Light in Babylon - Ya Sahra

It’s probably safe to say Turkey’s culture has its roots in Istanbul. And if you’re looking for world music to listen to and some of the most incredible and eclectic rich sounds imaginable, don’t look any further than Light in Babylon. This is a music group whose origins were made on the streets of Istanbul. Singer and lyricist Michal Elia Kamal, Metehan Cifici on the santour, and guitarist julien Demarque make up the core of Light in Babylon, who met in Istanbul in 2010. They toiled away in one of Istanbul’s most popular districts honing their craft and establishing their unique multicultural sound. By 2013, they recorded their first album Life Sometimes Doesn’t Give You Space and followed it up with their sophomore release Yeni Dunya in 2016. Importantly throughout this whole period, modest success followed and today the band along with the support of percussionist Stuart Dickson and bassist Jack Butler, tour across Europe, bringing smiles to the faces of new audiences everywhere. Recently, I had the pleasure to contact Light in Babylon’s spiritual leader, Michal Elia Kamel. Her story alone is fascinating, an Israeli from Iranian origin, with a wonderful positive outlook on life. But while one day I would dearly love to talk to Michal about her interesting life, for now I am very much interested by her creative musical adventure. Here is some of what we talked about.

I read that you were once described as ‘ambassadors of peace’. How do compliments like that sit with you?

To be called ‘ambassadors of peace’ it is indeed a big compliment for us, I believe it is even describing one of the reason we do music and the way we observe people and the world. We have fans from all kind of countries, from different religions and cultures, many time people are asking us, how is it even possible..?  But for us it is very clear, we always call our music world music, we see our-self as the people of the world, and our message is that before all nationally, culture, religion, language. We are all first of all humans, when we will remember that we will remember to respect each other.

Your first stage as, described by you, was the street, busking to the eclectic masses of Istanbul. It’s quite an apprenticeship to have started with. What do you recall most about those early days? Do you have any fond memories?

We performed in Istiklal street in our first years as a band, I must say that Istiklal street is not just a street, not like any street but a very special place. In that time (2012) it was a place where people who passed by there were searching for something. Something to happen, some music or art. It was a place of diversity, different people, different cultures, religions, and opinions, all passing there and listening to our music and feeling something.  The reaction of the people was amazing, they wanted to get close, they cry, or smile, or dance. To put something like our music in the middle of someone’s day, just like that, live with no boundaries, create a strong impact and touch deeply the listeners, but not only them, also us, we learn a lot from it, how to understand people, how to respect people, and how to be modest and humble, now that we become more famous and we play in all kind of big stages. We still remember what we learned from our time in Istiklal street.

Do you still love playing for passersby in Istanbul?

Of course we do not play anymore in Istiklal (or any) street, we did it for some time and it gave us so much but since then we moved forward to the next step. Just passing by Istiklal street today takes lots of attention from peoples who ask photos (which we always happy to meet). Having a performance there will be a mess and also in general many things changes in this place since our time performing there, we were hoping to inspire new young groups to continue this culture and go out there and share their music.

What is the mood like when you play at International festivals across Europe? Are people still quite welcoming?

Yes! We must say that we feel ourselves very lucky to have such an amazing people listening to our music. After each of our concerts we always give time and invite the audience to meet us for some photos, signatures and cd’s and it gives us the time to see our audience in the eyes, even if it is crowded and takes long time, we always stay till the last person because for me it is the best part of the concert. It gives me lots of hope to meet so many people with open heart and open mind, people who still believe in people and have hope and spark in the eyes like me. It doesn’t matter if it’s in Europe or in other place, people who listen to our music always react the same and the warm part of them comes out.

What is it about your music that people find so infectious?

We believe that music is not only entertainment, not only for pass the time, music has a meaning and impact on our life. Light in Babylon brings not only music but also emotion, in a world where peoples need more and more to hide their emotion, where television become more cynical and the pop music more artificial. People are hungry for something real, they want not only to hear music but also to feel it! The music we make say something, there is something honest in it, full of hope.

Listening to your music has made me realise how much I have come to appreciate music from around the world. What I’d like to know Michal is who influenced you and why did you choose to make your ‘brand’ of music?

Many things influenced me, not necessary one specific type of music but a mix of music, cultures and ideas. I grow up in a home that women power is something very important and I think you can feel this in my way of singing and voice. I come from a Persian home (both of my parent were born and grow up in Iran) so the culture and the music from home affected me as well. Our band was formed in Istanbul, Istanbul is a very special place for us, and always will be, it is a city with a lot of intense feelings, there is something old with something new, some sadness with a beauty within, some joy with energy and people and lots of movement, in a way, we can describe our music like we just described Istanbul.

You once said that although your band is made up of different members from different regions, who all speak different languages, the thing that unites you all is your shared existence and love of music. That’s quite beautiful and poetic. What else can we all learn about music and its universal appeal?

Yes, music can do many thing and can connect many people but I believe that music carries within some energy and it is very important where the music come from, for what purpose. When you open the radio and hear a commercial there is also music in the commercial, it can be very nice music, but the purpose of that one is to manipulate you to buy something. When we all met each other in the band, music connected us all but for this to be happening we had to have something clean inside, something naïve, we needed to want to be connected and to communicate. Only because of it we could create something like our music that will help others connect and feel too.

Your music covers a range of issues, which include love, loss, life and death, and in some sense existential themes. The world we live in today has undoubtedly shaped who you are. Is that a fair assessment?

Yes, our music reflect the way we see the world and the way we change with the world according to the places and the people we meet, and according to the thing that happened in our lives and our dreams. We always say we are a dreamers (we even did our own version for the song “Imagine” by John Lennon), in our music there are many messages but we are not telling people what to do or how to live but we are sharing our own story and dreams and we let them to travel among many people far beyond us. For example, I am Israeli, I write my songs mostly in Hebrew. I have an Israeli passport so there are many countries I am not allowed to enter (Tunisia, Bangladesh, Iran, Lebanon, Syria, Malaysia, Saudi Arabia and more.) my physical body cannot be there, but my voice… my voice fly far away to every place, people listening to our music and writing me from many country I cannot visit, writing me how much power it gave them, that our music helped them to come through difficult time, or helped them to understand many things. Music can travel, music has no borders.

I’d imagine your working relationship with Metehan and Julien is incredibly rewarding. Can you tell me something surprising about your strong bond?

To have your music in a way it is like to have a child, and the people you make music with are the people who are raising with you this child so they must be like your family. I, Julien and Mete started this band we know today as Light in Babylon and on our way, joined us Jack Bulter the bassist and Stuart Dickson the percussionist. We all lived and met in Beyoglu district in Istanbul, around the area of Taksim square and Istiklal Avenue, we all know thus places very well to its music scene, it was our main “playground”. In a way I feel that these guys can understand me, I feel like they are the guys from my neighborhood. Honestly I can say that each and every one of them is a great man. Some men feeling threatened by powerful women or it is hard for them to contain this kind of energy in music but I am feeling very lucky to make music with not only very good musicians but also very good and supportive humans.

I’d love to end on a final note and talk about your amazing song ‘Kipur’ and that incredible video shot in Cappadocia. Firstly, I’d like to say Cappadocia to me is quite a spiritual place. My interest in it stems from not only its geographical beauty but with the people that lived in its rocky outcrops and caves throughout history. Michal, can you tell me how you came to shot the video in Cappadocia? And what can you tell me about Kipur and its message?

I had the idea to have the video clip for “Kipur” song in Cappadocia already few years in my mind, I was waiting for the right moment and the right opportunity. Kipur is a very special and spiritual song. The lyrics are from a poem by Solomon Ibn Gabirol, a philosopher from the 11th century, Spain. The poem is about freedom, spiritual freedom, the ability to understand the nothing and the everything in the universe and within. Cappadocia gives me this feeling, special feeling of something free, but something very settled like those big pointy rocks. 

