*Northern State Interview

We will be sitting down with the hilarious girls from Northern State tomorrow before they warm up for Tegan and Sara in Manchester.

Any last minute questions people would like us to ask, we always like hearing from you. Email us at the usual: getglucky@googlemail.com preferably before midnight tonight and we'll try and loop some of your questions in.

Glucky xo

*Need To Know - Bon Iver (Artist)

Every so often when browsing through new music, recommendations from friends, hideous Myspace band requests etc. you find a voice that haunts you, stays with you like an audible shadow. You listen, you get busy doing something else, you listen again...you stop whatever you were doing...and just keep listening.



Bon Iver, from Wisconsin, is one such voice. I don't want to try and describe his voice too much because it will probably do him a disservice, likewise I don't want to try and compare him to anyone, but I will say - a voice that induces heartbreak, hope and serenity all in one is pretty rare in my opinion.

His record, 'For Emma, Forever Ago' is out now and I urge you to take a listen to the few tracks here and then take the next logical step...buy the record.

http://www.sendspace.com/file/uzuag3 - Skinny Love
http://www.sendspace.com/file/m6fgta - Flume
http://www.sendspace.com/file/m929d4 - Creature Fear

He is currently touring the states, check http://www.myspace.com/boniver for full dates.

*T&S Giveaway (WIN)

In light of all the Tegan and Sara interview loving people out there, who by the way we thank for your lovely things said about the interview...


We are giving away ONE ticket to the SOLD OUT show in Manchester this SATURDAY (1st March). Apologies that it is only one ticket, not two, but there will be tons of other people there for the same reason who you can awkwardly stand next to/sing along with.

To win, it is very simple - just use that weapon of wit you so powerfully possess:

If you were to have a Tegan and Sara tribute band what would you call it?

Send all entries by noon on Friday to the usual email: getglucky@googlemail.com

Please include your name, and phone number and we will email you if you have won.

WOO.

xo

*Tegan & Sara Interview

Recorded in January of 2007 with Chris Walla from Death Cab for Cutie, Tegan and Sara's 5th record 'The Con' came out in the states last summer and has finally reached our shores intact and sounding just as good as when we were listening last year. Recorded in Portland and accompanied by a DVD with tons of great footage from the recording process, Tegan and Sara are letting you in, so we hope you're excited.

As we said before we had a great time talking to Tegan in London last Thursday. We hope you enjoy reading as much as we enjoyed talking - say hi to Tegan kids...


*(see video at end)

LG: ‘The Con’ is your fifth record of a career spanning around ten years; do you think at this point people start to identify with either you or Sara more as songwriters?

Tegan: I think so, I mean in general I think our fans are attached to both of us but I certainly think that when it comes down to it certain people are attracted to certain songs. I’m not sure that our entire audience or our fan base actually sits at home and writes out songs like, ‘yes I’m a Tegan fan and I’m much more attracted to the way she writes’ but I think, certainly for the super fans, there’s a distinction between our writing. I like that, I think that’s really good. I mean we’re both writing from different places about different things and you know, we do our best to make it as cohesive as possible but it is two writers in one band. So certainly we don’t take offence when people…like I remember when Ryan Adams called us to ask us to tour with him, he actually called. He said, ‘I love “Underwater” and “I want to be bad” and “Monday Monday Monday”, I mean the whole record is amazing’ and I was just like, ‘yeah those are Sara’s songs, I’m going to give you to Sara’ (laughs) and he did, you know he followed Sara around the whole tour, he covered ‘Not Tonight’ and he was just…a Sara fan and there’s nothing wrong with that.



LG: There are Tegan fans…

Tegan: (laughs) There are a lot of Tegan fans. For some reason, I think because word got out quickly it seems, amongst the super fans, that I was single for the last couple years and it seemed like all of a sudden everybody was crazy about Tegan. So yeah I certainly don’t feel…there’s never been any competition between Sara and I in terms of writing or money or popularity or fans…

LG: SUVs, Hummers?

Tegan: Yeah, exactly, planes, I mean my helicopter is Sara’s helicopter so it’s all good.

LG: Mi casa es su casa.

Tegan: (Laughs) Exactly.

LG: Have you ever written stuff and thought you know what, actually, that’s too personal to share?

Tegan: Generally no, I mean I think that it’s all perception. I was actually pontificating on this last night about how there would be absolutely no way I could do what I do for a living if what I wrote the song about originally was what I was thinking about while I was playing it. So, over the years the song takes on a new meaning for me too just like how it takes on a new meaning depending on where we are and how old the audience is and what the demographic is or the type of story I tell prior to the song, it all changes. So generally when I write a song, if I don’t play it ever again or I don’t want to play it ever again it’s because I actually can’t relate to it anymore. You know? So some of our earlier stuff like literally the first two records, there is very little on it that I relate to and it’s not so much what I’m actually singing about, it’s actually more just the songs themselves, they’re very unbalanced to me. There’s a way that I think about music now that was so much in development there, that it’s very difficult for me to even try and wrap my head around learning to play them again, I literally could not do it you know?

LG: Yeah, I remember reading numerous times that you hate “Superstar”

Tegan: Yeah! It doesn’t make any sense to me, I mean I was in high school, you know 17 years old. It’s not what I’m singing about, the melody is hooky definitely and the production of it on the record is fine but when I actually sit down and try to play it, it’s just outside my box of comprehension at this point. I’m sad for all the people who want to hear it, apparently I promised everyone in Manchester that I was going to play it?

LG: Manchester can be rowdy…

Tegan: Yeah! I know, Sara told me that I’m probably going to get mauled but I don’t know how to play it and I don’t want to!

LG: There’s new stuff…people can…

Tegan: (laughs) Yeah people can get over it.



LG: I read in a previous interview that ‘Burn your life down’ was partly Sara writing and being inspired by stuff that you were going through, is it quite rare that you write about each others state of minds?

Tegan: Well, I think when Sara wrote ‘Burn your life down’ it was definitely a response to a combination of a lot of things that were happening in her life. I was going through this big change and this big break-up but I think what Sara was writing about…I think the distinction that we didn’t make early enough in our careers is that we’re not writing songs necessarily about each other or about our relationships. We’re writing about ourselves and how we feel about certain things, and so I think ‘Burn your life down’ was to do with Sara’s feeling about my break-up and my grandmother had just passed away. My grandparents were together for like 65 years, and it was devastating for our whole family. I mean she was the matriarch; she was the magnet that drew us all together. Our family has not been the same since, I mean there’s just not the same camaraderie without her and I think that song was just starting to scrape the surface of the magnitude of that loss and that represents all relationships - mine was only a 5-year relationship but it was still gigantic, I mean the core of our life was build around that relationship (with their grandmother) and when it ended it was significant for everyone.

LG: The record is pretty dark in some places, and definitely very intense. Do you feel like it’s a necessity as a songwriter to have a dark side to your personality? Or a brooding side?

