lizzardstatemusicmag

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OPINION - COVID-19 WITHIN THE MUSIC INDUSTRY

AS A THOUGHT TO BE DYING INDUSTRY, OF COURSE IT IS HEADING THAT WAY IN THE MUSIC INDUSTRY AFTER THE GLOBAL PANDEMIC PUT ALMOST EVERYTHING IN THE WORLD ON HOLD. WITH AN INDUSTRY BEING SO HANDS ON AND COLLABORATIVE, IT LIKE THE REST OF THE WORLD HAS STOPPED. WITH ALL MAJOR MUSIC FESTIVALS AND TOURS BEING CANCELLED AND RESCHEDULED FOR A TIME IN THE NEAR FUTURE. I INVESTIGATED THE PROBLEMS AND POSITIVES THIS HAS HAD FOR THE INDUSTRY, ARTISTS AND MUSIC LOVERS.

AS BEING A PUNTER AT A LOT OF MUSIC FESTIVALS AND THE FACT I HAD ALREADY BOUGHT TICKETS FOR MY FAVOURITES THIS YEAR, IT WAS EXTREMELY SAD TO HEAR THE PINBALL KEEP HITTING WITH AN APOLOGY LETTER SAYING IT HAD BEEN CANCELLED. FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE FESTIVAL SEASON IS THE BEST TIME OF YEAR. BRITISH SUMMERTIME, DRINKS IN A FIELD AND A LOT OF GOOD MUSIC. WITH FESTIVALS AND VENUES BEING TEMPORARILY CLOSED, THIS MEANS THERE IS NOT INCOME FOR THE MAJORITY OF THE INDUSTRY. THIS HAS CAUSED A MAJOR SET BACK AND STRUGGLE WITH ARTISTS PLANNING TO TOUR THEIR NEW ALBUMS AND EP’S. THE RISE IN MUSICAL EQUIPMENT BEING SOLD IS RISING WITH THE RESULT WITH ARTISTS NOT BEING ABLE TO PAY RENT OR LIVE AS THEIR MAIN INCOME IS STREAMING AND TOURING. BEING THAT THEY HAVE TO SELL THEIR BELOVED 1976 TELECASTER THAT EARNED THEM A CAREER IN MUSIC, JUST TO PAY FOR ANOTHER FOUR WEEKS RENT.

THE ARTISTS HAVE HAD TO INITIATE NEW IDEAS TO TRY TO KEEP THE BALL ROLLING AND STAYING IN THEIR COURT. DURING THE LOCKDOWN IT HAS BEEN THE PERFECT TIME TO RELEASE MUSIC AND TO BE ON SOCIAL MEDIA. AS A LOT OF PEOPLE BEING STUCK IN SCROLLING THOUGH SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS IT HAS BEEN EASY TO STUMBLE ACROSS A FEW THINGS. THE LIKES OF BLOSSOMS AND EASY LIFE PERFORMING THEIR SONGS ALL RECORDED FROM THE COMFORT OF EACH MEMBERS HOME. THE POSITIVITY WITHIN DISCUSSION HAS HAD A BIG TIME INCREASE. WITH PEOPLE TAKING INDEPENDENT VENUES FOR GRANTED, THERE IS NOW A STRUGGLE FOR THEM TO BE OPEN ONCE LIFE IS BACK TO NORMAL. THERE HAVE BEEN MANY WAYS OF KEEPING VENUES OPEN SUCH AS CROWD FUNDING, WHICH A LOT OF VERY GENEROUS PEOPLE HAVING CONTRIBUTED.