From: https://the-rearview-mirror.com/2018/03/07/music-can-travel-music-has-no-borders-interview-with-michal-elia-kamal-of-light-in-babylon/

Lamp of the Universe - Return as Light

Sitar-emulating guitars and snippets of mellotronic violins lead up to the hazy vocal lines of Return As Light, the first song of the new Lamp Of The Universe album The Akashic Field. New Zealand native Craig Williamson has once again taken a dive into an ocean filled with kaleidoscopic transcendentalism, and this is what he came up with. I thought about how cool it was that we came into contact, just shortly after he was recommended to me by Scott Dr. Space Heller in his interview on this very blog. He felt Williamson with his bands Datura, Arc Of Ascent and Lamp Of The Universe was a kindred spirit and wished to meet him some time. On The Akashic Field it is demonstrated where those warm feelings stem from.
The music is a mixture of classic 60s psychedelic rock, intertwined with Middle Eastern folk elements, and extremely dreamy multi-vocal patterns. Further on the album sometimes his spaceship takes flight into heavier, fuzzier, space rock territory. It is music made for mind traveling, and meant to take the listener on a magic carpet ride over multi-colored dunes, acidic green oceans, and through wondrous caverns and glowing riverbeds. It is such a satisfying flight, tailor made for headphone heads, with lots of nooks and crannies to explore by ear for days to come. Spending the Corona years in New Zealand, Craig Williamson wasn’t too much affected in his daily routines. I talked with him about this and the new record, and luckily he was willing to shed some light on all of that and more…

How have you been in these pandemic times? How has life been in New Zealand for a musician?


For me musically, it hasn’t changed anything. Obviously there has been a few disruptions with work and what not, and life in NZ isn’t quite the same as it used to be yet, but its getting there… fortunately we haven’t been too effected like the rest of the world.

Can you explain what living in New Zealand has meant for your music? What was beneficial, what less so?


It’s hard to say, as I haven’t lived anywhere else and it’s all I know. But from visiting other countries I feel the amount of extra space we have here gives you a different perception, and that seems to help quite a bit. There are downsides to being so far away from bigger scenes, but its something that is known, and worked around, so isn’t so bad I guess.


Can you sketch your career so far for our readers? What are some of the absolute highlights?


My career started in 1999, as Lamp of the Universe…and has slowly expanded in many different ways. I’m about to release my 13th full length album next month (January 2022) and am still excited by the new music I’m hearing from others too. Highlights would be releasing the first Lamp of the Universe album “The Cosmic Union”, hearing about artists I look up to say they’ve heard about me or have said they like my stuff. To be honest all the positive reactions from everyone to what I do is a highlight for me.


Can you tell us about the way the new album came into being? How was it written and what did you set out to achieve?


I always write for myself first, and I’m continually writing. But this time around I wanted it to be more energetic, more band sounding, so I think that’s how it’s going to be perceived. I wanted to achieve a bigger sound too, improve the overall vibe by making everything a bit more clear and full.


When are you satisfied with your music? Is there a certain formula for a Lamp Of The Universe song?


There’s no real formula, I just go by what feels right. It’s hard to say when I’m actually satisfied with each track, because you could go on adding things forever, but usually just when it just feels and sounds as close as I can get it to how I hear it in my head.


What music are you listening to these days? Are you more of an oldies guy or do you still like to explore new artists?


I like to explore, constantly. I still love the “oldies” too though. My latest things I’ve been listening to would be Aphex Twin, Radiohead, Electric Wizard, Naz, Mastodon, Adam Geoffrey-Cole, Miles Davis, Napalm Death, Pete Namlook, Klaus Schulze, Archgoat, Laszlo Hortobagyi.


Can you tell me about the lyrical concept of The Akashic Field?


It changes from song to song so there’s no concept as such. The Akashic Field as a title though could basically be seen as a receiving of all influences, an accepting of all information I can process to create a new album from influences that I’ve experienced over many years.


If you could curate your dream band, who would be in it and why?


I certainly wouldn’t play!!! I’d just watch in amazement!!!! The band would be Miles Davis, Jimi Hendrix, Paul McCartney, Klaus Schulze, Ravi Shankar and Ringo Starr.


What does the word psychedelic mean to you in the fullest sense of the word?


It means freedom to do what you want musically… to drift into the worlds beyond and back again.


What are you doing after this interview? What would you like our readers to do?


After this interview? Probably have dinner and then, like I usually do, work on new music into the night, and listen to LPs. The readers can do as they please, just be nice to each other!

From: https://weirdoshrine.wordpress.com/2021/12/14/lamp-of-the-universe-the-akashic-field-review-qa-2022-headspin-records/

La Femme - Sphynx

Sacha Got, guitarist of La Femme, appears over Zoom from his home in Biarritz, France, the low-key seaside resort town known for its vibrant surfing scene, and where Got met Marlon Magnée, the band’s keyboardist and vocalist, in secondary school. Got is almost unrecognizable to me as he’s dressed in a simple olive green T-shirt—a far cry from the glitzy, eclectic costumes the band wears in videos and concerts. “I don’t know if you remember, but in 2000, there was so many bands just playing on the roof with a T-shirt and jeans, you know?” says Magnée in a heavy French accent, joining in a few minutes later from the band’s studio. “When we arrived in 2010, we were a bit against this normalization of, like, the look…it was too much boring. That’s why we wanted to be, like, extra maximal…and, like, propose a whole universe, like cool hair, cool clothes—cooler direction, you know?”
When the two friends formed La Femme 14 years ago, they dedicated themselves to refining a sound blending soul, disco, electro, and rap. They moved to Paris and played bars and small clubs while working in the restaurant industry. After meeting some pro surfers from California who loved their music and encouraged them to come to the U.S., the pair booked gigs at a few small clubs in L.A., doing their own PR and building a small but loyal following. Then France’s music industry started to take notice. “I think the fact that in France, people saw us doing this, they thought, ‘What is this band doing in U.S.?,’” says Got. “We just released the first EP, and then we had some hype… American blogs talking about us. It’s like the power of the American dream, I guess.”
La Femme’s DIY spirit, glitzy visual aesthetic, and retro style  has won them multiple gold records and Album Révélation of the Year at the French Victoires de la Musique awards. La Femme’s second single “Clover Paradise,” is a rollicking, ‘80s-inspired synth-pop anthem about the dangers of excess, and a bold preview of the group’s upcoming sixth studio album, Rock Machine, due out October 11.

What’s the meaning behind “Clover Paradise”?

MARLON:  The idea was to do like a shuffle rhythm, you know? I love this kind of rhythm with a big snare, ‘80s vibe. And I wanted to do a track like this. And after, I don’t know why, I had the idea of “Clover Paradise” in my head, and then I wrote about when people went too deep into drugs or too deep into spiritual things, and they can lose themselves because they are looking for the truth or other things. It’s a bit like a warning song…everyone can do their interpretation.

It reminds me of the dangers of going too far in one direction or the other ideologically.

MARLON: It’s very interesting, like thinking that it’s the truth and, at the end, being blind, you know? it’s true with communism—it’s a very good ideology, but people will go too deep and you become fascist or totalitarian.

“Clover Paradise” has some pretty solid guitar work.

MARLON: We called a guitarist from California called Josh Landau. He has a project called Stolen Nova. And he is basically a big shredder guitarist. He used to have a band called the Shrine. And it was really cool to bring back this kind of shredding guitar solo because we didn’t really see that kind of stuff in any record except like metal or art rock. So I think it’s really cool to bring back this kind of stuff because we all need more heat and more rock ‘n’ roll. And the same for the sax. In this song it was really hard to cut because the guitar solo is so good, and even the sax solo. So at the end I was like, we’re just going to put four minutes of solo in the whole song. So I think this is really dope because, at the end, you get transported by the music. It fits good in the song, and we really enjoy it. And for the sax player, he’s Patrick Bourgoin, a very, very famous sax player, and he did basically all the big records of the ‘80s and ‘70s. On this song, it works so well. The sax… it’s like, whoa, you want more sax?

SACHA: Yeah, sometimes it takes time to enjoy some stuff. You need to be more mature, maybe to enjoy some sax and shit, you know?

You’ve done five albums in 14 years, all in French. This is your first all-English record. Why now?

