Potion13

Your name: 

My name is Danielle Langlois.

Where are you from? 

Montreal, Quebec (The only french province in North America), Canada. So, I sing in french (my mother's tongue.) Now, if the way I write things seem a bit funny, you know why. Not  easy to write in a foreign language.

Name of band:

Potion13.

Who is in your band?

The band is: Danielle Langlois (vocals), Brian Harps (guitar), Nathalie Baril(bass), Simon-Pierre Dube(drums).

How would you describe yourselves?

Heavy metal/hard rock band. Good friends that share a passion together, having fun doing it!

Who are your main influences musically?

So many good bands in the metal scene. The four of us have different influence and the mix of all that gives us our essence. Personally I've learned to sing metal doing covers of Dio, Iron Maiden, Scorpion, Black Sabbath,... I guest it kind of stayed within me.

What do you hope to achieve in music?

The sky is the limit. But mostly doing shows, that's the best! We got a new album out this year. We wish to sell as much as possible to finance the next one. Being independent, we have to go with the flow. So far the sale have paid the cost of production by sales in our show, by putting the album in two Montreal stores that sell online too and we also opened an account on bandcamp so people can buy on line one song $1.00 or the album  "Le rock ça tue!" for $6.66. (The title of the album means Rock kill's).

What has been the highlight of your career so far, and why?

Opening for U.D.O. (original voice of Accept), David Ellefson (Megadeth), twice for Tim RIPPER Owens (ex-Judas Priest), Raven,... cause it was an honour to share the stage with these great performer. And it was nice to have the chance to talk with them  backstage. Makes many good memories!!

Also being played in more than 150 countries or the day we've reached 2,500,000 upload of our songs.  It's quite overwelming to have so many people, from all over the world, appreciating the music you created! 

And what’s the moment you want to forget?

Like a lot of musicians these day with the music business getting harder and harder. The moment we all wish we could forget is that moment when the alarm clock rings and you got to get up to go to your regular job that pays your bills... especially when you had a kick ass show the night before!!!

If you had to choose just one of your songs to represent your music, what would it be and why?

La mort . (death). It starts on a dark note, talking about how death is part of our life, how ugly or devastating it can  be... Never knowing how long we've got. And in the second part of the song it makes you realize that you should live to the fullest every day cause you never know when it will be the last. Enjoy your life as much as you can, while you can. That is what we do. Live for the moment!

Where can we listen to it?

http://potion13.bandcamp.com/track/la-mort

Where can we find out more about your music?

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Potion13/12012267676

http://potion13.bandcamp.com/

http://www.reverbnation.com/potion13

https://twitter.com/#!/potion13

http://www.youtube.com/user/Potion13

http://www.myspace.com/potion13

Official site: http://www.potion13.org

Store: http://profusion-le-metalstore.blogspot.ca/

 Anything else you’d like to say about your band that I forgot to ask?

We will have a new video out in September or October. We will start shooting in two weeks. Visit any our sites to be up to date. Being a woman I could go on and on forever but I have used enough of your page already lol! Thank you for the spotlight, we appreciate it a lot! And, thanks to all of you who had the patience to read it all.

Pig'n'aif Q&A

Your name:

Pete Bangert.

Where are you from?

Originally Sheffield UK. Now based back there full time.

Name of band:

Pig'n'aif.
The band name is pronounced (in a typical Yorkshire accent) as Pig'an'Ayf. (Please feel free to use it as a surreptitious curse - we do...). The name was originally born out of frustration and reflects the fact that it has often been a pig (and an ’aif) to bring these projects to fruition, or indeed to get the musicians together to play the material, but hopefully it also indicates that there is a lighter side to things.

Who is in your band?

The members vary, dependent upon the project type we are working on. Core members at the moment are Jack Bunker - Vocals, Session Pete - Bass and Pete Bangert - guitar, keyboards, production etc..
We have various other contributors on recent albums such as Mel Day and Mick Shedd on vocals,  Clatterfoot (another session man from the Pig'n'aif family) on drums and Graham Shaw on drums. But there are many other guys in the Pig'n'aif family.

