Lets get to the other side

When I first started writing a blog (and that seems like light years ago) I never really thought that anyone would read it. For a number of reasons really, the main one being that I always felt nobody thought what I had to say was worth reading. Now I sit here, with 30000+ page views (not counting the old blog site) and I am now having my work published in a newspaper.

It has been without a doubt one hell of a roller coaster of a year.

If you want to read my first "Article" or "Column" whichever you want to call it, you can buy the Irvine Herald this Thursday. I will be, mainly because I just want to see it's real. 

It's a weird feeling, not many people would figure it would mean so much to someone but when you've had a year like 2012, ending it on a high like this is just brilliant. My views on the world in a newspaper? It's mental isn't it!

I'm sitting listening to "Barcelona - Get Up" a song that I haven't listened to in years, well it's not that I haven't wanted to. I heard this song in 2010 and for some reason the name just escaped me and I could not find it anywhere I looked, then I sat yesterday for an hour hunting the internet for it and eventually I found it. It's always great when that happens. 

Tonight is New Years eve, and rather than have a repeat of last year when I woke up on a staircase at 7am with a man wearing a thong and a furry hat wishing me a "Happy New Year" and then disappearing into the night, I'm going to celebrate it with some close friends.

Every year people say that they're going to make changes for the new year. Whether it's giving up smoking or losing weight there's always a plethora of resolutions fly about. I'm not going to make any resolutions this year. I'm going to just make a promise to myself to stay focused on what I have at this moment in time and not let it slip away from me. 

Whatever you end up doing tonight, whether you sit at home with Whisky and Madeira Cake or whether you are in a club bouncing around downing JagerBombs I truly hope you have a great night and I will see you on the other side. May 2013 hold something special in store for you. 

Happy New Year

It's Chriiiiiiiiiiiistmas (eve)

As I sit here, thinking about what joys tomorrow will bring (Doctor Who) I've got the Detours blaring on the blowers and a playlist to follow that is most triumphant.

It's odd, the last couple of years I really haven't been in the festive spirit, but this year I feel really festive. Maybe it's down to the fact that I'm a stage in my life where I feel truly content. I'm not trying to reach for a star that is unattainable.

Anyway, there is no real point to this blog apart from to say Merry Christmas and if your playlist is as good as mine, then you have had a truly Magical Musical Year :)



Playlist

The Detours
Anna Sweeney
Jiezuberband
The Colour of Logic
Stonehouse Violets
The Filthy Blues
Chaos
Brown Bear and the Bandits
Confusion
Little Fire
Johnny Graham
A Band Called Cadence
Emma McNeil
Carly Connor
Sonic Templars
The Banana Sessions
Dear Stars
Jaego
Jay Ingram
Pendulum

Christmas Pimping

It's that time of year where you get two types of songs released. The first is the traditional Christmas Cover, where some musician(s) re-record a famous Christmas Track and are satisfied that they are now in the Christmas Spirit. I myself recorded a version of "Santa Claus is Coming to Town" last year. The other type, is the new and original Christmas Song. Where someone actually takes time to write and put together a track for the festive period. These are the one's I look forward to. However it's very rare that one of these tracks will get more than one play on my speakers, this year though, I've found a track that has had it's fair share of playing through the old blowers.

Chances are if you're anyone who knows anyone then you'll have been attacked with posts for the video of "Christmas Pimping, Everybody's Gimping" and my hope, is that you have taken the time to watch it.

"Christmas Pimping, Everybody's Gimping" is not your usual Christmas Song and yet at the same time encompasses everything you could want from a Christmas Song. It has the bells jingling in the background, a few "Tra La La's" and copious amounts of references to Santa along the way. Musical wise the song is very simple, there's no over the top instrumentation and the beat is very simple. Lyrical wise, this song is  Christmas Gold. I would however state, that no one listens to this track without opening up your mind to the world of what I now refer to as "Giro Humour" and as you can probably guess from that, the Girobabies do make an appearance. The track features Colonel Mustard & The Dijon 5, The Girobabies and The Plimptons.

As much as I had slightly gone off the Girobabies (and someone may need to slap me for that) my faith has been restored. Mainly because they have the best lines of the track. "The police are scum, locked up my" and "stick on a Pogues song and lets get.....single fished" are just a few of my favourites. 

The whole track is a track that is 100% worth listening to and purchasing. Not only is it a great piece of Christmas, but it's also for Charity and if it wasn't worth buying before it definitely is now. 

Christmas is gonna pimp your ass! and it starts here.

Or be a really really nice chap, and buy it here https://itunes.apple.com/gb/album/christmas-pimping-everybodys/id584451456?i=584451536&ign-mpt=uo%3D4

X-Factor 2012

Just as shite as it was last year.................




Just saying

Proud to be Scottish

Scotland is my country and no matter where I go in the world it will always be home. As it's St Andrews Day I was just thinking about what this tiny tiny country has contributed to the world. Believe it or not, we have shaped so much of the world it's almost unbelievable.

Throughout the world people pick up a telephone and talk to friends and family at opposite ends of the globe, they make business calls and (dirty buggers) use it for cheap thrills to those durty sex lines. The telephone is without a doubt one of the most used creations ever, and it came from the mind of Edinburgh born Alexander Graham Bell.

James Chalmers from Arbroath created the sticky postage stamp, and we're nearing the time of year when millions of these get used.

You know that big box that you keep your eyes glued to for ages? Watching such classics as Doctor Who and such gash such as River City and I'm a wannabe put me in there? Aye? Straight from the mind of another Scotsman - John Logie Baird

Did you also know that Scotland were the first country to print postcards? Random bit of information for you there!

The MRI body scanner was invented by John Mallard from Aberdeen (I wrote so many sheep jokes there, but decided it was best to remove them incase I cause offence to any sheep that may be reading this)

Speaking of sheep...............who could forget Dolly the Sheep? The worlds first cloned mammal, cloned in Midlothian

Our great country also invented the worlds most boring and tedious game...............Golf!

William Cullen from Hamilton invented the fridge (refrigerator) so remember that next time you need to chill yer beer!

There's so much more that Scotland has introduced to the world including the flushing toilet, the Kaleidoscope, The Boys Brigade and The Bank of England (it's true, google it!) to name a few

Of course, our football team sucks, we are over run by neds, we invented the deep fried mars bar. Our national dish is minced heart, liver and kidneys inside a sheeps stomach and our national instrument sounds like the after effect of Cheryl Cole getting a grizzly bear rammed up her anus. 

Scotland has also given us some of the best music in history including Deacon Blues "Dignity" and music from The Proclaimers, Biffy Clyro, IdleWild, Dougie Maclean and even Mark Knopfler is Scottish. 