Tegan: Well I certainly think it’s nice to be a musician to have an outlet for that dark side, I think that was certainly an inspiration for wanting to be what we are, for being driven and passionate about it. I certainly can’t imagine just writing poppy, happy, light songs. I’m not playing music to be rich and famous or to be popular and well liked…

LG: or to have helicopters…

Tegan: Yeah, I mean I think it’s fair that I have a helicopter and a hummer! But no, generally I feel like I’m doing this to have a vehicle to pass on this message, you know, this universal feeling. When we signed our record deal, the guy who signed us, he was a manager who had been managing for decades. He managed Joni Mitchell, Bob Dylan and Neil Young and he said to us, ‘you’re going to be the voice of your generation’ and I did not understand, and thought that’s a lot of pressure and I’m not going to run for president ok…but I understand now what he means. We’re putting in to terms and writing songs that are universal and easily attached to, and by, people who have gone through any sort of anxiety or stressful relationship or heartbreak or loss. So, I think it does encourage our dark side for sure.



LG: Listening to ‘The Con’, I got it back in the summer of last year when it came out in the states because I refused to wait…

Tegan: Good for you, I thought it was silly that people had to wait.

LG: (cont’d) I noticed when I really thought about it that I didn’t ever hear feminine pronouns, is that a conscious decision to not use them or is that just how you write?

Tegan: Yeah, that’s just how I write. I mean I would never put someone’s name in, and I feel almost like by saying she or he I would be limiting the song. I did that on earlier records, I remember ‘My number’ was written about my best friend, who, he like had this intense emotional relationship with me and then he fell in love with me. It was so hard for me, I felt so sad for the loss, and the loss was so gigantic because I was in the midst in a kind of emotional love affair with a friend of his who was a female. The triangle between us was so sad and so hard, and I put a ‘he’ in the song and I hate playing the song now because it’s so hard to explain that to people. Where as if I has just written the song and taken that one word out, the song would make universal sense to everyone. So I think that pronouns, they really do limit the songs for me even, to be able to sing ‘Where does the good go’ you know, 5/6 years later, I can’t be overly specific or else it’s just too much. It’s like that song is about that time and I’m not there anymore so I don’t want to sing that song. Where as if you keep it somewhat general, like if I keep it about myself, it’s very easy to relate it to other things in my own life. So yeah, I don’t think it’s conscious so much as I’m just not attracted to doing it after 3 years of being on the road and playing ‘My Number’ I was like, if I have to sing ‘he’ one more time…(laughs) so I stopped saying he, and for years started saying ‘Keanu’ because ‘My number’ was in the movie he was in! So I was all like, ‘this song is for Keanu’.

LG: You could just put the mic out to the crowd and get them to fill in a word for you?

Tegan: Right exactly? They could figure it out themselves.



LG: The banter between you and Sara is becoming pretty synonymous with you guys as a band, and your fans obviously are very attached to that and to you guys. Have fans ever crossed the line?

Tegan: Sure, I mean it happens from time to time, generally it’s when people have been drinking but (laughs) certainly you don’t have to be a fan of mine to upset me while you’re drinking. You know, there’s moments where I definitely feel like people take it too far and certainly there are nights where I just feel like the audience is so over excited and screaming and crazy and then it’s like ok, great, you want a rock show, we’ll just play, no problem - we can do that. We can do that quite easily, sometimes I’m tired and I don’t want to tell stories, but then you’ve got the smattering of people who aren’t wasted and they’re like ‘Talk! Tell us stories!’ and you’re like, how?! When it’s madness we just rock out and get off the stage. But the stories are really important to us for sure and they’re funny, I mean they are funny! I don’t really know how we do it, we get on stage and we never tell the same stories and we just get up there and start riffing and talking. I like that energy that it creates with the audience for sure, I feel like it creates an intimacy.

LG: I feel like your kind of banter is quite rare but equally sort of… a complete necessity for live shows?

Tegan: I think so too.

LG: I always find it so boring when people just don’t talk at all.

Tegan: Me too, and not a lot of people do. Honestly, sometimes when bands do talk I’m like ugh, no don’t do it. Which I know we do too, we have moments or nights where we’re off too and I’m all like, ‘Ugh Sara, shut the fuck up!’ (Laughs) like stop talking, but then you know, I’ll say that and then everyone laughs and then we’re on a roll and it’s like, well Sara can keep talking because I’ll keep making fun of her!

LG: It’s a sister thing too.

Tegan: I think so…

LG: I make fun of my sister all the time.

Tegan: Right, it would be uncomfortable if it were Ted and I (their guitar player/band-mate) up there. People would probably be like ‘oh poor Ted!’ I think people have moments sometimes when they feel bad for Sara but when Sara gets me good, I mean I laugh! I’ll admit when it’s really funny.



LG: If for some reason you personally couldn’t be a working musician at a point in your life, is there anything else you would want to do?

Tegan: Well I think at this point, there are a lot of things I could do. I mean we’ve been in the industry for 10 years and we’ve managed ourselves for years and I have a high comprehension for everything that’s involved in doing what we do. I think that over the years we’ve definitely been of the school of artists that are very involved. I get cc’d on hundreds of emails everyday from my management and we approve everything, there’s nothing that doesn’t go through our business. So there’s any number of jobs I could do, I could run a merchandising company or be a manager or any of those things. I mean they would all be fine, I certainly see my future as always going to be somewhat music related. But I don’t know, if I had to create a whole new job or profession for my self I don’t know exactly what I would do, maybe write…something else?

LG: Yeah I suppose it’s probably very hard to imagine doing something else when you’ve been doing what you have for so long?

Tegan: It is hard yeah, and because I like it. You know it’s not just like; oh I’ve been at this stupid job for so long I guess ill just stay. It’s more like, I love this job and I’m not sure exactly what I could find to do that would inspire me more.

LG: Do you guys ever go into what your tattoos mean?

Tegan: You know I think the tattoos are kind of like the songs and open to interpretation? I mean certainly almost all of my tattoos have come at significant periods of my life, I generally don’t just get tattooed to get tattooed, I mean I do not get drunk and think, I’m going to get a tattoo! Put a clover on my knee!
But generally they come at the ends of relationships or significant times. Sara’s seem to revolve more around records, like it’s such a big thing. It’s almost like a pilgrimage to leave home for 2 years at a time to go on tour. But the actual meanings of them, I mean, they change for me. You know what I mean? Some of my tattoos are 10 years old, I can’t remember, I’m like, why?…why did I get that! Some of the new ones are so big that I’ll probably never forget getting them done and maybe I’ll already regret them but I can’t really stop you know? I mean I just got two more…

LG: Everyone says it’s pretty addictive

Tegan: It is kind of addictive. Now I’m like, I wish I’d had the foresight to plan them out earlier so now I’m getting two at a time to balance them, like, if I’m going to get this one then I need to get one on the other side exactly the same. I wish I’d done that earlier, because the rest of me feels fucked up now…unbalanced!



LG: What’s your idea of happiness and unhappiness?

Tegan: Well I think the times in my life where I have been happiest I was busy, so I think for me, being productive and having purpose is very important to me. I constantly tell people that having a year off is not as fun as everyone thinks it would be and everyone goes, ‘yeah right’ but that’s because you only ever get 2 or 3 weeks off.

