‘Pressure’ by Nadia Ali, Starkillers & Alex Kenji is a former beatport number 1 and spent most of the summer bubbling in the beatport Top 10 as it became one of the year's undisputed biggest club and festival tracks of 2011, played by Swedish House Mafia, Dirty South, Tiesto, Thomas Gold, Avicii, Armin Van Buuren, Kaskade, Calvin Harris and well, you get the picture. In the US it's gathering pace on dance radio, hitting the dance airplay top ten and climbing the iTunes dance chart.
Pressure is the result of a multi-national dance supergroup comprising New York singer Nadia Ali, who rose to prominence in the early naughties with Iio's worldwide hit ‘Rapture’, Las Vegas native Starkillers and Italy's Alex Kenji - the final piece of the jigsaw is provided by Sweden's Alesso, who contributes the essential roof-raising remix.
Now shaping up for a Europe-wide surge (so far it's been available only at specialist DJ stores), Pressure is scheduled for UK release on November 21st with fresh mixes coming from Tim Mason and new dubstep talent Zomboy. Pre-order it from iTunes here
Here we give you the latest release from Duck Sauce “Big Bad Wolf”, out now on iTunes. The follow up to the UK number 3 “Barbra Streisand” which has sold close to 400,000 copies.
Armand Van Helden & A-trak could of easily taken Duck Sauce down the commercial disco route but they have done what they do best and given us a follow up single completely out of the ordinary and set to encapsulate the nation again.
A-trak started out as a hip-hop DJ winning the DMC World DJ Championship an incredible 5 times (the first aged 15). Since then he has managed to merge rap and electronic music via his label Fool’s Gold and has worked closely with Kanye West, Kid Cudi, DJ AM & Boys Noize.
Armand Van Helden is a household name and deservedly so. AVH has had countless number 1’s and created some of the biggest dance records and remixes EVER – You Don’t Know Me, Bonkers, My My My, Professional Widow etc.
Together they form a deadly duo and call themselves Duck Sauce.
“Big Bad Wolf” is already gaining a momentous amount of support with Zane Lowe declaring it the ‘Hottest Record In The World’ and heavyweight support from Annie Mac, Pete Tong, Fatboy Slim, Basement Jaxx, Steve Angello, Chris Lake, Calvin Harris, Cassius and many more.
You couldn’t escape their first single aNYway, it was an anthem in 2009 with DJ’s from across every genre smashing it out. In 2010 they returned with Barbra Streisand. Which as we know went onto worldwide success and who could forget the remarkable video that featured cameo’s from Pharrell Williams, Kanye West, Diplo, QuestLove, Todd Terry and many more!
Big Bad Wolf is one of those records that instantly captures you like ‘Barbra Streisand’ did, expect to see the Wolf Dance on the dancefloor!
If you've not yet heard of Lovelle you will have done soon. The London-born singing sensation has featured on Ray Foxx's single, appeared in glossy magazines, performed at Glastonbury...and yet still works part-time in New Look.
Here's the heads up on everything you need to know about this new star, from the girl herself.
Lovelle loves...
Fashion
I love furs. I also like jumpers - sometimes people say they can't wear certain things because they're curvy or skinny, but I think jumpers hanging off your shoulders always looks good. Leggings will always be in and you can accessorise them with pumps of brogues.
Shoes
I always wear flats, although wedges are God's gift right now. They're the best thing in the world because they don't burn your feet. I love trainers. I can't count how many I have. I had to chuck the boxes out the other day because they were taking up so much room. I have a shoe rack with 40 pairs on and another cupboard full as well.
Performing
I like to talk to people. I like chatting with the crowd. My home space is when I'm with my guitarist, chilling, doing my versions of things and the fact people are coming to watch. I love doing things live with instruments. It's just a nice feeling, that's where my comfort zone is.
Amy Winehouse
She was 100% real. She never faked being anyone else. She got so far being herself and doing the msic that she wanted. I'd like to be like her in her honest presence and the fact she did the music she wanted. I never got to see her perform, but I saw her once in Oxford Circus. I was on the bus going to school and I couldn't get off. I was so upset.
"After releasing a promising single earlier in the year (acclaimed by myself), The Chakras finally release their long awaiting debut album Build Me a Swan. Delivering honest, heartfelt indie, The Chakras have lived up to their promising billing with their LP.
Starting off with the soft-toned Movement the band immediately grab your attention with a well crafted keyboard based number, combining elements of Keane & Snow Patrol on the way but managing to steer clear of letting their influences define the group. The bands ability to create different songs throughout the album as the next track Build Me a Swan is guitar based, sounding similar to so many great contemporaries but delivered in such a way The Chakras truly stand out on their own.
The whole album is a great body of work, offering constant subtle variations that make the album flow perfectly. The slow tempo’d Nothing is Forgotten is the standout from the LP, although to be frank anything from Build Me a Swan could claim this title."
Queen of British Soul Beverley Knight has been one of the UK's most consistent artists over the past 15 years, scoring several top 10 albums, including the platinum selling Voice: The Best Of Beverley Knight. She has been awarded an MBE for her services to British Music and Charity, three MOBOs and her staggering live performances have gained her a legion of fans including Prince, Stevie Wonder, Take That and Jamiroquai. Her latest album 'Soul UK' sees her paying tribute to the British soul artists who inspired her, including Soul II Soul, Omar and Roachford.
Beverley Knight's video playlist exploring UK Soul past, present and future is on the YouTube Music homepage
Watch the playlist, featuring Jamiroquai, Dionne Bromfield, Soul II Soul and others click below
Queen of British Soul Beverley Knight has been one of the UK's most consistent artists over the past 15 years, scoring several top 10 albums, including the platinum selling Voice: The Best Of Beverley Knight. She has been awarded an MBE for her services to British Music and Charity, three MOBOs and her staggering live performances have gained her a legion of fans including Prince, Stevie Wonder, Take That and Jamiroquai. Her latest album 'Soul UK' sees her paying tribute to the British soul artists who inspired her, including Soul II Soul, Omar and Roachford.
