It’s that time of year again, the two most expensive times of the year – Christmas and New Year are finally behind us and they have left us feeling a little bit lighter in the pocket.

With the UK spending an eye-watering £1.7bn on unwanted gifts last Christmas and the average Brit receiving a total of £31 worth of unwanted present’s, now is the perfect time to cash in or simply de-clutter your home. So to give you a helping hand we have pulled together a few tips to ensure that your Vivastreet ad stands out.

Select a category
It is important to select the correct category as it will ensure that the right people are looking at your ad.

Posting Title
Having a catchy title is a great way to stand out from the other ads. Try to keep it short and sweet whilst highlighting exactly what you are selling.

Posting Description
Do not be vague, include as many details as possible. This is the perfect place to state the benefits or the attractive qualities of your product, and why other Vivastreet users should purchase your product (or service).

Include a photo whenever possible
Vivastreet users can upload photos for free, so ensure that you do. As the saying goes, a picture tells a thousand words.

Modes of contact
Provide as many modes of contact as is conveniently possible. Methods such as email addresses, and landline/ mobile phone numbers will make sales transactions easier. However, do make sure that the proper security and safety precautions are taken.

Additional features
Upgrade to a premium ad. There are different types of upgrades available: ‘Featured’ ads which will place your advert on top of the regular ads and will be marked ‘Featured’ for exclusive and increased visibility or ‘Highlighted’ ads which highlight your ad for 30 days with a coloured background to make your advert stand out.

We surveyed over 2,000 people across Britain and found that on average, each person celebrating Christmas in the UK this year – 87% of the population (53.99m people)[1] – received up to two presents they did not want with their average total value reaching £31, this means that a whopping £1.7bn was spent by the British public on unwanted Christmas gifts this year. Our research also found that only 16% of people will try to cash-in by selling their unwanted items.

Those of you who are not planning on selling your unwanted gifts could be missing out, with the continued government cuts in 2012 every penny will count, so the stigma attached to selling unwanted gifts is one that needs to be broken, remember there is nothing wrong with raising some extra cash by selling things you don’t want or need online. Over the last five years, those Brits who did sell unwanted gifts online raised a total of £4.6bn[2] .

On the other hand, when it comes to giving gifts us Brits have been relatively good this year when compared to some of our European cousins. In Italy, the average total value of unwanted gifts per person was £46 (€55), while in France each person received £60 (€72) worth of presents they didn’t like. When compared to the UK that’s an increase of £15 in France and nearly double in Italy – £29.

The largest proportion of unwanted Christmas gifts (37%) were either clothes or jewellery, while 31% of unwanted presents were personal care products such as cosmetics and perfumes, with in-laws giving the worst gifts, closely followed by friends and children.

So remember, if you want to cash in on an unwanted Christmas gift, sell it on vivastreet.co.uk – it’s completely free and will guarantee you access to thousands of potential buyers.

Good luck! Wishing you all a happy and prosperous New Year!

_________________________________________________

[1] Based on the latest ONS population figures excluding religions that do not celebrate Christmas
[2] Based on the number of people who have sold unwanted gifts in the last five years and how much they have raised on average – Vivastreet.co.uk Unwanted Gifts Survey and ONS population data

We are pleased to announce that the winner of our Facebook “Worst Christmas Present’s” competition is Sarah Morris from Birmingham. She’s won £50 worth of shopping vouchers after Vivastreet Facebook users selected her gift of crayons wrapped in newspaper given to her by her little sister as the worst gift.

After hearing the great news Sarah said “I was very excited when I found out that I had won. It was very unexpected as there were many other great entries and I wasn’t expecting to win. I plan on splitting the prize with my younger sister, after all, it’s thanks to her that I won the vouchers! I’d just like to say a big thank you to Vivastreet for holding the competition and giving me the opportunity to win, I’m extremely grateful!”

We hope you enjoy your vouchers Sarah!

Last month we brought you our Random Acts of Happiness by randomly selecting an ad each day and giving away £50 worth of shopping vouchers to each luck Vivastreet user. All of our winners have been notified by email, so check your inbox and email us back if you are one of the lucky ones.

Congratulations to:

• saadispeeder
• naleds
• arthursprivatehire
• kakawas
• britasia
• avolkov
• e4efthymiou
• rhyse
• moo-la-vache
• anthonygarner588
• ukcleaningagency

One very lucky user also received £1000 in shopping voucher’s, congratulations to Vadim Arkhipov

We hope you all enjoy spending your shopping vouchers.

Wishing you a Merry Christmas and a prosperous 2012.

The Vivastreet UK Team

Its officially 16 days till Christmas and the panic has started to set in. I’ve not bought any gifts or had time to decorate the house or even get the house ready for the onslaught of relatives that will be gracing us with their presence.

So to get myself organised, I pulled together a list of exactly what needs to be done and in priority order. Number one on the list is Christmas presents for the kids, I know exactly what needs to be bought but I don’t think I can face the crowds so I did what I usually do in times of a crisis, head to Vivastreet.co.uk.

My boy’s Josh and Matthew both want bike’s, so I popped on to the site and within five minutes had found two bike’s that were perfect. One is a blue mountain bike and the other is green with multi-coloured beads on the spokes.

Natalie is a typical teenage girl and is constantly reading fashion magazine and trying out the latest trends so she will love the Ugg boots and faux fur coat that I found, and Peter will be getting tickets to see his favourite band.

All I need to do now is arrange to collect them all, but luckily they are all within 30mins from my home.

So the Christmas shopping has been sorted in half an hour all from the comfort of my home. Next I need to get the house decorated. I wonder if they have anyone on Vivastreet that can do this for me…

The countdown to Christmas has officially begun, and with only 3 weeks to go it got us thinking of how Christmas has changed significantly through the decades and has evolved to symbolise different things to different people.
For some the festive period symbolises relaxation, reflection, spending time with the family and eating excessive amounts, whilst for others it is an extremely stressful period that is spent cooking, cleaning and entertaining with no time to rest and spend quality time with family members
In order to make the Christmas period run smoothly Vivastreet has a number of tips that will make planning the perfect family get together a doddle.

1. Plan ahead
If you have family and friends coming to stay, it is essential that you co-ordinate what days and approximately what time they will be arriving. Take into consideration exactly how many people your home can accommodate, as it might be better for some members of your family to stay with neighbours or in a nearby hotel.

2. Designate Tasks
Ensure that everyone chips in, planning the perfect Christmas reunion should not be the responsibility of just one person. Assign roles to everyone, they should include: keeping the children entertained, setting the table, prepping veg. It’s fantastic because it allows the family to bond throughout the day and avoids stressed out and resentful individuals.

