Sweden’s “Hearts of Black Science” know how to please you: Rockin’ interview, free mp3 download & an autographed CD giveaway!
January 28, 2010 by Barbara Pavone · Leave a Comment
Hailing from Stenungsund, Sweden (just outside of Gothenburg) Daniel Änghede (Vocals/Guitars/Bass) and Tomas Almgren (Synths/Production/Mixing) are the extraordinarily talented duo behind Hearts of Black Science. The electronic rockers recently released their second full-length album, The Star In the Lake, and were kind enough to celebrate the release with us. Not only did Tomas offer to chat with me, but HoBS were more than happy to bring you (yes, you!) a free mp3 download of their latest single, Gold & Dust, as well as a contest to give away an autographed copy of the latest album. Enjoy the interview below and good luck!
Q: How did Hearts of Black Science start?
A: I moved back home (to Stenungsund) after having struggled as a horror movie director in London and Berlin. Daniel’s band, Astroqueen, had just split up and we were both eager to start a band ourselves. We had made music together before, when we were younger, in various mini-projects, but nothing serious like HoBS.
Britain’s “Jarmean?” snub albums, embrace absinthe and will choose the ukulele over a guitar any day!
January 26, 2010 by Barbara Pavone · Leave a Comment
“Jarmean?” is no longer just the popular British time-saving, slang version of “Do you know what I mean?,” but it is now also the moniker of one of the most fabulous, refreshing bands I’ve come across in recent months. The British five-piece fuses punk and vaudeville in an amazingly innovative way and discovering this band was like discovering a diamond in a pile of rocks. Jarmean?
They released their debut single, Mind the Gap, earlier this month and took the time to answer some of my pressing questions in anticipation of the release. Being the cohesive team that they are, they answered all of the questions … together! Talk about uncommon, and awesome.
Jarmean? are: Truman (Ukulele/Crooning + Abuse), Jericho (Smooth Horns), Mr. Fox (Tuba Rapper), Swanimaru (Baby-Faced Assassin) and Smoochi (She’s Our Bez!) – Their descriptions, not mine!
A Year in Review – RRR Staff Weigh In On Their Top Picks of ‘09 – Part 2
January 13, 2010 by Barbara Pavone · 2 Comments
It’s finally here! The second half of our “A Year in Review” extravaganza is ready for you to peruse and, hopefully, enjoy. We’re serving up more great albums and fabulous artists and I finally get in on the action by counting down the best songs of the year (with some slight cheating.) For those of you who missed Part 1 (shame on you) I’d just like to repeat: Thank you for making RRR a regular part of your musical intake. (Please don’t leave us in 2010, we love you!)
In Part 2 you’ll find:
Top 10 Songs of ‘09 – Barbara Pavone
Top 10 UK Acts of ‘09 – Intense Nick
Top 17 Albums & Top 5 Reissues of ‘09 – Scott Homewood
Top 5 Albums & Top Reissue of ‘09 – Gérard Girard
Top 10 Albums of the Decade – Matheson Kamin
Read more
A Year in Review – RRR Staff Weigh In On Their Top Picks of ‘09 – Part 1
January 11, 2010 by Barbara Pavone · 1 Comment
The end of the year usually means three things: resolutions, new challenges and opportunities and, of course, lists! Flipping through a music magazine (whether online or in print) at this time of year and not finding a list of the Top 5 This and Top 10 That is pretty much impossible.
So, we here at RRR decided to jump on the bandwagon (after all, we like to give the people what they want!) and bring you the best of the best from the music of ’09, with a twist. Rather than asking staff to fight it out and put together one sole comprehensive list, we decided we’d let everyone sift through the gems (as well as all those painful albums that made you cringe and think “What in the world were they on?”) and put together their own individual Tops.
But before we begin I’d like to wish everyone a Happy New Year (even though I’m a bit late) and thank you all for making RRR a regular part of your musical intake. (Please don’t leave us in 2010, we love you!)
