Friday, September 30, 2011

Le Pecheur 'Demon 1'














Le Pecheur (The Sinner) formed in the ashes of garage punk band The Last Rapes of Mr Teach who broke up last month. Since then, Pier has accumulated solo material recorded over the last couple of years along with songs made this summer for this new project. Now complete with a live band Pier is joined by Xavier (The Last Rapes of Mr Teach) and Caelan on guitar, Le Pecheur have already played some shows with La Secte Du Futur and have released a split 7" with JC Satan. Pier's songwriting is driven by finding a way to put feelings to music using a four-track recorder bought some years ago. 'Demon 1' is rooted in 13th Floor Elevators style garage rock with a few modern day bands coming to mind as well like The Beets and The Mantles. What separates Le Pecheur from these bands is the balance of melodious yet off kilter guitars and curiously spooked vocals. Highlights come thick and fast like 'Black Death', 'Jesus De Nazareth' and 'Voodoo'. As I understand it, the presently unsigned Le Pecheur are planning to relocate from France to London and are planning a tour in December/January time.

Le Pecheur Bandcamp

Thursday, September 29, 2011

Satellites of Love: Interview!

















Satellites of Love has fast become one of London's most loved new Punk bands and are poised to release their first 7". Ralph from the group answered a few questions for Gilded Gutter so we can find out a little bit more about them. They'll have copies of their new single at Power Lunches on October 7th.

As there isn't much to read about the band may be we can start at the very beginning? How did you guys form Satellites of Love?

Nothing too interesting really. I moved to London in February 2010 with the intention of forming a hardcore band that mixed up different elements of the styles I’m into. I asked Tom and Jop if they wanted to try it as we had played in a band together for 4 years a few years ago. I was sort of forcing Jop to play a style that isn’t really his own so he decided he didn’t want to do it. That band became NO, and me, Tom and Jop carried on and wrote the first few SoL songs. After we had written the first half a dozen songs we asked Noel to come and sing as I was a big fan of him in Facel Vega, and thought he would be someone who would bring some interesting ideas to the band.

Have any of you been in or are currently in any other groups?

Me and Tom play in NO. Tom and Jop play in Warm Ways. Tom plays in Domestic Blitz. Noel plays in Advert, Prize Scenes, Facel Vega and possibly Flats as a hired gun. We have all been in a bunch of bands, some good some bad.

For a lot of people reading this it will be their first time hearing about Satellites of Love, is there anything you're trying to 'do' with your songs?

Not really. Although we obviously have musical influences, a lot of them are ones we don’t all share. We don’t sound much like a lot of the bands that I feel influence the stuff I bring to the band, but a lot of that is to do with the style of vocals and drumming and the fact that we play at high volume. I’m really not fussed about trying really hard to do bands that overtly sound like the music I listen to, but it does sometimes leave you with that weird feeling where you listen to it on record and think ‘would I like this if I wasn’t involved in it?’. I’m more comfortable producing music that is an expression of non-musical ideas, although I’m not trying to sidestep the fact that we obviously take things from other bands.

Do any of you make work outside of music?

I don't. Tom’s whole life is as challenging to mainstream society as any artwork another human could potentially produce and I don’t want to compete with that.

Your songs seem heavily set in punk, do you have any influences outside of this genre?

Or may be I've got this wrong entirely - in which case put me right!
I think we are all into a lot of different stuff so I can only speak for myself, although we have all spent a lot of time playing in DIY punk and hardcore bands and I see this a continuation of that. My main areas of musical interest are mostly punk/hardcore and things derived from that, especially a lot of postpunk stuff. Outside of that I’m really into early blues music and some more abstract styles, although I wouldn’t claim that that influences us directly.

Do you prefer playing or recording?

Playing, but recording can be fun as long as it sounds good, everyone is getting along and you have good snacks on longer sessions.

Do you have anything coming out that we can pick up?

We have a 7” that Andrew who does Club Milk is helping us put out. That should be out within the next few weeks. At the same time we have a tape coming out. Between the two there are 11 songs; some new versions of ones on the demo, and some new. We still have some copies of the 7-track demo we put out at the start of the year.

What do think the shape of London's music 'scene' is at the moment?

I don’t know about things being a scene in terms of any common musical threads or ethics, but I think there is some good stuff about. My favourite current London bands are Plug, The Lowest Form, Wake Up Dead and Woolf. Having said that I don’t get out much, so I am sure I am missing out on some really good things.

What's been the most fun you've had playing a show so far?

I really enjoy playing, but I wouldn’t really say I have fun when we play. Outside of actually playing, I generally enjoy shows where we play with friends' bands. Not to sound like a total dick, but I feel there are quite a few bands around that I would probably be able to get into more if they were less fun. I’m not really into the trend there seems to be at the moment for mixing more abrasive styles of playing with ‘fun’ elements. I always get a sinking feeling when you are watching a band that has harsh vocals and guitars and then they chuck something in like a jaunty samba rhythm in the drums. People in London seem to love that stuff, which is weird because at least once a day London makes me want to ram a screwdriver through my neck.

