclaim and audience reaction spreading, they round off January 2020 on tour with Strange Bones before headlining London’s Roundhouse Rising in February.

At TheZineUK we feel that favourite threads of our tapestry deserve to rise. On one dimension, we’re living through a greatest hits, 21st century rock opera escaping it’s bleakly dystopian setting. 

In “real” life, it takes one helluva lot of effort to get next level.

Somewhere amongst all the darkness, there are stars. One giant star is surrounded by many planets. On a piece of rock moving at 1000 miles per hour, is a wonder of earthly stars in the form of artists. On this tiny piece of rock known as Earth, our home, I took a trip down to the Shacklewell Arms at the beginning of December 2019. 

It was the final night of Calva Louise’s mini tour, celebrating their new EP ‘Interlude for the Borderline Unsettled’. A sold-out show. 

They kindly took time out of their busy schedule, to have a chat.

Calva Louise: “Hello!”

First thing I want to ask, are there any films that came out in 2019, that stuck in your mind?

CL: “Yeah! There was ‘Once Upon A Time In Hollywood’, love that film. ‘Joker’, really really liked that one. Oh, and IT:Chapter 2 and Doctor Sleep! A couple of others…

TheZineUK: Doctor Sleep was really good! Did you get to see Midsommar?

CL: “No. I wanted to see it, but you know I read the script online. I think it was leaked online before the film came out, so curiosity got the better of me.”

It’s still worth watching though, when you have the time! Speaking of fantasy, from where we were two years ago, when I first interviewed you, do you feel like you’re in a fantasy now, or has it been a long time coming?

CL: “Hmm. Well we’re definitely closer…I think we are where we wanted to be two years ago. But the thing is, the effort is so, so much.”

…A lot of sweat, a lot of tears…

CL: “…Yeah. And when we sold out in Manchester, some were like, “Yep. Fine. Good”. And we were really happy, and some were shrugging shoulders, so we were like “Yep. Okay.”

TheZineUK: think what can hurt the most, it isn’t how much time and effort you put into something. It’s about not having that reciprocation matched in any way. If your blood, sweat and tears is received with emotion and sweat you think, “Ahh okay.” But, when others don’t, it can be super frustrating!

CL: “Yeah exactly. We’ve been through a lot of issues that we’ve overcome. It makes us stronger as a band and not only that, I think generally, in the industry, there’s a certain way, things are done. How the machine works, and sometimes you’re thinking, “Yeah, but that’s not how it should be working”. It doesn’t ring true.”

I came up with an analogy the other day. The industry, machine, labels whatever, they’re not against the artist. They’re not maliciously trying to f*** the artists over. But, it is like a human stepping on an ant. You weren’t maliciously trying to hurt the ant, but you still did. We feel like, us ants (chuckle), we need to be aware so we’re not stepped on, you know? 

We’re not hustlers, and sometimes we get told we should be asking more questions etc, and sometimes…”

…Sometimes you just can’t be bothered, do you know what I mean?

*laughter*

CL: “We just want to work hard, but sometimes yeah, we have issues like not having any money at all. But, we’re great at finding alternative ways. Like Alizon built a roof rack, for our van. Him and Ben did a band sign for our tour. And it looks professionally made, but they spent sleepless nights over the stove, bending plastic, soldering. Right till the very day of the tour beginning. Any of our merch, we pack it ourselves and send it out ourselves too.”

…every part of the process, you overlook…

CL: “…Exactly. It’s funny, someone commented on the artwork of our EP “Interlude for the Borderline Unsettled”, saying that whoever we paid to make this, they made a typo and need a refund or a partial refund, something like that. And I was like, “Ha! That’s a funny one. So, you’re saying, that I should be paid, for the artwork? Hmmm. Shall we tell that to our label at some point?”

*laughter*

TheZineUK Could you then argue – though irritating and painful at times – the challenges you’ve had, have helped you grow into who you want to be, where you want to go?