From Edei: "Forget You Too (FU2) - how did it come about? Well, a few months ago I did a You Tube cover of Cee Lo Green's 'FU' which I was also performing in the live set with the band, and it occurred to me that I was always singing the story from a male point of view, so I thought it would be cool to write the female side of the story... cos we all know there's ALWAYS 2 sides to every story!! So I made this which I thought might make you smile! So, this is my answer back - 'FU2'. Edei x"
“Epic, swirling psychedelia that recalls Richard Ashcroft’s gang at their peak.” – Q
“Doves-esque soaring melodies” – The Times
The Chakras release their new single, ‘Drifting’ through Planet Function Records on the 1st August 2011.
This young Dublin born, London based five piece commenced their journey almost two years ago, with an early show supporting Ian Brown in Dublin. Brown immediately gave the wide-eyed but confident Irish chaps two enthusiastic thumbs up, and thus begins their story.
Led by brothers Rocky and Gordo Whittaker, but soul mates since their days at school, The Chakras were hell bent on writing music that evoked some sort of reaction. Raised on a diet of Soul In Heaven era Verve self-belief, and Jesus and Mary Chain’s wanton fuzz, the band took an early hazy blueprint of how they wanted to sound and immediately removed anything that might interfere with their creating of it. They killed off long-standing relationships, resigned from the day-jobs and cut local ties, moved to London and have here made a record that took those noisy, hissing 8-track bedroom demos and transformed the very same songs into swirling, guitar-heavy anthems.
‘Drifting’ is the sound of The Chakras experimenting with their most potent weapons, the voice of Rocky Whittaker and the groove-laden, propulsive rhythms of his band. It’s a huge sounding track and one that could propel The Chakras into the public’s consciousness with a impulsive swagger. It’s as infectious as anything, and a big klaxon call to this exciting new Irish act.
Tracklisting: Movement/Build Me A Swan/Beautiful Sorrow/Slowdive/ Drifting (Take A Walk Inside)/We The People/Blinded/ Make It Tonight/Dark Horizon/Nothing Is Forgotten/End: Beginnings
The Chakras are: Rocky Whittaker (vocals), Gordo Whittaker (guitars/vocals), Richie McArdle (guitars), Bryan Pepper (keys, harmonium), Ian Kane (bass/vocals)
Last year on X Factor a group of tattooed builder types called The Reason 4 sailed through the auditions and off to Simon Cowell’s swanky house. Then One Direction came along and became the boy band equivalent of an atomic bomb.
The Reason 4 however have managed to brush off the X Factor and One D debris and come back in fighting pop form. Probably because they’re a man band.
They’re single is called Take It All and is proper anthemic and manly. A similar vibe to when Take That decided to be taken seriously as fully grown adult men.
The video is pretty cool too, in fact take out the cringe slow-motion turns……and they’re on to a winner.
"The covers album is a noble tradition: a chance for an artist to pay tribute to their roots, to avoid writing any new material, and to present their listeners with songs that everyone knows they like already, because they’ve heard them. From Bowie to George Michael, John Legend to Paul Weller, a covers set is a chance to tell people where you’re coming from and, often, to pause for breath while you work out where you’re going to next.
Beverly Knight is a brilliant soul singer, who grew up at a time when black British music wasn’t as united as it is in these days of grime riding high in the pop charts. High quality dance and soulful pop acts struggled to have more than one hit single, and very few – Rod Temperton’s Heatwave and Jazzie B’s Soul II Soul are notable exceptions – were able to maintain albums success and international fame.
If there is a criticism of this album – which is certainly a record you’d be enormously hard-pressed to dislike – it’s that Knight doesn’t always find it easy to impose her personality on these well-known tracks. On the great Apparently Nothin’ – and despite an excellent rap break – she doesn’t add anything particular to the Young Disciples original. But when the arrangements and the vocals are given a touch of freshness, as in the Motown’ed-up cover of Cuddly Toy, Knight’s version breathes and her versatility is given room to roam. More of that (and a cover of Linx’s awesome Intuition) would have been nice here, but this is a good record"
"Have you ever wondered what classic Rock ‘n’ Roll would sound like performed by four young sisters from Australia? Just me then! Well Stonefield are exactly that and a powerhouse of a band they are too. This is their debut EP entitled ‘Through The Clover’ and it has to be one of the more fascinating releases I have encountered this year.
Stonefield are Amy Findlay (Lead Vocals and Drums), Hannah Findlay (Guitar), Sarah Findlay (Keys) and Holly Findlay (Bass). In 2010 they won triple j’s Unearthed High competition, which led to two songs ‘Through The Clover’ and ‘Foreign Lover’ being played on high rotation on the J’s. An invitation to play at One Movement in Perth saw the band play in front of thousands of industry folk and fans and has led to a spot on the 2011 Glastonbury and The Great Escape line ups. For the last year they have gained critical acclaim in their native Oz, but are making their way around the globe one small step at time.
So what of their debut release, well ‘Through The Clover’, their title track, was the first thing I heard and a big part of why I am writing about them today. Considering their age they seem to encapsulate that true 70s Soulful Rock n Roll spirit to a staggering degree, its mind-blowing! ‘Through The Clover’ is a colossal homage to the old school greats. Powerful shredding guitar solo’s, simple but engulfing beats and mesmerising sultry vocals from the eldest Findlay sister, Amy. Put it this way, I could listen to it non-stop, for days on end, it’s that damn good. It leads on to the smooth sounds of ‘Foreign Lover’, which is what I imagine a magic carpet ride would sound like. Wrapped up in these wonderful ‘Doors’ inspired organ sections and scaling captivating vocals, that weave in and out through a sublime wall of sound..."
"Irish band The Chakras came down to Hoxton Square supporting Royal Bangs tonight and managed to garner a decent crowd for their set. We'd noticed that lead singer Rocky was sporting a striped sailor style shirt which the lead singer of Sydney band The Holidays was also sporting. We're not sure if that fashion faux pas was planned but that was the only hiccup of the night as the band delivered a really rousing set of anthemic rock music.
The five piece barely had room to move around on the tiny Hoxton Square stage but lead singer Rocky was on fire. The band played a great set of anthems that included Beautiful Sorrow and current single We The People. We particularly likedBeautiful Sorrow which had a huge rocky sound and a great driving drumbeat and spacey keyboards whilst We The People was a dramatic piece with a big chorus.
Lead singer Rocky has a real charismatic presence onstage as he belts out each song, engrossed in his performance. His voice has a real strained edginess that reminds us of fellow (now defunct) Irishman JJ72.