We lay claim to The Big Yin himself, Billy Connolly and then of course there's Mr Bond himself Sean Connery and yet all of these don't begin to scratch the surface.

No other country in the world produced Rabbie "Robert" Burns did they? Naw that was us! And every country in the world echos his famous "Auld Lang Syne" on New Years eve.

We have the best Hogmanay Street Party in the world! We also have some of the greatest landscapes in the world.

I may not walk around with a Saltire painted on my face and I may not sing Flower of Scotland at any god given moment, but I sure as hell am proud to be from the best country in the world.........Scotland

One word of warning.............if you fuck with us......................."We'll set aboot ye"

Taay it to the bone!

They say that Rap music is an acquired taste and I guess they'd be right. I don't actually know who "they" are, my guess is that they refers to the general minds of the world. I suppose though, it's not everybody's cup of tea. Me? I like the odd bit here and there and I do have a place in my heart for Scottish Rap, I have no idea why but something about it just sits very well with me.

You may remember a couple of months back I spoke with "Taay" about his future prospects and where he was headed now that the "Underdog Theory" are no more and at that point he was pretty unsure about how long it would be until he picked up the microphone again. Well................that moment has come.

Taay's first release is "The Mirror" and I couldn't wait to listen to it. It seems like eons ago since I last heard anything new coming from this section of space and time and now it had arrived.

Mirrors is a great re-awakening from Taay, it combines the raw sound of the underground and mainstream hip-hop and creates something not too far removed from Ray Cash or Roots Manuva (certain aspects at least)

Rather than change his Modus Operandi to adapt to the current musical landscape Taay has updated the music and really remained true to the lyrical values that make him such a talented artist. Listening to Taay you can take in every beat of the track and every lyric that comes with it. The production is very well thought out and it really just allows him to sink in to the sounbed and perform in his laid back style.

"The Mirror" is a very focused track and it really is like a comeback track and a re-introduction to an artist who's talent has unlimited and untapped potential, I think we haven't yet scratched the surface of what Taay is fully capable of.

All in all a great comeback track and definitely worth a listen.

Check out the facebook page and give "The Mirror" a listen

https://www.facebook.com/TaayOfficial

Teknishin

I love new music, you could say I'm obsessed with new music! I'm one of those people who's in a club at night and would rather have them playing a remix of some local band that what "classes as music these days"

I guess I just have that thing in the back of my head that knows when I hear good music. Today I've been listening to a wide variety of stuff though, and I actually started listening to "Crystal Castles" and "TNGHT" and that's something I don't normally do, but I was really enjoying it. It must have been my third eye telling me that I was going to get some Electronic music to review, because about an hour later I got a message about "Teknishin" an Electronic artist from Scotland. So doing my usual thing that I do, I got my mind on the ball and started listening to the "Teknishin" Soundcloud page. So glad I did, and I'm so glad I had listened to Crystal Castles earlier because my mind was fresh with a highly rated artist in that field.

The tracks on the Soundcloud page are a clear example of what a good ear for music and some hard work and determination can achieve, taking into account that "Teknishin" has only been producing music for around 12 months and you'll agree that what he's produced is a great achievement.

"San Antonio Bay" is a track that takes me back to some great music from the 90's and early 00's possibly even back a little further. There's something very similar to "Infected Mushroom" and their early work. "Teknishin" seems to be able to bring an intricate and smarter sound to Electronic music than most and listening just simply to this track you can hear that come across.

With the music that "Teknishin" is producing, it seems that Electronic fans of all ages will love it. Jean Michel Jarre was a pioneer of Electronic music back in the 70's and there's time during listening to a "Teknishin" track where you imagine it could have been part of Jarre's work. There are other points where you feel that there could have been slight adjustments made to the tracks but never the less what you hear from Teknishin is well constructed and thought out pieces of music.

Teknishin is not yet the finished article, and I see a lot of  work going into to future productions, but there's no doubt in my mind that what lies in that brain is some serious works of art.

Check him out

http://soundcloud.com/teknishinofficial
www.facebook.com/teknishin

Sixth Avenue Traffic

I am possibly the worst in the world for Procrastinating..........I sit down to do one thing, like review an album or work on a Marketing Campaign and something else grabs my attention. One day I aim to sit down with my list of work and rattle through it in order and have it all completed without any distractions or any curve balls thrown my way.

"Sixth Avenue Traffic" proved to be quite a distraction today. I have a backlog of EP's to listen to and it's always the same, I end up hearing one song of the band I'm NOT supposed to be listening to and end up listening to the whole lot, then I come over here and start typing away. I'm pretty sure that in a few years time the Oxford dictionary will say this "Procrastination - [proh-kras-tuh-neyt, pruh-] To do a Martin McLaughlan and do something completely different to what you're supposed to be doing, Martin has missed out a lot of massive acts because he got distracted by someone else"

Anyway.......see I even procrastinate when I'm writing these blogs, I can never just write what's meant to be written. 

Sixth Avenue Traffic are an Alternative Rock outfit based in Glasgow, and they're one of those bands who I'm ashamed to say I hadn't listened to until today. With four tracks on their SoundCloud page, it's easy enough to get a feel for the sound that the band have. My first stand out point is the vocals, the vocals are so reminiscent of late 90's early 00's post-grunge. I automatically thought of a blend of Drowning Pool and Radiohead, so I wasn't surprised to hear that lead singer Chris Thomson is a huge Thom Yorke fan. If you can take an influence and mirror it so poignantly in your music and make the impact that this does then you automatically win brownie points from me.

"Ever changing light" is a knock out track from the four piece. Starting off with the focus mainly on the vocals in that "grungy esk nesss" (I've been assured that is a techincal term) it soon picks up the pace and evolves into a brilliant piece of music. The lyrics are powerful on their own and combined with the well constructed music make for some great listening. "Ever Changing Light" is a slow building rock song that could very well have came from the mind of Ed O'Brian himself.

"Burn Away" is another song that stands out, a different pace from "Ever Changing Light" but a piece of music crafted to instantly catch your subconscious with it's faster paced beat and a melody that gets stuck in your head for a long time after the song actually comes to an end.

Sixth Avenue Traffic are definitely a band who can write and produce good music and if this is anything to go by then I do believe that future material could be something to get excited about.

As for me, I think I'll be putting them in my favourites list for now.


Now.................time to get back to work.

Check them out!!!

http://soundcloud.com/sixthavenuetraffic

Nicole Hope

Sometimes when I'm working I like to trawl through the music world of SoundClound and see if I can get any inspiration. A lot of the time I find an artist, I listen to them and then I move on. It's not not necessarily because they aren't good at what they do, it's more to do with the fact that they don't excite me. I need music to hit a button, to make me go back and listen to it again and again. So for all the hundreds of acts I've came across, there's possibly a ratio of 1:20 who actually make me listen again. Tonight, I was working away on Festival Applications and doing the usual "trawling" and I found a couple of good artists who I would certainly recommend but there is one who truly sticks out.................Nicole Hope.