LG: Yeah I wouldn’t think a year off was fun.

Tegan: No…having a year off was very difficult, I got 18 hours a day to think about my life, myself, my purpose, my point in being here and it can be very stressful and overwhelming. So I think the idea of happiness is balance, balance of what you are and who you are and what you need specifically, and I think that part of balancing all that is to have purpose and to be doing something and being productive. I’m OCD, I’m a Virgo, I’m extremely linear and if you just give me a year like, ‘have fun!’ I just go ‘aaahh what do I do?!’

LG: Fly the helicopter?

Tegan: Yeah! Well, I did that for like a month but you know…

LG & Tegan: Boring!


*All live photos and video © Get Glucky - please do not use elsewhere without permission.



(We are trying to rescue the sound but our Macbook might have betrayed us. For all those non lip readers out there Tegan is just saying a quick hello, "Hi everyone, I'm Tegan from Tegan and Sara and we're here in London. You're reading my interview with Get Glucky

*Tegan & Sara update

So the last week has been a little bit mental. Manic. Crazy. All of the above? Tick. But.. every adjective I have just used I mean in the best way possible. We have ridden on more trains, been to more cities and listened to more music than time should allow.



On Thursday morning we had a lovely interview with Tegan Quin from Tegan and Sara. If you're a regular reader of this blog you will know that we think extremely highly of these ladies and therefore were very grateful to be able to shoot the breeze with Tegan for a little while...

We will post the interview Monday morning so please enjoy it, we hope you like it. If you're a member on their message boards or fan-sites etc. feel free to link to our site.

We'll also have a tour diary report on the lovely Quins, which will be up early in the week; Brighton, Leeds, Manchester & London, Glucky has it covered.

Phewf. Ok. Sleep.

xox

*Dizzee Rascal @ Academy 1, Manchester (Live)

You've gotta hand it to Dizzee Rascal. It's not like the UK can boast many MCs who've managed to a) cross over to the states b) put out consistently well received albums and collaborate with indie stars without confusing anyone oh and c) consistently pack out rooms, but he has done all of the above.


With recent collaborations with the Arctic Monkeys, Dizzee Rascal has drifted slowly into the indie scene and has been accepted more than ever before. This perhaps helps to explain the extreme diversity of the crowd packed in to the room to see him play tonight.. you had the hip-hop heads, the indie boys, the overly made up girls. Everyone was out to play. Even that one random girl who is clearly on pills and keeps mindlessly twirling and bumping in to everyone.

DJ Semtex warmed up for him and I must admit, while my hip-hop days have kind of faded in to the background of my musical taste, Semtex was amazing. Not because of any particularly unique DJ-ing skill but more the selection he chose, if it was a great hip-hop song in the last 20 years it's likely that Semtex spun it.

Dizzee Rascal came out to rapturous cheering and craziness, the crowd was most definitely live and ready to lose it, even if only for the big songs. He had the usual hype man with him (never sure what they're for? They just shout every other word in to a mic) but he did not distract from Dizzee's infectious songs. I've seen him once before and was slightly disappointed as it felt like he shouted everything but this time was much better, words were articulated, beats were crazy. Everything you need in a hip-hop show. Predictably there were certain songs that received extra noise, Sirens, I Luv U, Old Skool, Jus' a Rascal and classic Dizzee tune, Fix Up, Look Sharp. It's clear that some of his material is a lot stronger than others, and there were lulls in the craziness but he paced his set perfectly and near the end dropped the new-ish song 'Temptation' with The Arctic Monkeys (collaboration.. they weren't there. It's ok. Calm down.) All night the bass was the kind that resonates inside your chest, makes you thankful for your youth or your heart would probably be having a fit. So Dizzee impressed his varied audience and from the sound of the cheers the audience impressed him.

*Alessi/Alan Pownall/Naked & The Boys @ The Social, London

The lovely Chess Club boys put on another fantastic gig last night at the Social in London and of course Glucky was there. First up was Alan Pownall, but this was an all together different Alan than the one we had seen at the Globe a few nights before (see review). Tonight Alan was playing with a band made up of Marcus and Ted, both from Mumford and sons, and it really made a difference. His confidence was apparent and deservedly so, the drums and double bass really added to what were already strong songs. Colourful day is still the standout song but we are beginning to see why the Major label offers are beginning to come in for "Tatler's most eligible bachelor"...we're not joking.

Next up were Naked and the Boys, fresh off the Young and Lost club tour supporting Noah and the Whale. We have seen NatB a few times and are always impressed with the level of energy these guys perform with. This set was no different. The single "If you find love" comes out on Young and Lost on March 3rd.

As we were waiting for the headline act to start, a very shy girl took the stage and picked up a guitar. She looked almost embarrassed to be on the stage but started singing songs anyway. It was at this point we realised she WAS the headline act. This was Alessi, who we had heard lots about but had never had a chance to see play live before. Alessi is just 17 and has been playing live for over a year. She is signed to EMI and even had Conor 'Bright Eyes' Oberst produce her album. Without being too dramatic, we were blown away by Alessi. Her haunting voice was even better live than on the great recordings, and she was just so damn...adorable!

The look of shock on her face when the crowd asked for an encore was priceless as she said it had never happened before. We know she wasn't lying as she had no clue what to play as an encore, so she did what any teenage girl would do, and asked her dad who was watching from the back.

Alessi is really set for big things and look for a nationwide tour coming later this year.

*Land Of Talk Interview

We sat down with Elizabeth Powell, the lead singer of Montreal, Super Bad-Ass (they didn't say that, we did) band, Land Of Talk after their first night warming up for Asobi Seksu in London. It was an awesome set even though they only had time for a handful of songs, there was even a pool in the basement of the venue, so of course the interview went swimmingly. Wasn't that just the most awful attempt at a pun you've ever heard?

Thankfully, Elizabeth from Land Of Talk was extremely entertaining and we didn't attempt any cringe-worthy puns...


LG: So I know Land Of Talk has had quite a few changes in the line-up?

Lizzie, Land Of Talk: Oh my god, yeah.

LG: How did it come to be at its current line-up that it is now?

LOT: A lot of hoping and praying! And Brian materialized (their new drummer). Brian came on for the first time this tour. He’s really good friends with my boyfriend and I knew he was a killer drummer.

LG: He makes the best drumming faces I’ve ever seen in my life!

LOT: They’re legendary! He played in a band called ‘Immature Love’ and the front man Josh Scott was pretty incredible to watch as it is and they’re this legendary band, anyway people were fighting within themselves because they didn’t know who to watch, the lead singer or Brian. But he’s fucking awesome.

LG: He looks like a kid high on a lot of sugar.

LOT: (Laughs) I’ve never seen him! I was just so excited, I wasn’t even looking at his face, I was just so excited that he was working out and that he wasn’t a...fucking loser! Just like, you never know. The bottom could fall out at any moment so you just have to hope that people have got your back. But Brian is totally great.

