#Terror Pigeon's second album was just about there

[royalninja]

for my health and wellbeing i desperately need more music that makes me feel the way fang island by fang island and bromst by dan deacon make me feel.

[aliypop]

When I First Met You (Part 2)

Word count : 1,765 

Warning : Language , Angst, Fluff

A/N : This is part 2 of  When I First Met You, But this time with Vampire Michael! cause why not! so I hope you guys enjoy it! Dedicated  to @a-supernatural-writer and @pitiful-anonymous-vampire​

Santa Carla 1987, the murder capital of the world, was what they called it. As the bustle of motorcycles and people fled the beach city streets, there stood on a cliff the remains of a hotel that had the view of the ocean. Standing in front of it all was Tiffany, her locket around her neck dressed in the finest leather and her signature black beaded corset. 

"David! Paul, Marko!" she shouted, "We're going to be late!" she sighed, standing next to her dark pink motorcycle with Dwayne beside her. "I took off work for this concert, and Star and Laddie already beat us there to it, now come on!" Tiffany shouted as she mounted herself on her bike, a dark pink Harley that she stole in 1955, Summers in Santa Carla were usually hot, humid, and magical but, most importantly, a time for fun chaos for the boys.  

"Tiff...baby, only I give the orders around here..." David snarled, a cigarette in his mouth, 

"Well, you're not doing a good job of it..." Tiffany plucked his cigarette as she stepped on it, "Now let's haul ass kitten..." she growled. The sounds of crowds cheering miles away from the cave only riled up Tiffany and the boys more for their blood lust of chaos,

 " Hey, Tiff! the last one to the video store owes everyone dinner," Marko said,

"Then I guess dinners on you!" Tiffany laughed as she revved her engine, speeding past Dwayne, David, and Paul.  The video store was like a second home to them, parking their bikes a few blocks away, taking a drag from his cigarette. David only rolled his eyes, pretending not to notice the fight between Marko and Tiffany. Besides, she could handle herself as she showed him early,

 "You fucking cheated!"

"You're just mad cause I beat you short stack!" she stuck her tongue out. 

"Paul!"

"Hey, if Tiffany won, she fucking won!" Paul smirked, putting his hands up in surrender: he laughed, taking her by the waist. As they began to walk into the crowd of people, Tiffany felt a hand grope her. As she tried to undermine the action, she could hear the faint mumbling of one of the Surf Nazi's saying,

 "Probably too dumb for a real man anyway..." 

Drawing back her fist Tiffany was ready to strike until she felt David pull her close to him and Dwayne, "We'll kill them later ..." his laughter cut short. From the corner of his eye stood Star and Laddie talking to someone new, which he didn't like. Besides, Santa Carla was a proclaimed murder capital, and you never knew who could be a vampire hunter. 

" Star..."  David nearly growled, a bit jealous. 

"See you tomorrow, Michael?" she asked, watching as the other guy smiled and nodded. 

Standing behind the counter was Tiffany, who, as usual, had to work. "I'm just saying that girl stiffed you, Mic!" a young boy about 13 said, 

"Whatever... You guys happen to have the new Bowie or Queen album?"  Tiffany only rolled her eyes until she turned to face him, dark brown fluffy curls and the most charming smile she had ever seen,

 "Anything for you, sweetheart..." she winked, heading towards the back of the store. 

"See, Mic if, that other girl stiffs you again, why not a record store, babe!" Michael only rolled his eyes at his brother as Tiffany giggled, "We have Queen, but we ran out of Bowie... She uh took the last one." Tiffany pointed to Star, who was waving from the doorway. She then took him by the chin, "But she's a good friend of mine, so if you ever wanna hang out and listen to Bowie, let me know..."  Sam only blushed, watching as his brother went speechless. 

"Yeah, sounds good. I'm Michael Emerson, by the way."

" I'm Tiffany, but you can call me anytime," she responded as she looked up at the clock. It was finally time for her to leave and be amongst the crowd.  Grabbing her keys to her bike, she waved out towards Michael and made her exit.  

"You didn't tell me he was hot!" 

"Because you didn't ask." Star laughed, "Hold on... " she saw Michael looking at the ear-piercing booth.  As Star worked her magic on the new boy, Tiffany wandered into Max's Video Village. 

There stood David, Dwayne,  Paul, and Marko, who was stealing yet another movie  E.T.  "You kids get out of here!" Max growled, watching as they "Terrorized" the tiny bit of customers, as the four left Tiffany waited outside with their bikes laughing 

"Kicked out again huh..." 

"Shut up Tiffany." Paul growled.

"Make me." she laughed, the laugh of Tiffany was like a sweet venom once it was in your veins you wanted more of it. Suddenly the sound of a motorcycle was heard , as the five looked they saw Star riding with Michael, "Star..." he sighed as she looked at David, 

"I was going to ride with..."

"Star..."

Star only sighed as she got on David's bike. Tiffany looked at Dwayne as she rolled her eyes, 

"Hey Michael, you wanna ride with us?  she asked as both Paul and Marko laughed. "I don't want to race you guys..." 

