Does Anybody Care About Us?

The British and American punk scenes in the last 30 years has one main thing in common, rising against "the man". One of the pioneers of "political-punk" were Black Flag, who were fronted by Henry Rollins, when they brought out their 1981 album Damaged. Damaged was a highly controversial album as many people saw it as an uprising against the government. To the extent where many Black Flag shows were cancelled.


My point is that since 1981 and post-Damaged, punk bands have been stereotyped into an anti political category, and to a certain extent, frightened politicians at the time. The Sex Pistols 1976 Anarchy tour was near enough cancelled due to a large number of complaints from local politicians, and the shows they did play had to be evaluated before the show begin so that they politicians were comfortable with they music they were going to play.


The reason that I wrote this article is that I am pissed off. As a teenager living in post-modern Britain I am annoyed with the standard of government post-labour. As should most teenagers, we are being raised in a country with minimal opportunities for jobs, for example, my brother just finished a masters degree at Glasgow University and can only get a part-time job in our local chippy. Not a lot is being done by our government to create jobs, actually the opposite is being done, jobs are being cut, companies are being shut down and its making the job market more and more competitive. Most teenagers use the same outlet to take stress away, music. Whether it is to listen or write, it still helps people deal with the reality of the world we live in. There is a new wave of political-punk bands on the rise in Britain.


The King Blues were a punk rock band from London, England, credited for fusing ska and folk together with influences from punk rock and hardcore punk. The King Blues last album, Punk & Poetry contained a song called We Are Fucking Angry. Which was written about a teenage uprising during the London riots. Many other songs on this album are based around post-modern britain, including the song that the name of this article is took from, Does Anybody Care About Us, could be interpreted as a song which identifies the mass unemployment problems in Britain. The video highlights this.


I understand this article isnt the best, I was in a really angry mood earlier on and i decided to blame it on politics, this article just explains the fact that punk music, and politics go hand-in-hand .


Thanks for reading.
Stay sexy readers
Dan :)

It's pretty far from 'reality'.

No point in lying to ourselves here. Everyone at least once has sat down on a Saturday night, phoned a below par take away and waited for the night's 'entertainment' to come onto our screens in the form of so called 'talent' shows such as The X Factor, The Voice, American Idol...or Planet Earth. The argument will continue to rage on to if these shows do anything for music itself other than creating a new 'star' overnight and they shoot off when the sun comes up and most never return. However, this isn't just about how the likes of Little Mix and Andy 'the bin man' have clearly changed our life's but just what's happening to the process of becoming 'big' in music nowadays...

I will now give you some examples of the apparent top 10 artists in the UK at this moment in time by referring to the UK Top 40. It includes the likes of Carly Rae Jepsen, Coverdrive and Connor Maynard. I'm sorry but...who the fuck are these people? Yeah, congratulations on breaking into the top 10 etc but all I see in the names I've mentioned there is a record companies desperate attempt to lure in the stereotypical young and frankly quite deluded listeners we have in this country at the moment. Now, don't get me wrong I'm in no way slagging off their fans (to a certain extent) but I don't expect much of a backlash from the 'Connor Maynard is a pyoor stunna society' any day soon anyway. It actually saddens me that you see people on the street everyday busking with such raw emotion and talent and with the right push could be playing to so many people and get what they deserve or someone who has been working in a band for years and has toured the country god knows how many times but the label don't rate his own stuff? Whereas, if you beg on such things as Twitter for constant support and soon you'll be auto-tuning you're way to the top. 

So, yeah. Fuck you Simon Cowell. Dick.

Love to all.

DM.

The Xcerts

Hello, Hola, Bonjour ladies and gentleman, boys and girls. 


What I'm going to present to you, is a bio of an upcoming band who I feel you will all be talking about soon.