MARLON: Well, in the last album we have a few songs in English. But basically by touring the world for 15 years—we went to L.A. the first time 15 years ago, and we had American girlfriends and stuff—we wrote so many English songs because sometimes when you write the song, it’s just the first word that comes to your mind. Is it going to be French or English? For example, “Clover Paradise,” this song came out in English in my spirit, you know? And I think it’s a good moment because now we are old enough—even if we have bad accents—we speak well. We can write good lyrics, and we can talk and have deep conversations in English.

This album has a heavy synth-pop feel to it. What are your musical influences?

MARLON:  Velvet Underground. And also the Sex Pistols. But we also like the Brian Jonestown Massacre. And also we listen to a lot of French Cold Wave and French yeyé.

SACHA:  We also like the guitar song also—this kind of music and energy with reverb. We’ve got a Dick Dale sound too.

MARLON: You have some disco also in this album.

SACHA: Yeah, it’s a great album.

From: https://www.spin.com/2024/09/la-femme-interview/

Dedsa - Annihilation

Nashville psych-rock band Dedsa are on the come-up. Made up of guitarist/vocalist Stephen DeWitt, keyboardist Robbie Ward, bassist/keyboardist Ben Carreon, and drummer Grant Bramlett, the band works together to fuse psychedelic vibes with catchy riffs and hard rock sensibilities. Before their concert at the Mercy Lounge on March 2nd, Dedsa sat down with the Vanderbilt Hustler to talk about their new album Salmon Velocity, out now.

Vanderbilt Hustler: So are all of you from Nashville?

DEDSA: Actually none of us are. Grant and Stephen are both from Birmingham, and Rob and Ben are both from Colorado.

VH: So then how did you meet?

DEDSA: Stephen and Rob moved up here separately just on a whim. Stephen was hanging out with a band that Rob was playing with temporarily, who ended up just ditching us and leaving just us behind, leaving us experimenting on our own. Ben joined us in roughly 2011, and Grant joined us about three years ago, which is when we really consider the true start. We were making a lot of compromises back then, just playing along with tracks on an iPhone. It’s just not quite the same as playing with a human behind a drum kit.

VH: Where did you get the name “Dedsa”?

DEDSA: It started as a joke; we can’t tell you [laughs], but it’s really just an acronym for whatever you want. We encourage everyone to make up their own. It’s graphical, symmetrical, it sounds like NASA, like a weird government organization, maybe potentially evil. It was just funny to us, and it’s the only thing that comes up when you google “Dedsa”.

VH: So tell me about Salmon Velocity.

DEDSA: We’ve had the name for years. We love naming things [laughs]. When we were working on the first album, we were writing a lot of MIDI back then, since we didn’t have a drummer. You can set the MIDI velocity in the computer and color coordinate it, so everything for that album we set to the color salmon. It was a perfect level; heavy enough, but not maxed out. We were like, “That’s what we’ll call our next album, Salmon Velocity!” And we actually did it! Rob ran with it for the album artwork, thinking about salmon spawning and swimming up river, loving that image in nature of things mindlessly following their instincts to their possible death, with a huge predator waiting for them under the waterfall.

VH: The music of Salmon Velocity is all over the place. What’s the inspiration behind that?

DEDSA: We like to be as disparate as possible while still seeming continuous. Some of the songs on the album that we dug out were more like the first album where they’re more studio creations. Songs like “CS80” and “Don’t Open the Door” were tracks we’ve had for a long time that we ended up developing. Some were born from us trying to play together, and some were even just sitting at a computer attacking it from the opposite end. Really I think it’s just because we all love so many different types of music, we’re trying to draw from as many influences as possible.

VH: Who in particular?

DEDSA: We love classical music, like the dynamics of a really great symphony or an opera. We love a lot of jazz, as well all the classic rock staples like Zeppelin and Pink Floyd, or modern electronic stuff like Crystal Castles or Daft Punk. We know where we won’t go, like we’re not about to write a country song or something, but for the most part everything is up for grabs. If we want to do something, we just do it.

VH: What do you think was the hardest part about making Salmon Velocity?

DEDSA: Self-producing can be really tricky sometimes, since we’re so emotionally close to the songs. It’s a very long process for us. There were a ton of mixes and remixes and more remixes. We do produce in our basement, so we have the luxury of being able to come back the next day to keep working. It is a curse and a blessing [laughs], but mostly a blessing.

VH: Your last release was Thrash Plastik in 2013. How do you think you’ve matured since then?

DEDSA: The number one thing is that it’s been great to write with a drummer. It’s much more dynamic, emotional, and we work faster. We’ve also all improved as players, after touring, playing, and rehearsing all the time. We also look a lot older [laughs]. On Thrash Plastik we wrote as we recorded, but this time around we were a lot more systematic when we wrote. I think we’re just more confident as songwriters. The overall theme of Salmon Velocity seems more thought out, with sort of a narrative arc to it, about a crises and self-discovery and finding a new way to live your life.

VH: Where will you be in five years?

DEDSA: We’ll probably be on Mars. There’s a lot less competition up there; this is actually our last show on earth, we’re heading to train with NASA after this. In all seriousness, hopefully we’ll be making enough money to keep supporting ourselves. We want to keep up the slow progression of bigger crowds, better pay, and some festivals for sure.

VH: What would you be doing if the music didn’t work out?

DEDSA: We’d definitely be dead [laughs]. Though Rob would probably still be doing illustrations. But if it all fails we have suicide pact. Or maybe we’d go be hermits, and live in the mountains. We’d go crazy!

From: https://vanderbilthustler.com/2017/03/13/qa-the-hustler-interviews-dedsa-to-discuss-their-new-album-the-creative-process-and-living-on-mars/

Gaupa - Ra

The Swedish Heavy Rock band Gaupa have recently released their second studio album entitled Myriad. The band’s singer Emma Näslund took the time to talk with Metal Express Radio about their new album, their upcoming tour with Uncle Acid & The Deadbeats, her favorite artists on Nuclear Blast Records, and more.

Metal Express Radio: Gaupa recently released their second album entitled Myriad on November 18th, what can you tell fans about the band’s new album?

Näslund: It’s a banger! A substantial dosage of the Gaupa universe. Lots of energy, swag and some softer tunes. All in all a good trip I would say.

MER: How was the writing and recording process having this being the band’s second album?

Näslund: It was good, thank you. We started writing new songs about the time we released our first full length album Feberdröm. All 5 of us are deeply involved in the writing process and this time we did a pre-production. We also produce the songs while writing. For me it was the first time I entered the studio and had all the lyrics done.

MER: What are some changes you’ve noticed within the band since the release of your first album?

Näslund: We have tried different ways to work with the administration of being a band and over time we’ve become more like a well oiled machine. When we started out all info regarding everything was mashed together in one chat. We have more meetings and more obligations now as well so you could say it’s a bit more serious than when we started out. But it’s still the five of us doing what we love – writing and playing music.

MER: The band has released four different singles from the album, what kind of feedback have you received?

Näslund: Due to our signing with Nuclear Blast we now reach more people, which we are beyond grateful for. It’s still strange to us to think that someone we’ve never met have heard our music. We have gotten some great reviews of the album now as well and of course it makes us happy campers when people enjoy what we do!

MER: What do you see for plans after the album release?

Näslund: We’ll play Fuzzfestival in Stockholm in December. We will also do a streamed show. In May 2023 we’ll go out on a tour with Uncle Acid & The Deadbeats and Blood Ceremony. This is a dream come true and we are really stoked about it!

MER: Who do you hope to tour with that you haven’t yet and why?

Näslund: Elder. They’re amazing.

MER: Anywhere that you’re looking forward to playing live and why?

Näslund: Desertfest in London and Berlin. Also the Alcatraz Festival in Belgium. festivals are great overall because we get to see lots of other bands too.

MER: How is the Heavy Metal scene in Sweden?

Näslund: Heavy. Although we lack smaller venues and the concept of people spontaneously going out to see random bands in Sweden. I think the heavier bands have a harder time to break through the surface in Sweden, it’s more common to be better appreciated abroad.

MER: What are some of your favorite bands signed to Nuclear Blast?

