AUDIO ADDICT

Click here for Issue #12

Click here for your Easter delectation… Audio Addict #12

Featuring a massive unsigned artists roundup starring Southampton faves Cardinals.

If that’s not enough we also have features on Cancer Bats, In Perfect Silence, Grouplove and a host of reviews. Enjoy… but don’t eat it all at once!

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My Bloody Valentine announce details of remastered classic albums and a brand new compilation of EPs and unreleased tracks

Following the news that British punk icons Sex Pistols have signed a new deal with Universal Music Catalogue, the band will release a limited edition 7” record of their first ever single “Anarchy in the UK” on April 21^st for Record Store Day. 

Originally released in November 1976, “Anarchy in the UK” was the band’s first call to arms and single-handedly kick-started the punk movement that spread worldwide. 35 years later, to celebrate Record Store Day, the Sex Pistols are very proud to re-release a collector’s edition, 7” vinyl picture disc of this seminal debut single.

The re-mastered single will also feature original b-side track “I Wanna Be Me”, available internationally, but limited to just 3,500 records. Plans are currently underway to re-release the classic album “Never Mind The Bollocks, Here’s The Sex Pistols” as an expanded and repackaged release this year to commemorate the band’s 35^th Anniversary.

Whilst out on the weekly binge that has become so accustom to any self-respecting student this Saturday, I was completely unaware that I would be witnessing one of the freshest new bands that I have had the pleasure to listen to in a very long time. 14th is their name and it seems they left quite an impression at Unit, Southampton, this weekend.    

While many at Unit were there purely for the £2 double rum and red bull this Saturday night it was only a matter of time until all heads turned to the stage as 14th, a duo with unfathomable talent, enlighten us with their electronic soul. Tracey Duodu and Tom Barber are the two in question and together have managed to create the perfect symphony of garage and soul with hints of R’n’B and ambient electronic vibes to boot. It is this brilliant combination of genres that seem to have been circulating around each other for a while that leave the Southampton crowd completely absorbed in the music and velvet, yet astonishingly, untrained voice of Duodu, who could not compliment this style of music more if she wanted to. The whole set, from start to finish, was a well-oiled stream of beautiful soul-fuelled electronic vibes that could only go down well in Southampton, home of Gang Colours and Tropics, two artists making big names for themselves in the electronic world.

As drunken club goers, unaware of what they were missing, stumbled to the upstairs bar (as I had done at the very beginning of the set) the crowd became noticeably bigger until people were bustling for position and all eyes were on the stage. By the end of the set there was no one left for 14th to win over and as the last golden note echoed from the beautiful voice of Duodu and the last chord of Barber’s keyboard resonated the entire crowd was under the spell of 14th, one which I would bet has still not worn off for many, including me.

Sam Willis

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The Vaccines/ Friendly Fires/ Foreign Beggars/ The Answer/ Pulled Apart by Horses/ Maccabees… Audio Addict #11 is here now and it’s mint.

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Second year Year music student Mike Carrol has remixed one of the The Ting Tings’ tracks from their forthcoming album Kunst.

Producer Mike, who is best known for his drum ‘n’ bass output as Inertia, entered his remix of the song ‘Hang it Up’ for a competition organised by Sony Music Entertainment just to prove to his friend that he could change his style. 

 Mike says that after he submitted the mix he didn’t think about it, “but about a week later I got a phone call from Sony!”  He admits he was totally blown away, but a bit worried that “doing something like this is a bit a sell out of my ideals.”

Course leader Bob Burke adds “It’s fantastic that Mike took the opportunity to show what he can do, and has now been rewarded with his first major release.”

Kunst, the Ting Tings’ long awaited follow up to 2008’s We Started Nothing, is due for release early 2012 and was inspired by a massage parlour near to their studio in Berlin.

Talking to NME.com Jules de Martino (one half of the boy/girl duo) explained “Just around the corner from our studio there’s a massage called Massage Kunst. It’s Massage At basically [‘kunst’ is German for ‘art’]. We took a picture of that and sent it to our label, saying it was the title of our new album. They went berserk.”

Music’s lacking youth as reformed bands are achieving complete domination.

The music industry is being engulfed in a rapid epidemic. The Stone Roses being the newest recruits in the army of hoary, destitute men battling unfinished business; not forgetting the unfortunate resurrection of Hanson. Death From Above 1979, Magazine (pictured) and The Wonder Stuff are just a few less acknowledged bands from an infinite list that have restored their previous existence.

So why are bands sacrificing their once-adored repute to reform? Is it all merely for the money? Or is there a concealed meaning to this pandemonium? 

“I think the reasons bands reform are probably as varied as the reasons why they formed in the first place!” Phil Wilson from 80s indie band The June Brides voices his opinion. “Certainly, for bands on the mainstream end of the spectrum, money can be a big factor.”

Phil (pictured above), having conjured up his own solo project in recent years, deliberates reasons for reforming, “For bands on the more independent side of the coin, money is never likely to be the driver.” He explains, abolishing the moneymaking scheme of reforming and defending reunited band’s reputation. “It’s much more likely to be about the desire to heal old wounds, to have fun and to, maybe, try to restate your case to be written, even as a footnote, into the history of pop!”

Solo projects from desperate band members are possibly even more excruciating, particularly when the band have out-lived their prime years. Bono’s solo album makes me recoil with discomfiture; I can’t even bring myself to envisage Shaun Ryder frolicking about onstage without Happy Mondays’ fans regurgitating their day’s intake of food.