CL: “Definitely! Definitely. I’d rather be where we are now, and fighting for it, than being a puppet and being manipulated into throwing your life away, because that’s what the machine does. It takes a band, squishes the life out of it, and goes to another one. That’s why bands go up and fold so quickly. They’re trapped into a system that sold them dreams, and it’s all lies. Just to make profit.

We’ve learned how to exist within the industry ourselves. We don’t depend on anyone. For example, all the emails to our managers, I know how it works working with PR, agents. Then later if you choose to work with someone, you already know how it works, so there’s less chance of being screwed over.”

Because you know exactly what to expect etc?

CL: “Exactly. Then you know, if something is wrong or not. We could even start our own label. Maybe one day.”

When you’re not banging your head on the table as much?

CL: *laughs* “Yeah. Once we have some more stability. We’ve still got a lot of work to do, before we start any new projects. But we appreciate what’s happened so far, we’ve still got a journey, a story to write. We just want to find ways, to be able to keep going. Even better when we sell out a gig!”

‘Interlude for the Borderline Unsettled’; (1) ‘Belicoso (Explicit)‘, (2) ‘Sleeper’, (3) ‘Adelante’ (4) ‘Belicoso’ (Explicit – Strange Bones Remix)

Would you say, these are some of the running themes, to help you come up with your EP title “Interlude for the Borderline Unsettled”?

CL: “Yes, because we are always at the edge. But we never lose our minds.”

TheZineUK Do you find that’s where the magic happens though, out of your comfort zone, just on that edge?

CL: “Absolutely. Before, when stuff went wrong, I would go into a panic mode. Now when things go wrong, I go, “Yeah, well how can we solve it?”. You don’t create the space to panic even more, so you can control yourself better and more able to make decisions.”

…More methodical, less emotional?

CL: “Exactly, as that’s a waste of time and stressed or not, nothing is going to change unless action is taken.” 

TheZineUK: Which is the one track off the EP, that you want everyone to listen to, in order to understand your journey?

CL: ‘Belicoso’. Or ‘Adelante’. ‘Sleeper’ is more about the whole journey itself.

'Interlude for the Borderline Unsettled' http://calvalouise.com https://instagram.com/calvalouise https://facebook.com/calvalouise https://twitter.com/calval...

I feel like ‘Sleeper’ is the interlude within the interlude if that makes sense?

CL: “No, that does make sense. It is. It’s more of a track, about your dream, your whole journey, the goal of your journey. ‘Belicoso’ is more about being on the edge and going, “Wait a minute, this doesn’t seem right”. ‘Adelante’ is about realising, “It doesn’t matter, we have to go forward”. Literally. The past is behind us, so we don’t have time to waste. So, even if there are lots of challenges and issues that happen, you just have to move forward. There’s no other way.”

That’s a good philosophy to have though. Even when we stop, the Earth is still moving.

CL: “Yeah! Your life is the way it is. You can only, try to keep going. That’s the only thing that works. Although in ‘Belicoso’, it’s about when you lose it. When you need that catharsis, that release.”

Anger is a great motivator, a lot of people just don’t get taught how to channel it properly. 

CL: “It’s also that realisation you’re allowed to be like, “What the fuck?!”, but you can’t stay there. This is how it is, how the world is. You need to shift where you are angry, but also having the awareness of the situation.”

TheZineUK: That makes a lot of sense, choosing how to change the discomfort. Obviously, you can’t share all of your plans, but what are some of the plans for 2020?

CL: “We’re recording a second EP. Well, we could only record three songs for now, as we ran out of money. But, there’s definitely more music coming. Not everyone believed the mini tour, would be successful. There was uncertainty about whether we should book the shows. But, two sold out shows is pretty good. Next year, we’ll see!”

Alright, cool. Well I’ll leave it there, but thanks a lot for taking some time out to have a chat!

CL: “You’re welcome!”

'Interlude for the Borderline Unsettled' http://calvalouise.com https://instagram.com/calvalouise https://facebook.com/calvalouise https://twitter.com/calval...

There are mirrors in the venue. They steamed up after five minutes, and stayed like that. It got very hot, very messy with tons of fun and jokes from the band themselves. It got very hot, very messy with tons of fun and jokes from the band themselves. 

