mfoxallsmith

[mfoxallsmith]

Review: Manchester Orchestra – A Black Mile To The Surface

Picture from genius.com

Overview:

This album doesn’t make sense.

Or at least that’s what I thought until I listened to it on vinyl. As with most albums I buy, my first run at A Black Mile To The Surface was on my car stereo. It’s a radio test. A thoroughly innocent way to hear music. I switched off to appreciate some new music. It seemed like there were songs that didn’t flow together well, with huge gear changes between sections of the album. The Maze, and The Gold set a great pace which drops off suddenly after Lead, SD to give us 3 mellow songs that blend together into one. The album then finishes with an odd palette of heavy and light, fast and slow songs to finish the album. From a band that have crafted their previous albums to play smoothly between songs with natural highs and lows, this is certainly a disjointed play-list.

The melody is much easier to understand on the vinyl. This isn’t surprising when you look at how much Manchester Orchestra push their record sales. This album opened at #7 in the Billboard Top Album Sales Chart, and #2 on Vinyl Albums sales. Musically this album is in 3 parts – which is made glaringly obvious when you play it on a turntable. Turning the record over allows for a natural interval between the album chapters, which manifests in the 3 sides. It’s oddly like having 3 EPs.

The Breakdown:

Originality – 2/2 A lot of the themes throughout the album are very similar to previous albums: deceit, guilt, anguish, religion, family. Andy Hull takes on a new role in A Black Mile To The Surface – fatherhood. Learning that Andy had a baby girl (named Mayzie – where the title The Maze comes from) changes your perspective of the album. Previous MO albums have been journeys of self-exploration, who Andy Hull was, and why he feels the way he does. This album explores how he envisions parenthood, and current emotions. There are traces of their previous albums lurking in the background, as well as from the Swiss Army Man soundtrack (see The Mistake), but altogether this is a much more mature record than those previously – both in terms of sound and lyrics.

I give it a 2/2 for breaking the mould and trying something different, yet in keeping with the Manchester Orchestra modus operandi – the MO-MO if you will.

Melody – 1/2 This albums sets off with great pace. It follows suite of Simple Math in having a slow song to open the album up and then sets a drive with the second song – as Deer did for Mighty. The shift in gears between the parts of the album is a bit clunky but if you do decide to look at the album in 3 parts then this can be forgiven. A consistency in the MO style is Andy Hull’s vocal tone, ranging from piercing soul shouts (Lead, SD) to ghostly spirit (The Parts). The dark chord progressions we’ve come to expect from MO are certainly kicking around in the heavier songs as well. I anticipate that some of these songs like The Gold and Lead, SD will make for excellent mosh fodder. Something I want to address is the loss of two core members. Both Chris Freeman (keyboard) and Jonathon Corley (bass) have gone their separate ways from the band since the release of Cope/Hope. I personally feel the loss of their influence. Keys have played a large role in this band’s rise, sculpting the background landscape of many of the band’s greatest songs. Changing musicians may have lead to a different approach to this album. Also, as personal speculation, I think it has also meant that Andy Hull may have gone partly unchallenged in areas leading to more outside-the-box thinking and individuality in the record.

Lyrics – 2/2 Here’s the real focus of this album. Andy Hull is a father and the gravitas of this responsibility is quite clear. I wrote synopses for all the songs in my draft, and whilst themes like parenthood and anxiety feature throughout the album, there were a couple of tracks that stand alone in my opinion. My one qualm is that the third part (from The Wolf onwards) does not seem to possess a lyrical direction, and, at times, feel like afterthoughts to the album.

The Maze I think this is Andy Hull’s impression of how his baby girl sees him; a point of view perspective from Mayzie (rephrase). The perspective flips halfway through to show Andy’s gratitude to his child for bringing him out of dark places into a lighter, purer world. Compared to previous work it feels like Andy has hope for once – “you lift that burden off of me” – and is free from anxiety that so many MO songs are full of.