I had never heard of Nicole Hope before tonight and I really wish that wasn't the case. The first song on her SoundCloud page was "Innocent" and it is such a powerful piece of music. It is so simplistic, with only vocals and piano, yet it really gets a message across. Her voice is one of those voices that sends a shiver up your spine. There isn't much to the music, but with the vocals as strong as they are, that doesn't really matter. Towards the end of the track you are introduced to some vocal harmonies which only adds an extra dimension to a track that is already so well written and performed.

The next track I listened to was "Rise" and once again, it is so simplistic, vocals and piano are the only things present here. This song can really show the range of what Nicole has. The song holds to a very simple instrumentation and is constructed in a very simple manner that allow Nicoles expressive voice to develop the story in which she is singing about. According to the SoundCloud page, Nicole is just 19 yet her voice is so much more mature than that.

It's such a good feeling to know that such amazing voices still exist around us, if only they got the attention that they deserved.

Nicole Hope is one for the future. I can pretty much guarantee it.


http://soundcloud.com/nicolehope

Emmas Imagination/Dee/CAAPS & Suspire

First off can I just say thank you to everyone who's helped get this blog to 23000 views in just under 4 months. It's good to know that people read what I do.

Every so often I get the chance to check out a new venue, and when I'm at that venue chances are I get to listen some superb music. Admittedly not all music is brilliant, but when you immerse yourself in the music scene around Scotland 90% of what you hear is worth listening to again. Tonight I got myself along to the "Suspire" single launch at the "Art School Union" in Glasgow. A venue which I hope is utilized more often, the sound seems to be spot on, of course that is always helped my a good sound technician.

For the past year, there has been act who I've been dying to see perform. Ever since a friend introduced me to her music "Emma's Imagination" has been the top of my "Must See List" and tonight I finally got the chance. For those of you who don't know, Emma won Sky 1's "Must be the music" in 2010, and although I never actually saw the show I can see exactly why she won. When Emma took to the stage I was so full of anticipation, here it was........a year of waiting and finally the moment had come. Here I was standing in such an intimate venue with her standing feet away and I was waiting.........then she started. Wow........any expectations I had about what I was in for were blown away. When recorded, Emmas voice is astonishing but live it truly gives you goosebumps. Her voice is so gentle yet so powerful with a range that most vocalists would envy, the way she can reach such a high pitch and instantly bring it back down is nothing short of wonderful. I was looking forward to the whole set but when you hear "Focus" live it is nothing short of amazing and really is a stand out song. Hearing Emma stripped back without a band or any sort of accompaniment really shows the talent that got her the winners title of "Must be the music" If I could go back and change my "Top 10" blog then Emma would be right up near the top.

Next up was "Dee" an act who I'm ashamed to say I had never heard of before tonight. Dee has a voice that is so well controlled and so passionate that it resonates through every lyric that she sings. As I'm writing this I've sourced out her Soundcloud page and am currently listening to "Beautiful Thief" which is a very well constructed piece of music. Her backing band are a group of musicians obviously well versed in technique and perform well together, throughout the set there was not one bum note or hiccup that I could notice. My favourite song from her set was a song called "Love Glow" (at least I think that's what's it called) and it was so reminiscent of a late 90's rock track. When the song actually started, for the first few bars I just had this image of it belonging in an "American Pie" soundtrack. Dee is definitely an act that I will be looking out for in the future and I will definitely try and see her perform again.

I need to take a moment at this point to mention the buffet. It's not often I get to write about what I do now (Music) and my previous career (Chef) in the same blog, but I do tonight. I have never witnessed a buffet at a gig, and I have never witnessed a buffet as good as what I saw (and tasted tonight) I think I ate three full chickens and  so much Pizza Bread. I think even if the music was bad, then I would have enjoyed being there just for the food.

Up next was "CAAPS"................I've been trying to figure out what to say about CAAPS. So much overdrive on the guitar, no frontman, a bass player who insisted on doing "Gary Tank Commander" Impressions throughout the set. Basically, music wise I wouldn't have these guys at the top of my list, or even in the middle of the list. However, saying that............."CAAPS" are a thoroughly entertaining band with a hell of a lot of energy.

The final act of the night was the act we had all came to see......"Suspire" a band who I've heard a lot about, watched a lot of videos on "YouTube" listened to a lot of their songs but I had never witnessed them live. They opened the night with "Salvation Sister" a song which, being familiar with, I thoroughly enjoyed. Following that was "Get Yourself Together" not one of my favourite "Suspire" tracks but still worth a listen. With "Compromise" and "Hold On" I really felt the band were getting into their stride. There's something strangely captivating about these guys on stage, they don't have a tremendous stage presence but watching them do what they do is riveting. From guitar chords that really pack a punch, to the subtle tones of the keyboard and right through to some great drum timings, watching this band is enough to make anyone want more. By the time "Catalyst" came around I was dying for the band to keep playing, for them to keep belting out tracks that really make you tap your feet. I don't know what it is, but there's a slight tinge of "Muse" behind what they do, and at this point in time I think most people will agree that Muse are possibly the hottest band in the world right now. Suspire then announced that they were about to play their last song, and I couldn't help but feel a strain of sadness. I could have watched this band for hours on end and not became bored. They ended with "Dodos" the new single, a track which I only heard for the first time yesterday morning and instantly fell in love with. There's so much creativity that goes into making "Suspire" what they are, the entire mix is a mix that needs to remain untouched. I think they are one band who I can definitely say need to keep doing what they're doing and don't change anything because they have a winning formula.

Check them out

www.facebook.com/Suspire

Mumford and Sons - "Babel"

Marcus Mumford, Ben Lovett, Winston Marshall, and Ted Dwane are four men with some huge artistic flair. When "Sigh No More" was first released I was instantly taken by what the band produced, there was very little in the way of a "bad track" and the album instantly became a hit with me.
Now almost three years on we have "Babel" an eagerly anticipated album that, quite frankly, I wasn't sure was going to come. It felt like Mumford and Sons were dragging there heels over this one. But a few months when it was announced that a second album was on it's way I was excited."Babel" is an album that remains true to who Mumford and Sons are, the quality of the tracks are there. It seems to take all the good points of "Sigh No More" and weave them together with new material to create a clean and crisps sound. 

