Interviews
Ben Goddard Interview
Ben Goddard is just one of Southampton's current unsigned artists. Unsigned Britain caught up with him to see what his plans for 2012 are...
For anyone who hasn’t listened to you, how would you describe your sound?
If Jason Mraz, a warmer Coldplay, John Mayer, Crosby, Stills Nash and The Script formed a band it would sound slightly similar. Lots of energy, harmonies and big choruses!
Where would you say you get your creative influences from when writing new songs?
I think a song can be inspired by almost anything; A particular drum sound, a conversation that you've overheard, the weather, a relationship, a place, emotions etc hopefully you end up writing something that will then inspire others.
Your band members all have rather different musical influences; do you think this variation has helped with creating your own sound?
For sure. They're all really good musicians with a great ear for music. When I take them a new song they know exactly what to do and what lends itself to the song.
What has been your most influential moment since being a musician?
It was the 2nd show I'd ever played when I was 13 in my very first band. Everything was moving so fast, I had no idea what was going on but it was sold out and the crowd were going mental. It was amazing.
Being a Southampton based artist, what are your feelings on the live music scene in Southampton?
Do you think venues like The Joiners have helped you?
I think the music scene is pretty poor down here at the moment; a lot of venues are struggling and closing. Two of my favourite venues in Southampton, The Talking Heads & The Blue Keys Hotel are being sold. I think people just want to get wrecked, go to clubs and when they get home, if they remember, they might illegally download their favourite track of the night. I always speak to my dad about this one, he told me that 40 years ago you would go to the pub every night and there would be a different band on. Most of these became bands like Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, Black Sabbath etc…
The Joiners have been nothing but brilliant to me. We have a great relationship. We work hard for them and they work hard for us. We do a show there every few months and if it’s successful we get offered decent support slots. The sound is great there too. Get down there if you can.
What can people expect from you in 2012?
You can expect the unexpected! We're recording a few EP's in the next month, booking shows, festivals and if we're lucky a possible tour. I can’t wait to see how this year pans out. I'm feeling positive and working hard. Fingers crossed. Whatever happens, it will always be fun.
If you want to find more out about Ben Goddard then visit:
www.bengoddard.co.uk /www.facebook.com/bengoddardmusic
For anyone who hasn’t listened to you, how would you describe your sound?
If Jason Mraz, a warmer Coldplay, John Mayer, Crosby, Stills Nash and The Script formed a band it would sound slightly similar. Lots of energy, harmonies and big choruses!
Where would you say you get your creative influences from when writing new songs?
I think a song can be inspired by almost anything; A particular drum sound, a conversation that you've overheard, the weather, a relationship, a place, emotions etc hopefully you end up writing something that will then inspire others.
Your band members all have rather different musical influences; do you think this variation has helped with creating your own sound?
For sure. They're all really good musicians with a great ear for music. When I take them a new song they know exactly what to do and what lends itself to the song.
What has been your most influential moment since being a musician?
It was the 2nd show I'd ever played when I was 13 in my very first band. Everything was moving so fast, I had no idea what was going on but it was sold out and the crowd were going mental. It was amazing.
Being a Southampton based artist, what are your feelings on the live music scene in Southampton?
Do you think venues like The Joiners have helped you?
I think the music scene is pretty poor down here at the moment; a lot of venues are struggling and closing. Two of my favourite venues in Southampton, The Talking Heads & The Blue Keys Hotel are being sold. I think people just want to get wrecked, go to clubs and when they get home, if they remember, they might illegally download their favourite track of the night. I always speak to my dad about this one, he told me that 40 years ago you would go to the pub every night and there would be a different band on. Most of these became bands like Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, Black Sabbath etc…
The Joiners have been nothing but brilliant to me. We have a great relationship. We work hard for them and they work hard for us. We do a show there every few months and if it’s successful we get offered decent support slots. The sound is great there too. Get down there if you can.
What can people expect from you in 2012?
You can expect the unexpected! We're recording a few EP's in the next month, booking shows, festivals and if we're lucky a possible tour. I can’t wait to see how this year pans out. I'm feeling positive and working hard. Fingers crossed. Whatever happens, it will always be fun.
If you want to find more out about Ben Goddard then visit:
www.bengoddard.co.uk /www.facebook.com/bengoddardmusic
Don't Touch The Walls Interview
With their quirky name and mannerisms Unsigned Britain thought it only a shame if we didn't interview this lot...
Where did your name Don’t Touch the Walls come from?
We used to live in a house with eight people in 2nd and 3rd year of uni. The house mostly resembled a cross between a public toilet and a low budget squat thanks to incidents involving homemade cheese and the building of a chariot. The one house rule was never to go in the kitchen without adequate footwear and not to touch anything that you didn’t know the origin of. Don’t Touch the Walls is self-explanatory really!
You released your self-titled EP last October, how did that experience go for you?
It was a pretty terrible experience to be honest. It took us 12 months to get it all sorted which is a long time when you’re desperate to hear the tracks and when opportunities are passing you by. We are pleased with the result though and we’ve learnt a lot about different ways of recording in the process. Actually releasing the EP was great- we had a very busy gig at the O2 Academy 3 which was really good and some good feedback. As well as handing a copy to Seth Lakeman (our number one favourite artist) at his gig last year.
With plans to release an album this year, is there anything that releasing the EP has prepared you for with the album?
We are recording and mixing the album ourselves this time so we can have full control over all the tiny little things and we can really go to town on harmonies and multiple tracks. Since releasing the EP, I’ve learnt a bit more about publicity so the album release is going to come with a big publicity push behind it. In terms of the music that’s going to be on the record, we’ve spent the last few years practising song writing and we think we’ve got a fair idea of what works- there are some songs that we’ve written that we thought were amazing at the time and then realised that they were annoying, winey and un-original.
As a band that have undergone line-up changes over the years, do you now feel that this has helped you progress as an act?
In total, we’ve had ten people involved with the band in the past three years including enlisting the help of Holly’s rock star uncle and all round legend ‘Uncle Alan’. It’s annoying having to teach new people your back catalogue but we’ve been lucky to have acquired talented band-mates who are good at covering their mistakes. Adding Dan (trumpet player) to the band this year has definitely helped us progress musically; the trumpet, along with a third vocal harmony added to our music definitely gives us a more distinct sound.
