Scots Way-Hay #9 - Over The Wall

photo by Louise Madsen


When i first started blogging I really didn't know where I was going with it, there was no real plan other than to try and introduce some of my friends to good music that they might have missed. It's not like I set out to promote Scottish music, it was just something that I found myself being sucked towards. In fact if I was to try and pinpoint the two most important factors in what I do now, then the first one would be my inability to find a copy of a live Frightened Rabbit recording, which in turn led me to recording radio sessions. The second would have to be an article I read on the Line of Best Fit about 'Over The Wall'.
I had what I can best describe as a 'Eureka' moment, crossed with a touch of 'how the fuck have I managed to let this band pass me by'. It was at that moment that led me to a point where I started to me realise just how much great music was out there in my own backyard.
Anyway, that's enough about me, I should really get on with introducing two charming young men called Gav and Ben, collectively known as Over The Wall.
I don't think it's much of a secret that I like my music to be fun, there's a lot to be said for a band that can put a smile on your face. These guys have me grinning from ear to ear when I see them live, they genuinely look like they're having the time of their lives every time they're on stage.
They're one of my favourite bands to have emerged from this country in many a year, their lo-fi pop sound just exudes energy that you just won't to resist.


Would you care to introduce yourself?

Ben: Hello there! Ben from Over the Wall here. Happy New Year?

Gav: Pleased to meet you, I'm Gav, also from Over the Wall.

How would you describe the music you make?

Ben: We make pop music. That's not to say that it's that popular, more that we seem to like writing triumphant euphoric tunes. Some of it is more electronic, some a bit folky. I guess it sounds the way it does because of the instruments we have at our disposal, so it's hodgepodge of guitars, keyboards, beats, trumpets and anything else we can think of.

Gav: I usually just say euphoric pop. If you listen to really good pop music, and I mean often quite commercial chart music from through the decades, it'll always have bits of everything thrown in. We have strange bits thrown in that reflect who we are but at it's core it's pop.

How did you come together as a band?

Ben: We both met in the fair city of Glasgow and realised we shared a love for rom coms. I guess I would be the John Cusack to his Tom Cruise, though he may not be too happy about me getting to be Cusack. Since neither of us can act it was only a matter of time before we resorted to playing music together. Gav had already started playing solo gigs around Glasgow and I would come round to his flat and we would both both chip in bits and pieces to each other's songs. We were both involved in a night that we put on called Over the Wall. By the time we stopped the night we had already played a few gigs together so we decided to commandeer the name for ourselves.

Gav: I could never afford to be a Scientologist, even taking into account the amount I'd save on prescription drugs. We did come together over a shared love of Cameron Crowe films though, as well as the type of music that Cameron Crowe likes to use in his films.

What process goes into the way you write songs?

Ben: Usually one of us will have been playing with some hook or melody. Then we will see what we can do with it.

Gav: We still don't really think of ourselves as a band and that helps in that our roles aren't particularly well defined. If this is a band then it consists of two frontmen and nothing else, but that's definitely to our advantage. Either of us could come up with a part for guitar or keyboard or trumpet or whatever and we'll just work from there.

Settle Down (the new single, which is out on Monday!)

You always look like you’re really enjoying yourself when you play live, do you enjoy that side of it more than recording?

Gav: You've caught us at a point when we're mixing our album so right now I'd love to not be in a studio and just be playing to people, but then if you're on tour you just want to slow down and come up with new ideas. The grass is always greener. People often mention as something unusual that we enjoy ourselves when we play live - what a sorry state of affairs if most bands don't really enjoy themselves when they play. I think it's more likely that they want to look like they're not when they actually are. And that is worse. I don't at all mean that you should have a grin on your face when you're playing a sad song by the way, it's just about honesty. There's often more honesty in clowning around than in staring at your shoes and trying to look like you don't want to be there.

You released your debut EP, 'The Rise and Fall of Over The Wall' on Motive Sounds Recordings, can we expect to see you putting an album out with them, or anyone else for that matter?

Ben: You can indeed. We will be bringing our album out this summer through Motive. Before we do that we are bringing out our new single Settle Down on the 5th April on 7 inch and download. We're really glad to be bringing something out on vinyl. Whenever we go and watch bands it's always the record I want to buy rather than the CD. It's bigger and much harder to lose.

Lastly, what can we expect to see/hear from you in 2010?

Ben: We are going on tour late March/early April. Dates are still being added but they are all up on the myspace. It will be fun because we are heading out with Three Blind Wolves who really can make some noise.

Gav: Then there's the album in the summer and more imminently the single, out on 5th April on 7 inch vinyl and on iTunes and the like. Did we mention we have a single coming out on the 5th April? We've been working on the album for a while trying to get it right, and we're starting to get pretty excited about it now. Hopefully it will be worth all the hard work. I think I might as well exclusively reveal the title to you actually - it'll be called 'Treacherous' (peenko - this was an exclusive a few weeks ago, sadly I missed out on that front, but hey it made me happy!).


Over The Wall - Gimme Five (MP3)

Over the Wall's new single 'Settle Down' is released on 7 inch vinyl and digital download on Monday 5th April through Motive Sounds Recordings. To celebrate it's release they are having a single launch at 2pm (a single lunch - very clever) on the same day at The Captain's Rest, it's free and there will free sandwiches too. Personally, I can't think of a better way to spend an Easter Monday.

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Errors - Marc Riley Session (30/03/10)

Track Listing
1. A Rumour In Africa
2. Beards
3. Supertribe

Download

Peenko vs Ayetunes Present: Kid Canaveral, Mitchell Museum and Campfires in Winter

In case you haven't been paying attention myself and Jim 'Ayetunes' are taking our first tentative steps into gig promotion. On Friday the 30th of April we have a belter of an line up which includes 2 of my tips for big things this year, Mitchell Museum and Campfires in Winter, with my favourite live act of 2009, Kid Canaveral headlining the evening.