LG: I had a bottle of champagne to bring you guys to celebrate the first night of the tour for you but I left it at home because I thought the interview wasn’t happening!

LOT: You did not!! You brought a bottle of champagne, are you serious? That’s just beautiful!

LG: Well it’s not here..

LOT: Who cares it never tastes as good as the idea of it. That’s just beautiful thank you!

LG: So where does the name Land Of Talk actually come from?

LOT: Funnily enough, it’s not like this anymore but it used to be that I would talk all the time about ‘oh the band that I’m going to do’ but then I’d realise, there was a café that we always used to hang out in, in Montreal where people were always working on a novel or people who were just like ‘I’m going to do this’ so it was the whole all talk no action thing. Even on a larger scale when I started researching ‘Land Of Talk’ I think somebody said ‘oh I’m just working on a novel’ which funnily enough he’s doing his novel now and one of the chapters is called ‘Land Of Talk’ because it was with him that we were talking on the phone one day and I said, ‘Oh who knows in this land of talk’ and he was like ‘that should be your band name!’ and I was like ‘yeah you’re fucking right it should be’ (laughs). But it was the whole idea of just talking, I realised I could wake up when I’m 87 and not have done any of this, so it was a good motivator. But now it’s all do, no..

LG: Sleep?

LOT: No nothing!

LG: Did you always want to do music?

LOT: Yeah, always mostly music. Otherwise it was figuring out how to help people out of their own shitty mindsets. I used to work with developed mental delay children, usually I dealt with like 7 year olds or people who were 14 but had the mental capacity of a 7 year old. I did that before I did music full time and I always still.. I would do that in a second if I had the opportunity. I would love that I think that’s awesome. But I was always musically inclined and involved.

LG: It’s pretty interesting to go from something like that to music though, they’re pretty different?

LOT: Kinda the same thing though, do you know what I mean? Like you’re dealing with people who are often suffering from something that is obstructing them from behaving normally and I just find in this industry you find a whole bunch of people who are fucking themselves up, I mean they weren’t born fucked up but you’re still dealing with the same bizarre tendencies or like aggressiveness or self-loathing so you can kind of use the same tactics. You know, calming people, speaking, use your words! Don’t hit, use your words.

LG: Don’t smash guitars. Put down the crack pipes etc. We’re not doing too well on the drug front here (Winehouse etc.)

LOT: Love Winehouse.

LG: I know right? Really don’t want anything bad to happen to her.

LOT: She’s going to be ok.

LG: Maybe you should talk to her?

LOT: (Laughs) Maybe we should hang out. By the way I’m not even attempting to imply that I have no problems! But no I love Amy, I was watching her on the Grammys and her mom was with her. She looked happy; I think the sooner people leave her alone the sooner she’ll get better. When she’s on she’s super on.

LG: Do you feel like the current musical focus on Canada, because everyone seems to be having an obsession with Canada…

LOT: yeah it’s weird.

LG: I totally have it too.

LOT: that’s awesome.



LG: (cont’d) do you feel like it helps you as a band or is there a pressure to live up to anything?

LOT: I don’t feel any pressure, I feel like the only pressure is things like getting to the flight on time and all the stress of just… shit! But in terms of all that I don’t think that anybody is aware of it.

LG: Are people not really aware how much other people are interested in Canadian music right now?

LOT: No, I don’t think so. Come to more shows please! Prove it! It takes so much to get over here that we rely on people to come to the shows. It’s like if you have the choice of seeing a local band or a foreign band on one night, go see the foreign band!
That whole Decemberists tour… was a disaster. But we made the best of it.

LG: Yeah I heard about that. That sucked.

LOT: I mean it was ok, because I think it was so hard, it sucked so hard that everything else now is so nice. Everything feels perfect, ‘oh we got lost’ like who cares. That tour was so shitty; I don’t think anything could be shittier.

LG: I don’t want to harp on it because it was so negative and it’s in the past but..

LOT: Oh no no, go ahead

LG: (cont’d) so did they literally just cancel the tour without telling you guys?

LOT: Yep totally. Now I got an email three weeks after I was being kind of negative about The Decemberists, I got an email from them explaining everything more or less. Because we did press that whole week that the tour was cancelled and we were obviously pissed off and I don’t think I’ll ever be able to get used to losing that much money…it’s not like we’re on a huge label. You get tour support, they front it, but then you have to pay it all back. Personally I was really fucking pissed off. Just as a personal thing, like human-to-human, in terms of mutual respect and common decency, a lot was left to be desired. They have their own shit to deal with that I understand fully and I would never wish that on anyone, it wasn’t about why they cancelled it was just about how they did it. I’m sure that probably fell on the tour managers shoulders, he dropped the ball and I can only understand that if we were in that situation and had to fly home immediately for something… that’s why you have a tour manager. If anything, I have nothing nice to say about their tour manager.

LG: Is it true that your record ‘Applause, Cheer, Boo, Hiss’ was done in a really short time and not on a lot of money?

LOT: $1000 yeah. I borrowed $1000 from my mom and I just paid her back 8 months ago, like I finally had enough money to spare it. I was like here take it mom, and she said ‘but you’re still poor’ and I just explained that (laughs) if she didn’t take it now there was never going to be another window! The new album that we just recorded isn’t as low-hi and I’m glad.

LG: Is the second one going to take a while to come out over here?

LOT: I have a lot of inside secret information! Because we just got out of our Canadian deal, that was the one thing that might have been stopping us from releasing it in June but we’re now aiming for like a May or June release. I think we’re coming back in April though to tour again, and in the summer too.

LG: Damn, I think I’m in Canada in the summer. June and July.

LOT: June we’ll be touring Canada..

LG: I’ll be there.

LOT: Yeah! Done.

LG: You recently covered Wintersleep ‘Weighty Ghost’…

LOT: Yeah! Do you know Wintersleep?!

LG: Yeah, I love them.

LOT: Ok good! They’re totally awesome.

(Cue massive conversational diversion about future tours, fears of flying, starting up a cruise ship band because of the un-enjoyable routine of flying, Lizzie’s joke side band cRap your pants with her manager (find it on their myspace page), Brian the drummer walking in and us telling him about his amazing drum faces and Wintersleep)

LG: (cont’d) are there any songs by other artists/bands you wish you’d written?

LOT: Yeah, actually. That’s really funny we’re going to record a cover tomorrow for a compilation for a magazine. But they asked us to do something danceable but not dancey? The only thing I could come up with was, do you remember Aaliyah, she died some years ago? Rest in peace

LG: Yeah in the plane crash.

LOT: She has this song that was on the Doctor Doolittle soundtrack called ‘Are You That Somebody’?

LG: That’s an amazing song!

LOT: So guess what, tomorrow we’re going to cover that song! Because I used to sing it at home by myself recording it on a 4 track but you know it’s like ‘DIRTY SOUTH’…

LG: Are you going to have a Timbaland?