Same questions but as a member of the audience?

The two times I have seen Endless Grinning Skulls so far have been amazing. I’ve enjoyed watching Mob Rules a lot recently, and Corey Orbison were pretty special when they played in London the other night. I’m really looking forward to seeing Bill Orcutt next month.

Are there any bands you'd like to rave about here?
In the UK I think Endless Grinning Skulls from Nottingham are great, definitely the best live hardcore band I have seen in years. It’s a shame, but the majority of music I get excited about isn’t contemporary. I’ve been getting really into Spike In Vain, Crime and the City Solution and Live Skull recently, but that is all old stuff.The Abner Jay 10" that came out last year was probably my favourite record of 2010, although again it's old music.

What's the future of Satellites of Love?

We're going to play a run of shows with Woolf at the end of the month, put out that 7” and tape, but nothing else planned after that. We try and practice every week so we will just knuckle down and write a bunch of new songs. Hopefully we will get asked to play a bit more often if people get the 7” and like it, and I think the idea would be to record again before the end of the year.

'I'm full of dust and guitars' - Syd Barrett, if you were cracked open what would be inside?

Pud pud.
Thanks for taking an interest.

Satellites of Love Facebook
Satellites of Love Soundcloud

Wednesday, September 28, 2011

Human Eye 'They Came From the Sky'

















'They Came From the Sky' is Human Eye's third album and first full length for the mighty Brooklyn label, Sacred Bones. This futuristic piece features Johnny Lzr (keyboards), Hurricane William (saxophone/percussion) and Brad Hales(bass) who along with Vulgar are based in Detroit. Stories of space travel and encounters with aliens are told alongside heavy-duty psychedelia rooted in rock 'n' roll resulting in eight songs that depict carnage on an apocolpytic scale. Firey, sinewed guitars, thundering rhythms and Vulgar's oracular vocals are an assult on all senses, and, the more I hear Timmy Vulgar's otherworldly freaked out songs (also check out Clone Defects and Timmy's Organism!) the more I like his stuff. When you let Vulgar take you into his universe it's clear to see everyone has their own way of losing their mind on record, and 'They Came From the Sky' certainly doesn't hold back.

Copies can be found at Sacred Bones

Sunday, September 25, 2011

OBN IIIs 'The One and Only'

















OBNIIIs make their full length debut on Tic Tac Totally after their raucous garage-punk started to turn heads last year with a flawless run of singles that mixed classic rock with a Stooges-swagger. Members of OBN IIIs are well known for work in other current bands, The Strangeboys, Bad Sports and A Giant Dog who are all active in Austin, Texas, which is where the album was recorded by lead singer Orville. 'The One and Only' features twelve heavy-duty songs loaded with guitar solos and sharp shooting lyrics, checkout 'Get Off Your Knees' to see what I mean! Opener 'If The Shit Fits' is another high point setting the tone for the record with gritty guitars, howling vocals and a snotty attitude which continues to bulldoze its way through this testosterone fueled record - a cracking debut, not to be missed!

Copies from Midheaven
OBN IIIs Facebook

Thursday, September 22, 2011

Yussuf Jerusalem 'Blast From the Past' and INTERVIEW!

















Just when I thought it wasn't possible to love a band any more, Florida's Dying puts out second album from France's Yussuf Jerusalem, 'Blast From The Past'. Imbuing Pop, Black Metal and Folk Benjamin Daures creates an apocalyptic piece attuning bright melodies with a dark underbelly. The juxtaposition of Black Metal with Folk has a jolting effect like being picked up by the scruff of the neck, thrown across a room and loving where you end up. These nine tracks full of solace, gallantry and loss make something altogether hexing. Easily one of my favourite albums of the year.

It's a real treat to have interviewed the man himself on his latest offering...

When did you have that ‘I can do that’ moment and start playing/writing music?

For me, it all started when I bought my first 4track. I had been playing in bands since my teenage years, but I was never really good with other people. I was always frustrated trying to write songs in bands, too shy to sing, etc. To me, recording is like drawing.

I saw you play in New York in 2009 with Thomas Function I think it was, the show was amazing – do you like touring? Are you doing any touring for this new record?

I like to play and I like to travel, so yeah, I like going on tour. It takes a lot of time and energy though, and we can't always afford or want to be living like that. The band played a bunch the last few years, and even though the new record just came out, I think it's a good time to rest from this kind of life. So, no plans of touring our asses off this winter. Right now, I just want to spend my time recording and watch my stories on the computer.

The first time I played ‘Heart Full of Sorrow’ “Gilles de Rais” made me jump out my skin, it was great! “Evil Rise” on the new record is in the same vain, can you explain mixing metal with pop and folk on your records?

I record all sort of stuff. At first, I didn't plan to put Gilles de Rais on that album, but it ended working in some weird ways. It was fun to start playing that kinda stuff live too, covering songs from Burzum or Absurd, it was refreshing to us, at least.