Kid Canaveral - Good Morning



In case you are new to any of these bands then I'll give you a brief summarisation, Kid Canaveral are one of THE most fun live bands I have ever had the pleasure of seeing. If you've been fortunate to catch any of their Glasgow dates recently and seen beardy twat dancing like he's 17. Then that'll have been me. I love this band, their debut album 'Shouting at Wildlife' is due out at the end of June, an absolute belter it is too,or at least from what I've heard of it so far it is. Appently it's 90% finished, I cannae wait to hear it in it's full glory.
The catchy little song, 'Good Morning', which you can stream above is available to download for free from their Bandcamp page.

Mitchell Museum - Take The Tongue Out



When I started to think about what bands I was going to tip for big things in 2010, Mitchell Museum were the first band that came to mind. So to have them play at a gig that we're putting on feels like a bit of an honour to the pair of us. Having never seen them live before I am understandably rather excited about the prospect of catching them in the flesh. If they're even half as good live as Jim tells me, then they should absolutely blow you away.
If you don't trust me, then you check these credentials out, Q Magazine feature them in this months issue as part of their “Net Big Thing”, Marc Riley (6Music) and Huw Stephens (Radio One) have had both them in recently to record sessions for their shows, and they currently on the Best of Myspace podcast. That's all taken place in the last month, not bad, not bad at all. You might also be interested to learn that there's also a whole host of downloads available for free on their download page.

Campfires in Winter - They Looked Just Like Fallen Leaves



Kicking off the night are 'my boys', Campfires in Winter, if you are coming along then make sure you get there nice and early as you really don't to be missing out on these guys. I'm not sure if they ever publicly announced it, but their drummer quit about a month ago, so sadly it looks as if any plans for an album are going to have to be put on hold until next year. On a more positive note they have vowed to continue playing gigs acoustically. anyone that caught their set at the Glasgow Podcart 1st birthday party can vouch that they can still hold their own and then some. So what can you expect from their set, well so I have been promised deformed cuddly toys, a rather exciting cover, plus you'll be able to hear what I've been getting all excited about all this time.
Their live set from the Podcart birthday bash is up for free download, go listen to some great tunes and some truly awful banter (sorry Boab).


Hopefully after all that you'll realise why I am so excited about this gig, it is going to be fucking epic. I have even put my dancing shoes on for the evening. Although my better half will be there, so I might well have to be on my behaviour (for a bit). It would be great to see some of you coming down for the night, I think this one of the best line-ups that I've seen this year. Even if it wasn't my gig, I'd be excited! Hopefully that's sealed the deal for you and now now you want to know about to get tickets for the evening.
It's pretty straight forward, they're on sale now, they're only £4, postage is free (there's none of that booking fee nonsense). I have set up a BigCartel site to purchase them from, all you need is a PayPal account (the same thing you use to buy things on eBay).
Tickets will be £5 on the door, doors are at eight, I'd love to see a few of you coming along to enjoy some of the finest up and coming Scottish bands.


Glasgow Podcart - "peenko v's ayetunes line up: Spaffmatic."

Fresh Meat Monday - Beneath Us, The Waves

photo by John Linton

Would you care to introduce yourself?
Of course. Hi, I'm Neil and I'm from Scotland but am living in Warsaw in Poland just now. Primarily, I'm a musician and composer, occasionally writing under my own name but more often than not as beneath us, the waves. I also run and manage the too many fireworks record label and am part of a photography and podcasting collaboration, We Sink Ships. So, yeah. That's me.

How would you describe the music you make?

Um... I guess the music I write is a mixture of contemporary, minimalist classical music and more experimental, ambient soundscapes. I've been quoted recently as saying it's "glacial" but that wasn't me. haha. Someone else said that. I just liked it.

How did you start out making music?

I started as a teenager really, with an old battered eko acoustic guitar with action so high I could barely fret the strings. By my early 20s I played in a band called Troika who were very schizophrenic in the music that they played, skipping from instrumental post-rock to early 80's new wave inspired post-punk. It was really fun but ran its course. During and after Troika, I continued to run too many fireworks while trying several aborted solo projects before giving up for a few years entirely in 2006, concentrating instead in photography. Last year, I started to write again, this time in a completely different way. People seemed to like what they heard and I had the confidence to keep going.

What process goes into the way you write songs?

Procrastination and panic. hahah. I write mainly on my computer using Cubase or Ableton Live with piano and strings samples to demo the songs. I've been teaching myself music theory and more recently I might develop a piece entirely in my head and on paper but more often than not I sit down and mess around until something sounds familiar and comfortable.

What can people expect from your live shows?

I'll be performing the shows with a live string quartet so that's pretty exciting. There will be more performance than just me sitting behind a piano occasionally prodding a midi controller. One of my songs, "The Secret to Snow" seems fairly popular but we decided early on that we couldn't perform this one live as I would need to increase the musicians on stage by adding two guitarists, a bass player and a drummer. That said, we're considering playing it just the once at the last show in Stereo on the 12th April if the other bands on the bill will help out.

What are you all listening to at the moment?

I'm listening to, and being influenced quite a lot by Arvo Pärt, Max Richter and Ólafur Arnalds at the moment. I've also recently got into a guy called Richard Skelton. Beautiful music. As well as that, there's an amazing record label from southern England called Schedios records whose owner, Clem Leek is a tremendous young musician and also signed up an wonderful pianist called Anna Rose Carter. Definitely worth checking out. I'm excited by some of the bands I'm playing with in the next couple of weeks too, The Scottish Enlightenment, Japanese War Effort, Euan McMeeken, Maple Leaves and the Last Battle.

What can we expect to see/hear from you in 2010?