3. B.Y.O/Order in
If there are a significant number of you, sometimes it is easier to hire a caterer or order in from a restaurant. Another option is to encourage family members to bring food, this is especially helpful for people who have dietary requirements, and it helps to take the pressure off you and your cooker.

Hopefully integrating all of these tips into your usual Christmas routine will make the holiday period run smoother than usual.

Vivastreet is the FREE Advertising site that brings you an affordable Christmas!

Everyday Vivastreet is bringing you random acts of happiness by giving away shopping vouchers to our customers. At the end of each day over the next 4 weeks (end date 5th December) Vivastreet will randomly select an ad and give away £50 worth of shopping vouchers to each lucky customer. All you have to do to take part is post an ad!

Remember posting and ad is FREE

Visit http://www.vivastreet.co.uk for more information

As a mother of four children – two under the age of 10, and two in their teens, I am constantly on the move. My day is a flurry of trips to and from school, music classes, sports classes, cooking, cleaning, wiping snotty noses, stopping arguments and so forth, the list of things I do on a daily basis is never ending.

After some thought I decided that it would be nice to have a little bit of help every now and then, especially when it comes to keeping the house clean. Having three boys in the family and a pubescent teenage girl, one of the greatest challenges I face on a daily basis is tidying up after each and every one of them.

During one of my daily Mother’s catch up at the school gates I mentioned to a friend that I was looking for a cleaner, and didn’t know how or where to begin my search. She recommended Vivastreet.co.uk, as this was where she’d found her cleaner.

So that afternoon, during a very rare quiet period in my day I decided to check out the website for the first time ever, and I’m so glad I did. The choice of cleaners available was incredible, I was spoilt for choice. There were a few cleaners who really stood out so I gave them a call and discussed my needs with them and decided on one called Anna. She seemed honest, reliable and had lots of experience, and to top it off she gave me the numbers of her previous clients who all gave her a glowing reference.

Going on Vivastreet.co.uk really was the best thing I ever did! Anna popped round last week to give my house a good going over, and I’ve never seen my house look so clean. The kids thought that they were in a different house, and to top it off I now have a few extra minutes all to my self – Sheer bliss!

Battersea Dogs & Cats home issued a warning last week to all potential pet owners following a significant number of inexperienced owners purchasing cats and dogs online only to abandon them soon after.

Liz McWalter, head of Animal Intake, stated: “A quick search on the internet reveals just how easy it is to buy a pet cheaply and quickly without giving any real thought to the life-changing decision you are making. Buying a pet is not like buying a new iPod.” She also went on to highlight that Battersea Dogs & Cats home is now having to accommodate the increasing number of deserted pets, which is putting added pressure on the charity.

At Vivastreet, we would like to think that our users are all responsible pet owners and breeders. However if you have never owned a pet before it is important to carefully consider the essentials of owning a pet before taking the plunge.

Being a responsible owner is more than just feeding your pet and taking it to the vet if it’s feeling unwell. You should be fully equipped for the extra responsibility that owning a pet will require.

When purchasing an animal online ensure that:

• You don’t buy a pet on impulse, take into account how much of your time and finances your new pet will require.

• Always take into consideration the size the animal will grow to, especially with dogs or reptiles such as snakes.

• Consider your routine – are you the type of person who has a balanced lifestyle, or do you usually spend long periods away from home. If so, it’s best to carefully consider which pet, if any, you get. Cats and dogs for example require a lot of love and attention

• Speak to the breeder prior to collecting your new pet, ask for as much information on your pet’s background including: behaviour, history & temperament.

And if you already have pets:

• Ensure that the new addition to your family will interact well with your existing family members. Both human and animal!

Those of us that are extremely organised have already begun spending time and energy carefully planning the right gift for their loved ones. Like so many of us however they may be faced with the possibility of unwrapping their present on Christmas day and be confronted with a gift that is so horrific it makes us wonder if the person who gave it to us secretly dislikes us.

Well we at Vivastreet want to turn what was a hideous gift into a pleasant surprise. All you need to do is tell us about the worst Christmas present you have ever received and why you disliked it. If you have pictures of the offending item, please upload them to our Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/vivastreet.co.uk. The top entries will receive £50 worth of shopping vouchers.

Good luck and get posting!

by Neil March

The link between the arts and the environment in which art is produced has been firmly established over many centuries. The starting point for my work as both a composer and a researcher is my contention that for composers to contribute to the evolutionary continuum of music as a living, breathing art, their work must resonate with and reflect the modern world in which it is conceived.

This notion was the main motivation for me in returning to the art music world after nearly decades in which I was embroiled in Pop-related culture. And it has occupied a central role in all my work, particularly since early 2008, the period from which I have been content for my compositions not to be retrospectively withdrawn.

It was in early 2008 that, in composing a piece entitled “Fugue and Fantasy (for Orchestra)”, I came up with the concept of “Soundbite Form”. I was concerned that music should reflect the way we communicate in today’s world where soundbite is now the prevalent culture. This is reflected in our increasing reliance on email, text messaging, Twitter, Facebook, Youtube, Myspace and so it goes on. Letters and telephone conversations are no longer our main means of communicating news, ideas and chat. Even the broadcasting and paper media have had to alter their style of programming to reflect this more impatient approach that results from the rapidly moving, time-pressured lifestyles emanating from Western Bourgeois-Democratic society (and spreading to other societies as they develop in a similar direction).

This poses a challenge for the progressive composer intent on exploring new ways of organizing pitch, harmony and texture to take music forward in the twenty-first century. For there is an obvious contradiction between our desire to pursue an intellectually robust and aesthetically challenging agenda whilst simultaneously responding to a soundbite culture which is the product of intense commercialization and populism.

My immediate response was to consider how composing music in relatively concise soundbites could offer the opportunity to present multiple progressive ideas and themes to the unfamiliar audience in a form they may be able to cope with whilst not in any way diluting the content of the music itself. My first attempt at a work reflecting these aims was another orchestral piece entitled “Twenty Four Hours”. It contained seven short sections (soundbites), the first five offering distinct and contrasting soundbites of material, the sixth attempting and then aborting a simultaneous recapitulation of the previous five and the seventh ordering key elements of the piece into a new hierarchy and new material.

In one sense I was pleased to be able to complete my first work in Soundbite form. However, in composing this work, I was frustrated by two particular issues which I knew I would have to face before I could move on with the development of this new concept.

One, which I will return to, was my desire to reflect the notion of “gradual transformation” both as an observation about numerous physical and theoretical cycles of transformation in modern society and as a representation of my long-term socio-political aims as a Democratic Socialist believing in the historic longevity of evolutionary change in the attitudes across societies just as I believe in evolutionary change within the arts.