LOT: I think I want to cut that part out and then the part where he’s like ‘YO’ and does his part; I’m just going to do a weird noise guitar solo. But I just can’t wait to be like (Lizzie starts singing) ‘Boyyy I’ve been watching you like a hawk in the sky, like I…’ So that’s not a song I wish I wrote but I’m really glad I’m covering it. But then there are lots of other songs that I wish I wrote.



LG: After ‘Speak To Me Bones’ do you know what the next single is going to be from the record?

LOT: I don’t know if we’re going to do another single because I think we’re just going to release the next album…

LG: You didn’t play my favourite song tonight

LOT: What’s your favourite?

LG: All My Friends.

LOT: Oh yeah, because we don’t have a third guitar but once we’re bringing back Asobi Seksu’s guitarists, so we’ll have 3 guitars for a couple shows…

LG: When will those be?

LOT: Wanna come to Paris?

LG: Sure!

LG: The benefits of touring I think are sometimes more obvious that the negatives to people who don’t ever tour?

LOT: The downside of touring is that shit can fall through last minute, like you’re relying on other people until you are of the level at which you can be calling the shots and booking your own tours, you’re constantly at the mercy of supporting other bands. I think it’s happened for every tour I’ve ever done; something falls through and you just have to roll with it. My brother’s best friend’s father who just passed away, his favourite quote and life motto was ‘The most important F word in life is Flexibility’ so I’m gonna stop saying fuck so much. I have to learn to be very, very flexible.

LG: Is it ever hard to feel a sense of belonging in one place when you’re away and on the road so much?

LOT: Not anymore, it used to be that way but I think you just get used to it. I think whenever I used to get to hotels or venues and you’d just be in a room, I wouldn’t really talk to anyone but now I make much more of an effort to talk to people etc. and feel more at ease. You just have to switch your expectations and what your criteria for home is has to change a little. Just lose the expectation of feeling settled. Just expect to be in somewhere new everyday.

LG: My last question… not even really a proper question but what is this about your mom being a female alligator wrestler?

LOT: You know what that was a big mistake to put that on the MySpace because it is true, and really, not to make it seem like you’re not asking an original question! But now every single interview brings it up!

LG: Ok, then let’s change it up. Ignore the alligator thing, and tell us something random and new that’s not on the MySpace.

LOT: (laughs) Ok, my mom’s just cool so I’m going to stay in that vein. Now my mom is running for prime minister.

LG: Is her campaign about how she used to be an alligator wrestler?

LOT: Actually she’s never talked about that but that could come up! But she’s really ingrained in the campaign; she’s trying to be the leader of the Green Party.

LG: Well we are totally done here!

LOT: Ah, it was nice! That was so pleasant!

*Tegan & Sara - Norwegin Interview

*Tellison @ Freebutt, Brighton (Live)

Here at Get Glucky we don't like to make bold sweeping statements, but it is safe to say Tellison are one of the best bands in the UK and surely anyone who thinks otherwise has obviously not heard them. For this very reason we travelled down to Brighton for the first date on their small 14 date tour.

The tour, with Furthest Drive Home and The Maple State, has a rotating headline act and Tellison just so happened to be on first.

The set started at a fast pace with album opener "Hanover (start clapping)" and apart from the tuning between songs, didn't slow down until it finished with a raucous performance of Reader.

We were also treated to a new song called "A Little Kitten" which proved that these guys still have more to give. Quite why Tellison haven't achieved the level of success they deserve yet is beyond us, but mark our words, it WILL happen.

*Tegan & Sara @ Fopp, London (Live/Instore)

Even though we've had Tegan and Sara blaring through our headphones for the last few years for some bizzaro reason we've never been able to see them live. Of course the big tour is coming up but when we got wind of this London in-store we wanted to go along and shout/clap/throw some love their way. They sounded fantastic, performing; The Con, Back In Your Head, Dark Come Soon, Where Did The Good Go and Walking With A Ghost. We'd also just like to take the time in print to say that the recent NME review of 'The Con' was one of the worst, not to mention laziest, pieces of journalism we have seen in a while. So yeah. BOO NME.

Pictures will be to follow but for now here are some videos that some eager beaver has already posted:







Performances of 'The Con' and 'Walking With A Ghost'

*Update

Phewf ok so it's been a freakishly busy weekend while we were down in London. We still owe you the Land Of Talk interview which is coming, the AOL server has been down for the last two days (super helpful when you do things ONLINE) so we've not been able to get on but now we are (fingers crossed) back.

So yes back to updates,

*Land Of Talk Interview
*Tegan and Sara @ Fopp, London (sorry we didn't write this up beforehand but we found out very last minute.)

and we are very very excited that we have an interview with Tegan and Sara on Thursday (If I keep travelling back and forth to London so much I feel there should be train miles like air miles, seriously it's not funny how much money is wasted on train tickets.)

We have a short time slot with them but have some questions that we think are pretty decent and can't wait to talk with them.

And...

*Dizzee Rascal @ Academy, Manchester is happening tomorrow night and we will be there with the best trainers on we can find. Then later on in the week we have Tegan and Sara live in Brighton and Band Of Horses live up in Manchester. Phewf, we're gonna need a week long coma sleep soon.

P.S GLUCKY IS GOING TO BONNAROO. Excitement demonstrated.

x

*Alan Pownall/Davie Fiddle/Mumford & Sons @ The Globe, London (Live)

The Globe in Notting Hill London, not exactly the venue you'd expect to find a blossoming folk/singer-songwriter night. The Globe is Jamaican at heart, the bright colours on the wall only those in the Jamaican flag, the reggae pumping out of the speakers and the laid back vibe runs all the way through.

Yet tonight it is hosting three fine young sets of men:

Alan Pownall

Davie Fiddle

Mumford & Sons


Alan Pownall played solo, although was backed up on one track by Marcus Mumford. His voice is hard to place... but definitely pleasing.
Our Recommendation - Colorful Day
http://www.sendspace.com/file/mvzc3f

Davie Fiddle was second up, and this was my first time seeing him. He impressed me greatly, with a simple guitar and string arrangement his stuff is truly haunting, and the violin/fiddle makes it echo in the mind for hours after. It for some reason, reminds me of Irish music that has crashed into a London voice. It's not unhappy music however, and brought nice warm and fuzzy feelings to our belly. His recordings don't quite do his live performance justice but we're ofcourse going to give you one.
Our Recommendation - Chasing Reason
http://www.sendspace.com/file/u4jcp0

Mumford and Sons have been mentioned a few days ago, and are such a bright new talent. Again infused with folk the band uses guitars, banjos, double bass and keys and is finally topped by Marcus's stunning voice. Really. The Voice. We love it. The song we've given you is pretty darn stunning, in our opinion anyway. Not for those whose hearts break easily.
Our Recommendation - White Blank Page
http://www.sendspace.com/file/bibclv

With a packed crowd, singing all the lyrics back, crammed into a tiny Jamaican bar. You can't beat those kind of gigs.

*Land Of Talk Interview

....will be coming at you Sunday/Monday.

We had a lovely time with Elizabeth from Land Of Talk last night (they were supporting Asobi Seksu @ ULU, London) mainly because she is lovely. From what I remember the interview was really good too. Oh and the set was amazing.

