Supa & Da Kryptonites Will Play to Win at Wickerman Warm Up Gig

By Harsharan Hoonjan

SKNews about a sizzling gig has set tongues wagging. Supa & Da Kryptonites are playing a Wickerman Warm up gig this Thursday night (25th June), at Nice ‘N’ Sleazy in Glasgow.  Along with three other impressionable acts; The Van T’s, The Turning Plates and Hello Future, Supa & Da Kryptonites will compete to play and open with their set on Wickerman’s Main Stage this year.

The band were voted and narrowed down to 1 of 4 best unsigned bands in Scotland by Sunday Herald readers. Winning the chance to open one of Scotland’s favourite festivals would be an incredible opportunity for all acts, including the Hip-Hop/Grime/Reggae Ska Funkmeisters.

 

When asked about winning Jay said:

‘It would mean a lot to us all, Pretty humbled to just get this far’

‘Winning I suppose is something I haven’t really thought about,

‘Would be funkin pukka though.’

This event organised by The Wickerman Festival, in association with XFM Scotland and The Herald, is also being headlined by none other than the revered Hector Bizerk!

If you need a Thursday night gig fix, or if you want to see some spectacular performances to accelerate your weekend while supporting Scottish musicians, this gig comes highly recommended.

Here’s Funks The Only Time (I Get Down) which is Supa & Da Kryptonites latest release. Having added the sultry smooth vocalist that is Sarah Knowles to the line-up in November last year, Conal McIntosh  (bassist) in March,, and Jonathan Ginty (alto-sax) last month, their sound has been spiced up once more, Jay’s daughter, Ava,  also introduces this track and the combination is irresistible.

Have a listen here:

https://soundcloud.com/supa-da-kryptonites/funks-the-only-time

Wickerman Warm Up Event Link:

http://www.synergyconcerts.com/listings-tickets/events/25-jun-15-the-wicker-warm-up-nice-n-sleazy/

 

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Mickey 9s: The Party Manifesto

by Harsharan Hoonjan

2015-06-24 09.18.15

Date:  16h May 2015

Venue: Stereo

Band: Mickey 9s

Hometown: Glasgow

Formed:  01/01/09

Genre: ‘Superfluent Sizzle Beat’   – www.facebook.com/mickey9s

Event:’ The Party Manifesto’ Album Launch Party

Album Release Date: 19th June 2015

1The Yellow Movement means happy times! But what is this masked man and his fellow comrades communicating to us? The venue is Stereo, and Mickey 9s are the funk.  The debut album launch party for ‘The Party Manifesto’ had finally arrived. And glistening faces in the filled out venue marked the eminence of a vibrant collective fan base.

But when Mickey 9s were up there in lights, I was transported back to 2013; it was Stereo again, in winter (a Christmas Gig). The Post Orgasmic Sunshine Band had headlined that night.

Mickey9s however were playing first, but they were not meant to be first on the bill. I clocked the lead singer we’ll call him masked man again. He was coming out from the shallow opening in a dark corner.

Into the stage he pounced and started jolting out song after song.

There was no stopping the sheer force or movement emitting from this yellow and gold mask- wearing man, and the rest of the band. He was galloping, he was kicking, he was imitating a few Macarena moves and he was telling us to ‘Find A Thing’ to dance to.

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In all honesty, there was a level of calm I was expecting unfortunately for my expectations; there were little calm moments during the performance. It was high octane energy and I was struggling to catch each moment, scene/ word.

This all passed by so quickly I hardly recognised myself getting sucked into Mickey 9s quicksand. It was all a bit hypnotic and mind altering. I wanted to dance but couldn’t, I wanted to sing but didn’t know all the words, and I wanted to say all the right things on paper, but they had that covered too.

On the album launch night, I felt a similar affliction to when I had seen them for the first time. They have definitely improved their performance standards. The masked man may have calmed his movements, but not the energy, or beat, and if the mood takes him he will still kick and jump on the spot. Leaving his signature colourful socks on as well – not conforming to shoes on stage yet.

So in winning the Scottish Alternative Music Award in March 2014 for Best Live Act, it was crystal clear why.

Mickey 9s might just be one of the coolest bands I have ever seen,

With their main influence being Daft Punk, they have succeeded in producing a sound that is uniquely fused with funk, whilst sticking to its Glasgow roots and Scottish heritage.!  Patter filled tunes, like ‘Psycho Control’ and ‘Shark in the Water’ exemplify this. Songs like Ammunition and Berlin are also great examples of the band dissecting a piece of history into factual digestible chunks of dancefloor gold.

The album which was available to buy on the night of the launch, gave us a 5 week exclusive over those who didn’t make it. Proceeds also went towards a children’s refugee charity. This is not that surprising a gesture, as philanthropic acts like this is a regular event for Mickey 9s. I can remember at least a dozen gigs last year alone where ticket sales went to a charity of some sort/or they played for free. And it always feels good paying for quality while helping out a worthy cause.

And their album is quality! Containing 10 fiery tracks that leave you fully charged.  It’s not one of those albums that plummets and rises; it’s got a consistent beat and bass power that allows you to enjoy the whole record, without evoking any melancholy. You can nod/bounce on the spot or back flip to the tracks. These four funkmeisters have mastered the art of engaging the listener to their fizz fueled sounds, while delivering sometimes serious political/sociocultural messages.

Their style is to be admired, should you be inclined by a ‘super fluent sizzle beat.’

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What else is there to mention? Well the band did provide complimentary gold masks for everyone at their album launch and before that the single launch for Psycho Control. They have their own comic strip providing a further political back bone to their works, portraying the band as musical superheroes.  Also they are always innovating and making it fun for themselves and their fans. For instance, inviting fans to help design their latest batch of T-Shirts. Yes, it’s top drawer jumping on the Mickey 9s bandwagon.

Mickey 9s might just be one of the coolest bands I have ever seen.

 

Every ounce of their beat, bass, electric guitar, and vocals feels surreal. From singing about Electric Eels, Christopher Walken, dancing to Shark in the Water and Find A Thing to trying to match their stage energy, It is a trip of a show ladies and gentlemen. It’s a smile inducing, goosebump creating, happy after effect, singing their songs for days on end show. That is what I believe they are communicating to us…

That’s the Mickey 9s effect.

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For consistently producing this effect and always giving 100 percent, I only have one thing left to say.

Thank Funking Yaldi for the Mickey 9s!

 

 

34bAdditional Notes and Summary:

1)   Psycho Control was also issued in an 8″ Vinyl format for Record Store Day at Love Music Glasgow.  They also produced Tins O’ Funk. This is likely a tin of beans wrapped in animated packaging.  Dave Arnott is the face of the new product.  It’s said to contain bits of shark too!  Last time I checked, Love Music  confirmed it still had copies of their single, ‘Psycho Control’ on vinyl , the album , The Party Manifesto, and plenty of Tins O Funk!

2)      Only 200 physical copies of the CD for Psycho Control were produced

3)     They won a SAMA Award last year for Best Live Act, then played an after party  set at Nice ‘N’ Sleazy’s

4)      As well as major cities, they’ll sometimes come to places like Cumbernauld, Greenock and Hamilton to play, adding to their already impressive gig map.

5)      They rock every crowd no matter how many people show up.

6)     Official launch date for the album was June 19th 2015. But they gave album launch party attendees a 5 week exclusive over everyone else.

7)      Ammunition is actually about the Holocaust

8)      Psycho Control is based on David Cameron and the Tories

9)      Mickey 999? That one is actually about the Mickey 9s

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Enjoy the album and the gigs  – worth every penny.

To Mickey 9s, thanks again for having me and congrats on your superb debut album!

Hari

 

Album Launch Night Videos:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fPCBPQTYofo

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T42F7-lpwHg

Band Links:

www.mickey9s.com

www.facebook.com/mickey9s

https://mickey9s.bandcamp.com/merch/ticket-for-king-tuts-17th-july

Upcoming Events:

Friday 17 July 2015

King Tut’s Wah Wah Hut, Glasgow, UK

Saturday 18 July 2015

The Tunnels, Aberdeen, UK

Friday 07 August 2015 – Sunday 09 August 2015

Mugstock Festival  at Mugdock Country Park, Glasgow, UK

 7

 

 

 

 

 

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Marmion: E.P. Review, ‘Prophylactic Groove’

by Harsharan Hoonjan

MARMION 1

Band: Marmion

Members:  Sandy Power (vocals, keyboard, mandolin), Carlos Donaire (Guitar), Caroline Mayo (Guitar), James Lagarde (Bass), and Liam Tucker (Drums)

E.P. Title: Prophylactic Groove

Released: 17th April 2015

Location:  Edinburgh

Formed: 2014

The sensational Sandy Power is back! Not on his own though, he’s returned to the music scene with college mates: Carlos Donaire, Caroline Mayo, James Lagarde, and Liam Tucker. Together they make up the Edinburgh band known as, ‘Marmion’, and they released their debut E.P. on 17th April. Combining glistening vocals with an eclectic blend of poppy /psychedelic alternative rock, the musical agility binding Prophylactic Groove is interesting.

The title, Prophylactic Groove, actually defines the healing/medicinal benefits associated with music, and this theme is served up in each song.  Also, not only have Marmion produced a lot more tracks than is expected for a debut E.P. But the band contributed to charity organisation, Drake Music Scotland, handing over a £120 cheque for the first batch of sales made as well. Already setting in motion their promise of a band that ‘intrigues and excites.’    – http://marmion.instapage.com/

Prophylactic Groove’s tracks:

1) Mindscape this lets you into relatable yet, “uncomfortable at best” head of a troubled soul. It’s reminiscent of Sandy’s solo efforts, and the band just heighten the hedonistic experience.

2) Going Out is dance floor gold. Full of swaggery hooks and powered up vocals. It evokes head banging, toe tapping, and dance shaped bodily reactions.

3) Goddess is a slow but steady stunner, beautifully arranged and nicely played.

4) City Dreams is a quirkier tale, which will build smiles on any journey.

5) Walking on Water captivates; the story’s romantic entanglement will put you under a trance of hypnotic proportions

6) Sapphire Skies contains intriguing notes that end on an enthralling finale.

The vocals and instrumentation on each track is uncompromising, which makes Prophylactic Groove a finely crafted E.P.

I’m definitely looking forward to hearing more from this talented lot.

Well done Marmion!

Hari

MARMION 2

Links:

 

 

Images used with permission.