I'm working on an e.p. of ambient soundscapes where each song will be influenced or inspired by Polish, Scottish and Icelandic folk music respectively. If there's time before release, I'm hoping to have one of the songs remixed by friends of mine which will be very exciting. Other than that, I've started working on my first classical release for later in the year. I'll also be planning to follow up my first shows this month with more in summer and late autumn while also doing some shows in Poland. I'm very excited that I've also been asked to score strings for other artists, so there may be periods of "radio silence" through the year while I work on these. As if I wasn't busy enough, Too many fireworks will also be relaunching as a net-label later in Spring so there's that to come as well.


Beneath Us, The Waves - Elegy for Tramway (MP3)


beneath us, the waves has the following live dates lined up
29/03 - Roxy Art House, Edinburgh (DJ-set) - with Benni Hemm Hemm, Tisso Lake and Skeleton Bob
30/03 - The Wee Red Bar, Edinburgh - with Japanese War Effort and Euan McMeeken (Kays Lavelle)
01/04 Liquid Ship, Glasgow - Elba Sessions gig along with Scottish Enlightenment
12/04 - Stereo, Glasgow - with Maple Leaves and the Last Battle
To buy tickets for the Stereo gig just click on the pretty picture below.
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Fresh Meat Monday - Shambles Miller

Would you care to introduce yourself?

Hullo, I'm Shambles Miller. I hope you're having a nice day. Possibly even a sandwich.

How would you describe the music you make?

I make shambling folky noises. Yeah...that sounds about right.

How did you start out making music?

Well, I've been playing guitar since I was about 14, originally noodling my way around various songs by the Red Hot Chili Peppers. I still love John Frusciante, big inspiration. I played in a few bands as a teenager, but in the last few years I got more interested in writing my own songs, eventually playing my first ever solo gig last summer. I realised that I wanted to keep doing it, and I haven't stopped since.

What process goes into the way you write songs?

I suppose I've never been one of those songwriters who has one definite process. Whilst I do spend a lot of time writing lyrics and ideas down, often a song comes out of nowhere; something sparks me off and I can't stop until it's finished. They tend not to work if I force them however, which can be frustrating. I've always loved the phrase "writing is sitting over a blank page until your head bleeds", but it rarely works that way for me.

What can people expect from your live shows?

Apart from a glimpse of one of my impressive collection of plaid shirts? I try and keep a good balance of humour and the serious stuff in my live shows, as well as fitting in some time to talk a bit of pish in between. I wear my heart on my sleeve with my music; I hope that comes through when I play live.

What are you all listening to at the moment?

Well, I've been listening to a bit of Billy Bragg recently and I just bought Mumford and Son's album"Sigh No More". Its bloody braw so it is. Also been listening to a lot of Seasick Steve, as well as some Yahweh, Second Hand Marching Band and Emily Barker, her stuff is quite lovely.

What can we expect to see/hear from you in 2010?

See? Plaid shirts and beards mostly. Hear? Apart from my rambling banter, I'm hoping to record a follow-up to my debut E.P during the summer. I'll also be gigging as much as possible, so I hope to see some of your lovely readers at a gig here and there. If they bring me a sandwich, we'll be best friends.



Shambles Miller - My Best Friend Is An Outsider (MP3)

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Weekly Round Up (28/03/10)

Here's a roundup of things that I had up this week, and yup there was still no return of Boabs reviews, tut fucking tut. I'll need to have a word with him about that...

Monday - I finally got that Sleigh Bells recording from SXSW that I'd fucked up posted, with a working link this time. Plus Julia and the Doogans were my Fresh Meat and we had even more Frabbit. Fuck it if they're going to record sessions I am going to keep posting em.
Tuesday - I posted heehaw, I was supposed to have a Teenage Fanclub recording up, but due to too much shit to deal with in work and general laziness not a lot happened.
Wednesday - We had Mitchell Museum's Marc Riley session, have we mentioned that they have a gig at the end of April?! Enough of that, more whoring will be done soon. The fabulous Miaoux Miaoux were my next installment in 'Scots Way-Hay'. Plus by special request Olo Worms session was posted for Mooki
Thursday - Saw the lovely Jenny Soep give one of the most interesting set of answers that I have ever had the good fortune to post on here. North Atlantic Oscillation's Marc Riley session went up too, blooming great it was too
Friday - Had 'the greatest' Friday Freebies ever, honestly at the start of the week I was shiting it that I wouldn't have anything. Then along came the National, Phoenix, et al.
Saturday - was all about sessions, RM Hubbert wowed me with his appearance on Celtic Music Radio, while Paul Carlin had me whooping like one of the morons oyu used to get in the crowd on early 90's tv show 'The Word', when he plugged our gig. Oh and he also had a session with the new to me, Okker, great find that man.


Things going on this week, news, other stuff that I have no idea where to put, but want to share

If you are free on Thursday night then you you be getting yourself down to the Liquid Ship on Great Western Road in Glasgow for the Fifth 'Elba Session Present'. The line up is a bit of a corker boasting 'beneath us the waves, The Scottish Enlightenment and John Rush, all playing and to top it all off it's free. Further details can be found here.

Our Edinburgh friends 17 Seconds have a new release out tomorrow, Aberfeldy's Chris Bradley's At the Outpost . This is the follow-up to his 2008 solo debut Voices and will be the first full album release on 17 Seconds Records. Chris is doing a wee instore at Avalanche in Glasgow at 5pm on the 7th, if you can't till then to buy a copy then head on over to 17 Seconds and splash your cash.

Bis announced their return with a one off UK show in Glasgow this week, having already confirmed that they will play at this years Primavera. They are due to play at Stereo on the 23rd of May, ticket details can be found here.