The other more pressing concern was my inability to satisfactorily develop material presented in soundbite form to its proper potential because of the time and space limits I was imposing on myself in the construction of the work.

This led me to a solution which could take account of all my concerns. It consisted of a two-movement Soundbite form for use in larger scale works. The first would be a canter through multiple short soundbites presenting various contrasting types of progressive material in a form akin to a very detailed trailer. This movement would be entitled “Summary”.

The second, to continue with the movie analogy, would constitute a “Director’s Cut”, a longer movement in which each of the ideas presented in the Summary is developed more fully allowing for its potential to be realized and for transformation to play a more important role. This movement would be known as “Elaboration”.

Transitional material would also be deployed between some contrasting soundbites both for the purpose of following a more transformational approach and in order to avoid too many abrupt changes between sections of music.

Although I was able to apply some of these principles to compositions thereafter it would be nearly two years before I was able to complete work on a two-movement piece mainly thanks to a combination of commission works and coursework assignments for my masters degree. That work, simply entitled “Construction”, achieved the aims I set out with. The Summary lasted almost exactly ten minutes and offered up nine separate soundbites while the Elaboration lasted around twenty-one minutes, expanding on those soundbites and deploying transitional material to link them from one to the next.

However the issues of form and structure only tell part of the story. Of equal importance to my work has been the matter of composing music in a manner appropriate to my observations about the modern world and representative of my socio-political analysis and perspective in relation to them. To this end I had already begun deploying certain compositional principles such as the “democratic” distribution of the chromatic pitches, orbited by a more gradual distribution of the available quarter tones and the imposition of vertical harmonic principles on the process of horizontal pitch organization in a manner reflective of the hierarchies in modern society and how they implement laws, rules etc.

The real breakthrough arrived during the composing of a chamber work entitled “As the facts emerge” for a performance by the Nomos Project in 2009. Here I came up with a means by which I could represent two important elements of my observations on the effects of post-Globalization Bourgeois-Democracy on the behaviour both of the individual within modern society and on the multiple rates of change in various states to do with its various aspects.

In both cases this meant having more than one instrumental part in which there is no apparent reference to or interaction with the other instruments in an ensemble (other than the harmonic values imposed vertically on the overall arrangement of pitch). This process took on two distinct forms, one in which the parts progressed in their own silos apparently unaware or disinterested in what others were playing and one in which all parts continuously altered in character creating an audibly nebulous effect. I called the process “Polyfluidity”and the two categories Types I and II.

It is important to underline here the significant differences between Polyfluidity and Counterpoint. Indeed they are virtual opposites. Counterpoint implies an intimacy and interaction between instruments, responding to and imitating one another in a unified manner. Polyfluidity is, by definition, not at all intimate, completely non-interactive and non-referential. It is the embodiment of the alienation of the individual, pursuing his/her own isolated path through modern society and interacting only superficially and out of necessity with others.

In “As the facts emerge”, I had used Type II Polyfluidity in the final stretch of a piece which otherwise was not polyfluidic. But over the course of the next year I began to increasingly use polyfluidity as the basis for multiple soundbites within each work. There are polyfluidic passages in “Construction” and in most works from 2010.

However, as I have become more adept at organising music in a polyfluidic manner, it has emerged as the dominant feature of my music, both from a technical and a conceptual viewpoint. “Snapshots”, composed for the Nomos Project in early 2011, is full of polyfluidity and the more recent large chamber work “People come, people go” is polyfluidic throughout, deploying both types. Alongside this I have continued to develop my democratic distribution principle for pitch organization but the last section of “People come, people go” introduced a new, more free approach to this technique too, allowing for a reliance on intuitive pitch choices within a broader democratic framework. This speeded up the compositional process which had been very slow due to the complex and challenging system I had imposed on myself.

Along with the use of soundbite form, Types I and II Polyfluidity and Democratic Pitch Distribution, I have also introduced other techniques including my “Implied Tonalities” (whereby there is some suggestion of diatonic triads or cadences but these are obscured by the appearance of “foreign” pitches). These can be difficult to spot due to the fluid nature of the notation.

Finally this brings me to my harmonic language which sits atop the hierarchy and is imposed vertically as far as possible to retain order within complex compositional processes.

I do not follow a harmonic “system” but I do rely on certain preferences. One of these is “Compound Whole-Tone” harmony in which clearly audible/visible groups of pitches from both versions of the Whole-Tone mode are combined both chordally and lyrically in a manner that is quite distinct from straightforward 12-Tone harmony.

Another is my use of harmony derived from Jazz (and related genres of music) organized into various inversions and combinations to create an aurally striking effect.

12-Tone harmony and microtonality also play significant roles and there is a tendency in much of my music to move continuously between accord and discord, again reflective of the environment in which it is conceived.

I will conclude my making a few important points. Firstly, we all strive for our own ideas of beauty. However it is worth remembering, as some Minimalist composers discovered, that beauty only remains so when it is a temporary state. Attempts to create beauty as a permanent state invariably result in banality.

As with real life, there are moments when there is coincidental unity of purpose and moments where there is genuine unity of purpose (such as when people stand together on an issue of great importance or when people put differences aside to respond to disasters or support fund-raising activities). I try to reflect this by allowing short passages of unity within my compositions.

I am not claiming to offer solutions for composers to the challenges of the twenty-first century. But I hope that, by bringing together these matters of form, technique and language and striving both for originality and relevance to modern society, I may be able to make some small contribution to the evolutionary continuum of music as a living, breathing art and a force for change in today’s world.

NEIL MARCH

http://www.newmusiccomposition.com/neilmarch

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neil_March

About the Author: Neil March is a British composer who returned to his classical roots in 2005 after two decades involved in the Pop industry where his successes included MSQ, Junction 8 and Kevin East. March has studied at Blackheath Conservatoire, Birkbeck University and Goldsmiths University. He has a masters degree in composition and is currently studying for a Doctorate. The past few years have seen him increasingly establish himself as an important new force in contemporary art music and his works have been performed across the UK, Europe, the Americas and the Middle East. He has also presented his ideas to students at several universities and is composer in residence for the Nomos Project.
My Music Manager

Laura Bettinson AKA Dimbleby & Capper, is a singer, producer and remixer from the Midlands. She has played at Glastonbury and Latitude festivals and recorded a live Maida Vale session for Huw Stephens at BBC Radio One.
MMM caught up with gafa tape wearing singer…

Thanks for meeting My Music Manager, tell us what you’re up to at the moment?

At the moment I’ve got lots going on. Things are ticking over in D&C world nicely, putting things together for the next release and I’ve started working as a producer on other people’s music, which is a new avenue for me. I’m also devoting a lot of time to a side project of mine with a couple of super guys from LA- more of which you’ll be hearing about soon I hope!