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EP Review: ‘Hy Brasil’ by Our Lucid Reality

by Harsharan Hoonjan

Band Members:

Chris Gray (Lead Vocals, Bass Guitar, Songwriter), Amanda Scott (Dual Vocalist) Peter Mitchell (Synthesiser, and backing vocals), Andy Mack (Guitar), and Alasdair Gibson (Drums).

Band Overview:

Our Lucid Reality champion living proactivity by changing, and challenging what doesn’t work, thus creating our lucid reality. They portray this through their alternative cosmic rock sound.  And anyone who has heard their earlier material will know this band packs a punch, not afraid to experiment through instrumentation.

 

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2014:

The guys from Our Lucid Reality (OLR) embodied an unforgettable energy, when I saw them on 5th January this year. Performing a gig for The Clutha Benefit Weekend (organised by WTNP), I felt lucky to have caught them that night.  Throughout the year, the band has been rehearsing,  playing shows, adding Amanda Scott to the team of established musicians, before dropping this hot record on my lap. Certain lyrics and sounds are still etched in my mind.   Which raises the question: Could it be Amanda’s vocals that seal the deal on OLR’s success?  Or, have the five-piece just developed themselves to incredible heights

Let’s inspect the element…

E.P. Review:

‘Hy Brasil’, ventures into political agendas, journeys through time, and observes societal structures.  Each song is links into their fundamental philosophy with deep-rooted narratives.   Layered with blood pumping sounds, it’s vital listening for anyone needing an adrenaline boost.

Track by Track:

Track 1: ‘Microcosmic Thrones’, as Chris Gray explains is about Micro level solutions. It addresses the need for individual change, encouraging this behaviour by reaching out to others to do the same. It suggests coming together in the face of political struggle, and working as a community unit in order to challenge Government policy. By ensuring maximum opportunity and co-operation, while minimising oppression.

 

ORL 1

This song is led with refreshing guitar work, feisty drums which whack our ears thick and fast. Thrilling vocals from Amanda and Chris initially smooth up the tempo before bolstering the range up to pleasing heights. It’s sure catchy as hell, with an assortment of lyrics lingering for days.  Thank you for the fantastic opener OLR!

 

Second track, ‘Dusk To Dawn’, surprises every time with the music box effect on synthesiser. It’s slightly hypnotising, before, Rhythm and Drums interrupt and start sparring with each other. It’s as if they are having their own stand off or battle, hello incredible! They have really gritted up for this number. Interspersed with vocals from Amanda, Chris and Peter, whose, lines about being fully connected and not losing ourselves to the digital world, holds centre stage. Chris reports that this track is about maintaining our moral compass and helping each other become better people, by focussing on internal needs first and foremost.  The finger is pointed at digitalised worlds that segregate and divide from real soul connection through long-term digital entrapment.

“It’s the last of our seed, and we’re a dying breed, we’ve come and gone, but there is nothing to hold on, it’s our end, we’ve came to the wall, lets rise from dusk until dawn.”

The track finishes up with carefully selected quotes from influential figures, ending with this one as part of late President, John F Kennedy’s inaugural address

“Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country” – John F. Kennedy.

Dusk To Dawn is a track that will amaze from start to finish.

Final title track: ‘Hy Brasil’, is where Our Lucid Reality’s EP comes full circle. Spellbinding key notes glide in then guitar, bass and drums chase through the melody by pounding out a monster beat.  The vocals harmonise Hy Brasil’s tale, and what a tale it is!

‘Hy Brasil’  is  based on Ancient Alien Theory. Chris explains this is about civilisations from the BC era that left information for other generations to uncover and make sense of. Sergeant Jim Penniston’s story is where the song idea originates.

The story:

As a US Airforce Officer, who was in England in 1980, Sergeant Jim Penniston discovered an abandoned craft.  On touching the craft, approximately 12 pages worth of coded binary images (binary numbers) were imprinted in his mind like an instant download to the brain.  Although unlike computers, Sgt Penniston was not able to uninstall, or even delete this information. Eventually, the officer decided to get the codes translated, the coordinates marked out axis points that led to an Island showing in world maps as Hy Brasil, dating back to the 16th century. The inhabitants of this Island were said to be a technologically advanced population, last seen by Italian sailors before sinking under the ocean waves.

“ (An) Airforce officer touched the craft, which sent him coded information (it was a matrix like flash imprinted into his mind of binary numbers) he then jotted these down….years later he went to a binary specialist and he translated a message along with the longitude and latitude off the coast of Ireland. When experts did their research they discovered that as far back as the 1600s there was an Island shown in world maps, which was named Hy Brasil.” – Chris Gray.

One message was translated to read: ‘exploration of human activity is pivotal to the planet’s progression’.

It has a sort of Big Brother meaning to it, watch everyone, and keep studying the population of the planet. Why? One answer could be the straightforward reason that information is power, and its use is dependent on the holder of said information. Questions like this are the very ponderings that come from listening to this curiously intelligent number.

Hy Brasil will take you to the edge, making you shake to the amped up sound. Certain lyrics and solos continue to race through the mind. It’s a weighty track which may arouse the animal in you.

A few lines from Hy Brasil that might lead to tune implantation:

“Will you bring us fortune or bring destruction sacred scriptures have revealed your plans , lets crush them all. Words don’t mean a thing when you’re deceived by an enemy.”

“The fear is gone, what are you waiting for? The fear is gone, what are you waiting for? Are you ready, are you ready, are you ready fall?”

ORL 3

After closer examination, I think Hy Brasil by Our Lucid Reality is an outstanding achievement from a fine Glasgow band.  Amanda’s inclusion provides an essential element to the excellent body of sound carried forward by the remaining members. However I believe, It is Our Lucid Reality’s continued musical exploration that has led to this beautifully crafted 3 track EP.  I can imagine it fitting in nicely, playing along a high impact suspense thriller.  And there’s no doubt the band will sound far better live than this EP will ever suggest.  Congrats on this one OLR!

 

 

Links:

www.facebook.com/ourlucidreality

www.twitter.com/olrband

www.soundcloud.com/ourlucidreality

Photos by Bill Gray.

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Enemies Of The State: “We Are The Awakening.”

 

Review by Harsharan Hoonjan

‘I’m not sure if we are seeing rock stars in Enemies Of The State, or if they really are just normal people that play music once in a while.’

KTB

Kris Tennant (Lead Vocalist), Joseph Carney (Bassist), Glenn Holburn (Guitar), Gary Dillon (Guitar), Garry Curran Jnr.’s (Drums) progress as Glasgow’s most politically charged band has escalated in what feels like a blink of an eye.  Because it really does look like we’re witnessing a breakthrough with this lot.

Since releasing debut album, Awakening, it’s charted at number 9 in The Ayrshire Album chart.    Jim Gellatly is playing, “Open Your Eyes”, as one of his breakout tracks on his drive time show this Friday (5-7pm on 7th November).  And the band will make their debut television appearance on STV’s Riverside Show on 1st December.

I can’t believe it was only six months since interviewing Kris and Joe (and former member Sean), in that time the lads have just blown us away with their extraordinary dedication and skills! Going strong since 2012, their ambition and drive this year alone has left me wondering how I’ll ever be able to provide a full account here.

Because this is a band that gives a massive amount to their fans, not only do they offer inspiring messages of power, hope, and love, they also do things like give away their album for free, play gigs for free, travelling to Bathgate, Dunfermline, Perth and beyond, they even let relative outsiders like myself in on their debut video – thank you so much guys, it was a great experience!  Naturally the Voice team want Enemies Of The State to win BIG, because these guys give more than they take, and I think it has shown in all 7 performances I have attended this year.

For instance, EOTS’s 1st official music video to the track, “Open Your Eyes”, was unleashed at the beginning of October, and gained a fantastic response.  Although surprisingly, not one member of the band is actually in the video! Letting the song and story take its own course, the result is fresh, uplifting, and inviting, while stimulating your grey matter – a key ingredient to every EOTS song.

EEB

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1dNja2lERPk

Which leads us to the full monty, also known as EOTS’s debut album, Awakening. The lads have spent countless evenings working on this, while getting out their music video, working full time jobs, trying to maintain a social life and still managing to raise awareness for causes/upholding collective consciousness (Kris Tennant on Facebook certainly puts the “vocal” in Vocalist).  Luckily, we were able to get hold of digital copies 24 hours before the album launch night.  What we received was a 9 track jewel which can also be yours for free. There is an option to donate as well. I have found it was definitely worth contributing money to.

Broken down, each member has worked to deliver outstanding riffs, which layer into each other beautifully. These are set off against a finely timed sharp drum beat, I also hear pronounced slick guitar and bass lines that slide in to create an appealing twist. The vocals complement each of the other instruments to full effect, but the power behind the dynamic vocal range means that everything is slightly on edge, and altogether this creates an electric sound. Without the words this is a brilliant listen. With the lyrics and key messages in place, however, the value of the songs double, triple, quadruple. To pay nothing would be sacrilege on my part, I just couldn’t see any other way than to pay a bit more than what the album was likely to retail at. It’s definitely a true testament of their “time, effort, love, anger and passion” – Enemies Of The State, Facebook (October 16th).

G&T

Here’s a link to their free downloadable album which can be yours in minutes:

www.enemiesof.com/downloads

 

 

The long awaited album launch took place on 18th October in Audio, and tickets were flying out for this. Thankfully, I was able to get in on the act, and soak in their massive night. Let me try and give you an overview of what it was like.

Audio, situated on the corner of Midland Street Glasgow is an urban style live music venue, spacious and open plan, the bar is straight ahead as you go in,  the stage is to your right, and it’s large, a good size for bands like Enemies Of The State. The venue is also minutes from Central Station and the staff are accommodating, the sound engineer let me share his booth for a few photos which was in vain, in the end – but he didn’t even know me.  The sound quality is amazing, with no white noise/interference, or echoes.

Unfortunately, I don’t think the bar staff were prepared for the place to be literally packed, despite that they did an awesome job in keeping us gig goers happily fuelled. By the time trendy young outfit The Lapelles finished their set (funky plectrum throwing too cool for school band), the place was half full. When The Bawlers rocked on stage it was close to three quarters. Once they completed their slick songs, and Arctic Monkeys styled performance, the shape of the audience altered. Most of the room was locked in place, ready for some power and light from Enemies of the State.

But our wait was interrupted by a video playing on the white screen on the back wall of the stage; it showed images of oppression, scandal, a news item, a documentary, a political message of sorts. It would soon be replaced by the band’s name in lights. But for those first few minutes an intrigued audience observed with one eye on the video, and another on the side opening for a glimpse of an EOTS band member.