So, the Aberdeen/Exeter based trio consists of: Murray MacLeod on lead vocals and guitar, Jordan Smith on backing vocals on bass and Tom Heron on backing vocals and drums. The band was originally informed in 2001, with MacLeod and Smith at the tender age of just 13, at this point accompanied on drums by a friend by the name of Ross Mctaggart. In this time, the band released two EP's, recorded from their local recording studio, Captain Tom's. The EP's were named "One Time Too Many" and "The X-certs EP". Unfortunately, I have been able to get a hold of either of these to provide any form of review upon. In 2006, the band relocated to Brighton to progress as a band, parting ways with Mctaggart, who was shortly replaced by Heron on drums, the trio become close friends whilst together in Brighton. The band released two singles through One Records based in Glasgow, "Breathtaking Fights" and "My Books Laugh" subsequently saw the band headhunted by former Get Cape. Wear Cape. Fly. frontman Sam Duckworth's label, Mannequin Records. This saw a release of a further two singles which would feature on the bands first album "In The Cold Wind We Smile." Both "Just Go Home" and "Do You Feel Safe?" were successful in their own right, the earlier received regular airplay on MTV 2 whilst the latter was recorded with Dave Eringa, formerly of Idlewild and Manic Street Preachers. 


The afore mentioned debut album was released on the 30th of March, 2009 through Xtra Mile (also used by one Frank Turner) and King Tuts Recordings (who would produce records for the Dykeenies and Twin Atlantic). 


The album was a success for the band. Each of the 11 tracks contained on "In The Cold Wind We Smile, are in my opinion, amazing songs, so picking a standout or two for me was difficult. "Lost But Not Alone" is one in which standouts from the others as it is not just as fast-paced as the other songs on the album, taking a moderate paced approached. The song describes how many other young bands feel around the time the trio had then, confused as to what lay in store for them. "Aberdeen 1987" is the song which shows the bands varied approach to writing. For me, this was an absolute masterstroke, putting an acoustic song in an album containing  electrified instruments can be a huge risk in terms of upsetting rhythm, but it definitely paid off. The song is basically about Murray reminiscing, it is however well-worked and generally moving. 



The album earned the trio supporting slots on tour with bands such as Get Cape. Wear Cape. Fly., Make Model and Fighting With Wire. This brought the band onto a new musical sound.


The bands second release, "Scatterbrain" takes on a whole new direction from the bands first album. It was supposed to sound more raw and heavy, and 100% delivers just that. The band at this point had a few tours under their belts, they had seen and heard what their fans wanted from them and responded. As a personal preference, having a more metal-orientated music taste, for me it is Scatterbrain, however, I believe In The Cold Wind We Smile is an amazing album as well, as the two are so different yet so good. They both clearly map out the bands musical journey. 


Murray described the album as "The sweet sound of a young man losing his mind".


Scatterbrain's stand out songs for me are: Slackerpop, a single which BBC Radio presenter Fearne Cotton played on repeat at every possible opportunity. The band is everything you would expect from a rock band experimenting on heavier sounds, yet in some ways is still a pure rock song. 

He Sinks. He Sleeps. is a much darker, gloomier sounding song. Well considering it's about a dead boy, there's not a great amount of musical directions to take, is there? I've always been drawn to this song, the reasons for which I don't even know, I just think it's a brilliant song. 


Hurt With Me is another, this is a demonstration of vocalists MacLeod's abilities as there are moments at the end of the track where he screams the songs title repeatedly. 







The release of Scatterbrain brought the band three amazing touring opportunities. The first was with also up-and-coming Scottish rockers Twin Atlantic, where it is believed the two bands formed a very close friendship. 


The second was with my favourite band, Fightstar. This tour was exactly what The Xcerts needed to flaunt their new sound, Fightstar having a very heavy rock sound and they did exactly that. They impressed lead singer and my personal muscial hero Charlie Simpson so much that he took them on tour with him as he launched solo album "Young Pilgrim". It was on the Glasgow leg of this very tour at King Tuts (brilliant, brilliant venue) where myself and fellow writer Dylan actually saw and afterwards met the band. They had to strip back their sound, yet did so in a way that allowed them to play the songs they were meant to be played. Meeting them afterwards left a huge impression on us both, the three guys are just very down-to-earth and genuine guys whom I really enjoyed watching perform and meeting. 