We will tell you all about the it and deliver the interview to your hungry little eyes on Sunday.

Enjoy your weekend you youthful bunch.

Glucky xx

*Laura Marling - Piccadilly Records (Instore)

We do enjoy instores. Intimacy is always nice.




Our latest expedition was to go see Laura Marling debuting some songs from her new record, "Alas, I Cannot Swim". We are already completely going steady with the record but seeing it performed in a smaller setting before things take off big time is always nice.

We have already reviewed the album, but in case your fingers are feeling horribly lazy and you want some quick advice; check out from the album:

Cross Fingers
Ghosts
Tap At My Window
Captain & The Hourglass
Failure
My Manic & I

Pictures? Yes Please!

*Need To Know - Mumford And Sons (Band)

For fans of Laura Marling, Johnny Flynn, Noah & The Whale and generally boys with very nice voices and folkie rhythms.



Marcus plays in Laura Marling's band, but when we heard his voice with hers we suspected his own band would be rather wonderful. We were right.

http://www.sendspace.com/file/ulq17i - White Blank Page (Beautiful song, take the time to listen, you won't be sad you did)

http://www.sendspace.com/file/x6do19 - Roll Away Your Stone

They have some shows coming up:

Feb 15 2008 8:00P
The Globe w/ Alan Johnson (pownall) London
Feb 18 2008 8:00P
COUNTRY WINSTON DJ SET @ CHESS CLUB The Social London
Feb 21 2008 8:00P
Huckster Club @ Water Rats London
Feb 27 2008 8:00P
MI7 Warehouse Party w/ King Charles (and Alan Pownall) London
Feb 28 2008 7:00P
Bloody Awful Poetry @ Old Queens Head London
Feb 29 2008 7:30P
Hoodoo Hop @ The Troubadour London
Mar 24 2008 8:00P
Soho Revue Bar London

We will be at the one tomorrow night, Land Of Talk and Mumford and Sons in one evening. Gosh we're feeling spoilt.

Glucky x

*KT Tunstall/Billy Bragg - HMV London (Instore)

Billy Bragg and KT Tunstall @ hmv 150 Oxford Street, London.

Billy Bragg and KT Tunstall will be performing a small live set. To announce the result of The Best Ever British Album vote, HMV have teamed up with Q Magazine to bring a special musical celebration of British music across 50 years.

150 Oxford Street on Monday 18th February at 1pm

We will see you there!

Glucky x

*Ellen Page - Black Tambourine (Video)

From the movie 'The Tracey Fragments' but pretty much the best thing we've seen on the internet this week.

*Need To Know - Wintersleep (Band)

Wintersleep will probably be no strangers to many a Canadian, but I wanted to put them up here because most people I have been speaking to about them look utterly confused when I mention them.

Although they have had two albums previously (Untitled & Self-Titled). On October 2, 2007, they released their third full-length album, Welcome to the Night Sky. This is the record that I am currently completely besotted with. For anyone who knows them already but doesn't own 'Welcome To The Night Sky' some of it is quieter, and more gentle then their previous stuff but no less hard hitting.

Taken from their bio:

"Following the release of their 2005 self-titled sophomore album, Wintersleep spent months on the road touring through Canada, America and Europe. Upon return to their native Halifax, the band enlisted the ear of veteran producer Tony Doogan (Mogwai, Belle & Sebastian and Super Furry Animals), and hid themselves in studio for April and May of 2007. It was during this time that the ten tracks of Welcome... grew into their final stunning form.

Each song in its own way points to the fact that sometimes looking too hard reveals things best left unseen. But still, hope grows beneath these sable clouds and distant stars, and a light that looms beyond them all. Until then, welcome to the night sky..."

*Glucky Recommends*
- Weighty Ghost
- Drunk On Aluminum
- Dead Letter & The Infinite Yes
- Archaeologists
- Laser Beams

and the lovely video for 'Weighty Ghost'



www.wintersleep.com
myspace.com/wintersleep

*Amy Winehouse - Grammys (Video)

She actually seems back on form, fingers crossed it lasts. For any of you who missed the Winehouse Grammy performance... enjoy.

*Fergie - Funny OR Die (Video)

Well lookie here, Fergie has a 100% intact sense of humor...

*Land Of Talk - UK/European Dates (Tour)

The dates were changed a couple times due to scheduling issues but these are the final confirmed dates kids. Get your tickets now! See you at ULU..

with Asobi Seksu…
15 Feb – London ULU

Headlining…
25 Feb – London The Fly

with Menomena…
27 Feb – London Kings College
28 Feb – Nottingham Rescue Rooms
29 Feb – Dublin Sugar Club
1 March – Liverpool Korova
2 March – Bristol Thekla

*Update

We are in the process of moving.. (physically not on the internet) which is why new things are not coming out thick and fast but 'lay back and relax your mind' and we should be moved in by the weekend during which we will present you with a hoard of new goodies. For example; the funny interview with Noah & The Whale we did last night. Funny guys.

p.s a tip, don't collect random things like 7" vinyls, they are a pain in the ass when you have to move!

Glucky x

*Bonnaroo - 2008 Line-Up

It's pretty sick, not quite as good as Coachella in total but we wanna go.

* Pearl Jam
* Metallica
* Jack Johnson
* Kanye West
* Robert Plant and Alison Krauss featuring T-Bone Burnett
* Phil Lesh & Friends
* My Morning Jacket
* The Allman Brothers Band
* The Raconteurs
* Willie Nelson
* Death Cab for Cutie
* B.B. King
* Sigur Ros
* Levon Helm and the Ramble on the Road
* Ben Folds
* O.A.R.
* The Bluegrass Allstars Featuring Luke Bulla, Sam Bush, Jerry Douglas, Bela fleck, Edgar Meyer & Brya
* M.I.A.
* Umphrey's McGee
* Iron & Wine
* Yonder Mountain String Band
* The Swell Season
* Talib Kweli
* Derek Trucks & Susan Tedeschi Soul Stew Revival
* Gogol Bordello
* Broken Social Scene
* Rilo Kiley
* Mastodon
* Lupe Fiasco
* Against Me!
* Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings
* Pat Green
* Ozomatli
* Tegan & Sara
* Solomon Burke
* Drive-By Truckers
* !!!
* The Avett Brothers
* Israel Vibration
* Abigail Washburn & The Sparrow Quartet featuring Bela Fleck
* Robert Randolph's Revival
* Aimee Mann
* Ladytron
* The Fiery Furnaces
* Orchestra Baobab
* Ghostland Observatory
* Jose Gonzalez
* Dark Star Orchestra
* Minus the Bear
* Donavon Frankenreiter
* Lez Zeppelin
* State Radio
* Battles
* Jakob Dylan
* Two Gallants
* The Sword
* Vampire Weekend
* Little Feat
* Nicole Atkins
* The Felice Brothers
* Mason Jennings
* MGMT
* The Lee Boys
* Black Kids
* Serena Ryder
* Steel Train
* Grupo Fantasma
* Back Door Slam
* Bonnaroo Late Night Chat About with David Cross
* Janeane Garofalo
* Zach Galifianakis
* Jim Norton
* Brian Posehn
* Mike Birbiglia
* John Mulaney
* Michelle Buteau

*Laura Marling - Alas, I Cannot Swim (Album)

Laura Marling has been honing her craft for a while, even though she hasn't yet reached 18 (she's 17). She often says she can't stand to play her earlier songs because they were written in somewhat silly 'teenage folly'. But her debut album, one of my most anticipated of 2008, is written and performed with a remarkable maturity.