Your dreamy, electro-pop sound has led to comparisons with the likes of Florence, Bat for Lashes and Little Boots – do you draw confidence from that or does it create pressure?

Can’t knock the Florence and Bat for Lashes although I’m not entirely sure where the Little Boots came from- my music doesn’t sound anything like hers! I can almost always draw confidence from comparisons with other successful female artists.

The BBC said your live act had an organic sounding experience – I’m going to be honest, I’ve no idea what that means, any thoughts?!

I think they were trying to describe that although my music is quite electronic and rooted in pop on record, the live sound is raw and we use a lot of live instruments to enhance the sound. There are also songs which we would play all on one drum kit and one reviewer once described that moment as quite tribal, like watching spirit vultures gathering round their prey. I think it’s that energy on stage created with others that you could describe as organic. It is a much bigger sound growing out from what you hear through your headphones.

You played at Glastonbury in 2009, as an upcoming artist how did you manage to secure a slot there?

BBC introducing got hold of one of my demos and Tom Robinson, Huw Stephens and Steve Lamacq started playing it. They then asked us to come and play their stage which was very nice of them.

And how did you find it, must have been an amazing experience?

It was a brilliant weekend. I’d never been to Glastonbury before so to be playing and experiencing it for the first time was quite overwhelming! So much to SEE!! It was like being in rush hour with a lot of very happy people for four days. Insane.

You’ve played with some great acts including Local Natives and Hockey, any particular highlights?

Local Natives are an amazing band live and I’m a big fan of their music but one of my highlights so far has been supporting Edward Sharpe and The Magnetic Zeros at the Lexington. They are such an entertaining band to watch live and there are so many of them on stage you don’t quite know where to look! They create a great energy and are well worth checking out if you get the chance to see them live.

And what about low-lights?! Any you wouldn’t work with again…
No low lights yet…

The music industry is a tough old nut to crack, what’s been your biggest challenge so far?

Holding your head up and keeping on with it! It’s an been an interesting couple of years for new female pop acts, there’s been a lot of sh*t thrown at walls which doesn’t seem to have stuck. But I’m a firm believer that the good stuff always outs itself as long as those people are given the creative space and freedom they need so I’m hoping to see more interesting female acts emerge over the next couple of years and take up a firm foothold in the music scene.

Any pearls of wisdom you can share that might help upcoming artists looking for a break?

No one’s going to do it for you so just get on with it. When it comes to building a team around you just trust your gut instincts and don’t get blinded by numbers and names and remember they work for you, not the other way round! Someone great once told me that. Changed my whole perspective on the music industry.

Your stage get up involves wearing gafa tape – doesn’t that hurt to take off?!

The key is cheap brands of gaffer and dancing enough on stage that you sweat it off. Works (almost) every time!

I’ve read that you get fed up with people asking about your stage name so instead I’m going to ask… do you like David Dimbleby?

He’s my Grandad. Yes, he’s very nice.

DIMBLEBY& CAPPER – Choose Your Head (Mini Album) – 6th June 2011
http://www.myspace.com/dimblebyandcapper

My Music Manager

Vardo and the Boss are a double-fronted attack – defined by the unconventional harmonies of the feisty, instrument wielding females who share the centre stage. MMM caught up with the four piece band from Colchester to find out more…

Q. Thanks for letting us speak to you! Let’s start at the beginning – how did you guys form Vardo and the Boss?

Well, we had all been performing individually or in other bands before we first got together as a group. Originally it was just Lauren and Laura teaming up as a duo as a little money maker – we performed at a few weddings and some functions. Later, we decided we wanted to go further and get a band together. The boys were working with Laura at a venue called “The Twist” in Colchester, Nick joined first and later Liam and we’ve been together ever since!

Q. And what’s the story behind the name?

“Vardo” is the Romany word for “caravan” – the traditional horse drawn wagons used by travellers. “Boss” comes from the company “Boss” – the manufacturers of a little four track digital recording device, which Lauren and Laura used to make their first ever demo in Laura’s caravan when they decided to form a band. It sounds like a bit of an odd name when you first hear it, but there is a meaning to it!

Q. Your profile description states you’re “defined by the unconventional harmonies of the feisty, instrument wielding females”. Does that mean Laura and Lauren beat Nick and Liam with instruments?

Ha ha! It’s not fair to say that the girls beat the boys! To say that the band is “defined” by the female parts is more a recognition that as the front women, their parts are likely to be the most memorable. Obviously the drums and bass naturally seem to take a back seat with all bands, but that certainly doesn’t make them any less important, they hold the whole thing together and our boys are much slicker than your average!

Q You’ve been described as ‘funky piano driven folk’, ‘folk rock’ and ‘progressive funk and soul’ – where do you see yourself in the musical spectrum?

It’s quite hard to pigeon-hole ourselves really. We have a variety of different songs which are inspired by different genres. For instance, on our EP we have a couple of tracks which come across as pop-rock tunes; we also have a more soulful number as well, and the last track starts off darkly melodic and then launches into quite a heavy, climactic finish which is combines metal/rock drums and bass with classical piano and vocals. You could say we’re quite experimental really, almost unwilling to be constrained by a specific genre – we want to do it all!

Q So what distinguishes you from other acts that are around at the moment?

Well, we have two lead singers, who can also play instruments while they perform and can produce complex harmonies, which many acts are only able to achieve in a studio with the help of computer programmes or producers to guide the way. We write all of our own songs, which we try to make as honest and relatable as possible and we’re not afraid to try anything – we throw in a little rap here and there and some operatic vocal lines. We like to combine a variety of simple and complimentary melody lines on bass, piano and guitar and then float some overlapping, harmonising vocals over the top; this makes us quite distinctive – certainly locally, but probably also further a-field.

Q. Your EP is out in July, you must be excited – how long have you been working on it for?

We started recording it about a year ago, so we’re very excited to finally have it ready. It’s probably taken a bit too long really, but there are always bumps in the road – for example wanting to re-record certain parts, or taking the time to get the right artwork to suit the EP – things certainly can drag on! But we’re really pleased with it and can’t wait to reveal it at our EP launch on the 22nd July at The Bull in Colchester!

Q. Any plans for a full album?

Not for a while! We’d love to make a full album, but obviously a lot has been spent on the EP and we need to be saving our pennies first. We want to write some fresh material and re-structure a lot of our old material, which isn’t currently on the EP. We would want a full album to represent our very best. For now, we’re focusing on the EP and hoping to get a tour in with it for next year. It’s nice to have a change of scenery and to be back on the stage and out of the studio!