Would you say there have been advantages to being an unsigned band in Birmingham? Do the city and its venues help new emerging artists?
Birmingham’s a strange city for music. On the upside it’s never been difficult to find gigs as there are so many venues and promoters. The problem is that there’s so much music going on every night of the week, it is hard to get a buzz going about any particular, gig or venue, something which is easier in a smaller town. There are some promoters who are great and who have helped us massively as a band- Dave Timothy and Silent Filter, people who genuinely love music but at the end of the day it’s down to the bands themselves to try and build that all important fan base.
What would you say to anyone who has never heard of you?
“Oo oo oo Holly get my Ipod and play them Witches!...” Seriously, that’s generally what we do but if we haven’t got the tracks to hand, we tell them that our music is folky, rhythmic and sometimes a bit weird.
Find out more about Don't Touch The Walls including any upcoming live dates on their Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/donttouchthewalls
Where did your name Don’t Touch the Walls come from?
We used to live in a house with eight people in 2nd and 3rd year of uni. The house mostly resembled a cross between a public toilet and a low budget squat thanks to incidents involving homemade cheese and the building of a chariot. The one house rule was never to go in the kitchen without adequate footwear and not to touch anything that you didn’t know the origin of. Don’t Touch the Walls is self-explanatory really!
You released your self-titled EP last October, how did that experience go for you?
It was a pretty terrible experience to be honest. It took us 12 months to get it all sorted which is a long time when you’re desperate to hear the tracks and when opportunities are passing you by. We are pleased with the result though and we’ve learnt a lot about different ways of recording in the process. Actually releasing the EP was great- we had a very busy gig at the O2 Academy 3 which was really good and some good feedback. As well as handing a copy to Seth Lakeman (our number one favourite artist) at his gig last year.
With plans to release an album this year, is there anything that releasing the EP has prepared you for with the album?
We are recording and mixing the album ourselves this time so we can have full control over all the tiny little things and we can really go to town on harmonies and multiple tracks. Since releasing the EP, I’ve learnt a bit more about publicity so the album release is going to come with a big publicity push behind it. In terms of the music that’s going to be on the record, we’ve spent the last few years practising song writing and we think we’ve got a fair idea of what works- there are some songs that we’ve written that we thought were amazing at the time and then realised that they were annoying, winey and un-original.
As a band that have undergone line-up changes over the years, do you now feel that this has helped you progress as an act?
In total, we’ve had ten people involved with the band in the past three years including enlisting the help of Holly’s rock star uncle and all round legend ‘Uncle Alan’. It’s annoying having to teach new people your back catalogue but we’ve been lucky to have acquired talented band-mates who are good at covering their mistakes. Adding Dan (trumpet player) to the band this year has definitely helped us progress musically; the trumpet, along with a third vocal harmony added to our music definitely gives us a more distinct sound.
Would you say there have been advantages to being an unsigned band in Birmingham? Do the city and its venues help new emerging artists?
Birmingham’s a strange city for music. On the upside it’s never been difficult to find gigs as there are so many venues and promoters. The problem is that there’s so much music going on every night of the week, it is hard to get a buzz going about any particular, gig or venue, something which is easier in a smaller town. There are some promoters who are great and who have helped us massively as a band- Dave Timothy and Silent Filter, people who genuinely love music but at the end of the day it’s down to the bands themselves to try and build that all important fan base.
What would you say to anyone who has never heard of you?
“Oo oo oo Holly get my Ipod and play them Witches!...” Seriously, that’s generally what we do but if we haven’t got the tracks to hand, we tell them that our music is folky, rhythmic and sometimes a bit weird.
Find out more about Don't Touch The Walls including any upcoming live dates on their Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/donttouchthewalls
The Sharp Darts Interview
Unsigned Britain took the chance to catch up West Midlands band The Sharp Darts to talk about music and their plans for 2012...
You’re a Birmingham based band but where does the added spice from
Australia that is mentioned on your website come from?
The Australian spice comes from Rod, our bassist, Tassie born, Brisbane
bred and now living over here in the UK. Growing up in Australia
exposed him to a different range of artists and rock music. We're
harnessing all of our inspirations to create a blend of British pop rock
and Aussie rock.
You've only been going a relatively short time, but what have been your three highlights of being in The Sharp Darts so far?
Last year we reached the final of Surface Festival and we played some great gigs along the way including Indig02 at the 02 in London. The Highlight for us though was a big crowd at 02 Birmingham, where we launched our EP and had the place rocking.
You recently made your EP ‘Shoes off’ available for free download over the Christmas period.
Do you feel that as a band it’s important to give something back to your fans?
It’s important to give something back and we’ll be looking at other things we can do in the future. It’s hard to find a balance between giving back to the fans, promoting your own work to new people and actually making some money to go on and record more music. So far we've kept Shoes Off free from soundcloud in the hope that people who really get into it will buy it anyway or come to our gigs. We tend to make sure we have some free stuff on offer wherever we go, whenever we play our stickers end up all over the place and we make sure
everyone gets a badge or two.
Your next EP is going to be an acoustic one, where did the decision to do an acoustic EP come from?
We played quite a lot of acoustic shows last year, starting when our drummer Steve was unavailable for a short while after the birth of his son. The acoustic shows got a good response, so we just kept on doing them. After that, it just seemed to make sense to record the songs. The acoustic stuff appeals to a different audience as well as fans of our full band sound, so it all helps to get our music out there. It’s something you don’t see too often from unsigned artists and it’s always good to do something different to stand out from the crowd. That being said, our fans are awesome and if they like something we’re doing, we want to give them more of it.
Rough recordings of the next EP are already up online, is that to keep the fans up to date with what you’re doing? Or do you also use it as a way to receive feedback early on?