I DO STILL BELIEVE THAT IT WON’T BE ABNORMAL AS WE WOULD HOPE FOR AFTER THE COVID-19 SITUATION HAS PASSED US. WITH PEOPLE’S ANXIETIES BEING AT AN ALL TIME HIGH, HOW LONG BEFORE PEOPLE ARE FULLY COMFORTABLE STANDING SHOULDER TO SHOULDER IN A SWEATY NIGHTCLUB, VENUE OR FESTIVAL ARENA? WITH THAT BEING SAID, I DO BELIEVE THAT THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT ARE DYING TO BE ENTERTAINED. THE SITUATION COULD POSSIBLY GO THE OTHER WAY AND VENUES TO BE COMPLETELY PACKED OUT AND FOR IT TO BE DIFFICULT TO GET TO YOUR LOCAL PUB FOR A BEER AFTER WORK.

AS THE IMPACTS OF COVID-19 HAVE SMOTHERED EACH AND EVERY PERSON IN ALL WALKS OF LIFE, THERE IS SOME WHAT A BRIGHTER OR DYSTOPIAN FUTURE FOR MUSIC LOVERS, ARTISTS, LABELS. RESULTING IN A NEW, HOPEFULLY BETTER BEGINNING TO A NEW AGE AND A NEW INDUSTRY. FINGERS CROSSED!

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THE RISE OF GRIME AND DRILL CULTURE

GRIME MUSIC EMERGED OUT OF LONDON IN THE EARLY 2000’S BEING HEAVILY INFLUENCED AND BECOMING A BY PRODUCT OF UK GARAGE, HIP HOP WITH STABS OF JUNGLE DRUM AND BASS AND DANCEHALL. AS A NEW SCENE IN LONDON, PEOPLE WERE QUICK TO JUMP UPON THE TREND AS IT WOULD THEN BECOME TO BE A VAST CULTURE. THE PUMPING MUSIC IS SET AROUND 140BPM WITH DEEP PUNCHING BASS LINES, JAGGED DRUMS AND AGGRESSIVE VOCALS THAT JUMP RIGHT OUT OF THE TRACK. LYRICS BEING DERIVED FROM THE HARD URBAN LIFE OF GROWING UP LONDON, SELLING DRUGS AND GIRLS. GAINING NO MAINSTREAM INTEREST, THE GENRE WAS PLAYED OUT ON PIRATE RADIO STATIONS ACROSS LONDON WITH EMERGING ARTISTS SUCH AS ‘WILEY’, ‘JME’ AND ‘SKEPTA’. ‘JME’ AND ‘SKEPTA’ BEING BIOLOGICAL BROTHERS ENDED UP STARTING A GRIME COLLECTIVE CALLED ‘BBK’ OR ‘BOY BETTER KNOW’ WITH FELLOW ARTISTS/FRIENDS WILEY, FRISCO AND JAMMER.

THE MUSICS NARRATIVE IS FROM WORKING AS AN UNDERDOG TYPE OF CHARACTER TO WORKING THEIR WAY TO THE TOP. IT HAS HAD SUCH A MASSIVE IMPACT ON ENGLAND’S CULTURE WITH THE RECOGNITION OF SUBURBAN LIFE AND EVERYDAY STRUGGLES BEING THROWN OUT. THE QUICK RISE OF GRIME MUSIC HAS LEAD FOREFRONT ARTIST, STORMZY TO HEADLINE THE PYRAMID STAGE AT 2019’S GLASTONBURY FESTIVAL AND BEING DESCRIBED AS MUSICS MOST HISTORIC MOMENT. AN ICONIC MOMENT FOR A GROWING CULTURE BEING PUSHED INTO THE MAINSTREAM EYES AND COMPLETELY TAKING OVER. TALKING ABOUT THAT UNDERDOG COMING ROUND AND GETTING TO THE TOP RIGHT? WELL THATS WHERE IT HAS GONE AND IT WONT BE LEAVING ANYTIME SOON.

WILEY, OFTEN REFERRED TO AS THE GODFATHER OF GRIME, PRAISED STORMZY AND SAID HE’D ‘NEVER SEEN ANYONE REACH THE HEIGHTS AS QUICKLY AS STORMZY HAD DONE’.