The band played a few more songs to end their set and again provided some great rock material and we have to heap praise on their keyboardist also for providing some of the lush keyboard layerings on their songs. Their sound certainly filled the tiny Hoxton Square Bar and Kitchen with ease and we feel they're destined for much bigger venues than this.
This band might not be all that big yet but we think they have a sound that will catapault them into the limelight very soon"
"20-year-old Londoner and New Look employee Lovelle, is set to become one of the hottest new names in British music this summer with the release of her debut single ‘Uh-Oh’. Lovelle is already building a huge buzz within the music industry with supporters including the likes of Trevor Nelson on 1Xtra. She also happens to look super cool too! We caught up with Lovelle to find out more about her personal style..."
"Beverley Knight has unveiled her new music video for 'Mama Used To Say' online. The 38-year-old singer released the clip for her new single - a cover of the 1982 hit by Junior - which appears on her upcoming album Soul UK.
Beverley Knight's 'Soul UK' tour dates are as follows:
November 14 - Liverpool, Philharmonic November 15 - Leamington Spa, Assembly November 16 - London, Royal Albert Hall November 18 - York, Barbican November 19 - Preston, Guildhall November 20 - Manchester, Bridgewater November 22 - Wolverhampton, Civic November 23 - Nottingham, Royal Centre November 24 - Salisbury, City Hall November 26 - Gateshead, Sage November 27 - Bristol, Colston Hall
Soul UK is due to be released on July 4. Watch the video for Beverley Knight's new single 'Mama Used To Say', which is out on June 20, below"
Suddenly hanging around in the shed seems cool not weird.
Nothing emphasises our misspent youths more than the frickin’ awesome Australian rock band, Stonefield.
Made up of the four Findlay sisters, Amy (21), Hannah (18), Sarah (15) and Holly who is only 13, the girls discovered they could rock our socks off when they started bashing a drum kit in their shed. Bashings soon turned into super sweet sounds influenced by Led Zeppelin, Frank Zappa and Jimi Hendrix.
Jesus, we spent time chopping our sisters’ hair off and pushing them off bikes.
After playing gigs and festivals throughout Australia, the UK has finally caught on to their brilliance and the girls have been asked to play Glastonbury, which might just be the coolest thing for any band to do EVER.
Er hello coolness, where have you been all our lives?
If you have functioning ears and therefore think Stonefield rock, then you can get Through The Clover on a five-track EP of the same title, out June 20th.
"The debut single from 20-year-old Londoner Lovelle launches itself at you, all gut-pummelling bass dollops and clattering beats. Anchoring the whole thing is Lovelle’s versatile voice – one minute cooing softly, the next reading the riot act. Unbelievably, she’s currently unsigned"
Beverley Knight is back with a brand new single 'Mama Used To Say' out on June 27th 2011. Taken from her brand new album 'Soul UK' out on July 4th 2011.
The four Findlay sisters have stepped out of their rehearsal shed in the Victorian hills with a sound that quite simply rocks! Zappa and Zeppelin inspired, 70s soulful rock ‘n roll and stellar song writing are the reasons these four very talented girls have everyone sitting up and taking notice. Amy, the eldest is on drums and lead vocals. Hannah’s on guitar, Sarah plays keys and backing vocals and Holly is the killer bass player/screamer. Stonefield may be a young band but these girls can play and their live show is blowing crowds away.
They’ve supported the likes of NERD, the Temper Trap. Cat Empire, Children Collide, and British India since forming the band in 2006, but 2010 has been their biggest year yet.
In 2010 they won triple j’s Unearthed High competition, which led to two songs ‘Through The Clover’ and ‘Foreign Lover’ being played on high rotation on the j’s. An invitation to play at One Movement in Perth saw the band play in front of thousands of industry folk and fans and has led to a spot on the 2011 Glastonbury and The Great Escape line ups.
Stonefield’s debut release ‘Through The Clover’ is a five track EP on Flock/PIAS on June 13th.
The band is now doing a select run of shows around Australia including the St Kilda and Pushover Festivals, Adelaide Fringe in the Spiegeltent, a residency at the Tote with Dandy Warhols drummer Brent DeBoers, Immigrant Union, Apollo Bay and Cherry Rock Festivals, before they headline the Northcote Social Club on April 1.
2010 was a breakthrough year for Stonefield with a nomination for a J Award. However with recent airplay in the UK and US beginning and preparations for Glastonbury, John Peel Stage, 2011 looks even bigger.
XFM have booked the girls in for a XFM Rock session and they will be playing a gig in London at The Enterprise on the 29th June.
"I Am The Miracle is the brand new, stomping single from County Donegal indie brothers Denny and Dermot Doherty, drummer Gerry Strawbridge and bassist Paul Toland or otherwise known as The Plea.
The track, which comes back to back with the b-side Praise Be, is a welcoming introduction to a band that is set to ignite the world of indie with the acts debut record which sees its release later in the year and promises to be every bit the storming package as its first single proves to be.
I Am A Miracle is a fresh and brash indie number with swirling guitars and echoeing vocals that are reminescient of The Verve frontman Richard Ashcroft and comes fully equipt with a memorable and anthemic melody as catchy as indie records come. Vocalist Denny has an incredible voice on him as he sways from cool indie rocker on the lead single to wailing rock hero who shares unique vocal similarities with U2's Bono as he unleashes his angst out on Praise Be.
A fine start to a band who are quickly cementing themselves on the commercial radar."
Beverley Knight will be releasing her highly anticipated 7th studio album on July 4th 2011. Entitled ‘Soul UK,’ the album is a celebration of UK soul music - the British songs and artists that inspired Beverley leading up to her own arrival on the UK scene in the mid 90's. It is a personal journey, curated by Beverley and delivered with her own unique soul/gospel style, through some of her all time favorite soulful tracks by British artists. As with her previous album, 2009’s acclaimed Top 20 scoring ‘100%’, ‘Soul UK’ will be released through Beverley’s own label Hurricane Records.
Produced by Grammy winning Martin Terefe (James Morrison, Jason Mraz) and hot London production duo Future Cut (Lilly Allen, Beyonce), ‘Soul UK’ sees Beverley paying respect back to her forebears - and reminding the new generation up and coming just who paved their way. Taking in songs from a range of iconic artists - from Soul II Soul and Loose Ends to Jamiroquai and George Michael, it also includes some of the more 'hidden' gems that make up British soul's highlights of the 80's and 90's, including Princess’s “Say I’m Your Number One” and Lewis Taylor’s “Damn”.