Lead, SD Neither Andy nor his wife are ready to be parents. They both feel like kids, crazy and wild, “high” and “deadbeats”, who get sobered up by the news that they are having a child. The racy arrangement and fleeting thoughts in this song are evidence of how unprepared Andy Hull feels for this role, containing constant references to how he is “losing it”. There are also themes of dependence. Without his wife Andy would struggle, “I’m lost without a single clue as to where I’m headed. I wait for her because without her I’m gonna sink.” He ultimately says “it took your blood on my blood to believe”, possibly that ‘we needed to have a child for me to trust and commit to you”. It’s a reaction song to hearing the news you’re becoming a father. Disclaimer: I could be completely off grid here though as Jake Cordiner (@jjjjaketh) from blinkclyro seems to think this song is about one brother trying to rob a store and the other trying to stop him – originally written for a concept album based on the story of these two brothers.

The Parts This is the love story (in brief) that let to Mayzie. It’s a really beautiful piece. Childhood memories of your first dates, bedrooms, appearance, that end in the birth of a child. This song has one of my favourite lines on the album – “I’m a water boy overwhelmed by the screaming” – the ‘Dad’ experience of labour. I think that line nails how every man feels in the birthing room at the birth of their firstborn. It’s a real gem of a song and shows Andy Hull at his prime. It’s a universal feeling for me when Andy sneaks in a solo track: Virgin – I Can Feel Your Pain, Mean Everything – 100 Dollars/ I Can Feel A Hot One. It’s always the cherry on the Manchester Orchestra album

Technicals – Production, Engineering, and Mixing – 1/2 This album is tight. Manchester Orchestra’s albums have been since Mean Everything. Every instrument is where it should be, and in a good way. Some bands can afford a little laxity in production, it suits their style, but Manchester Orchestra to me have always seemed like a clean cut kind of dirty rock. This album continues that theme. The overall style and feel is mellower. The majority of the album was produced by Catherine Marks of Foals, Wolf Alice, and newly surfaced The Amazons, of which the former two have taken very relaxed approaches to their most recent work. So there’s no surprise really that Manchester Orchestra have come forward with a softer approach on this album. I still have the feeling though that more work could have been put into the last third of the album to make it gel better. The tempo goes up and down too much between only 4 songs. There’s too much variation. I don’t really want to be shaken about by the songs, more guided through them. On the other hand they do feel very final, and bring about the close of the album nicely.

Overall Impression – 1/2 Even thoughI feel that I’ve sung its praises, this album hasn’t given me what I wanted. I was really looking forward to an alternative rock album to just lose myself in. I’m a bit of a stick in the mud at times. I’m not a huge fan of change. I would have been totally fine with 7 pure rock songs, and 3 Andy Hull solos featuring Manchester Orchestra; a formula that I think works for this band. Instead I’ve been gifted with this deep and thoroughly thought-through piece of art. The bastards. Overall though I like the album. It’s different, and I think I’ll appreciate it a few years down the line when I myself start to mature into an adult with more responsibilities.

Overall rating: 6/10

Best song: The Gold

Hidden Gem: The Parts

Editor: Rhys Edwards

[mfoxallsmith]

Prelude to Album Reviews

[mfoxallsmith]

Foo Fighters @ The Islington Assembly Hall (12/9/2014)

This is a great venue. Unlike many other London clubs and venues it has kept its clean theatrical look rather than trying to jazz the environment up so much with gimmicks. Whilst this is partially because it still acts as a theatrical venue and ceremony hall, it still feels like a venue capable of hosting a decent rock show. Wide, yet intimate, this 775 capacity provides great views from all angles (including a balcony) without feeling overcrowded.

But who cares! The Foo Fighters are playing!

I admit this is an overwhelming moment for me. Taylor, Chris, Nate and Pat walk onto the stage, humble heads bowed low, led by their magnificent frontman who goes straight into the opening riff of Aurora. The most incredible start to a show I’ve ever seen. Not only is it my favourite song of all time, I thought I’d never see it live, let alone in a venue this size. It almost had me in tears. The build; conflicting guitars on delay pedals, adding base and drums, and finally vocals eased the crowd into this dreamscape.

That ethereal start didn’t last for long though as the next three songs saw the Foos kick into heavy riffs from across their catalogue: All My Life, I’ll Stick Around, and Rope. At this point Dave takes a moment to welcome the crowd and tell us that we’re in for some tunes from the early days tonight, seeing as their set list will soon be accommodating an eighth studio album. He doesn’t disappoint and dives into Up In Arms; a song which, I think, has rarely made an appearance since the touring days of The Colour And The Shape and Big Me. This prompted several packets of Mentos to be thrown at the band, an inside joke that Dave addresses once the song has finished, a curse that’s followed the band since the debut album – watch the Big Me video, you’ll understand.