For most people "Babel" is an album which remains very similar in feel to "Sigh No More" and that can only be a good thing. Being too far removed from "Sigh No More" could only have been a bad move considering the popularity and critical acclaim that the album received. The use of instrumental crescendo on the album gets the music across so powerfully and really stands out. When you hear the mixture of violin, guitar, trumpet, trombone, fiddle and vocals you really get to feel what you're listening to and every track on "Babel" makes for a truly great listening experience.

The debut single from the album "I will wait" is a track that I'm pretty sure everyone has heard by now, but surprisingly it's not the best track on the album. The title track "Babel" is a song that in my opinion should have been the debut single.
My stand out track on the album is "Lovers Eyes" one of the only tracks on the album which is really heavy on vocals. It has a slower tempo that every other track but when you get to around 2 minutes you hear the tempo pick up. You can hear all the elements that make Mumford and Sons great but just at a slower pace. 

I can't believe that I'm only just getting around to listening to this album, it really was worth the 3 year wait. "Babel" will be one album that will keep coming out of my collection and into my Sound System for a good few years.

Looking back

Sometimes looking back through Facebook pictures can make you laugh so much. I was just sitting having a look and realised that some of the stuff I've gotten up to and some of the stuff I've found are moments in my history that I'm glad I caught on camera. So I decided to show some of them here, just because a) I can't sleep and b) I thought it'd be interesting.

At Rockfest in 2010 myself and Smee discovered the Vagina tree, if you look closely it resembles upside down legs and a big hairy muff..........interesting eh?

A few years ago I was obsessed with For Sale signs, one morning I woke up with one in my bath tub with no recollection of how it got there. I'm not sure if this is the same one, but I really did have a weird obsession.

You know that group of Friends you have when you're a teenager and you think it's uber cool to act as if you're gay? No? Just us then......

All I'm saying is........apparently I have a reputation................I had never even been in the place before this

My first ever MSN conversation with my beautiful daughter, I don't remember being allowed near a computer at that age........but they didn't even have internet when I was that age.

I would have fitted in so well back in the 60's 

My romantic meal for one......rustlers burger and a carton of wine. Doesn't get any classier than that!!

Never let your friends near paintbrushes or paint when they're at your house! It's not good for the walls

My Top Ten Best of 2012

It appears to be getting to that time of year again, when Facebook becomes a daily update of how many "sleeps" there are until Christmas, or as I like to call it - Doctor Who Day. Some people call me a Grinch, others just say I need to get in the spirit of Christmas. If I'm honest, I always get in the festive spirit.......at Christmas time. Effectively Christmas is a day to celebrate the birth of a wee man born in a stable in front of some horses and a big star in the sky. It's a birthday celebration! Could you imagine if 2 months before your birthday you starting putting up banners and balloons? You would be slapped about the chops and told to simmer down............that's all I'm saying about Christmas.............get in the Christmas spirit, at Christmas time, not a few days after you dress up like a Donkey and beg for sweeties!

Anyway moving on...........

Last night I had a productive night, apart from watching another episode of "Arrow" and feeling that this show is now 4 episodes in and is lacking any real character, I listened to some great music. It got me thinking about the past year and the acts I've been to see live, have sent me an EP to review or have just posted a video on YouTube. I started thinking about whether I could pick a top ten "Best" acts of 2012! I then realised..............damn right I can!!

So here we go, lets start with the "Top Ten Best Acts of 2012"

10. Athos - I've really grown to love Athos since I interviewed them for KA Radio back in January, their music sits just on the Edge and has a level of production that most bands on the Mainstream circuit would be enviable of.

9. Shannon Slawta - I managed to get Shannon a slot at Cider fest back in August and she put on a hell of a performance, a voice that's definitely one to watch out for.

8. Kenneth Bowman - A true master of music, one of the best Singer/Songwriters around but severely underrated for the talent that he has.

7. Jiezuberband - My Boys (and Girl) one of the best bands around at the moment, Weird, Wacky and Talented.

6. Minor Delilah - I was sent their stuff when I was at KA Radio and eventually got to see them live at The Flask a couple of months later, a true band of performers with some great music to go along with it.

5.Dougie Greig - Dougie came along and played at the MESi Radio launch event, and is truly something to behold. His use of a loop pedal on his vocals is still my favourite moment from any gig I've been to this year.

4. Stonehouse Violets - A relatively new band on the circuit, but a band who are making massive waves. One of the most talented bands on the list. Their EP is definitely in my favourite 3 CD's of this year.

3. Anna Sweeney - What can I say about Anna? She's gone from strength to strength since the beginning of 2012 and is my favourite Singer/Songwriter of the year, and one of my favourite Singer/Songwriters of all time.

2. Brown Bear and the Bandits - Anyone who hasn't heard Brown Bear and the Bandits needs to take a long hard look at their music collection. Their most recent CD is my favourite CD of the year, not a single track I would change on it.

1. The Detours - The Detours!!! Need I say more? One of the most energetic bands I've ever had the privilege of seeing, not just this year, but in my life. The presence of the band when performing combined with their skillful musical craftsmanship is unbeaten. "One Last Chance" is my song of the year. The Detours could possibly be right up there with my favourite acts of all time.


So there you have it. Don't take everything I say as gospel, make up your own minds about musicians. Everyone has different taste, for example this tiny island got a Kids TV Builder to number one in the charts, do you really think that listening to anyone else give their evaluations and opinions should tell you what's right or wrong? Have a listen to everyone and decide for yourself.

And now for something completely different

I'm partial to a bit of metal, not many people are these days but I like to get the auld head bouncing around like a vibrator in a washing machine. Good metal bands are hard to come by, at the moment most of the bands that get together to create the stuff just put out a track that is heavy on the over drive and light on actual music so it's refreshing to come across a band that I actually like.

Chaos are a new Ayrshire metal band fronted by Anna Carina Mcvicar who's vocals would not be misplaced on any other style of music, her tones could quite easily be transferred over to melodic acoustic music but they also fit perfectly with what "Chaos" are trying to achieve.

I was sent over two tracks the first being "Running Away" and if truth be told, the track is well constructed with some good riffs but I feel that there is something lacking. I don't think that "Running Away" is quite the finished article yet, but never the less it is still a reasonably good song and definitely worth listening to.

Second was "Let Me Go" and this is where I got my fix. The song begins with a drum introduction that wouldn't be out of place on a "Veil of Maya" track. From there the song progresses with some strong guitar riffs courtesy of Michael Drysdale. When Anna's vocals kick in the whole piece just fits perfectly into place. A very strong debut outing from the new band, everything from the percussion, through the vocals right down to the trills are well crafted and structurally the song couldn't be any better. I have a feeling that witnessing this track live could make it one of the tracks to make the most impact during a "Chaos" set.