ED

After what felt like ages, I met with a photographer who had battled Saturday night traffic coming in from Edinburgh and making it just in time He showed me a shot of his previous gig at Usher Hall for a world famous singer – I was thinking, we are about to see local winners tonight, and this man clearly knows what these guys are worth, excitement ensued.

Cheers broke the anticipation as Kris, Joe, Gary, Glenn, and Garry came on, this is the night the lads and their fans have been waiting for.  Swaggering to the mic, Kris started by thanking everyone for showing up, he then asked who had downloaded their album. A few hands went up, he responded with,

“Just 5 people, we’re sh*te!”

Surveying the audience, about 7 – 10 rows deep, and seeing the front row figures pressing up against those coveted metal railings – a look of hardly washed over my face.

He introduces the first track, and begins powering out, “We  Are The Awakeniiiiinng!..”

On starting though, Joe’s amp stalls, but there is a fierce look in his eyes, as he prepares for damage control. Kris shoots a look of “what?!” whilst slamming through the vocals, but it’s alright in the end, sorted within about 60 seconds.

JC

Familiar guitar riffs, drums, and eventually the bass, make me feel like I am not reviewing this night, simply taking some photos for friends. Although it’s clear throughout their epic set, that they’ve come a long way from the first time I saw them. They’ve fine-tuned their craftsmanship, their notes, chords, beats and lines are strong. The rhythm and tension in each track is perfectly punctuated with high octave vocals, ensuring the band shine on a massive scale, they definitely sound stadium ready.

 

 

 

Joe fills in the audience after the song, telling us about the amp problem:

“There was a wee problem in the beginning, but, we got there in the end”.

Kris with a cheeky smile responds:

“Who needs a bass player anyway, just f*ck off!”

Some fun banter, if slightly awkward for all of 3 seconds for anyone who doesn’t know any better. But the band look keen to smash the rest of the tracks, and the audience don’t appear to be all that bothered.  Like me, they clearly enjoyed the eagerly anticipated title track.  After that, we just wanted the lads to keep going – more please!

Icarus was next, solid guitar and thick bass lines pulsated through the speakers, I absolutely adore the  riffs on this and Awakening (and most of their songs, they are smartly done).  With hand sculpted to mic, and using guitar as a weapon, fingers strummed ferociously.  Bopping head up and down to the melody as he played, Kris returned to the mic, blasting out:

“Love is my religion, truth is my god, my head is my church…I’m a head case, I’m going to hell, lock me up and put me in a dark room cell…

…You’ll learn one day, it’s all a monopoly.”

This is it! The boys have arrived, and are banging. The crowd, are clearly hooked as well, eyes are hanging on them, what a result. At the end of that track, I’m sure I hear EOTS chants coming from the room with smile filled expressions. It’s no wonder, these guys have delivered so much, and they’ve only played 2 songs. There are at least 8 more to go (unfortunately, one track, Atlas, just missed the digital album).

EOTS6

Enemies Of The State continue to pound out a rapturous set, which leave its members exhilarated, and this in turn creates a domino effect on their off-stage supporters as well. At one point the band pause for effect, the crowd then step in and start chanting:

“EOTS, EOTS, EOTS”

Kris is ready to finish the track off, before letting the audience win “Nah keep it going.”  Once they stop, he hones in on the mic and the band finish, this is led by another fantastic response.

Definitely a band to watch live, what a reaction they have on you, whether you see them once or 7 times in 6 months.  They continue to produce high impact performances, which blow your ears, and magnetise your eyeballs, creating a thrilling vibe. I’m not sure if we are seeing rock stars in Enemies Of The State, or if they really are just normal people that play music once in a while.

Kris Tennant goes on to dedicate two tracks to family and friends whose names he calls out. The first dedication was “No Time For Tears”, a personal favourite.  It has been on Sound Cloud (as have a few others) for a while now, and has been played at every live performance I’ve been to.  The dedication added a nice personal touch, making me nod and sing along. It’s a top track, one of life-changing proportions. In fact the majority of the album contains such songs. I would even consider them to be anthems that can prepare you for the gritty reality of life. And serve a reminder to remain strong in moments of weakness.

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The next track was one we’ve not heard live before. Sand, Wood or Stone is a ballad, and as Garry Curran Jnr described on Facebook, “a heart-wrenching song” (Facebook, 18th October). I feel it’s an extremely poignant melody that can sting the eyes of dads, and families, who will relate to the sacrifices involved in working your hands raw to provide for, and keep a roof over your family’s head.

Kris sang this solo, as the other members went off stage.  This track is number 6 on the album, and was dedicated to three dads in the audience. Hearing this live for the first time, there is a different kind of intensity to it.  Kris’s voice flows through the mic like lyrical tears. An empathetic feeling is created, and as he peers into the crowd cocking his head to one side, pouring out the words, the audience lock into his portrayal of this story. Huge rounds of applause signal that this track is definitely a winner.

Glenn, Garry, Joe and Gary return to join Kris on stage:

“The troops, my troops” Kris says, as he wipes some sweat off his forehead.

Next up was Julius Caesar, and after that slow number we were in for a thumping. This song was dedicated to two particular individuals…

“This one is dedicated to Obama and David Cameron” – Kris

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Starting off with funky riffs, Kris’s vocals rip through, tearing across political lines to address these world leaders, and their underhand tactics in the face of the current social and economic climate. This is a song that will truly awaken you! It punches you into the present, and it sounds like a modern Robin Hood song. Taking the limelight from the rich, ignorant and powerful, and giving back light, power, and strength to the most vulnerable who will appreciate the hope that’s laced within this track.

The sharp vocals, and swearing pack a lot more than the words written below can depict.

Although here are a few lines taken from Julius Caesar:

There’s no humanity in the corporatocracy

“The sun won’t always shine on you, like you want it to”

“Do you need a reality check?!”

“You’re buying and selling dreams you can package in a box.”

There’s a loud hailer on stage, and I’m pretty sure this is the song it’s for, but Kris picks it up and jokingly uses it more as a visual prop, than actually talking into it.

At certain moments in the set Kris collapses and sings on his back. We have some more humorous stage antics from our favourite frontman, which includes launching into the crowd.  He also sings posed with arms held high and with his weapon of a guitar by his side. Kris appears to be in his element. The hard graft certainly seems worth the effort, as the audience are lapping it up.

Coming closer to get a few stage shots, I meet some of the family, and a loyal friend of the band, who also stars in the video. Coincidentally, the next song is, “Open Your Eyes”, the people in the audience get a mention, while I hide behind my camera, snapping up more of the band. Glenn is playing in a cool, I’ve been doing this all my life way, Garry is singing and drumming enthusiastically, Joe is giving it his all; he really is belting out bass and backing vocals with vigour. Gary Dillon who only joined the band in August this year displays a modest yet focussed disposition. Kris is still firing out the lyrics left, right, and centre. Together they look like a solid unit.

Open Your Eyes is definitely better live especially now, because there is a relatable video.  It’s a huge feat for the band, and I think the audience are really mirroring their success when they perform it. There are a lot of content smiley faces, with friends and family singing along. Kris takes this opportunity to get near the audience, ducking down and offering the mic to best friend, dad, loyal supporter, and video star Grant Shaw. His contribution is fleeting as I don’t hear his words, but I see his face, he appears to be creasing up from ear to ear, paired with dancing eyes.

EOTS 5

The set ends with, “No Tomorrow”, it’s an epic finish, as they smash out another favourite. Each member of the band was concentrating on their instrumentation, and delivering the most powerful sounding songs they could muster for their monumental album launch night.  I pause to watch, putting my camera away for a while to witness the band’s energy; yes it’s still as strong as the first track, Awakening. They are still bouncing, they might look a bit moist at the end, but they are still working off the love in the room, the appreciation, applause and recognition.  Words are being sung back to them, and now and again, an adoring audience member will let out a scream.

I just can’t help wanting to gloat, but this band is ours, the people’s band. That’s why I think we (Voice of Scotland) love them. As a matter of fact and we find this out later, Kris tells us, that love is the album’s central theme.

“The album is about love, there’s not enough love in the world, and we just need to remember to love each other more.”

EOTS 7

There you have it, the mystic of the band is somewhat dispelled for new fans, safe in the knowledge that the anger, passion, hard hitting vocals, beats and bass all come from a great place. Enemies Of The State’s name may mean business, but it’s comforting to know that here in Glasgow is a true hero of a band that just wants to spread a little musical love our way. In the only way they know how, in a style that makes us think, because they mean it, and they walk the talk. Yes, Enemies Of The State, I think you might just be the awakening.  And with that, we look forward to celebrating your future success in the coming months and years. Congratulations on a brilliant debut!

What are you waiting for?

Go ahead and download your free copy of Enemies Of The State’s debut release, Awakening, here:

http://www.enemiesof.com/downloads/

It’ll be worth your time and your ears.

Also, here’s a list of EOTS’s exciting up-and -coming gigs, which will end 2014 for them on a record high:

15th November: The Green Room, Perth.

1st December: Appearing on STV’s The Riverside Show.

NEW SHOW ANNOUNCED

5th December: Supporting Scottish legends Big Country at The Classic Grand, Glasgow

29th December: Headlining King Tut’s Wah Wah Hut for their showdown of the year, with another rock star band, The Mona Lisa’s, and PJ Molloys Make Your Mark Winner, Oskar .

Links:

www.enemiesof.com

www.facebook.com/enemiesofthestateband

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1dNja2lERPk

https://soundcloud.com/enemiesofthestate

Point to note:

Unfortunately I missed out on getting a copy of EOTS’s  set-list; therefore, I was unable to go through the songs in a linear fashion. The band reported they had signed all copies for fans at the end of the gig while I was packing up, so there was not one left to spare…

It is likely the order of events and songs may be out of sync.

ECROWD

Thoughts:

Those set-lists will be worth gold in about 5 years’ time – wonder if I can bribe someone…

Summary: 

1)      Enemies of The State’s album is FREE to download, and you can also donate to it (hint hint…)

2)      Their debut video, Open Your Eyes was released weeks before the launch, it gained positive      reviews, but not a single member of the band is in it.

3)      They are producing a physical copy of the album, Awakening, which will include the song, Atlas, which just missed the digital download version.

4)      They smashed their album launch in Audio on 18th October.

5)      Jim Gellatly will play Open Your Eyes on his XFM drivetime show from 5-7pm on 7th November.

6)      The band’s first mainstream television appearance will be on 1st December, tune into the STV Riverside Show for that.