WITH ALL THE POSITIVE IMPACT ON SUCH A VASTLY CHANGING CULTURE THERE IS THE OTHER SIDE TO IT. WITH SOME LYRICS IN GRIME AND DRILL MUSIC TALKING ABOUT DRUGS AND VIOLENCE, IT WOULD BE HARD FOR PEOPLE NOT TO ASSUME THAT THE MUSIC INFLUENCES THAT TO HAPPEN. DJ BEMPAH SAID IN AN INTERVIEW, ‘ IF VIOLENCE IS WHAT ARTISTS ARE WITNESSING IN THE ENVIRONMENT AROUND THEM, THEN IT IS WHAT THEY WILL PORTRAY IN THEIR LYRICS. CHANGES ARE NEEDED TO REMOVE VIOLENCE FROM THE STREETS IN ORDER FOR ARTISTS TO CHANGE THE TONE OF THEIR LYRICS. CRUCIALLY, IT IS NOT THE CASE THAT EVERY ARTIST FROM THIS GENRE EMBRACES VIOLENT BEHAVIOUR. HOWEVER, THE FEW THAT HAVE BEEN FLAGGED BY THE MEDIA HAS CONTRIBUTED TO THE GENRE BECOMING BLACKLISTED’.

SHOCKA, A LONDON BASED GRIME RAPPER STATED HE GOT SICK OF ALL GRIME BEING THE SAME. “ALL UK RAP VIDEOS LOOK THE SAME: SAME RENTED CARS, SAME BLING, SAME PENTHOUSE, SAME GIRLS. IT’S BORING. I WANTED A CHANGE.” SHOCKA IS RESHAPING HIS CAREER AND AIMING HIS MUSIC TO INSPIRE IN MORE POSITIVE WAYS. SELF CARE AND SELF LOVE. WITH THE IDEAS OF HIM WANTING TO POSITIVELY CHANGE THE MINDS OF PEOPLE THAT IDOLISE HIM AND THE REST OF THE GRIME COMMUNITY.

MUSIC HAS ALWAYS BEEN A WAY TO RELAX, HELP PEOPLE AND ENJOY, THE LESS VIOLENCE AND CRIME IN THE STREETS WILL LOWER THE IMMEDIACY OF RAPPERS TALKING ABOUT IT, WHICH WILL THEN RUN DOWN THE IMPACT OF INFLUENCED CRIME. GRIME MUSIC IS BECOMING MORE AND MORE APPRECIATED AND WITH THE POSITIVE IMPACT, IT CAN CHANGE THE UK FOR THE BETTER.

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ARTIST FEATURE - THE RINGARDS

‘PUNK IS A GENTLE KISS’

BEING DIRECTLY COMPARED TO RIVAL BANDS INCLUDING FONTAINES D.C, IDLES AND SHAME, THE RINGARDS DESERVE ACCLAIMED SUCCESS AND ARE NOT STOPPING UNTIL THEY ACHIEVE IT.

THE RINGARDS, (FRENCH FOR OUT OF FASHION/TACKY) ARE AN ALTERNATIVE ACT BASED IN HACKNEY, LONDON. THE FIVE PIECE FORMED BACK IN THE SPRING OF 2018. IN THAT SHORT TIME THEY HAVE GAINED A LOT OF ATTENTION FROM MUSIC BLOGS AND RADIO STATIONS ACROSS THE WAVES AND HAVE RECENTLY OPENED FOR FRENCH BUZZ BAND, ‘PAPOOZ’ AT A BEACH FESTIVAL IN FRANCE LAST SUMMER. FROM THIS, THEY EARNED THE OPPORTUNITY TO TOUR WITH ‘PAPOOZ’ ON THEIR NORTH AMERICAN AND CANADIAN TOUR. THE FIVE PIECE FLIRT WITH POST PUNK INFLUENCES, GIVING THE SOUND A MELODIC, GRITTY OUTCOME. HAILING FROM ALL AROUND THE WORLD, THE BAND IS FRONTED BY ENZO ON VOCALS, WILLIAM ON LEAD GUITAR AND VOCALS, VINNY ON RYTHYM GUITAR AND VOCALS, GARY ON BASS AND JOE ON DRUMS AND ELECTRONICS.