Knight says of the project: “I gave a lot of thought to choosing the songs I wanted to interpret for this album and it was great fun putting my own flavour and twist on tracks by some of the fantastic UK artists who preceded me and inspired me. A lot these artists opened doors for both myself and many others, and many of them are still going strong - so the album is, in part, a thank you to them. The UK is a world-beating producer of musical talent and this genre can sometimes feel overlooked and underplayed. I hope with this album that people can enjoy these songs all over again and in some cases discover them for the first time.”
The first taster from ‘Soul UK’ is a promo-only version of Soul II Soul’s club classic ‘Fairplay’, featuring an intro from Jazzie B himself, which will be serviced to clubs and specialist radio in April. Beverley’s version adds a fierce horn section and she owns it with some awesome one-take vocals. The first commercially available single is a storming take on Junior’s classic, ‘Mama Used To Say’, out June 20th.
Award winning family festival GuilFest, now in its 20th year, features a line up more vibrant and eclectic than ever before! Established legends are joined by rising stars as more names are added to the 3 day festival with camping, set in the idyllic grounds of Stoke Park, Guildford. Organisers are delighted to announce the latest additions to this year's line up are N-Dubz and Ziggy Marley, joining already announced legends Razorlight, James Blunt, Erasure, Peter Andre and Public Image Limited.
Returning by popular demand, after providing what without a doubt was one of the highlights of last year’s festival are N-Dubz. Scheduled to play on the main stage on Saturday evening, the trio are sure to provide visitors to this year’s GuilFest with a fantastic show. With over 1.2 milllion albums sold, 100 million views on YouTube, 3 MOBO Awards, two sold out tours, 9 hit singles and even their own major TV series, N – Dubz can quite rightly lay claim to being one of the most successful urban acts ever to emerge from the UK - and collaborations with the likes of Tynchy Stryder, Mr Hudson, Chipmunk, Wiley and Gary Barlow have only helped N-Dubz with their prolific rise to superstardom. GuilFest organisers are delighted to welcome the band back to the Main Stage at GuilFest this July.
Ziggy Marley is confirmed for the Main Stage at GuilFest on Sunday 17th July. The eldest son of reggae legend Bob Marley, Ziggy began his musical career in 1979 as the frontman of Ziggy Marley and The Melody Makers, releasing eleven incredibly popular albums and earning three Grammy awards. Beginning his solo career in 2003 with ‘Dragonfly’, Ziggy continued his fantastic success and in 2006 won his fourth Grammy for Best Reggae Album, after releasing the critically acclaimed ‘Love is My Religion’. His 2009 album ‘Family Time’ saw Ziggy notch up his fifth Grammy for Best Musical Album for Children and featured collaborative work with Rita Marley, Paul Simon, Willie Nelson and Jack Johnson amongst many others. It’s great to have this true reggae icon at GuilFest for the first time this summer, for what is sure to be an amazing show!
The already incredibly eclectic GuilFest line up will continue to grow over the coming months to a massive 200 bands performing across 7 music stages over the 3 days of the festival. As regular visitors will know however, GuilFest is not just about the music and throughout the site there is a plethora of activities and shows to keep you entertained all weekend. Also on the site you will find the eFestivals' Cosmic Comedy Tent, returning with a fantastic line up of side splitting comics, The Man In The Moon Theatre Tent, featuring performances of everything from Burlesque Cabaret to Shakespeare, Ceroc Dance Tent, The 70s Disco, Farmer Giles Barn Dance, Massive 150ft Beer Tent, Art & Craft Village, The Eden People’s GuilFest Gallery, Calypso Cocktail Bar, Street Performers, Food Stalls from around the world, Our amazing Kidzone and brand new for this year, The Vintage Experience!! – All will be revealed very soon!
Remember that the Guildford Spectrum Leisure Centre and Lido are right next door – Bring your swimming togs and cool off by the pool between bands, or simply go for a refreshing shower!
GuilFest – the award winning, quintessential English Family Festival. The perfect place to enjoy 3 sunny days of music, fun and laughter.
"Dublin spiritually-attuned rockers The Chakras have re-swizzled their track 'We The People' for their upcoming debut album and the results are pretty epic! The track, which originally circulated in 2008 has been given a slightly more widescreen sheen, possibly the result of a recent mixing session with renowed producer Chris Potter which recalls not only 'Love is Noise'-era The Verve but other British heavyweights Kasabian and Muse with it's prominent breakbeat and stadium-ready chorus. It's all very exciting and with single and album details coming soon as well as information on summer live dates, expect to hear quite a deal more about this young band here! Until the single release date on May 2, enjoy this viral video of the track."
"The Plea started off as the two Doherty brothers, Denny and Dermot (no relation to Pete) were working building sites as day jobs then touring the Irish pub circuit by night. After an American label signed them they created an album that sadly never got the recognition it perhaps deserved.
However, after grabbing the talents of drummer Gerry Strawbridge and bassist Paul Toland they got to work on more songs and whacked them on their myspace page, this caught the attention of Legendary Belgian Dance Label R&S Records and after long talks on Skype, the band were signed.
The beginning of ‘I am the Miracle’ is just… wow. The guitar into is fantastic, supported by well played drums. The vocals and lyrics are very catchy which is far from a bad thing as you are singing along after only 30 seconds of the track, and the singer can put those vocals to a variety of ranges it seems, which is rare these days in the music scene with most acts whole back catalogues sounding remarkably similar (talking to you Scouting For Girls). The lyrics go together well with the chords and the band as a whole just fit together effortlessly"
"My first impression when listening to The Plea is that the band is destined for big things. Their debut single of I Am The Miracle might not offer anything fresh to the indie genre, but it contains all the catchy hooks you would normally associate with the likes of Oasis. The end result is more infectious than the T Virus.
Once thing you instantly notice from The Plea is how well produced their first release is, which is down to experienced producer Chris Potter to is renowned for working with Indie’s best, including U2, Blur and The Verve. Perhaps The Plea will eventually follow in their footsteps, and I Am The Miracle is certainly a strong start"
‘Spider Web’ is one of those infectious pop songs you like straight from the word go, if the brilliant 7th Heaven Remix was played in any dance club across the UK it would have people jumping up and down singing the words even having never heard it before.
