Fresh Meat Monday - Miracle Strip

 Would you care to introduce yourself?


Hiya! We’re called Miracle Strip. Our real names are Fergus, Malcolm and Andy. But if you’d prefer to keep thing formal, you can call us Miracle Strip. We released out debut single, ‘Girl Gang’ (b/w ‘Stephanie On The Moon’) on sexy 7” white vinyl via our own label Simply Thrilled Records in October 2013.


How would you describe the music you make?

Neu-pop, which for the time being remains a genre of one because, well, we made it up. We’re very admiring of/to some extent influenced by the New Pop bands of the early 80s – that bit when post-punk got a haircut and started wearing smart suits and singing about girls and stuff. But we wouldn’t dare compare ourselves to Orange Juice, The Associates, OMD etc. So we put that German spin on it, in honour of some of the Krautrock bands we love – Kraftwerk, Can, Neu! (obviously). Big synths/drum machines, high ambition, low budget. Does that make any sense? Probably not.



How did you start out making music?

Andy and Malcolm had played in numerous bands together in Glasgow and Fergus used to play in Dirty Summer, a noisy pop band he formed when he was still in high school, who made one album then split up. About a year ago he asked Andy and Malcolm to help him develop some demos that he’d recorded in his kitchen. They said “yeah fine” and that was pretty much that. We’ve since overcome such adversities as getting our gear nicked, twice.


What process goes into the way you write songs?

Our songs will usually begin with Fergus writing and recording a rough demo on an 8-track. In the studio we’ll listen to it as a group and then work on crafting it into a fully-formed song – adding bonus melodies, harmonies and swooshing noises.


What can people expect from your live shows?

Energy, clapping, happy feelings. Shirts patterned with foodstuffs.


What are you all listening to at the moment?

Old: Simple Minds, Shuggie Otis, Arthur Russell, Felt, Chairmen Of The Board, Fleetwood Mac. New: John Maus, The Radio Dept, Omar Souleyman, Arcade Fire, Azure Blue, Glenn & Glenn.


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

The rest of 2013’s looking quiet due to various travel plans, but hopefully we’ll be doing lots of gigs, festivals and so on next year, though nothing confirmed as yet. 

You can buy our single here.

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Fresh Meat Monday - The Leg

Would you care to introduce yourself?

I am Dan Mutch, I play in The Leg with Alun Thomas and Pete Harvey.


How would you describe the music you make?

I can't really describe it myself but I don't mind when people describe it as unhinged, dadaist or lo-fi. That sort of makes sense. Don't like being described as folk, punk, jazz or mentalists, although I suppose all those kind of make sense too.


How did you start out making music?

I started out playing music by having trumpet lessons, never liked that though. I was lucky that my stepdad collected musical instruments and had a guitar I could play instead. not that he let me play it as such, everyone did their best to stop me playing. to be fair, I loved playing one chord for as long as possible and I still do.


What process goes into the way you write songs?

The songs I write are either me laughing at myself, or an attempt to put across the atmosphere of funny little cartoons/daydreams that run in my head and seem worth trying to share. I'm a big fan of skat singing and often songs come about that way.  


What can people expect from your live shows?

Don't expect anything.

What are you all listening to at the moment?

We've been listening to transfers by Anne James Chaton and Andy Moor a lot, especially princess in a mercedes. also Arvo Part and Swans. I recently remembered how good Medulla by Bjork is, been listening to that everyday this week as well as sister ray, god bless Lou Reed.


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

Next for us is the album launch but we've still not found a venue to meet our requirements. in December we're going to record a single which we've been working on for, er, a long time. Excited about getting that done. Hopefully it's going to be released on 78rpm. 

 

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Song, by Toad Records

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Fresh Meat Monday - Holobeams

Would you care to introduce yourself?


My name is Iain Foxwell and i produce music under the name of Holobeams.


How would you describe the music you make?

The main thing i am trying to convey in my music is beauty so i like to use a lot of melodies and string/pad type sounds for this. I also love synths and tend to go for the older analog type sounds (for example Boards Of Canada influenced synth sounds).



How did you start out making music?

Music runs in my family so it was natural for me to gravitate to this creative world. I started out writing music with my best friend as we were quite obsessed with the whole electronic music scene back in the day (I still am obsessed actually!). Once i returned to education a few years back this gave me time to start my Holobeams project and have not looked back since.


What process goes into the way you write songs?

My process can actually be quite drawn out even though some of my tracks are relatively simple sounding. I tend to go through creating melodies, chords and bass lines which I will then re-sample. From there I will break the samples up and rearrange, pitch and effect them until it starts feel right. Some producers tend to bang out tracks really quickly but as much as I would love that i just cannot produce a track so quickly.


What can people expect from your live shows?