WE CAUGHT UP WITH ENZO, ISOLATING IN A DALSTON TOWN HOUSE TO TALK ABOUT INFLUENCES, CORONAVIRUS AND PRODUCING SONGS WITH THE BAND VIRTUALLY.

WHAT IS YOUR CURRENT CORONAVIRUS SITUATION AND HOW IS IT AFFECTING THE RINGARDS AND THE REST OF THE MUSIC INDUSTRY?

‘WE’VE ALWAYS LOOKED AT OUR DIFFERENCES FOR INSPIRATION AND NOT BEING ABLE TO PHYSICALLY WEAR OFF THAT AS BEEN TOUGH ON THE CREATIVE FRONT. WE’RE TRYING TO WRITE, FORCE OURSELVES TO PUSH OUR CURIOSITY AND LOOK AT THE BIGGER PICTURE, WHICH ISN’T NECESSARILY A MELODIC IMAGE,  IT COULD BE READING, WATCHING VARIOUS FILMS, IT DOESN’T HAVE TO TAKE ON A MUSICAL FORM, BUT WE’RE STILL LISTENING MOST IMPORTANTLY LISTENING TO OURSELVES, SOMETHING THAT WE OFTEN NEGLECT.

ALL WE CAN DO IS TO CARRY SOME OF THOSE ASPIRING MEDIUMS AND PICK EACH OTHER’S BRAINS ONCE THIS IS DONE. THE BOREDOM WILL VISUAL ITSELF IN ONE WAY OR AN OTHER.’

WHICH SUBCULTURE DEFINES THE RINGARDS?

‘I’D SAY THE PUNK SUBCULTURE, WHICH IS OH SO RELEVANT TODAY AS WE’RE ALL REFERENCING THAT PAST, THAT YOUTH IN REVOLT AND ANGER WITHIN...

AND AS IN ALL TIMES OF UNCERTAINTY, WE’RE CLINGING TO OUR HUMBLE AND HOLISTIC OBSERVATIONS IN SEARCH OF OTHERS, AND FROM ALL THAT ANGER AND ISOLATION COMES A CERTAIN UNIFICATION BOUND BY A SHARED FEELING. PUNK IS A GENTLE KISS.’

BASED ON WHAT YOU SAY DO YOU FEEL LIKE TODAY’S BANDS CAN BE CATEGORISED INTO A SUBCULTURE?

‘LESS AND LESS, I BELIEVE THAT MELODIC GAP IS SLOWLY CLOSING ON ITSELF. IF YOU GO OUTSIDE AND LOOK AT THE PAINTER THE WRITER THE PUNK, THE GOTH AND THE POWER POP TRIO THEIR ALL FIGHTING THE SAME BATTLE.

AND WE’RE ALL STARTING TO RECOGNISE A BIT OF EACH OTHER AMONG THAT.

WE’RE LEARNING FROM ONE ANOTHER AND TAKING ON ETHICS THAT MIGHT REFERENCE A SUB CULTURAL SCHOOL OF THE PAST OR A DIALECT FROM AN OTHER NEIGHBOURHOOD.

IT’S MERGING AND IT’S GOOD.

IT CREATES A HUMAN UNITY AND UNDRESSES A FUCKED UP SYSTEM, THAT EVENTUALLY WILL BE EXPOSED AS YESTERDAY’S HIERARCHY.’

FROM RIVETING RECORDS TO TEARING UP STAGES ACROSS EUROPE, THE RINGARDS ARE DEFINITELY THE MOST EXCITING NEW BAND TO BE PUSHING THROUGH THE LONDON SCENE AT THIS VERY MOMENT.