The atmosphere was buzzing throughout, thanks, hugs and drinks were exchanged. 

Calva Louise have just got started, with their feet firmly on the gas pedal. Their music has evolved, a 2.0 upgrade if you will. Experimenting with different techniques and sounds, whilst solidifying what makes them Calva Louise. Innocence to full awareness. 

If you’re wondering, how on Earth (pun intended) the music in 2020 can surpass the music in 2019, Jess, Alizon and Ben are leading the path. We see it. We smell it, and we want it in our heads! 

https://facebook.com/calvalouise/ * superb visual story at https://instagram.com/calvalouise/ * Immerse yourself in #NewerWave international LP ‘Rhinoceros’

NOW WE ARE SIX

Documentary? Situationism? Immersive Theatre? Comedy? Tragedy?

Last year TheZineUK celebrated five years since first uploading Chapter 1 of the diary story in Spring 2014 (the same year that various grass roots music instigations also arrived – maybe there was something in the air)…

So much has happened that this doesn’t feel based in reality sometimes. Are we a rock opera movie? Almost, Almost Famous?

And as for all the BS in the background that passes as real life… One thing is for sure by collaborating and co promoting our friends have created new futures.

Chapter 1 (click and flick) was photographed and created by Rupert Hitchcox, now at Joyzine and the Hard Rock Cafe (among many more achievements). #MusicWomen statement of intent cover with Rhiannon The Nightmare smashing it at the Natural History Museum.

Back page is a scene from TryLifeTV. Teen rockers, Floodliners, are sitting on the bar of Amersham Arms during a club scene (which members of The Caress also appear in). TryLife is now an international, youth powered, interactive drama and tech phenomenom with over seven million fakebook followers alone, plus Ted Talks, Social Media HQ meetings, the works. Well done them.

Amersham Arms remains one of London’s most creative community centres and has one of alternative entertainment’s best stages. ArtBeat central with the gallery upstairs, too.

Georgia of Floodliners went on to be one half of Nova Twins. We totally stan. Recently at Neighbourhood Festival in Manchester.

Eternally running in a circle, TheZineUK’s sixth year begins with readership still growing and the Interdependent Music Industry looming into focus. 

It was great to catch up with Rupert again last night at The Camden Mix Up. Fred from Saytr Play, too. 

Kelly’s band, The Institutes were also on the line up (headlined by Marisa and The Moths) and opening were UK Paint Horse fronted by the enigmatic, effervescent and multi-talent-tasking, Peggy From Earth. 

Smiley of The Underclass was doing the door and it was another friends united fest to follow up Full Moon Weekend’s partying at Modern Age Music and This Feeling. 

It feels like TheZineUK is onto and into something. We will keep creating and reporting. Thank you for reading, and being part of this story. See you at Future Picks on 29th January (London)?

Words: Caffy St Luce

FUTURE PICKS, 29TH JANUARY, ISLINGTON

Punky Rock from MOSES,  Americana from 
RtN Makes Music, presented by Louise Schofield creating with TheZineUK and friends at Islington’s legendary Hope And Anchor

Still grinning from our Music People Party, this idea began while dancing to DJ Nineties Mike at the after show:

7-11pm,Wednesday 29th January. Hope and Anchor, 207 Upper St, London N1 1RL. 18+! £6 advance Tickets (+bf) via WeGotTickets *  Skiddle * Eventbrite. Access; basement venue. FB event for updates.

Arresting artists, Busy, buzzy, Creative crowd, Filmed. Dress up if you wanna. Ad lib future making.

MOSES are a global secret, armed with what sound like greatest hits, and the showmanship to perform them.

Seeds of a MOSES choir, Nov.’19, by Mike Rădulescu

With over five million streams in eighteen months of seasonal releases, tonight begins a big year which opens with next single, ‘Who Needs The Money?’ (Anti Fragile) sounding like an instant classic, again.

Art – from a painting by Ana Ban Ana

MOSES gigs are escapist, uplifting parties with a welcoming community. Bring your voices ( video; with their “choir”, joyfully at the previous London gig.