How would you describe yourselves?

Pig'n'aif is not straightforward to sum up quickly but here goes...Pig’n’aif is a band-based music project, put together and performed with over the years by Pete Bangert and his colleagues. It works in conjunction with the Rising Records independent record label based in Sheffield (UK). The material produced by the band and its offshoots over the years, has varied from heavy rock, through prog rock and jazz-rock fusion, to NWOBHM and Blues. It has followed the muse of Pete and his colleague's writings and has never been constrained to a particular style. Pig'n'aif often spawns other bands. The NWOBHM band Phoenix Rising and the rock-fusion band Toshrollo are just two examples of this.
The band has been largely studio based and works in parallel to the other music projects or bands of its contributing members. However, every now and then, it will form a live line-up and do a few gigs in selected venues to blow the cobwebs off and keep in touch with the local fan base.
A recent example of this was the Pig'n'aif Jam-Band line-up which got together to jam blues-rock numbers live in front of an audience for fun. In typical Pig'n'aif fashion the numbers were given very different treatments to the accepted styles that we are accustomed to hearing them in. The live sessions produced two albums the second of which, "Pig'n'aif Blue-ish" has just been released. Check out Crossroads (track 2) and you will see immediately what we mean by a different treatment.

The guys are currently back in the studio working on three new albums. A prog-based album, a blues-rock album and an electro-rock album. They expect at least one of them to be released later this year and the rest next year.
Maybe the best way to describe us is as unconstrained, experienced working musicians out for a bit of fun.

Who are your main influences musically?

Vast and varied. In the early days it was probably rock, prog and fusion bands although a number of Pig'n'aif musicians are classically trained originally. Bands like Yes, King Crimson, Mahavishnu Orchestra, Wishbone Ash, Groundhogs, Led Zeppelin and many more.
Due to our advancing years, we have played and been exposed to masses of material which obviously seeps into the core of one's experience. We are probably now more influenced by what we are writing at the moment as we see where it is taking us. Hopefully that crystalises into a theme for what we are producing at the time.

What do you hope to achieve in music?

Finish off all of the work in our pipeline, although as one item is half finished the next seems to come along. We'd also like to gig a little more, but the hassle of setting it up with the venues and local vested interest takes a lot of the fun out of the process nowadays. AND OF COURSE, It would be nice to earn a little more cash from it to keep funding our project's expenses whilst we can.

What has been the highlight of your career so far, and why?

There have been many highlights and it's difficult to choose between them because each one is a milestone in it's own way. Speaking personally, the first time I played one of my own compositions in front of an audience with a band was special because it was a verification of personal creativity as opposed to being a journeyman. The first time we played as a headline act in front 2,500 people. The buzz from that is unforgettable. Giving a young son a personal copy of a newly released recording and watching his face.

And what’s the moment you want to forget?

Having to pull the plug on a very successful band to save the members from personal ruin. Just because it was forced into a huge financial hole by incompetent management, embezzlement and egos. That single event instantly invalidated several years of nervous and creative energy and left me personally without the slightest interest in playing again. It took two years and one very good friend with immaculate timing, to come back from that.

If you had to choose just one of your songs to represent your music, what would it be and why?

This is a question that we find almost impossible to answer (of course) because our output has been so varied over the years.
If we constrain it to our recent "Pig'n'aif Blue-ish" album, even though it is a cover of a Robert Johnson song, "Crossroads" probably sums up our personal approach to music. Originally, it is an archetypical blues number. It was later taken by Cream and constrained into a rock standard. We wondered what type of musical style Robert Johnson would be preforming if he was alive nowadays. So we gave it a funk treatment which seemed to work very nicely thank you.  A re-imagining too far? You tell us, at least we had fun with it.
But you really should check out other Pig'n'aif music as well as that of our spin-off band's outputs.