Belle and Sebastian have been announced as curators at this years ATP festival, an event that they helped to establish 11 years ago with their Bowlie Weekender. The festival is being billed as Bowlie Part 2, and it will see the band curating all three nights, from the 10th-12th of December, with the band also headline at least one evening. Pre-sale tickets can be found here.

Ed from 17 Seconds announced on his blog (he must be feeling very special at getting two mentions) yesterday that Tigerfest runs between the 5-14th of May this year. So far only the line-up for Edinburgh leg has been announced, Dunfermline should be announced fairly soon. Artiststs that have been announced so far include; Martin Stephenson, There Will be Fireworks, Jesus H. Foxx, Emily Scott, Midas Fall, The Gothenburg Address, TV21, Alex Cornish, Andi Neate, Andy Tucker, Casey, the Stantons, the Boycotts and Phoebe Kreutz, X-Lion Tamer, The Last Battle, Chris Bradley, The Dirty Cuts and The Wildhouse.

Freelance Whales - WXPN Session (16/03/10)

Track Listing
1. Generator 1st Floor
2. Hannah
3. Location

Download

Teenage Fanclub - Live at the Glasgow Academy (2005)

Track Listing
1. About You
2. Ain't That Enough
3. Fallen Leaves
4. Did I Say
5. I Don't Want To Control You
6. It's All In My Mind
7. I Need Direction
8. Sparky's Dream

Download

The Antlers - Tiny Desk Concert (15/0310)

Track Listing

1. Bear
2. Atrophy
3. Sylvia

Download

Mumford and Sons - Radio Two Session (27/03/10)

Track Listing
1. The Cave
2. Wagon Wheel
(Old Crow Medicine Show cover)

Download

RM Hubbert - Celtic Radio Session (27/03/10)

Track Listing
1. For Maria
2. TipsyTapsy
3. Hey There Mr Bone
4. Mrs Saunders

Download

Okker - Radio One Session for Paul Carlin (24/03/10)

Track Listing

1. Wesson Tipped
2. Treacle

Download

Friday Freebies

The National
I was a bit late in actually listening to The National, it wasn't until about a year after 'Boxer' was released that I cottoned on what I was missing out on. My fail, I know. On the plus side though I did have one hell of a back catalogue to work my way through. Anyway, I digress, on Tuesday Lauren Laverne debuted new “Bloddbuzz Ohio” on her 6Music show. This led to several blogs posting radio rips of it. In reaction to this their label 4AD have posted a high quality version of the song to download here. It’s really fucking good, if you only download one freebie today, make sure it's this one.

Adam Stafford
This week we have not one but two freebies from the lovely folk over from Scottish indie 'internet' label Wiseblood Industries. First up is the new album from Adam Stafford, the man who not only runs the label, but is also the lead singer of Falkirk outfit Y'all Is Fantasy Island. His album 'Miniature Porcelain Horse Emporium' is up for free download, bloody good it is too.

Jocky Venkataraman
The second free download from Wiseblood comes from Jocky Venkataraman & Jim Megaw, who's new Post Post Office EP, is also available for free download, go grab yourself a copy here. I'll be honest and admit that I haven't had a chance to listen to it yet, hey there's only so much time that I have each week. If Jocky's previous material is anything to go by, then you're in for a treat.

Phoenix
Out of of all of the freebies that I came across this week , this one of my favourites. It's a free download of French band Phoenix recorded live in Sydney. Originally it was made available by the Observer, however, you can bypass all of the filling in your details part by clicking here. It features 9 out of the 10 tracks from their latest album Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix, and it is cracking.

Teenage Fanclub
Woo hoo the Fannies are back!! And there's a new song out there for free, “Baby Lee,” which is taken from the group’s forthcoming ninth album Shadows is available to download over on Stereogum right now. Bloody lovely it is too.

Trapped in Kansas
It's been quite an exciting week in terms of things news coming from the Ayrshire outfit, not only have they signed up with Daydream Management (Halina and Iona from Glasgow Podcart), but they also posted up some B-sides for free download up on their Bandcamp page. If you like what you hear then you might be pleased to know that they are playing at Sleazy's next Wednesday (the 31st).

Glasgow Podcart
While I am on the subject of the Podcart team, they have made a couple of their live sessions from The Scottish Enlightenment and St Deluxe available for free download. All you need to do is head on over to their flashy new Bandcamp page and get downloading.

Spaghetti Anywhere
A fair few of us Scottish bloggers have already declared our undying love for this twee pop duo, in case you weren't paying attention when Ayetunes, Have Fun at Dinner, Kowalskiy, Elba Sessions and myself posted about them, then this is the time for you to do some catching up. Head over to Toy Soldier Records, sign up to their mailing list and they'll send you a free Spaghetti Anywhere 'Girlfriends with Boyfriends' single.

Hot Chip
Their latest album 'One Life Stand' is already one of my favourite of 2010, if you haven't heard it yet then I would suggest you check it out. If you need some encouragement to check it out, then head over to the Line of Best Fit as they have an exclusive free download of a new remix of their cracking new single “I Feel Better”. Go download it here.

Aqualung
Remember this guy? one of his song was used in an advert a few years back, must have been great to get that bit of exposure, but it pretty much killed his career. Anyway, if you want to hear what he sounds like these days then head over to his homepage for a free download of a new song called 'New Friend'. It's actually pretty damn good.

Peggy Sue
The Brighton based folk trio have posted a collection of songs from all their singles and EP available as a free download! There are 10 songs up there for your aural pleasure, download them all from their Soundcloud page.

Wintersleep
They release one of my favourite albums of last year, 'Welcome to the Night Sky' (although I think it came out back in 2008, possibly 2007 - hey I am bit slow to pick up on things sometimes). They'll be back in May with a new album entitled 'New Inheritors', in promotion of it's release they're giving away a free track from it. It's one of those sign your life away/email address up and they'll send you the song.