"It's not a race you just have to try to keep up..." David wink, "You think you can do that Michael?" he asked as Michael nodded. Engines revved as bikes raced across the California night sky like shadows in the night. "Hiya Dwayne." Tiffany grinned, blowing a kiss at him from her bike. Paul and Marko were neck and neck while Michael kept up with David, which was something that only a few people could do. The destination was the cave, which either meant they were going to feast on Michael which would have been a pity or they'd turn him. As they arrived in the cave Marko was with one of his many pigeons while Paul like usual was enjoying a nice joint, not that it had any effect on him. 

 "You know this used to be a hotel..." 

"Here we go again..."  Dwayne mumbled as he sat on the sofa shaking his head.  Tiffany laughed watching the scene unfold, which was just David going on about the history of the 1906 Santa Carla hotel. As the night progressed so did David’s and Stars intentions, standing with a bottle in his hand was Michael, The boys and Tiffany watched as he nearly drank every drop of David's blood, he was going to turn him, which wouldn't be a bad idea if they weren't currently dangling like loose ear rings on a train track bridge chanting his name. Paul had dropped first, then Marko and then Dwayne which only left Tiffany, David and Michael.  "Welp it's been a long night. I think I'm gonna drop out now." Tiffany untangled her index finger from the bridge as she waved at the two and fell amongst the thick fog 

"Marko look! No hands!"

As time passed on Michael started becoming a regular around Santa Carla, As the sun was up he'd help Tiffany in the music store as a new trainee. " See Michael, this is the bargain bin." her hands on top of his, as she looked into his eyes, "They usually go for about a dollar or so." she giggled, walking away showing him more of the store, she knew he was watching her every movement, they all did. From the switch in her walk in the giggle in her talk. "So what about Elvis where do those go?" 

"Next to that stupid Elvis statue." she sighed, as silence fell between them as the two stocked records and priced them. It was nice until he asked her a question that had never seemed to come across your mind.

"Did you always want to be this way?" he gestured to his canines with his tongue. 

" I didn't really have a choice, Michael could you take these to the back." she snapped at him shoving an empty bin at him, Vampires kind of were like people when it came to emotions, they had walls up that they didn't ever want torn down.  As Michael came back, he kept quiet, besides he had never seen her snap like that unless Paul or David used the last can of hairspray. 

"I didn't mean to -" 

"It's fine..." she leaned in wearing one of her many jean jackets and Guess pants to match. "You wanna know these things, cause Davids not gonna tell ya and Hell Max is gonna-" 

"What's he gonna do Tiff..." 

"I said too much..." she tried to walk away, as Michael held her wrist, "Tiffany tell me..." his hand rubbing circles on her cheek, "He's gonna have you kill or be killed..." she whispered, "What's so bad about that." 

"You couldn't kill a fly if you had to." she shrugged, "You'll die out there... " Tiffany pulled away from his touch. 8' O'clock on the dot like blood work was when the boys showed up, usually all four but tonight it was just Dwayne. "You told him didn't you..." he mumbled, watching as she turned her back to him, something that she'd never done specifically to him. "Next customer." she smiled ringing up their merchandise, "Tiffany..." he sighed, "Whatever you told him... just know I trust you."  Tiffany only tensed up, Dwayne never threw the word trust around, and for him to say that he trust her, only made her ache in the sorrow for what was yet to come. 

“Dwayne, wait…”  she turned to face him,

“It’s too late Tiff…” he shrugged walking out of the shop. 

Santa Carla 1987, the murder capital of the world, was what they called it. As the bustle of motorcycles and people fled the beach city streets, sitting at the beach in the night sky sat Tiffany alone sighing in melancholy. Waves crashed against her toes as she remembered the good times she shared with her boys. “HEY CUT IT OUT MICHAEL!” Star laughed as he splashed her with water. Paul and Marko were building a sandcastle as David stared at the night sky, pointing out stars to Laddie. 

“Is this spot taken…” 

“I was saving it for you.” Tiffany giggled, holding Dwayne's hand,  it was a serene sight all was right with The Lost Boys until they heard the sound of a familiar voice calling out to them. 

“Mom said it’s bedtime!” Sam shouted from the boardwalk.

“ 5 more minutes!” Paul shouted. 

“But it’s not even 5am yet!” David pouted. 

“Hey I don’t make the rules…” 

[noramoya]

“DON’T STOP TIL YOU’VE HAD ENOUGH : AN ARTICLE ON THE QUINCE JONES MJ TRIBUTE DEBACLE.” – SYL MORTILLA, @WordPress .

“You know how sometimes people get offended on behalf of others? Well, right now, I am seething. Positively livid. Absolutely outraged, and do you know the worst part? I am not even directly affected by what has happened here. It’s not my money involved, but I am truly appalled for you and I guess it could happen to any of us so we should not stand for it. Let me explain.

I was in London recently, deep in the underground rabbit warren, climbing up an escalator the size of Everest. As I ascended the cold metal steps, I noticed out of the corner of my eye, one of many promotional posters for forthcoming shows. Despite keeping my ear to the ground, my finger on the pulse and some say, my head in the clouds, I hadn’t heard of this one.

In fact, I was temporarily bamboozled by it. I had heard some time ago that Quincy Jones would be playing a show at the O2 Arena, but this bore no resemblance to that event.

It was still Quincy, but it contradicted my recollection that it was to be a celebration of the work of the late Michael Jackson.