Q. And you’re also working on a brand new stage show – can you tell us a little about that?

Aha! This is still in the planning stage at the moment. We can’t reveal anything just yet, but it will be really exciting when it’s all finished, you’ll have to come to a gig to see it!

Q. You cite your influences as Jamiroquai, The Gorillaz, Tina Turner, Led Zeppelin and The Doors – If you could play with any of these at their peak who would it be and why?

It’s difficult to say as we each have our favourites! We do cover the Gorillaz – we have put together a medley of “Dirty Harry”, “Clint Eastwood” and “Feel Good Inc” – it would be awesome if we could perform it either for them or with them, as it’s very popular amongst our fans!

Q. What do you all do with yourselves when you’re not practicing or playing?

Lauren has just finished her law degree at Cambridge and is currently taking a little time out, soon to go travelling but then coming back to focus on music and possibly looking to do some session work and tutoring. The others all teach music and Laura also puts on a performing arts school for kids who are interested in dance, drama and singing; for those who are interested, more details can be found at http://academyshowchoir.co.uk/

Liam does sound for lots of bands and has been on tour with a fair few this year already. Nick is in another band -“Eradication”. They’re very popular locally and are always really well received when they tour, but probably attract quite a different audience to Vardo and the Boss, as they are a metal band! www.myspace.com/eradication

Q Time for some shameless promotion – where can we find out more about Vardo and the Boss and when are you next playing?

We have several pages where you can get updates on what we’re doing and where we’re gigging:

Our facebook page – https://www.facebook.com/#!/vardoandtheboss
Our twitter page – http://twitter.com/#!/vardoandtheboss
Our myspace page - http://www.myspace.com/vardoandtheboss

Obviously we have the long awaited EP launch which is in the back room of The Bull on Crouch Street in Colchester on 22nd July 2011. Entry is free and the gig starts at 9.00pm, with some fantastic support acts playing as well. It should be a good one!

We’re playing at the Penn Street Beer Festival, in Amersham, on the 16th July at 2.30pm.

We’re also playing at “Robfest” on the 23rd July, which should be really fun.

There are some more gigs in the pipeline, which we are just waiting to confirm at the moment, but updates will be on all of our web pages!

Welcome to What’s Cooking – your weekly dose of music reviews, new releases and irreverent chat. Up this week we have the cracking Buddy Holly covers album, Black Whales’ new LP plus huge new tracks from Givers, Class Actress and Dom.

It’s a funny time of year for the music industry with the flow of new albums drying up as everyone turns their attention to the festival season. I enjoyed my first one of the season last week, attending the Hop Farm festival on the Saturday. Here are my brief thoughts, great venue, expensive beer, Newton Faulkner: I tried so hard to dislike you but you are very good performer, Lou Reed: why didn’t you play any of your well-known songs?, Iggy Pop: you’re too old for this, Morrissey: you’re an absolute legend but the biggest threat to the human race is not Meat Murder. I had a cracking hog roast before you played – you should try it some time.

Onto some new releases…First up this week we have the superb tribute album Rave On Buddy Holly. The rock’n'roll pioneer, who was killed in a plane crash in 1959, would have been 75 this year. To celebrate all that he accomplished in his short life, Rave On Buddy Holly features 19 of the singer’s most memorable hits covered by famous artists ranging from Paul McCartney to Kid Rock.

My favourites include Julian Casablanca’s cover of ‘Rave On’, Cee-Lo Green’s version of ‘(You’re So Square) Baby, I Don’t Care’ and the Black Keys take on ‘Dearest’. Check that out below.

Next up we have my favourite new musical discovery in bloody ages…a band called Black Whales. Originating from Seattle, which has spawned some great musicians over the past years (Jimi Hendrix, Nirvana, Fleet Foxes, Band of Horses) Black Whales make 60′s style garage rock, fused with jangling indie-pop, psychedelia and folk. It works wonderfully and instantly catches your attention – it’s a mystery of the modern world why these guys aren’t more well known.

You can listen to the whole album below – my favourites so far are the album opener with it’s bold guitar and catchy lyrics about “dumb white trash” and “travelling salesmen” and the lead single ‘Lately’ with its thumping upbeat bass, reverb vocals and glimmering guitars. Take your pick below.

Now for the tracks that have entered my world this week. First up we have US band Givers who are creating quite a stir on the blogosphere with their afro-pop summery sounds. It’s easy to draw comparisons to Vampire Weekend and certainly as with VW these guys know how to make a catchy track.

Have a listen to the insanely addictive track ‘Up Up Up’ below.

Next up we have the sexy and sultry beats of Class Actress. Conjuring images of Madonna at her most raunchy this Brookly based trio (Elizabeth Harper, Scott Rosenthal and Mark Richardson) blend pulsing synths, downbeat rhythms and emotive melodies. Check it out below, I really like this.

This track isn’t particularly new but it is new to me so apologies if you’ve come across it before. It’s bloody brilliant. It makes me want to live in America. No, come to think of it that’s not true. Maybe a holiday will do.

That’s all for this week guys – enjoy your weekend and vote for your favourite at the bottom.

Welcome to a special Glastonbury edition of What’s Cooking. Just over a week ago 200,000 people descended on Worthy Farm to revel in an intoxicating mix of mud, booze and some of the best music in the world. This week we pay tribute to some of the best performances of the weekend…

Coldplay:

Chris Martin and his merry men headlined Glastonbury for a third time in nine years and few can argue with the spectacular show they put on.

Their performance was chock-a-block with energy and passion, combing shameless crowd-pleasers like Clocks and Yellow with epic renditions of The Scientist and Fix You, not to mention enough fireworks, confetti, lasers and smoke to keep you going for life. Martin bounded around stage with a carefree youthful exuberance, utilising the crowd as his personal choir – a role they were more than happy to fulfill.

See for yourself below with the awfully named but brilliantly performed Every Tear is a Waterfall:

BB King:

Next up is 85 year old BB King – this guy is a legend! He’s been playing since the 40’s and is showing no signs of slowing down (well, apart from how long it took him to get on stage).

To the delight of an enchanted crowd he combined big punchy backing band numbers, which included some superb slap base action, with captivating solo blues melodies. Most importantly he looked like he was having a bloody great time and who can blame him after the stunning career he’s enjoyed.

Pour yourself a whiskey and stick on Why I Sing the Blues below:

Fleet Foxes:

Let’s now wander over to Folk corner where we’ll find the ever impressive Fleet Foxes, clad in waterproofs, wellies, and great big bushy beards!

Their harmony filled sets are always a joy to listen to, particularly when they go off on an instrumental Odyssey of shimmering percussions and plucked guitars.