Näslund: Hellacopters, Meshuggah and Opeth for example. But man, they’ve got a great roster at Nuclear!

MER: What are your hopes for the band’s future?

Näslund: I wish for us all to be happy people and keep having a great time creating and playing music together.

From: https://www.metalexpressradio.com/2022/11/21/emma-naslund-gaupa-for-me-it-was-the-first-time-i-entered-the-studio-and-had-all-the-lyrics-done/

The Magpie Salute - High Water

Black Crowes’ Rich Robinson on ‘Limitless’ New Band the Magpie Salute.
Around the time Rich Robinson released his last solo album, 2016’s Flux, the former Black Crowes guitarist journeyed to Applehead Studios in Woodstock, New York, to perform and record with his band in front of a live audience as part of the ongoing Woodstock Sessions. Robinson had taken part in the series once before, in 2014, and so this time he decided to try something a little different.
“I reached out to Marc Ford,” Robinson says, naming his one-time Black Crowes co-guitarist, who played on classic efforts like 1992’s The Southern Harmony and Musical Companion and 1994’s Amorica. Ford, with whom Robinson hadn’t spoken in more than a decade, said he was in. The next call Robinson made was to former Black Crowes keyboardist Eddie Harsch. “And Ed said, ‘I’m there,'” he recalls. The two joined Robinson and his band (which also includes latter-years Crowes bassist Sven Pipien), as well as various other musicians, in Woodstock, and over the course of three days laid down an assortment of covers from the likes of Delaney & Bonnie (“Comin’ Home”), Pink Floyd (“Fearless”), the Faces (“Glad and Sorry”) and Bobby Hutcherson (“Goin’ Down South”), among others, as well as extended, jammy run-throughs of Crowes nuggets like “What is Home” and the Amorica standout “Wiser Time.”
While the musicians were playing at Applehead, Robinson recalls, “I thought it was just gonna be, ‘Hey, here’s some more solo material for the band. …'” But the recordings wound up serving as the foundation for an entirely new outfit, the Magpie Salute, which will release its 10-track self-titled debut on June 9th. Today, Rolling Stone is premiering the album’s explosive opener, “Omission,” which is also the new band’s sole original composition. “Symbolically, it’s something that is just ours,” Robinson says of “Omission,” which features John Hogg, who had previously played with the guitarist in another project, Hookah Brown, on vocals. “It just was one of those things that was so organic, and it turned out great.”
The Magpie Salute is currently gearing up for a full-scale U.S. and European tour this summer. As for what people can expect to hear at these shows? That remains to be seen. “We’re going to be changing set lists every night,” Robinson says. “We’re learning about 100 songs to start with. There’ll be a lot of Crowes material, a lot of solo material, different covers, maybe new songs. It’s just something that’s going to keep growing and changing as we move along.”
This past January, the Magpie Salute made its live debut at New York’s Gramercy Theatre. Due to overwhelming ticket demand, what was initially scheduled to be one show quickly swelled to four consecutive-night sold-out performances, a fact that speaks to the intense fan base that still exists for the music Robinson made with his brother, vocalist Chris Robinson, in the Black Crowes. But given the siblings’ well-documented contentious relationship, and their seeming estrangement – at least musically – since that band called it quits for a second time in 2015, it appears that for anyone still jonesing for a Black Crowes fix, the Magpie Salute, with three former Crowes in tow (sadly, Harsch passed away on November 4th at the age of 59), is as close to it as they’re likely to get.
“Yeah, absolutely,” Robinson confirms. “This is basically it. That band won’t be together again.” On the other hand, he adds, the future looks bright for the Magpie Salute. “I’m happy to be where I am now,” Robinson says. “I think this band is great – this is an evolution, and this is where we’re heading. The potential for us is limitless.”

The Magpie Salute seemed to spring from that first call you made to your former Black Crowes bandmate Marc Ford. Why did you reach out to him specifically?

Marc and I have always had this really deep musical connection. And, you know, he was always my favorite guitar player in the Crowes. I mean, everyone who’s played in the Crowes has been great. But Marc and I have this thing that’s really deep. And so I called him. I hadn’t talked to him directly since probably ’06. But I just thought, “Well, let’s see if Marc wants to come and play.”

After Marc said yes, why was Eddie Harsch the next call you made?

I love Ed. He was a great person and we always kept in touch. And once Ed was in, we showed up to play and it was like we never left each other. The musical chemistry between the three of us is undeniable. And then you start thinking about the amount of time you spent with one another on tour. I mean, Eddie and I had spent over a decade on a bus. Marc and I, the same thing. And the three of us together. But, you know, originally Marc was more kind of brought in to the Black Crowes by Chris, my brother. So although Marc and I had this deep musical connection, a lot of times on a personal level there was kind of a line that almost had to be drawn. So I don’t feel like I was able to get to know Marc personally as much as I would have liked to.

So what happened once Marc and Eddie convened with you at Applehead?

Once we got to Woodstock and we were able to start working and playing it was, “Hey, man, let’s play these songs and see what happens.” There’s never too much planning going on. It just felt right. We had a lot of fun, it was three days and then I continued on my solo tour. But I was thinking, “How can we do this more? I love those guys and I really want to play with them more. And I love these guys that are in my band and I really want to play with them more.” So I thought about it for a couple weeks. And just through time I kind of came up with this concept for the Magpie Salute. Like, “Let’s do this and see what happens.”

The Magpie Salute is a big band. What do you find appealing about that?

There’s something that’s really cool about having a bunch of people onstage playing, but where it sounds like it’s not a bunch of people onstage playing, if that makes any sense. Like Delaney & Bonnie, one of my favorite bands. Or Joe Cocker’s Mad Dogs & Englishmen. You have these people onstage and everyone is so musically proficient that it just works. There’s a discipline there and there’s these constant moving parts, but there’s this thing and it’s amazing. And originally Marc and I were going to sing the majority of the songs, but then I was like, “Well, look, let’s bring in my friend John Hogg.” He was in a band called Moke, and then he played with me in my first non-Crowes band called Hookah Brown. He’s an amazing singer and I’m a huge fan of his. So I said, “Let’s do this. Let’s open up the Crowes catalog. Let’s play more of our songs, let’s play covers, let’s see what happens.” Not unlike when you have Phil Lesh or Bob Weir going out, doing Furthur and those types of things. The Other Ones. I was like, “This could be really cool.”

Can you talk about the music we’re hearing on The Magpie Salute?

The record came from Woodstock. All of us were there making this recording. We had two great singers, we had my whole band, and we had Marc and Ed. The only one who was missing was John Hogg. And we had all this material. Everyone loved it. Then we brought John in and he overdubbed some cool vocals and we had a Magpie record.

This was not the first recording you’ve done for Woodstock Sessions, and the final Black Crowes album, Before the Frost … Until the Freeze, was also recorded live in the studio in front of an audience. What do you like about that process?

When you play in front of people, there’s an energy there. It’s almost like a wagon wheel with the spokes. The hub is what everyone’s there for, but everyone has a different angle, a different spoke going in a different way, for being there. And everyone’s experience is different. It’s personal. It’s intimate. But there’s also a group experience. So we’re experiencing the audience, they’re experiencing us, and we’re all experiencing this music. The energy that brings is really good fuel for doing something creative. Also, the way I like to record is to go in there and just sort of wing it. Just see what happens. In the days of unlimited recording budgets, there wasn’t any urgency to that. Whereas these days I’m interested in the gut reaction. What’s the first thing you’re going to play? Because that first thing is not filtered. The first thing is going to really come more from your heart. And that’s what’s exciting to me. So we went in, it was a finite amount of time, three days, and we were done. And it was great.

How did you choose the covers to perform?

These are just ones that I’ve been playing with my band, like Bobby Hutcherson’s “Goin’ Down South.” “Fearless” was one Marc had done in the past, and I used to sing it in the Crowes. So it was a hybrid of things we had done before. Bob Marley and the Wailers’ “Time Will Tell,” we had done that on The Southern Harmony and Musical Companion, and I was like, “This could be kind of cool.” And “Wiser Time,” I really like the way John and I sing it together. So it was just about picking songs that everyone would sound good on and where we could bring different elements of what we do into it. And I think we did 70 or 80 songs at Woodstock. And we did 80 songs in New York at the Gramercy Theatre shows. Pretty much every set was different in New York. The songs on the record, I thought it’d be a cool snapshot and would show a broad spectrum of what sort of musical ground we covered in Woodstock.