The Girobabies
You can get 'Jeremy Kyle' from their Bandcamp page, if you like what you hear then you might be interested to know that their debut EP is released on the 1st of May. Thanks to Jim Ayetunes for the tip.

The Horns of Happiness
Indiana band, the Horns of Happiness have just made their new EP available for free. Just head over to their label Secretly Canadian to download the EP, which includes three previously unreleased songs

Kowalskiy's Komplimentary Corner

Ohbijou
This week our good friend Kowalskiy has pulled two corkers out of the bag, first up we have Ohbijou's Third Floor Session which includes 8 free MP3s. In addition if you have a scour about on the site you can find sessions from DD/MM/YYYY, Kay Pettigrew, Gravity Wave and The Wooden Sky.

Conquering Animal Sound
They might well be the latest buzz band amongst Scottish bloggers/podcasters, but I have to be honest and admit that I hadn't given them a listen until David Kowalskiy sent me this freebie,
A free MP3 of 'Alice shoes (live)' (right click save) is available for free download from the Gizeh Records website . Also up for grabs on their site are tracks from Glisando, Trespassers William and worrieaboutsatan, who in case you'd forgotten, play at the Flying Duck tomorrow night.

Community Service #6 - Jenny Soep

Some of you out there might not know who Jenny Soep is, but you might well have spotted her at a gig. Her talent is that she captures the essence of live performance, by drawing artists as they play. If you haven't come across her sketchings before, then I would urge you to head over to her homepage or her blog (while you're on her blog, mind and follow her) and feast your eyes on something which is truly inspiring.
It was actually back in 2007, at the Ballad of the Books gig at the Tramway, that I first came across Jenny's work. Thankfully for the good lady she didn't have. Her sketchings were being posted all over the venue shortly after each gig, so towards the end of the day I had the great idea to try and find out more. By great idea I mean that I was a bit drunk and wanted to go and talk shite to her. Fortunately for her, she wasn't manning her station' at the time, so her poor brother had to listen to me waffle on about god knows what. Jenny - if you are reading this, please apologise on my behalf, as I still cringe at thought. Anyway, enough of my waffle, I'll pass you over to Jenny to let her explain to you in her own words as to what it is that she does.........

What was it that first motivated you to start drawing live bands?

I've always been an observer, but I get a kick out of forming a connection with what I’m experiencing on a metaphysical level. I am also fascinated by the different ways that people hear and remember. People don’t go to live gigs simply to ‘hear’ the music, they are there to experience it. Describing what they did the night before, they went to ‘see’ a gig or they ‘went to such and such’, they never simply say I ‘listened’. That’s because going to a gig moves you mentally, emotionally and physically. People have different ways of experiencing the music - sitting, dancing, standing, singing/humming along, with eyes closed or open, or simply being in an altered atmosphere with their best friends. It affects a response, is rousing. I’m a drawing based artist with specific interest in styles of drawing that are affected by the situation they have been created in, using the influence of the live music experience to affect the picture as it is created in situ. This leaves it exposed to all the other factors present – audience interaction whether unintended or not, humidity/weather, and myself. I am creating human drawings in an era where people have the technology enabling them to prolificly document their experiences, resulting in a new wave of people who are experiencing live events differently. I also live for the moments where I have to improvise, relying on my inherent skills and the adrenalin of the unknown. A gig has an unquantifiable time frame and a lot of components in its live production, adjustable to the mood and response of many factors including the different musicians themselves, the audience, the instruments, production, crew - there is a lot resting on the human elements and also the technology. It is my way of connecting to a moment in time where I am lucid, inspired, excited, creative and responsive, with a combination of observational drawing, blind drawing and automatic drawing, a moment that seems to join my conscious with my subconscious. I place myself in a scenario for the amalgamation between the controlled and the natural impulse.

What has been the highlight of your sketching experience so far?

Oh gosh, there hasn’t been ‘one’ specifically, but I was particularly insane with excitement drawing Bjork at Connect Music Festival 2007, Sigur Ros at HydroConnect 2008, David Byrne at the Glasgow Royal Concert Hall last March, and The Flaming Lips November 2009. And that's just the music. There are other events and somewhat more static environments that have been hugely stimulating. Drawing first in the rain on paper, and then on my mobile phone at the 20th anniversary of the Berlin Wall coming down was definitely one of the most intense experiences that I have had the fortune to share in. Doing what I do has introduced me to a lot of amazing and creative people and their work in poetry, theatre, animation and other arts. Scotland really has got so much going for it, in the artists it produces and those it welcomes and facilitates.



How do you choose the acts that you draw?

Up until the past year or two, I have lived for the incidental, the unplanned, the unexpected, the spontaneous. I choose acts without trying to know too much about their music beforehand. Up until recently I have very rarely listened to music other than live. Music and other audio tends to distract me faster than the visual. I have always found it difficult to pay attention to just one thing, and from schooldays to even now, I find it difficult in listening to one thing at one time. I have three main ways of selecting – people whom I respect's recommendation, the artwork used by the musicians, and minimal listening to a range of their music. Sometimes, but not often, I have researched some background or read lyrics, but I get a buzz from experiencing new music that clicks, or lyrics that appear on my radar - why will some listeners hear certain words before others? Is it the musicians intention, or is it a fate inflected moment? I want to be drawing at that first epiphaneous moment. Judging by the drawing and that first experience, I will know if I wish to develop more drawings with that band/musician, or conversely that I really don't think it was for me. Either way, I view them as valuable experiences and drawing can also give me the patience to listen in to music that initially I find aggravating, but then become hooked.

Do you have to ask for a bands permission before you draw them?

I will always try to ask someone's permission whether it's the musicians themselves, their managers or the promoters who usually ask the musicians on my behalf if they're cool with it. Haven't had anyone refuse so far, but I anticipate the day when I'm told to pick up my paintbrushes and piss off. If I ask someone I normally get their email so that I can mail them a copy of the picture I draw on the night as a thank you.