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Sergio Sergio: Sizzlin’!

 by Harsharan Hoonjan 

They have the funkiest sound, spliced with sharp pokes of ferocious vibrancy.  It’s cool rock and roll fronted by an edgy, grit induced vocalist.  This Glasgow based band will make you move AND listen. Sergio Sergio headlined O2 Futures Fest 2012 and performed for the event again in 2013.  It’s no surprise the Glasgow based five piece hit the same amazing venue at O2 Academy Glasgow two years in a row. The event only showcases artists deemed as the next big thing. As a guest last year, I witnessed several greats including Parker, The Apparells, Return to the Sun, Taylor Red (who I was reviewing at the time), and Sergio Sergio.  During Sergio Sergio’s performance, I got another couple of words from Chris Gore (Taylor Red’s manager) who stated the band is: “Bad ass!”

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Well there was a distinct carnivorous feel to the band, and they certainly do something to music.I caught Sergio Sergio again when they performed for The Old Town Food Street Festival at The Three Sisters (Edinburgh).  Since the inception of this festival, only the best up and coming Scottish musicians have graced its stages. The band next play King Tut’s on 18th July for the Summer Nights Festival. This will see a whole host of talented acts perform in one of the dinkiest, and greatest live music venues in Scotland.  Also, if you manage to look up the meaning of Sergio, you’ll see why this is an epic name for the guys, as they work to save the world through the wonderfulness that is live music.

I was getting ready to interview the lads, however, due to technical issues on my part, I was afraid the interview was a no go.  Luckily, a few members helped pull it out the bag, cheers guys!  So without further ado, let’s get to the intros, the meat, and well the actual interview…

Members

All five members are: Lee Given (Lead Vocals), Eddie Carberry (Lead Guitar) Paul McInally (Bass Guitar and backing vocals), Chris Smith, AKA Tank (Keyboard), and James Dayer (Drums).

Background

Ed and Paul have been friends since primary school, and had played together for 12 years. They met Chris and James in High School.  The band didn’t officially start until Lee joined.  They had strict guidelines for their lead singer, and it seems to have worked out well. From sitting with the lads, they are definitely a tight-knit bunch.

Ed: The vetting process for a singer was they need to come in, they need to be able to sing and they need to be like our best mate straight away. That’s a pure big massive ask and we spent so long with no-one that fitted that criteria at all. Lee came in and we were like, “that’s it!”

Tank’s nick-name

I had to go back and ask why Tank was called Tank, the interview flowed and I completely forgot about it. Later Chris retold this story:

“I was about 8 and we were in BB (The Boys Brigade) and playing football in a church hall, and I ran into a massive pile of chairs, knocked them all down and then got up and asked if I had scored! Now, it’s nearly 18 years later and I’m still called it lol”

Great story!

Tank:  Paul has a nickname as well. Luther Vandross lol if you watch his video for “Never Too Much”, it’s just exactly how Paul acts, smiles & dances.

Fun stories!

Here’s the video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pNj9bXKGOiI

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Futures Fest

I first saw you play at Futures Fest last year. How was that?

Paul: Good yea really enjoyed it.  We played it in 2012 as well and we were the headline act, the place was absolutely packed. It was obviously a bit harder to get that the next year but, as a band I thought we played as well as we’ve ever played.

James: Playing on that stage is totally worth it, its good experience.

Taylor Red gave you guys a shout out in an interview I did with them last year. Anyone in particular you would like to give a shout out to?

Paul: The Works, extremely awesome. They were on at Futures Fest just before us.

Lee: Cool guys’ man.

Eddie: Taylor Red, we’ve played a couple of gigs with them. They’re really good.

Paul: The Apparells.

The Apparells – yep they’re great too.

Funkmeisters

I’ve heard you’re like the funkmeisters of Glasgow, is that a good description?

Paul: Punk, Rock, Jazz, Disco.

Ed: Definitely Disco in there.

Paul: We’ve got a quite a unique sound cos we all bring different influences to the table

I think you’ve got a very distinct sound.

Who are your Influences?

Paul: You need to go through the whole table

Lee: It’s mixed from genres to artists. Personally my massive influences are with Led Zeppelin, Robert Plant, Incubus, Prince, a lot of different mixes for me personally man.

Paul: I agree with Lee for Led Zeppelin, and Prince, I’m also into 80s Pop Disco, that’s like my biggest influence, hence the disco sound in our songs.

Tank: Earth, Wind and Fire, Nile Rogers, Neil Diamond, The Calling.

James: I’ll probably say I’m a lot heavier than everyone else like.  AC/DC, Iron Maiden, Led Zeppelin and Prince as well, I just love everything.

Ed: John Frusciante is a big one people tell me, it’s true!

*laughs*

Ed: Steely Dan, Led Zeppelin, there’s loads; I’ve been put on the spot! Being asked what kind of music I like!

Oops!

Ed: I like to listen to all that folk music that’s going around just now like Mumford and Sons.  I can’t find a way to transpose that into what we do.

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Genres

You’ve pointed out a great mix of different genres, which will of course help your creativity.

 

Paul: I think that lends a lot to the band, we can bounce off ideas and clash with ideas. Sometimes in a bad way, sometimes in a good way, everyone brings something different to the music.

Tank: I can be quite bad and give these guys into trouble for wasting time!

Lee: Tank’s like the Dad of the band!

Tank: I like having things set out and things going to plan, but these guys are like very very creative people.  Nine times out of ten it’s definitely worth it because they come up with some good sh*t!

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Taking Charge

Yea, I think you need someone who takes charge as well as creative types

Tank: I wouldn’t say I take charge; I sit there in a huff.

Lee: Like ‘I’m no talking!’

Tank: Then they all give me puppy eyes.

Ed: We’re like there’s Tank over there, he’s no looking. happy. Cut it out!

Lee: Two hours later…

Tank: Ninety percent of the songs have come from a wee kind of mess about.

Ed: it’s the most fun thing to do though. I don’t find it as fun to put the songs together.  You kind of lose a wee bit of it when you’re doing that. Tank’s like: “you need to stop f*cking about, you need to do that!”

Tank: We’ve got a bit more disciplined. We had started dreaming and things were added to a pile.  Instead of working with what we’ve got, we’d just add something new onto the pile.  We did that over and over, so we’ve just got hundreds of ideas.  But with the last couple of months we’ve been a bit more disciplined and have tried to finish what we’ve started.

Dingying it

Tell me a bit about your songs and writing them.  What’s the process behind it all?

Lee: The process changes from song to song and it could either be Ed’s got a riff or maybe got a lyric from myself or from someone we met. Paul would be like, I just came up with this bass line and we’ll run with it, we all chip in.

Paul: We just try and jam about with an idea for a wee while. Then we record it, we normally just do a three hour session in the studio.

Ed: We’ll put a disc on record everything that’s going on, then we’ll go home and just cut it all up. Going, “I like that bit and that bits cool”, and we’ll go back and jam with it a bit more.   We start putting it all together and go, “right what’s happening, where are the lyrics coming from?” We’ll work out who’s part is rubbish, who’s part is good.   We just start building it up from there. Sometimes it works. Sometimes we get half way through it and we’re like aaah I don’t know if this is going anywhere.

Paul: Let’s dingy if for a while!

Ed: It’s good fun.

Paul: We’ll be recording for 3 hours and get 30 seconds worth of good material. That’s not much for everything you do but it’s worth it in the end I suppose.

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Paul’s Dance

Lee: We came up with a song a few weeks ago which started with Paul’s dance!

Paul’s dad?!

Lee: Paul’s dance!

*Laughs*

Tank: It originally started with James.

James: Yea thanks guys, it was the drum beat!

Tank: It was an epic drum beat.

Ed: James made Paul dance, Paul danced, threw money at him. From that dance he came up with some bass.

James: It was the interpretation.

Tank: It just kind of escalated from there I suppose.

Ed: Sometimes that’s all you need, that spark.

I was eager to put a song name to the influence that is Paul’s dance. The lads informed me the music for this song has been recorded, and once they find an appropriate name for it, they’ll let me know. That’s another thing to look forward to.

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That Westwood song…

Can you tell me about that Westwood Song?

Paul:  Westwood? He’s a prick and we wrote a song about it!

James: Yea he’s a massive d***e

Ed: It wasn’t written about Westwood originally, that whole chorus part. Originally we had just the chorus and the chorus was:  “I will go to the Westwood show”.

James: It’s related to The Chili’s song: “By the way”

Lee: It’s cool that nobody really knows what that song is about.

James: See this is how it works, it all means something different to everyone in the band.

Paul: Westwood was probably like a word that fitted in. We needed two syllables that ended with Wood at the time – Westwood!

James: Think we can all agree though, we hate Tim Westwood! 

A few members in the audience were in agreement with you!

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Identity and connection

What about “Who are you”? It’s quite a catchy number, very echoic as well.

Paul: It’s always been about the same idea. It’s always had the same theme.

 

Ed: Which is singing about someone or maybe you are someone who’s homeless or destitute in some way.

Paul: Someone with a lack of identity kind of thing.

Lee: It can be interpreted in any way, someone maybe looking in the mirror saying that to themselves.   It could also be to the homeless guy on the street man.

Paul: That’s why we have Lee, for his wonderful insights.

Tank: We had a lot of things on board before Lee came in, when he came in, it was like: “I think this should be this or we should do it that way”, and it’s been great.

The Exhale story

What about Exhale?

Ed: That’s an interesting one.

James: Lee tell the story behind Exhale.

Lee: It’s one that’s quite personal to me.

Ed: That was a good night though!

*Laughs*

Lee: The song’s about my inability to smoke cannabis.  It was Ed that had the lyric idea. “What I just passed to you was not a cigarette.”  I just became a big paranoid baby, and I cannae handle it.

Paul: He’s getting better though!

*laughing*

Ed: He walked home from my house one night from the South Westside of Glasgow to his own house in the North Eastside of Glasgow.  He walked a good bit until he found a taxi place.

Lee: Aye…

James: He had no money or phone.

Lee: I just freaked out man!

James: We thought he was dead.

Ed: We were all sitting in the kitchen, he walked out, and we thought he was gonna be sick. After about two hours we were like, he’s passed out.  Went through and he’s not there. We looked everywhere and he was just no there.

James: So we just rolled another joint!

*laughing*

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But you were okay in the end, as you’re here to tell the tale?!

Lee: I got home eventually but aye it was a ropey night.

Paul: That night changed him.

