When This Is Over...

“HOPE IS BUT TWO METERS AWAY, ONE DAY SOON THE BANDS WILL PLAY” A spartacus tinted summery anthem from The Velvet Hands for Music Venue Trust.

Fact. This is gonna be so many of us after lockdown: “Walk down the street with a big fat grin, new shoes on my feet and I’ve had a trim…” 

Fuct. We have a long way to go to grinning.

We’ll get there. Britain is a nation with community boozing at heart (see TV). Although we’ve been divided then locked down. One day again, we will be reunited and rocked out. Until then, stay safe because we are not being looked after by those in charge of the nation, any more than the positive, socially inclusive gig spaces are.

“ALL OUR MUSIC VENUES ARE DYING COS OUR GOVERNMENT ARE TOTAL LEGENDS AND DON’T GIVE A FOOK ABOUT THEM. no worries tho because we’ve made a charity single over at VH HQ that’s going to save the world/all our indie venues. all we need you to do is share it with all your mates, all your enemies, your mother’s lover’s brother, your nan, her dog, your cousin…” (The Velvet Hands)

#artbeat by purple knif

‘When This Is Over’, is an uplifting earworm that already sounds like one of the most hopeful and bright-as-it’s-art things about the darker ages, or “2020” as it’s more commonly known.

The Velvet Hands know how to mainline a musical pulse. The tongue in cheek ‘down the pub’ chant of ‘When This Is Over’ doesn’t distract from a summery guitar-pop earworm (produced by John Logan and Jam X) to soundtrack your pub safari. A tune, that also works perfectly for our DIY home and shed boozer super Saturday safaris!

Listen to When This Is Over on Spotify. The Velvet Hands · Single · 2020 · 1 songs.

The band themselves are a golden thread in TheZineUK tales tapestry – like grandchildren of The Rolling Stones if they had shagged the Cavern-era Beatles. 21st Century originals, Velvet Hands emit energetic, alternative rock music that really rolls. 

They cause absolute scenes playing the rising star tour circuit that #SaveOurVenues and #LetTheMusicPlay is about. When This Is Over, you can get this feeling for yourself.

Single taken from The Velvet Hands sophomore album scheduled for early 2020 release.

Please help fund those Grassroots Music Venues. The band have the last word:

“we’ve spent more years in sweaty venues than we’d care to admit, together we can save them. you can donate here“

Fullest VH updates and info :  https://facebook.com/thevelvethands/

Words": Caffy St Luce

CONOR MOLLOY – HIDING A STORM

Conor Molloy is a composer and performer of smart, chirpy tunes with dark lyrics.

His influences include Bob Dylan, The Arctic Monkeys and The Libertines. Conor’s already played some impressive gigs and has just released his new single, ‘Hiding A Storm’. Kelly Munro grabbed an interview.

How long have you been making music?

“I’ve been writing songs since the age of nine (so my mother tells me). I’ve been singing them with my guitar since about age twelve (sometimes raucously!). I’ve been performing in front of whomever will listen since about the age of eighteen and pursuing music in a more professional capacity since late 2016.” 

What’s been some of your highlights so far on your musical journey?

“Supporting Paul Heaton and Jacqui Abbott on tour around the UK in November 2018. I played my songs, accompanied by talented band members, to crowds of 2500+ at the Empress Ballroom in Blackpool and Sheffield City Hall. The final gig was at a sold-out Royal Albert Hall (capacity 5000+). Other highlights have been making it onto the Spotify ‘Hot New Bands’ Playlist in 2019 and recording an EP with a very talented producer in South Africa.”

Your single is called ‘Hiding A Storm’. If you were caught in a storm which three things would you try to save?

Hmmm, good question… I’d probably try and save my guitar (cliché, I know), my family and partner (hmm… they should have come before the guitar…) and my sanity. 

Tell us more about the single. Is there a meaning behind the song or a story attached to it?

Listen to Hiding a Storm on Spotify. Conor Molloy · Song · 2020.

“The song is about a stranger recognising the signs in someone that they have been going through a difficult period (hiding a storm) and reassuring them that they will make it out the other side. The stranger recognises these signs, even though they are not noticeable to everyone, because they have been through something similar themselves.”

What albums do you never get tired of listening to?Bob Dylan – Blood on the Tracks, Blonde on Blonde, Cat Stevens – Tea for the Tillerman, Kirsty Maccoll – Kite, Badly Drawn Boy- The Hour of Bewilderbeast 

What can we expect from you this year? More new music, some live gigs (when appropriate) and some self-production… watch this space. 

Words: Kelly Munro

THE NOVUS: ‘Man On The Bridge’. Band On The Cusp.