Where can we listen to it?

This page on Artistcamp gives almost all of the download and streaming links a body could need: http://artistcamp.rebeat.com/pig-n-aif/blue-ish/9008798120826/index.html

Our webpage has clips and links and you can also get a physical CD here:
http://www.pignaif.co.uk/html/pig-n-aif_blue-ish.html

Where can we find out more about your music?

Website: http://www.pignaif.co.uk
Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/Pignaif
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Pignaif/6201583227 
Email: band@pignaif.co.uk
Label: http://www.rising-records.com

Northlane prepare for sophomore release

AUSTRALIAN metalcore band Northlane will release their second album Singularity on October 7th.

The UK release will come with a bonus of the band from New South Wales's first record, Discoveries.

Singularity was produced by Will Putney of MachineShop and went straight into the Australian charts at number three.

Quantum Flux will be the first track released from the album and the five-piece will be heading to the UK in October as part of the Never Say Die tour.

Dates include the O2 Academy 2 in Birmingham on October 6th; ABC in Glasgow, Scotland, on the 7th; Manchester's Academy 2 on the 8th; Cardiff University on the 9th; and London's Electric Ballroom on the 10th.

For more information visit https://www.facebook.com/northlane and you can view the video for Quantum Flux below.

The Trophy Cabinet Q&A

Your name: 

Phil Kelly.

Where are you from?

Oxford... with travelling members from Leeds and Bury St Edmunds, England.

Name of band:

The Trophy Cabinet.

Who is in your band?

Jim Fewtrelll.... Composition, vocals, guitar

Steve Burholt... keyboards

Chris Wilbraham... Guitar and backing vocals

Dips... drums

Phil Kelly - Lead Bass

How would you describe yourselves?

Mellow reflective indie.... Like a more level-headed less frenetic Wedding Present; chiming guitars and literate understated lyrics.

Who are your main influences musically?

80's Indie - House Of Love, Cure, James, The Wedding Present, The Sundays, Lloyd Cole, The Go-Betweens, New Order, Woodentops.

What do you hope to achieve in music?

Leave a legacy of timeless well written songs, with some great memories from our live shows and get heard by a few more people.

What has been the highlight of your career so far, and why?

Supporting The Wedding Present on the big stage at the O2 in Oxford. It was our comeback gig and the wonderful Mr Gedge arranged for it to happen as I was heading back in to hospital shortly after. Massive stage, great sound, very very loud and all our fans turned out!

And what’s the moment you want to forget?

Deciding to give it up and get real jobs first time round.

If you had to choose just one of your songs to represent your music, what would it be and why?

Oooh that's a hard one..... probably Gliding; it is a bit slower than our normal stuff, but has real feeling and has stood the test of time. Also has a few different phases; shades of light and dark.... that is what we do in the other songs... i.e. not follow a formula.

Where can we listen to it?

http://thetrophycabinet.bandcamp.com/

Where can we find out more about your music?

Full O2 Short Documentary - http://vimeo.com/18457024

http://trophycabinet.amazingtunes.com/

www.myspace.com/555159221

Youtube gliding - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y-3z3vxmeUE&feature=youtu.be

Youtube Bridport - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LK-VW5T-wpQ&feature=youtu.be

Anything else you’d like to say that I forgot to ask?

I have been involved in the Rankin project... Alive: In The Face Of Death. My portrait now hangs in The Walker Art Gallery in Liverpool. We have released Gliding as a double B side single to support charities involved in the project. Rankin, the world famous photographer has been kind enough to let us use one of his pictures as the cover
Rankin Alive Interview: youtu.be/2x65262_x2g

http://www.liverpoolconfidential.co.uk/Culture/Arts/ALIVE-In-The-Face-Of-Death-Rankin-Walker-Art-Gallery

New track from Sam Smith

THIS is the new track by Sam Smith and is the first to be taken from his forthcoming debut EP.

Safe With Me is co-written, arranged and produced by Two Inch Punch.