Sung by Tatiana Okupnik a solo artist from Poland and produced by Denis Ingoldsby and Andy Murray (both well respected producers who have worked with the likes of N-Dubz and Sugababes) it was clear this would be a radio friendly single aimed to appeal to the masses of casual clubbers out there.
BBC News feature on GuilFest including an interview with organiser Tony Scott;
The nights are getting longer, the sun is trying to shine and so we look forward to a long, hot summer of music and the festival season that comes with it.
While we are doing our bit on the radio to bring the freshest new talent from the South direct to your ears, one of the events which is working hard to champion the plethora of amazing unsigned acts in the area is Guilfest.
Taking place this year from 15 to 17 July, Guilfest 2011 looks to be the biggest one yet.
It will have over two hundred live acts and DJs performing on seven stages across the festival site in Guildford, including the Acoustic Lounge and the two unsigned LiveClub stages.
Organiser Tony Scott was involved in staging the very first Guilfest in 1992. He said: "We did the first one on a Bank Holiday Monday in August, as we weren't allowed to do the Saturday because it was a big shopping day in Guildford, and Sunday was a day of rest, so that was the only day we could do.
"The time was mid-day to 7 o'clock in the evening, with Peter Sarstedt as a headline act, and a fiver to get in."
While the 2011 headline acts include Public Image Ltd, Erasure and Razorlight, it is those smaller stages where you will find the best up and coming acts from the South - and you can say where you saw them first.
Previous festival-goers may have witnessed fledgling performances from The Darkness, Newton Faulkner, and even James Blunt's first gig, while popular local acts The Toniks, The Dirty Disco and Subsource have all graced Guilfest's stages"
"‘Spider Web’ is the debut UK single by Polish superstar Tatiana Okupnik and is a perfect introduction to her individual style of power-pop and strong signature vocals.
Produced by Denis Ingoldsby (N Dubz, Girls Aloud, Sugababes, Eternal) and Andy Murray (Gary Barlow, Craig David, Alicia Keys) at Granary Studio in Kent, the single has been remixed by Jeremy Wheatley (Leona Lewis, Skunk Anansie, Duffy, Corinne Bailey Rae, Pixie Lott).
Born in Lodz in Poland, Tatiana grew up listening to Led Zeppelin and the best of western rock and pop on cassettes recorded from Radio Luxembourg and the BBC and was inspired by great vocalists such as Chaka Khan, Janis Joplin, Tina Turner and Robert Plant "The thing that unites the artists I love is that they understand big, emotional musical vocals. I would like to think that the emotional impact of my voice is big like some of my idols".
A former ballerina (Tatiana studied ballet at the National School of Ballet), when painful bones ended those dreams she focused her attention on her music.
"We don't know a great deal about Tatiana but if you were to force us to come up with some info off the top of our heads we'd say that ‘Spider Web’ is the debut UK single by Polish superstar Tatiana Okupnik and is a perfect introduction to her individual style of power-pop and strong signature vocals. Produced by Denis Ingoldsby (N Dubz, Girls Aloud, Sugababes, Eternal) and Andy Murray (Gary Barlow, Craig David, Alicia Keys) at Granary Studio in Kent, the single has been remixed by Jeremy Wheatley (Leona Lewis, Skunk Anansie, Duffy, Corinne Bailey Rae, Pixie Lott).
Born in Lodz in Poland, Tatiana grew up listening to Led Zeppelin and the best of western rock and pop on cassettes recorded from Radio Luxembourg and the BBC and was inspired by great vocalists such as Chaka Khan, Janis Joplin, Tina Turner and Robert Plant “The thing that unites the artists I love is that they understand big, emotional musical vocals. I would like to think that the emotional impact of my voice is big like some of my idols”.
The Plea's infectious sound is steeped in a rich musical texture of swirling guitars and lavish drum beats and with the release of their first single, the inspirational 'I Am The Miracle,' b/w 'Praise Be' are about to take the band on an amazing voyage of discovery, as they head into the dark, murky uncharted waters of rock 'n' roll, but not after earning their spurs the hard way.
The Plea are the brothers Doherty; Denny and Dermot from the small town of Ballyliffen, County Donegal who plied their trade busking on the streets of London, before moving to Boston, where by day they worked on building sites and by night our dynamic duo played the city’s bustling, Irish pub circuit. They spent a year in Minnesota after an American major label funded an album recorded in a big budget studio, but it never saw the light of day.
So in 2009, back in Ballyliffen, the brothers brought in drummer Gerry Strawbridge and bassist Paul Toland, wrote a batch of new songs and posted them on their MySpace page. Interest from labels was immediate, but one offer in particular intrigued them. The founders of legendary, Belgian, dance label R&S Records were so impressed by the songs and after lengthy discussions on Skype they signed the band and became their first ever rock signing.
The band have just finished recording their debut album with Chris Potter (The Verve, The Rolling Stones, U2) which will be released later this year, but in the meantime open your heart up to The Plea.
Joining previously announced headliners: James Blunt & Razorlight
Singer/songwriter Peter Andre is confirmed to headline the Good Time Guide Stage on Saturday 16th July. With numerous No.1 hit singles, a multitude of national and international awards, as well as sell-out tours throughout the UK, Europe, Asia and Australia and a plethora of television appearances, Peter Andre can genuinely be described as a household name. Soaring to fame in the nineties with his No.1 debut album ‘Natural’ and two No.1 singles “Mysterious Girl” and “I Feel You”, the singer has enjoyed a long and incredibly successful career, featuring many great achievements - including having the highest selling record of the nineties in his native Australia. Last year saw Peter releasing his seventh studio album, “Accelerate”, which debuted in the UK top ten, and led to a hugely successful arena tour. Organisers are delighted to welcome him to GuilFest for the first time this July for what promises to be a truly fantastic showcase of new and old material.
Public Image Ltd, the English post-punk outfit fronted by John Lydon, AKA Johnny Rotten, are confirmed to headline the Good Time Guide Stage on Sunday 17th July. Formed following the break up of the Sex Pistols in 1978, PiL are regarded as producing some of the most diverse music of the post-punk era, and are cited as one of the most innovative and influential bands in music history with their 1979 album ‘Metal Box’ being ranked in Rolling Stone Magazines’ greatest albums of all time. Their experimental sound fuses Rock, Dance, Folk, Ballet, Pop and Dub, and recent concerts have earned the band great critical and public acclaim. PiL are certain to provide a rocking end to the Good Time Guide Stage at GuilFest this year.