Have a listen of Sim Sala Bim below:

Morrissey:

No matter how miserable the conditions are at Glastonbury, morbid Morrissey will always try to make things worse. He’s a miserable git but that makes his music all the more entertaining and absorbing to listen to. He banged out some classics like Shoplifters of the World Unite and There Is a Light That Never Goes Out, played some of his new tracks and even got time to call David Cameron a twit.

His performance of Meat is Murder was particularly enjoyable given I was munching on a bacon sandwich at the time.

Check out his live performance of First of the Gang to die below:

Primal Scream:

The final of my five Glastonbury picks are Primal Scream, fresh from performing their recent Screamadelica tour. Combining a superb mix of catchy indie, alternative rock and pulsating electro the Scottish cain artists produced a nearly completely coherent set!

The latter part was packed full of hits and a gospel choir added some extra punch, which inspired a soggy crowd to come alive as Gillespie hared around stage as if it was his first ever performance.

Take nine minutes out of your day and enjoy a stirring rendition of Come Together (it’s Friday so you’ve got nothing better to do):

Let me know your thoughts on Glastonbury 2011 below, would love to hear your feedback.

My Music Manager

by Kathy Unruh.

Does the thought of performing in public give you the willies? Stage fright is a common experience among musicians. Your hands begin to sweat, your face gets flush and your stomach feels those tiny little butterflies tickling your insides.

But, as a musician, you might as well face the music and realise that if you want to get anywhere in the music world you’re going to have to conquer your fears.

The first question is – why do musicians experience stage fright in the first place?

The dictionary definition reads: Stage fright – “extreme nervousness felt by an inexperienced speaker or performer before an audience.”

That’s a pretty good definition if it weren’t for the fact that even the most experienced people get stage fright sometimes. However, it does seem to take the edge off when you are exposed to being in front of an audience on a regular basis. It is the inconsistency, or irregularity of being in front of an audience that is often a factor in causing someone to experience stage fright.

Another factor that can create a feeling of stage fright is being unprepared. One of the hardest things to do is to perform something on the spur of the moment. You’re handed a guitar and asked to play something when you haven’t even had a chance to warm up your chops first!

Trying to jump into a piece cold can be a very challenging endeavor. Your mind races through everything you thought you knew and had memorised only to draw a blank. You stumble around on the guitar and begin to feel embarrassed because everyone is waiting to see what you can do.

The tension begins to mount because you can’t seem to produce anything worthwhile. Eventually everyone loses interest and begins talking about something else. This kind of situation is a real drag and can lead to discouragement. But if it happens (or has happened) to you, don’t give up. It’s an important part of the learning process! You must persevere in order to “break on through to the other side.”

Playing in front of other musicians that are better, or perceived to be better than you are, can be a cause for stage fright also. If you ever take part in a “Master” class, or a music workshop, you will most likely be required to perform in front of your peers. In a Master class the student is usually asked to perform on stage in front of the Master and the other students taking the class. After the performance, the other students are invited to critic you. If you did well, you might be selected, along with several other students, to perform in a public concert at the end of the program. Talk about pressure!

So what can you do to help overcome stage fright? Here are some ideas:

1) Take advantage of every opportunity you can to play in front of an audience. Whether it’s your family, your instructor, your friends, whoever- just do it!

2) Memorise something that is easy to play so that you can use it for those spur of the moment situations. This will give you the chance to warm up and also help to take the edge off any stage fright you may experience. After you get through the first piece, you will probably find it easier to play more stuff you know.

3) Realise your own strengths and weaknesses. If you are taking lessons, ask your teacher to evaluate your progress from time to time. Let them critic a piece of music or song that you can play fairly well and take to heart their advice. Work to improve your technique. Record yourself. Don’t accept what doesn’t sound good. Make an effort to change bad habits and reinforce good ones.

4) Finally, be thankful that you have a love for music and a desire to learn. That’s why you decided to play or sing in the first place! Do your best and don’t compare yourself with others.

So, enjoy the process of growth and discovery. The outcome will take care of itself quite naturally. Just let it happen. As you do, you may be surprised to find that it has become a very beautiful experience!

My Music Manager

http://www.abclearnguitar.com/articles.html

Well, with a title like that, I guess it’s only fair to put my hand up and say, I did! Back in November 2006 I had an idea for a music website which would give musicians who were not well known and unsigned a way of gaining exposure. I found several people that were willing to work with me on it and was lucky enough to find investment to create the site. The investment was considerable and the site took a year to build.

In this year of development we came up with the name “Band For The Day”. The rational behind this name was quite simple. Bands were featured across the site if they gained the most points the day before. This sounds quite simple, however, it’s never that simple; not with us anyway. There were multiple ways of gaining points; a listen equalled one point, a purchase equalled ten points. Just to make things a little more complicated we also had text votes which gained ten points and instigated a “rush hour” when the countdown clock flashed which doubled all points other than listens.

So, it suddenly became a bit more complicated and just to put the tin lid on things, we created a Hall of Fame. This was a specific area of the site that featured the top 30 bands on BFTD who had gained enough points to enter. You could enter and be kicked out of the HoF as we called it if your points total was exceeded. The reason for being in the HoF was that it offered in the first year a recording contract and bands did buy into this.

Okay, so you may be thinking that all sounds pretty straight forwards, but what did it mean to us the workers behind the scenes and how was it meant to grow? Well, I’ll be honest, our original business plan, yes there was one, was built on the assumption that the site would grow exponentially as bands joined. Bands would sell their mp3s and we would take a small nibble out of this to create income. This was our first mistake! The purchase of band music, publicising their page on the site never really happened to the extent that the site made money.

The second idea was advertising. Now the site still has advertising on it, but to be honest, it has brought in so little in the way of real money, it would not buy you a pint of beer in a month.

With our original business plan in tatters what did we do…well, we decided that the reason the site was not getting massive traffic was that we were not offering the bands enough in the way of features. We added a full merchandising solution, video, a social network, Google map integration and gig listings as well as various other add ons…all of which have had different degrees of success. The great breakthrough never happened. One by one the original workers have left the fold disenchanted in the fact the big break never materialised.

So, where does that leave BFTD five years from conception and four years running? Well, to be honest, it has been a lot of work and for the main part thankless. Countless days sitting up till 2am in the morning working away, but the truth is, I as the last man standing am not prepared to give it up. Okay, we never really made it big, but we do have a community of bands and some of them are very interested in the site and keep coming back.

In terms of traffic we get around 30 unique hits a day which is not great, but better than nothing. I have integrated Facebook as much as I can into the site and we have over 3000 people who get the feed regarding latest arrivals and who has won BFTD each day. I also produce a yearly magazine in November which features the bands on the site and the latest coming and going on the site.

It has ended up a labour of love which is what it was always going to be but BFTD is part of my daily routine and I think that the nearly 700 bands on the site are of a much higher musical standard overall than many of the bigger music promotion sites out there.