Oh dear…

These songs are based on their second last EP titled: “Mama Quilla”, which is based on the mythological Goddess of the Moon.   The latest EP also contains some outstanding tracks. Unfortunately, we didn’t get round to chatting about that. For a quick listen before you buy check out:

https://soundcloud.com/sergiosergio/sets/sergio-sergio

Favourites

I know it’s a hard question as you might say they all are, but what is your favourite song?

Paul: Everyone’s got their own favourites, which are personal to them.

James: I like the one at the end of today’s set.

Lee: The last song we played today was probably be released as a single, in the summer.

Paul: That’s not on the EP yet, that’s still to be recorded.

Fantastic

Lee: I think we all have our own wee favourites, we don’t admit it though. All the songs mean something to everyone man we’ve all got our heart in them.

*Bursts of laughter*

James: Gay!

Lee:  I just want to say, see the band that drinks together…

*Laughs*

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Videos

Lee: Our second video will be released with our new single.

This will again be after the King Tut’s gig in July, so everything will go on from there.

Ed:  Peter Stewart did the first video for us, can’t fault him, we’ll work with him again.

Lee: He’s a great guy to work with.  It will be another couple of months till the next one.

If their debut music video is anything to go by then the next video is worth the wait.  The song and video to “I Am The Moon”, depicts a painful yet harrowing tale of love. The term “Ill-fated lovers” has been redefined within 4 minutes and 14 seconds.

Here it is:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O8Hkr3AeXMQ

Tours and gig stories

Have you got a Scottish tour lined up this year?

Paul: That will all happen after the summer night’s thing. King Tuts is the main thing that will kick start the summer for us.

Ed: We have a few things lined up, doing a few English gigs, nothing in concrete but if that was to happen that would be August/end of September.  We’re just kind of taking it as it comes with the rest of Scotland.

Definitely getting that Perth gig on the go, we were up in Aberdeen last year too. It would be good to get back up there again too. We’ve never played Dundee or Dunfermline or anywhere further afield.  It would be kinda cool to get into some really really wee places. Really small places like Inverkirk, that would be cool.

Lee: So rapey man!

*Laughs*

What’s been your best gig to date?

Tank: Perth.

James: I think for the sheer fun Perth.

Paul: As a band I think we just had so much fun when we were up there.

Ed: For me, it had to be the Tut’s gig in January that was outstanding!  Even though we had a technical issue on the first song with my guitar string breaking, it was unbelievably professional, I just got back on it again.

Lee: You dealt with it like a boss!

Ed: When it was time to start the next song nobody even noticed it happened.  It was just so professional, aww I loved that gig by a mile. Anytime I was standing up and looking round it was like a sea of people that you couldn’t make out because the lights were in your face. My knees were shaking, I was like: “I’m gonna fall over”.

Paul: We like to get involved with anything; we don’t make a big deal of it. It really doesn’t matter how wee a place is or how small a club. Doesn’t matter if we play in a wee bar at the East end of Scotland or O2 Academy.

Lee: It’s the same gig to us isn’t it?!

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Any charity gigs coming up?

Paul: We did a charity gig in March.  It was all run by Tank. Lots of people turned up which was good.

Everyone has always got something that means something to them.

Tank: Macmillan Cancer Support is something that means a lot to all of us.

Ed: We wanted to do something, hence the name of the title: “Do Something”

There was a lot of good feedback.

Echo Bass and Jamie Allanach from Raj were there too

Ed: That magician was good.

Tank: Robert Devennie.

Comedian Stephen Buchanan was good as well.

Chirs: He is some comedian, look him up, Bantervillle.

Sounds excellent and I will do!

Ed We do like to get ourselves about, play lots of gigs and meet new people. You make friends doing this kind of thing, it’s good to know people and have a connection, not to push yourself forward but just to meet everybody else.

Paul: We’ve been gigging now for a couple of years. The bands that we play with are great bands, but we also get on with them really well.

Lee: We’re all just friends.

Paul: That’s it good pals with other bands that we know.

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The Music Scene

It is easy to make connections in the music scene?  Can it be cut-throat at times?

Tank: It depends on your attitude, if you’re very social, if you are up for a laugh then its fine. Most musicians are fine, there is no real competition.

Lee: it’s like a union kind of thing, like you’re all in it together.

Paul: We can appreciate what everyone is trying to do.

Like brothers and sisters.

Okay, so what’s been your worst gig? You don’t have to name the place, just let me know why it was your worst.

Tank: We were hammered.

Paul: It was Hogmanay.

Lee: We were on at 11 O’clock.

Oh no…

Paul: We were still on a high from Futures Fest, we just thought we’d swagger in and it just didn’t go as well as we thought.

Lee: We were literally all at one stage ready to go. The music started man and Paul’s pure at the bar.  We were like f*ck.

Ed: The guys in the gig were like those guys had loads of people at the O2 Academy so they had loads of bouncers and bar staff on and then nobody came. I don’t know the whole town was really quite that night wasn’t it?

James: It’s Hogmanay though; loads of people go places and buy tickets!

Chirs: We played a free gig for them the month after to make up for it. We redeemed ourselves.

Lee: That was a good gig actually.

James: Yea you learn from your mistakes, and we do like the venue. They do a lot for musicians.

Name dropping

Have you ever used your name when not performing?

Ed: I would normally do the total opposite of that!

James: We’ve got a lot of people who recognise us or will assume we are in a band.

Paul: We’ll promote it but I think we’re quite proud of the tunes that we’ve made.  If you can get that out there, then it’s great. We’ve got a modest following.

Feedback

What have been people’s responses to your music?

Paul: We had a great review from a friend once!

Ed: We were chatting to a guy who was a friend of a friend. It was my friend who was going on a train and he met his friend on a train. So we were chatting away and he was like: “how is your band?”  I was like aye not bad. His friend was like what’s your band called, I said Sergio Sergio.He was like: “I’ve got you on my IPad man!” Then he showed me our songs all loaded up in his IPad, that was great review.

Paul: That lassie on Facebook.

Ed: She saw us at a gig, and she tracked us down and wanted to buy a ticket.

James: Factory wasn’t it?

Paul: We were playing at Factory in the West End, that’s right.

Great stuff guys!

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Any final words or messages for fans?

Lee:  In terms of messages for fans moving forward, we’re planning on a big summer ahead,

Paul: Watch this space

Lee: Aye Watch this space as they say. All the support that has been given to us, up to this point is much appreciated. And even to some close friends of the band man. Who are constantly helping us out, and are looking to try and push the band forward. We really appreciate everything they do for us man!

Lovely, thanks guys, enjoy tonight! 

Sunny Future and One Summers Night

Watch Sergio Sergio perform like never before, starting with:

18th July, “Summer Nights Festival”, at King Tut’s Wah Wah Hut, Glasgow

As the lads say, it all starts from this gig, from the sounds of things; we should invest In Sergio Sergio early this summer.  Feet of Clay, Lemonhaze, and The Responsible will also be performing.  That’ll be one sizzlin’ night then! Come along, because in addition to a great website (with a cool slider to enter), there is a dedicated page going out to all you fans.Just follow the links.

Links:

http://www.sergiosergioband.com/

https://www.facebook.com/sergiosergiomusic

https://twitter.com/SergioSergioUK

https://soundcloud.com/sergiosergio

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O8Hkr3AeXMQ

 

 

 

 

 

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Lewis Kaye: Man Around Town

by Harsharan Hoonjan 

Lewis Kaye and band is a four piece Edinburgh based ensemble, made up of: Lewis Kaye (Guitar and Vocals), Duncan Robertson (Bass) Jordan Harvey (Drums) and David Scobie (Guitar and Backing Vocals).

Their sound is encapsulated in fresh pop beats, zingy guitar solos, funky bass lines, and sprightly vocals. Young Arthur Promotions have snapped up the band and are currently helping the lads get as much exposure as possible. Like their debut single, Lewis and co are definitely men (rather than man) around town. I had the pleasure of catching up with lead singer Lewis when he performed two acoustic sets at The Three Sisters Food Festival in Edinburgh.

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Background

Lewis: I’ve  been gigging since I was 13/14 in bands and everything like that, just trying to get my name out there and yea moved up here a couple of years ago, just to have a fresh start. I’m from North Lincolnshire, but I’m based in Edinburgh now.

How did you find playing at The Old Town Street Food Festival?

L: It was good, the bus was interesting actually. Can’t say I have played on the bus before. It’s good; I enjoyed it and then had a cheeky wee slot on the main stage as well.

Yea, you got asked to perform again on the main stage, well played!

You have a single out as well I believe?

Called: “Man Around Town”?  

L: We brought it out last Saturday, and launched it at The Voodoo Rooms.

Fantastic, how was that?

L: Yea it was great; we got a really good response from that as well

What about the single specifically, what responses have your had so far?

L: We are sending it out to Radio companies, seeing who is interested in it, which places are downloading it, and seeing what happens with it.

You also performed on the Castle Sessions show at Castle FM.

L: Yes I did a show for Castle FM.  The guitarist, David and I were there. Yea it was good.

Yep always good banter and music on that show, amazing. Are you planning to gig around Edinburgh now?

L: Over the summer we’re just going to be gigging around Glasgow/Edinburgh, and go down to Newcastle. We’ll go to places like that, and hopefully make our way down to London. Just promote it and then get back into the studio and start on our second single.

Oh great! When is that going to be produced?

L: Couldn’t tell you just now

Do you have a lot of songs in the back burner, seeing as you’ve been doing this since you were 13?

L: At the minute, it’s just songs with the band, cos I play acoustic in a band too.  We’ve got about nine songs that we play a set with. It was just meant to be an acoustic set on the bus today. The full band isn’t here. The drummer is actually away gigging. And the guitarist is doing his own thing as well. I just soloed it.

Do you all just do your own thing?

L: Yea I met up with a bunch of musicians who wanted to help me do a few sessions here and there. We work really well together; it was actually the bass player who produced the single.  It’s going really well.

You got some good responses on the bus today!

L: Yea people were clapping away!

Are you planning on making a video?

L: Yea it’s something that was meant to happen at the launch night but we were let down. Not sure what’s happening with that right now. If we’re doing one for the first single, we’ll do one for the second as well. We’ll release that before the second single is released.

Okay so you need a Video Producer, I will get the word out for you for ….

L: That would be great.

What do you think of the current live music scene?

L: There’s always a lot going on, Glasgow is quite hectic for music.  It’s got a good music scene, but, it’s just one of those things I guess, you’ve just gotta play in the right place at the right time.

Are you looking to collaborate with other musicians?