Erasure, the definitive synth-pop superstars, will be supporting James Blunt on the Main Stage at GuilFest on Sunday 17th July. Having sold a total of over 25 million albums worldwide, achieving twenty-four consecutive UK top 20 hits including seventeen UK top tens such as “Sometimes”, “Blue Savannah”, and “A Little Respect”, Erasure have established themselves as one of the most successful bands of their genre. With a brand new album planned for release this summer, Erasures’ debut performance at Stoke Park will definitely not be one to miss! In the coming months, the already wonderful GuilFest line up will continue to grow with over 200 live acts and DJs performing on 7 stages across the festival site,including the now legendary Rock Cave, the Funky End Dance Tent, Acoustic Lounge and our two unsigned LiveClub stages.
Regular patrons will be well aware that it is not just about the music at GuilFest! All over the site you can find excellent entertainment such as the brilliant Man In The Moon Theatre Tent, featuring a wealth of diverse theatrical productions all weekend long. The eFestivals Cosmic Comedy Tent also returns this year with a fabulous yet to be announced line up of some of the best comedians in the business.
For the night owls amongst you, Farmer Giles' Barn Dance, the 70s disco, and The Ceroc Dance tent will keep you revelling ‘til the early hours. All this, as well as our massive 150ft beer tent, cocktail bars, food and drink from around the world, craft and clothes stalls, impromptu street theatre performances and much more besides!
Consistently nominated as the UK's Best Family Festival, GuilFest has, as you would expect, a fabulous Kidzone for your young ones to enjoy - featuring a brilliant children's theatre, face painting, fun rides, games, and costume making, culminating in a wonderful procession across the festival site on Sunday. Last year, there was even a special guest appearance by Peppa Pig and Barney the dinosaur!
Don't forget, the festival even has Guildford Lido right next door for anyone wishing to shower or cool off in the Olympic sized swimming pool
GuilFest 2011 really does looks set to be the biggest and best festival yet and tickets are selling very fast – So get your tickets quickly – you don't want to miss out!
Tickets are on sale now and are available online from www.GuilFest.co.uk, or by calling Seetickets on 0871 2301106
"There’s no stopping these Russians, I think they are determined to take over the world with their catchy pop and altogether excellent electro prowess. Do we stop them?…… no we don’t, we say bring it on!
Stepping up to her first touch at the UK market is already crowned Polish superstar Tatiana Okupnik spinning us a mega dance tune in the making “Spiderweb” with the help of polished remix house 7th Heaven productions.
Bouncy, tight, it’s more than alright, let’s say it’s immense and plenty to stomp your hoofs too!"
Tatiana's debut UK Single "Spider Web" released April 11th 2011, from the debut UK album "Spider Web" available from May 2nd 2011
"Spider Web" is the debut UK single by Polish superstar Tatiana Okupnik and is a perfect introduction to her individual style of power-pop and strong signature vocals. Produced by Denis Ingoldsby (N Dubz, Girls Aloud, Sugababes, Eternal) and Andy Murray (Gary Barlow, Craig David, Alicia Keys) at Granary Studio in Kent, the single has been remixed by Jeremy Wheatley (Leona Lewis, Skunk Anansie, Duffy, Corinne Bailey Rae, Pixie Lott).
Born in Lodz in Poland, Tatiana grew up listening to Led Zeppelin and the best of western rock and pop on cassettes recorded from Radio Luxembourg and the BBC and was inspired by great vocalists such as Chaka Khan, Janis Joplin, Tina Turner and Robert Plant “The thing that unites the artists I love is that they understand big, emotional musical vocals. I would like to think that the emotional impact of my voice is big like some of my idols”.
In 2006 Tatiana went solo and, in addition to graduating from university with fluent English, French and Spanish, she recorded an album in New York with jazz-funk legend Lenny White - ‘On My Own’ went gold on its 2007 release in Poland. Tatiana has also hosted two series of the Polish Dancing On Ice TV show and recorded a CD with Wyclef Jean.
The little girl who recalls having no shoes as a child and queuing each month for a ration of toilet paper (“we would have the paper on a chain around our necks; we called it the Polish Louis Vuitton bag”) has now cast her gaze to Britain. “Britain is the centre of European music. I love my Polish fans and, of course, I hope they love the new music, but I also hope I can reach out to a whole new audience here in the UK.” ‘Spider Web’ is the title track of Tatiana’s debut UK album; with the exception of the first single, the album was written and produced at Sarm West studios in London with Tim Hutton (Amy Winehouse, Bat For Lashes, Ian Brown and the man who, according to Andy Cato, “put the groove into Groove Armada”).
With nods to funk, jazz, soul and rock Tatiana has recorded “a classic pop album with great songwriting and a cool twist. I’ve put my heart and soul into it”. Her powerful voice is the common thread through a filmic record that houses the Latino and Eastern European influenced ‘World Of My Design’, singalong stadium pop (‘Supersize Love’ and ‘Poor Love’), smooth and summery jazz pop (‘Tranquility’ and ‘If I Was To Tell You’), funk (‘Bottom Line’), a Bassey-esque showstopper (‘Coming My Way’) and the laidback soul of (Been A Fool’).
Tatiana’s first UK performance will be at the Wardrobe Club in Leeds on March 3rd when she will premiere tracks from the album. Her powerful vocals and impressive range coupled with her massive stage presence make Tatiana and natural and passionate performer. "Performing live is what I love more than anything, and a big part of writing these tracks was imagining their live impact. These songs will really come alive in Leeds, and I can't wait.”
Highlights from the 2011 War Child Brits after party at Indigo2 in London. Featuring interviews and music from Mark Ronson, Boy George, Katy B, Ms Dynamite, Temper Trap, The Bees and plenty more.