Thankfully the investors were not heavy and accepted that everything has been done to make it take of big time…It did not happen and that is the nature of investment.

Long term? Well, I still hope that one day the site may find a bigger audience, if only for the bands on it. Also, perhaps if it did find this audience, then investors may consider looking at it or the site could be bought up by a large company who could give it the exposure it deserves. So, if you think that creating a website as a business is an easy way to make things happen then be warned…it’s never that easy, it will swallow up all your time and there are no guarantees of success.

I am happy with what we have achieved and hopefully I can continue in the long term with the new Circular Records Ltd. association to help bring unknown and unsigned musicians and bands to greater attention…here’s to the next five year.

Ged Brockie is a professional musician (guitarist/composer) and director of BFTD. His latest DVD – Five innovations for Guitar and Orchestra will soon be released on Circular Records http://www.circular-records.com His latest band CD release will be later this year again on Circular Records Ltd.

BAND FOR THE DAY – http://www.bandfortheday.com

Welcome to What’s Cooking – my weekly pick of the best new music. This week we bow down to the new Bon Iver album, float on the summery vibes of Cashier No 9, and lap up great new music from Laki Mera, STRFKR and Dirty Beaches, before wrapping up with Florence + The Machine’s cover of a Buddy Holly classic.

The story of how bearded hillbilly Justin Vernon (aka Bon Iver) came from the obscurity of a Northwestern Wisconsin log cabin to sharing a stage with Kanye West is well known. That three month hiatus to recover from mononucleosis, mourn a lost band and a lost love spawned one of the greatest indie-folk albums of the past decade; 2008′s heart-breaking For Emma: Forever Ago.

The new self-titled album, retains the falsetto focus, ambiguous lyrics and ubiquitous strumming of the former, while adding some great new elements. These new additions to the sound are startling: with the awesome African guitars featured on ‘Minnesota, WI’ to the luscious saxophone and perfect use of auto-tune. It will take a bit of time this album, but with each listen you will be further rewarded. Have a listen to ‘Calgary’ below.

The second pick from this week’s new albums comes from the superbly named Cashier No 9. Their new album To the Death of Fun sounds exactly opposite to how the title suggests; this isn’t a killjoy moody record but rather a glimmering sunny package of fun melodies and addictive hooks which may just convince you that summer has actually arrived. If it wasn’t for the shitty weather that is.

So what I’d recommend is stick your shades on, crack a beer open and click play on ‘Lost At Sea’ below. If that leaves you hungry for more have a listen to Goldstar or failing that get the album, well worth a good listen.

New on my musical antenna this week we have Laki Mera and their enchanting new track ‘More Than You’. Lead singer Laura Donnelly’s vocals are soft and inticing and fit tightly with the trip-hopping, indie-popping backing track. It’s catchy, bewitching and a great demonstration of what the Glaswegians have to offer. Fans of Portishead are likely to be very interested.

More Than You by Laki Mera

Next up we have the smooth as f*ck grooves of Portland electro-darlings STRFKR (aka Starf*cker). ‘Bury Us Alive’ first made me think of MGMT (vocals), but then as it gets a bit more excited the joyful synths and driving beats elevate it to a different level entirely. Check it out below. Their album latest album Reptilians has buckets more of this stuff if it’s your kinda thing.

I think it might be time for a new genre. You know how much music writers love a new genre, or better still a new sub-genre. A few weeks ago I copyrighted sodagaze (a bit like shoegaze but involves staring at your soda as opposed to your shoes) and now I give the world retro lo-fi. Dirty Beaches, the project of Montreal-based Alex Zhang Hungtai, are purveyors of my new genre. This track (Lord Knows Best) sounds old and new in equal measures and re-imagines Françoise Hardy’s “Voila” as a haunting dream.

His 8-track debut LP ‘Badlands’ was released on March 29th.

We wrap up this week with a great cover from Florence + The Machine. ‘Not Fade Away’ features on the Rave on Buddy Holly tribute album which is out next week and features covers from the likes of Black Keys, Paul McCartney, My Morning Jacket, Julian Casablancas, Cee Lo Green, She & Him, Fiona Apple & Jon Brion, Patti Smith, and Lou Reed.

That’s all for this week people – please let me know which is your favourite track below. See you next week.

D7 Music started in December 2009 as a five piece band from Gloucester. Within six short months they released their debut album King’s Square and are nearly ready to release their next one In the Stillness – so they certainly haven’t been wasting any time!

MMM caught up with Angela De Souza to find out the secret behind their speedy success…

Hi Angela, thanks for meeting with us. It’s been quite a quick turn around for you guys – formed in December 2009 and within six months you release your first album King’s Square – you must have all clicked straight away?!

Yes, it wasn’t difficult as the group consists of myself, my husband, my daughter, my daughters boyfriend and a mutual friend. It was great and very natural!

And is it true there might not have been an album had it not been for an encounter with Gloucester’s town crier?

That is entirely possible, he saw us performing one Sunday in King’s Square, Gloucester and invited us to perform at Gloucester Day and casually dropped into the invitation that we should have our CD available to sell too. We had dreamed of making an album for years, long before the band even existed, we all used to chat about it. The town crier’s comment gave us the push we needed. The following week we met with a producer and a few weeks later we were in the studio!

How would you describe your music to those who haven’t heard you before?

Our music really doesn’t fit into any box or genre because our band consists of teenagers and ‘older’ people ha ha. We try to consider each other’s preferences and influences and we all write songs. We have a ska kind of song, pop, rock, punk…. all sorts on the King’s Square album. The second album, which is due to be released this summer, is more rock with some power ballads as well as pop rock, and one track which is folk! So again, not quite pegged into a genre again.

And where did the name D7 Band come from?

D7 Band is the band from our church, D7 Church! The songs we release to the radio we also sing on Sunday’s in church. Yes, we do rock in church too! We vary between doing acoustic sets and full band sets so that everyone gets a little of what they like to hear.

With your husband and daughter part of the band there seems to be quite a family feel – is this something you try to reflect in your music?

I can’t say that we try to reflect the family feel in the music on purpose, it actually has never been discussed, but you will sense it on the album and Lorah and my voice is similar and also our other daughter, Jordan, has written two of the songs on the new album. The only family feel you might get is in the way we work really well together and bounce off each other when we are performing live.

Well something must we working because your second album, In the Stillness, will be available this summer! Have you continued with the style of King’s Square or moved on to a new sound?

You will find a similar sound on some tracks but we have grown a lot as a band since the first album, hopefully you will hear a more professional sound with better vocals and drums as we were truly beginnings when we recorded King’s Square.