The band are currently undertaking their own headline tour, the last to promote Scatterbrain. They play The Garage on Wednesday, something I'm sad to say I'm missing due to my attendance of the Download Festival but if you can go, please go and see them, I promise you will not be disappointed. 


Following this tour, the band will be supporting the one and only GUNS'N'ROSES! (Aye, the one with Slash.) in Glasgow, Birmingham, Bristol and London, which is for any band a big deal.


As well as their various touring slots, the Xcerts have also played at big festivals including T In The Park and Rockness.


So, when in a years time, you're all discussing the bands new album, just remember who brought you all the heads up on them, eh?;)


Thanks for reading, be sure to check out the posts from the other guys, if you haven't already done so!
Much love, Ross :).

Festi-gasm

With most of us resigned to failure in the next few weeks academically and socially, we all look to the 'summer' ahead as a 7 week holiday filled with intoxication, camping, nights out, sex, more intoxication you name it! What comes with summer is one of it's best attributes and that is festivals. All of the list above plus more and not returning being a very large possibility but we love it. So, I'm going to write shit about my chosen four. 

DOWNLOAD 2012

Where else to start than the most famous rock festival on the planet and the place where I shall be spending 5 days in less than 4 weeks (this shit just got real). With it's nearest rival Sonisphere's more classic rock line-up of the likes of Queen and KISS all being in vain as...well...nobody bought tickets it was cancelled. Download is set to sell out yet again and in it's 10th year everybody can see why I mean have you seen the line-up? Friday includes While She Sleeps, Gallows with new front man Wade McNeil formally of Alexisonfire, Slash and the headliners on the main stage blow a Friday night spent up paps out the water. Chase & Status start things off before The Prodigy finish the night, many argue they shouldn't be headlining or even there but the festival is simply branching out and creating an even bigger party atmosphere, will be some night of 'smacking bitches up' and starting fires and so on. It's really difficult to really explain how good Saturday looks...Fozzy, Halestorm, Lower Than Atlantis, Kids In Glass Houses, You Me At Six (headlining the 2nd stage), Black Veil Brides. Now, if anyone can name a better headlining 3 on one night than Tenacious D, Biffy Clyro and Metallica please say because you will be defeated no doubt about that. Best night of the festival on paper anyway and arguably the best out of every night at any festival this summer. Sunday closes the weekend with bands such as August Burns Red, We Are The Ocean, Soundgarden and Ozzy (minus that wee Sharon, how did she even manage to achieve fame of any sort?) with Black Sabbath. Overall, a very sexy looking festival and line-up and making it back in one piece will be a personal achievement for myself. 

ROCKNESS 2012

The, if not the most, underrated festival in the UK. Always manage to catch highlights of it and always looks a brilliant weekend at a great location with a solid line-up every year. However, this year I think the line-up beats all previous ones at that. Headliners being Mumford & Sons and Ed Sheeran for the Friday night which is a very impressive opening night with Noah & The Whale being just under the headliners, a band who I feel should be headlining but just shows the quality when they aren't I guess. DeadMau5 and Justice on the Saturday night will be immense for those attending and also Annie Mac DJ set is a very good booking. Saving the best for last I believe with Biffy Clyro and Friendly Fires headlining the Sunday night. With others just announced including Pigeon Detectives and Tim Minchen doing his thing over the weekend I'm gutted it's actually the same weekend as Download and everyone who is attending...should sleep on the beach. 

T In The Park 2012

How could I forget T? For 3 days Balado transforms into a land of teenagers let out cages, dudes losing their hands and acts always thinking their in Edinburgh. Anyway, with the Olympics pretty much ruining the good English folks musical enjoyment taking away their 'big' festival, T has done well to pounce and this line-up really is the 'elite'. Just looking at it widens the old eye sockets. Snow Patrol, The Stone Roses, Kasabian all headlining is very good itself nevermind the likes of Skrillex, Calvin Harris, Example, Two Door Cinema Club etc etc etc all included. With it set to sell out yet again just like every other year it is set to deliver the goods just the same but like us all...it's the pictures this year we all keep an eye out for eh?