Originally, this “world exclusive concert” had promised not only “three iconic albums played back to back” but went on to nail its colours to the mast by actually naming them: Off The Wall, Thriller and Bad.

I remember at the time thinking that this would be quite the spectacle, but the ticket prices were utterly exorbitant – well in excess of a hundred pounds a pop.

The new poster was so different that I questioned whether it was even the same event or if I had already missed that one and now this was the follow up show.

I felt like I was in Animal Farm, staring in disbelief at the board previously displaying the motto “four legs good, two legs bad,” adjusted to read “four legs good, two legs better,” leaving me questioning my own memory of the original.

I have since read something that confirms that I hadn’t been imagining things after all and rather than being a feverish cheese dream, the content of the concert HAS been altered to remove all remaining traces of Jackson.

Now, everyone is entitled to their opinion as to whether or not this was the right thing to do in the light of recent allegations (arising from a “documentary”) and I am not here to have that debate.

What I take issue with though is that when you substantially deviate from the original advertised line up that people have paid handsomely to see, they should be entitled to receive a full refund.

What wound me up most was the arrogant stance taken by the promoters. Disgruntled fans have received a response from them explaining: “the show’s content has not changed. Songs from the three Michael Jackson albums will be played, alongside tracks which celebrate era-defining music. Therefore, we are unable to offer refunds.”

Now, let’s just think about this for a second. They’re claiming that it’s the same show as before. I mean, I guess they have got a point – after all, it is still Quincy Jones and seats are every bit as expensive as they were before, but the actual music? Well, that could not be more different.

The show appears to have shrunk in the wash and its colours have run. Now, in its place we have “Soundtrack of The 80s” featuring “iconic songs and defining albums.” I’m genuinely surprised that Sara Cox isn’t billed to host it.

Get your magnifying glass out though and look carefully at the small print at the very bottom of the poster and any fears you may have previously had will be swept aside.

See – it IS EXACTLY the same concert as before. O yea of little faith. Look, there’s all of Jackson’s biggest hits… Rock With You… Man In The Mirror… er, Yah Mo Be There…

I appreciate that there are bigger injustices in the world right now, but the principle of this stinks and the precedent it sets is utterly unacceptable.

This is like professional gaslighting. Maybe the organisers of the event are in a state of traumatised denial after this significant transformation to their show.

The last time a promoter was this cheeky was back when people who had bought seats to see Michael Jackson at his O2 residency for his ill-fated This Is It farewell tour were offered hologrammatic “souvenir” tickets instead of their money back.

When people buy tickets for Glastonbury, they do so without knowing what the line up will be in advance. People know that they are getting on board before the bands are announced and if they aren’t satisfied when the poster is unveiled, they are free to cancel.

Line ups are subject to change all the time, but usually, when someone drops out, the promoters arrange for someone equally impressive to stand in. Sometimes, the replacement is actually better than the act originally scheduled, so it works in the fans’ favour.

Occasionally, issues arise where, for whatever reason, artists are unable to fulfil their original obligation due to their personal situation or circumstances beyond their control.

I was crushed one Summer when Irish girl group B*witched were due to headline a Nineties nostalgia concert, but were sadly unable to make it in time due to problems with their flight. To be fair to them, they offered a full explanation and regular updates throughout the course of the evening by virtue of regular Skype updates. These things happen. C’est la vie.

There is sometimes a disclaimer attached to shows warning in advance of possible alterations. It covers the promoter’s back, acknowledges the reality of the industry and manages fans’ expectations.

I have studied the Quincy poster quite closely under my musical microscope and I don’t see anything anywhere that states: “please note: the advertised content is subject to change at any minute – in fact, it might have already changed beyond recognition by the time you buy tickets. Those who wish to take a complete leap of faith do so entirely at their own risk as even if we move the goal posts so far apart that they end up being in completely different countries, we reserve the right at all times to not only refuse entry but also refunds.”

I am no mathematician, but I am genuinely curious as to how much of the original advertised content of a concert you have to depart from before it can be considered a “change.”

Let’s say, for the sake of argument, that you bought tickets to see The Manic Street Preachers on their current tour, encouraged by the promise that they are going to be playing your favourite album of theirs: This Is My Truth, Tell Me Yours in its entirety. Imagine turning up, feather boa warming your your neck, looking forward to hearing songs from that album, only to be told that instead you are going to be treated to two hours of singer James Dean Bradfield’s side project.

Furious, you rush to the box office for a refund. “Ah,” says the woman behind the counter, “but this is the same concert.” “HOW is it?” you wail. “James will still be playing songs from This Is My Truth,” she says, “alongside era-defining music.”

Faced with no alternative, you return to the show to hear James playing George Benson’s Give Me The Night. “But this isn’t even one of theirs!” you scream, throwing back your head in terror, at which point you see a sign on the ceiling above you that says “NO REFUNDS.”

The addition of extra songs doesn’t make things better, it makes them considerably worse, as it has the effect of diluting the overall quality. It makes it considerably less likely that you will get to hear the songs from those albums that you paid good (Bad?) money to hear.