ABOUT WAR CHILD: War Child is an international charity, founded in 1993 in response to the conflict in the former Yugoslavia. A UN award winning charity, War Child works in the world’s most dangerous war zones including Iraq, Afghanistan, Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo. War Child aims to protect children who are hit hardest by war and its consequences including street children, child soldiers and children in prison. War Child is a UK registered charity number 1071659
The Plea feature alongside The White Stripes, The Strokes, Pendulum, James Blake and Noah And The Whale in NME's Daily Download;
"This Irish rock band have drawn comparisons to U2, with frontman Denny's vocals sounding an awful lot like Bono's. You can download 'Praise Be' (the band's "warm up" track to their first proper single due out this March) below. The song was recorded during sessions the band recorded with Chris Potter (who's previously worked with Blur, The Verve, and U2 themselves). "
Mark Ronson hosts the post BRITs Party – in aid of War Child
**NEW NAMES ANNOUNCED**
The Temper Trap & The Bees
JOINING Mark Ronson & The Business Intl
February 15th at Indigo2. Tickets from £15.
War Child and O2 are proud to announce more names to the line-up for this year’s biggest and best post BRITs event, the War Child post BRITs party at Indigo2.
Brit Award nominees The Temper Trap will perform live. The act, up for International Breakthrough Act at the BRITs, are to perform a one-off UK date to support War Child. Their “Sweet Disposition” track is one of the anthems of the last few years and they are rightly regarded as one of the world’s hottest live bands.
Festival favourites The Bees will be the first act to perform, the perfect band to start the party with hits including ‘A Minha Menina’ and ‘Chicken Playback’.
As previously announced BRIT Award Best Male nominee Mark Ronson and his band the Business Intl will deliver an all-star set of hits from his ‘Version’ and ‘Record Collection’ albums. Inviting some very special guests along for the ride.
Mark Ronson says: "Being asked to play the War Child post-Brits show is such a giant honour. And since I'm guilty of YouTubing the 2009 clip of Coldplay and Gary Barlow doing "Back For Good" for War Child at least 180 times, I know we better pull off some magical moments".
This intimate event is at the Indigo2 and will start at 10pm immediately following the BRIT Awards. War Child is supported for the evening by O2.
This party also celebrates the fifteenth anniversary of War Child’s 1996 BRIT Award for its first album 'Help' and 15 years of their unique work with music. To mark these 15 years, tickets to the event are priced from just £15.
War Child thanks O2 for making this possible.
In the last two years alone War Child has held events which have raised over £500,000 for their vital work with children suffering the most brutal effects of war. These events have featured The Killers, Coldplay, La Roux, Plan B, Madness and Kasabian, with special guest appearances from the likes of Bono, Gary Barlow, Al Murray and Noel Fielding.
For more information on War Child go to www.warchild.org.uk Tickets cost £15 standing, and £30 reserved seating. O2 customers can get Priority Tickets* from 11am Monday 7th Feb, for further information visit www.O2Priority.co.uk. Tickets go on sale to the general public at 9am Tuesday 8th Feb and can be booked through www.ticketmaster.co.uk
Mark Ronson & The Business Intl Ronson host the post BRITs Party – in aid of War Child February 15th at Indigo2
War Child and O2 are proud to announce BRIT Award winner Mark Ronson is to host this year’s biggest and best post BRITs event, the War Child post BRITs party at Indigo2. Inviting some very special guests along for the ride.
This intimate event is at the Indigo2 and will start at 10pm immediately following the BRIT Awards. War Child is supported for the evening by O2.
BRIT Award Best Male nominee Mark Ronson headlines with his band the Business Intl to deliver an all-star set of hits from his ‘Version’ and ‘Record Collection’ albums.
This party also celebrates the fifteenth anniversary of War Child’s 1996 BRIT Award for its first album 'Help' and 15 years of their unique work with music. To mark these 15 years, tickets to the event are priced at just £15. War Child thanks O2 for making this possible.
In the last two years alone War Child has held events which have raised over £500,000 for their vital work with children suffering the most brutal effects of war. These events have featured The Killers, Coldplay, La Roux, Plan B, Madness and Kasabian, with special guest appearances from the likes of Bono, Gary Barlow, Al Murray and Noel Fielding.
The post-BRITs party is a celebration of great live music and the power of music to change people’s lives. All ticket proceeds will go to aid War Child's work with children in war zones across the world. War Child is an official charity partner of the BRIT Awards. For more information on War Child go to www.warchild.org.uk Tickets cost £15 standing, and £30 reserved seating. O2 customers can get Priority Tickets* from 11am Monday 7th Feb, for further information visit www.O2Priority.co.uk. Tickets go on sale to the general public at 9am Tuesday 8th Feb and can be booked through www.ticketmaster.co.uk
*Priority Tickets are subject to availability, terms apply.
Mark Waddington, CEO, War Child, says: “This event is another sign of the amazing commitment from British music to support the vital work War Child does. We won a BRIT Award fifteen years ago for the ‘Help’ album, and since then artists have been standing up to say that children should not be the victims of war. It’s great to be a partner of the BRITs and we’re really delighted that Mark Ronson is hosting this special night. Music can really make a difference.”
Sally Cowdry, Marketing Director at O2 said: " 'We're really proud to be working with War Child for the third year. Two hugely successful years at O2 Shepherds Bush Empire is a tough act to follow, but we’re really excited to be bringing the experience to The O2 for the first time and are confident this will be our best year yet. It's always fantastic to be able to offer our customers Priority Tickets to the best gigs in the country but when it's for such a good cause it makes it that little bit extra special."