The single by the UK-based singer-songwriter follows debut track Lay Me Down and a stripped-back acoustic version of Latch.

Sam said: "I've been experimenting with different sounds and producers in preparation for my record. I have loved the process so much that I have decided to release an EP this summer to show what I've been trying out."

More details on the EP will follow soon but for more information on Sam, visit his Official Site, Twitter, Facebook, SoundCloud or YouTube pages.

UK release for Idle Class debut

MEDLODIC punks Idle Class are causing something of a stir in a whirlwind 18 months.

The German five-piece has taken the European punk scene by storm with tour dates alongside the likes of Anti Flag, Polar Bear Club, The Flatliners, Face To Face, Nothington, Less Than Jake and The Menzingers.

Now they’re set to release their debut album The Drama’s Done in the UK on October 21 through Swedish label Black Star Foundation.

The album is the continuation from Idle Class’s 2012 EP Stumbling Home, which garnered critical acclaim in the European music press.

You can get a taste of the band below or visit https://www.facebook.com/idleclass

Closer To Closure Q&A

Your names:

Grant Beaudry (Drums) and Matt Caloca (Vocals).

Where are you guys from?

Los Angeles, California.

Name of band:

Closer To Closure

Who else is in your band?

Chris Crane (Bass) and Matt Medina (Guitar).

How would you describe yourselves?

(Grant) Genre: Post-hardcore/alternative/rock  

(Matt) We're a very energetic heavy rock band consisting of four guys that have a lot of stories and messages to share through our music. 

Who are your main influences musically?

(Grant) Each person in the band definitely has their own influences when it comes to music. I listen to bands like Paramore, Fall Out Boy, Tonight Alive, The Story So Far, and Periphery just to name a few.

(Matt) Musically our influences are all over the place. We like to listen to a lot different genres of music like indie, alternative, pop, hip-hop/RnB, metal, hardcore, classic rock, and modern day rock. During the writing process we all have the freedom to put in a piece of our own influences individually and I feel like that's what truly solidifies our sound. I have way too many influences to list but just to name a few: The Beatles, Eddie Van Halen, Justin Timberlake, Panic! at the Disco, Escape the Fate, and pretty much every band Grant listed.  

What do you hope to achieve in music?

(Matt) Our main goal is to have a connection with as many people as we possibly can through our music. All of our songs have a story to tell and a message to be spread, and if any of our songs can inspire, motivate, or even bring hope to somebody going through or has already gone through a similar situation, we know we're serving our true purpose as artists. We plan to take Closer To Closure as far as we possibly can and we have no plans of stopping any time soon. 

What has been the highlight of your career so far, and why?

(Grant) It would have to be the Attack Attack! tour so far. It was amazing sharing the stage each night for a month with Attack Attack!, The Plot In You, Get Scared, and Dangerkids. Touring the whole country was amazing too.

(Matt) Definitely touring with Attack Attack! I was able to see places I never thought I'd see in my life and also had the pleasure of meeting so many amazing people. I had the time of my life on that tour and it'll be an experience I'll never forget. 

And what’s the moment you want to forget?

(Grant) I don't have any to be honest. I believe that every single thing happens for a legitimate reason since the start of the band.

(Matt) Nothing. I treasure every moment with this band. Even the bad moments, because in the end it's all apart of our journey and every moment makes our story special.

If you had to choose just one of your songs to represent your music, what would it be and why?

(Grant) Our newest single called 'Places' because it perfectly represents the direction we're going with our future releases.

(Matt) It's the most recent song we put out called 'Places.' This song means a lot to me and it's technically the first song I've ever written with this band. I feel like this song best represents our band because it's about following your dreams and never giving up, no matter how many people try to tell you that you can't achieve it. I grew up with a lot of people telling me I could never make being in a band my career and to stop wasting my time and get a real job. This song is about me proving everybody who said I couldn't do it wrong, because I did get to live my dream by going on tour with Attack Attack all around the United States! And now that I got a little taste of what it's like to live it, I'm just working day by day to make that dream a reality for my band full-time. Our band's purpose is to inspire people with positive messages, and following your dreams is one we strongly encourage to everybody.