From: https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/black-crowes-rich-robinson-on-limitless-new-band-the-magpie-salute-119136/

Strawbs - Tears And Pavan

Strawbs - Bursting at the Seams. Release date: Feb 1973 (ads appeared in music papers dated 10 Feb 1973 saying album released "this week"). Had been scheduled for 26 Jan 1973 but was delayed by production difficulties. With Dave Lambert replacing Tony Hooper and bringing a new rock-based dynamic to the band, the Strawbs scored an instant chart hit with "Lay Down", followed by their number 2 UK hit single, "Part Of The Union". The band courted pop success with several apearances on Top Of The Pops and flirted with the current glam-rock trend wearing make-up and flamboyant stage clothes. Letters to Melody Maker accused Strawbs of "selling out", vehemently denied by Dave Cousins.
The album, which carried on the musical journey towards rock, also reached number 2 in the UK album charts, including some all-time Strawbs classics such as "Down By The Sea", "The River", "Stormy Down" and "Tears And Pavan", as well as Dave Lambert's splendid "The Winter And The Summer" and Hud and John's "Lady Fuschia". A 52 date tour of the UK in early 1973 saw them reaching a newer, younger audience. The stage show included some comedy material - Lambert's "Bovver Blues" and a camped up impersonation of Little Jimmy Osmond by Hud - which eventually grated on Cousins, who made his feelings known in uncompromising fashion, singing the bitter "A Song For Me" at the band's April London showcase at the Rainbow. Afterwards, they embarked upon a gruelling second US tour, and the album title proved prophetic with the group splitting asunder after things came to a head in Los Angeles.  From: https://www.strawbsweb.co.uk/albtrack/bats/bats.asp

Bursting at the Seams by Strawbs: With Tony Hooper departed, and Dave Lambert on board, the last of the Strawbs traditional folk influences (excepting Cousins of course) had gone. This was the album which broke the Strawbs to the masses, containing as it did, two hit singles. "Lay down" is a good burst of Dave Cousins at his most commercial, a light but enjoyable sing along. The less said about the pop song "Part of the union" the better. It was admittedly a massive hit single, but it misrepresented what the Strawbs were all about, the band were I trust embarrassed all the way to the bank! In defense of Dave Cousins, the song was really a Hudson-Ford track, the rest of the band appearing to have little to do with it performance wise. Lyrically the track was quite satirical, taking a swipe at the power of the trade unions in the UK. It was completely misunderstood by many union activists, who adopted it as their anthem (a bit like the way Bruce Springsteen's "Born in the USA" was completely misunderstood by some).
These two tracks aside, there is a lot of excellent stuff on the album. The opening two tracks, "Flying" and "Lady Fuschia" are both melodic and well structured, "Flying" having several contrasting sections. "Down by the sea" is as close as the band came to symphonic prog, complete with an infectious chiming guitar theme, with an orchestral backing. The following track, "The river" features one of Cousins occasional divergences into "adult" themes, which he always seems to approach with schoolboy fascination, great track though. When performed live, the band always reverse the order of these tracks, the climax to "The river" giving way to the wonderful guitar theme of "Down by the sea". In doing so, the tracks effectively become a wonderful 10 minute two part piece.
"Tears and Pavan" is two distinct songs, which merge into a single piece rather beautifully. The echoed vocal refrain on the first section and mellotron backing make for a pleasantly emotional feel, while "Pavan" provides an Elizabethan harpsichord link to a slightly more upbeat latter half. Whether this line up with Lambert or the previous one with Hooper which recorded "Grave New World" (or indeed the one with Rick Wakeman which made "From the Witchwood") represents the "classic" Strawbs line up, will always be a source of debate. We should therefore satisfy ourselves with the thought that though band members came and went, the Strawbs made many classic albums.   From: https://www.progarchives.com/album.asp?id=2895

Swinging Popsicle - Joy Of Living

Swinging Popsicle was formed in 1995 when singer Mineko Fujishima and guitarist Osamu Shimada joined bassist Hironobu Hirata through a newspaper ad. The band’s first effort was the Sunny Silent Park EP. In 1998, their first self-titled full-length album Swinging Popsicle debuted from Sony Music Entertainment at Number 1 in the New Artists category, producing the hit singles “Joy of Living,” “I Love Your Smile,” and “Parade.” After extensive touring, the band returned to the studio for their second album Fennec! (2000).
After starting strong with multiple Sony-label releases, Swinging Popsicle continued to build their international fan base with their independent releases of Change and Orange. Four solid years of writing and performing live throughout Japan produced their most mature and powerful CD titled Transit (2004), featuring signature song “I Just Wanna Kiss You.” In 2005, the band embarked on their first tour to Korea.
2006 marked their United States debut at Fanime MusicFest in San Jose, CA. The same year their song “Clash” was included in a compilation CD with the Korean manga “Cracker.” Performing to regular sold-out one-man live shows in Japan, (some running as long as 3 hours) the band continued to develop new material for their full-length album Go on (2007), which featured “rainbounds,” “Clash,” and “Chocolate Soul Music.” In June 2007, they returned to America to perform at Anime Mid Atlantic in Richmond, VA, and New York Anime Festival at NYC’s Knitting Factory.
Swinging Popsicle has also contributed music to the Nitroplus PC games Star Mine Girl, Axanael, Kimi to Kanojo to Kanojo to Koi, and various songs for the Nitroplus mascot Super Sonico’s band, Daiichi Uchuu Sokudo (First Astronomical Velocity). In 2009, the band released the CD Loud Cut, collecting their soundtrack work and remastered versions of some of the member’s favorite early tracks including “Afterglow” and “Let Me Fly”.
Swinging Popsicle members have kept busy in recent years with various solo projects. Guitarist Osamu Shimada formed his own shoegaze band The Caraway and lends support to Seikama II’s Ace Shimizu Project, Face to Ace, Korean pop vocalist Taru, and popular J-Pop artist Fujii Fumiya. Vocalist Mineko Fujishima has performed backing vocals with top-selling J-Pop R&B artist Kusuo and formed the jazz-rock band alma-grafe in 2017.  From: http://resonance-mms.com/artist-profiles/swinging-popsicle/

Cold Water Flat - Swollen Sonnet

 Cold Water Flat was an alternative rock band formed in 1990 in Amherst, Massachusetts as a trio comprising Paul Janovitz (vocals, guitar), Ted Silva (bass), and Paul Harding (drums). Formed at the University of Massachusetts, they carved a niche for themselves in Boston's vibrant music scene, akin to Buffalo Tom, led by Paul's brother Bill Janovitz.
Initially, Cold Water Flat's music was rooted in the alternative rock movement of the 1990s, reflecting a blend of alternative pop/rock and indie rock influences. Their style was marked by angst-laden lyrics and gritty guitar play, typical of the era's grunge-influenced sound.

"Listen" (1993): The first album, "Listen," released in 1993, was a significant debut for the band. It saw its release in Europe under the Bitter Sweet label and in the United States under Sonic Bubblegum. The album was recorded and mixed at Fort Apache, a renowned studio in Cambridge, known for its role in the alternative rock movement. This setting provided a fitting backdrop for the band's creative process. The production of "Listen" was a collaborative effort between Paul Janovitz and Tim O'Heir, adding depth and texture to the album's sound. Contributing to the distinctiveness of the album were Bill Janovitz, who lent his skills on the slide and lead guitar, and George Lanides on guitar and acoustic bass. The visual aspects of the album, including its design and photography, were handled by John Egan and Theresa Kelliher, with additional contributions from Paul Janovitz himself.