L: Actually a friend of mine has just flown back from San Diego today.  He just did a single launch and got me a couple of contacts over there.  So fingers crossed next year, something may happen with that.

Big news!

L:  I’ve got a few friends in London that are gonna be sorting a few shows out over the summer as well.

Your name will be out there in the UK and worldwide, brilliant.  There’s so much to ask after that! First, other than being a musician, is there a deep rooted purpose/message behind what you’re doing?  Do you have a specific goal?

L: I’ve been doing it for so long, growing up in a little town. Loads of people have been doing gigs; they’ve dispersed and done their own thing. I was the only one who was not doing my own thing. That’s why I thought I should broaden my horizons. I definitely wanna be gigging/touring all over. I also want to keep working in the studio, keep chipping away and see what I can get from it.

When did you actually move here?

L: Last September

Are you still at Uni? Studying music?

L: Yea, I’ve got another two years .

Great, that’s really good. You’re doing well so far.

Who are your musical influences?

L: The main guy for me, who basically started me writing my own stuff  is James Morrison,  and the likes of Jason Mraz and all of that.

Yep!

L: Band wise, I’ve grown up listening to Oasis. Razorlight, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Blur, all that sort of stuff, Madness as well.

If you could pick anyone to have on stage and perform with you, who would you choose?

L: I’d say James Morrision, I’ve been to see him a couple of times and he is outstanding!

Fantastic!

L: I would definitely like to jam with him

Great! Do you perform any James Morrison covers?  Is that something you plan to do more in the future?

L: I’ve done one or two, here and there, but no nothing serious. I like to perform my own stuff really. But, depending on what kind of gig it is, I will chuck a cover in now and again, just to get the crowd going a little bit. Let them listen to something they know. Hopefully, they’ll start listening to my stuff more often.

Nice work!

So you’re planning to tour America as well?

L: My main focus this year is to promote myself in the UK. Just get myself out there, and yea that’s really the main focus. Going over to the states is more of a treat for me.

Yea that would be amazing!

4

If you could have a song of yours played anywhere in the world, where would you choose?

L:  Could I choose a Radio station?

Of course, any platform/location

L: I’d have to say Radio 1 because the single Man Around Town would fit perfectly on the playlist right now, If I do say so myself.

Kenedi Arthur: It’s definitely, current and trendy

L: Yea, it’s just like, people are always listening to Radio 1, and I listen to a band on there and go, yea I’ll look them up.   Catfish and the Bottlemen are getting a lot of radio play at the minute. A lot of my mates were like, oh yea I heard these guys on the radio today.  I’ve got their album now! So yea, being played on Radio 1 would be ideal.

They were playing the BBC Introducing Stage at Radio 1s Big Weekend in Glasgow, they are doing well.

Are you friends with them?

L: Our drummer is friends with the singer

Ahh okay, excellent

L: Yea it’s always a good connection to have.

Absolutely

Is there anyone else you would like to give a shout out to?

L: I’d like to give a mention to a band that came and supported us at our single launch.  They are called Lizo.  They are based in North Lincolnshire which is also were they are from.  So yea big shout out to those boys, great band. Go check em out!

Great, thank you.

Any final words or lyrics you would like to share to capture the essence of you and the band?

L: Not really off the top of my head.

There’s me and the others, we have a bassist who’s very very funky. We have a drummer who’s a great drummer and the guitarist who’s great on the backing vocals. There are so many elements chucked into one band. When you listen to the single, you’ll hear it all, you’ll hear the bass riffs, drums and vocals; yea it all blends very well.

I say we’re a bit like The 1975 that’s another great band on the scene.

That’s brilliant, thank you very much.

In the most time efficient interview I’ve ever conducted, I was very impressed.  It’s nice to see a young man so focussed. It seems like Lewis and the rest of the band have carefully mapped out their music journey. If the result is anything close to: Man Around Town, then we have another quality band on our hands.  I look forward to seeing where the rest of the year takes them. With Young Arthur also making a name for themselves, perhaps an American tour is not that far away after all. I’m adding Lewis Kaye and band to my watch list.

*At the time of publishing this piece, Lewis Kaye had finished recording their second single. Can’t wait to hear it!

Links:

www.Facebook.com/LewisKaye

https://soundcloud.com/lewis-kaye

https://itunes.apple.com/gb/album/man-around-town/id874950465?i=874950474

www.facebook.com/youngarthurpromotions

 

 

 

 

 

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Jonny Jack: Skin To The Bone

by Harsharan Hoonjan

I believe Jonny Jack is one of the most understated yet truly talented musicians I have had the pleasure of meeting.

JJ 8

Jonny Jack (Lead Vocals and Guitar) , Paul Jack (Lead Guitar), Michael Jack (Bass Guitar), and Douglas I’Anson (Drums)  make up the Glasgow based band.

I watched Jonny Jack live for the first time at Pivo Pivo for the Glasgow Dirty Weekender. It was a superb set.  The vocals instantly hook you in as the guitar, drums, and bass work your interest. I felt something else too, a strength in the music that transcended through the lyrics and sound. Something in their songs/performance sounded piercingly honest.

Because, you’ll find they get under your skin,  which is tricky to do after seeing a band perform live for the first time.  I returned from that first gig, and loaded up their online music files for another helping. I also had to check if what I what I had heard earlier was true!

It was, and I was lucky enough to get an interview with the band. This was when Jonny Jack kindly agreed to perform for us at the Voice of Scotland Showcase gig in Dunfermline.  The guys talk sheep, freckles, wresting, homelessness, and how the really feel about gigging for zero pay.

JJ 21

NME once described you as: “One of the most instantly recognisable and unforgettable soulful voices in a long time”. How do you feel about that?

Jonny: That was mental man, absolutely mental, that was a couple of years ago, and that’s when we had all the remixes  done on it.

“Wide Open” has loads of remixes doesn’t it?

Jonny: Yes. Some quite dodgy ones!

It feels good though, nice things being said about you, some people can say terrible things about you.  It’s no the ultimate end result. NME said it though and, it’s on all the posters

Paul: If they said it, it must be true!

It must be gospel.

You were saying you are excited about tonight:

Jonny: Yep, we are  in a good place,  good venue, and it’s the  first time playing in Dunfermline as well

Paul: Everything about it has been good tonight, the drive through, the weather

Jonny:  Look I’m a bit red

Paul: He will be out in the sun again tomorrow

Jonny:  I don’t get a tan because I’ve got freckles, I used to be told, one day your freckles are gonna join up and then you’re gonna have the best tan ever! I still believe it.

Great stuff but you can’t compete with my tan! Will interview you again when you turn orange though! 

*Laughs*

JJ1

When I last saw you live, you guys were amazing.  You sang your own songs, and you also did a cover, a Michael Jackson number. I loved your version of “Rock With You”. Is Michael Jackson an influence? Tell me more:

Jonny: Michael Jackson isn’t really an influence. We were asked to do a cover for some project in America.  They wanted young unsigned acts, who were asked to re-record a bunch of classic albums.  Michael Jackson, “Off The Wall” was one of the albums we were gonna do.  We got a phone call to listen to the album and had to decide what song to cover.

Stella Reilly walks into the room and we have a chat about her performance. The singer also learns that Jonny, Paul and Michael are brothers.  Douglas then goes on to describe himself as: “The Orphaned Child”. Which leads to my next question…

Douglas how did you get together with the brothers, were you always friends of the family?

Douglas: No, we met because I was recording in the same studio, whilst these guys were launching their old album for Jerricho Beats. They asked the engineer if they knew any guys who could play percussion.  My name was mentioned, and we just took it from there.

JJ12

Brilliant.

It must be great for you guys though to be playing with your brothers, as you are into the same music. 

Michael: Yea well I was always into U2, Oasis and that

Paul: Other guys like Paolo Nutini as well.  We all came together full circle with our influences you know

Sounds like you guys really have pulled it together.

 

How was your E.P. launch for “Skin To The Bone”?

Paul: It was good.

Jonny: Quality Weekend.

Michael: Went to Glasgow, Edinburgh, Inverness.

Jonny: That was mental man!

Paul: Jonny went missing in Inverness.

Oh no! Where did you go?

Paul: There are question marks over him!

Oh right was it the whole, “I’m in a band…”

*Laughs*

Have you ever used your band name to get anything?

Jonny: No I would never because it puts people off.

So you’ve had good reviews from the E.P. launch then?

Jonny:  Good reviews, good reactions from the crowd.  Good gigs! Glasgow and Edinburgh were great.  Inverness was great, we stayed over, met a lot of people from the gig and we partied with them afterwards.

Brilliant!

Paul: So, we hung out with the locals.

JJ3

You’ve got a bigger fan base over there now?

Paul: Yea, especially with the sheep

Oh the Sheep, they follow you everywhere!

Paul: Jonny loves the sheep

*The brothers start laughing*

Jonny will do anything for sheep

Michael: I suppose they are warm and comfy

Snug! Jonny…

Paul: In the gutter!

JJ9

Let’s talk about your song Rennie then, the proceeds of that went to Shelter? That’s very admirable.

Jonny: Yea because it was Christmas time, we saw a lot of homeless people in town and we just thought we’d do a song for that.

Paul: We’re gonna release the video soon too, which will be months down the line. It’s about a girl called Rennie, who has indigestion, and she needs a cure. We’re hoping to get an advert made for indigestion tablets!

 

And tackle homelessness!

Paul: They need Rennies as well!

Douglas: They get indigestion too!  People buy them sandwiches and they don’t think of the consequences.

Paul: Two birds with one stone!

Nice!

Paul:  Tackling World Indigestion and Homelessness!

Jonny: That’s it!

Paul: You might think the song is about a girl called Rennie but it’s so much deeper than that.

Douglas: Double meaning.

Paul: Jonny was suffering from heartburn the day he wrote it!

Jonny: I still actually don’t know what the song is about.

*Laughs*

JJ5

Is that one of your favourites,  actually do you have a favourite?

Paul: My favourite changes every day. I’m one of these guys who wants to perform songs no one else wants to play. I like a song called: “Voodoo” but nobody else wants to play it.

*Laughs*

Paul: As soon as it’s not on the set, I think, it’s a must and I want to play it, that’s just me

Douglas: There’s a great musician, I can’t remember his name,  who said his best song is always gonna be the next one.

Paul: That’s how we feel as well but we’ve got new songs every week.  We’re releasing Rennie with a video, but that song was recorded three years ago!  But, I love it, we love it, it’s one of ma favourites, it’s a wee uplifting tune! I feel like it’s a summery tune, I hear sunshine in it. I can imagine myself wearing sunglasses with the window down listening to it.