Maybe before the show, you could go into the O2 branch of Nando’s and order a plate of peri peri chicken, before tucking into it and immediately realising that something is wrong. Rather than your spice of choice, it has an altogether milder, tamer flavour, like someone has seasoned it with lemon and herb. It doesn’t even look or taste like chicken. Closer inspection reveals it to be pigeon!

Incensed, you storm up to the counter and demand your money back. “I’m sorry, Sir,” says the Manager, “but there are no refunds because that is the same meal as the one you ordered.” Then they chuck out a corn on the cob and throw some spicy rice in your face in an effort to placate you with era-defining side dishes.

Where exactly will this madness end? If you go to a tailor and after getting measured up and paying for a brand new suit, he then proceeds to lop the legs off the trousers and stitch a floral pattern into the lapel, can he still expect you to be happy with that?

We live in a time where people are expected to pay for the privilege of printing off their own tickets at home, and don’t even get me started on the fulfilment fees – exactly who or what are these fulfilling other than corporate pockets?!

Fans increasingly find themselves forfeiting booking fees, administration charges and the like when concerts are cancelled by the promoter. These would appear to be regarded by them as little more than curiosity taxes.

It’s all very caveat emptor – buyer beware – if you have gone to the trouble and expense of organising transport and arranging accommodation to see a show which is then pulled, well, then, that’s your problem.

By all means, go ahead and adjust the content of a concert – you’re the promoter, it’s your show, you can do whatever you like, but if you do, don’t hoodwink ticket holders into thinking that nothing has changed. Don’t flummox your customers. If they aren’t happy with the alterations you’ve made, they should be entitled to receive a full refund as the show they bought tickets to see is no longer the one that will be staged.

Believe it or not, this piece originally started out as an advertisement for the forthcoming Quincy Jones concert in which I heaped praise on the promoters for their courageous actions and argued that the concert remains fundamentally unchanged. They cannot take issue with any aspect of the final version because this is exactly the same article as before…alongside era-defining sarcasm. “

-Written by Andrew Timms .

[chiseler]

I got it from Mother

Tom Lehrer is almost 91, so I should say something about him right now, rather than waiting to ride the coattails of his obituary, which always feels like cheating.

As a teen, I heard his first album, Songs by Tom Lehrer, within a year or two of its recording in 1953. It was a birthday gift from my mother and remains one of the major puzzles of my early years: How did she come to know of it, and why would she have chanced passing along such a salacious (for the time) load of ribaldry to her impressionable teen nerd son?

Lehrer mocked and parodied everything on earth. He lauded "The Old Dope Peddler," insinuated depravity among the Boy Scouts, treated the South as though the exclusive realm of the Jukes family, accused Nikolai Ivanovich Lobachevsky of mathematical plagiarism, updated an Irish ballad to feature familial cannibalism, sneered at aging romance, and recounted the joys of keeping a bodily trophy from murdering his wife. All of it funny as hell – and sung by an instructor of math at Harvard.

How unlikely was this album and its follow-up, again provided by my mother? The original came out the year before the comics code was instituted, at the height of McCarthyism, with the Hollywood production code still in effect, and the country quaking in terror of nuclear Armageddon. (We were afraid of comic books? Yes we were, especially EC's "Tales from the Crypt," which would encourage any youth to bash another's brains out with the first handy rock.)

Lehrer sold the first album directly, locally in Cambridge and by mail. The songs were never played on the air in the U.S., so it's even stranger that my mother would have discovered them: Did she have a secret identity, or was she Satan's pal – my elder brothers would have believed the latter. Maybe it stemmed from Mom's obsession with the British royals and her correspondence with a cousin in England; for some reason Lehrer found his first real popularity there, especially with Princess Margaret.

In the early '60s, he produced protest songs for the TV show That Was The Week That Was, not just anti-war ("Wernher von Braun"), but anti-educational gobbledygook  ("New Math") and anti-religion ("The Vatican Rag" – oh, do us ex-Catholics love this one).

Lehrer was a prodigy, entering Harvard at 15, gaining a B.A. and M.A. in math (but never a Ph.D., despite 15 years of noodling at it). He grew up loving musicals and penning his own show tunes, but his humor, unique and beyond irreverent, comes from god knows where. While teaching at Harvard, MIT and UCal Santa Cruz (where he held courses in music and musical theater), he performed his rat-a-tat ditties when and wherever he could until he grew tired of repeating his work in the '70s. He produced only about three dozen songs, but they had an influence and reach far beyond their number. They stick in your mind like oatmeal on a doorknob.

You can hear echoes of Cole Porter in his precise yet convoluted lyrics, with rhymes that run around corners and meet themselves behind the outhouse.

This from "Poisoning Pigeons in the Park" on the second album:

My pulse will be quickenin'

With each drop of strych'nine

We feed to a pigeon

(It just takes a smidgin!)

To poison a pigeon in the park

He takes the rhyming a step further in "The Irish Ballad," where every line of every verse ends with "in," each rhyme natural, unstrained – and uproarious.

His approach to his subjects was fearless, rejecting just about every known taboo. Songs & More Songs of Tom Lehrer, a CD reissue of those first two albums, includes as an extra (along with three orchestral muddles of his work that should have been avoided), "I Got It from Agnes," a romp about an ummm sexually transmitted gift passed among a group of randy acquaintances. Though noted as having been recorded in 1996, it was part of his live act much, much earlier.