Where can we find out more about your music?

https://www.facebook.com/closertoclosureca

https://twitter.com/closertoclosur

https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/rebirth/id630771847

http://closertoclosureca.tumblr.com

http://www.youtube.com/user/closertoclosureCA

Miss Vincent Q&A

Your name:

Lawrie Pattison. I play lead guitar and sing backing vocals in the band!

Where are you from?

Although none of us are actually from there, we say Guildford, Surrey, as that's where we all met and formed the band. It's not home to us as individuals, but it's home to the band.

Name of band:

Miss Vincent.

Who else is in your band?

Alex Marshall (lead vocals and rhythm guitar), Jack Donnelly (drums) and Owain Mainwaring (bass and backing vocals).

How would you describe yourselves?

We're just four regular dudes making music inspired by the bands we love. Musically we'd describe ourselves as catchy punk rock; aggressive drums and guitars mixed with strong vocals and smooth harmonies.

Who are your main influences musically?

Alkaline Trio, Misfits, NOFX, Against Me!, Ramones, Bad Religion, AFI, the list goes on...

What do you hope to achieve in music?

If we could rely on our music for a living that'd be a dream come true for all of us. Travelling to new and different places, playing shows day in, day out, being able to spend all of our time and effort on our band and working hard to be the best we can be. We just want as many people as possible to hear our music.

What has been the highlight of your career so far, and why?

We've been given the chance to play alongside some great bands. We supported Sonic Boom Six in Guildford back in February this year which was amazing. We were stoked to share a stage with SB6, and playing with a band like that really forced us to step up and brought out a great performance in us. There was a lot of energy at that show, and it was just a good atmosphere; great bands, great crowd, great gig! We couldn't have asked for much more that night.

And what’s the moment you want to forget?

We had three shows cancelled on our last tour back in April/May. We book all of our shows ourselves and we're always excited to play new places, so whenever a show gets cancelled, especially the day before, it's a massive bummer. Unfortunately it's something that happens to every band, we just try to do our best and roll with the punches!

If you were asked to pick just one of your songs to represent your music, what would it be and why?

Our first single, No One Knew. The song is about a woman named Joyce Vincent who died alone in her flat and wasn't found for years. Alex found an article about her online and thought it was a very sad, but interesting story so he wrote a song about it, it's where we got our band name from as well. No One Knew also really showcases what we feel are our musical strong points.

Where can we listen to it?

You can watch the video here - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n9nBuz_4mpM

And you can download the track for free here - http://missvincent.bandcamp.com/

Where can we find out more about your musi?

Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/missvincentband

Twitter - http://twitter.com/missvincentband

YouTube - http://www.youtube.com/missvincentband

Bandcamp - http://missvincent.bandcamp.com

Instagram - http://instagram.com/missvincentband

Soundcloud - http://soundcloud.com/missvincent

Tumblr - http://missvincentband.tumblr.com

Anything else you’d like to say about your band that I forgot to ask?

'Planning To Fail', the first single from our debut EP will be available August 1st as a free download along with a video, and we'll be heading out on tour at the beginning of August!

Friday 2nd August - 42, Worthing

Saturday 3rd August - The Shed, Leicester

Monday 5th August - Dove and Rainbow, Sheffield

Tuesday 6th August - The Grapes, Stafford

Wednesday 7th August - Warehouse 23, Wakefield

Thursday 8th - Retro Bar, Manchester

Friday 9th August - Swan With Two Necks, Macclesfield

Transistor Q&A

Your name: 

Steve Wishart.

Where are you from?
We are based out of Barrie, Ontario Canada. Which is about a two hour drive north of Toronto.

Name of band:

Transistor.

Who is in your band?