A song and charisma based line up, then. Special guest is RtN: Rhiannon The Nightmare. A woman in flux discovering herself and her music, RtN was a huge hit at TheZineUK’s fifth anniversary party. You betcha she’s back by return, previewing her debut solo release, and more.

https://www.instagram.com/rtnmakesmusic/

https://www.facebook.rtnmakesmusic/

Everything is at ease when you’re being interviewed by the amazing Louise Schofield.” (MOSES)

Last Summer, our interview article remarked that Louise Schofield “fizzes with the essence of an Entertainment Supergrrrrl.” and that “You know you’re probably at the right event, if her friendly energy is helping to light it up.”

Hard working tech and media instigator, via her YouTube channel and Unique Lullaby music blog, Louise has conducted over 200 artist interviews at myriad gigs/festivals. 

She also presents at BBC, National Film Awards (backstage reporting with Idris Elba and Jo Brand), Green Man Festival, Festival No.6 (for BBC Radio Wales), Liverpool Sound City, The Great Escape, Swn Festival) etc.

A writer, comedian and actor who regularly creates content for online channel – BBC SESH… Louise is our host for the evening.

https://louiseschofield.co.uk/

Plot: DIY sociable media + Document x Affordable entry x share income = Real time crowd funding.

Background; Consistent Future Picks radar. Our first Music People Party DJ (Katie Owen, 2017) presented two December 2019 shows on Radio 1. The Velvet Hands, who played live that year, supported Liam Gallagher (who recommends another of our contributors, journalist Susan Hansen) and Paul Weller in 2019. We recommend potential.

Magick: This venue has the words HOPE and ANCHOR. Zeenager themes.

Likened to “the London CBGBs”, this basement is a mecca for music fans. 

Home to Joy Division’s London debut and Keane’s first gig, alumni include Stiff Records, The Damned, X-Ray Spex, The Specials, The Clash, Steel Pulse, The Cure, The Jam, Madness, Adam And The Ants, The Pogues, The Only Ones, Squeeze, The Police, XTC, Ramones (plus that infamous two men, one dog, U2 gig!)

Some cool past picks there

We also live for NOW. 

… and really do MEAN Future Picks!

Get involved with the artists. Look out for what we create this evening, coming soon. On the outside, looking out, TheZineUK is a fertile environment influenced by Talent and Potential.

Words: Caffy St Luce

COUPLES – OUTER VIEW, INTERVIEW.

“Our music is for us”. 

No end/start of year lists at TheZineUK. Our ongoing story proves it’s tips. Still though, we suggest that you get rock alternators, Couples, on your a.s.a.p. must hear/see bucket list!

Henry Yeomans, Millie Ritchie, Jaime Bravo, Conor Collingwood and Tamsin Wickens photographed by Quinn Humphreys

It’s no secret how there is a noticeable adoration for this London five piece from quite a few of TheZineUK crew. Stand alone musicality emitting grunge strewn, post-“Post-Punk” engagement. Washes of ambience, waves of groove, tangos of tempo from musical and vocal instruments orchestrating a blissfully addictive presence. Therapeutic primal live show release.

Organically woven into the Fertile Environment. 

In Feb. 2017, The Velvet Hands played a support slot at Camden Monarch for Mark Beaumont (NME, The Guardian). Couples‘ singer, Conor, is down the front in our video clip, Newer Wave vibrations, man…. 

December 2019, swapped places at The Music People Party with The Velvet Hands down the front for fellow Cornwall rockers, The Rezner, and headliners, Couples. These multi layered and faceted groups are all part of a genuine NOW happening. 

The Velvet Hands tipped us off about Couples, and the clincher was in Feb. 2018: Simon Williams of our allies, Benumu, jumped on a megabus to Cardiff with Dizzy and Caffy (for The Blinders – we met up with Bill from God Is In The TV, there). What better way to chat exciting new bands than on a punked safari! Two days later, we were down the front, “Instantly smitten” with catching Couples at Benumu live.