When it comes to Metal, it's not my first choice of listening but I do enjoy it. "Chaos" are now in my "ones to watch" for 2013 and I'm looking forward to hearing what they'll come out with next.

www.facebook.com/chaosofficialmusic

Anna Sweeney - "Don't Look Down"

Sometimes I'm like a big kid......I get really excited and start clapping my hands like a seal when I get something really good, or something that I expect to be really good. 

Looking back on some of my previous blogs you'll probably see that I've spoken about Anna Sweeney a few times and always with high praise. So when I saw a facebook status from her asking for people to review her new track I just had to get in there and get the track. For me a new Anna Sweeney song is as exciting as it gets when it comes to local music.

"Don't look down" didn't disappoint.

When I think of Anna and her music I always imagine heartfelt, touching music played with grace and power but "Don't look down" was a step away from that. With the opening few bars you suddenly realise that this is an upbeat tempo with a bounce to it.

Guitar wise, the song seems to have the echo of a mixture of "Sweet Japonic" (check them out) and "The Scene Aesthetic" The arrangement is beautifully crafted, from the introduction right through the verses, every strum and note rings perfectly. Although truth be told I don't think that's hard for Anna to accomplish.

Vocal wise, Anna seems to be coming on with leaps and bounds with every track she releases. Listening back to "Some Say" and you can hear a difference in the control of her voice. Her voice is becoming more powerful and steady and the way she crafts various singing styles into this song is nothing short of spectacular.

All in all "Don't look down" is one of my new favourite tracks, and if it's anything to go by then when the EP comes around next year it will be amazing.

www.http://soundcloud.com/annasweeney

A crazy art form

Ridiculousness is an art form isn't it? If it's not then it should be. The world today is full of absurd beings and items that cover every artistic field. So taking that into account you would be forgiven for thinking that Scottish band Jiezuberband fit right in. For starters, anyone who has witnessed the band live will have been privy to a look that (along with their music) appears to be from both the past and the future.

I recently sat down with John and Mikey, the men behind the vocals and ivory's respectively. Armed with cups of tea and school boy laughter, you wouldn't believe that this band have the potential to be Rock Gods. I myself struggle sometimes to find the words to describe some acts, but Jiezuberband can sum themselves up perfectly. "Hallucination and Genre-less  are Johns first words, he then follows it up with "Imbibed" to which Mikey asks what it means and gets a one word answer "Drunk" Johns list continues with Tepid and Pyromaniacs although he did ask for the latter to be left out. Mikeys words started off a bit more sensible with "Energetic and Evolving" before changing the tone with "Free, Carpet Fitters and Ambidextrous" It's fair to say that these aren't words normally used to describe musicians, but then this is no normal band. At the start of the interview there was a period of nonsensical chat and the band trying to arrange some rehersal time (a matter very frustrating to John)

2012 saw the release of the bands debut studio album "Sound of the Sun" a true musical masterpiece (available at www.jiezuberband.com) but is there anything the band would change about the album?

John - "No" 

Mikey - "In a nutshell - we've been recording EPs for 5 years and eventually we realised that we had to get our fingers out before the material got lost to ether. This album gave us a foundation to build on and now we know we can do it. We can now concentrate on the next album and make it more about what we're doing at the time, more about the current band. With "Sound of the Sun" there were tracks from years ago on that album. Some people expect an album to break you but it didn't with us"

So with plans in the pipeline and the new material starting to flow, it's easy to get excited at the prospect of a new Jiezuberband album. Most bands follow up albums are usually very different to the debut, so what about Jiezuberband? How different is their new material compared to the old?

John - "Very different, it's less Rock and Prog based and moving more towards Dance and Celtic territory. A lot of it is more melodic with more focus on the vocal rather that a barrage of instruments"

Mikey - "I think if you put yourself in our shoes two years ago we would say we were Psychedelic and Prog but we're more Celtic and Dance. On the album, Fields of Love was very vocal based with the 3 part harmonies. The thing is with new material we can get halfway through and realise it's either going to be good or Bollocks"

At this point John received a reply from Kenny regarding the rehearsal times they were trying to sort out, but with Kenny comes frustration, instead of confirming times for rehearsal he instead proceeded to have a rant about how cold the rehearsal room was last week. At this point in time I would like to refrain from using the language that was used by John and Mikey, however the main point was that they had branded Kenny a "Clown"

Over the years Jiezuberband, like most bands, have seen band members come and go and the line change. If you ask anyone who's witnessed the band recently then the chances are that they'll say it's the strongest line up so far, but is this the final line up, is this the line up that's here to stay? 

John - "It will be.............................once Scott's been sacked"

Mikey - " I think that as long as 1 person from this band has the passion to keep making music then the band will exist, basically whoever lives the longest will decide, but I hope this is the line up we go forward with, it is the best line up we've had"

At this point a lot of words were used to describe some past members and that ended with "It's not really for us to slag previous members" Sitting with Jiezuberband you realise just how much fun the band has and how much they love what they do, even when slagging previous members you can feel the love.

You can't listen to a Jiezuberband track or see them live without hearing the powerful and wonderous vocals of Claire, but in a band that has 5 male members it must change the dynamic of the band when playing away from home.

John - " We have to be less crude and sleeping arrangements are a nightmare. All I'm saying is she needs help with her tent, it takes 5 of us to build her tent, and it's so big, and the only reason it's so big is so she can stand. So really it's a pain in the arse having a female member, although if we're staying in nice accommodation then it's great. I mean the rest of the band would sleep in a bag with dog shit with minimum hygiene. 

Mikey - "Apparently having a female member means we're not allowed to wipe our arses with our toothbrush and then brush our teeth"

John - "Remember that time you (Mikey) were at the bar after a gig in Wales and the barmaid said "what? no tip" and you said "Brush your hair and comb your teeth" *laughter erupts*

Mikey - "Did I say comb your teeth?"

Once again Johns phone went with another band member in reply to his question about rehearsal times, this time it was Gibby but yet again there was no answer, just that he could do Mondays

John - "Is it me? this is what I need to put with from these clowns"

2013 is going to be the year of Jiezuberband, all you need to do is look at what's in the pipeline. They seem to be a band that progress so much more every year. From a band who came from what appeared to be nowhere to a moment in history that will take place next year. The band will be the first unsigned band to headline Glasgow's o2 ABC1. So what are the band looking forward to about 2013

John - "It has to be the big one, the o2. It's the best venue I've played at and now we get the chance to headline. I'm looking forward to the competition to find the support act as well and then there's the tour straight after the o2 when we'll be showcasing our new show. Of course there's also the writing of the new tracks for the new album "The Five of Pentacles"

Mikey - "The Festivals, I love them. Also there's the possibility of a foreign tour, which would be great getting to take the music to other countries. Our main thing is to play bigger and better gigs. I don't think we can get any better at playing but we want to put on such an energetic show so we need to do as many gigs as possible so we develop a level of...erm..goodness to take to as many people as possible"

A lot of bands over the years have been known to have a great recording sound but when you see them live it's nowhere near as good. Jiezuberband have turned that on it's head, and if you ask most people they'll tell you that Jiezuberband are a much better live band, but why is that?