I have actually only played live once and have no grand plans to tour or gig around. Im a bit of an introvert so the call of the big stage is quite distant in my thoughts. I prefer to spend time in my natural habitat which is creating music on Ableton in the studio.


What are you all listening to at the moment?

Currently a bit blown away by the new Oneohtrix Point Never album R Plus Seven. It is seriously out there but he somehow manages to pull it off without sounding like avant garde garbage. Defo my album of the year. Also love the whole Vaporave genre (Saint Pepsi, Luxury Elite, Vektroid....), its not exactly chin stroking music. If you have never heard Vaporwave go check my mix out here. Its like Marmite.


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

I am always working on new music and trying to tweak my style so who knows. I do have one of my tracks featuring in an advert for Hotels in the Ratchaprasong area in Bangkok (totally random i know) so will post that up as soon as have the final edit. Im also working on some music for an indie game called Triclone lab.

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Fresh Meat Monday - The Great Albatross

Would you care to introduce yourself? 

I am Wesley Chung of The Great Albatross. 


How would you describe the music you make? 

Indie/pop or maybe Indie/folk/pop, I suppose those would be the tag-lines. The songs usually revolve around my voice and an acoustic guitar, so there is a strong element of the “singer/songwriter” genre as well. 


How did you start out making music? 

I started playing saxophone and piano early on but fell in love with guitar at 13. I started writing music at 15 in a terrible band called “Funk Crusaders,” then moved on to my high school pop-punk/ska band “Bangarang” (later called “Adam the Brave”). Then from 2004-2011, I led a band called “Boris Smile.” Towards the end of Boris Smile I began writing songs for my solo project “The Great Albatross,” which I am continuing with the help of some friends and contributors. 


What process goes into the way you write songs? 

Typically it all starts with music; I’ll be playing something and I hear two chords that sound great together, and I start building the song from there. After I have an idea of the verses and chorus, I then begin the hard work of writing lyrics. Song writing has become a much slower process for me in the last few years because I’m putting more time into crafting my words. I usually start lyric writing with either an idea or narrative that resonates with me. From there I’ll write the lyrics in tandem with the music. I also try to consider certain themes associated with the album or EP the song will be apart of; I’ll be more thematically intentional in writing a song for a concept record than for an album that deals with a few themes. All in all, I’ve been putting much more thought, care, and time into my songwriting over the past few years and I think it is paying off (suppose the critics will be the judge of that). 


What can people expect from your live shows? 

Well, the only thing people can definitely expect from our live shows is that I’ll be there with my guitar. Outside of that, my pal Malcolm Black is the only consistent “member.” Sometimes we do full band, other times it will be just me and Malcolm, or just me. Sometimes this is out of necessity, but it is mostly because I like to switch it up and I enjoy hearing how the songs are interpreted with different instrumentation. My hope for every show is that the performance would communicate the essence of the songs in an authentic way (most easily done when performed acoustic), though the different instrumentation and arrangements of full band bring out subtle nuances within the music which keep the songs fresh and a bit more vibrant. I really enjoy performing acoustic and full band, and think the music should be heard both ways. 


What are you all listening to at the moment? 

At the moment I’ve been listening to Frightened Rabbit, LAKE, Into It. Over It., Vampire Weekend, Sucre, and Chvrches (mixed in with a bit of 90’s R&B, Emo, and some singer/songwriters). 


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

We just released a split 7” picture disc with the incredibly talented Evan Weiss of Into It. Over It. on Struggletown Records (UK). And soon we’ll release our first 7” entitled “Roots” on Count Your Lucky Stars Records in the US. Then the rest of next year will be continuing to work on our full length record and playing some more shows (and hopefully some festivals as well).

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Fresh Meat Monday - GUMS

Would you care to introduce yourself?  

Hello, I’m Martin. I sing in GUMS!, a newish band featuring a bunch of people from other bands.


How did you start out making music?  

I was in the Plimptons (RIP) from 1999 until March this year. They started when I was 16 and are the only other band I’ve ever played in. So that was my start, and pretty much my only musical endeavour until GUMS! got together last year.


How would you describe the music you make?  

I’ll go into a bit of detail about GUMS!’ very glamorous backstory here. Tommy (Plimptons’ drummer) owed me some cash for a guitar I gave him but, as he was skint and owned a studio, I opted to get repaid in studio time rather than hard cash or a third option. I didn’t really know what I was going to use it for, but knew it would have to be something that was different enough from the Plimptons to make it worthwhile.

I really just went back to the stuff that I grew up listening to and still listen to now, Pulp, Buzzcocks, Kirsty MacColl, that type of thing. Those influences were always part of the Plimptons, but there was always a bit of a wink and nod in the way we did things. This time it’s more of a genuine attempt to write those types of songs. I think initially I just wanted to see if I could, without having the Plimp crutch to fall back on. I’ve always been interested in songs with a narrative, lots of poppy hooks and getting the right mix of the two, so hopefully that comes across in GUMS!.