Steve Wishart (lead vocals and guitar)
Chris Nunes (vocals and lead guitar)

Joel Schonewille (drums and percussion)

Don Lindsay (bassist)

How would you describe yourselves?

Original and fun! We mix a driving energy with intricate lyrics to reveal music that is melodic, catchy and heavy. At the core we are a rock band, but we like to put our own spin into it. Originality is a big key to our motivation.

Who are your main influences musically?

You would be hard pressed to find a band with a more diverse selection of influences. Each of us bring a wide array of artists that we enjoy listening to into the group. It helps in defining who we are as a band. Chris has a leaning towards AC/DC and Foo Fighters. Don lends an ear to The Pixies and Bowie. Steve's influences range from Barenaked Ladies, Weezer and The Tragically Hip. Joel enjoys bands such as The Spoons, Nik Kershaw and The Weakerthans.

What do you hope to achieve in music?

To be frank, we really haven't set too many goals. We just like to do what we do and keep on doing it. As long as we get to write music together and enjoy what we do we are happy with it. Ultimately, our goals are no more than writing a song or two that people would enjoy and want to listen to. Each one of our tunes that we write is an achievement to us.

What has been the highlight of your career so far, and why?

We have seen small successes as a band over the years. Just little things here and there, nothing huge, but they are highlights to us. We had our music air in another country (other than Canada) in the UK on Amazing Radio. It was cool just to hear an announcer with an accent introduce our music.
We have also enjoyed the art of doing videos. We've never really had the opportunity to do them before because they have always been expensive to produce. But luckily, prices have come down over time and we have learned a lot about video production ourselves. Our latest video that we produced was for our song Glimpse. We came up with the storyline for it of evil Whale hunters tracking down prey only to have their fortunes turn on them. It is a completely live action/CG mix that was created entirely by the band, with a little help from hiring a friend to do the camera work. The highlight was the video actually got some recognition from the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society. Founder and fellow Canadian, Capt. Paul Watson tweeted after viewing the video that he loved the message it sent. You can view our video for Glimpse by following this link: http://youtu.be/c2eW7W4nXK4

Overall, our best highlights have come from writing strong songs that are timeless. That is where we feel we've had our biggest success.

And what’s the moment you want to forget?

We've been around the block a few times over the years...We've played to full bars and shows all the way to gigs with nobody there. The latter are the times you want to forget, but they help define you, ground you and build character.

If you had to choose just one of your songs to represent your music, what would it be and why?

Wow....the Sophie's Choice question. Hmmm...We have so many tunes that we have written that we love for all kinds of different reasons. To pick one is difficult, especially when each of us all have our own favourites. General consensus with 50% of the band is a song called Forever & Always. We picked it because it encompasses pretty much everything about the band’s writing. There are strong guitars, vocals with harmonies and lyrics that have a great hook. Not to mention it was one of the first songs we wrote together.

Where can we listen to it?

You can find the song on our website available for free download too!

http://www.transistortheband.com/music.html

The direct link to Forever & Always is:

http://transistortheband.com/music_foreverandalways.html

Where can we find out more about your music?

Official Website: Find out all the latest news and info about the band at our official website.
www.transistortheband.com

Facebook: We love to hear from people that enjoy our tunes! Like us on facebook and fire us any questions! We enjoy the social online aspect of connecting our music and band to our fans.

https://www.facebook.com/transistor.music

Twitter: Facebook not your thing? Follow us on Twitter then…

https://twitter.com/transistorband

YouTube: See all our videos and behind the scenes footage of the band!

http://www.youtube.com/user/TransistorTheBand

Reverbnation: Find some rarity performances of acoustic stuff and other miscellaneous band tidbits!

http://www.reverbnation.com/transistor

Anything else you’d like to say about your band that I forgot to ask?

We’ve kinda gone against the grain with our music from a promotion aspect. We want as many people to hear our music and download it as possible. We give it away for FREE download from our website, as thanks for listening! So please feel free to download and share with people! We also love performing live shows and are available for bookings too! If anyone has an event with a performance slot please contact us at info@transistortheband.com

Not too much other than to say thanks for the interview! It was fun and you asked some great questions. Much appreciated!