On ‘You Broke My Heart In Two’ off "Blast From the Past" there’s a part that sounds a little bit like Buzzcocks ‘Ever Fallen In Love’ was this intentional?

Not intentional. Never thought about it myself, but my friend Riton Lamort pointed it out when I sent him the recordings, what can I say...

The music on your records alone tells such a strong story, what is your approach to lyrics?

Different story for every song. Sometime the music comes up first sometime it's the lyrics. I try not to think too much about it and it usually comes out when the time is right....

Who makes the art-work for your records?

I unshamefully use my own photoshop wizzardry.

How did you come to work with Florida's Dying?

Well, Rich has been my friend for a while now, he was amongst the first to hear the yussuf stuff...

I read somewhere you like music from Croatia and Serbia, can you tell us a bit more about bands for that part of the world?

Shit, I don't remember saying that. There's a serbian bar near my house, we drink rakija and listen to a guy play the accordeon all night long. I'd spend more time there, but it's really not healthy.

Do you prefer playing or recording?

I prefer recording, but I never got beer tickets from that.

What kind of equipment do you like to use when recording your songs?

Usually, anything that's working at the moment. Half way into 'Blast From the Past', I had to start everything over because my 8 track broke down. I've been using both analog and digital equipment, it doesn't matter as long as I get to make it work right!

I haven’t experienced seeing music in France, what are things like over there? Where do shows tend to happen?

It's nothing special from the rest of the planet, lots of bars I guess... As far as playing or watching a show, the smaller venues are the best for me.

One of my favourite songs is 'We Ain't Coming Back', can you tell us a little bit about that track?

I recorded that one early 2008 I think? I was coming back home from touring with Turpentine Brothers in Europe, filling in on bass. Last day of the tour I drank too much and ended up at the hospital for alcohol poisoning, worst hungover ever (took me 3 weeks to recover)! I recorded lots of the first album after that tour.

Do you have any other projects going on at the moment we can check out? Do you make anything else outside of music?

I'm fixing up a house in the woods in Franche-Comté, there's a steel plate on the stairs that says "1786". It's a beautiful place with lots of soul and big stone walls, I'll send you pictures when it's done.

"I'm full of dust and guitars" - Syd Barrett, if you were cracked open what would be inside?

Right now, I'm certainly full of frozen lasagnas from Monoprix.


Yussuf Jerusalem - Through Winters Darkest Day by Clem Ollivier

Yussuf Jerusalem Facebook
'Blast From the Past' available at Florida's Dying

Friday, September 16, 2011

The Rebel: INTERVIEW!
















It's a pleasure to be able to share an interview with The Rebel, Ben and Sophie answered a few questions for Gilded Gutter about their new EP on Monofonus Press and some facts about what Romans used to do with mice.

For those new to The Rebel, to get acquainted here's a list of Ben Wallers top 5 favourite things:
Favorite programme: Fighting Talk, radio 5, saturday 11 a.m.
Favourite film : Election starring Matthew Broderick and Reece Witherspoon
Favorite clour: Brown
Favourite book: At Swim Two Birds by Flann O'Brien
Favourite LP: "Pyst" by Datblygu
But i can recite Pink Floyd's "The Final Cut" from start to finish, with all the sound effects, at exactly the correct running time.

The Rebel played at Power Lunches recently, how was the show?

Ben
Unfortunately, because we haven't been able to practice for a while, and learn new songs between us, I played solo, which is the default setting for The Rebel in such circumstances. It's not a powerful presentation, because it lacks the machine-like drums that I chose Sophie for (in 2004), but I feel that it's a Lie to call oneself a band and not play fresh material. I don't blame myself: I blame LONDON, MONEY AND THE CHRISTIAN SYSTEM. So I do these gigs solo where I can improvise a bit, play my songs with automated Game Boy accompaniment (Nano Loop and/or Korg DS 10) and tell the odd joke. The show at Power Lunches was enjoyable from my point of view. A nice crowd, 2 cans of red stripe and £12 - you can't argue with that!

Was The Rebel started with a predetermined goal in mind – or do you work in an improvised way when approaching new recordings?

Ben
Sophie and I have recorded an E.P on which we improvised and collaborated and it remains the strongest material released under 'My' brand, The Rebel. It's called Live Aids and was released by the people from Aids Wolf, Montreal. I think the label is called Mongo or something... But most of the releases are recorded by myself. They come from notes made at any time, then are developed, in a long multi-tracking process which is completely studio and contrived.

The lyrics in ‘Northern Rocks Bear Weird Vegetable’ have been described as a kind of narration, I was wondering if story telling was an important part of The Rebel’s songs?

Ben
Lyrics is a touchy subject because I only add them at the end, reluctantly, because I have to. But yes the best lyrics tend to be the story-tellingest. Talking about something outside oneself rather than egocentrically moaning about one's prombles. But it's not conscious or deliberate my lyrics usually start off with a line that scans or a funny joke and then write themselves.