So... we start out with a brilliant kid with an incredible ear for lyrics, a sense of humor that could singe a skunk, and a disdain for all the social lies we tell each other. But none of it would have worked if he hadn't wrapped it in a complete, coherent package.

On stage, he performed in suit-jacketed, professorial garb and bow tie, the perfect contrast to the songs themselves that gave them extra heft. Live and on record, his voice rings like a bell. He may have the cleanest, most precise diction of any singer who ever lived, the humor delivered with an incipient snide undertone, as though the choirmaster had discovered where the pastor had hidden all those mutilated children – and wanted him to know it.

He can propel that voice at breakneck speed. His "Lobachevsky" pounds along, screeches to a stop, starts up again, on a dogsled race across Siberia. The vocal express reaches its peak in "The Elements," in which he rattles off the names of the then 102 elements of the periodic table to the tune of the Gilbert and Sullivan "Major-General's Song."

On YouTube you can watch a performance he gave in Copenhagen; he spews out those chemical siblings faster than a thermite reaction, delivered in no sane order except that of sound. Remembering all of them would, by itself, stump an eidetic rapper; translating them into a reproducible whole defies comprehension.

Most acknowledgements of Lehrer ignore his piano playing. It's so straightahead and undemonstrative that it could be mistaken for easy. But it has the same clarity and distinction of his voice and can shift effortlessly from folk to ragtime without your noticing. He never looks at the keys, never pauses, changes tempo as though the instrument had decided it for him.

Having watched Lehrer on YouTube and master ragtime pianist Bob Milne live in concert a few times, I come away wondering how certain people – certain rare people, whether carvers, butchers, musicians or athletes – can translate mental intention directly into physical action without pause or consideration, much as the rest of us can walk across the room. God knows I can't; I bite myself while eating.

I don't much care for musicals (why the hell are these people yodeling about a beheading?), but I'd love to have taken Lehrer's musical theater course. I can just imagine his parody of Camelot ("Oh, Guinevere, you're such a dear, haul your booty over here").

by Derek Davis

[sftswigan]

New band on the scene, Divide The Sun, tell us about their lockdown as a band, their influences and why not many of have heard of them...yet!

Alright lads, firstly, who are Divide The Sun and can you tell us a little bit about the band as we here at SFTS take pride in knowing the local scene very well but we’ll be honest and say that we know nothing about you guys! Why is that?

Phil: OK, so the initial introductions for Divide the Sun are...

Robin Bailey - Rhythm guitar & vocals

Gaz Moore - Lead guitar & vocals

Will Waddington - Bass Guitar

Phil Moore - Drums

We’re a band who are a little “late to the party” in that we only met initially about 2 years ago, and only formed as the current line up about 12 months ago.

Robin and I met at TMP Music College, and when we decided to wanted to continue to make music, we recruited Gaz and then Will, who had previously played together (some years ago) in a number of bands. We’ve discussed recently how we want to start to take it to the next level, gigging and promoting etc. Sadly Coronavirus has made a dent in those plans.

Robin: I think we were clear from the start our goal was to write, produce and play original songs. We are still on that journey. Also, we’re probably guilty of being too perfectionist or maybe its a bit of impostor syndrome??

However we have released our first single, Green and Brown, (second single on its way, soon) and made a couple of surprise gigs at TMP, both of which were very well received! Like you guys the response so far has been “why have we never heard of you before”!!

Well it’s great to have another Wigan band in this amazing scene we have.

What is the writing process in the band and how did the song ‘Green and Brown’ come to fruition?

Robin: The writing process usually starts with me or Gaz having the basis of a song and we take it to the band, who all add their bits. In fact some songs/ideas don’t get Divide the Sun’s approval and are rejected. ‘Green and Brown’ was pretty much accepted from the outset and developed by all the band. Its a song that covers all the light and airy themes of war, terrorism, religion and death....set to a nice jangly indie groove!

Phil: Yeah, the structure of the song is definitely driven by the two main songwriters, but they do ‘allow’ Will and I a certain degree of autonomy in how we add to the song!! Once the structure is there, we’ve found that the process to a final format is pretty quick. We then just take time to tweak and perfect it.

Love the fact that such topics can be turned into a song, I remember back with the Bush era in th US brought out a lot of new material for bands like Greenday, System of a Down etc and probably other bands too. Have these dark times with COVID, protests, the government etc inspired the band and songwriting whilst not being able to gig?

Phil: In all honesty the band as a whole have been in somewhat of a hiatus through COVID. We’ve only managed to get together once, but we’ve stayed in contact pretty consistently. In fact, probably more so than before lockdown!!! The two songwriters have been sending ideas across, and we definitely have things to get straight into once lockdown is lifted.

In the meantime, Robin is very prolific with his songwriting, and is definitely not afraid to progress any songs that he feels are worth it, but that are maybe not DtS material.

Robin: Its funny three songs I have written have been inspired by all those themes. One called “Alone together” deals with those whose lives have always involved self-isolation even before lockdown. The “Luckiest Man in Rock and Roll” is a jealous song aimed at those who have made it in the music industry. And “Us and Them” deals with lies, corruption and oppression. I may try and write a happy song one day!!