Can a band approach you to come along and sketch them?

A band approaching me normally scares me. I like to experience the music as an independent creature detached from its creators. I want to be taken in by the magic before identifying with the people. I want the initial feeling of awe to possess me and hopefully affect the style of drawing coming out, drawing the essence of the musicians performing their music rather than drawing caricatures of people familiar to me

Has anyone been offended by anything that you’ve drawn?

It’s not often although most of the time it’s because they’ve not been drawn in as much detail as others in the picture, though I only aim for simple depictions. There are also times when I am repelled myself by what I've done in relation to my own emotional interpretation of it but still feel compelled to show it to the musicians. I can be a bit self-effacing at times, so I try to keep quiet. It’s hard though when suddenly I am meeting the humans behind the magic, and I anticipate that my one off interpretation may not reflect for them the majesty of their own experience J

What artist would you like to sketch the most?

Bjork, infinite times. I am mostly attracted to musicians who are also artists (in the sense of visual/installation/sculptures/writers/poets) in their own right, or at least frustrated artists in their pursuit of their musical vocation. They tend to be more experimental, quirky, weird, are or have experienced being the underdog at one point or another (or many.)


Lastly, what can we expect to see from you in 2010?

Ah, well expect forays into new media, 'drawing projects' abroad, and the emergence of Jenny Soep ‘illustrated literature’. Last year I managed three solo multimedia shows with performances from Found, Alan Bissett, RM Hubbert, Burnt Island and Ryan Van Winkle no less. The final one I had all the audience drawing as well which was brilliant! So I’m hoping to expand upon that this year, date and location still being decided. I recently drew an amazing gig with Florence and the Machine in Stockholm at a great venue called Debaser Medis. I'm going to start hunting for particular venues around Europe that accommodate the type of musicians I like, and are suitable for my type of drawing - ie some venues are really difficult to get good drawings in, much the same as photographers have favourite venues. I'm heading back to the drawing board too as it were, to my roots in Illustration and am spending more time working on illustrated narratives. I am also experimenting with new technology, and am pursuing the infinite possibilities there. This coming weekend I will be doing projected digital drawings at the innovative Ten Tracks multimedia music and art night - The Verden Whistle Test in Portobello, Edinburgh. Every ticket holder gets a DVD of the nights’ entertainment. Last week I got my first paid gig to draw on my mobile phone where audience members were texted the picture afterwards. I also have an intimate little exhibition at Bar Ten, Glasgow opposite the building formerly known as the Lighthouse. Bar Ten is known for it’s photography exhibitions so I’m pleased to have my own variety of documentary work up on the walls. It’s on from Tuesday 30th March. So along with an increasing amount of teaching drawing workshops and a few other aspirations, all in all I’m feeling quite excited for the drawing devilry promised by 2010!

Home
Jenny's Blog

North Atlantic Oscillation - Marc Riley Session (24/03/10)

Pic by sadbaby

Track Listing
1. Drawing Maps From Memory
2. Ceiling Poem
3. Star Chamber

Download

Mitchell Museum - Marc Riley Session (23/03/2010)

Track Listing
1. Take The Tongue Out
2. What They Built
3. Warning Bells

Download

Scots Way-Hay #8 - Miaoux Miaoux

Week 8 of Scots Way-Hay and it's my pleasure to to introduce you to electro-post rock artist Miaoux Miaoux, aka Julian Corrie. I must admit that his 2007 debut album 'Rainbow Bubbles' completely passed me by, thankfully his new Blooms EP didn't. Having previously done remixes for Zoe Van Goey as well as playing in twee-Glasgow pop outfit 'Maple Leaves', the man certainly is talented guy. Combining a blend of ambient electro-folk, Julian reminds me a little bit of Hot Chip in their more downbeat moments, combine that with a touch of Panda Bear and Animal Collective and you're not even half way there.
In fact there's so much going on here that I almost feel guilty trying to pigeonhole it, you have lots of lovely beeps combined with a touch of post rock and then added to that you have Julian's delicate vocals. It's music that just makes me want to smile, and in my book that's a winner every time.

Would you care to introduce yourself?

Hi, I'm Julian Corrie, aka Miaoux Miaoux, and I'm obsessed with music of all kinds and want to join in.

How would you describe the music you make?

I'm currently saying electronica / post-rock, which I think covers most of the bases. The Postal Service having a fight with Mogwai in Ellen Allien's house.

What process goes into the way you write songs?

I come up with interesting loops, build stuff on top of them, then sometime's I'm singing along whilst I'm doing that, and it becomes a song. I'd say that's how most of the new material has come about - starts as instrumental, then a surprise vocal comes along and suddenly it's a song. Most tracks come together in a few hours, followed by weeks and weeks and weeks of editing and mixing. I'm working on making it faster!

In the past you have done re-mixes for Zoey Van Goey, is that something that you are keen to do with other bands?

Yeh, I'd love to, although I've got a tendency to promise a remix to a band and then realise I've got far too much to do. I'm doing another one for ZVG just now that's sounding very Boards of Canada.

Snow (stream)

Would you ever be brave enough to take up the challenge of doing a remix of your other band Maple Leaves?

Well we've talked about this, and no I probably wouldn't! It's a bit too self-referential for my liking. Having said that, I'm keen to do a record with some guest vocalists, and Anna from Maple Leaves would definitely appear on it. She's got a song she'd like me to produce, so we'll see what happens.

Has anyone ever stumbled across your music after looking for the similarly named plant food/drug that all the kids are doing these days?

Yeah, that's kind of unfortunate. I guess they may have done. I reckon my tunes give you a similar effect, with the benefit of being a lot more legal.