Do you prefer playing or recording?

Sophie
Playing. I hate recording. Unless I'm doing it all by myself.

Ben
I prefer recording, but I love performing live. In recording you control the UNiverse, whereas in performing you ... er ... get to show off.

I've been thoroughly enjoying "Prove It" from the ‘The Five Year Plan’ EP on Monofonus press – can you tell us about the track?

Ben
"Prove It" was made from a looped drum pattern which I recorded at a practice studio called Scar in Camden where, one summer, I spent about a week recording drum patterns from my notebooks and taped melodies over the previous year or so, because I couldn't/can't play drums at home, it's too loud. So I have a vast library of drum recordings, which I am gradually working through, and the relevant melody, which I re-work with instruments. I think the song ran long because I hadn't gotten everything into it that I wanted and the loop didn't seem to want to stop. The lyrics are difficult to make out because I don't want them to be at the forefront but the first verse is about sexual predation. "Just another predatory male on the prowl, something ... eyes like an owl?" I forget. I'm proud of the line "Standing much to close to the girl with the pear, leering". I'm afraid that I don't usually remember what I've done once I've finished with it.

Do you ever revisit your previous work? If so what is it like listening to it now?

Ben
Yes sometimes I do listen to my old albums, very rarely the Country Teasers albums though, because I've got mixed feelings about how the production turned out, on all of them. I think most of my albums are still ok, and have some nice bits. Often I think, "How did I do that?" which is good. It's nice to hear evidence that I must have been having a great time, there in my parents' garage, or at my piano, or in the garage at our studio, etc.

What’s your take on people comparing The Rebel material to the Country Teasers stuff?

Ben
Well... It's fine, because I do agree with the FACT that listening to/watching a band is BETTER than listening to/watching one guy.

The Rebel's stuff is Country Teasers' base material or stock, so I'm not envious either way round, and it is a correct appreciation to deem Country Teasers songs "Better" than The Rebel songs because if you have 4 or 5 people plus 1 that's the fucking producer you NECESSARILY get a BETTER result than one guy executing his pure will or ego with no editors or censors. I'm trying to hold down my rage, can you hear it!? Yes I HATE collaboration because it's HARD and I HATE the sound of most of Country Teasers albums because they aren't how I'd have done it myself but I had to let a producer handle it in their own studio, dig, I'm the same way when I'm recording someone else in my studio. Er... now what was the question? Let's see... But I DO know that er ... You know, if I could get lucky with time, money, studio and producer, the group as it is could hammer out a great album, much better than what I could do on my own. But we've never had that luck. So it's great that people like our albums but they're not as good as we all hoped. And my solo albums are always a bit rushed but I think I get a lot better sounds in my studio than we've managed to get as a group in other people's studios. ANd SOund is the thing!

Ben, on your Wikipedia page it says you were born in Hertfordshire – that’s my neck of the woods! Did you spend much time in that area? If so did rural England make an impression on you when it came to being creative?

Herts! You're a Herts chick like myself! St Albans hospital I was born because my mum was a nurse there, but we lived in Hemel Hempstead. Leverstock Green. I don't recall that place, we moved to Pimlico, a tiny section of the Hemel area, and lived in a "big" house called Bedmond Hill with my grandparents, my aunt, her 2 teenage daughters, a cat called Mog; there was 2 lawns, a rose garden, a wood, a pond in the wood, fields with my other aunt's horses, she lived in ... Leverstock Green? With my cousins James and Sarah; so until I was 5 I lived like a feral prince surrounded by women and 2 patriarchs in a rural idyll. We finally went back to check it out a couple years ago when Sophie was working nearby on the harry Potter films. Watford you know. Earlsfirled" Levington? What is that place called where they shoot Harry Potter. My birthday that year we went on a tour of the set. Well we just wandered around. Anyway I would often go to Kings Langley and pick Sophie up after work and this one time we went and checked it out, the old place. Man it was weird. I didn't remember a damn thing about it. It was about a quarter of the size I remember it. There was no lawns, no rose gardens, just scrubland. Plenty of dogs. I started to walking up the drive, the old drive that arcs around like a crescent and I used to ride my tricycle to the end and back? But I didn't even get onto the drive before an ARAB pardon my French a MAN FROM ARABIA with a GUN and a DOG axed me what I wanted. I recall the gun, now, but I'm not sure it was actually a gun, when I think about the actual memory, analyse it. "Well I sued to live up there see," I says. I mean I used to live up there. "I used to live up there," i said. "Fuck that," says MR EGYPTIAN in perfect English. "Get lost. We're using your old dream house for a Armament Storage and Holdings facility now." Well! I ran to Aunt Meg's in the Viz cartoon Jack Black Solves the Mystery and rest as they say was History.