Paul: It’s hard to pin one tune down.

Michael: Jonny is a song writing machine. He writes about five songs a week.

Really?

Jonny: Doesn’t mean they are all good!  You could write five poems a day and they might all be rubbish

Paul: Jonny comes in with new songs all the time, it’s kinda hard to choose.  When I hear them I always think it’s hard to pick between them.  They all sound really good to me, I never know what one we will take forward and work on.

Michael: We usually jam out for weeks and weeks in rehearsals, until we think that one is starting to come forward a bit. I think when you jam with a song for long enough, it becomes more natural.

Paul: It comes to a point with a song then, you don’t think about it too much it just kind of happens.  Sometimes it just happens like that, with Rennie, we wanted  to play something so it sounded kinda summery.

Michael: Yea it just kind of happens like that. Basically Jonny can just be playing a solo in rehearsal and then we’ll just join in after.

You guys are good! 

Jonny: We just like doing what we do! We like playing music, if people like it that’s…

Michael: …a bonus!

Paul: Thanks for saying that

Jonny: Hope you enjoy it and if other people enjoy it, that’s what it’s all about.

Absolutely.

JJ 6

Going forward: what are your plans?

Jonny: I used to have a lot of things I wanted to achieve, this year especially because of the E.P. launch and the gigs around and about Scotland. I really enjoy just meeting people.

Paul: Is that what you call it?!

Jonny: All the things that have happened this year, and after having conversations with people in the band. We’ll just keep doing what we’re doing, and if people like it then that’s cool. It’s not the end result.

You all have day jobs then?

All: Yes

Jonny: If we can make a living doing this, then we’ll do it!

Douglas: I do it because I enjoy it, I’d rather play for free than not play at all. If  something comes of it, then fantastic, if not I’m gonna carry on playing regardless.

JJ 10

What are your thoughts on playing for free?

Douglas:  If a musician is playing for free, I think it’s down to the promoters, and the gigs and things you know. Unfortunately, it kind of undervalues the worth of the musician and the effort that’s been put in, if you don’t actually get rewarded for it.  There definitely should be rewards.

You look at function cover bands playing a wedding, and they get £200 per musician per night sort of thing, you know? Why shouldn’t original bands be given that as well?  They are putting a lot of the same effort into it as well you know. They are going travelling, singing, they are writing the songs. Yea, it is difficult but unfortunately, if you don’t play for free, you’re not going to get all the gigs.

Thank you so much for coming to this one by the way.

Paul:  Yea (to Douglas), tell us how you really feel!

*laughs*

How do you prepare for a gig, what’s your routine?

Jonny: I think it’s different for all of us

Paul: I like interviews, reviews and people telling us we’re great, that’s how I like to prepare! Journalistic types like yourself telling us we’re great.

Michael: We also have a ceremonial arm wrestling match before every gig.  The thing is we do it with our feet!

An foot/ankle wrestling match!

Paul: It’s the three of us against him!

*Looks at Douglas*

Paul: He usually wins!

Jonny: He’s got big thighs!

Good on you Douglas!

Jonny: He cycles!

Oh do you? That’s brilliant…okay moving on! 

JJ15

How do did you deal with nerves/ stage fright? Any advice for people who want to get into the business but are a bit anxious/nervous?

Paul: You’ve gotta love what you are doing first and foremost, you have to please yourself. If you’re getting nervous,well you need to have  a love for it inside yourself

Paul: Nerves is a good thing but. Something the earthlings have is nerves…

Douglas: It’s humbling

Paul: I get nervous before gigs, but I’m on the stage with my brothers.  I just look at them and think, I remember Jonny doing that, running around with pants on his head.  Oh and I remember Mike doing that, oh I quite like being up here now, you know.  I just imagine the audience wants me to do well.

Fantastic.

Jonny: It’s all about doing something you love doing.  If you love doing that type of music, you should do that type of music, you’ve just got to love what you do.

Tell me about growing up together and that sort of thing:

Michael: Well he could batter me (points to Paul), and I could batter him (points to Jonny)

*Laughing*

Paul: That’s all you need to know!

Michael: I’m looking forward to a fight one day just to see who’s gonna come out on top

Paul: Michael was also the first to pick up the guitar

Michael: Aye

Paul: I was kind of into the drums first but, yea, I remember you got your first guitar in 2004, and that was it, Bob’s your uncle.

You’ve done very well!

JJ 41

Final message for your fans:

Jonny: I’d like to thank the fans, all you fans out there for the support.

Thank you Jonny Jack!

 

With each performance, you may find Jonny Jack’s suave sound gripping you in the midst of a set.  Listen to the emotion, the instruments, the tone, the echoes coupled with those crisp lyrics. There is a symphony of sweet, sweeping heart quenchers in each track. I’m sure they’ll be requested to play at somebody’s wedding. They are a perfect fit.

Their E.P. “Skin To The Bone” is available to stream for free on Sound Cloud.

Definitely worth checking out, What a remarkable act, one that doesn’t need to scream about their talent. they ooze it – Skin To The Bone style.

Thank you once again Jonny Jack.

Upcoming gig: 

Jonny Jack next perform at Market Bar, Inverness on Saturday 26th July.

Links:

www.facebook.com/jonnyjackmusic

https://soundcloud.com/jonnyjackmusic

http://www.youtube.com/jonnyjackmusic

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Single Review: “The Revenge of Icarus” from Feet of Clay

By Harsharan Hoonjan

“The Revenge of Icarus”, starts with an electric guitar (which is sensational throughout) and drums, which instantly hook your attention.  The vocals are also, brilliantly timed to create an exceptional fiery Britpop sound. The up-tempo beat keeps your head swaying, and your feet tapping. It pauses only slightly before its regrettable finish, I wanted more. It’s fully charged with everything your ears could hope for from Coatbridge’s finest. Feet of Clay have come up trumps with this single. Get it now!

Links:

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Feet-of-Clay/133713673370110?fref=ts

https://itunes.apple.com/gb/album/the-revenge-of-icarus-single/id883237621

http://www.amazingtunes.com/feet/tunes/275975

 

 

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Enemies Of The State: Don’t Let Your Light Go Out

By Harsharan Hoonjan

Enemies Of The State from Glasgow are the epitome of “stripped bare”. Their songs tear through the existing dynamics in the music scene and they leave you aching for more. I don’t think I will ever have enough questions for this forward thinking band, or enough answers to their questions. In a revealing interview, I capture the lifeblood of this five-man strong line-up.

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Kris Tennant (Lead vocalist and Guitarist) Joseph Carney (Bassist) and Sean Chilton (Lead Guitarist) were ready for their interview, after performing a dazzling acoustic set.   Unfortunately, Glenn Holburn (Guitar) Gary Curran (Drummer), could not make our Voice of Scotland Showcase Gig (at PJ Molloys, Dunfermline).

Kris’ girlfriend and Joe’s girlfriend also sit in whilst I prepare to interrogate the band.  Although it doesn’t quite turn out the way I expected…

Kris: Right go, what you gonna ask us?

“So guys how did you get together?” *in a girly voice*

Is that how it’s gonna go?

Yep!

Kris: Oh right cool

So you have to ask us in that accent

You say it!

Okay… So guys, how did you get together?

Kris:  I was doing a solo thing, solo singer songwriter and I had a backing band and all that.

I decided that I wanted to start a band and write about stuff that I thought was meaningful. I was tired singing about: “my girlfriend dumped me and I’m skint”, and blah, blah, blah, blah.  So I got Gary, I got Joe, I got Glenn, I got Sean together and we started Enemies of the State.

Sean: You got Sean pretty late thought didn’t you?

Kris: Aye Sean came in later in the process.

Joe:  He grew on us like a tumor

Kris: Like a beautiful creative tumor! Growing on me! (sure this was the idea behind the song ‘You’re really growing on me’ by The Darkness!)

*Laughing*

Kris: We were like a beautiful skinny girl with no b**bs and Sean started and he was the beautiful  b**bs to our body.

Sean: I was the b**bs! Let that be written.

Kris: Then Gary came down and he was the beautiful tumor.

Kris: So basically we got together, and we wanted to start writing songs about what was meaningful.

Joe: Glen is my good looking cousin!

Kris: Glen wasn’t here tonight either, but Glen joined the band a couple of months ago. Since he joined, it’s a bit more of creative process.  And he’s better looking than us all! He gets the young girls.

Is he single?

Kris: No

Ahh, he’s a bit of eye candy for the ladies!

Kris: He’s the exotic eye candy because he’s from Canada.

That doesn’t answer how we got together…

Joe: We all have different backgrounds, we came together and that was it.

Thanks for doing this showcase gig for us!

Kris: We wanted to do it.

9Tell us more about your tour then, what have you got planned?

Kris: Well the album is coming out this summer.  We’re gonna rent a log cabin, and we’re gonna spend the weekend recording the album.  We’re aiming to have it out late July, early August.

We were talking today, we think we’ll probably do a tour kinda winter time.

We’re gonna call it “The Chook Tour.”

Joe:  Am I f*ck calling it that

Kris: It’s gonna be called The Chook Tour, and we’re gonna go everywhere outwith Glasgow.

Anywhere in particular?

Kris: So we’ll definitely go here (Dunfermline), we’ll definitely go to Edinburgh; I know we’ll definitely get Aberdeen; we’ll definitely get up to Inverness and know we’ll get to Dundee. So those are just the places that I know are absolute definites.

Okay cool, and how many tracks are going to be in your album?

Kris: About 12.

Joe:  Maybe more!

Kris: Each song is gonna be a mini orgasm.

Each song is going to burst open new experiences

EOTS 6

Women are just going to fall in love with it?

Ashley: Yea, basically that’s how we met!

How did you guys meet?

Kris: It was over the last £2 Poster of Chicken Little, she was like:  “I like Chicken Little”, and  I was like:  “I like Chicken Little”, we both reached for the same poster…

Joe: I like little chicken!

Kris: And that’s how it started…

You asked the question!

Never ask about people’s love lives!

No more questions about love lives for me!

Tell us about your song: Don’t Let Your Light Go Out:

Kris: If you listen to the chorus you’ll hear the words, we’re all made from stars.  That comes from the fact that we are all made from the same atoms.  The atoms make stars, they make planets, they make humans, they make wood,

Everything in the f*cking universe is made up of atoms. Therefore, we are made up of the same stuff atoms are made up of.  My point with that song is whenever the human race gets to its lowest point, whenever you think that there’s no hope for the human race, remember that.