John - "It's possibly due to the energy on stage. Once you get into a recording studio and start being produced you start to lose the live elements and then there's over dubs. When we're on stage we capture energy. We could go on stage with just a washing machine and we would still put on an energetic show. I think when people see us they realise just how much we enjoy what we're doing and they enjoy it"

Mikey - "We're about visual perception, to look at us we look like mis-matched clowns. We basically don't know the rules"

John - "We did know the rules but then we got drunk"

Mikey - "John's mad on stage, in fact John's mad off stage. I've seen him go mad at audience members, but it's all in good fun. We give the whole package. We look different with our lack of fashion sense and that just removes our coolness and makes us cool. The way we perform as well adds such a different dynamic to what you can get on a studio recording"

Sitting down with Jiezuberband you start to realise just what makes them tick, exactly why they make the music they make. As a band they're tremendous and as people to interview you start hurting your jaw with laughter. Sitting reading through the notes to type this up I had to lose a lot of what was said, mainly because some of it was too crude and then there was stuff that could be taken out of context and might not go down well. For example at one point Mikey said "Why don't we just write for X-Factor" I'm not telling you what context it was in, you can use your imagination and make up your own story. We finished on what I thought would be an easy enough question, all I wanted to know was what actors would play each member if there was a movie made about their life. This question quickly got changed into what the movie was called with such answers as "Broke Backside" and "Lord of your Ring" starring Dildo T-Baggings it then went on to become what TV or film Character the members were like and the following was decided:

Scott - Dick Dastardly

Kenny - Any Black guy (because he keeps saying he's 20% black)

Claire - Muttley

Mikey - Supergran

John - The evil eye from LOTR or Gollum

Then when it came to Gibby it changed again, originally he was a Snake on a Plane and then the film name changed to "Wheelbarrows on a Truck" then "Dicks on a bus" eventually ending up with "C***s in Spain"

After this they then decided to see what Star Wars Characters they would be.

Kenny - Chewwie

Gibby - JarJar Binkzz

Mikey - C3PO

Of course they had to change it again, so it then became what porn Star Wars character they would be

Claire - Anal Invader

Scott - Hand (solo) Shandy

then god knows what it changed to next, all I know is that John was called "BobbaFettaCheese"

An insight into the minds of the men behind the music can sometimes be dull and monotonous, but with this band it only adds another dimension of ridiculousness. The album "Sound of the Sun" can be found on www.jiezuberband.com and you can follow the band at www.facebook.com/jiezuberband 

As for me, I have to go and see my therapist about what I had to endure trying to get an interview out of two men who's passion for music is unmatched, who are some of the nicest people you could meet but also who sometimes revert to an age where eating crayons is a favourite past time.

Number of Cups of tea drunk - 6

Number of "F" bombs - 74

Number of times John recieved an answer that wasn't an answer - 4

New age of Paton

I've heard my fair share of new music this year, some great and some not so great, but that's the way of the world. If everyone could create amazing music then the world would be a very different place. Lucky for us only a select few can write and produce good music.

Most people will remember Danny Paton from his days in The Underdog Theory, some might even stretch their memories further back to the days of Here's to Hoping and even (a memory which should be eradicated from everyone's memory, even I try to forget those days, and I was in the band) A Tempo Above Your Heartbeat. These days Mr. Paton has moved in to his own new niche and now goes under the name Danny P. Much the same way that Puff Daddy went to P. Diddy, I wonder if Danny will move to use the stage name "Diddy P"

I stumbled across his debut single "What goes around comes back around" when I logged into Facebook this morning, and as an ever growing nosey bastard I had to have a listen and listen I did.

For the first 12 seconds of the track I felt a bit let down, I had this strange feeling that this was going to be an acoustic track, and for some reason I wasn't prepared for an acoustic track from Mr. Paton. However at 12 seconds the song came to life with what I can only describe as a burst of early noughties American Rock. The sounds instantly reminded me of the band Saliva (you know the ones, the guy who sung the song with Chad Kroger? yeah he's from Saliva) and I was addicted.

The song is musically tight, well produced and a song that you want to listen to time and time again. Even as I write this, I'm listening to it for what must be the 8th time. It is a well constructed piece of music with nothing left to the imagination. A few years ago I would have been dubious about listening to a track that featured Danny on vocals as I never felt that his vocals were quite strong enough, however now my mind has been completely changed. He has found his voice and what a voice it is.

If the first track is this strong then I really look forward to whatever else come from this production studio.


Have a listen for yourself!

The dog has had it's day

Some people are born with talent, others strive to gain talent. If someone has talent then it should always be showcased, no matter how or where, there's always a time and there's always a place.

Normally in this blog I concentrate on either a solo artist or a full band, its very rarely that I take an individual from a band. When someone has to hang up a microphone it can be the most horrid feeling in the world, I remember I had to do it a couple of years ago and my life was completely empty. All it took was that push and I was "back on it"

I started talking to Taay earlier on, one of Scotland's finest rap artists, and asked what was happening with "The Underdog Theory" to be met with the words........"I'm not with them anymore"

In that instant, my heart sunk......for me The Underdog Theory were my favourite band to come out of Ayrshire in a long time. I remember their debut performance, their EP (which I still have a copy of somewhere) they worked so hard and were such a great band, that Taay leaving just basically........well......it sucked. Taay was my favourite part of that band, his lyrics were out of this world, the context of each line echos in my mind still to this day.

"We had a new lineup (minus a singer) and nothing was getting done, there were no jams, no anything. I just couldn't be fucked with the nothing anymore so with great regret hung up the mic"

When a Drummer, Bassist and Vocalist leave a band, the band tends to just give up, but The Underdog Theory kept striving to progress and stay on the path to success, unfortunately, they couldn't get the vocal ability that they were looking for.

"We had loads of singers in the pipeline, but we were looking for that 'specific' sound and just couldn't find it......Chasing the dragon if you will"

So for now it looks like The Underdog Theory is no more. One of the finest group of musicians Ayrshire has seen in a while, no longer putting out the music that people love.

"It's a shame man because the new music was just missing some key components and it would have melted faces......there was one song that sounded like..what you would get if you mixed Rage with Killswitch...it was fucking epic"

Taay is without a doubt one of the most talented lyric scripter that I have every came across.......personally I hope that he hasn't hung up his microphone for the long run. One day hopefully he'll pick it up again and show the world what magic he can scribe.......