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FONTAINES D.C - GLASTONBURY 2019

THE UPROAR OF RUMBLES FROM THE CROWD EMERGE AFTER THE TRANSCRIPT OF OLD IRISH POET, LUKE KELLY’S ‘FOR WHAT DIED THE SONS OF ROISIN’ HUMS OUT OF WHAT SEEMS LIKE ENDLESS SPEAKERS. THE BAND WALKS ON WITH EMBELLISHMENTS OF OVERRIDING POWER AND SATISFACTION. 

THE TWANG OF TREMOLO EFFECTED GUITARS AND THE COUNT IN BY DRUMMER TOM COLL LEADS YOU INTO THIS THICK WALL OF SOUND WHICH IS ‘HURRICANE LAUGHTER’. FONTAINES D.C ARE COMPLETE EXPERTS WHEN IT COMES TO BUILDING TENSION FOR THE CROWD. A HUMBLING RILED UP ANGER FROM THE FRONTMAN AS HE SLAMS THE MIC STAND REPEATEDLY INTO THE STAGE FLOOR WITH HIS ARMS MOVING UNCONTROLLABLY. NERVES, OR ALL PART OF THE ACT? THIS POWERFUL TUNE DROWNS OUT AND ENTICES THE AUDIENCE WITH THE FIRST EIGHT BARS. DEFINITELY A SONG TO BE PLAYED IN A BIG TENT AT A BIG FESTIVAL. ALTHOUGH BEING VERY NEW FOR FONTAINES D.C, THERE LIVE SETS MAKE YOU FEEL AS IF THEY HAVE BEEN THEIR YOUR WHOLE LIFE.

THE LACK OF CROWD INTERACTION FROM THE BAND INTRIGUES YOU AS IT COULD COME ACROSS AS ARROGANT. I DON’T BELIEVE THIS TO BE ARROGANT BUT A WAY TO LISTEN TO THE POETRY WITHIN THE SONGS AND THE BAND AS A WHOLE RATHER THAN THE FRONT MAN ALONE.

EVERYTHING SEEMS LIKE COMPLETE ANGER UNTIL THEIR THIRD SONG ONWARDS. MELODIC AND HEARTFELT WITH SOME UNDERLYING GRIT. “ROYS TUNE” SEEMS LIKE AN anthemic SING ALONG WITH THE MAJORITY OF THE CROWD BELTING OUT EVERY WORD. 

WITH EVERY TIME I HAVE SEEN FONTAINES D.C THEY HAVE A WAY OF COMPLETELY CAPTIVATING THE CROWD THAT SEEMS LIKE THE BANDS EMOTIONS RUN THROUGH EVERYONE IN THAT ROOM FOR THE ENTIRETY OF THEIR SET. WITH THE MOST OF THE CROWD LOOKING LIKE OLDER FOOTBALL HOOLIGANS, TEENAGE SCENE KIDS OR COUPLES, IT FEELS STRANGE TO SEE BLOOD, SWEAT AND TEARS COMING FROM ALL OF THEM. THE SENSE OF UNITY WITHIN THE ATMOSPHERE AT A FONTAINES D.C SHOW IS WONDERFUL, CONSIDERING I WAS THROWN ABOUT IN A MOSH PIT TO ‘LIBERTY BELLE’ AND GOT MY FRONT TOOTH KNOCKED OUT ON A MIDDLE AGED MUMS WINE BOTTLE. 

FOR THE SHORT AMOUNT OF TIME FONTAINES D.C. HAVE BEEN SMASHING THE MUSIC SCENE THESE LADS HAVE REALLY MORPHED INTO AN OUTSTANDING LIVE BAND. ONES NOT TOO MISS IN THE NEAR FUTURE.

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KING KRULE - MAN ALIVE (album review)

IF THE MOON COULD LISTEN TO MUSIC, HE WOULD LISTEN TO KING KRULE.

THE HOLLOW CHEEKED, ANGUISHED SOUTH LONDONER, ARCHY MARSHALL, WHO GOES UNDER THE STAGE NAME OF ‘KING KRULE’, HAS CONSTRUCTED HIS MOST DEFINED ALBUM YET. 