White Limo and Arlandria follow; songs showing the two sides of Dave Grohl’s song-writing ability. The former, a song written in two minutes after Mendel told Grohl that not all his songs didn’t needed to be serious, the latter, a song about Dave’s childhood, growing up and his mother, Virginia (who is sitting in the front row next to Brian May). These two songs, off the latest album, though raw and gritty are performed with precision. Two songs that showcase how much punk energy the band still has whilst maintaining their degree of professionalism. Solos interspersed throughout the songs gives the Foos each a chance to show off their individual skill sets. They then play My Hero and the audience shouts out every word, including a repeat of the last refrain (There goes my hero/ watch him as he goes./ There goes my hero/ he’s ordinary.) over and over, sans music.

Next, a short introduction to each band member produces an overwhelmingly heart warming scene when the audience is introduced to Pat Smear. Pat played on The Colour And The Shape with the Foos before, and is now back with the band. Re-integrated thoroughly into the Foo family, he scores the largest applause and screams on his introduction that even Dave can’t hush.

The next ten songs seem to rattle by, without barely a pause for a breath. A personal favourite was hearing Generator, another song seemingly dropped from the common set list.  The set is then finished off by Dave Grohl screaming “LET’S DANCE”, and launching into Everlong.

A solo performance of Times Like These by Dave starts the encore, the band joining in halfway through. Finally Dave tips his hat and says goodnight, relishing the small but utterly captivated audience and cries out the opening lines to Best Of You.

Foo Fighters new album, Sonic Highways, is released on November 10th alongside an eponymously titled documentary detailing the writing experience and the influence of eight American cities on the process.

  Set list:

Aurora

All My Life

I’ll Stick Around

Rope

Up In Arms

Big Me

White Limo

Arlandria

My Hero

Cold Day In The Sun

Generator

Walk

These Days

The Pretender

Learn To Fly

Breakout

Skin And Bones

Monkey Wrench

Hey, Johnny Park!

Everlong

  Encore:

Times Like These

Best Of You

[mfoxallsmith]

An Insight Into Small and Independent Music Venues + Interview With Frank Turner

I have finally come round to writing this article because the threat of small venues shutting down is now, regretfully, getting too close to home for me. Selfish, I know. The Fleece, established in 1983 in the docklands of Bristol, sees up to 7 nights of live music a week as well as hosting club nights that can be open as late as 4am on a weekend. The reason why this is such a successful operation is that the area in which it is situated lacks any residential housing. No residents, no complaints.

However, The Fleece is now under threat from housing development of an old office block nearby (20 metres away) which, it is speculated, could cause long term problems for the venue if the area is to become more residential.

The Fleece has been an established venue and part of the Bristolian community for over 30 years. It’s seen acts like Feeder (1995), Queens Of The Stone Age (1998), Ash (1999), Biffy Clyro (2002), and The Darkness (2003) play its small platform stage and then go on to sell out arena/stadium shows and headline the world’s largest festivals ten years down the line. That’s a difference of 450 capacity to 12,500 – 90,000 cap. 

It has acted as a springboard for local acts and those touring both in the UK and internationally to house the small group of fans they may have in cities. It still does! Manchester Orchestra, a band from Atlanta, Georgia, just headlined The Fleece. They’re an incredible live act with a strong album catalogue, although they may not have the largest UK following. Without The Fleece their chances of taking their tour through Bristol would have been slim.

Bands, unsupported by the musical juggernauts such as Simon Cowell (and Syco Music) are not likely to sell out a 1000 cap venue on their first tour. That’s why we need small/ independent venues. We need to support those artists so that we can keep them around.

It’s good that NME run their small venue competition each year – featuring Thekla, another Bristol venue that’s had its troubles – because it keeps us aware of where we may find some truly unforgettable acts whilst their in their blossoming flower stage, finding their sound, learning their trade and becoming the artists we’ll see in 5 or 10 years time. This is where bands form their first rapport with crowds; it sets the mould for the future. If we don’t have small independent venues then bands are thrown in at the deep end, which may be some bands dream, but means that they cannot relate to all the people in the crowd. They won’t have been afforded the journey provided by these venues. They won’t become legendary.