The recording that we have up at the moment, “Butterfly Stitches” was something we did long before any plans of an acoustic EP. We recorded it at home and finished it off in the studio in a spare hour we had after our first “Shoes Off” recording session. The reason we chose to post it up is because we wanted to give something to the fans to listen to over the Christmas period that was new. We’d hoped to put one of the more upbeat tracks up, but being as that was recorded back in January last year, it was the only one ready
enough to upload. Feedback is always good as is keeping people up to date with what we’re doing, we’ve always played songs live before recording them, so we get feedback that way. There’s also something to be said for surprising people with something new, so we like to try to mix it up a little where that is concerned.
What can people expect from you in 2012?
Over the next 12 months, we’ll be working on and releasing both an acoustic and full band EP, which we’ll be launching at Birmingham shows. As far as live gigs are concerned, we’ll be looking to get bigger and better in Birmingham and support bigger bands. We’ll also be looking to spread our wings a little more and play in other towns and cities. Promotion is also something we’re going to be getting our teeth into, pushing video for online promotion as well as getting ourselves more radio spins and spots in newspapers/magazines/blogs. We got a bit of exposure last year and we’ll be looking to get a lot more this year.
Being in a band at our level is hard work, we’ll be looking to improve wherever we can. There’s always a lot to do, so it’s just a case of spending as much time and money as you can getting your name and music out there. We’ve got lots of great ideas for 2012 and we’re really looking forward to it!
Find more on The Sharp Darts at www.thesharpdarts.com and listen to the latest online song 'Butterfly Stitches' at: http://soundcloud.com/thesharpdarts
Impossible Things Interview
Unsigned Britain took the chance to catch up with Jess from London based band Impossible Things
How long have you been together as a band?
Jess: Impossible Things started as Richard and I in his freezing garage playing Libertines songs, but blossomed into its current form on Halloween 2010 - so we've just celebrated our first anniversary.
Who would you name as your biggest musical influences?
Jess: The Libertines brought Richard and I together so the band would never have existed if it weren't for them, and they're still the band I feel inspire me most. I know Richard likes Brand New (god knows why), Paddy likes Frank Turner and Sean listens to anything good.
Most of the gigs you have played as a band have been in the London area. So far to date what has been your favourite London venue to play?
Jess: For me, my favourite gig was actually in a shitty little pub down the road from my house. I'm still not sure why it was so good, I think emotions were running quite high and we all really threw ourselves into it. The pub was packed and everyone was up and dancing. Our set was shambolic (in the best of ways) and there were lots of technical problems but we just played through it. We'll also never forget our first 'proper' gig which was at Camden Barfly. I think it was only the third time we'd played together and by far the best venue and biggest crowd. No gig since has had that same numbingly nervous effect - definitely felt a little bit out of our depth!
What do you think are the benefits to being an unsigned band in London?
Jess: There is just SO MUCH here. So many venues, promoters, other bands, free gigs... . What we've taken advantage of is the amount of free courses and competitions in London, which you just don't get so many of elsewhere in England. We got our first gig at the Barfly through a course we did at Camden Roundhouse, not particularly rock n roll but it was definitely worth doing.
What are the plans for Impossible Things for the near future?
Jess: Things have been a bit quiet these last few months because we've split off to different cities as we've gone to uni. We're keeping the band together but splitting our rehearsing and gigs between Liverpool, Leeds and London. I'd like to record another couple of tracks with the band because I already feel like we've moved on since our EP. Plus, Richard and I will be trying out some new acoustic material in London around Christmas.
Ideally where would you like to see yourselves in five years’ time?
Jess: In five years we'll all finally be done with university and so hopefully can put a lot more time into the band, preferably while all in the same city.
So far most of your gigs have been London based, is gigging further afield something you have planned?
Jess: We're all sprawled across the country, and a lot of our friends are too, so it's really no easier to play in London as it is to play anywhere else in the country. Maybe not the Shetland Islands...
Finally if you were trying to persuade someone who had never listened to before to give your music a listen, what would you say to them?
Jess: We're rough around the edges but it was never meant to be perfect.
Check Impossible Things out on their Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/impossiblethingsband
How long have you been together as a band?
Jess: Impossible Things started as Richard and I in his freezing garage playing Libertines songs, but blossomed into its current form on Halloween 2010 - so we've just celebrated our first anniversary.
Who would you name as your biggest musical influences?
Jess: The Libertines brought Richard and I together so the band would never have existed if it weren't for them, and they're still the band I feel inspire me most. I know Richard likes Brand New (god knows why), Paddy likes Frank Turner and Sean listens to anything good.
Most of the gigs you have played as a band have been in the London area. So far to date what has been your favourite London venue to play?
Jess: For me, my favourite gig was actually in a shitty little pub down the road from my house. I'm still not sure why it was so good, I think emotions were running quite high and we all really threw ourselves into it. The pub was packed and everyone was up and dancing. Our set was shambolic (in the best of ways) and there were lots of technical problems but we just played through it. We'll also never forget our first 'proper' gig which was at Camden Barfly. I think it was only the third time we'd played together and by far the best venue and biggest crowd. No gig since has had that same numbingly nervous effect - definitely felt a little bit out of our depth!
What do you think are the benefits to being an unsigned band in London?
Jess: There is just SO MUCH here. So many venues, promoters, other bands, free gigs... . What we've taken advantage of is the amount of free courses and competitions in London, which you just don't get so many of elsewhere in England. We got our first gig at the Barfly through a course we did at Camden Roundhouse, not particularly rock n roll but it was definitely worth doing.
What are the plans for Impossible Things for the near future?
Jess: Things have been a bit quiet these last few months because we've split off to different cities as we've gone to uni. We're keeping the band together but splitting our rehearsing and gigs between Liverpool, Leeds and London. I'd like to record another couple of tracks with the band because I already feel like we've moved on since our EP. Plus, Richard and I will be trying out some new acoustic material in London around Christmas.
Ideally where would you like to see yourselves in five years’ time?
Jess: In five years we'll all finally be done with university and so hopefully can put a lot more time into the band, preferably while all in the same city.
So far most of your gigs have been London based, is gigging further afield something you have planned?
Jess: We're all sprawled across the country, and a lot of our friends are too, so it's really no easier to play in London as it is to play anywhere else in the country. Maybe not the Shetland Islands...
Finally if you were trying to persuade someone who had never listened to before to give your music a listen, what would you say to them?
