Opinion

21 Aug 2010

Guilt Schmilt | The X Factor And The Barlow

I love The X Factor. A statement regularly met with surprise, disdain and mildly withering stares. The kind of glance one doles out to over-confident teenagers waxing lyrical on the meaning of life. Should the listening party be so obtuse, a snort or condescending bark might also make an appearance. Perhaps it is simply that one would not expect someone like myself to regard this kind of programming as anything other than brainless tripe: on any given day I can be found vehemently expounding on the general vomitous nature of series' like Big Brother and I'm A Celebrity, Someone Do Us All A Favour and Drop an H Bomb. I am a bit of a music nerd (by no means possessing an encyclopedic knowledge, but nonetheless am endlessly enthusiastic and eager) with a penchant for the lo-fi/underground musical spectrum. On the whole, chart fare goes a long way to making me want to remove my own eyeballs with a rusty, blood-spattered spectrum simply as a means of distraction (there are exceptions to this rule, more of which will be covered at a later date). (more...)

30 Nov 2009

Penny Lane Has Got A Lot To Answer For…

My friends have already heard this mini-tale now turned into an article, mainly due to the fact I regale in telling it. It all starts with my big sister Olivia, who used to live in LA. She worked as a model and Laker Girl, enjoying a totally fabulous blonde hair, tanned skin life or so I thought. I am ten years her junior and was only a teenager then. Any lifestyle in the Santa Monica sunshine would have appeared glamorous and fabulous to me. So, during a rather poignant West Coast visit, big sis give me a piece of advice that has stuck to my conscious ever since, "Steph, promise me you'll never date a musician. Musicians go on tour and fuck groupies." (more...)

29 Nov 2009

Girls in the Garage | The Case of Char Vinnedge and the Luv’d Ones

The Wikipedia entry for garage rock defines it as a ‘raw form of rock and roll that was first popular in the United States and Canada from about 1963 to about 1967’. Nevertheless, garage rock was not a recognised genre in the 1960s, and the term only came into being in the 1970s. The style had been evolving within regional US scenes since the late 1950s, but the triumphant appearance of the Beatles on the Ed Sullivan Show in 1964 and the consequent British Invasion marked a huge increase in the number of bands. The stereotypical garage band comprised of amateurish but enthusiastic youngsters who rehearsed in their parents’ garage (hence the name). (more...)

4 Nov 2009

Remembering Ladies Who Britpopped

Sometimes it feels as though just looking back at yesterday afternoon is going retro; slipping through a vortex of fuzzy memories tinged with alcohol, bad hair and detrimental friendships. One thing, however, always manages to claw through the gloom of these pallid cold memories, and plant a smile firmly on my face: the music which hangs it all together. Music adheres the snapshots of memory to the pages of the mental photo album. Ask me anything about my early teenage years and I can recall but two things. Gladiators and Britpop.

Whilst worrying over what to contribute to a new blog, I dug out a very old CD copy of Untitled; a compilation of nineties alternative sounds that was to gloriously drag some more fuzzy opaque memories screaming into these electro-synthed days. (more...)

4 Oct 2009

God Bless The Ipod God

"My life deserves a soundtrack."

I'll never forget reading that.

I keenly remember feeling somewhat amused, wondering if the statement's author could sound more arrogant. Over time though, I've come to realise that everyones' life does have a soundtrack, of sorts. I could swear that at times, mine does. Granted, there are definitely a few tracks (along with a couple of chapters), I'd like to have skipped. All those emotions linked to specific songs, albums and soundtracks. Don't deny it. We all do it. It's inevitable.

The first time my boyfriend heard me sing was only a month or two into our relationship. He'd popped out quickly and I was doing the washing up, in his flat. More glam than it sounds, honest. I had sparkly marigolds and everything.

Expecting him to take longer than he inevitably did, I'd put my phone into the dock and was singing along (do I need to say at the top of my lungs?), with Ms Carter and Mr Cash to the tune of Jackson, courtesy of the shuffle. Completely absorbed by one of my favourite songs and giving it my best country impression, (more...)

27 Sep 2009

The Great Debate | La Roux

Leisurely flicking through The Guide on Saturday morning, I was disappointed to stumble across yet another damning review of Elly Jackson. Is it just me, or does this girl receive an unnecessary level of criticism? Firstly, it is worth pointing out that La Roux are a duo. For those who are linguistically challenged, this means there are TWO people in this band. I hate hate hate that only one of them gets vilified, and for the rubbishest of reasons. Journo Alex Macpherson opines "Her staggering ignorance is rivaled only by her lack of talent: the woman cannot sing". Much of the debate surrounding the lovely little ginge concerns her ability (or lack thereof) to actually sing. Not to mention the flack she receives all over YouTube for being 'just so ugly'. Ummm, has anyone taken a look at Thom York recently? When did having a good face have anything to do with musical prowess? Now, I'm certainly not saying La Roux are up there with Radiohead, but crikey moses - cut the girl some slack. (more...)

20 Sep 2009

The Girls Are…. Wanted?!

I was scouring the web for a beautiful new band to be a part of, when I spotted the girls are.

I was suddenly aware of my aggravated inner chatter, but this site had now given me a clue how to put my mind at ease. Moments ago, my afternoon lull had been rudely interrupted, when I discovered the shocking news that a girl I know ‘Jill’ had just bought a shiny new guitar, and she was beaming about it.

Why did this irk me so much? A post-purchase glow is well expected under these circumstances, but I couldn’t even pretend to be on side to celebrate this event. Was it a classic case of the green eyed monster? (more...)

20 Sep 2009

The ‘New’ Mentalists

Performing with iPhone apps is nothing new, but gizmos, gadgets, whatchamacallits, doodahs, thingamajigs and iPhones, whatever you like to call them, they're part of music's future. You may have heard of an all girl band championing this digital age movement. Their name, The Mentalists. I'm sure you've seen the reviews, videos and interviews on The Guardian and Telegraph websites, alongside a plethora of technology based sites and blogs. (more...)

23 Aug 2009

I Reckon…

On stage I give you everything; I offer it to you on an all-screaming, all-dancing plate. I am the band, I am the audience. I am the almighty show off, trying to give you nightmares, vulnerable to your every criticism. I am a bear.

I am also the only remaining female portion in a six-piece eclectic mix of minds and talents, a band thriving on big beats and chaos. When Wartgore was emerging, we were considered a “celebration of the imperfect and ugly.... a (more...)