The same goes for building the HS2 railway through Camden. We run the risk of venues such as Dingwalls, The Monarch, The Lock Tavern, and The Hawley Arms (all doubling as pubs by day) losing trade and profit, possible closures and thereby losing platforms for small bands.

Chris Sharp, the owner and head of The Fleece kindly answered some questions for me about the venue and the situation as it stands right now.

What is your role at The Fleece?

Owner

What does the Fleece mean to the music scene in Bristol as well as nationally and internationally?

Probably now the most important venue in the South West with the number of touring shows being booked here every year. It's vital for local bands given the number of local showcase nights and Sunday all-dayers we do as well as countless opportunities for local band to get decent tour supports. On a national and international level it's a vital part of the UK/European touring circuit.

What does The Fleece mean to the community?

Thousands of people have been coming through these doors every week for the last 32 years. The Fleece is simply irreplaceable!

What does the Fleece mean to you?

Since taking over the venue in May 2010 it has taken over my entire life!

How do you think the music scene in Bristol will be affected if the Fleece were to lose it’s licensing as a music venue?

It would be a crippling blow. There is no other place in the South West offering as many opportunities for local bands to play in a full spec 450 capacity tour circuit venue to decent sized crowds.

Have you had any previous problems in terms of licensing and noise complaints?

None whatsoever.

32 years and no problems whatsoever.

I caught up with an exhausted Frank Turner after Mongol Horde’s show at The Fleece in June. He lent me a few minutes of his time to share his opinion on small and independent music venues.

Favourite independent club to play/ see gigs?

To play I’d probably say Nottingham Rock City. It’s the people who run that place and the whole vibe they have going on at that venue, it’s been going on for such a long time. There’s also different size venues going on there which is cool, but its just that I feel like they’re people who are really in it for the right reasons, I mean there’s a lot of people doing it for the right reasons, but there’s something about Rock City that I fucking love.

In terms of venues to go to, it’s slightly depends on what you mean by independent, which, I think, is ill-defined. For example, I adore The Garage. I grew up going to The Garage and I’m super-excited that Mongol Horde are playing The Garage, and honestly, there was a long period in my life where I went there three times a week and I saw every single punk band you could ever think of play The Garage, so I do love it there. But, I think, it’s the Relentless Garage now, but that level of corporate sponsorship doesn’t really bother me because to me it doesn’t really affect the music, that’s the only thing which particularly matters to me.

There have been times when, let me phrase my words carefully, there have been things about venues being corporately branded that can interfere with the experience of the show and that’s when it becomes an issue. But I don’t drink energy drinks anyway so I don’t really give a shit and you still go to gigs at The Garage and it’s still The Garage, so whatever.

What would you ask for out of an independent or small venues then?

Well it’s not complicated. You want people that care about music and people who care about both the bands and the audience. It amazes me constantly to see venues and people who work in this business that fail on one or both accounts. It’s not that complicated to just be cool with people, both bands and audience. There was a thing a few years ago where a whole bunch of people getting up in arms about O2 buying venues and that kind of thing. But, for me, if you look back at the time you’ve got a lot of venues closing and if somebody’s putting money into music venues existing – Fucking A! Somebody’s got to. It is possible to be overly precious about these things. The thing that really matters is that shows happen and that artists can be artistic and entertainers can entertain. As long as those core activities aren’t affected and influenced then I don’t really give a fuck about whether it’s got a mobile phone company written over the door. I’ll get over it.

It’s a funny time at the moment. We’re here at The Fleece and there’s the whole Fleece thing going on because [the building company] are developing those into flats (gesture towards the deserted office buildings). Small underground venues will always be precarious. I’ve done a bunch of stuff like save The Railway, save The Joiners, that kind of thing, (but) there’s never going to be a time when small venues aren’t precarious. It’s a financially unrewarding business to be in. But you can do your bit and help out and all the rest of it. Sometimes I think some people are waiting for some sunlit uplands where all small venues will be secure forever but it’s never going to happen. It’s the nature of the beast.

There’s huge turnover of small venues. If you look at tour schedules, I was looking at, because I’m a total geek, Iron Maiden’s tour schedules when they first started playing small clubs, every single place is long gone.