In Part 1 you’ll find:
1) Top 10 Albums – Stefany Mohebban
2) Top 10 Albums – Bill Sullivan
3) Top 10 Albums (Rock & Metal) – Jon Asher
4) Top 20 Albums (Power Pop) – Aaron Kupferberg
Sweden’s ‘Dirty Passion’ love their own music, Guns N’ Roses, Motley Crue not so much – but best of all, they’ll always speak their mind
December 22, 2009 by Barbara Pavone · Leave a Comment
Perhaps it’s just me, but if I had the ability to change one thing about today’s rock scene, I’d bring it back to the ‘80s. Say what you will but I’m a sucker for the era when rock was raw, dirty, unapologetic and, well, mind-blowingly good.
Sweden’s Dirty Passion seem to share my outlook. Formed in 2006 in Malmö, Sweden, Emil Ekbladh (Vocals), Christopher Olsson (Guitar), Björn Wilander (Bass) and Markus Winberg (Drums) draw from the greats of that very scene, infusing their musical stylings into their own tracks to end up with a sound that is simultaneously nostalgic and modern. And, of course, always rockin’.
In early 2010 Dirty Passion will be touring Europe with Faster Pussycat and Enuff Z’ Nuff, and before they set off Emil took some time out to talk to The R&RR about all things rock.
The Rock and Roll Report Band of the Week Is: The Ascot Royals
December 7, 2009 by Barbara Pavone · Leave a Comment
It was a wonderful accident. I arrived on time at a local Montreal bar / live show venue for my interview with a great Canadian band, that shall remain unnamed, only to find that they were stuck at the American border and were running behind schedule. Assuring me they would arrive shortly, I grabbed a seat and began one of my least favorite aspects of the job – waiting. As I watched another band setting up their gear I was soon approached by someone with a, wait for it, British accent, which I must admit I found quite strange, but my interest was immediately peaked. I was soon introduced to the rest of the band (turns out Mr. British Accent had a name, Ben Chauveau, and was the keyboardist for the band I had been watching set up), heard some tunes and before I knew it I was leading an impromptu interview with what has since become one of my new favorite bands – The Ascot Royals. Was it fluke? Was it fate? Whatever it was, my ears, and my spirit (as cheesy as that sounds), thank me every time one of the songs off their debut self-titled album is blasting through my speakers.
Stuart Epps Toured America with Elton John, Produced and Engineered Records for Led Zeppelin and Paul Rodgers and is Now Focusing on the Next Generation – Part 2 of 2
November 7, 2009 by Barbara Pavone · Leave a Comment
… Continued from Thursday, November 5th
Q: Over the years has there been one artist that’s particularly stood out as the best or most interesting to work with?
A: Definitely the main one is Elton: the most amazing songwriter and singer and all around artist and performer that I’ve ever met. But I’ve been very lucky; I’ve worked with lots of great bands. Jimmy Page was another one I learnt a lot from and Paul Rodgers is probably the best singer I’ve ever worked with [...] he made an album with Kenney Jones, the drummer from The Who, and they had a band called The Law and he’s definitely one of the best artists I’ve ever worked with. Not the easiest [but] usually the best artists aren’t the easiest to work with. Chris Rea who I worked with and sang with, I sang on backing vocals on his album [...] I’ve been very lucky. I have worked with Oasis, and I worked with Robbie Williams and, you know, I worked with some pretty big artists and it’s always, even if you’re not into their music, it’s always interesting to see what makes them the way they are.
My big hope now is to be able to [...] come across an artist for myself who’s in the early stages of their career that I can then use all my experience to help fulfill and hopefully make into a similarly big recording artist, which is what we’re trying to do with Kendal Sant at the moment. [...] You know I still love making music with people, still love making records, still good fun. Which is a bit surprising really because you think it’s something you might grow out of, but it’s still good fun.
Stuart Epps Toured America with Elton John, Produced and Engineered Records for Led Zeppelin and Paul Rodgers and is Now Focusing on the Next Generation – Part 1 of 2
November 5, 2009 by Barbara Pavone · Leave a Comment
What do Elton John, Led Zeppelin, Oasis, Twisted Sister, Kiki Dee and Chris Rea all have in common? Yes, this wide array of superstars do share one thing in common: they’ve all, at one point in their careers, worked with Stuart Epps.
Since 1967 Epps has immersed himself in the music industry, stating out as an office boy at Dick James Music at the age of fifteen and going on to become a praised producer and engineer. He even toured America with Elton John in the early 70s as his personal assistant.