 “For me, it was a feeling of unfinished business. I’d had 20 years of not writing a single song. But, I suppose, like many people facing middle age, I had a feeling of unfulfilled potential- to prove to myself that what I’d done in my 20s wasn’t some sort of massive fluke!  I know I had absolutely no chance of ever again being fashionable or popular in a mainstream way but I was damned pleased with the result.” He justifies, avoiding words that may have him chained up and tortured by the sceptics of mainstream.

That’s another concern reformed bands have to tackle: ‘selling-out’, uniting with the majority to generate money and fame. An issue of which has been exhausted by journalists, and a phase that has lost all meaning amongst the industries stereotypes.

“It really does depend on the reasons behind the reformation,” Wilson explicates. “For instance, the Velvet Underground reforming in the 1990s felt wrong –the whole thing was smacked of grabbing a little bit of cash while they could. Not that I thinks that’s bad per se, but it was not something that filled me with joy; similarly with the Sex Pistols, whereas the recent reformation of Magazine seemed like a genuine desire to have fun, and maybe create some new art along the way.

Re-kindled friendships are repeatedly driving bands into reformation, yet many band members’ dislike for one another is evident, including Lou Reed and John Cale. This unfavourably assigns them into the unspeakable ‘doing-it-for-the-money’ category, or in The Smiths case- not reuniting at all… yet.

The revival of bands will persist, be it so they can escape the clutches of settling down into an ordinary lifestyle or to express their renewed friendship- which undoubtedly will soon disintegrate, but it makes good headlines hey Pete and Carl/Liam and Noel? Nevertheless, it would be polite to stop over-populating the music world with worn, overweight, wrinkled men to leave some space for the newcomers.    

By Ayesha Linton-Whittle

Noise enthusiast, Aimmar Cair, tells his plan to introduce Southampton to a world of noise.

I move a mound of paper from the sofa and perch awkwardly on the end, attempting to avoid the broken springs and food stains that consumes this typical student’s furniture. Aimmar Cair, owner of the newly established noise label Aimmar’s Tapes, sits opposite in an equally uncomfortable sofa- judging by his awkwardly crossed legs.

“I have a huge desire to release music by artists that don’t have enough exposure,” Aimmar spits through a mouthful of tomato-sauce soaked bread, his spare hand cradling a bowlful of pasta. “I want to get artists to pursue new styles. There’s an artist called Heavy Metal Vomit Party who finds old tapes of really awful heavy metal bands, then mixes them together to create something beautiful.”

I notice Aimmar taking a bite immediately after each question, cunningly giving himself time to think, chewing between northern mutters of hmm’s and err’s.

Aimmar gulps, sweeps his shoulder length black hair out of his eyes and raises his head in thought, “I’m incredibly influenced by the label Not Not Fun who have an amazing bill of artists. The label brings artists together and I really want to promote collaboration.”

Aimmar has to excuse himself as he answers a phone call. I spend time to observe my surroundings; perceiving a kitchen decorated with dirty pans, dripping washing and overflowing bins. The Christmas tree consists of a pitiful amount of tinsel and a large clock suspended mid-way. I begin reading Aimmar’s calendar events when the door swings open and a petrified Aimmar marches back to the sofa and resumes his awkward position.

“That was the police.” He rips the bread with his teeth, more hastily than before, and stares at the tinsel on the tree. “They found my wallet I lost a month ago.” I’m bemused; this information doesn’t conform to his alarmed expression. He spends a few moments swallowing his mouthful; “It had a gram of MDMA in it.”

The room fills with silence, excluding the ticking of the Christmas tree clock. We both stare into space, leaving me speechless until Aimmar finally escorts another piece of bread to his mouth and begins to chew.

Abandoning the touchy subject, I lighten the atmosphere by asking him which band he would like to sign most. “Hmm,” His face is still pale with concern, “That’s a good one. I’d love to sign Secret Abuse. I primarily release stuff from side-projects of band’s I like and Secret Abuse is Jeff Whitscher’s side project who is primarily in the band Deep Jew.”

An independent label based in Southampton undoubtedly struggles with profits due to the adverse music scene. I ask Aimmar whether he is concerned about success. “Umm,” he gulps, “I have no intentions of making a living off it. That’s not what it’s about. I just have a desire to break even, just so the artists can make a bit of money. My definition of being successful is so that people want to release stuff on my label.”

Aimmar’s Tapes first release is a Christmas compilation, “Compilations are important to noise music. Most have specific themes behind the songs, so I thought it would be fun to do a Christmas compilation.” He explains. He then mumbles something inappropriate about bestiality with reindeers as he gets up to put his plate in the kitchen. As abrupt endings to interviews go, Aimmar’s won gold.

By Ayesha Linton-Whittle

Soon to obliterate the UK with their infectious resonance (if rock n roll were the plague), The Black Tambourines 3^rd E.P ‘Chica’, will undoubtedly assist the bands status, catalysing their popularity just in time to potentially sell out venues.

With track titles such as ‘White Album’,  the swingin’ black and white cover art and the evident tumultuous fusion of psychedelic surf, their 60s influence is far from secrete. Jovial vocal melodies and riffs surface a consistent buzz, obtaining the band’s previous lo-fi stature (and gracing this E.P with their renowned ‘oooh’s), yet The Black Tambourines have cautiously composed well-structured tracks to satisfy their recently established fanbase.

 ‘27-25 Blues’ embraces further conventions than mere 60s rock n roll. Thieving Detroit- ridden raw tones and delivering a brawny guitar solo, The Black Tambourines have created a sound far greater than what Cornwall, or anywhere in the Southwest, can digest.

‘Chica E.P’ is available on cassette and digital download in courtesy of Art Is Hard records. It’s about time for an album, don’t you think?

By Ayesha Linton-Whittle