The way the world is at the moment there’s plenty for the band to write The way the world is at the moment there’s plenty for the band to write about and it’s all very relevant and people can relate to it too.

What’s the plan for the band once we get more normality back?

Gaz: What is normality, though? The World is always in chaos, just in different guises. There’s always plenty to write about!

Will: Get back into practice, get a set together and play a gig!

Robin: Yes, that’s the answer!

Phil: Yeah, I think it’s about catching up on the material we already have, and getting that back up to standard. But the guys have been working on some stuff that we’re going to begin developing as soon as we can!

Gaz, you make a very good point.! There’s always bad things going on so spot on there but it’s often ammunition for bands to write about I suppose.

When you get back gigging is there anywhere in particular you want to play or bands you’d like to gig with? Or is it a case gig wherever and as much as possible?

Phil: We’re still at the stage where we’re getting the material together, to a standard that we’re happy to take to a (potentially paying) audience. So I think it’s fair to say we are only just beginning to think that far ahead. One particular venue is like to play is The Old Courts in Wigan but also The Boulevard. Having said that, we want to make sure that the material is good to go before we rush into anything. Will’s lives in Preston and there are apparently a number of venues there that we hope to play at. In terms of supporting, you’ve got to aspire to someone like The Lathums but that may be a stretch given their meteoric rise!! The Lilacs and Island Dam are also obvious local choices given their quality and current experience.

Will: Some of the Preston venues that is like to play at are, The Ferret, The Continental, 53 degrees. There were more but I heard they closed.

Good local bands we could support; Blues Harvest, Zvilnik, Doug Perkins and the Spectaculars, Fighting, dat brass, Ward 16 and Jackpot Golden Boys.

Yeah no rush and this is the perfect time to get it right whilst gigs aren’t really as we know them just yet and people are understandably not ready to go out to pubs/venues.

We’re very lucky to have so many good bands not just in the northwest but in the UK.

What bands are you listening to at the moment and does that have an influence on the bands songwriting?

Robin: I think a lot of bands indirectly influence my songs however I never sit down with an artist orgenre in mind. I think it’s probably more subconscious. I am often maybe more conscious of not sounding like anyone or copying anyone. Historically [I listened to] Paul Simon, Bob Dylan, The Smiths, Leonard Cohen ... currently Elliot Smith, Sufjan Stevens, King Krule, Aha, early Prefrab Sprout, Wu Tang Clan, Laura Nyro....

Gaz: [I’m] Currently listening to Future Islands a lot and although it’s not the sound I would want from my own band......

I do find it is inspiring my own writing. I definitely have a connection with the vocal both melodically and lyrically.

Good to see quite a mixed bag of music there.

That was our last (serious) question. We’ve got some, more hypothetical fun questions now....

If you could open up for any band (Alive or dead) who would it be?

Robin: Super Furry Animals

Gaz: Well for me it would have to be the best live band I’ve ever seen..............the mighty...............pigeon detectives. Jokes. KASABIAN!!

Phil: Biffy Clyro. Definitely.

Will: Erm, queen at wembley.

Interestingly, the bloke who taught me guitar when i was 16 was previously in a band who did genuinely support queen in their early days.

Some great choices there! Streaming music or Vinyl?

Robin: Would love to say Vinyl, but I would never have listened to the range of music I have, if it wasn’t for streaming. So from a purely selfish and indulgent perspective, streaming.

Gaz: Streaming through the week. Vinyl on Sundays!!

Will: I'm not nearly hipster enough to be interested in vinyl nowadays, just for the sake of trying to be cool, so streaming all the way :)

Phil: I listen to a lot of music on the go, so Vinyl isn’t really practical!! Also, I’ve never owned a Vinyl record without scratching it to hell, so definitely streaming for me, too.

Also, you can choose an album, a book and one other item to take to a desert island with you. What do ya take?

Phil: I’ll go first then.....

Album - The Wall - Pink Floyd (without question)

Book - Difficult one this. Probably the complete collection of Sherlock Holmes (I’m sure it’s available in one volume somewhere)

Item - can I take my phone?

Robin:

Album. Desire- Bob Dylan...

Book: Finnegans Wake-James Joyce...(never understood it, so might work it out on the Island).

Item: Mini-Brewery.

Will:

Album - 1977, ash.

Book - Lord of the Rings.

Item - survival knife / multitool. Or maybe a saltwater still, depends if the island has a fresh water source or not...

Gaz:

The Bends - Radiohead

Book of local wildlife

Guitar :)

Thanks very for taking the time to chat to us lads!

Please go and visit the band's social media pages and follow on the streaming services.

[positive-stress]

Bands 4 the Sads

Hi I know I never use this blog, this is a weird thing. I’m making a big list of musics that get me through the Sadtimes. It’s for a facebook group but you can look at it too! Warning: this is gonna get long. I’m a sad boy.

Some of these are happy for when you need to fight the feels, and some of these are sad for when you need to feel the feels. I’ve included short blurbs with each one so you should know what you’re getting into.

I’m gonna break this up into songs, albums, and bands. Here We Go [INHALES]

BANDS

Fall Out Boy Obviously.

Good Clean Fun A goofy-ass positive hardcore band. They’re vegan straightedge but don’t let that turn you off. If I can listen to hip-hop, you can listen to this.