Jess: We're rough around the edges but it was never meant to be perfect.
Check Impossible Things out on their Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/impossiblethingsband
Captain Horizon Interview
With a recent free EP out it seemed like the perfect time for a chat with Midlands band Captain Horizon
You've just released your latest EP El Nibre how did you find the whole process of working on that? (From writing the tracks to recording them and then releasing the EP in September)
Josh: The four tracks on the El Nibre EP were recorded at the same time as our last EP, Radiostasis. The original plan was to record an album, but what we found is that over the first couple of years of being in a band our style and sound changed. We were trying to find a sound that was “us” and it took a while. We ended up with a bunch of songs that didn’t really make sense on the same album, so we decided to group the songs that did work together into two EPs.
Writing the songs was a combination of great fun and absolute horror for us. Sometimes they came together easily, sometimes they took ages and we argued endlessly about where they should go or whether it was good enough. We’re our own worst critics, but I said to the guys when we formed Captain Horizon that I wanted to be in a band that could have arguments. There’s nothing worse than being in a band where everyone slaps each other on the back and says everything’s great when it’s not – you’ve got to be your own worst critic! And sometimes you’ve got to slog through a load of bad ideas to get to one you can run with.
The recording was great fun. We won a battle of the bands competition and used the prize money to buy recording gear so we wouldn’t need to go to a studio and rush it – we set up in our own practice space and had as long as we wanted, which was really good for our creativity because we could try new ideas without running out of time.
Releasing the EP was pretty easy. It was mostly ready from the Radiostasis recording sessions, I just finished the mixing and sent it off to be mastered.
Have you received much feedback and response from El Nibre? If so have you found the feedback positive and have you been given any constructive feedback by anyone?
Alex: The feedback's been fantastic, really. I guess we kind of released it a bit more quietly than our previous two EPs, in that we didn't have a launch party or spam ourselves all over Facebook (not that we ever do that, coughcough). So it was really nice to see the fans who've seen us before and liked what they heard download the new stuff. For various reasons we don't get to play the El Nibre material live quite as often as we might like, and I think for people who are used to our full-tilt live show the closing track, Strong Enough, was a bit of a surprise - much more atmospheric and moody than there's time to do justice in a live setting. On the other hand, a song like the title track works really well live so we were glad of the chance to let the fans have a good recording of it!
In terms of constructive feedback (this is going to sound arrogant, but there you are), I'm not aware of anything being said which wasn't positive, really! We've had some very complimentary reviews, which is always great, but I guess as an unsigned act you sometimes have to take the praise with a pinch of salt as people tend not to really lay into unsigned acts so much, even when they deserve it!. What we try to do is if we think something about a song isn't pulling its weight, be critical of it and, if need be, take an axe to it. I think during the writing process we try to iron out any aspect of the songs we wouldn't stand next to. And that means we take constructive criticism REALLY badly if it does happen.
You’ve released the EP through your site as a free one? (Something I find a nice gesture) A lot of bands however don’t, they try putting their work on sites that charge. How do you feel about this?
Josh: It’s a double edged sword, I think. On the one hand, free music is great because it means you can listen to it as much as you like, wherever and whenever you like. Which is great if you love music! But then on the other hand if you don’t pay for it then you might not value it – some people feel like if you’re giving it away, it must be worthless. And if we can’t make money off it, we need to have jobs to survive or we’d starve! Which means less time to do band stuff, which can be a struggle but I guess if you love something enough, you’ll do it anyway.We’ve got two EPs that we charge for and one free one which is really a thank you to anyone who’s followed us for a while or might be interested in our music. We want people to hear us! But we’d also like to be able to spend our time making our music great, and the money we make we can put into a better live show, the next release, we even want to get a lighting rig of our own so we can really make our gigs an experience to remember.
Alex: For me, it's just nice to be at a point now where we have enough material that we can have a mixture of stuff which is free and stuff you pay for. Ultimately the point of releasing this EP was that if we could gain some exposure then that still counts as profiting from it, really!
There are a few tracks on the album that have a somewhat different sound to the others like ‘Turn Away’. Did you enjoy doing something a little bit different or did it just come naturally to you?
Josh: What I really love about being in this band is that we’ve got loads of different influences and we try not to make our songs all sound the same. We’re not afraid to do a quiet and laid back song then go straight into a metal riff or use a poppy sounding melody. We just do whatever we think will make the song as good as we can make it. I really love recording and mixing and love trying new ideas for capturing sounds, so I think that helps the tracks sound different from each other.
Alex: I think the important thing for us is that we all come from very different backgrounds, so when we write it's always a blend of factors coming together and the way they collide is what makes the songs different every time. So I guess it does come quite naturally because it's just how it's always happened!
Josh: Turn Away has a lot of space in the verses so I tried to make the chorus explode into life with loads of guitar overdubs. In El Nibre we tried to make the drums and bass like a tight fist sitting right in the middle of the mix. Climbing the Waterfall has that cool drum breakdown in the middle and the idea was to make that feel like the song was going on some kind of journey. Strong Enough has about 30 backing vocal tracks on it, I think we were trying to make it impossible to play live! Also if you listen carefully you can hear there’s a whole earlier recording of that song hidden in the mix – you can hear it at the start. So it’s like we’re playing along to a phantom version of ourselves. Yeah, sounds mad. I guess I’m a bit mad...
If you're interested in giving Captain Horizon's new tracks a listen, you can find them at: http://www.captainhorizon.co.uk/shop/
You've just released your latest EP El Nibre how did you find the whole process of working on that? (From writing the tracks to recording them and then releasing the EP in September)
Josh: The four tracks on the El Nibre EP were recorded at the same time as our last EP, Radiostasis. The original plan was to record an album, but what we found is that over the first couple of years of being in a band our style and sound changed. We were trying to find a sound that was “us” and it took a while. We ended up with a bunch of songs that didn’t really make sense on the same album, so we decided to group the songs that did work together into two EPs.