"To be honest.......I don't know what i'm gonna do.....music is such a big part of my life, I hate not doing anything, but who knows. I had some really really good stuff written for the album, very mature music but nothing ever really came of it"

New music from the rap master? Surely that's something that everyone wants to hear? Personally, if that doesn't make it to a recording studio there's some major issues with the world of music. Perhaps a solo career could be in the pipeline for Mr Taay?

"No........it (the music) was all but finished but it wouldn't be the same to do solo I hate solo music. Personally I hate not having a 'team' being on stage isn't as fun and then there's the fact that you're your own worst enemy criticism wise"

So it looks like that's it final, the dog has had it's day, and as much as I'm gutted that Taay is no longer an Underdog, and I'm sure that most people reading this are having the exact same feelings as me, the heart sunk and the sadness set in as soon as those words "I'm not with them anymore" were read, I know you felt it because I felt it to. It's all well and good feeling a tinge of sadness for the man who gave TUT that boost and that dimension that made them so good, but how does the man himself feel?

"I miss UDT a lot man, I was there from the start (Paton and I were the founders) I came up with the name, we had a rollercoaster of a ride, I mean......we were finalists in the unsigned act of the year, just narrowly missing out. Then like that.......nothing .....obscurity.....it's a horrible feeling..............leaving was the hardest decision I've had to make"

However at least we can have Taays compositions to get us by www.soundcloud.com/theforgottenones

Ayrshire Acoustic Musicians

"Even the most used up and delapitated guitar can be made to sound like a musical instrument sent by the Angels"

Over the years I've came across my fair share of Acoustic acts who are second to none, and it goes without saying that 99% of these acts come from Ayrshire. This place has so much raw talent it's impossible to go through every single one of them. From Anna Sweeney to Taylor Buntain, Ayrshires acoustic scene is possibly the strongest in the world.

Lets take Alan Frew. It's a very very rare experience to witness someone performing with a nylon stringed guitar these days. For me Nylon strings were what the musical gods played to make the musical angels full of happy thought, and Alan does exactly that.When he strums the guitar it's a great experience to behold, combining that with his vocal abilities and it's what makes this man cream of the crop. However when he really starts to pick the guitar, that's when you're in for a treat. Alan is one of the most skillfully crafted musicians I've had the pleasure of seeing perform, whether it's an original song or a cover of Folsom Prison Blues, Alan Frew is a performer that everyone from the geriatric to the newborn would love to watch and NEED to watch. Put "Seeing Alan Frew Live" on your "Things to do before I die" list. You won't regret it and that's a promise.

http://www.myspace.com/alanfrew

Next there's Little Fire, one of the "shelves" as I like to call them. Let me explain......a "shelve" is someone who supports the music scene endlessly, who is always there and does a sturdy job of it. Aside from that......... Little Fire is one of the most accomplished musicians in Ayrshire, from television performances to support slots with Damien Rice, Little Fire has done more than what most musicians will accomplish in a lifetime. His music is heartfelt and warm. With each one of his songs Little Fires husky voice adds to an already beautifully crafted piece of music to give the listener a wonderful listening experience.

www.littlefiremusic.com

There's so many amazingly talented acoustic performers in Ayrshire.......Scott Nicol, Black and White Boy, Tragic O'Hara, Colin Hunter, Johnny Graham..........that if I was to sit and write about them all here I would simply have to dedicate the rest of my life to typing away at this keyboard.

Ayrshire Creative Music Awards

Around this time last year, I came up with the Ayrshire Creative Music Awards. However even though the sponsors were in place, the event never happened due to other duties I had to attend.

This year the ACMA's will go ahead. I'm currently in the middle of securing a venue for the Award Ceremony and am also in the process of selecting the nominees in each category. These categories will then be judged by an independent panel of judges before the big night.

It's going to be a celebration of what Ayrshire Music is. A showcase of the greats, and everyone getting the chance to win an award to show that they are the "prime roast" in their category!

From Best Acoustic through to Best Radio DJ it's going to be an awards show that will stick in Ayrshires mind.

If you think you're act should be nominated please email mmcl_music@hotmail.com and a bio and a track.

Once the date and venue is settled, then I shall announce what happens from then on.

It's going to be good.

Dear Stars

Theres always that one band in the back of your mind who you love, but on occassion, forget to mention. Unfortunately for me that band is Dear Stars. I should have spoke about them a long long time ago! I'm actually annoyed at myself for just getting around to it just now.

I first heard of Dear Stars a couple of years ago, when they were a two piece comprising of Billy and Ross. Instantly I fell in love with the music. I was lucky enough to be on the same bill as them at Oxjam at the HAC in Irvine and it is one of my most treasured musical memories. I was stood backstage listening to these two guys put on a performance and show what music is truly about.

Fast forward a year to 2011 and Dear Stars has grown into a 4 piece and Ross is no longer part of the band. I was dubious about seeing these guys as a full band, a doubt I think I expressed to Billy at Harleys in Ayr. however once I witnessed them my mind was satisfied that it was a great decision.

Fast forward another year to 2012 and I'm eagerly anticipating the release of the EP. An EP which quite frankly if it doesn't hurry up I'm going to have to go down south and break into Dom Morleys studio and steal it.

Dears Stars are an energetic and passionate filled band. Who's music can only be described as unique. The mix of Acoustic with Full Band blends in perfectly. Where other bands may struggle to find that perfect sound, Dear Stars has captured it perfectly.

Billys vocals bring each piece of music to life, leaving nothing to the imagination. From the instant he opens his vocal chords you are entranced with what is about to follow. In terms of lyrics, I have rarely heard lyrics so perfectly suited to the music they are being written to. At times I'm tempted to describe it as lyrical genius.

The rest of the band fill the stage with an air of grace. From drums that are never a fraction out of time to the bass with adds the depth that - even though it's not truly needed - gives the music that sense of completion.

Dear Stars are an amazingly talented group, considering a few facts and taking into consideration that in just under a year they headlined and sold out  King Tut's.

Dear Stars are the future of music, and I'm just sitting here patiently waiting the EP, but if it doesn't hurry up I don't know how much longer I can stay patient.

"He's from Barcelona"

I'm aware that this month marks the start of that eagerly anticipated, showcase of the musical immortals "X-Factor" Now as I sit here thinking about everything that's wrong with shows like X-Factor my mind occasionally glances over what's good about it........and here it is.........there's nothing good about X-Factor!

Since 2004 we have been mind numbingly bored by Simon Cowell and his cronies on a show that oozes the musical talent of Ed the Duck and My Morning Farts combined. I'm not saying that any of these of the numpties who audition for the show are untalented, but the talented ones rarely get past the audition stage, and lets be truly honest....the really talented ones don't audition in the first place.