Mr. Epps was kind enough to call in to The Rock and Roll Report from his UK home for a retrospective chat about his marvelous 40+ year career.
Q: Going back to the very beginning, how did you get involved in the music industry?
A: I was in bands from about the age of eight or nine and one guy who I was in a band with, and I also went to school with, [...] got this job working for Dick James as an office boy. That was probably about 1965 or ‘66 and he use to come home with all these stories [...] that he just went to Paul McCartney’s house, he got the new Beatles album [...] all these stories were just magnificent about him and the music business and how exciting it was.
A year passed and he said that he was looking for his replacement so that he could be promoted and I was just starting school, I was only 14 back then [...] but I just thought, “Wow, this could be an opportunity.” So, I mentioned it to my parents who I just thought would say, “You must be joking, you’ve got to start school,” and my dad said “Well, you know, if you want to do it then go and do it.” I just didn’t need any more encouragement than that.
I went for an interview and got the job as office boy. It was an amazing time. It was 1967 in London, it was flower power and hippie time, and I was earning $10 a week, which was about $9 more than I’d been getting, so I was like a millionaire and getting these incredible jobs: go to Paul McCartney’s house, go to Abbey Road Studios. It was a great way to find out about the music business really. Even though it was the lowest of the lowest jobs, to me it was absolutely brilliant. Everyday was great and I could probably talk about that period for about six hours and we can’t really do that! [laughs]
Punk-Rockers ‘Limozine’ Compare Recording to Murder, Survive the Unbearable U.K. Smoking Ban and Get Set to Release Their Second Album; ‘Evil Love’
October 29, 2009 by Barbara Pavone · Leave a Comment
One would think that recording studios would be more likely breeding grounds for competition rather than collaboration. However, when it comes to West London’s Limozine, it all started in Coventry at the Cabin Recording Studios where Dean (Vocals) and Johnny Zero (Guitar) met through a mutual friend.
It is also not often true that drinking brings about brilliant ideas, but Limozine, once again, makes the exception. After some late night drinking Dean and Johnny discovered their shared passion and respect for acts like The Cramps, ACDC, The Stooges and The Ramones. Using their idols for inspiration they began Limozine in the effort to bring about their own version of a punk rock album.
Writing their 11-track debut, Car Crash Casino, in 2005 and recording and mixing the album in eight days, it wasn’t until 2007 that they saw it’s official release. A year later, Johnny’s close friends, Tim (Drums) and Karl (Bass), saw Limozine live and were so gripped by the project they couldn’t help getting in on the action. And so, the two-piece doubled and today’s Limozine was born.
‘Nephu Huzzband’ Get Candid: Recording On No Sleep, Drinking With Fans, Scaring Pretentious Art Kids, and the Beauty of Water and Natural Noises
October 23, 2009 by Barbara Pavone · Leave a Comment
Nottingham’s Nephu Huzzband delivers a raw punk-rock debut album that is charismatic to the core. Eighteen months in the making, Elementary was finally released at the start of October and the band’s hard work seems to be paying off. NME has described the four-piece as “gawky depressed underdogs [that] are painfully brilliant,” and I assure you that is a compliment. There in fact is something painfully brilliant about their sound and this truly makes them a band to be on to lookout for. Their EP, Papers, was released last year and received national support in the U.K. with endless airplay, and built expectations for their debut album. With Elementary, Nephu Huzzband has not disappointed.
When it came time to dig deep and discover what makes Nephu Huzzband tick, Guitarist Adam Popple and Bassist Jamie Barrow decided to take on the challenge. Vocalist Tom Bentley and Drummer Rob Challinor had no objections.
1. How did Nephu Huzzband come about?
A: Adam: We all met at school and were all listening to similar bands. Everyone wanted to be in a band so we did the obvious thing and decided to start Nephu Huzzband.
2. When you’re writing music – what’s the process?
A: Adam: We all come up with ideas on our own, which is what I really like about our writing process. When we do this it allows every band member to add their own sound and own influence to a song. When actually bringing a song together, we do it in the practice room [...] basically bringing together our ideas into one.