Black Onassis reveal Brain video

WE told you earlier this month about founding Kasabian member Chris Karloff's new project Black Onassis and gave you a sneak of the track Brain.

If you missed it, clicky here.

A video for that very track has now been released and you can view it below.

Silk Lung remixes David Bronson's Times

WHILE wrapping up the second instalment to his 22-song opus The Long Lost Story, NYC singer songwriter David Bronson has teamed up with Brooklyn beatmaker Silk Lung to revamp Times from his recent debut Story.

You can view the video for the new remix by Silk Lung - aka multi-instrumentalist Jim Orso - above.

Bronson said: "I sent Jim the tracks and his first draft was more or less what you hear on the remix. 

"I was totally psyched, not only because I immediately loved it but also because, while it's obviously a different thing than the original he managed to maintain the essence of the song, sort of the same bones, which I thought was great."

The Long Lost - the follow up to Story - will be released this autumn and is produced by Godfrey Diamond (Lou Reed, Aerosmith).

For more on David, check out the Q&A he did with RealSoundsOK back in January.

New EP from Face The King

LONG Island rockers Face The King have released their new EP The Sound.

The four-track release is a preview to the band's forthcoming full-length.

The tracks on EP include You, Me & The Sound, All The Pretty Things, The Stage and The Science Apart.

You can have a listen to some of those tracks and more below and for more on the band - and plenty of links - check out the Q&A they did with RealSoundsOK back in early June.

Learn how to get your music heard at ReverbNation.com

New album from Clarke and Walker

JOSIENNE Clarke and Ben Walker released their new album Fire and Fortune earlier this week on Navigator Records.

The duo have been receiving some rave reviews from the press in the UK and have just completed tours dates in Germany, the Netherlands and UK.

They met in London in 2009 and have been working together to critical acclaim since, along with the Isambard Folk Award and the FATEA award for Female vocalist of the year. 

Their work together combines an exquisite command of their instruments with lyrics steeped in the tradition of English songwriting, and in ageless stories of love and loss. 

You can get a taste of their sounds with the Pete Flood remix of the title track below and visit www.josienneclarke.co.uk for more information.

Shan releases video for Stay

THIS is the new video for Stay by London-based singer-songwriter Shan.

Born in Shrewsbury, England, the alt-folk artist was heavily influenced as a teenager by the lyrics and vocals of Soundgarden's Chris Cornell.

The track is taken from his four-track EP Waypoint.

For more information on Shan, check out the Q&A he did with RealSoundsOK back in June with plenty of links to discover more.

Spruke Q&A

Your name:
Bill Boulden.

Where are you from?
Buffalo, New York, USA.

Name of band:

Spruke is my name and my main act.

How would you describe yourself?

Spruke is bright, shiny synthpop with light influences of dubstep, chiptunes, 8-bit music, video game music, and industrial. The feel is drowning in lush, warm synths even as the lyrics on top of that are introspective and depressive. There's also definitely a bit of "geek chic" running throughout; there are easter eggs for nerds and gamers hidden invisibly in the lyrics of almost every song.

Who are your main influences musically?

I'm probably most musically influenced by Nine Inch Nails, although I'm far less harsh; vocally & lyrically I am frequently told I am reminiscent of Depeche Mode and the Faint.

What do you hope to achieve in music?