A Live Nation presentation For accreditation please visit the Live Nation Press website http://press.livenation.co.uk/ and apply on line, please note tickets for this event are very limited
ABOUT WAR CHILD: War Child is an international charity, founded in 1993 in response to the conflict in the former Yugoslavia. A UN award winning charity, War Child works in the world’s most dangerous war zones including Iraq, Afghanistan, Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo. War Child aims to protect children who are hit hardest by war and its consequences including street children, child soldiers and children in prison. War Child is a UK registered charity number 1071659
For further information on War Child please contact: 0207 916 9276, press@warchild.org.uk
ABOUT O2 • Telefónica O2 UK Limited is a leading communications company for consumers and businesses in the UK, with 22 million mobile customers and over 700,000 fixed broadband customers as at 30 September 2010. • Telefónica O2 UK Limited is part of Telefónica Europe plc, a business division of Telefónica S.A. which uses O2 as its commercial brand in the UK, Ireland, Slovakia, Germany and the Czech Republic, and has 55.3 million customers across these markets. • In 2006 Telefónica Europe acquired Be, the UK fixed broadband provider, and in October 2007 O2 launched its broadband service using the Be network. • O2 is the naming rights partner of The O2, the world-class entertainment venue. • O2 employs around 11,000 people in the UK and has 490 retail stores. • In October 2010 O2 was voted the UK’s best mobile network by the readers of both What Mobile and Mobile Choice magazine. • O2 was ranked highest in customer satisfaction for both UK mobile and fixed broadband customers according to the J.D. Power and Associates UK Mobile and Fixed Broadband Studies 2010. • O2’s UK mobile network covers 99% of the UK’s population. O2’s 3G network covers over 84% of the UK population and is fully HSDPA-enabled, providing speeds of up to 7.2 Mbps for customers with an HSDPA-enabled device. • Telefónica Europe also owns 50% of Tesco Mobile, which operates in the UK and Ireland, and 50% of Tchibo Mobilfunk in Germany. • For further press information about O2 go to www.o2.co.uk/news
For all O2 enquires contact; Sally Beamand, Tel: 07734 096 300 Sally.beamand@O2.com
ABOUT LIVE NATION: Live Nation’s mission is to maximize the live concert experience. Our core business is producing, marketing and selling live concerts for artists via our global concert pipe. Live Nation is the largest producer of live concerts in the world, annually producing over 22,000 concerts for 1,600 artists in 33 countries. During 2008, the company sold over 50 million concert tickets and drove over 70 million unique visitors to LiveNation.com. Live Nation is transforming the concert business by expanding its concert platform into ticketing and building the industry’s first artist-to-fan vertically integrated concert platform. The company is headquartered in Los Angeles, California and is listed on the New York Stock Exchange, trading under the symbol LYV. For additional information about the company, please visit www.livenation.com/investors.
Where they previously were hovering close to New Jersey and stadium rock, it seems RC&TD have now taken a step towards the heart of new American folk, edging closer to the likes of Band Of Horses and Ryan Adams. They might have to endure a few comparisons to Scotland's Kassidy - although without the requisite Fleetwood Mac tag - but The Heartlands is the sound of an emerging talent combining the best of two worlds."
First new Archangel since the fantastic debut album "How To Lose Your Best Friend" - this is "Hero's Welcome" and it'll be featuring in Grey's Anatomy, in the episode "Don't Deceive Me (Please Don't Go)" transmitting in the US on Thursday 3rd February, and available on iTunes here. A newly repackaged album "How To Lose Your Best Friend" also featuring "Hero's Welcome" is available on iTunes here.
Archangel is the brainchild of Nick Webber, a young man from Oxford with a strong will and a warped imagination who spent a year and a half going quietly mad in the wilds of Wiltshire as he recorded his masterpiece aka the soundtrack of his life. The collection of tracks in question are magnificently overwrought and dramatically fashioned songs that explore the lexicon of love with an epic sweep and neon glow that will remind you of all your favourite 70s and 80s groups while sounding utterly contemporary. Archangel are where ABC meet Arcade Fire.
Nick’s obsessive determination to handle the production as well as vocal, guitar, piano, electronic keyboard, synth-bass and percussion duties, which meant he’d have to literally press “record” and run to the drum kit or the guitar and start playing.
Debut album “How To Lose Your Best Friend” originally released in early 2010, now features a brand new track “Hero’s Welcome” as heard in the TV Show Grey’s Anatomy.
“Inventive heartfelt electro pop” The Guardian, critics gig of the day
“brooding, tetchy art-rock – it’s warm and infectious” NME’s “10 Tracks You Must Hear This Week”
“If he can stick to this formula, a winning one, and add the more complex twists that distinguish the good artists from the great, he’s a big future on the horizon. 4or The Record
“A twisted little genius of a band that are well worth looking out for” The Beat Surrender
“If you're ever feeling a bit apathetic and a bit down because you're lacking creativity, then you'd be best advised not to listen to this record because it would probably only make it worse. Archangel is the offspring of Nick Webber, who devised and performed this entire debut album, and consuming this beast will probably make the best of us feel slightly useless and insignificant. Saying that, the ingenuity of this possible magnum opus-to-be deserves to be celebrated” Click Music
Nick Lloyd Webber, the eldest son of Lord Andrew Lloyd Webber, is currently developing a new English-language stage musical based on the French literary classic The Little Prince, due to open in 2011.
GuilFest organisers are delighted with their latest ‘Golden Touch’: confirmation that this year’s Saturday night headliners will be maverick indie rock outfit RAZORLIGHT!
Fronted by outspoken lead singer Johnny Borell, Razorlight are one of the key guitar bands of the last decade, having sold over 4 million albums, performed to sell-out crowds on arena tours and festivals, and featured on the front cover of magazines from NME to Vogue. Formed in London in the summer of 2002, the band shot to fame with their critically acclaimed 2004 debut album, ‘Up All Night’, reaching number 3 in the UK charts, and spawning no less than 5 UK top 40 singles including seminal classics “Somewhere Else” and “Golden Touch”.
Continuing their incredible success story, the bands’ self-titled second album debuted at number 1 in the UK, and featured the number 1 single “America”, leading to NME award nominations for ‘Best Band’ and ‘Best Album’, as well as BRIT Award nominations for ‘Best Song’ and ‘Best British Band’. ‘Slipway Fires’, Razorlight’s third album, got to number 4 in the UK album charts, featured the hit single “Wire to Wire”, and was awarded album of the month by Q magazine.
2011 sees Razorlight releasing their fourth studio album, a few weeks before their sure-to-be spectacular performance on GuilFest’s Main Stage on Saturday night this July.
Razorlight join already announced superstar James Blunt, who will be headlining the Main Stage on Sunday 17th July. Over the coming weeks, many more announcements will be made about who you can see on all the stages at GuilFest 2011, including the Rock Cave and Dance Tent, as well as the top performers you can see in the Comedy and Theatre Tents and everywhere else at the festival this year.
As regular GuilFest visitors will know, you can expect a massively eclectic variety of music and entertainment across the many different stages at the festival, as well as great facilities such as the Kidzone - easily one of the best festival children’s areas in the whole country!
GuilFest is an award winning, family-friendly festival with a wonderful atmosphere by which other festivals have come to be judged. 2011 is sure to be the biggest and best year yet – don’t miss out. Tickets are now on sale and are available on-line at www.guilfest.co.uk or by calling See Tickets on 0871 230 1106