Writing the songs was a combination of great fun and absolute horror for us. Sometimes they came together easily, sometimes they took ages and we argued endlessly about where they should go or whether it was good enough. We’re our own worst critics, but I said to the guys when we formed Captain Horizon that I wanted to be in a band that could have arguments. There’s nothing worse than being in a band where everyone slaps each other on the back and says everything’s great when it’s not – you’ve got to be your own worst critic! And sometimes you’ve got to slog through a load of bad ideas to get to one you can run with.
The recording was great fun. We won a battle of the bands competition and used the prize money to buy recording gear so we wouldn’t need to go to a studio and rush it – we set up in our own practice space and had as long as we wanted, which was really good for our creativity because we could try new ideas without running out of time.
Releasing the EP was pretty easy. It was mostly ready from the Radiostasis recording sessions, I just finished the mixing and sent it off to be mastered.
Have you received much feedback and response from El Nibre? If so have you found the feedback positive and have you been given any constructive feedback by anyone?
Alex: The feedback's been fantastic, really. I guess we kind of released it a bit more quietly than our previous two EPs, in that we didn't have a launch party or spam ourselves all over Facebook (not that we ever do that, coughcough). So it was really nice to see the fans who've seen us before and liked what they heard download the new stuff. For various reasons we don't get to play the El Nibre material live quite as often as we might like, and I think for people who are used to our full-tilt live show the closing track, Strong Enough, was a bit of a surprise - much more atmospheric and moody than there's time to do justice in a live setting. On the other hand, a song like the title track works really well live so we were glad of the chance to let the fans have a good recording of it!
In terms of constructive feedback (this is going to sound arrogant, but there you are), I'm not aware of anything being said which wasn't positive, really! We've had some very complimentary reviews, which is always great, but I guess as an unsigned act you sometimes have to take the praise with a pinch of salt as people tend not to really lay into unsigned acts so much, even when they deserve it!. What we try to do is if we think something about a song isn't pulling its weight, be critical of it and, if need be, take an axe to it. I think during the writing process we try to iron out any aspect of the songs we wouldn't stand next to. And that means we take constructive criticism REALLY badly if it does happen.
You’ve released the EP through your site as a free one? (Something I find a nice gesture) A lot of bands however don’t, they try putting their work on sites that charge. How do you feel about this?
Josh: It’s a double edged sword, I think. On the one hand, free music is great because it means you can listen to it as much as you like, wherever and whenever you like. Which is great if you love music! But then on the other hand if you don’t pay for it then you might not value it – some people feel like if you’re giving it away, it must be worthless. And if we can’t make money off it, we need to have jobs to survive or we’d starve! Which means less time to do band stuff, which can be a struggle but I guess if you love something enough, you’ll do it anyway.We’ve got two EPs that we charge for and one free one which is really a thank you to anyone who’s followed us for a while or might be interested in our music. We want people to hear us! But we’d also like to be able to spend our time making our music great, and the money we make we can put into a better live show, the next release, we even want to get a lighting rig of our own so we can really make our gigs an experience to remember.
Alex: For me, it's just nice to be at a point now where we have enough material that we can have a mixture of stuff which is free and stuff you pay for. Ultimately the point of releasing this EP was that if we could gain some exposure then that still counts as profiting from it, really!
There are a few tracks on the album that have a somewhat different sound to the others like ‘Turn Away’. Did you enjoy doing something a little bit different or did it just come naturally to you?
Josh: What I really love about being in this band is that we’ve got loads of different influences and we try not to make our songs all sound the same. We’re not afraid to do a quiet and laid back song then go straight into a metal riff or use a poppy sounding melody. We just do whatever we think will make the song as good as we can make it. I really love recording and mixing and love trying new ideas for capturing sounds, so I think that helps the tracks sound different from each other.
Alex: I think the important thing for us is that we all come from very different backgrounds, so when we write it's always a blend of factors coming together and the way they collide is what makes the songs different every time. So I guess it does come quite naturally because it's just how it's always happened!
Josh: Turn Away has a lot of space in the verses so I tried to make the chorus explode into life with loads of guitar overdubs. In El Nibre we tried to make the drums and bass like a tight fist sitting right in the middle of the mix. Climbing the Waterfall has that cool drum breakdown in the middle and the idea was to make that feel like the song was going on some kind of journey. Strong Enough has about 30 backing vocal tracks on it, I think we were trying to make it impossible to play live! Also if you listen carefully you can hear there’s a whole earlier recording of that song hidden in the mix – you can hear it at the start. So it’s like we’re playing along to a phantom version of ourselves. Yeah, sounds mad. I guess I’m a bit mad...
If you're interested in giving Captain Horizon's new tracks a listen, you can find them at: http://www.captainhorizon.co.uk/shop/
Throwing Needles Interview
With so many spineless indie bands filling our music scene it was welcoming to come across Throwing Needles with their almost brutal (but needed) honesty...
You describe your sound as Alternative/Grunge who would you say you have drawn your influences from?
Tony: Lots of things. I like music with emotion, so anything where you can hear the musician has really put their heart into it really works for me. Musically I like melody and dischord. Most of our writing comes from heavy punk bands like Refused and Fugazi but with sickly sweet melodies. I also listen to the Saturday Night Fever soundtrack whilst hoovering.
Eirinie: I love the chaotic melodies of punk so I suppose that’s an influence. I also like the odd bit of 40's and 50's lounge singing, and we actually cover a Peggy Lee classic, Do Right as a band (also known as a Jessica Rabbit classic), although that’s a rare bit of respite from our usual sound. I'd definitely cite Smashing Pumpkins as an influence too... PS Tony I bet you don’t own that soundtrack.
Daryl: I have some wide ranging influences because I have a been a big fan of countless genres. I guess that right now, in Throwing Needles, playing the bass... I am drawing mostly from 70s Afro-Funk and Weezer.
Do you all enjoy Alternative/Grunge music or is it just something you like playing and as individual members you all prefer listening to different genres?
Tony: We're all fans of Grunge and Punk but a lot of post-rock too. We have all, at one time or another, expressed our mutual care for Bon Jovi. Back me up Daryl..
Eirinie: I second Tony's statement. I love a bit of 80's metal myself, Alice Cooper and Motley Crue and the like. I'm a big heavy metal fan too, all the classics like Slayer and Cannibal Corpse and Marduk.