Anyway when my dad remarried we moved out, and lived in a nice house in Berkhamstead. I still can't spell Berkhamsted! Montague Road, at the top of the hill, next to Anglefield Road, where we moved, into a massive house, when I was 7, because the kids had been born, the twins, my beloved brother and sister, Christo and Em. He came out first. Well that's what they told me. But growing up in a patriarchy didn't do EMily any harm, it toughened her up. Anyway. I left Hertfordshire (apart from every term, to relocated to north London where I lived in an institution for Male Youths) in 1989 to attend Edinburgh University, which I had chosen because a)it was far away, b)Mark E Smith lived there and c)it began with E so it was the next one on the list after Cambridge who turned me down because I was too thick. MY DAD HAS NEVER FORGIVEN THEM!

Now mum and dad live in Tring where they've been since about 1991 I think, a really nice cottage next to Tring Park, you ever been there? The woods? You ever go to Tring museum? It's the best museum in the land, mang! I had done a lot of recording in Berkhamsted on my holidays back from Edinburgh but i didn't start to get a good sound and ok lyrics until my parents moved to Tring. I used to walk the dog for them and write lyrics on the park or in the woods. It's the rural idyll, a great combination, not quite pastoral, but it probably was pastoral when Rothschild had it all mown and shit with his flamingoes, his turtles, his giant tortoises, his uh what you call it zebras that's it. You know they roamed around there, right? And he's to be blamed stroke credited for the invasion of glis-glis (edible doormouse; actually the Romans brought them over, they were a food source ... they kept them in jars, did you know that? Ugh! Those fucking Italians and their food!) and uh what are they called Munt-jac, the ugliest being since the human on god's mean earth. I'm sure that red light-bulb is gonna blow. Yes so well to answer your question, uh ... Well I was very happy there, executing the ideas and melodies I'd noted down in Edinburgh during the terms, on my four track etc in my parents garage. In between meals, dog-walks and visits to fucking London to see my girlfriend and her sister, my former friend-now-heroin-addict, the guitarist in the bands we had formed in Edinburgh, well no that's an exaggeration, I formed Country Teasers and he joined, but he'd also invited me to join his band The Male Nurse which was more of a democracy. The singer Keith Farquhar was away on an exchange in Baltimore for a year so I filled in for him and when he returned I moved to guitar and keyboards, sometimes drums etc. Sophie's moving around upstairs ... she didn't sleep all night .... I'm on holiday. Have you ever seen "Stroscek"? When he's released from the asylum he goes to his local bar, the Himmel. Eva, a prostitute friend, asks him where he's been. "ich," he says, pausing for emphasis, "war auf Urlaub!" (I was on holiday). I recall that every time I remember I'm on holiday. Got the whole week left too! Back to work on Sunday. MotherFUCKER!

Anyway. Yes the countryside influenced my music because I was totally relaxed there. And totally uptight and miserable, because "In Space no one can hear you scream" i.e. alone with one's thoughts you can't escape them can you but if you just wait loong enough like say if you're walking and you sit on the bench and just stare at the undulating, jurassic parkland and listen to the ssssccchhhhhhhhhhhhhjjjddggggggggggge of the A41 there and watch the little vans and cars going nowhere you can usually get a funny line and a poem out of it. Oh I dunno, what a lot of horse-shit. All I know is I wrote a lot of lyrics on Tring park and I still do whenever I get a chance to go back there which isn't fucking often enough in my opinion.

Well heroin tore through the Male Nurse/Country Teasers like it tore through Elastica in that book by that guy from Autechre or what was its name that band ... the Douglas Baader Gang. Hello Tammy. Fucking junkies. I used to feel like I was escaping from junk every time I returned to Tring from London but I wasn't usually unscathed. That's what my album Treble Lives was about. Eventually London and my girlfriend sucked me in and I moved here in 1996 or 7. Big mistake. Anyway it panned out ok in the end. Touch wood. Got a wife, got a cat, got a great house in de Beauvoir town. To quote that pin-up recovering junky from The Scheme (best show of 2011) "Cood not be happiar!" Clode Nane! Pure brilliant but!

In London to get the same kick I go to Parliament hill fields and wander round Hampstead Heath trying not to lead on too many guys with the wrong type of look. My favorite bit is the little circle of trees with the black iron fence around it. Used to be where they hanged witches. SO the witches still haunt it there. You can see where one of them bent the wrought iron fence post and exscaped. No human woman could of achieved that magaick.

My worst beef with London is that it's too big, unfriendly and expensive for bands to hang together so if the internet can solve that then well that's good. Glasgow always seemed to have a good bands culture where it's easy for people to play together, hang out ... And Edinburgh was good ... but then perhaps i'm missing a point about cities and there vibes because although Edinburgh's smaller than Glasgow, Glasgow has the friendlier more cooperative bands culture, or it did when I was in Scotland. And Edinburgh was the haughtier more intellectual place; and we, the Edinburgh group (our drinking club The White Feather would have been notorious and infamous if anyone had known about it) looked down upon the friendly bumpkins of Little Bosnia, as we called Glasgow. Sorry i can't answer your question: i don't have a clue about the internet.