Lastly, what can we expect to see/hear from you in 2010?

I'll be playing a lot more gigs - there's one coming up this Friday 26th in the Tollhouse, and on April 22nd I'll be playing the 13th Note with the Glasgow Podcart folk. I'm plugging the new record "Blooms EP", which is available from http://miaouxmiaoux.com right now. Also need to find a manager as there seems to be only so much admin I can do before my brain falls over.

Miaoux Miaoux - Hrvatski (MP3)



Miaoux Miaoux's new EP 'Blooms' is available to buy now on Limited Edition CD Digipack (100 copies) and download from his homepage. I would strongly urge you to check it out, it's been one of my favourite releases this year, if you don't believe me then listen to the above stream of 'Snow' - my favourite track on the EP. You can also stream a live recording of Julian's EP launch party at the 13th Note here.

Miaoux Miaoux
Julian Victor Corrie

Olo Worms - Marc Riley Session (22/03/10)

Track Listing
1. Back From England
2. Neutral Zones
3. The Barber Shop

Download

Frightened Rabbit - KUT SXSW 2010@ The Hilton

Track Listing
1. Living in Colour
2. The Wrestle
3. The Modern Leper
4. Poke

Download

Fresh Meat Monday - Julia and the Doogans

Would you care to introduce yourself?
We are Julia and the Doogans. The bass and drums have been rather flexible as of late but the core of the band is: Julia - vocals, guitar and banjo Alan - guitar, vocals, bits of percussion Carolann - flute Renata - cello Jennifer - piano

How would you describe the music you make?
Laid back, mellow and above all - simple.

How did you start out making music?
I always wanted to sing ever since I was young. After high school I still wanted to sing but developed this desire to write my own songs so I went to college because I wanted to know how to home record/ do it myself. I had tried and failed many instruments but stuck with the guitar and soon found an obsessive nature towards the flute, banjo and trumpet and anything else I could get a sound out of. I met Alan, Carolann and Jennifer through college who had followed their interest in it and like me went on to study it and Renata had been playing violin for years before moving onto cello 3 years ago.

What process goes into the way you write songs?
I don't make a point of setting an hour or time frame aside specifically for songwriting as it's too regimented for me to do that. I usually sit with the guitar or banjo and just see what sounds good and it's a combination of having things I want to say and a way of saying these things. I jot ideas down a lot and wait however long for a peice of music and melody to suit the idea - could be instant or take a while for something to suit an idea. The way I write is evolving which is good. Keeps me on my toes. Once I have a full or near full song/structure I express any ideas with the band and then they put in their ideas. Magic.

What can people expect from your live shows?
For the next little while people can expect homemade cupcakes, CD's and magnets all for free! Aside from the cakes being the most popular, I think people sort of get two shows in one. Half is all of us and then it gradually dwindles down to me on my own finishing with the quieter songs...and some new songs throughout the set.

What are you all listening to at the moment?
Damien Rice, Lisa Hannigan, Low, Belle and Sebastian - loads and loads and loads. Classical music as well.

What can we expect to see/hear from you in 2010?
Cupcakes, new songs, a release or two, another animated video or two, gigs gigs and more gigs and perhaps a tour.

Julia and the Doogans - Glasgow (MP3)


Myspace

Sleigh Bells - Live at SXSW 2010

Track Listing
1. Treats
2. Tell 'Em
3. Infinity Guitars
4. A/B Machines
5. Beach Girls
6. Crown On The Ground

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Weekly Round Up

Monday - Fresh Meat Monday saw a first double header, with the excellenet King Post Kitsch and Midas Fall both answering questions for me
Tuesday - was all about the Homegame Live Recordings that evenutally the DMCA made me remove. It would have been a lot simpler for whoever wanted it removed to just email me in person. But hey we can't go compalining to the 'man', we've all seen what happens to those who complain.
Wednesday - The Gothenburg Address were our seventh victims for 'Scots Way-Hay', and a recording of Meursault's session for Marc Riley.
Thursday - Jim 'Ayetunes' did some 'Community Service' and even announced a wee gig that we're putting on together. Plus there was Frightened Rabbit's WOXY Session and the second part of the Homegame Recordings
Friday - as always it was about the free stuff
Saturday - was all about SXSW recordings, including Frightened Rabbit and Local Natives (there was a Sleigh Bells recording up there too, but I stupildy forgot to post a download link, that'll be getting fixed tomorrow).

News, things that are happening, etc....

It's the last Friday of the month, which means that Pin Up Nights at the Flying Duck is back. This months live bands are Washington Irving, Boycotts and Male Pattern Band. It's only a fiver, further details can be found here.

Some of the line up for this years Wickerman Festival has been announced, bands announced so far include Ocean Colour Scene, The Futureheads, The Saw Doctors, Sons & Daughters, Codeine Velevet Club and the Undertones. Further information can be found on the festivals homepage.

Teenage Fan Club have announced a UK tour in June which includes three dates in Scotland, Tuesday the 1st at The Warehouse in Aberdeen, Wednesday 2nd ABC in Glasgow and lastly the 3rd of June at The Picture House in Edinburgh. Buy tickets here.

Issue #3 of Muckle Sandwich is now on sale, it's packed with photography, art and writings from all your favorite artists as well as an interview with THE Henry Rollins. You can pick up a copy in Avalanche Records in Glasgow or Edinburgh for just £2. Further info can be found here.

Entries for this years T Break opened up this week, if you fancy your chances of playing the T Break Stage at this years T in the Park, then head over their homepage for all of the important details.

North Atlantic Oscillation release their debut album, 'Grappling Hooks', as they were one of my 'Tips for 2010' I am understandably pretty excited about getting my mucky paws on this one. If it lives up to the standard of their debut EP we're in for a treat. You can catch them live this week, Friday at 26th Sneaky Pete's in Edinburgh and Saturday 27th March at the Captains Rest in Glasgow.