Daryl: Grunge basically kicked off my obsessive music fandom many years ago, so yeah, it has a special place in my heart. But my listening habits are very eclectic. Lately, I can't stop listening to Zombi... and DOOM.
And yes Tony, I did go and sit outside the Bon Jovi gig in Hyde Park and listen/sing along all night... but I am not a big enough fan to pay to see them.
You’re a London based band, have you had any special musical achievements in London with the band yet? (Played any special venues/Supported anyone in particular…)
Tony: We've done squarely one gig but we are planning a musical tribute to George Micheal, covering Wham! songs in a toilet in Highgate. It will be invite only.
Eirinie: We have achieved few achievements, but this is hardly a deterrent. Also, define achievements... One could say that Tony doing a large amount of stimulants and falling asleep, only waking up to stop people from turning off his playlist, or George drinking a good litre of tequila and still being more than competent on the drums... we could say those were all musical achievements.
Daryl: My achievement is playing the bass. Also finding a wicked ass practice space run by punks and rockabilly types to spend 2 nights a week practicing at.
Being London based do you find that with the huge amount of other unsigned bands in the city, that it’s sometimes hard to get yourself noticed? Obviously London is the place most unsigned bands dream of making it big…
Tony: The one thing you learn being in a band is that there are a BILLION other bands out there in every city. Thanks to X-Factor, most labels aren't interested in 'live' bands anymore so it's not even a situation where the good bands will succeed. It's shameful but music is cyclical and this fad will end.
Eirinie: I don’t feel X-Factor is the only culprit. No one buys records anymore, it’s impossible to get noticed if you aren’t iTunes recommendation of the month.
Daryl: I see no reason at all to sign with anyone. X-Factor (for example) is the one of the last gasps of a dying industry... The technology exists for us to create and share our music with the world without the involvement of the soulless money making machine that is the recording industry. We can just keep on playing, gradually grow a fan base and then let them pay what they want to hear our music. My main goal is to get people along to the gigs, not to "make it big" selling records. If we're big enough to be considered for signing, then we're big enough to do it ourselves instead.
What would you say that it was that brought you together as a band?
Tony: Jagermeister.
Eirinie: Group masturbation.
Daryl: George.
What are your next plans for Throwing Needles? (Release an EP/Play some live dates…)
Tony: We are going to have a spate of winter gigs and hopefully, time permitting, record an album in January.
If you could be anywhere in five years where would you like to see yourselves?
Tony: On the cover of a rolling stone!!! But realistically, to be as successful as Lindsay Lohan.
Eirinie: Stuck on a fancy tour bus with coke and strippers and rock stars. George and Tony and Daryl will be in a minivan with a large bottle of sprite and a bag of fun sized mars bars. Oh and we'll be called 'Eirinie and the Needles'.
Daryl: Living off making music!
If Throwing Needles have appealed to you, you can find them at: http://www.myspace.com/throwingneedlesband
You describe your sound as Alternative/Grunge who would you say you have drawn your influences from?
Tony: Lots of things. I like music with emotion, so anything where you can hear the musician has really put their heart into it really works for me. Musically I like melody and dischord. Most of our writing comes from heavy punk bands like Refused and Fugazi but with sickly sweet melodies. I also listen to the Saturday Night Fever soundtrack whilst hoovering.
Eirinie: I love the chaotic melodies of punk so I suppose that’s an influence. I also like the odd bit of 40's and 50's lounge singing, and we actually cover a Peggy Lee classic, Do Right as a band (also known as a Jessica Rabbit classic), although that’s a rare bit of respite from our usual sound. I'd definitely cite Smashing Pumpkins as an influence too... PS Tony I bet you don’t own that soundtrack.
Daryl: I have some wide ranging influences because I have a been a big fan of countless genres. I guess that right now, in Throwing Needles, playing the bass... I am drawing mostly from 70s Afro-Funk and Weezer.
Do you all enjoy Alternative/Grunge music or is it just something you like playing and as individual members you all prefer listening to different genres?
Tony: We're all fans of Grunge and Punk but a lot of post-rock too. We have all, at one time or another, expressed our mutual care for Bon Jovi. Back me up Daryl..
Eirinie: I second Tony's statement. I love a bit of 80's metal myself, Alice Cooper and Motley Crue and the like. I'm a big heavy metal fan too, all the classics like Slayer and Cannibal Corpse and Marduk.
Daryl: Grunge basically kicked off my obsessive music fandom many years ago, so yeah, it has a special place in my heart. But my listening habits are very eclectic. Lately, I can't stop listening to Zombi... and DOOM.
And yes Tony, I did go and sit outside the Bon Jovi gig in Hyde Park and listen/sing along all night... but I am not a big enough fan to pay to see them.
You’re a London based band, have you had any special musical achievements in London with the band yet? (Played any special venues/Supported anyone in particular…)
Tony: We've done squarely one gig but we are planning a musical tribute to George Micheal, covering Wham! songs in a toilet in Highgate. It will be invite only.
Eirinie: We have achieved few achievements, but this is hardly a deterrent. Also, define achievements... One could say that Tony doing a large amount of stimulants and falling asleep, only waking up to stop people from turning off his playlist, or George drinking a good litre of tequila and still being more than competent on the drums... we could say those were all musical achievements.
Daryl: My achievement is playing the bass. Also finding a wicked ass practice space run by punks and rockabilly types to spend 2 nights a week practicing at.
Being London based do you find that with the huge amount of other unsigned bands in the city, that it’s sometimes hard to get yourself noticed? Obviously London is the place most unsigned bands dream of making it big…
Tony: The one thing you learn being in a band is that there are a BILLION other bands out there in every city. Thanks to X-Factor, most labels aren't interested in 'live' bands anymore so it's not even a situation where the good bands will succeed. It's shameful but music is cyclical and this fad will end.
Eirinie: I don’t feel X-Factor is the only culprit. No one buys records anymore, it’s impossible to get noticed if you aren’t iTunes recommendation of the month.