"Cold Water Flat" (1995): Their self-titled album, "Cold Water Flat," released in 1995, continued to showcase the band's evolution in the music scene. This album was recorded at the same Fort Apache studio in Cambridge, MA, which by then had become a hallmark of quality in the alternative music space. Embracing the pop/rock genre, the album leaned towards alternative pop/rock and alternative/indie rock styles, reflecting the band's versatility and adaptability within the broader spectrum of rock music.

From: https://digmeout.substack.com/p/cold-water-flat-history-of-the-band

Messa - Rubedo

On March 11th, the Post-Metal world will and should be watching when Italy’s most elegant combination of Jazz and Post-Metal releases their third full-length onto a waiting world. Well, the VoS-lers surely can’t wait for Messa’s new record Close! And as we like to keep you on the edge of your seats we give you a detailed interview with the band conducted by our living library Knut who has gotten a lot of really good answers, mostly from singer Sara but also from her bandmates on several questions. Maybe this will make you as excited as Knut and us about this release because it is really a great release and another proof that elegance and force are not at all at opposite ends of the musical spectre but really combinable!

Congratulations on your new album! You have really developed your music further! After the two releases Belfry and Feast for Water, you now name your album Close. The cover of the first album has a picture of the famous bell tower in Lake Reschen, the cover of the second one is connected to water and now on this new one dancing women, I assume they are performing the Nakh dance from the video for the song “Pilgrim”. The covers on the previous album had clear connotations with the titles. So, what is the reasons behind the title Close that you have chosen for this new album?

The term “Close” has a lot of meanings. Actually, each of us in the band looks at it through different perspectives. We like to think that “Close” is a direct emanation of our yearning to escape. The main goal was transporting ourselves and the listener on a journey. We wanted to stand by the concept which lies behind the title of the record by creating and recording it while being physically in the same room. It is not a concept album but we always want to have that fil rouge, that thin red thread that ties the songs together, just like we did on our past albums. We came to read about Nakh once we found this 1930s picture by E. M. Schutz. The picture conveyed the sensations we wanted to express through the albums, so we decided to use that photo on the cover of Close.

So, about the dance that is a traditional dance performed by women in Algeria/Tunisia and the distinct Eastern Mediterranean musical influences on this album. At the end of the second song, the heavy, fast and doom-laden music incorporates some sonics from traditional Eastern music, and the next song start with a Duduk, also connected to the Eastern music, the instrument spread through the Eastern part of the Mediterranean all through Armenia. And you incorporate Oud and Dulcimer in the sonics. And the name of the song “Orphalese” is connected to the Lebanese poet Khalil Gibran. These Eastern musical elements are extremely well incorporated in your way of playing doom metal throughout the album. How did these inspirations find their way into your music on this album?

As previously stated, the whole idea behind Close is the journey. We did not want to repeat ourselves, so we looked for new sounds and instruments that are not typical within the metal genre. It was natural for us to search for inspiration in the musical heritage that we have as Mediterraneans. Arabian music is very evocative as it can transport the listener to a different place. Alberto had to learn how to play the Oud - which has 11 strings and is a fretless instrument, which allows you to play microtones – and it was not easy for him. Another challenge we had to face was incorporating these different acoustic instruments while keeping Close a metal album.

Let us go back in time for some background. Six years ago, I found Belfry on Bandcamp, and it happened to me as with so many others; it blew me away. I tried to find other releases by Messa but discovered the jaw dropping thing that this exquisitely performed album in fact was a debut album, full-length even. So where did you come from, musically when forming Messa in 2014? What background of musical styles were fused into what became Messa? What did each of you contribute?

We have very different musical backgrounds and they all ended up straight into Messa’s cauldron. Alberto mostly played Prog, Rocco had many Black Metal bands, Marco played in a Dark Rock band and Sara played bass in Punk/Death Metal/Grind projects. In fact Messa is the first band Sara ever sang in. We all befriended many years before Messa started, though. In early 2014 Marco and Sara started developing some ideas, and soon Alberto and Rocco joined. None of us had played Doom before and we were curious to approach a genre that sounded new to us as musicians. Our songs are the result of our sensibilities mixed together. There are many personal elements that we introduce when we create music. Some examples could be blast beats or jazzy solos.

Metal related music is not for everyone, but when one breaks the code one never leaves this kind music. What was the first album you remember that got you into metal music? What inspired you guys to compose and play metal related music?

Probably the fascination with music derives from our parents and families. All of us came in contact with more extreme metal thanks to suggestions from friends in our early teen years.

Sara: I vividly remember crate digging through my parents’ vinyls when I was a kid and being fascinated by the cover of Born Again by Sabbath.

Marco: I think for me it was Judas Priest’s album Painkiller.

Rocco: The three first metal records for me were Reign In Blood by Slayer, Arise by Sepultura and Sound Of Perseverance by Death. I was 12 at the time I made these discoveries.

Alberto: When I was like 8 or 9, just before picking up the guitar with the idea of learning how to play it, I had a small compilation (on cassette) I made myself ripping old vinyls my uncle had in the basement. The very first track was ”Gipsy” by Uriah Heep. I was obsessed with that song. I was really fascinated by the atmosphere and the sounds that guitar and organ had in it. It’s also one of the first songs I later learned to play, so I guess that was the beginning for me.

The band name Messa is connected to mass and by that has some connotation to rituals and ceremonies, just as Amenra evokes with their album names and other things. In addition, you also have this fascinating term scarlet doom to describe your music. Scarlet is an important color in the Catholic Church and as such the color is associated with religion, devotion and sacrifice. At the same time like with other red-spectrum colors it is associated with courage, passion, fire and joy. And you even have the song “Rubedo”, which is associated with redness (blood) in alchemy, and also to Jungian psychology where it represents the “self-archetype” in the archetypical schema. So, where do we place the themes and lyrics of your music in this kind of multitude of connotations?

Nothing is random in our records, we like to have a ‘fil rouge’ binding all our material together. We spend hours doing research on all the sides involved in creating a record. There are various layers of complexity in what we create, from the songs to the graphic design. Loosely quoting The Big Lebowski, we aim for the carpet that ties the room together.

When I put on a new album by Messa I always expect the unexpected perfectly performed. And once again this happened with Close. It might be the most diverse thing you have released so far. This album is composed, rehearsed and recorded during the pandemic which has affected us all. How must we envision this process during the pandemic? Do you have a main composer or is it the collective effort as you write “All songs were written and arranged by Messa”?

Thank you. We tried to play together as much as we could, but sometimes it was nearly impossible due to the situation. Some ideas for this album were developed on our own at home but we always work on songs together in the deconsecrated church we use as a rehearsal room. The songwriting is a collaborative effort 100%.

When entering the studio – how clear-cut is your vision of what will come out in the end? Do you plan any space for improvisation ahead of or during the recording process?

Let’s say we always have strong ideas already, but we like to leave some empty room for experimentation. We spend countless hours rehearsing in order to give the album a steady foundation. Some studio casualties or coincidences happen though, and often create something that unexpectedly works great.

We have to ask Sara about her vocals because they are as outstanding on this new release as on the previous releases. On this record your performance is even more versatile than on the others. When did you discover your wide vocal range and had you or have you taken lessons to develop your voice? And who is your inspirational role models when you use and develop your vocals?

Thank you very much. I never took any singing lessons to be honest, it was just trial and error. On a merely methodical aspect a central thing is the awareness of how your body works and feels. Learning how to use your diaphragm or understanding the capacity of your lungs, for example. But the primal aspect of singing is what fascinates me the most. Channeling blood and fire, allowing them to go through you… resulting in you becoming the fire itself. It’s not a matter of technique, it’s a matter of guts. This is basically how I personally experience art in general. I could never sing about stuff I don’t care about. Some of the singers that had a toll on Close are Billie Holiday, Yma Sumac, Lisa Gerrard.

Rocco, you really lay the foundations for the music. As the music is so diverse, you have to follow and it seems sometimes to lead with your drumming. It is impressive how the whole band thunders against the end of “If You Want Her to Be Taken” and the drumming just picks up pace and throws the music into a tumultuous speed punk with screams in the short “Leffotrak”. Who are your inspirational role models for developing your drumming skills?