Midlands musical ringleaders, The Novus, not only shoot from the hip but were shooting a video for their latest single, when they were interrupted by gun shots! Probably not even the most surreal day in their story so far, to be fair.

More on that, to follow, but if you’re not on board with The Novus already, get involved. A star shaped ride that starts with ambitiously rhythm, riff and tune sparked rock songs and wow-the-crowd live performances – they have the “IT” factor. 

Summer 2020 single, ‘Man On The Bridge’ is out now to flail about to and roar along with. It continues their all-thriller-no-filler release CV. It was produced and mixed by this documentary’s ominpresent Wizard Of Wolverhampton, Gavin Monaghan, at the legendary Magic Garden Studios. 

“We wrote this song in the van on the way home after we came down from Stourbridge to play a gig in Camden and saw this old guy (in his underpants when we saw him) dancing his heart out by the bridge at Camden Lock and apparently he’s been doing it for years.”

I have a soft spot for Stourbridge (about 15 miles from Birmingham City Centre). Me best mate is from there. We met as kids, snarling at each other. Music united us as an odd pairing, we are still extended family, decades later. During that time, this century, The Novus were born and punk life will never be the same. They’ve DIY-reset the music game. Heck the 1970s would probably have given them a TV show! I have caught them at London gigs; grinned, “danced”, sang along and this is one of the tunes that sets off my off-key-warbling.

‘Man On The Bridge’ was originally a 2019 cassette mix track the band made of emerging West Midlands bands. It was discovered by BBC Introducing and played by Huw Stephens on BBC Radio 1. Fair play, it’s an immense tune.

Now the song gets it’s first official release. Originally pressed on vinyl by Flying Vinyl and available, now, on the bands own #JOINTHENOISE imprint on 7” and across digital and steaming platforms (with a Lockdown Demo of ‘Castaway’).

Listen to Man on the Bridge on Spotify. The Novus · Single · 2020 · 2 songs.

Investigation of the band’s composition and arrangement skills, let alone their self-marketing (and one hundred per cent from scratch historic event creating), and a live charisma to hopefully experience as soon as possible layers on audiovisual rewards. Foundations of a solid wall of sound, professionals. Bandcamp supremos : https://thenovus.bandcamp.com/ and never short of ideas.

Like many artists, they are discovering novel ways to make distanced videos during lockdown and extra creativity was necessary when considering what to put together for ‘Man On The Bridge’. 

The song is based on a man who can be seen regularly dancing at Camden Lock , who the band spotted when in London for a gig.

They found footage of the actual man on YouTube and approached the Czech film maker who filmed it. He gave permission and put a shout out on the Idles AF Gang Facebook group to find an editor. All that was needed was some footage of the band to include.

Front man Connor Hill described what happened next:
“Itt was a complete shock to us. We were trying to stick to social distancing guidelines with Tyla filming me at a distance and exploring rural Stourbridge for something resembling a bridge that contrasted to the Camden setting. We stepped off what we thought was a public footpath into some fields and then heard an almighty ‘crack’. We thought it was a car backfiring back on the road or might have been an air rifle, then the second bang which was a lot louder and saw something rattle the leaves of a tree. We thought shit! and legged it as fast as we could as it looked like a ‘get off my land’ episode that might have escalated”

(In the video’s second verse where Connor is furthest away in the field, you can see his head turn after hearing the first shot!)

Needless to say the video is superbly crafted. TheZineUK team are fans of The Novus visual gallery (and, in fact, they designed our most recent picture book cover). A living art installation and exhibition, makes this band genuine Ones To Watch. Right? Right.

More lynx and look out for that video! https://facebook.com/thenovusband/

Words: Caffy St Luce

READY, STEADY, BANG. EXPLOSION IMMINENT.

Top Disco-Punk rock glamsters,  BUGEYE, venture beyond genres and generalisations to an alternative classic loaded with ready, steady bangers.

1) On and On, 2) Breakdown, 3) Shake and Bake, 4) Blue Fire,
5) When The Lights Go Out, 6) Sunday, Monday, 7) Electric,
8) Something’s About To Change, 9) Nightlife, 10) Don’t Stop

Art by 31% Wool

2019 Composed/Performed by Bugeye, Produced by Paul Tipler, Vinyl, CD, Digital via  Reckless Yes. Artwork by 31% Wool

From the get-go, this is a 21st century pop music spectacular. Grace Healey (keys), Kerrie Smith (drums), Paula Snow (bass) and Angela Martin (guitar/vocals) confidently invite us into the heart of a (blooming) arts movement they’re an essential part of.