Offered in both regular CD form and the impressive 'songbox' (more expensive but comes with beautiful artwork, postcards, wrapping paper, a game, fold out paper patterns and more - truly magic) it is one of the most creative ways to release a record if you're steering clear of the Radiohead route.

I'm avoiding talking about tracks; 'Ghosts' 'Night Terror' and 'My Manic & I' purely because we have already gone in to them when reviewing her EP, but the album, oh the album!

The album is one of subtle diversity, intense lyrical content and beautiful melodies. It delivers both darkness and boldness in equal measures. She invokes a Bob Dylan esque spirit on 'Tap At My Window', a song that like many of hers, appears sweet on the surface until you pay closer attention and realize they are some pretty dark undertones, her songs rarely ending on a cheerful note. With other singers this could get old, but there is something so convincing about Marling.
Maybe because she makes no apologies for the more solemn side of her personality or maybe because she has revealed fairly few details about herself, either way it makes a stunning debut. Songs like, 'Failure' reveal empathy for someone whose path has not gone quite the way it should have, "He used to be a singer in a rock 'n' roll band, he would write the songs and I'd tremble at his hand" and later in the song, "just be glad you'll smile again, because so many don't".

On, 'You're No God' she picks up the pace with a freight train rhythm, 'Cross Fingers' sees her voice take a more wistful direction, becoming softer and yet equally as poignant. 'Crawl Out Of The Sea' takes on a lovers ballad of times past, while 'Captain & The Hourglass' retains a truly haunted-at-sea quality, "My friends, they don't really get me, think i'm the only one. Well I sold my soul to Jesus and since then I've had no fun."

There is something to treasure with each song on this album, its clear Marling endless questions surrounding religion, love, devotion, tolerance and maybe just life in general. She may not get the answers to her questions but she should deservedly have packed out rooms when she decides to ask these lyrical questions in front of an audience.

8½/10

*The Bird & The Bee - One Too Many Hearts (EP)

the bird and the bee are releasing a new EP, One Too Many Hearts EP, on February 12th especially for Valentine’s Day!



Give a listen to the first track on the One Too Many Hearts EP, “Birthday” below...

QuickTime:
http://bluenote.edgeboss.net/qtime/bluenote/thebirdandthebee_audio/onetoomanyhearts/01_birthday.mov

Windows Media:
http://bluenote.edgeboss.net/wmedia/bluenote/thebirdandthebee_audio/onetoomanyhearts/birthday.asx

Real Player:
http://bluenote.edgeboss.net/real/bluenote/thebirdandthebee_audio/onetoomanyhearts/birthday.ram

The video for 'Polite Little Dance Song'



"The past year has been an eventful one for the bird and the bee, the Los Angeles band made up of singer Inara George and multi-instrumentalist/producer Greg Kurstin. The Los Angeles Times named them one of “10 Bands on the Horizon for 2007” and their self-titled debut, a deliciously subversive indie-pop album, was released in January to rave reviews. The New Yorker called it “a sure delight” and Rolling Stone described their distinct sound as “audible sunshine.” Their music could be heard on shows like Grey’s Anatomy, and they toured throughout the United States, Europe and Japan, both as a headliner and opening band for such artists as Lily Allen, Sia and Rilo Kiley.

Always enchanting, the bird and the bee are now releasing the One Too Many Hearts EP just in time for Valentine’s Day. The four-song EP includes three new songs by the duo: “Birthday”, “The Last Day Of Our Lives”, which Inara George describes as “kind of a flower child-funk/Serge Gainsbourg-thing”, and “Come As You Were”.

The EP’s closer, “Tonight You Belong to Me” is a duet sung by George and Gus Seyffert (a multi-instrumentalist who has toured with the band playing guitar and autoharp). The song was originally written in 1926 and was most famously made a Country hit by Dottie West in 1977 and later performed as a duet by Bernadette Peters and Steve Martin in the 1979 film The Jerk."

*Johnny Flynn Interview

We caught up with Johnny (and a few of his band mates) in their dressing room before their show at The Ruby Lounge in Manchester...


So I was just saying before the interview started that I’d seen you play at quite a few small London gigs
The Lock Tavern yeah.

So you’ve been a regular on the London gig scene for a while now, does it feel great to finally be on your headlining full UK tour?
Yeah it does, it’s our first headline tour. We did a couple of support tours last year with Jack Penate and Iron & Wine. But yeah it’s really nice, it’s nice having your own crowds and being able to get the sound right for us, those sort of technical things are great. It’s quite an exciting time, we’ve got an album that’s coming out really soon and it’s all about to happen, having spent loads of time together the songs are tighter than they have been so it’s good.

Were the crowds good at Jack Penate/Iron & Wine?
Yeah it was really good; I don’t think we had a bad gig. We didn’t feel like we were received badly at all but they were quite diverse and I wouldn’t even say that we were somewhere in the middle of those too because we’re sort of another thing all together.

So were you learning or performing with instruments from quite an early age?
Sort of yeah, I started learning the violin at 6 and then went to a music school and picked up the piano but now I’m also playing banjo and mandolin but I’m teaching myself.

So you’ve finished recording the full album now? Where did you record it?
Yeah it’s all finished now, we recorded in Seattle, well just outside of Seattle, in this amazing barn called Bear Creek studios. It’s run by this guy Ryan, and he’s been building up this studio over the last 30 years. We lived above the main recording room and just didn’t see daylight for about 5 or 6 weeks, we just lived in that space and got really into the music.

Was there anything in particular that made you not want to record it in the UK?
Not really, I guess I don’t really feel like I’m from anywhere. Our music has references from Britain and America and other places so it doesn’t feel like we have to stick here and make a ‘home-grown’ record. We met this guy who we really wanted to do it with, we did one song with him and we didn’t even feel like we got that song particularly right but I knew for me, he would be another creative entity within what we were. He didn’t try and mould our sound or change what we did he just knew how to technically record what we had already worked out, and make it the best that it could be. He had loads of really cool old mics and tube amps so it was great for that.

If you can narrow it down what would you say inspires your song writing most?
Sometimes its very specific situations or reactions and feelings, reading about some story that triggers some kind of recognition, some experience I’ve had or more just an overwhelming need to praise my friends, I feel like I learn a lot from the people I’m around. It’s so broad, it could be going to an art gallery, the need to create I think is in everyone and sometimes it just comes out. The most inspiring feeling is quite often writing the words, seeing it all come together, playing around with a riff or a melody.