Reading & Leeds 2012

Also pouncing from the Olympic damage but from a whole other perspective. The best R&L line-up I've seen like many other festivals it appears this year. Paramore making a return to the UK after an extended break from writing their new album is a particular high for all attending and with Foo Fighters closing the show on the Sunday with Enter Shikari, The Vaccines, You Me At Six, Bombay Bicycle Club, Deaf Havana and so many more all thrown in between I think when summer finally leaves us for another year I think this will be the festival everyone will be talking about come September when all the rain returns and hits us like a car going over 30mph. 

DM.

Messages in Cat In The Hat that people fail to notice.


As i considered writing this i realised that this blog is a musical blog, and that this may not be 100% relevant to what i was asked to write about but cat in the hat is technically a musical, so there you have it, it counts.


Message 1
Everyone drives the same car, same house, no poverty, sound familiar? The cat in the hat society is obviously an idealist communist society. I'll expand, in the first scene in the movie we see a rough plan of the town, Anvill, and in this scene we see between 7-15 cars, all the same. Green and Yellow ford focuses. And then we notice everyone in the street, all dressed for work, all dressed well, this implies that Anvill is indeed a communist society, which if we're assuming the film is based in America, would mean that every single person in the town would be considered an outcast, as communists are dismissed by people in America due to the capitalist views of the government. Now you may not think that is a big deal, which leads me to my next point.....


Message 2
If you look closely throughout the film, most notably at the extras you may find something disturbing. There's no black or Asian people, with the exception of the lazy babysitter Mrs Kwann, which gives Taiwanese babysitters a bad name. You might put this down to a bad casting team, but if your going to take my last point seriously, you may think that the Anvill society is battling for a perfect society, which means no people who would regularly be considered a minority in western society.


Message 3
Ever considered the Cat may be homosexual? Hear me out, the first time we see the cat he is hiding in the closet, and then jumps out. I may be looking into things too much but after this we see that he has two "things" that live in a box that he hides in his hat and the two things both do whatever he wants them to. In no way do i think that this is a bad thing as i am very supportive of homosexuals having the same marriage rights as everyone else, but it was something to be considered.


Message 4
It's okay to put innuendos in a film, just as long as the person justifies it. The cat in the hat is a very childish film but is it really necessary for the script writers to put so many sexual jokes in it? The most noticeable is when the cat and the two main characters are in a garden and the cat stands on a garden ho, he then calls it a dirty hoe and then throws it away, but then apologises and goes forward as to kiss it. In the first verse of The Cat's first song, he sings about a cat who never listened to his mother and was finally taken to a vet and neutered. He sings the line as "...and they cut off all his ba... ba... ba..." and cuts off by saying "Boy!".


I got the inspiration to write this as I was watching The Cat In The Hat with my two dogs and basically shouted eureka and scared the life out of both of them. I just want to point out that despite bad reviews, the Cat In The Hat is absolutely delightful and I encourage you to watch it. Oh plus please please please give me feedback, would be appreciated, on Facebook or Twitter.


Thanks for listening
Dan :)

My revelations about music this week.


I was walking home from a friends house tonight when i got all philosophical n'shit about music and i thought immediately that it must go in blog form, so here we are.


Number One Revelation.
Rise Against are the most passionate band that one would ever listen to. Now, if you listen to rise against's album endgame, most notably songs number two an three, at first listen you assume they're just random songs about anything. But if you listen very closely, and watch the video, especially for Make It Stop (Septembers Children) you'll realise how much effort is actually put in to the songs. Now to explain, Make It Stop is written about the high percentage of homosexual suicide in America, most notably in the month of September. The video is based around the lives of three homosexuals in school, two male and one female, and the abuse that they get for being out about being homosexual. It is an incredibly moving video and Tim McIlrath stated in a blog,

"I found hungry ears and some open minds. But I also found a place that all too often harbours homophobes and perpetuates homophobic behaviour. I found a fire that needed water." 