Image by Julia Woolams

‘On and On’ builds from bleep-rave to crystal-voice to 1970s disco beats and 1980s 4AD riffs and fast as coming up on a 21c-pop rush, ‘Ready Steady Bang’ is in your system. 

Having deservedly received comparisons to some of the most inventive stars, influential music activists, Bugeye, will go on to inspire future comparisons in their sparkly, DIY wake. No pink coding required.

“‌In‌ ‌early‌ ‌2019,‌ ‌with‌ ‌the‌ ‌political‌ ‌atmosphere,‌ ‌climate‌ ‌change‌ ‌issues‌ ‌exploding‌ ‌and‌ ‌personal‌ ‌demons‌ ‌demanding‌ ‌their‌ ‌pound‌ ‌of‌ ‌flesh,‌ ‌we‌ ‌felt‌ ‌angry.‌ ‌The‌ ‌need‌ ‌for‌ ‌a‌ ‌creative‌ ‌output‌ ‌was‌ ‌stronger‌ ‌than‌ ‌ever‌ ‌so‌ ‌we‌ ‌decided‌ ‌to‌ ‌put‌ ‌pen‌ ‌to‌ ‌paper,‌ ‌and‌ ‌focus‌ ‌what‌ ‌time‌ ‌we‌ ‌had,‌ ‌on‌ ‌writing‌ ‌new‌ ‌material,‌ ‌which‌ ‌all‌ ‌came‌ ‌together‌ ‌in‌ ‌the‌ ‌space‌ ‌of‌ ‌about‌ ‌six‌ ‌months.‌ ‌Material‌ ‌that‌ ‌has‌ ‌a‌ ‌darkness‌ ‌to‌ ‌it,‌ ‌but‌ ‌wrapped‌ ‌up‌ ‌in‌ ‌upbeat‌ ‌disco‌ ‌beats‌ ‌and‌ ‌catchy‌ ‌fun‌ ‌tunes‌ ‌that‌ ‌demand‌ ‌you‌ ‌to‌ ‌dance.‌ ‌Our‌ ‌blend‌ ‌of‌ ‌disco‌ ‌punk.‌”

Since 2015, the revived Bugeye have ‌ ‌been‌ ‌pushing‌ ‌audio ‌boundaries‌ ‌(while the last few years have pushed humanity’s nerves). We need our entertainment to be high quality escapism. Key media have been impressed into amazing support, swelling a growing crowd of fans.

Musicality practicality that’s SO “Right now”. ‘Breakdown’ paces up and freaks out in all directions without missing a beat, that you could jump or march to, empathising anthemically.

Styles, tempos, layers, riffs, hooks and an uplifting and empowering attitude oozes in dynamic pulses from every song. This band need to be on your bucket list for when we can gig again. Get ready to shout, jump, chant, strut, shimmy (and THINK?).

Author Disclaimer. I may be missing the amount of grinning and daddy-dancing I follow this band for, but that doesn’t cloud the judgement of my ears. This is simultaneously credible and incredible.

‘Shake And Bake’ slides from early-Jam tones into Beatlesque Riot Girl energy with dramatic underlay. So many ideas here – big up the band and Paul Tipler. Having produced Elastica, Idlewild, LIINES and many more shaker makers, he’s part of NOW’s riffed renaissance during a surreal adversity with the most diversity. ‘Ready Steady Bang’ straddles myriad influences and inspirations to be fresh, original, essential and completely different. 

Bugeye sound like they’ve mainlined a lot of music in their life while retaining their own sound. A couple of months ago, I bumped into Mr Tipler, at one of their gigs. No wonder he could barely contain himself!

This is one of the albums lighting a touch paper, with singles like ‘Blue Fire’ which sounds like a sexy catwalk of Grace Jones arriving at a party. The lead singing and BVs on these songs are aligned like cosmic happenings – with a 31% Wool gallery of art concepts.

The official music video for Blue Fire by Bugeye. Blue Fire is from dicso punk band Bugeye's debut album, Ready Steady Bang, out on the 10 July 2020 via Reck...