Silver Columns, Malcolm Middleton, thecocknbullkid, James Yuill and Casiokids play the ABC2 on the 17th of June. The gig is being organised by the JD Set, who have invitedthe bands to collaborate and revive work from Madonna's album 'The Best of...'. , sounds like it could be a lot of fun to me.Further information can be found here.


Lastly, things coming up this week include some live recordings from Local Natives, Sleigh Bells and Teenage Fan Club, plus a session from the fabulous Mitchell Museum.
Julia and the Doogans answer a few questions in Fresh Meat Mondays, Scots Way-Hay have still to be confirmed, and Jenny Soep will be doing some 'Coummunity Service'. Oh and as always there will be Freebies on Friday. Should be a belter of a week.

Frightened Rabbit - Day Stage Cafe, KEXP (18/03/2010)

Track Listing
1. Intro
2. The Loneliness and the Scream
3. Foot Shooter
4. Swim Until You Can't See Land
5. Backwards Walk (Fades Out)

Download

Frightened Rabbit - Live at the Crossroads House, SXSW (20/03/10)

Track Listing
1. Nothing Like You
2. Foot Shooter

Download

Local Natives - Live at SXSW 2010

Track Listing
1. Wide Eyes
2. Camera Talk
3. Warning Sign
4. Shape Shifter
5. Airplanes
6. Sun Hand

Download

Friday Freebies

King Creosote
King Creosote's newest, as yet unreleased, album 'My Nth Bit Of Strange In Umpteen Years' was played seven times in its entirety at the Homegame Fence bash. Attendees were encouraged to record the gig and share it around. Here's what the good man had to say about it. "My next album isn't going to be recorded at all, it's only going to be a live experience. I'm going to do seven performances of the album at Homegame in a small room that only holds about 40 people, and what I've insisted on is that the audience records it for themselves on all sorts of cheap, portable equipment (dictaphones, old Mp3 players, mobile phones, etc.) and then passes it around. The idea being that if it's true that passing files around and file-sharing helps build a live audience then this will be the proof in the pudding. But those songs won't exist outside the live performance."
Some of the live recordings are already starting to surface online, here are some of the links that I have comes across so far. Link one here, Link 2 (split into two parts), Link 3 (again split into two parts)

we were promised jetpacks
If you sign up to the Jetpacks mailing list, then you will receive a free Mp3 of 'A Far Cry' taken from their forthcoming EP. Sign up here.

Ariel Pink
Los Angeles outfit Ariel Pink are giving away new song 'Round and Round' for free download, it's one of those sign up for their mailing list type scenarios. Register here.

Skies Fell
Glasgow's Skies Fell are giving away a free download of their debut single, 'Contest/Hurricane', you can download it from their Bandcamp now. Thanks go out to Jim G for this one.

Alessi's Ark
Alessi Laurent-Marke, more commonly known as Alessi's Ark, new EP Soul Proprietor is out next month. To promote it DrownedinSound are giving away a free download of the song 'The Robot'.

Fence Collective
Clash Magazine have posted a wee zip of Fence artists for free download, there are tracks from François & The Atlas Moutains, Rozi Plain, OLO Worms and FOUND. Click here to download it.

The Holy Roman Army
Irish duo, The Holy Roman Army have posted a free 5-track covers EP on their Bandcamp page for free download. It sees them taking on the Pixies’ ‘Wave of Mutilation‘, Rollerskate Skinny’s ‘Speed To My Side’, Bon Iver’s ‘Skinny Love’, Peter Broderick’s ‘Not At Home’ and Pavement’s ‘Here'.

Sara Lowes
If you listen to Marc Riley during the week on 6Music then you are more than likely to have come across the lovely Miss Sara Lowes. If you liked what you heard, then you might be interested to know that there a free download of her song 'Something I Don't Know' is up for grabs. It's one of those sign up the mailing list deals, sign your life away here.

Run/Lucky/Free
The Edinburgh indie-pop four piece are giving away a free download of their new song 'Unicorn' here. If you like what you hear then you might be interested to know that they are playing at Edinburgh's Haddowfest at the end of the month.

The Gothenburg Address
They featured in this weeks 'Scots Way-Hay' and here they are again, this time it's a bootleg entitled, 'Shimmer In The City', of them performing at Nice n Sleazys in Glasgow.

SXSW
One day I'll make it out to Austin, one day! Until that day I'll have to content myself with live recordings and free samplers. NPR have a tasty wee sampler up for download at the moment, featuring Spoon, Broken Bells, The Walkmen, Local Natives and Freelance Whales. Get yourself a copy here. (redeemable only on the U.S. iTunes Store)

theapplesofenergy
Ambient experimentalist, Stephen Gribbin 'Gribb' has put a few tracks up for free download on his Soundcloud page. Get downloading kids

High Places
Brooklyn duo Roy Barber and Mary Pearson, who make up High Places, have a free remix of 'Can't Feel Nothing' up for grabs up on DiS.

Frightened Rabbit
Any stragglers out there that haven't invested in 'The Winter of Mixed Drinks' might be pleased to learn that a free download of the single 'Swim Until You Can't See Land' is up for free download on KEXP's website.


Kowalskiy's Komplimentary Korner

Lonely Tourist
For all of you who are still mourning at the demise of Odeon Beatclub, you might be interested to know that their former lead singer Paul has a new outfit on the go, "Lonely Tourist".
If you send an email to lonelytouristmusic@yahoo.co.uk he'll mail you back 3 MP3s for nowt!
This freebie comes courtesy of the lovely Kowalskiy, which makes that the third week running that he's pulled a cracking freebie out the bag, hence he is now being given his own weekly slot in Friday Freebies. Keep up the good work mate!