Jukebox the Ghost The best boys!!!! I love these good good piano rock boys. You will never have so much fun jamming out to an upbeat song about the end of the world. Their album Everything Under the Sun is a god damn masterpiece.

Math the Band If you know me at all, this is the biggest not-surprise ever. Math the Fuckin’ Band. The goofiest, funnest band in the world. It is impossible to feel sad while listening to their sick jams.

The Mountain Goats John Darnielle is maybe the most talented songwriter in the world. An emotion does not exist that he can’t make you feel. Listen to The Sunset Tree.

Lil B With as much music as this guy has, it can be easy to think Lil B sucks. He can be dumb and he can be gross and he can be mean, but he always listens to his fans and tries to do better and bring positivity into the world, and I love him for it. Listen to 6 Kiss, listen to Im Gay, listen to Everything Based, listen to Angels Exodus, listen to everything. Collect the rarest tracks. TYBG.

PWR BTTM A band that will make even the most self-conscious boy (me) smear glitter all over his face before going to their shows (I did). Whether they’re making you feel unstoppable or hitting you right in the feels, this band is always the fucking best thing to listen to. Please listen to PWR BTTM, you will not be disappointed. (At the moment they only have one album, Ugly Cherries, but their second, Pageant, is coming out soon and I expect it to be every bit as worthy of this list so I’m putting them under bands.)

Snowing RIP this perfect emo band. They got a perfect EP and a perfect LP out and then had to break up because that’s how it works. Some people say they hate this guy’s voice but those people just need to be sadder, damn it. I CUT MY AAAAAAAAAAARMS OFF

Terror Pigeon! / The Terror Pigeon Dance Revolt! I don’t even know how to describe this one-man band. It doesn’t sound like anything I’ve ever heard. It’s dance music for people who feel isolated and hopeless. It’s the cheesiest, sweetest love songs you’ll ever hear. There’s very often a saxophone. Neil’s lyrics are blunt and goofy, but they’re the most heartfelt lyrics in the world. “If you put up with all of my bullshit, I promise that I’ll make you smile / I’ll remember your birthday and love you forever / The sun will be shining ‘cause we’ll be together.” Their debut album is called I Love You! I Love You! I Love You and I’m in Love With You! Have an Awesome Day! Have the Best Day of Your Life! With any other band, I’d see a name like that and say “alright, chill.” With Terror Pigeon, I feel like he really means it.

ALBUMS

Andrew W.K. - I Get Wet Sometimes you just need to party.

Born Ruffians - Red Yellow & Blue A super fun upbeat indie rock ride from start to finish. Only a little blue, only sometimes.

Carly Rae Jepsen - EMOTION BABY!!!! TAKE ME!!!! TO THE!!!! FEELING!!!!

NATSUMEN - NEVER WEAR OUT yOUR SUMMER xxx !!! The summeriest boys. The jazziest rock. This band loves summer and hates winter more than anyone in the world. Fuck winter. KILL yOUR WINTER!!!

Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin - Let It Sway This album is criminally underappreciated. Some of the most relentlessly uplifting indie pop I’ve heard in my life. HIGHLY recommended.

Dan Deacon - Bromst If there’s any album I would say changed my life, it’s this one. Great for when you’re in a good mood and want to have fun, great for when you’re in a shit mood and want to have fun.

fun. - Aim & Ignite This band actually used to be fun! Who knew? I kind of have to be in the mood for this one but it has gotten me through some shit. Rule of thumb: listen to “Be Calm”. If it makes you feel amazing, keep going.

Japandroids - Celebration Rock I’ve never heard a band say “OOOOOHHHHHHHH” so good. Listening to Japandroids makes me feel the way I assume listening to Imagine Dragons makes normies feel. This band will make you hold one clenched fist in the air or your money back.

Cap’n Jazz - Schmap’n Schmazz Required listening for emo boyz.

Electric President - s/t This album gives me the feels like no other. Hoo boy. This is an album to curl up with on a gloomy night.

Low - I Could Live in Hope I lied, this album gives me the feels like no other. Hoo boy. I thought this album was super boring until I listened to it at 4 in the morning when I wanted to die and it hit me like a train full of sacks of bricks. Incredible album.

i hate myself - 10 Songs This is a rough one in every way. Rough on the ears, rough on the emotions, and rough on the dude’s throat. Maximum strength emo.

Los Campesinos! - Hold on Now, Youngster... The happiest sounds, the saddest feels.

My Chemical Romance - Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge I know, but like, actually. This is a legitimately amazing album. Sure it’s super cheesy angsty teenager music but my god if this isn’t the perfect super cheesy angsty teenager music I don’t know what is.

Neil Cicierega - Mouth Moods Jesus christ, this album is so dumb. 10/10. A mashup album that will catch you off guard and make you laugh out loud over and over.

Ninja Sex Party - NSFW Jesus CHRIST, this album is so dumb. Honestly though, it’s made me smile at some really shitty times. At first I thought this band sucked, then I realized they’re actually the best, assuming you think it’s funny when a man in a kimono sings about boners.

Spraynard - Funtitled Like, okay. These guys hit every pop punk/emo cliche in the book. Song titles referencing comedy shows? Check. Lyrics about “this town”? Check. Whatever. This album is perfect.