So you tend to write lyric before melody?
Yeah, very rarely do I come up with what I think would be a very good tune and then thought well what does that mean for the words. Sometimes its just one phrase, or a chorus first, it tends to come more immediately than the melody. It’s really important to have strong and true lyrics, usually I have a few notebooks full of verse that I’ve written and if I find a good melody I can usually just piece together things from my writing.

Your music is more or less considered contemporary country/folk but do you think there is a lack of that kind of music within the British music scene?
No, I guess because we’re put on the bill with bands like that quite a lot it seems like there are loads of people doing it. I mean it can feel claustrophobic, like there are too many but there are actually only a few that I really rate…

Who are they?
There are different people that I like for different reasons, the anti-folk scene in America like Jeffrey Lewis.

Yeah I sold merch for him once in New York he’s great.
Yeah I really think he’s amazing, so true. I really like some of the English people too; Noah and The Whale are really good. There’s so many folkies and I actually feel that anyone who has attached themselves that scene as a named scene a few years ago did themselves a disservice because scenes go in and out of fashion and really music doesn’t deserve to be on that level, it is what it is and it changes. People should be allowed to do different things.

Are there other contemporary artists who people would maybe be surprised you listened to?
Yeah probably, I like some hip-hop and Joe who’s in the band and plays cello, makes and listens to a lot of electronic music and makes jungle so we’d go to drum and bass nights and stuff like that. I think Jamie T is pretty good, I don’t really see music in genres though which I feel is a healthy thing if I may say so. It's just people doing what’s right for them.

Queue lots of random irrelevant banter about Jeffrey Lewis…and then back to the interview...

So you’re playing south by south west in the states this year right?
I think we might not be anymore; it’s a sore subject! It’s a money issue mainly.

You’ve spent time in the states before, when you were discovering some of the New York anti-folk scene, were you living there?
No I wasn’t, my girlfriend was out there studying so I went to stay with her for a while, but I seemed to go there quite a few times in the last couple of years and then I was out there doing a play for a month and got to spend more time there.

Did you like it there?
Yeah, loved it… it’s pretty interesting.

I heard you came back and from that started a club night in London?
Yeah I actually started it with Adam’s (band mate) associate.

Associate? Sounds very formal…
Adam’s ex/girlfriend. I had to check what their current status was. Had to check on facebook. (To Adam) What’s she saying?

Adam: I don’t know! I haven’t checked it.

Is that not wrong that people know that from facebook, you find things out before people tell you!

(Johnny in a mock voice) Adam is now single! Broken Heart.. It’s so unbelievably wrong isn’t it?
But yeah so we only actually did a few nights but it was basically when I first moved to London, all three of us; me, Tom, and Emmy The Great basically set it up so we could play our songs and people would have to listen! We’d all been to New York and thought what was happening there was really cool and we wanted to see if people would respond to it here. We were all just obsessed with Anti-folk and those were my first gigs, it was the start of playing live for me. It was mainly only our friends who came though!

I know you’re also an actor and have travelled companies performing Shakespeare, do the skills you develop as an actor, do they help you as a musician or are they two very separate crafts for you?
They’re sort of abstractly linked in a way; all experience tends to bleed into other things. For me it’s like a sense of… stagecraft sounds contrived, but I mean just helping an atmosphere to create itself and helping you to relate to an audience. My firm belief has always been that good acting is not acting; it’s reacting, and so being in that place and being super aware can really help your music anyway because it’s all about communication.

Would you ever be able to choose between the two?
I often feel forced by situation to choose, it’s really difficult. Sometimes I feel a bit resentful, obviously if you start putting yourself up for work in the acting business you have to be available to do the work. If you turn a job down because you’ve got a gig then people get a bit turned off. When I want to do that again I’ll have to be completely available for like the next six months.

*Peggy Sue & The Pirates - New Song (Video)

*Current Playlist - Adele, Lupe Fiasco, Chris Walla, Wintersleep (Album)

Adele '19'

We've covered Adele pretty frequently, now the album is finally out. 19 is an accomplished debut, songs like 'Daydreamer' 'Best For Last' 'Crazy For You 'My Same' and a blog favourite 'Hometown Glory', have been floating around the internet for a while so it's especially nice to hear the surprises on the record. 'Cold Shoulder' is another Mark Ronson production and clearly so, but still keeps its originality thanks to Adele's shimmering vocals. 'Melt My Heart To Stone' is a favourite on the record, with an epic string section and catchy chorus. 'Right As Rain' and 'Tired' are upbeat, more dancey numbers and round off the album's ballads nicely. The beautiful cover of Bob Dylan's 'Make You Feel My Love' rounds off the end of the album and rounds off an impressive debut. We'll be watching closely this year to see what develops...




Lupe Fiasco 'The Cool'

Since Lupe Fiasco debuted he's been one of the more exciting voices in Hip-Hop. Along with a selection of others, his records have managed to be relevant and intelligent, even ridiculing the rims/gold/drugs/hoes content of other rappers music. His second album has been highly anticipated and judging by the success of the first single, 'Superstar' it looked like the album was going to follow in its footsteps. The album definitely has its gems, repetitive, fast, 'Go Go Gadget Flow' the soulful and old school 'Paris, Tokyo' and 'Hip-Hop Save My Life' or the quirkier, 'Fighter' but it's not the same consistency that's come to be expected from a great Hip-Hop record, he's definitely one of the most relevant rappers today but the album doesn't quite live up to all the hype that came before it.



Chris Walla 'Field Manual'

Death Cab For Cutie's producer and member/magician Chris Walla has finally branched out on his own after producing records for others like Tegan and Sara's 'The Con'. His voice on 'Field Manual' sounds eerily like Death Cab's front man. But this is only a good thing, the voice sounds similar and while the music could be put in the same genre it's more accessible than Death Cab, with hookier hooks and catchier choruses while still retaining the ambient quality so crucial to Death Cab. From the echoing quality of two-fifty and the prophetic lyrics, 'All hail an imminent collapse' to the louder, guitar driven 'The Score' or 'Geometry &c' and back around the the softer, catchy 'Sing Again' and 'Everyone Needs A Home' Chris Walla has made an album full of songs to make you happy.

*Need To Know - Mozella (Artist)

I came across Detroit native Mozella about two years ago after hearing her beautiful song, 'Light Years Away' on a soundtrack. She has one of those voices that is a little left of center, you think you know where it's going to go and then it surprises you. Describing herself as pop/acoustic/soul, her voice sounds beautiful on top of her acoustic guitar. She has had one full length record called 'I Will' and is in the process of recording her second.


She's done some pretty cool covers, Weezer's 'Say It Ain't So' for example...



http://www.sendspace.com/file/ozruuj - Killing Time

http://www.sendspace.com/file/nz9sc9 - The Best Gift

And a video recording of a new track, 'Four Leaf Clover'

*Land Of Talk - Speak To me Bones (Video)

All Hail...

'Speak To Me Bones' Video


They also have a rad cover of a Wintersleep track 'Weighty Ghost' on their myspace, check it out.

www.mypace.com/landoftalkmtl