Daryl: I see no reason at all to sign with anyone. X-Factor (for example) is the one of the last gasps of a dying industry... The technology exists for us to create and share our music with the world without the involvement of the soulless money making machine that is the recording industry. We can just keep on playing, gradually grow a fan base and then let them pay what they want to hear our music. My main goal is to get people along to the gigs, not to "make it big" selling records. If we're big enough to be considered for signing, then we're big enough to do it ourselves instead.
What would you say that it was that brought you together as a band?
Tony: Jagermeister.
Eirinie: Group masturbation.
Daryl: George.
What are your next plans for Throwing Needles? (Release an EP/Play some live dates…)
Tony: We are going to have a spate of winter gigs and hopefully, time permitting, record an album in January.
If you could be anywhere in five years where would you like to see yourselves?
Tony: On the cover of a rolling stone!!! But realistically, to be as successful as Lindsay Lohan.
Eirinie: Stuck on a fancy tour bus with coke and strippers and rock stars. George and Tony and Daryl will be in a minivan with a large bottle of sprite and a bag of fun sized mars bars. Oh and we'll be called 'Eirinie and the Needles'.
Daryl: Living off making music!
If Throwing Needles have appealed to you, you can find them at: http://www.myspace.com/throwingneedlesband
Georgia Thompson Interview
Unsigned Britain took the chance to catch up with solo artist Georgia Thompson to talk musical influences, ambitions and what the future holds for her...
what was it that made you decide to become a solo acoustic artist then? And how long have you been playing?
I started playing guitar when I was about 12 - my little brother had been bought a cheap classical guitar for Christmas and I took every opportunity to play it. Then I got my own acoustic a few years later, and taught myself really. I decided to start releasing stuff because I had started to write and I wanted to share it with people - this was in the heyday of MySpace, so it was easy to do. I also prefer working solo to with bands, because I have hard time trusting people, so relying on bands is really difficult for me. Especially considering how many times it's all gone wrong when I've tried it.
Your latest EP Headaches and Takeaways has a few covers on it like Katie Melua’s ‘Closest Thing To Crazy’, do you prefer performing covers or your own songs?
That's a very difficult question. I love doing my own songs, because I can sing the lyrics with true passion, because I mean every word. But I also like doing covers live, because I love getting a crowd going. I recently did a live recording of Forget You by Cee Lo Green, and when I played it at a gig the whole crowd was dancing and singing along. It was like a scene from Glee! I loved being a part of it.
As a whole how do you feel the process of making Headaches and Takeaways went?
Mostly good, I think I went further with it musically than I'd been before - some of the song structures are a little more complex, there are solos and piano parts on some of the tracks. It was really a lot of experimenting, pushing the boundaries of the previous EP. A lot of credit has to go to Joe Packham, who was my producer on the EP. He had a lot of creative input and I wouldn't have been able to do it without him!
Who would you say in the music industry has inspired you to become a singer songwriter?
The likes of Paloma Faith, Imogen Heap, and Stevie Nicks have all inspired me. They're all a little different, and I aspire to be something out of the ordinary, too! I don't like being normal, it's just too dull.
Are those your main influences that you draw from? Or is there a line between who has inspired you and who has influenced you?
I feel a lot of my music is influenced by artists who are more about wordplay. Lyricists inspire me. My lyrics mean a lot to me, perhaps more than the songs themselves. I think of it like poetry. People like Gavin Osborn, Dashboard Confessional, anyone who's lyrics are amazing, they influence how I write my lyrics. And of course other things that inspire me are things that happen in my life, whether it be happy, sad, or even mundane. You can find beauty in the most simplistic of things, I think.
What are your plans with your music? Any live dates coming up?
I'm taking a bit of a break from the live dates at the moment - I'm currently working on some new material, so I've been spending a lot of time in the studio. I've also been taking lessons in song writing technique, to try and bring the musical standards of the songs up. So hopefully there'll be some awesome new tracks in the new year, so watch out for that! Then I'll be touring around spring 2012.
Do you enjoy being a part of the unsigned British music scene? Do you like the small aspect of being unsigned or do you think you would ideally enjoy being part of something bigger?
I think everyone, whether they admit it or not, would like to be bigger. I like being unsigned because it's raw, and because you can really get to know your audience. But as far as I'm concerned, the more people that my music reaches, the better! So why wouldn't I want to be bigger!
If you could achieve anything with your music, what would be your ultimate dream come true? ( A dream duet/performance with someone/play a certain venue etc…?)
My dream would be to play with an orchestra/backing band, doing all my own songs, at Wembley Stadium. I went to a gig there years ago with my mum, and I just remember turning to her and saying "this is where I need to be" The idea of performing to that huge number of people just sets something off inside me. I'd say that was my dream.
Check Georgia out for yourself on her Myspace page: www.myspace.com/georgiathompsonacoustic
what was it that made you decide to become a solo acoustic artist then? And how long have you been playing?
I started playing guitar when I was about 12 - my little brother had been bought a cheap classical guitar for Christmas and I took every opportunity to play it. Then I got my own acoustic a few years later, and taught myself really. I decided to start releasing stuff because I had started to write and I wanted to share it with people - this was in the heyday of MySpace, so it was easy to do. I also prefer working solo to with bands, because I have hard time trusting people, so relying on bands is really difficult for me. Especially considering how many times it's all gone wrong when I've tried it.
Your latest EP Headaches and Takeaways has a few covers on it like Katie Melua’s ‘Closest Thing To Crazy’, do you prefer performing covers or your own songs?
That's a very difficult question. I love doing my own songs, because I can sing the lyrics with true passion, because I mean every word. But I also like doing covers live, because I love getting a crowd going. I recently did a live recording of Forget You by Cee Lo Green, and when I played it at a gig the whole crowd was dancing and singing along. It was like a scene from Glee! I loved being a part of it.
As a whole how do you feel the process of making Headaches and Takeaways went?
Mostly good, I think I went further with it musically than I'd been before - some of the song structures are a little more complex, there are solos and piano parts on some of the tracks. It was really a lot of experimenting, pushing the boundaries of the previous EP. A lot of credit has to go to Joe Packham, who was my producer on the EP. He had a lot of creative input and I wouldn't have been able to do it without him!
Who would you say in the music industry has inspired you to become a singer songwriter?