Spotify, Soundcloud, Bandcamp et al make it simpler to find music especially if you’re from a small area with no record stores. From your experience pre and post internet do you think these social networking platforms are a help or hindrance for bands?

Ben
The Internet HAS to have been great for bands, it can't have been a hindrance! I'm not really clued in though, and hence not really interested; but I'd like to know if it has helped the songwriting process. I mean I assume that people in bands share ideas and record together virtually, right? As far as getting music out and heard and all that yeah it must be great. I do wish ... I mean I do hope that the money side of it is all sewn up for the composer, right. I can't seem to get around to that aspect of my work. Those PRS forms are so long. Oh I didn't know there was one called Bandcamp! This one time? at Bandcamp?

Sophie, I’ve read you make work in a variety of media - does visual art influence music you play and visa versa at all?

Probably, although I think you draw on your influences instinctively, not consciously. I enjoy watching and making films and I think film as a medium is actually very similar to music - much more so than literature or painting.

If time and money were no option what would you like to achieve creatively?

Sophie
I'd like to spend all my time in my studio. You get out as much as you put in.

Ben
Time and Money! Money and pain; pain, pain! (McCabe & Mrs Miller. We hired all pretty much nearly of Robert Altman's films this week. It just happened. Sophie liked Nashville and went on from there.)
I answered it up there, if we got time and money I'd like to execute a really complete Country Teasers album with the group. It would take AGES and cost A LOT. The recording process ... It takes me DAYS to get a song right sometimes, and then it gets chucked in the fucking bin because it sucks! Multipply that by 5 plus 10 for a producer and that's .... 32 days per song. So it might hafta wait til i get the Most Old Person in Music award from Sounds magazine in 2050.

If you could – or wanted to, what would you change about English culture?

Ben
Fucking England! I think it is changing already. I mean SURELY the Sun can't be as bad as it was when I last read it. News of the world has gone. I know its left wing reactionary to aim at those lame victims but I HATE that aspect of our culture. The tough survive in London and seem oftentimes to perpetuate it. "I'm tough, I landed here in 1250 from Sweden/Poland/Ireland/Yorkshire and if I took it well I’m fucking bloody well got my rights to dish it out to the next cunt what lands here and tries to take my jobs. Set fire to my daughter!" But I feel that it's changing, I really do. I hope it is. The Star Wars generation can't let it continue, can they?

Did you follow the stories on the recent riots? If you did, what was your view on those events?

Ben
The riots was an interesting time for me. I was between residences. But I was here, my new place, which I love, and Sophie was ill so I was staying up late alone, and I had the radio on, I had the TV on and I had the BBC news on the computer. And the doors open so I could hear the cop cars. Nothing touched us here but I could see people on their balconies looking up Kingsland road to Dalston and Hackney. I was pissed off about the coverage angle and hearing 5 live middle England callers whining. We know all that! I don't like the use of "feral" to describe children. Children are wankers, they suck, and they go apeshit if you let them, of they feel like it, because they're encouraged to. But you got to educate them properly etc. Food, housing and hobbies also help. Hospitals etc. I dunno, what do I know. I went to see Doug Stanhope on the Thursday. He commented very well on it. He identified with the poverty: "You have to wash your dishes by hand? You like in a crumbling stone tomb on the bad side of town? Check it out I live in a crumbling stone tomb in the nice neighbourhood. And I wash my dishes by hand because I can't operate my top of the range dishwasher. It has a row of symbols that are completely not analogous to washing: a crescent moon, an asterisk crying a tear, a hammer and sickle and a gonk. So you just go out there a get yourself a dishwasher and a widescreen TV if you want. It ain't make you any happier! Look at me!"

What else ... oh you must ask Sophie this. I defer my political, social and economic opinions to her: whatever she says, that's what I think. I don't have the education she's got. The streets. Poor wretch, I liberated her from Battersea when she was a puppy. But yes in answer to part 2 of the question I was GLUED to my set. The yellow and red on black with the orange of the streetlights (what's that word?) was mesmerising. Different compositions, different sets, but the same colour scheme. Lovely. Croydon, Ealing, Tottenham etc. Well, I bet a lot of cramped depressing family-ruining flats got cleaned out in those clearances. Ask Sophie (father is an architect) about the poor housing in London, the way it prevents family life.

Are there any bands you’d like to rave about - something we should check out?

Well my favorite band is Datblygu, whom too few have heard, from Wales. Sing in welsh but translations are available now and his (David R Edwards) lyrics are pretty amazing, second to none, in my opinion. Hilarious, bleak, personal and objective. Is "Genius" too strong a word?