Could you imagine if one Saturday night you were sitting and all of a sudden Melisa Kelly pops up on X-Factor doing her best Jessie J impression or if Little Fire appeared and started singing Boyzone? It just doesn't happen.

Mindless, Self Obsessed, Penis Licking, waste of talent and waste of airtime.

So many shows have came along and promised to "break the tradition" by having true talent showcased. I've yet to see it! The Voice came along and said it was different, because they only focused on "The Voice" of the performer, that lasted all of one round, until the judges started seeing who was performing and all the mankies got thrown out!

It's a sad state of affairs, and unfortunately it's true. Television Talent Shows are nothing but a showcase of people who want to be pumped rotten by the nearest rich guy who can give them a record label. "Oh Mr Cowell, give us a record deal" ..... "No problem love, spread em legs like butter"

I'm wracking my brains trying to work out what the hell keeps this show on air. We're now approaching Series 9! 9 Series??? I mean surely that's past it's sell by date?

For example, some truly genius television shows never made it past the second series! Fawlty Towers for example, a show that was truly magnificent, and brought joy and laughter to so many people ended after two series. X-Factor - a show that makes people cringe and feel sick lasts for 9 series. I'm sorry but am I missing something?

Jedward can't sing, I think this is a fact of life that we're all aware of. However this pointless television show has made them international stars and made us suffer for hours on end at these ADHD arseholes who use each others manky jizz to gel their hair up.

Fuck X-Factor- Fuck The Voice - Fuck TV Talent Shows

I'm going to approach Channel 4 and get them to back my idea of a talent show. It's called "Only True Musicians" and here's the best part, if anyone walks into an audition and can't sing or play an instrument for shit, they get shot in the back of the head infront of a studio audience. These untalented no hopes basically kill us with their musical murder. I for one can 100% say I will not be watching X-Factor this year, even if Tulisa does a live version of her porno on stage, I will simply be changing to another Channel and watching something worthwhile, plus it's not that long until Doctor Who starts back on the TV!

Olympic Gold, Prostitutes, Clowns on Unicycles and Cider

First off, people are still asking me where the old blogs are so once again I'll point you in that direction http://undergrounduncovered.blogspot.co.uk/ bookmark it if you want!

Some weekends are made for sharing, others are made for chilling out and this weekend was definitely a weekend for sharing. I saw some amazing musicians from far and wide, I tasted Cider from the farthest corners of the globe and I was propositioned by what is possibly the ugliest prostitute known to Human Kind......our conversation went along these lines "Want some Company?" .... "Fuck Off"
Added to that that this weekend I saw a Woman urinate against a wall like a Man, a Clown on a Unicycle, a bus full of bright red headed women, a man in a dress walking about town like it was normal and heard the Prince of Bel Air sung in the style of The Proclaimers, I have to say it was a very interesting weekend. One that I certainly look back on and try and work out if at any point someone slipped an acid into my drink!

First off I'm going to start by talking about Emma Mcneil, a 14 year old who just came off the back of the Wickerman Festival. Taking aside the fact that she is one of the nicest young girls you could ever meet in your life she is also a very very talented musician. I've been in the music scene for over a decade and every year I stumble across someone amazing who I am in complete awe of. Last year it was Anna Sweeney and this year it's Emma McNeil. She has the voice of an angel, and a stage presence that most experienced musicians would envy. Her stand out performance was that of her own song "Roses are Red" an anti-valentines day song, and a song which was without a doubt a mark of true genius. If you're going to give anyone of the year 10 out of 10 then it has to be Emma McNeil.

Secondly there's Shannon Slawta, a musician who's hidden in the background. There's no reason for that to be the case, if I could pick my stand out song from the weekend then it would be her version of "The Girl" by City and Colour! Anyone who knows me, know that I cover that song and as it is possibly one of my most loved songs I'm very critical about it! However, Shannon pulled the song together and gave it a performance that even Dallas Green himself would be enviable of. Her voice is unique and so strong that at one point I looked around during her set and one of the guys looked like the tears were building behind his eyes. Shannon is a favourite for the next 12 months, one to look out for without a doubt.

Mikey Reid, where do I start? The first thing I noticed about Mikey was his dulcet tones. It reminded me so much of Johnny Cash with a hint of Aaron Lewis. His technical abilities on the guitar leave everyone in absolute astonishment. For me hearing anyone pull off Johnny Cash the way Mikey did leaves me weak at the knees. Throw in him doing a cover of the Fresh Prince of Bel Air theme tune with my glasses, dancing like a Proclaimer and singing like a Proclaimer and you're onto a winner. Whether the audience was 7 people or 7 thousand people, I have a feeling the end result would have been the same, Mikey Reid is a performer and I hope to God that somone comes along and signs him, because it would be a crying shame if this man did not do MASSIVE things in the music industry.

Finally the last act I'm going to talk about is the Vest Wearing, Mistake Making, Hat Parading, Singing Machine that is Andy McConnell. I've saw Andy perform in Harleys on numerous occassions and everytime I've absolutely loved it. He is one of the most laid back performers I've ever had the pleasure of seeing. This time he brought with him a small music stand to set his lyrics upon, as he has a tendancy to forget lyrics, but that's what makes his set so magnificent. King of Spain by The Tallest Man on Earth is a song which he plays to it's fullest, and in all honesty I prefer Andy's version than any other. He graced the stage on both Saturday and Sunday and on Sunday he made very very few mistakes, so few that after his set I actually told him that I was disappointed with it. The thing is, Andy is one of the best Vocalists I've heard in a long long time, his range is mind blowing. His guitaring is something that at certain points makes me jealous. I want Andy to release an album, sell that album and go off and tour the world. He has the talent and the potential, he just needs to put himself out there a bit more.

I played a couple of sets at Harleys, I love that place. It wasn't where I played my first gig, it isn't a place that I spend alot of my time in and yet it's somehow my Musical Home! My highlight when I was playing was the set up I had for Beautiful Junkie! If you haven't heard Beautiful Junkie then it's basically James Blunts - Beautiful with words about a Glaswegian Junkie. A song which i pat myself on the back for because I never knew I could write comedy songs until I came up with this one. Anyway, on Saturday I was on stage and I had already played Beautiful Junkie earlier on in the day, when during my Second Set a Junkie actually walked into the bar, asked if I played requests, and then asked if I knew any James Blunt. I couldn't have asked for a better set up than that.

All in all Ciderfest was a terrific weekend, apart for there not being a bouncy castle and the Koppaberg Taster Girls not showing up, I had even worked on my best chat up line for them! I think "Haw you, pants doon" is a chat up line that will frequent the greatest self help books in years to come.