Rocco: Thanks, I appreciate your kind words. I am inspired by so many different styles of music and drumming. The first time I heard Led Zeppelin, when I was a kid, I was shocked to hear Bonzo. He was the first inspiration and still one of my biggest ones to this day. I also really like Dave Lombardo (Slayer) and Frost (Satyricon, 1349) for playing effortlessly precise in faster music tempos. Some jazz drummers like Buddy Rich or Jojo Mayer (the latter I consider the best living drummer) also had an impact on me, especially for their fantasy. I appreciate it when drums ‘serve’ the riffs making a solid foundation for a song. One of the characteristics that I think the previously quoted drummers have in common is their creativity: they create non obvious fills that at the beginning feel odd but then turn out to be great. All of them have a drumming style that is very personal, unbiased. And Lombardo is the gold medal of metal drumming to me, but that is my personal view.

Marco and Alberto, the two guitarists, who lay out the doom Sara can soar over, and Rocco can build a foundation for, what are your sources of inspiration and musical role-models? I mean, on this album, you almost dip into every genre, jazz, classical and not at least creating the heavy melodic riffs that more than once evoke the giants of the genre.

Marco: My way of playing is based on Lemmy’s approach with Motörhead. Simple riffs, full power chords, Marshall 100 watts Plexi head with hot tubes and a big cabinet. Once this base is laid down, I mix these elements with other sounds and experimentation. I also play guitar on some songs at concerts and I use this setup with two cabinets instead.

Alberto: I have a really ‘70s approach to playing guitar. At the beginning I really thought there were no such things as pedals and effects, I really didn’t know or care about any of those little boxes. Just the guitar and the amp, all the stuff I needed were controls for tone and volume on the guitar and the amp. My heroes were (and still are) the great British rock blues guitarists, such as Jimmy Page, Eric Clapton, Rory Gallagher and so on. I pretty much learned everything by ear listening to the records. That had a huge role on developing my ability to improvise and compose. At some point I was really into Blues (Derek Trucks, Robben Ford) and Jazz (Wes Montgomery, Charlie Christian) so I studied Jazz Guitar at the Conservatory of Vicenza and got my degree. During that period I went on a vacation in southern Spain and totally fell in love with the Flamenco guitar. I think, as a guitar player, after hearing Paco De Lucia or Vicente Amigo for the first time you’re not the same person anymore. I’m still trying to figure out the nightmare (in a good way) of playing real flamenco guitar, it’s VERY hard. In the end I guess it’s all of the above and none of them at the same time. I think you really have to play what’s best for the song, and that might not include what you like the most or not playing at all.

We understand that Sara writes the lyrics for the albums. “Pilgrim” has the lines “Pilgrim/ Your breath blows away/ All my thoughts” and “Dark Horse” features the lines “I only see with my eyes closed/ You are just buying a dark horse”. Lines that let our imagination run wild with the music to support. What are the lyrical themes throughout the album? What comes first, the riffs/melody or the lyrics?

There is no main topic for the lyrics in Close, but for sure there is a whole spectrum of emotions inside of them. Guilt, sadness, anxiety… Confronting yourself and what you feel is inevitable. Regarding the order of creation we always write riffs first. Vocal lines come after, yet sometimes lyrics were created before the music was born and were adapted to fit a certain song later on. I don’t have a step-by-step procedure for writing words, they just come when and where they want. Due to this, I have pens and scraps of paper with me all the time.

Your graphical expression throughout covers, the hard copies of the albums and the videos are very elaborate. We understand that some band members have some background/education in photography, graphics and more. Do you make all your material yourselves or do you collaborate? And: Who came up with the band logo?

We care a lot about the visual outcome of Messa, we like to work on the imagery of our music and often have clear ideas on how to represent it. Marco is the one who takes care of all the art direction of the visual project regarding Messa. Marco and I then do part of the process on their own (photography, graphic design etc.) when it’s possible to do it “in house”, but we also collaborate with other professionals to bring our ideas to reality. The physical formats of Close will feature a special booklet with film pictures taken by photographer Federico Floriani. He spent hours with us in the recording studio, documenting the sessions. Another person we collaborated with since the beginning is director Laura Sans. She shot all of our videos so far, including the one for “Pilgrim”. Her help was fundamental throughout these years. The band logo was created by Marco himself back in 2014.
 
From: https://veilofsound.com/2022/03/02/Interview_with_Messa.html

Le Grand Sbam - Dins O Sbam

Another grand slam (aka grand sbam) of the year 2019, and at the same time one of fantastic, fanatical debut opuses in avant garde-progressive scene. Le Grand Sbam’s debut album "Vaisseau Monde", much-awaited by every avant garde-progressive rock fan, has been launched in the last month of 2019, and surprisingly appreciated for only a month. No more expression needed because lots of Lyon-oriented avantgarde warriors like ni., PoiL, Chromb!, and so on. And of course, massive energetic, powerful sound connotation you can hear all through this creation.
Plenty of sound approaches and technical appearances come up to your ears. The first shot "Dins O Sbam" is a killer. Sarcastic, deeply heavy, incredibly complicated melodic / rhythmic movements with female voice / shout madness should absorb your brain and inner mind without breath. Oh God. Not only guitar heaviness nor dissected percussion / drumming salad, but also Japanese shakuhachi (amazing) or quirky synthesizer dances will invade deeply in. Quite enjoyable is a chase of female voices and heavy fuzzy guitar sounds in "Kouia" ... in such a melodic confusion, you would find something methodical and methodological. Weird really.
And imho my favourite is the fourth turf "Woubit" featuring hippy spacey ghostly Kraut-y psychedelia. Reminds me like Fille Qui Mousse meet Mahogany Brain. Always feel I would drive myself deeply beneath the sea of the track. In the last one "Vishnu Foutr'line" addictive combination of beautiful lines and adherent complexity can be received here and there. But hey as their sound compilation this track can be felt, methinks. In conclusion, cannot call this creation as diverse nor colourful easily but for every avant-prog or Zeuhl fan this opus should be of much pleasure. And let me say thanks to Dur et Doux for recommending such a fine production.  From: https://www.progarchives.com/album.asp?id=64351