“We‌ ‌knew‌ ‌what‌ ‌we‌ ‌wanted‌ ‌to‌ ‌write‌ ‌about‌ ‌from‌ ‌the‌ ‌very‌ ‌beginning.‌ ‌We‌ ‌wanted‌ ‌to‌ ‌write‌ ‌about‌ ‌life‌ ‌as‌ ‌it‌ ‌happens.‌ ‌The‌ ‌drunken‌ ‌silliness‌ ‌of‌ ‌weekends,‌ ‌the‌ ‌boredom‌ ‌of‌ ‌work,‌ ‌the‌ ‌worry‌ ‌about‌ ‌what’s‌ ‌happening‌ ‌to‌ ‌the‌ ‌world,‌ ‌our‌ ‌fuck-ups,‌ ‌our‌ ‌day‌ ‌dreams,‌ ‌addiction‌ ‌and‌ ‌our‌ ‌celebration‌ ‌of‌ ‌music‌ ‌styles‌ ‌from‌ ‌the‌ ‌past.”‌ ‌ ‌
 ‌
Bugeye have‌ ‌created‌ ‌‌an‌ ‌album‌ ‌which‌ is defiantly‌ ‌hopeful‌. Unafraid‌ ‌of‌ ‌facing‌ ‌the‌ ‌darkness, it ‌rejects‌ ‌the‌ ‌pull‌ ‌of‌ ‌inertia‌ ‌in‌ ‌an‌ ‌uncertain‌ ‌world. ‌ ‌

‘When The Lights Go Out’ is gonna haunt me, post-lockdown, in the most positive way. It sounds like being unleashed. Several times, it’s been pointed out that such 21st century chart-worthy tunes and charisma would not have been out of place on 20th Century TV.

‘Sunday, Monday’ is deeply a beautiful earworm for all our lives, if there is such a thing as precision-pop then this hits the “I know a spot” spot. It’s funky – and relates to many people – in lilting melody.

Bugeye are the sound of punk’s rainbow. Shades of minor major guitar and keyboard jangles fused with biting/balming vocals contained by rythmic masterclasses in how to POP! 

There are whisps of Girl Bros, Wendy & Lisa circa Prince’s band The Revolution, alongside bombastic Garbage confidence and the strum brood of The Breeders. These are ferocious, “main stage” SONGS.

‘Electric’ keeps the arena worthiness coming. 2020’s debut albums have fought their way through a decade of “austerity” and whatever this year is, just to exist.

As we lock down, these major league tunes race our pulses. Audiovisual touches you love about Mansun and Duran Duran are fused with art sensibility and politically stanced observeration while remaining energertically uplifting. Music for families to sing along to with roll-ons as mics and Nana on backing vocals. Come on, you LOVE Bugeye.

The ‘Funky Town’ harmonies of ‘Something’s About To Change’ recall a whispy cloud of Lipps Inc in a multi-mirror tuned space pop aural firework display. ‘Nightlife’, crash crushes Pixies goodness explosions from an innocently new wave epic. The bass lines remain deadly deliciously sparkled Talking Heads tints.

‘Don’t Stop’ – how one-band-indie-disco, Bugeye, wash chords that rise and fall with your mood as they wash under your skin. Empathy with our realities empowers these songs to live in our heads and soundtrack our unreal lives. Songs that will sing themselves to you without headphones. 

Wait. How can that be over already? 

No seriously, Bugeye, don’t stop! ‘Ready Steady Bang’ is A definitive, bona-fide 21st Century LP Of The Year.

I’m not gushing. Merely observing. Fight me. Bite me.

Available 10th July. CD, Digital, Cream Vinyl. Reckless‌ ‌Yes‌ ‌member’s get an‌ ‌exclusive‌ ‌pressing‌ ‌on‌ Smoked‌ ‌Red‌ ‌vinyl.

https://bugeyeband.co.uk

Words: Caffy St Luce

GENERATION TREMORISTS!

Working with exciting music talents as a compulsive lifestyle, I trust my ears/pulse and am humbled to be part of TheZineUK’s three degrees of happening over six years of adventures.

I gasp at rising star tingles in spaces where cons cull (thriving!) culture: #SaveOurVenues!

Otherwordly soundtracking from a WEALTH of colourful reaility back story. This list doesn’t even “touch the sides!

Punk Rock is in the he(art) of the beholder. Personally, “Newer Wave” ain’t genre, geography, conforming/not, hype/hip etc. It’s unashamed people-pleasuring passionately, purely.

Bombastic Pop Guitar rewilded rhythms crystalised into dazzling, dirty, dystopia-dousing diamonds. Bomb Pop EXPLODES live. 2020’s a downer.

Yoohoo from Under The Radar!

42 Names From This Tale. Click Video Playlist.

Nearly everybody’s skint, too. Rewards come even later nowadays (as this story attests, also reporting via picture books). That itself began when working class women bonded via Artbeat Poetry. A few years later, situationism wove this tapestry with our friends.

Diversity’s in our DIY DNA, fun’s in our fundamentalism (Manics are in our street preaching and groove is in the heart). Our Uniqulture? Allies disagree on many subjects, but have more in common, thanks to music.

http://thezineuk.co.uk + http://gordotronic.com working together on a double decker bus pizzeria in Deptford, London UK = #uniqulture - yeah, Chenaii, why ha...