After I’d knocked up the songs I called up my mate Jack, who plays in Orphans and was always someone I thought I’d like to form a band with if the opportunity arose, and we knocked out the first GUMS! EP in a weekend. We added Nora, who also plays in Collar Up and did time in the Plimptons, on Keys and Vocals on the 2nd EP and she really added an extra layer of poppiness to things. Most recently we added Joe, frontman of the mighty Colin’s Godson and yet another ex-Plimptons, on bass. It sounds like there are a lot of ex-Plimptons in GUMS!, but it’s pretty hard to find people from Glasgow who weren’t in The Plimptons at some point.


What process goes into the way you write songs? 

Again, this is very glamorous. I write the songs in my flat really, really quietly while my “flat mate” is watching CSI or whatever. Then Jack, Nora, Tommy and Joe make it sound like music later on.I really enjoy writing for 3 vocalist, because me, Jack and Nora all take lead duties at some point and all sound completely different. So there’s tonnes of scope for different narratives and styles. Also, while my own vocal style could be politely described as “limited”, between them Jack and Nora can sing every note every invented.


What can people expect from your live shows?  

We had our first gig supporting The Just Joans in Edinburgh recently. It was fantastic fun. To be honest, I wasn’t sure what type of live band we were going to be until the set was finished. We certainly had a rawer edge than on record, that Buzzcocky poppy energy was really pushed to the fore. I was also trying to do a bit of Tom Waitsy raconteuring …which I will either practice or abandon.


What are you all listening to at the moment?  

I saw a lot of great new (or new to me anyway) bands during the festival season that I hope to catch at their own gigs and buy things off. One that stood out for me was Saint Max and the Fanatics, who’s songs have been stuck in my head since I saw them at Doune the Rabbit Hole. They’ve got an album launch coming up soon with awesome party band Colonel Mustard and the Dijon 5 supporting, so I’m really looking forward to that.I’m not sure what the rest of the band are listening to, new GUMS! demos presumably.


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

 We’ve got a split EP with a local singer/songwriter called Callum Baird in the works. And after that, hopefully more studio time. We’ve got plenty of songs floating about ready to record, so there will be a GUMS! album at some point. That’s the aim anyway.

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Fresh Meat Monday - The Won Over

Would you care to introduce yourself?

Hello,my name is Paul Byrne and I play in a band called The Won Over


How would you describe the music you make?

Indie is this first word that springs to mind,Indie/Rock? That's definitely one of the most difficult questions in the world to answer. I’d also say our music is quite grumpy.


How did you start out making music?

My friend and I decided to start a band in high school. We couldn't play and had no intention of learning but like most high school bands that didn't stop us. We played around Dundee for a few years until parting ways and pursuing other things.

What process goes into the way you write songs?

I wouldn't say we have one certain way of writing. Sometimes somebody comes in with just a riff or chord sequence and we just play around with it and see what happens. Other times someone might come in with a more solid idea which then gets worked on, and once the music starts to take shape we add the vocals after.


What can people expect from your live shows?

I wouldn't really like to say anything other than 4 awkward guys playing music. We haven’t quite got the pyrotechnics and light show ready yet, but we are working on it.


What are you all listening to at the moment?

I can’t speak for everyone, but at the moment mostly the Kendrick Lamar album good kid, m.A.A.d City and the new Arcade Fire single for me. And the new Arctic Monkeys album is definitely my favourite thing that they've ever done, I’m quite enjoying that too.


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

We are really hoping to push on over the festive period and early next year and get playing more shows, and hopefully venture out of Dundee for some of them. Recording is high on the agenda too as we are currently writing a new set of songs that we are all rather excited about.



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Fresh Meat Monday - The Duke, Detroit

Would you care to introduce yourself?

I'm Detroit. The Duke, Detroit is my invention.


How would you describe the music you make?

Dirty slabs of electro fun. Anthems about the darker side of young life...


How did you start out making music?

I started with just a bass guitar and a drum machine before hooking up with Permwhale in-house producer Flooze who helped develop The Duke, Detroit synth-based sound.

 

What process goes into the way you write songs?

I normally start with a hook in my head but it takes time.  As Picasso said, "inspiration exists, but it needs to find you working".


What can people expect from your live shows?

Lust, raw energy, pouts, size 30 waist bands and sweat. Loads of sweat.


What are you all listening to at the moment?

TV on the Radio's new single 'Mecy'. I'm dead excited to have them back.Also, label-mates Night Noise Team and Collar Up. Fangs too.


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

The Album! Out near the beginning of 2014. More videos, more shows, more bass lines, more tattoos and even more electro gems.  


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