My point in this part of the paragraph is that, Rise Against are a genuine band who make music that they are 100% passionate about.


Number Two Revelation.
Frank Carter is actually a decent singer. The ex-gallows singer and current Pure Love front man has been criticized in the past for his brand of singing, as it was more of a grunt, and when it came to proper singing he still had a thick English accent. But soon after the release of Pure Loves single, Bury My Bones, he has been praised for his Rock N' Roll approach to his new band. Also, changed his brand of music, "I’m so sick of singing about hate,” is a refreshing change from lyrics such as, "There is nothing left for me I want to kill myself Just for relief". Now I was genuinely gutted when Frank left Gallows, but now after hearing the first single from Pure Love, i'm excited for what the future holds for Frank and Co.


Number Three Revelation
The Lead singer for The Temper Trap has a voice like an angel. Every person has heard the song Sweet Disposition, as it may be one of the most beautiful songs ever written, but in my own opinion, not one singer in the whole wide world could accomplish the same feat he has. I don't really think anything else needs to be said on the matter.

To top this off, I'm not making any excuses, I was at a party earlier on and i had a few drinks, so this may not make sense to anyone, but feedback on this would be nice, so if you could leave a comment in the comments section and i'll work on it.

Peace out

Dan :)

Why Limp Bizkit are just fucking awful.

Now, i'm rather biased when it comes to anyone talking about limp bizkit, people refer to their new album 'Giold Cobra' and their older album 'Chocolate Starfish and Hot-dog Flavoured Water' as being good, those people deserve a boot to the testes. I'm going to tell you the reasons they aren't good.

1. Fred durst is a wee fanny. Now this seems like a trivial thing to say about a band being crap, but i can develop my point further if I may...  "I think he is the worst thing to happen to music since the Spice Girls" this quote from Corey Taylor (slipknot/stonesour) sums up his musical talent. Now, any logical being would come up with a decent argument, maybe poking fun at Corey Taylor, but no, Fred replied with "Slipknot sucks, and their fans are a bunch of fat, sweaty, ugly, brain dead rejects ". Total first year response. Also he testified against someone dying in a moshpit of asphyxiation, despite his total lack of responsibility during the concert to control the crowd.

2. Limp Bizkits Lyrics are total poppycock in the way that they don't make any fucking sense! "I did it all for the nookie The nookie So you can take that cookie And stick it up yo (yeah)" This is from the song Nookie, Just to clarify, "nookie" isn't Fred's girl, it's sex. "Cookie" typically refers to a woman's vagina, and "stick it up yo (yeah)" is obviously penetration. Not exactly a cleverly veiled attempt at talking dirty. He's essentially saying: "I did it all to get laid So you can take that pussy And stick my dick up in it"

3. Fred Dursts "film career" Has anyone seen this man act?! It's like watching an extra from Gregory's girl who got a line and managed to fuck it up! Not one film he has starred in out of the ones in the source I'm using have scored over 50% in Rotten Tomatoes. It's abysmal.  Maybe Fred should stop fucking about with his films and maybe try to write music that doesn't refer a woman's vagina as a "cookie"

4. I'll never ever ever slate a band for covering a song by the who. Actually I'll go as far to say I'll respect them for trying, Limp Bizkit are the exception. In 2002 they covered one of my favourite songs ever, "Behind Blue Eyes" and turned it into an acoustic/electro song (the latter only brief, but still infuriating. I just don't understand how a song that lasts 3 minutes and 42 seconds of decent, relaxing music, can turn into 6 minutes 5 seconds of absolute drivel.

Now it may seem that I completely hate Limp Bizkit, this is not true. The lead guitarist, Wes Borland is genius. Being in Limp Bizkit is a waste of his talents, so much so, that slipknot, who i earlier referenced their hatred stated  "..Wes, the guitar player, fucking rules. Wes is the shit.".

This has been a relief, I have never been able to properly say all the reasons why I do actually hate Limp Bizkit without being shot down. Everyone's entitled to their own opinion, that's mine.

Peace out

Danny :)