Remember the fact that we are made from stars, and that we’ve all got a light within us and we should never let it go out.  The second verse is a story about not being who you are meant to be because you are stuck being what everyone says you should be.

“I’m hanging onto forever but then you let go and you’re carried away.”

If you just let go of what everybody thinks of you, and just realise there is a light inside you.

Love it!

11

I was listening to a few of your songs and they are quite inspirational with great messages is that your aim to open people’s eyes?

One of our songs is actually called  Open Your Eyes, we couldn’t play it because of time constraints…(we had quite a line-up that night, sorry guys)

Too many bands sing about the same sh*t Oasis sang about which was nothing,” I’m getting mad with it”, and blah blah blah.  “My bird broke up with me”, and I just feel that you just need to start writing better songs you know. It’s that whole f*cking thing, too many protest singers, and not enough protest songs.

Right…

We need to start writing songs that get people talking that get people thinking because everywhere you turn, if it’s not the paper it’s the telly.

There’s sh*t f*cking polluting your mind. If it’s not The Kardashians, it’s the valleys and all those things, there’s too much sh*t in people’s minds and that’s what my songs are about. They are about opening people’s minds, you know, that’s what it is for me anyway…*drops tone and sighs*

Is that what you want for the band? Is that how you want to move forward?

13

Kris: Well for me at the end of the day, if you’ve got some sort of purpose that is a positive

You can open people up to a different way of thinking.  It’s the ideal thing and you can enjoy yourself at the same time which is what we do. I think that’s even better.   It doesn’t become a responsibility or a chore; it’s just part of your life you know.  We get pissed. Everyone laughs, we get mad with it and in the process we spread a positive message and that’s it.

 

 

 

What are your thoughts on the music scene at the moment?

There are loadsa places promoting live music especially in Scotland, this is our first gig outwith Glasgow.

Kris: Come to Glasgow there’s a good music scene there, go to Edinburgh there’s a good music scene there.  The competition is amazing and the competition is really good.  Not only is it great in numbers, it’s great in quality as well, that kinda makes it harder.  There are so many people doing it.  What also makes it hard is the people in control are only really in it for money.  If you’re good looking, handsome, and you’re easy to control then there you go. You’re let in the club and you’ve got money, you’ve got everything you want.

 EOTS 8What direction do you want your music to go?

Kris: Well the point is…I’ve got the same dream as everyone, I’m not gonna lie, you want to get as big as you possibly can get. But, I think that if you can start a band and write some songs that at least change the mind-set of 10 people, then that’s better.   Good to have 10 people that relate to your music, than going on the X-Factor and having 10 million people, who will hear you for a minute and forget you the next day.

You know what I mean so what I think is keep f*cking playing away songs that have a positive message, and if you don’t get through to people, fair enough at least you tried.

If you get through to one person that in itself starts a ripple effect.  That one person you effect with your positive message will go on to effect 10 people. Those 10 people could start their own ripple and it could get f*cking bigger.

So, the point is who cares as long as we have a good time, and if we don’t reach anybody fine, at least we had a fun!

Yes!

What is this all based on?

Kris: Drugs, this is all based on a hallucinogenic experience up in Glencoe.  I came back and thought, I want to start writing songs that  will speak to people in a positive way.

You just need to look at the movies coming out now; they are about revolution, which is happening. .It’s in the paper and on the internet, it’s on the internet every f*cking day!  You’ve got shows like Hunger Games as well, it’s all about revolution, its happening!

Joe: Evolution

Kris: Well that’s it man, evolution, revolution, whatever way you want to look at It  People are progressing in the 21st century. The internet is the biggest f*cking thing that has ever happened to us!  You know it might just be the thing that saves us.

That moment right there was the moment we had access to the most information we’ve ever had in our entire lives (the very moment you re reading this).  Every single moment is the moment when we have the most access to information that we’ve ever had.  We’ve never had that before

Whilst on the subject of the internet, ..do you agree with steaming free music?

Kris: Yes, yes, yes

What’s your take on making money from music on these internet streaming services?

Kris: It is bullsh*t

Record companies make enough money!   One of the things that annoyed me, I don’t know if you remember that, The Chili Peppers are against free downloads. They have more money than sense!  If they don’t have enough money then who does?

It shouldn’t be that way for those who can’t afford it.  People shouldn’t have to pay money to be inspired.  People should be able to look at the guy across the road and be inspired  People should strive to be the best person they can be whether that is physically, mentally, emotionally, spiritually we should all f*cking do it!

We should be bouncing off each other, and saying things like: “Man I want to be that guy!”  We should be able to overlook our imperfections.

 15bDoes that idea get you out of bed every day?

Kris:  No, Tetley’s tea bags, and a Steak Bake gets me out of bed!

Joe: The IPhone alarm

 

 

You don’t have a song to wake you up?

Kris: Queens of the Stone Age

We have ripped off the IPhone alarm to use in one of our songs on our album

Kris: My dad!

Genuinely, Rage Against the Machine, every one of their songs is political.   You need to listen to all their songs and say f*ck you everybody! That’s pretty much what Enemies of the State are about!

Interesting

EOTSP2

So you’d collaborate with those two bands, anyone else?

Kris: I would say Tom Jones as well….

Joe: Billy Bob Thornton, Alex Turner or Joshua Homme.

Kris: Chris Cornell, Simba from the Lion King and Timone

Enemies of the State Musical!

Kris: Sebastian from the Little Mermaid

Joe: Enemies of the State Musical!

You should do it! 

Okay so when is the album coming out exactly?

Joe: We could get the album done in a few days, if we put our heads down.We know the songs we just need to put pen to paper and to get them recorded.

How often do you practise?

Kris:  We try and get together three times a month

Do you have a particular routine?

No routine

What about writing songs?

Kris:  I write basic chord structure and the lyrics

Then I take it to boys in the studio and everyone then has their own input
The drummer will decide how he will work the drums , Lead guitarist decides on his part blah blah blah

We’ll try and jam along and we’ll find out what sounds good and what sounds sh*t

Kris: Genuinely we’re not that good man; we’re just a couple of p*ssheads who like getting p*shed

Joe: This is how I see it. I saw Kris the band and…It was “Kris Tennant and band” I saw them in The Classic Grand and they are f*cking amazing!  I thought, I would love to be in that band.I was blessed, I ended up becoming pals with them, and I weasled my way in, but it was good! I always thought they were e talented, loved their music and I wanted to be a part of it.  One thing lead to another, we ended up becoming pals and…that’s it.

Great story.

16How long have you all been playing in bands?

Kris: A year and a half with Enemies of the State, before that I just  did a solo thing for about three years. Then I stopped writing songs for a long time…

I went away went on Camel tours and things like that. I then decided I wanted to put songs together and start a band, just took it from there

Kris: We’ve had our songs played in Thailand and Turkey

Joe: I once had a whole plane singing,

*Laughing*

Impressive!  Are you planning a tour abroad as well?

Kris:  We want to conquer Glasgow first, people in there already know us, We’ve got a bit of a name for ourselves.Once we get album,out, and get to where we want reputation wise in Glasgow, we’ll branch out to the rest of Scotland.

Thanks again for choosing to play here with us instead of King Tut’s.

Joe and Kris: We’ve never played outside of Glasgow

King Tut’s is King Tut’s but why should we not venture outside and see what else is out there

Wow thanks very much guys, so tell us about the first song in your set: 

Joe: No time for tears?

Yes!

Kris: It’s Bruce Lipton’s theory  on a bigger scale. We’re the cells in the body of Earth.

See if we can’t work together, if all we do is hurt each other and f*cking kill each other and divide ourselves between Catholic, Protestant and White, Jewish, Muslim we don’t work.

Human beings are always finding ways to separate themselves from their fellow man and his point is that, we’re the cells in the human body that is Earth.  If we can’t work together, then none of us work and we’re making the planet sick!

If the cells in your body don’t work then they make you sick! If we don’t work together we’re making each other sick, and if that planet is not working on a bigger scale then we’re making the universe sick so that’s the whole point of that song.

Great Song.

It’s about realising how strong we are but how big we are as well!  We’re all massive, we can all make a change and that’s the whole point.  The chorus: “Don’t be an echo, be a voice.”  Don’t be the echo that other people repeat, be the voice other people want to echo.  That’s where the chorus comes in

“In the darkness, lies your fears and fear is a choice”

If you decide no one’s gonna step on you.

Brilliant message!

Thanks guys! Can you tell us about your videos?

Kris: Aye we did demo a couple of weeks ago by a friend who is currently in the film War Horse in London in the West End.

There is a suicide and it’s about a guy who comes back from fighting in the war .He finds it hard to live with what he’s done, his atrocities. He tries to find God, who isn’t there for him, so he turns to drugs.  Realising what he has done is wrong and that no one’s there to save him from his thoughts and memories.  At the end of the video he commits suicide

It’s pretty much already shot but we’re gonna wait till the summer and see what we can add or take away,

Wow, what a story.

Okay so…new video, album launch, tour… anything else??

Kris: Get haircuts, get the album done

Joe: Leather jackets

*laughing*

Final words for fans:

Kris:  “Don’t let your light go out!”

10

This band are lyrically strong and musically gifted,listen to Kris’ powerful vocals powering through the dynamite sound from the band. For Enemies Of The State, the process of actually thinking about lyrics, and producing a song based on it’s core message is key. The lads seem to really enjoy being part of this group. Their tracks, performance and passionate chats about the world revealed to me songs that can help change it for the better. They are even offering their debut album as a free download! Alternatively, you can pay what ever you think it’s worth…

I had to re-write my original round-up after seeing Enemies Of The State perform their debut Edinburgh gig. They played the Old Town Street Festival at The Three Sisters. Their stage shaking, high voltage set is what unbelievably phenomenal looks like. I stay true to my original comment to Kris after seeing the band at Pivo Pivo in Glasgow, Saying:

“You guys will win awards, “ I didn’t tell him it would be for their contribution to the music scene, for best song or any other specifics, but that is the route that this band are headed along.

I could quote each song word for word to further exemplify their brilliance. Instead, let me direct you to their internet links. Then, you can listen and discover for yourself, a Glasgow gem that once polished and stripped back reveals itself as an uncut diamond.

Links:

https://www.facebook.com/Enemiesofthestateband

https://soundcloud.com/enemiesofthestate

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nv2iNUK64CU

Live Dates: 

25th June at Hard Rock Cafe, Glasgow.

14th June at King Tut’s Wah Wah Hut , Glasgow

7th September at BMF, Bathgate.

 

 

 

 

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