The same as yours, where they just don’t exist anymore or are under new management.

Yeah or have changed their name 9000 times. That’s the nature of the beast. You can do your bit to support it but the important thing is that the music happens somewhere and has a forum to exist.

So thinking back to when you started playing solo, after the success of The Underworld shows and so on, what did small and independent venues do for you as a younger solo artist trying out new direction?

Essentially for everything that I do, that we do, that we’re into, you need a forum for it to exist in. In some ways I feel like I’m not the most exemplary person to talk about it because when I was starting out I did a lot of house shows, a lot of squat shows, stuff like that and if all you’ve got is a voice and a guitar you can play anywhere. Which is part of the reason that I wanted to make music in that format. But if you think of a small or up and coming punk band, for example Apologies, I Have None, a great fucking band, if you’re going to make noisy fucking punk rock music and you want to share that with people it’s got to happen somewhere. Live shows are still fundamental to rock’n’roll, punk rock, whatever you want to call it, and it’s fantastic that live experience isn’t downloadable because it means I’ve still got a job but also it’s that thing about being a room with like minded people listening to music, and even if it’s twenty people, it can still be the greatest thing ever. It has to happen somewhere and big venues work to their own financial and economic metric, and that’s fine, I don’t have a problem with that, but in order to have something in the big venues that isn’t kind of just Simon Cowell acts, there has to be a training ground for smaller bands as well. The theory of how the system works, what I’ve done, what the bands have done, Biffy (Clyro) for example, play all the small venues then graduate to the big ones. And if you didn’t have the small venues the only bands you’d have playing the big venues would be One Direction, and bless them, I’m sure they’re lovely people who send their parents Christmas cards but it’s not my type of music that I enjoy. It’s kind of, I’m not sure this is quite the right word because it sounds patronizing, but it’s kind of a nursery. It’s where you grow bands that go other places.

The other thing it’s important to add to that though is that it’s not all this huge, crank up, climb to the big time. There’s a lot of bands, a great example being Palehorse, who we’re touring with right now, Palehorse aren’t ever going to play Wembley Arena and that’s not why they’re a band and no one in the band thinks that, and they will keep playing small venues for the rest of their lives, and more power to them. There are occasionally moments where it can sound like you want small venues to exist to train up big bands, but there’s plenty of bands that aren’t going to be big bands and that’s fine they’re not meant to be.

Ok. Well this seems like a fairly broad question now then but what’s the best band you’ve picked up listening to through small venues?

Well yeah, when I’m not on tour I go to gigs, that’s what I do. That’s my social life. It’s the thing I enjoy doing most with my time. I’m far from tapped into the underground, and never claim that, but I do my best to hear new music. Right now my favourite new artist is Will Varley who I saw open for Beans On Toast at The Monarch. Disclosure, my flat mate runs The Monarch so I’ve got a lot of time for the place, but yeah, I saw Will play there and he blew my fucking mind. He still does. I saw him in Bush Hall a couple of days ago and he is just the greatest songwriter around right now as far as I’m concerned.

  I’ve added a few of petitions below for venues that are having this problem across the country. If you agree with some of the attitudes expressed in these interviews and this article, please, sign some of the petitions.

Save The Fleece:

www.change.org/en-GB/petitions/bristol-city-council-save-the-fleece-from-closure

Save The Boileroom:

www.change.org/en-GB/petitions/guildford-borough-council-save-the-boileroom-from-closure

Save The Joiners:

www.change.org/en-GB/petitions/save-the-joiners-arms-london-shoreditch

Urgent Review of Noise Abatement legislation

epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/65582

[mfoxallsmith]

I first heard of Billy The Kid (Billy Pettinger) through the Xtra Mile label and Frank Turner plugging her on Facebook. In January earlier this year I attended her show at The Hawley Arms and was finally able to put a face to the voice. After this brief encounter with ‘The Kid’ at The Hawley...

[mfoxallsmith]

Introduction to Billy The Kid @ The Garage (29/5/2014) + Interview

I first heard of Billy The Kid (Billy Pettinger) through the Xtra Mile label and Frank Turner plugging her on Facebook. In January earlier this year I attended her show at The Hawley Arms and was finally able to put a face to the voice. After this brief encounter with ‘The Kid’ at The Hawley I decided that I had to head out to Chuck Ragan’s Overseas Till Midnight Tour at The Garage this May in order to catch Billy’s support slot. I was excited to hear some new songs live, and to see how Billy had progressed since the recording of Horseshoes and Hand Grenades, her fourth studio album (and label debut).