The threads of this tapestry weave and achieve. Music fans working as artist allies, firm up the interdependent circuit, industry and media. Seeds are starting to bloom. 

Couples articulate the times. High of relevance, ‘Rip ‘Em Out’, is a dynamically youthquake dynamite anthem of Resistance.

Listen to Rip 'Em Out on Spotify. Couples · Song · 2018.

End of 2020 interview with guitarist, Tamsin:

“You’ve been moving fast throughout the music scene? What are the next plans for 2020?”

“Well, in 2020, we all graduate university, so we’re hoping to really step things up from that point. We just signed to management at End Of The Trail Creative, which we’re all excited about and we’re confident that will bring some great opportunities our way. 

Other than that, we’re still very aware that we have a single and an EP that we’ve been teasing for a while, so to get some releases out will be our main goal.”

This is all good news, plus more of our allies and fave artists finding each other is a bonus! Small music venues are where to be.

“Do you find at times, that some of the biggest irritations in the industry, also help to drive you in creating music?”

“Yeah, for sure. When we first started we hit a lot of brick walls which was quite frustrating but I think as we get a bit older and our music gets better we don’t really think about the ‘industry’. 

We have some great people around us that have always been really supportive, so as long as that stays constant then we don’t really see the point in worrying about whether the music industry machine will accept us or not. Our music is for us.”

It sometimes feels like outsiders of the machine are growing on kismet and compulsion. Musicals, like Couples, have freshened ways of working together. On a different topic to music…

“Any films you’ve really been into this year?”

‘Parasite’, ‘The Irishman’, ‘Marriage Story’, ‘Knives Out’ – to name a few ! We also really want to see ‘JoJo Rabbit’ when it comes out.”

“…and which bands are you currently enjoying?”

“We’re listening to a lot of YOWL at the moment. Their EP is a complete cracker – really great songs. They’re a band that Conor and me (Tamsin) have been watching for a really long time, so it’s nice to see them getting the recognition they deserve. As well as that, we’ve been listening to Swans, Tropical Fuck Storm, Black Country New Road, Sports Team, Protomartyr… There are five of us, so we collectively listen to a lot of different music.”

Gotta say that tropical fuck storm would also make a great description one band genre for Couples.

A collective amalgamate of sounds, simultaneously tearing and soldering gave Couples their busiest year so far including being part of the sold-out CroCroLand moment (picking up many new fans, including John Kennedy of Radio X, who played ‘Rip ‘Em Out’ on his show).

Plus The Brighton Mix Up (3 Day Festival at The Black Lion) and Live Circuit’s sold-out Halloween All Dayer.

Throughout the year they also played various Benumu shows including UK dates on their War Child / Orange Amps tour. Mancunion reported, “Couples are undoubtedly on the cusp of a whirlwind pilgrimage into the depths of the alternative industry.” Spot on.

Camera: Brodie Rake & Alexandre Barbareau Sound: Alex Brown Edited: Brodie Rake

2019 ended with The Blinders (For The Many tour) then headlining The Music People Party. Couples are out choice to kick the next decade’s arse and their stunning set was really something to witness, laying the foundations of resistant, furious fun. So…

“Any new music coming from Couples?”

“YES! We’ll get our shit together in the new year and release a single, then an EP after that.”

“If you had one goal to achieve in 2020, what would it be?

“Releasing an EP is something we really want to get done, just so we can tour it and play live with more of a narrative behind us. At the moment they’re just songs and we’d quite like to contextualise that, even if only in our own heads. Book-ending what we’ve written and moving on to write more.”

Described as “a revelation” by Little Indie Blogs, this is one of the bands that our team dig, deeply and excitedly. Our allies, also. Look out for a filmed interview which Louise Schofield TV did at The Music People Party with these personable musicians. Watch this space. 

On 23rd January, Couples are one of Modern Age Music’s  Ones To Watch 2020 (at The Social, Central London). Grab tickets to the start of their next chapters, here.

Image: Quinn Humphreys

Couples – Facebook * Instagram * Twitter.

Thank you so so much for the interviews and exhilarating live show, seeya again soon