Bryan Scary & The Shredding Tears - Cable Through Your Heart

I have learned many interesting things about people through lively music discussion. One would be the form of desperation individuals often find themselves in, looking up random artists on Wikipedia and presenting baseless knowledge in order to impress a colleague or a romantic interest. Another would be the form of music elitism people present in order to gain some sort of fictional rank or form of self-admiration. “Have you heard the new Strokes album?” an average music fan asks. “Anyone who listens to music like that without comprehension of the genre’s history and origins is useless,” the elitist replies. “My taste in music represents the absolute (unwritten) law that all other fans should abide by.” Yeah, right. Even while the individuals who commit these acts are often harmless and easy to humor, should we really blame them for their snobbery? After all, the desire for attention is human nature. From a baby crying in a crib to an elderly man attempting to relive his past dangerously, most of us experience points in our lives where other’s impressions of us are depicted as more essential than they should be.
Placing any contemporary album in the same sentence with Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band is liable for a head-bashing from any of these so-called elitists. Yes, I wholeheartedly agree that it is arguably the greatest pop album of all-time. And of course, I also agree that no artist will ever produce another form of innovation unheard to the decade that the Beatles did with Sgt. Pepper in the 60s. However, with that in mind, I certainly do not turn red in dismay when I hear that a contemporary album has been compared to an untouchable classic. Unless someone clarifies that the new release is of better overall quality than its preceding influence, I will not bother arguing with personal opinion. Finding two people in this world with the exact same artistic taste is impossible regardless of how you look at it. So, I am going to go the full distance on this one and call Bryan Scary‘s debut album, The Shredding Tears, the Sgt. Pepper of 2006. Yes, it was released last year and, for whatever reason, has received barely any recognition. So, what makes a Sgt. Pepper, you ask? Simple. When reminiscing about the classic Beatles album, most of us think of a pop album enshrined in flawless production, irresistible melodies, conceptual themes, and melodies that render most contemporaries untouchable, containing not one song that is lacking in quality or effort. Have we heard music in the mold of Bryan Scary before? Of course we have, thousands and thousands of times before. Any fan of the Beatles, The Kinks, Queen, or Squeeze can tell you that easily. In fact, Scary’s vocals are often comparable to Brian Wilson or Glen Tilbrook, two pop artists who could easily make a successful song using their vocal harmonics alone. In fact, judging from the impeccable piano-led melodies accompanied by the charmingly inviting vocals, some may even mistake Bryan Scary for a collaboration between Tilbrook and Paul McCartney.
While it is true that Scary’s stylistic approach, both instrumentally and vocally, is comparable to a vast number of classic pop artists, this obstacle in becoming a notable innovator is merely a component that should be overlooked to get the most out of The Shredding Tears. Those who expect complete innovation in every modern release are of a foolish nature. Music is an art that has lasted thousands of years and with each passing year it becomes more difficult to push creativity to a new level without being labeled as outdated. Despite the unavoidable comparisons, the most impressive aspect about Scary that causes him to stand apart from the generic mold is, simply, his natural ability to write a memorable pop song. Apart from the drums, Scary writes, sings, and plays all the instruments in every song on The Shredding Tears. Personally, he is one of the most talented musicians I have stumbled across in the past few years. While his multi-instrumental ability is extremely impressive, it is his songwriting that shines with the most brilliance. The majority of the tracks contained on the album implement a similar approach with an emphasis on unavoidable hooks, mostly dragged on by vocal melodies and piano-laden key changes. Scary’s most attributable instrument is the piano, also the one that he has clearly mastered to the most significant degree. Incorporating a variety of electric guitars and keys is the norm throughout The Shredding Tears. Solos on both fronts are supplemented by a variety of production effects, whether it be the throwback shrill organ in “Mrs. Gracy’s Revenge!” or the contemporary usage of synths in “Misery Loves Company”. It appears safe to say that Scary is a knowledgeable student of successful pop music. He flawlessly incorporates the techniques of past artists like The Beatles and Queen into his own creative approach, resulting in an album that pushes the limits of present-day virtuosity and musical aptitude.
The Shredding Tears, as the name eludes to, is considered to be a concept album by Bryan Scary himself. He appears to be taking a cue from Mr. Bowie himself, chronicling the day-to-day life of a rising rock band, meeting fascinating characters and adopting exotic lifestyles along the way. Of course, like all concept albums, my interpretation is solely personal. If someone has the time and effort to sort out Scary’s clever remarks into one cohesive storyline, please do so in the comments below. I am just as curious as most of you. There is most likely some stunning message behind this melodiously inducing album, though it is difficult to care when wrapped up in the pure irresistibility of the songs as a whole. Scary reaches near pop perfection in both “The Ceiling On The Wall” and “The Little Engine Who Couldn’t (Think Straight)”, both representing an expressive outburst in both the verse and chorus. Typically, the casual artist saves his hooks in time for a predictably drawing chorus. Scary implements this tactic while making the verses just as engaging. The structure remains unpredictable the first few rounds through, the verses picking up pace after each bridge is presented with the usual passion and invigoration. Scary’s unconventionalism does not stop there. Oddly enough, the most impressive tracks are those that appear later on the album, with the first three tracks being the weakest on the album and lacking the quality of latter gems like “The Bottom Of The Grave” or “The Bloodclub”. However, from “The Ceiling On The Wall” onwards, this is an outstanding album. It is a shame that I found this album after I completed my top albums of ’06. It would have certainly competed for a spot in the top five.  From: https://www.obscuresound.com/2007/06/bryan-scary-and-the-shredding-tears/

Crawlers - Better If I Just Pretend

Based in Liverpool, raging rockers Crawlers have spent the last couple of years building a loyal and committed fan base, and have now shared their long awaited debut EP – a diverse collection of emotion-strewn anthems. From the raging, politically-charged energy of ‘Statues’ to the sparkling melancholic splendour of ‘Come Over (again’), each track oozes the band’s trademark impassioned drive and swirling raw charisma. We caught up with Crawlers to find out more about them and their mission as a band…

Hi Crawlers, welcome to Get In Her Ears! Can you tell us a bit about the band?

Hiya Get In Her Ears! Crawlers are a four-piece band based in North-West England (half of us from Warrington and the other Liverpool), we formed in late 2018 and like playing around with the sound of rock in any way we can, but most of all we’re four best mates who love creating music.

How did you initially all get together and start creating music?

Amy (guitarist) and Liv (bass) played together in a few bands in their high school and ended up splitting up when both went to different sixth forms. Holly (vocals) and Liv then went to LIPA Sixth Form in Liverpool, and were into very similar music and decided after dabbling in a few projects to create a band with Amy. We met Harry just after we released our third ever single as he wrote a review of the song for a magazine, and once we said we needed a new drummer he was the perfect fit!

Your new EP Crawlers is out now – can you tell us what it’s all about? Are there any themes running throughout the EP?

The EP has many themes, however it definitely has an overarching theme of struggles. The first single ‘Statues’ is about the corruption of the American police system, and its institutionalised racism. The second ‘Breathe’ is about my (Holly) existential crisis about the development of social media and technology. The penultimate ‘Monroe’ explores the beauty standards specifically for women in media, and the unfair treatment of Britney Spears. And finally ‘Come Over (again)’, the final track, is about our own personal woes, grief of relationships and family, and most of all, the people who cause such feelings.

You’ve been compared to the likes of Nova Twins and Yungblood, but who would you say are your main musical influences?

We’re very lucky to be compared to both artists as they’re both individually extremely talented! We as a band definitely are inspired by the likes of Nirvana, The Strokes, Queens of the Stone Age, Pixies and Smashing Pumpkins… However, individually we all love very different types of music which allows us to delve into many different types of genres. Holly loves artists such as Mitski, Phoebe Bridgers and Black Country New Road, whilst Liv is a huge metal fan, inspired by bands such as Metalica and Tool. Harry loves Gorillaz and Rage Against the Machine, and Amy is the biggest Fleetwood Mac and Abba fan possibly ever!  

How is your local music scene? Do you go to see lots of live music?

Liverpool is a wonderful scene currently, exploding with some of the UK’s biggest talents of many alternative genres. Everybody knows everybody and word spreads fast of a new band on the scene and it’s absolutely crazy to start becoming mutual friends with artists and bands we have loved and respected since we first started out in the scene.

And what can fans expect from your live shows?

As we have grown as artists, we have definitely also grown as performers. For some reason I (Holly) used to pretend to be badass on stage, when in reality I’m a bit of a joker. We focus on creating a safe space for all kinds of supporters, as I have sensory issues. I try to ensure when our heavier songs are played that everyone is aware of their space, as well as those around them and their actions, so that everyone can have a good time! I know there’s been a lot of times at heavier gigs when I have personally felt extremely overwhelmed because of the environment, and we wanna let people enjoy heavy music no matter how they like to enjoy it. Not gonna lie, sometimes I do treat a gig like a bit of a comedy show – I have a funny rapport with the audience and a giggle with the band. I feel like that makes it a lot more personal, and when our emotional songs are performed, it feels like we go through every single emotion at our gigs.

As we’re a new music focused site, are there any new/upcoming bands or artists you’d recommend we check out?

Our current favourites from our scene are definitely Torture and the Desert Spiders, Stone, Gadzooks and Zuzu! All you should definitely check out! Generally I would recommend Witch Fever, Vial, Lowertown, Tash and Charles and the Big Boys too.

And how do you feel the music industry is for new bands at the moment – would you say it’s difficult to get noticed?

It’s a hard one. Social media has definitely made it easier for artists to get noticed, however it has also meant major labels have even more power to control, and has meant the over saturation of artists has made it difficult to stand out. A good time to play around in the live scene, now it is all back and about, and a good time to build a platform!

Finally, what does 2022 have in store for Crawlers?

A lot. We’re going to be going on our first ever tour, and hopefully showing you guys even more of our now very diverse catalogue, hehe. We’re just so lucky for so early in our career to have such amazing supporters and fanbase – and we can’t wait to grow our craft and share it with the world!

From: https://getinherears.com/2021/12/08/introducing-interview-Crawlers/