The Ergs - dorkrockcorkrod An album almost entirely comprised of self-described broken-hearted love songs, in the form of some extremely fun, fast, hard punk rock.

SONGS

Algernon Cadwallader - “Motivational Song” Johnny, Johnny, get on with your life! Won’t get a chance to get on with it twice So if fuckin’ up feels right, then fuck it up! BOP SHOO BOP, SHOO BOP BOP BOP

Animal Collective - “The Purple Bottle” This song is just so god damn... bouncy. Doodoot, doodoot, doodoot

Avey Tare - “Laughing Hieroglyphic” This song hurts in the best worst way. Be careful with this one, honestly.

Fang Island - “Daisy” The ENERGY of this song. My god. This is one of those songs that just makes you feel like you’re flying.

Four Year Strong - “One Step at a Time” Just a really great song about moving forward.

Future of the Left - “Land of my Formers” A surprisingly earnest, positive breakup song from a normally surreal, pissed-off band.

Sammus - “Nighttime (feat. Izzie True)” If you’ve ever stayed up way too late just stuck in your head, this is the song for you.

[EXHALES]

[thesinglesjukebox]

JESSIE WARE - ALONE [5.73] One of the better posts, I think, for unexpected writer synchronicities...

Alfred Soto: She could've covered Heart's "Alone" and no one would've noticed -- such is the spirit of classy,overwrought adult contemporary pop hovering over Jessie Ware's third album. Her "Alone" boasts not a single interesting line and, except for the way she emphasizes the last two words in each chorus verse, not a single good choice. Its virtues are in the arrangement: pigeon-cooed hook, stuttered instrumental outro. [4]

Eleanor Graham: Ware's second album Tough Love was made of delicate, taut steel scaffolding that trembled slightly in the electronic breeze. It was like holding your breath, like not saying something, and I think I'm one of about eight people who took more than a polite critical interest in it. On this record's first single, she was still loitering at the edge of the full-on love song: "maybe I love you/maybe I want to." On "Alone", she's warmed up considerably in the "Say You Love Me" style, and I can see the appeal, but the finger snaps, surging gospel chorus and key-change bridge are just too Christmas ad-ready. [4]

Scott Mildenhall: To lend from the Staffordshire sage Neville John "Noddy" Holder: iiiit's Chriiiiiistmaaaaas. Near enough, anyway. The private mutuality of eyes lost in eyes lost in eyes is lit up like a town centre by its panto stars, but Jessie Ware is the mayoress in chains: accepting but tired of the show, quietly longing for home. [7]

Kat Stevens: It's not Jessie's fault, but I keep imagining Leona Lewis singing this instead, while riding her favourite horse. [4]

Nortey Dowuona: Heavy, echoing piano and soft percussion glide around Jessie Ware as she slowly, carefully rises and stands atop the drums, surrounded by the haunting yet loving backing vocals around her. [8]

William John: The way Jessie Ware's whispered verses give way to a vast expanse of a chorus might, in other circumstances, remove any sense of intimacy, but that oxymoronic desire to be alone with someone else (well-trodden ground for songwriters, of course) is most convincing when delivered with earnestness, and there's sincerity deeply ingrained in every one of Ware's blustery ad-libs. [8]

Ryo Miyauchi: Jessie Ware sings with an enviable grace, but also with hints at the heart-stopping terror that comes in committing to a trust fall. I hear it in the one-sided nature of the chorus: that "oh, please" echoes both the ecstatic joy of knowing the exact reply and the desperation from the slight possibility her plea will land on deaf ears. [7]

Julian Axelrod: There's something poignant, if not downright noble, about Jessie Ware's transition from dance-pop ingenue to old-school soul belter. This brand of bedside ballad could easily feel cheap or broad if Ware didn't imbue each and every syllable such passion and vulnerability. The track hits every beat you expect it to hit, but there's something so satisfying about watching it all come together. For a song that's essentially a gospel choir-backed booty call, this feels so wholesome -- like a bite of a crisp apple, or a Summer Olympics commercial, or one of those movies where Meryl Streep wears a shawl-collared sweater. I feel like I can't truly appreciate this until I cry to it in a grocery store, the way it was meant to be heard. [8]

Will Adams: Pointing at Jessie Ware's past house endeavors is the wrong way of looking at the problem. What's most disappointing about "Alone" and most of her post-Devotion output is that, of all the distinctive and ear-catching spins on adult contemporary she used to make, the pat sonics of "Wildest Moments" were the sole takeaway. [4]

Katherine St Asaph: I've finally cracked the code, figured out why I like some Adult Contemporary!Jessie Ware but not all. Good taste, as defined by AC listeners (find them in a comments section near you) dictates that voices should be loud and virtuosic, but within conservative confines--confines within which the music should cower. Jessie Ware's music works best--"Imagine It Was Us," the beginning of "Midnight"--when she's restrained, all the drama in the music. Not the most shocking of realizations; it's been Ware's strength from the beginning. But the realization, I fear, may never reach her collaborators. [5]

Stephen Eisermann: Jessie's take on Sam Smith is as good as someone's take on Sam Smith can be: beautifully sung, of course, but still boring as hell. [4]

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