As a side note, anyone interested in some true folk stomp and Americana music should try and check out a Chuck Ragan show, or the Revival Tour. These are great gigs that display solidarity between the artists and their craft. It gives acts the chance to ostentatiously show off what they’ve got to a crowd that may never have come across them by conventional means. And of course all the acts are incredibly grateful to be given this shot, which is evident in their performances.

The Show

Billy The Kid jumps up on stage tonight, slightly limping (from a boxing related injury she later tells me), wearing a ‘Jon Gaunt Music’ t-shirt, tattoo sleeve on display and harmonica bracket fixed around her neck.

Billy starts with a new song, Riverbank. An a cappella introduction leads in to a Neil Young-esque folksong about life and love on the road with someone waiting for you back home. As the song progresses Billy starts pumping up the tempo and biting into those lyrics, finally rounding the song off with a with a strong harmonica solo; something that seems to be a staple of anyone playing alongside the Ragan family.

Soon enough Billy plays Boxcars. Before starting, she relates the song to travelling up and down Britain by train for the first time earlier this year, playing to audience sizes that were a handful in magnitude. This song is a perfect example of why you should go see Billy live and solo. In contrast to the driving rhythm section of the recorded track (found on Stars, Exploding) Billy plays a more delicate, slowed down piece, giving her a chance to really show some soul in her vocals.  I’m still fairly new to Billy’s music, slowly learning the names of different songs, but throughout the set I already find myself singing through lyrics that I’ve picked up that night. A familiar hook is a nice thing to have in a song. It brings a crowd together.

The set also includes 16 Tons, an old American ballad about a coal miner, covered by Billy in a bluesy-jazz style, in which she holds the last note for a good 30 seconds (and includes a miniature acrobatics routine), and fiery new original, Lord Let Me, the romantic tale of how her grandparents met, which Billy cheekily admits she made up.

Coming up to the end of the set we get a great taster of what is to come on the new album. Billy mentions how one of her tracks, This Sure As Hell Ain’t My Life, was written and recorded as a duet and that in the last few days she’s been desperate to play it in that fashion. With no coaxing needed Chuck Ragan jumps on stage to take the second microphone. The two artists accompany each other perfectly with the raw, huskiness of Chuck Ragan underlying Billy’s lighter (but still strong), sweet tones. This has to be the highlight of the evening and is a really beautiful moment.

Billy finishes her set with the phrase, “Fuck. I’m just so happy to be here. Thanks a lot,” and dedicates her last song to the American boys that are out on the road with her, looking out for her. Billy is the sort of artist that is completely content in playing live and building her musical family. It’s only at these times that we really get to see artists for who they truly are, and I believe Billy is one of those that has really set their roots in a musical community and established a firm stance.

It was a nice surprise to see Billy later join Chuck Ragan’s set to add her vocal and tambourine skills to Non-Typical.

I caught up with Billy in front of the barriers after the show. It is always nice to see an artist making the rounds, meeting and greeting fans, seeming genuinely more than happy to allow for the photo opportunity, and being wished well on the next leg of the tour. I asked Billy some questions about the tour and the upcoming release of Horseshoes And Hand Grenades, produced by folk punk hero and Xtra Mile poster boy, Frank Turner.

How has the revival tour been for you and what are you looking forward to most about it/ have already enjoyed the most?

I think the best part about being around these guys is just the stuff that happens before and after the show. I didn’t realise this but Chuck Ragan is the funniest dude ever and everybody in The Camaraderie (the touring group of musicians), they’re just amazing people. So that’s the best part for me. I mean the music is almost a bonus right now. And you’d think that would be the first part of it all but it’s really the hang outs before and after with a bunch of cool people.

So how long have you known Chuck and have been listening to his music? And how has it been playing with him (after dueting This Sure As Hell Ain’t My Life during your set)?

Well tonight was the first time (we sang the song together). I kind of dropped a not so subtle hint that it would be cool if somebody sang Frank Turner’s part and he was the first one to kind of put up his hand and go, “I’ll do it”. But I’ve really been a fan of him for so long, even his first solo album. I mean I killed that record listening to it so much so I know the songs inside and out and it’s been a blast. I mean they’re the best people in this, to watch every night, (the way) they deliver like they do. 