The likes of Paloma Faith, Imogen Heap, and Stevie Nicks have all inspired me. They're all a little different, and I aspire to be something out of the ordinary, too! I don't like being normal, it's just too dull.
Are those your main influences that you draw from? Or is there a line between who has inspired you and who has influenced you?
I feel a lot of my music is influenced by artists who are more about wordplay. Lyricists inspire me. My lyrics mean a lot to me, perhaps more than the songs themselves. I think of it like poetry. People like Gavin Osborn, Dashboard Confessional, anyone who's lyrics are amazing, they influence how I write my lyrics. And of course other things that inspire me are things that happen in my life, whether it be happy, sad, or even mundane. You can find beauty in the most simplistic of things, I think.
What are your plans with your music? Any live dates coming up?
I'm taking a bit of a break from the live dates at the moment - I'm currently working on some new material, so I've been spending a lot of time in the studio. I've also been taking lessons in song writing technique, to try and bring the musical standards of the songs up. So hopefully there'll be some awesome new tracks in the new year, so watch out for that! Then I'll be touring around spring 2012.
Do you enjoy being a part of the unsigned British music scene? Do you like the small aspect of being unsigned or do you think you would ideally enjoy being part of something bigger?
I think everyone, whether they admit it or not, would like to be bigger. I like being unsigned because it's raw, and because you can really get to know your audience. But as far as I'm concerned, the more people that my music reaches, the better! So why wouldn't I want to be bigger!
If you could achieve anything with your music, what would be your ultimate dream come true? ( A dream duet/performance with someone/play a certain venue etc…?)
My dream would be to play with an orchestra/backing band, doing all my own songs, at Wembley Stadium. I went to a gig there years ago with my mum, and I just remember turning to her and saying "this is where I need to be" The idea of performing to that huge number of people just sets something off inside me. I'd say that was my dream.
Check Georgia out for yourself on her Myspace page: www.myspace.com/georgiathompsonacoustic
A Day At The Dogs Interview
With three years experience behind them and a new EP due out soon Unsigned Britain's interview with these Brighton rockers was definitely bursting to the brim...
In your own words how would you sum up your somewhat different sound?
George: Happy, Sad, Misunderstood
Johnny: Noisy, poppy, rock'n'rolly
Andy:Guitar , Bass , Drums
Obviously it has already been noted that you have a rather unique sound, who would you say you have drawn your influences from?
George: for me it’s a distorted mix of the early seventies with a handful of punk thrown into the mix. Being miserable doesn't go a miss…
Johnny: Not too sure, bit of Beatles, clash, doors...everything really
Andy: Loads of stuff, rock n roll....
What is it you like about being in an unsigned band?
George: Meeting new people. Playing shows to strangers and them buying you a pint after is pretty good.
Johnny: Signed to the illustrious clockwork club....oerr.
Andy: Being the most popular member of the band it’s nice to hear the crowd chanting my name.
What is it you dislike?
George: A promoter who looked like a Duran Duran throwback mocked me once, wasn't into that much.
Johnny: Signed to the illustrious clockwork club...nah just joking, i suppose just the slightly bigger limitations when trying to get your music out, but word of mouths still pretty healthy.
Andy: More money please.
How did you come to know each other?
George: A mutual hate of a lot of things, someone who liked a drink.
Johnny: George and i went to school together till we were sixteen but only really got to know each other afterwards, we know Andy through mutual friends and what have yer.
Andy: through an old bass player, no one knows what happened to him, rumours of a sighting in Hull.
Realistically where would you like to see yourself in 5 years?
George: first class.
Johnny: Playing some rock n roll to good souls al over this ere world...or at least something like that.
Andy: Diamond encrusted diamonds.
What has been your biggest accomplishment musically as a band so far to date?
George: I quite like the stage invasions.
Johnny: Good question, few headline slots selling out clubs, we got offered a gig to support the band that supported the proclaimers once but very very regrettably we couldn't make it. The guy who produced our demos was on the TV playing Glastonbury but i suppose that’s an accomplishment for him not us really.
Andy: Making good music.
If you're interested in finding out more about A Day At The Dogs check out their Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/A-Day-At-The-Dogs/124167094313998
In your own words how would you sum up your somewhat different sound?
George: Happy, Sad, Misunderstood
Johnny: Noisy, poppy, rock'n'rolly
Andy:Guitar , Bass , Drums
Obviously it has already been noted that you have a rather unique sound, who would you say you have drawn your influences from?
George: for me it’s a distorted mix of the early seventies with a handful of punk thrown into the mix. Being miserable doesn't go a miss…
Johnny: Not too sure, bit of Beatles, clash, doors...everything really
Andy: Loads of stuff, rock n roll....
What is it you like about being in an unsigned band?
George: Meeting new people. Playing shows to strangers and them buying you a pint after is pretty good.
Johnny: Signed to the illustrious clockwork club....oerr.
Andy: Being the most popular member of the band it’s nice to hear the crowd chanting my name.
What is it you dislike?
George: A promoter who looked like a Duran Duran throwback mocked me once, wasn't into that much.
Johnny: Signed to the illustrious clockwork club...nah just joking, i suppose just the slightly bigger limitations when trying to get your music out, but word of mouths still pretty healthy.
Andy: More money please.
How did you come to know each other?
George: A mutual hate of a lot of things, someone who liked a drink.
Johnny: George and i went to school together till we were sixteen but only really got to know each other afterwards, we know Andy through mutual friends and what have yer.
Andy: through an old bass player, no one knows what happened to him, rumours of a sighting in Hull.
Realistically where would you like to see yourself in 5 years?
George: first class.
Johnny: Playing some rock n roll to good souls al over this ere world...or at least something like that.
Andy: Diamond encrusted diamonds.
What has been your biggest accomplishment musically as a band so far to date?
George: I quite like the stage invasions.
Johnny: Good question, few headline slots selling out clubs, we got offered a gig to support the band that supported the proclaimers once but very very regrettably we couldn't make it. The guy who produced our demos was on the TV playing Glastonbury but i suppose that’s an accomplishment for him not us really.
Andy: Making good music.
If you're interested in finding out more about A Day At The Dogs check out their Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/A-Day-At-The-Dogs/124167094313998