We consistently forge fresh futures. Above clip: Chenaii Madhoo, now of Ragged Cult with musician/producer legend, Gordon Raphael – A giggled 2015 moment about The Strokes…

2015. #No3Expo (42 stalls incl. Stage & Bar). Polstar Photography.

Thank you all who are on side to share/observe this movement of good and bad, it’s largely propelled by gig moments with austerity as backdrop.

"Events like this are so important and shouldn't be overlooked." The Glass Collectors Radio ShowNo5 #ArtBeatFest "Too many quality acts to choose from". http...

April 2016 Artful Expo of talent seeds.

Pre Brexshit, Couch-critics droned“Guitar Bands Are Over”. Nope. TheZineUK partied on a rising circuit, ablaze with potential that would impress investigation.

One year after Brexit. Game ON! Moments by TheZineUK, Abbie McCarthy and This Feeling

“Seen/Heard it all before.” If you don’t listen or support then how do you know? I’m STILL discovering.

Zine And Heard - Katie Owen's first filmed (by David Gomes) interview with up and coming garage rockers, The Velvet Hands, March 2018. Full video; https://yo...

This Feeling Big In 2018. Katie Owen‘s first filmed interview for TheZineUK. The entire bill go onto bigger things (also, Katie presented on BBC Radio1 Christmas 2019).

These stories are ALIVE. We need escapist dimensions because Planet Earth has lost it’s frickin’ fracking mind. Humans aren’t mentally match-fit in multiple disaster movie mode. Anxiety/Love – is not a crime. Breathe!

Save Our Venues to experience brazen brilliance of the main-stage-strutting kind or just raucous FUN! Affordably, intimately, unforgettably.

July 2018 Music mover shakers at The Camden Mix Up (Kick Out The Jams)

WE consistently find new faves but refuse to leave respected treasure behind in the scrabble for “Next!”. Artists are the audiovisual truth of a climate emergency pandemic. Our cast evolves in chapters and we can’t unhear potential. We’ve seen most of the mentioned, live/on line, booked, befriended some. They all matter.

What a fun day we had at Cro Cro Land Festival. Such an amazing atmosphere and a brilliant festival and it all sold out in it's first ever year! You can chec...

April 2019. Blueprint of “How To Festival”. The sold out debut CroCroLand Festival united so much and started even more…

On a personal level, I’m still into bands I worked with years ago. Some are well known but weren’t initially hip. New music still gifts potential. There are soulful rewards for those who find their own fresh faves under the profiled radar. See their wide grins at shows and via their social media euphoria. We need, nay, DEMAND, more Joy! Can’t WAIT to gig again!

October 2019 Smiley & The Underclass on their second DIY tour of Japan!

BTW. What is with the blandstand mainstream charts? I’m old, not dead. Kudos to radio, bloggers, playlisters exposing sparkling potential. Amazing talents can have nothing (but hope and courage!) to lose. Most ain’t “Living The Stream” financially. Fame and fortune’s trickle-down to them is tiny. Success often has ladders pulled up behind it, plus gatekeepers!

How to mend the #BrokenRecord industry, artists first?  
Extraordinary marketable culture. Belief in unfamous music-notes is not for all money-notes-people 

Generations always gonna tut at each other but the wealth of anecdotes seasoned music lovers pass onto youth and the energy/ideas/tech flowing back, flavours this “best and worst of times”. 

Youth are… Grime bosses, climate scienced and see Black Lives Matter is a People -v- Racists thing …for all futures. Unity is power, so big up all punky Zoomers n Boomers!

#2020Vision clarity. Scales fall from eyes.

A culture clash of artful rockers have come together, torn apart, co-promoted/supported. It’s musical medical magical poetry in emotion!

… + 100s of zines/radios, studios + 3 Degrees of Separation!

Serious question. Why don’t ALL music media / business etc., report extensively and repeatedly on our industry’s virtual government: Music Venue Trust? The heritage culture of the intimate show circuit, feeds EVERY level.

It's All DIY: Label and Magazine (11am-3pm) Fair by Some Might Say, Why Generation? Vallance Records, Flying Vinyl, Roadkill Recirds and So Young Magazine wi...

29 Feb 2020 – 1/2 minute of the DIY Label & Magazine Fair!

Our 2020 started with industry meetings, #FuturePicks TV, a sponser… Then we crashed with everybody else to bleak bollocks. But…

“We are adapting” Idealistics 
(Balcony Festival 6, Summer Solstice)

TEAM! (Balcony Festival)

Music generations are tremoring future possibilities.

Words: Caffy St Luce.