How has your relationship been with Xtra Mile in terms of recording, the production and promotion phase and the anticipated release later in the year?

Well it’s coming out in September so it kind of remains to be seen because this is my first time working with any kind of label or any outside help.

Because you’ve done your albums through kickstarter campaigns?

Yeah, I’ve been totally independent this whole time so I’m really looking forward to having a little bit of help. I really trust them because, not only do they have a track record, but they were always, from day one, cool with me being me. The whole time. They never asked me to change one thing. They were just like, “Billy do Billy”. So I’m looking forward to that. I’m looking forward to seeing where the record goes when it’s finally out because we had such a great time making it.

So, for people new to listening to you, could you give me a track that you’d recommend from your catalogue so far and a track off the new album that you want people to listen to or that you were happiest with the recording?

Totally. Well for me everything started with the song Riverbank. I just think that Frank (Turner) made a great bass line. Nigel (Powell) from The Sleeping Souls had a great drum track. It was kind of one of the first songs when I was working on new material. As far as older stuff, I’ve got to go back to my very first solo record (The Lost Cause). There’s a song about me looking for a job called ‘Just Trying To Get By’. That’s where it all kind of started (she smiles and laughs).

  Horseshoes And Hand Grenades will be released in September 2014 on Xtra Mile Recordings. You can pre-order the album at:

www.xtramilerecordings.com More of BillyThe Kid at:

www.billythekidonline.com

www.youtube.com/billythekidofficial

[mfoxallsmith]

Pledgemusic

Do me a favour today. Go onto pledgemusic.com. Find some songs or bands you like. Buy them.

Pledgemusic is a place where any band can go to affordably create and promote their music. With the music industry being as it is, bands are finding it harder financially, emotionally, and physically to make music, than ever before. To provide a record that is commercially viable in this modern climate (rather than a jumble of instruments recorded in a bedroom - not that that's a bad thing) is expensive and frustrating. Bands have to hire: producers, engineers, mixing and mastering, and do endless amounts of promotion including touring, internet, radio and advertising, in order for the public to know that they've created something they want YOU to hear.

Some of my favourite bands or musicians, ones that I feel have always produced incredible music, are completely at the mercy of their fans. I was shocked last year (yes, genuinely shocked) to discover that Bowling For Soup had been dropped by their label and that they would be performing their last ever UK tour in 2013. You may not be keen on BFS (or know who they are) but they have always tried to be fair to their fans and provide a good show. Finding out that their livelihood and vocation was no longer commercially viable really hit home with me. Other bands that I've recently found on here (pledgemusic) that produce great music, that I didn't realise needed this much help, are: OK Go (who have always been thoroughly entertaining), Meiko, and American Aquarium. 

These are artists that live for their music, not to just get rich quick and get laid (a bang from their buck). These are people that travel across the world to play shows to hungry fans. They never storm out, they never don't show up and they never abuse the trust that their fans place in them (unlike some of the more influential people in the charts - Kanye, Bieber, Cyrus - you name it. Even Avril Lavigne is turning into a douche).

This isn't like going onto iTunes where you can spend 79p-£1 on a track and then have Apple take a large chunk, before the label take a bite and eventually the band get a nominal sum of money. Pledgemusic take 15% for providing a service, which includes managerial direction as well as promotion, and then the rest goes to the band.

This is not just a plea from bands though. The website allows bands the option to donate to charity as part of their pledge campaign and, in so doing, can raise awareness for causes they are emotionally attached to. A lot of the time they also encourage larger pledging by giving away free downloads, providing news updates on the recording and production process, and sometimes even offering VIP shows or memorabilia from old tours etc. They are REWARDING YOUR LOYALTY. You! The people that keep them going. 

And if you don't pledge today at least go away and BUY your next track or album instead of illegally downloading it. How would you like it if you did your job, made a piece of art or accomplished something you were incredibly proud of, designed a piece of engineering that had a profound effect on others, and someone just came along and took it from you? It's the same principle as any other job, except, because people have the means to, they feel that it's their right to take it for free. That's just wrong.

  Support musicians.