I'm struggling to stay afloat in modern music; since John Peel died I... well I keep forgetting to try to keep track of when Tom Ravenscroft broadcasts and I do enjoy his show and his manner every time I listen but you see I have really lost that old yen, which made me put up with all the shit I didn't like that Peel played because I'd hear something good and bingo off I would go to Record and tape exchange or the new record shops in Edinburgh etc. Now, because there's too much, and I can't manage my time as it is, I can't find new bands. My favorite live band is Please, but they're friends now so it doesn't count. Do you like Brainbombs? I like Deerhoof. But I've got no secret new bands to tell you about that I can think about. My band The Devil (Sophie on drums, me on vox and synth, James Sedwards from Nøught on guitar) is probably the 'best' band around, and I'm not just saying that because I'm in it, I'm saying it because it just probably is, and it's only realised about one tenth of its potential, like an ice berg. Oh, Bomber Jackets! they're good. Friends again, but. You know Russell.

My area of expertise is probably the same as Absolute 80s! I can listen to Now That's What I call Music 1 through 4 without lifting the fucking needle, even though when I was alive then I HATED most of that ROT. Oh the decay! A once great mind! Can you believe it, I'm to be 30 on Thursday? Where did the time go!
But as John Peel said about The Fall, if you don't know Datblygu you're really stupid.

What’s the future for The Rebel?

Ben
The FUTURE?! My only big problem in life is that I can't see into the future like most people can. I understand only the present; my memory's so bad I can't go back in time either. Never been able to conceive idea of being alive next week. Hence can't pay bills, can't make phonecalls, can't tie up laces on shoes, can't buy food and prepare meals. There's never been a future for The Rebel, only the present of recording. You can stop time when you're recording, it's real simple. You capture time and continually replay it. A song is a bit of time, recorded, forever. People playing their instruments and having a good time. Like the moving photos in Harry Potter or on the tube escalators now. Er but sorry to be serious for a moment well I have very nice people who put my albums out (Junior Aspirin: best record manufacturers in Rock) and a few fans so as long as I don't get too much worse The Rebel should always be ok and Country Teasers seem to gain gradually in popularity when we make our occasional re-appearances, the future should continue to be a gentle uphill climb towards a happy death!

"I'm full of dust and guitars" Syd Barrett - if you were cracked open what would be inside?

Sophie
What, like Bukowski: filled with meat and cheese, like a greasy filo pastry? I wouldn't like to guess.

Ben
Well, synths; I mean ... I love my guitars, but I wouldn't be able to part from my Kawai City-Life Piano or my Realistic Concertmate (by Moog). And when I'm reduced to a 4 track and one instrument I can get by with the Yamaha PSS 50 which has a setting (99) where you've got bass down at the bottom, piano the middle and drums at the top. So that's what you'd find. A Fostex 4 track, the Yamaha PSS 50 and no dust. I'm only 27!

Thursday, September 15, 2011

Cum Stain 'Hurry Up and Kill Yourself'

















Burger Records, how I love you. The folks in California have come through with another fine release, this time with Cum Stain's debut album 'Hurry Up and Kill Yourself'. All of the songs are written and recorded by Sean Starling, with Venessa Lamb, Stephen Valle, Raul Esparza and Brian Kim joining the party to make up a live band. 'Hurry Up and Kill Yourself' is an amphetamine pumped, juvenile rock and roll record played with a whole lotta gusto blasting through twelve tracks on the A Side of the LP. For fans of Personal and the Pizzas, Nobunny, Hunx and His Punx, Outdoorsmen, 100 on puke green with handmade art by Starling, 500 pressed in total. When you enjoy listening to something this much there's no need to question it.

You can find copies here

Cum Stain Band Camp

Sunday, September 11, 2011

Gilded Gutter Summer 2011 Compilation


















The summer for Gilded Gutter has been spent building up a compilation featuring some favourite bands in London, and a few other spots around the UK for good measure. The bands below have all just started to release material and their shows have transformed many bars and basements into the most incredible nights out over the past few months. It's an absolute pleasure to be able to share some local music I'm a huge fan of here and hope that you'll dig them too.

I'd like to take this opportunity to thank each and every band for their contribution.

OH! AND DID I MENTION IT'S FREE?


YOU CAN DOWNLOAD THE WHOLE THING HERE

Track List:

Roseanne Barrr "Letter"
Noisy Punk piece go straight for the jugular with dueling bass and drums. Roseanne Barrr are about to tour the UK with Woolf and Satellites of Love.
Facebook Bandcamp Interview
Roseanne Barrr cassette
Split cassette with Gropetown

Hygiene "Things To Do"
Track taken from their debut LP 'Public Sector' released earlier this year, songs about the daily grind never sounded so brilliant.
Blog Facebook Interview
Copies of 'Public Sector' on La Vida Es Un Mus can be found here

Good Throb "Sick Party"
Snotty London via Reading Punk outfit making noise about everyday humdrum. "Sick Party" is from their self released debut cassette 'Demo 2011 Tape' available through their tumblr page. Featuring members of Shitty Limits and No.
Tumblr