The songs have ever been there as my main hobby, no matter what, and all I've really ever wanted is for them to be heard. I've always been writing melodies, lyrics, beats, since I was a child. I did it back when nobody ever heard them but me and I'm still doing it today, and the only difference today is that when I write a track, ten thousand people can hear it before I go to bed. If anything that just makes me write more, and harder. You know, with authors, you get these... I
mean, Snooki has a book, right? Ghostwritten? And you know that it would not exist if there were not people who would want to read it. Nobody would bother to write something that they think nobody will ever read. But then there's, you know, there's Emily Dickinson, made the beautiful poetry never expecting another soul to set eyes on it, just for herself... I make it today the same as I ever have. It would be there whether the listeners are or not. But all I really wanted is for it to be heard so it gives extra meaning to this thing I'm going to be spending my whole life doing anyway.
Fame and fortune can suck it. I need enough fame that a few dozen people can write me back and warm my heart and say, man, Spruke, that last song really spoke to me and changed how I thought, and enough fortune that I can eat. The rest can take a hike.

What has been the highlight of your career so far, and why?

Probably watching as the "iconic" Spruke song, "Eighty Above or Twenty Below", unlocked all kinds of significant achievements for being an important song in listeners' lives. People have written me telling me that they'e used that song for graduations, funerals, birthdays, dissertations, everything. I couldn't give a shit for "the highlight of my career" being such-or-other show or thing I did or I got to experience. It's about when I hear how I'm influencing the lives of the others.

And what’s the moment you want to forget?

Once, I acted like a hater. Never again!

If you had to choose just one of your songs to represent your music, what would it be and why?

"Bad News" is a three-part track that represents everything Spruke is capable of doing; it's like every kind of song I can write all rolled into one. Orchestral, synth-heavy, rock elements, industrial, dubstep, signature Spruke-style vocals, it's all in there. It's even got Laura Grace in it!

Where can we listen to it?

https://soundcloud.com/spruke/bad-news-pts-i-ii-iii-feat

Where can we find out more about your music?

twitter.com/spruke
facebook.com/spruke
soundcloud.com/spruke
youtube.com/spruke

Anything else you’d like to say about your band that I forgot to ask?

As Spruke, I also do a podcast every week- one hour of DJ-style, through-mixed, smooth flowing electro house. It's called Bump In The Night and it's arrived every Monday morning rain or shine for half a year now. It's hosted by the good people at MTGCast, check it out!

New album out from The Departed

UK hardcore punk outfit The Departed have released their second album - Steal The Crown - through Acuity Music.

The record is a digital-only release and available through all the usual outlets including iTunes.

For more details about the band visit https://www.facebook.com/thedepartedgyhc and you can have a listen to the track Faithless from the new album below.

Strypes debut album out in September

BUZZ band The Strypes are to release their debut album Snapshot on September 9th through Virgin EMI.

The band from Cavan, Ireland, has caused a huge stir since the release of Young, Gifted & Blue - a set of vintage RnB covers - followed by debut single Blue Collar Jane.

That led to a storming set on the BBC Introducing stage at Glastonbury Festival and they are set to tour the UK and Europe with the Arctic Monkeys later this year.

For more information on the band visit http://thestrypes.com/ and check out Blue Collar Jane from that Glastonbury set below.

American Scene to tour UK with Letlive

EAST Bay Californians The American Scene will be supporting LA rockers Letlive on their forthcoming UK tour in October.

It follows the release of their debut album Safe For Now earlier this year, which builds on their previous two EP releases.

The UK dates are:

October 3rd - The Fleece, Bristol www.seetickets.com

October 4th - Talking Heads, Southampton www.seetickets.com

October 5th - Asylum, Birmingham http://tickets.theasylumvenue.co.uk/

October 6th - Cockpit, Leeds www.lunatickets.co.uk

October 7th - Warehouse 34, Newcastle www.ssdconcerts.co.uk

October 9th - NQ Live, Manchester www.seetickets.com

October 10th - The Limelight, Belfast www.ticketmaster.ie

October 11th - Fibber Magees, Dublin www.wavtickets.ie

October 12th - King Tuts, Glasgow www.gigsinscotland.com

October 14th - Rescue Rooms, Nottingham www.alt-tickets.co.uk

October 15th - Clwb Ifor Back, Cardiff www.seetickets.com

October 17th - Electric Ballroom, London www.livenation.co.uk