MARSHALL’S INTRICATE EMBELLISHMENTS WITHIN SONGWRITING ENABLES HIM TO REVERT A PUTRID, DANK ENERGY, WITH A DEEP HOWL THAT TURNS EVEN THE DARKEST SONGS INTO A BEAUTIFUL MOMENT. WHILST INDULGING IN ‘MAN ALIVE’ THE SCRUPULOUS PRODUCTION, CLUNKY BASS LINES & VIVID VOCALS LEAVE YOU WITH AN INSIGHT INTO MARSHALL’S CONTEMPLATIONS WHICH HE OPPOSES SO OPEN & CLEAR, YET SO DARK & DEJECTED.   

MARSHALL HIDES YOU AWAY INSIDE HIS MELANCHOLY, DECLINE OF A MIND & SPITS YOU OUT OVER THE FLOOR INTO AN ABYSS OF SUBTLE, CHARMING TEXTURES TO BATHE IN.

HE IS ISOLATION INCARNATE.

 THE OPENING TRACK ‘CELLULAR’ IMMEDIATELY BRINGS THE VIBES OF A DEFINITE POST-PUNK ANGER WITH HIS ACCLAIMED GRUFF VOCALS THAT CAPTIVATE & INFORM YOU THAT THIS IS A KING KRULE TRACK & HE HAS STEPPED OUT OF THE SHADOWS. COMMENCING WITH PERFECT DOUBLE TRACKED VOCALS WHICH OPEN UP THE FIELD AND IMPLORES YOU TO LISTEN TO MARSHALL’S VOICE WHILST BEING RILED UP WITHIN THE BASS, DRUMS & ARPEGGIATORS WHICH ARE THE DRIVING FORCE OF THE TRACK.

IT’S A MORE DEFINED, MELODIC & DEVELOPED STEP FORWARD FROM ‘THE OOZ’. (KING KRULES PREVIOUS, DEBUT ALBUM FROM 2017). THIS TRACK IS A PSYCHEDELIC ENTRY INTO MARSHALLS BARREN THOUGHTS IN WHICH HE SCREAMS ABOUT DEPENDENCY & ADDICTION.

LIKE ANY ‘KING KRULE’ ALBUM. YOU ARE HIT WITH A STRONG OPENING SONG WHICH SETS THE TONE FOR THE REST OF THE RECORD. ‘EASY EASY’ IS THE FIRST SONG ON ‘6 FEET BENEATH THE MOON’ WHICH IS DEFINITELY HIS MOST LOVED AND COMMERCIALLY SUCCESSFUL SONG. ONE THAT CAN SET OFF TEARS FOR ANY CONSUMER. ‘CELLULAR’ MOST DEFINITELY STRIKES IN THE SAME WAY.

THE THIRD ALBUM BY ‘KING KRULE’ TAKES YOU THROUGH HIS DECIPHERED, STUPEFIED HEAD SPACE WHILST MAKING YOU FEEL LIKE YOU HAVE BEEN CAUGHT IN A BAD DREAM. JUXTAPOSED IN SURREALITY & STRAIGHT UP BEAUTIFULNESS. REFERENCES TO HIS NEWLY BORN DAUGHTER & PARTNER, CHARLOTTE PATMORE ARE DISPLAYED THROUGHOUT THE RECORD WHICH GIVES A HUMBLING SENSE OF TOGETHERNESS FOR THE TROUBLED SONGWRITER. 

‘EVERY MINUTE, EVERY SECOND, YOUR’E NOT ALONE, YOUR’E NOT ALONE’ - LYRICS TAKES FROM THE OUTRO OF ‘ALONE, OMEN 3’ WHICH IS THE SEVENTH TRACK ON THE FOURTEEN TRACK RECORD. 

FROM START TO FINISH, AN OUTSTANDINGLY BEAUTIFUL LISTEN THAT CAPTIVATES & DELIVERS YOU TO THE NEW, REIMBURSED CHAPTERS & DEVELOPMENTS OF MARSHALL’S LIFE.