Work that Skirt "The Tourist"
Mr Stix (Black Time, Wake Up Dead, Black Mamba Beat) solo work delivers wrong-footed bedroom no-fi. Shabeen Scene will be releasing a tour tape for Work that Skirt, which will be recorded during an upcoming US tour with Black Mamba Beat.
Shabeen Scene blog Tour

Bomber Jackets "Hot Georgian Summer"
Bomber Jackets are; Jackie P, Sarah Datblygu, Sian Dorrer, and Nick Ferrari, who offer electronic musings on the mundane. So far the group made up of members from Wet Dog, Charcoal Owls, Plug and the Pheromoans have put out a split 7" with The Rebel. Soon to be released are singles 'Larching phase' on Night people and 'Old Lord Fauntleroy' on Alter.
Blog
Bomber Jackets split 7" with The Rebel

Way Through "Handsome Knave"
This London via Shrewsbury duo are self styled Pastoral Punk featuring guitar and drums intertwined with otherworldly samples. Their debut album is out on October 3rd digitally and on LP through Upset the Rhythm.
Blog Facebook Interview Upset the Rhythm

Halo Halo "Manananggal"
Off kilter tropical pop from London based threesome. Halo Halo just released "Manananggal" as their first 7" on Savoury Days and have upcoming tour dates in Madrid, Norfolk and Tokyo.
Facebook Blog
Copies of the 7" on Savoury Days

Cover Girl "Que Sera (Demo Version)"
Infectious Disco Punk created by members of Trash Kit, Wet Dog, Peepholes and Gold Bars. Their first 7" 'Paris Burns' is about to be released, there will be a launch for the single on October 29th at Power Lunches to celebrate.
Facebook Bandcamp Soundcloud

Human Hair "ChapterandVerse"
Gyrating punk with a big Rock sound offering up all of the meat and none of the gristle. Currently, Human Hair have two 7"s out on Sex Is Disgusting.
Myspace Sex Is Disgusting Blog

Wake Up Dead "Time (Alternate Mix)"
London based punk outfit made up from members of Black Time and Black Mamba Beat. Their first 7" is a double A Side and will be released on new label EZPZ (set up by Josh from The Love Triangle).
Their first tape split with Black Mamba Beat on Kind Turkey
EZPZ Records Facebook Tumblr

Mickey Gloss "Lil White Lies"
Creepy psychedelia from Australia's Daniel Troon who is now based in London, presently a three piece Mickey Gloss have a 7" flexi disc coming out on X-Ray Recordings in November.
Facebook Myspace

Mr Peppermint "Toucan"
Masked Glasgow duo performing shredding and drumming that will bring you to your knees.
Facebook Interview
Mr Peppermint 'Loose Lips' on Winning Sperm Party

Satellites of Love "A Way Out"
Onslaught of teeth grinding, head spinning Punk. Satellites of Love have a new 7" on the way, catch them if you can as they tour with Roseanne Barrr and Woolf.
Facebook Soundcloud

Sauna Youth "Bone Lawn"
Rank Punkers Sauna Youth are a four piece with a cassette and 7" out so far. "Bone Lawn" comes from their latest single 'Lists' which you can find on their blog.
Facebook Blog

Black Mamba Beat "Home"
Trio from South Africa now based in London are to follow up last years debut LP on Jeet Kune with a 12"EP on EZPZ Records soon. Black Mamba Beat are about to go on tour in the US this October.
Blog Facebook Interview Tour
EZPZ Records Facebook Tumblr

Friday, September 9, 2011

Halo Halo Debut 7"








London's Halo Halo have just released their first 7" and is available directly through the band (halohalodreams@gmail.com). I saw this band play their first show earlier this summer at a gig based in a friends bedroom. Since then they've gone from strength to strength with their radiant tropical pop and if you're in Suffolk they have a show later this month at No Rain Festival, catch them if you can!

Halo Halo Blog
Halo Halo Facebook

Thursday, September 8, 2011

Sauna Youth 'Lists' 7"



















Foursome from Brighton describes their second single 'Lists' as follows; "This record concerns itself with sex, death and the frustrations created by the practical necessities of banal life." These three hyper-punk numbers boil over with forthright, catchy guitars and growling vocals which act as a perfect snap shot of Sauna Youth's tenacious song writing. 300 pressed, the first 90 copies are a limited artist run by; Will Exley, Dan Reeves, James Hines, R. M. Phoenix, Chris Pell, Francesca Hill, We Three Club, Alicia Raitt, Lucy Jones. These limited copies are hand-stamped, numbered accompanied by a wrap-around riso-graphed poster of the artists image.

You can find the single here
Sauna Youth Blog
Sauna Youth Facebook

Thursday, September 1, 2011

Savoury Days Compilation 'Still Going In Offices' LP




















Savoury Days are poised to release a new compilation featuring new/unreleased tracks from UK artists such as; The Rebel, Design A Wave, Call Back the Giants, Helm, La La Vasquez and more. There will a release show to launch the LP details are here. You can find copies here