With so many achievements in such a short space of time can you pick one as your biggest?

Our biggest success would be that we actually had the audacity to make our albums and take them to the radio and then actually get played on BBC! Seriously, looking back, I can’t believe we did that – do you know how inexperienced we were then – simply doing what we did was a success in itself!

Time for some shameless promoting – where can people get hold of your music and where are you playing next?

www.d7music.co.uk is the best place to keep up to date with our gigs & updates.

We are playing at the Coberely School Fair on 25th June and then at the Gloucester Summer Fair on 24th July – other than that every single Sunday at the Gloucester Guildhall at 12:00 midday!

Our album and songbooks are available on just about every online store, check out Amazon our band page is www.amazon.co.uk/D7-Band/e/B004LO26KI

And you can also check us out on Facebook too!

Interview by Matt Renton (My Music Manager)
17th June 2011
My Music Manager

Welcome back to What’s Cooking. Your hub for the best new albums, top tunes and mildly amusing waffle. This week we’re taking a look at the new Arctic Monkeys album, French producer Sebastian’s stunning debut record plus new tracks from Beirut, Vetiver, I Break Horses and a great live track from Ray Davies & The Leisure Society.

It feels like just yesterday that the Arctic Monkeys crashed onto the UK music scene with Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not – their brilliant and widely celebrated debut. Five years on, we have Suck It and See – the Monkeys fourth album and possibly their best yet. Gone are the days of the energetic full throttle 100mph indie-disco ubiquity they achieved with ‘I Bet That You Look Good On The Dancefloor’.

Suck It and See shows the maturity of the band into certified statesmen of UK indie and the premier guitar outfit of this fair land. Highlights include the dark and driving chorus of ‘Don’t Sit Down ‘Cause I’ve Moved Your Chair’, Turner’s musings about “chin-chewing” cokeheads on ‘Black Treacle’ and the thrilling album opener ‘She’s Thunderstorms’. It’s a very good album, and a welcome return to their original sound following their psychedelic tour de force Humbug. Have a listen to ‘Don’t Sit Down ‘Cause I’ve Moved Your Chair’ below.

From the streets of Sheffield to the boulangerie’s of Boulogne. Here we have the cracking electro debut Total by French producer SebastiAn (no that is not a typo, just a stupid and grammatically frustrating large A). Total is essentially a 22-track set consisting of all dance music genres; taking in house and techno, smooth funk, futuristic soul and even some wobbly drum‘n’bass. It’s an impressive output, that molds together effortlessly – a must have for dance music fans of any genre, particularly fans of Daft Punk and Justice. Have a listen to the wonderful track ‘Embody’ below. If you like this check out another track of theirs Kindercut.

So onto new tracks this week and first up we have a beauty from Beirut. ‘East Harlem’ with its sparse lyrics, swaying accordion, rich brass and lively piano is Beirut’s first single since ‘March Of The Zapotec’. Frontman Zach Condon wrote the tune when he was 17 but only started playing it live in 2009. Awesome video too.

If you’ve yet to see the video to I Break Horses first single ‘Hearts’ you’re in for one hell of a treat – it’s rare to find such incredible synergy between audio and video, quite astonishing. I Break Horses is the nom de plume of Maria Lindén and her musical partner Fredrik Balck. Based in the Swedish capital of Stockholm, the duo have been meticulously crafting the nine incredible tracks that make up their debut album Hearts. This track is lovely, as is Maria who I was lucky enough to interview this week – see The 405 if you fancy a read.

Here’s a new one from Vetiver’s 5th album. ‘Wonder Why’ pulls together chugging bass, piano and guitar melodies and charming Sunday afternoon strumming. Try to get it out of your head. The album The Errant Charm is out today and shows the band shedding some of their folky side for a more pop-heavy sound. The video is loads of fun.

I’ll sign off this week’s edition with this brilliant Ray Davies & The Leisure Society performance of ‘Sane’. The Kinks front man needs no introduction. The Leisure Society are responsible for one of the best albums of 2011: Into The Murky Water – I’d strongly recommend you check it out. See you next week.

First up on the new album front we have Cults who appeared from nowhere about a year ago with the blog smash ‘Go Outside’. We’ve been teased with the odd track since then all which have added to the anticipation for their debut self-titled album. Cults make twee 60s twinged girl group nostalgia-pop. To make things better they play the Glockenspiel throughout, a real favourite instrument for us over at What’s Cooking. Their self-titled debut album offers up accessible and wispy summer songs; a bit like Best Coast but a tad more sinister. You can listen to the album in full here.

Next up we have something entirely different: Brontide, and their post rock masterpiece Sans Souci. Sans Souci which is French for “without worries”, an Italian pale lager, or the former summer palace of Frederick the Great, King of Prussia. Whatever the inspiration for the album title it really is something else. When you take the bold move of having no vocals whatsoever you really thrust the music to the fore. Recorded as one 52-minute piece of music the album features intricate and multi layered guitars, shuddering drums and bass, strong grooves and apocalyptic breakdowns. Unique, beautifully constructed and utterly thrilling. Get it. ‘Matador’ (below) will tell you all you need to know.

We start our ramble through the best new tracks with Michael Kiwanuka and his superb retro-soul track ‘Tell Me A Tale’. The video fits this track so perfectly and if this guy doesn’t blow up I’ll retire from writing. He’s a 23-year-old son of Ugandan immigrants who started off a Radiohead and Nirvana fan, playing in rock bands as a teen and progressing onto the singer-songwriter circuit in his 20′s. Smooth and effortless, another one for the summer me thinks. His new EP is out now.

‘Swim’ is the stunning new track from Canadian electronic artist, Bear Mountain. Waves of washed up electronica, lush samples and swirling vocals – very reminiscent of Caribou . Although I’ve never been to Ibiza I hope this is what it sounds like.

Up next we have Boy Mandeville and their next track ‘Gorilla’. It’s difficult not to draw Vampire Weekend comparisons what with the relentless cheer, falsetto chorus and African guitars. It’s an infectious piece of fun music and one that will be featuring on my summer playlist. Decent video too.

Last up this week we have London based siblings Kitty Daisy & Lewis and their funky rocksteady number ‘I’m So Sorry’. They are a talented family this one, with skills on guitar, piano, banjo, lapsteel guitar, harmonica, double bass, ukulele, drums, trombone, xylophone and accordion between them. Their new album Smoking In Heaven was released on May 30th. As I watch this video all I think is that girl really needs a higher table for her piano.

Let me know what you think and see you in a few days!

My Music Manager

Plant Plants are friends, Stuart Francis and Howard Whatley. Spawned from a mutual love of film scores, weird guitar tunings & heavy beats, theirs is a sound which effortlessly combines a blend of electronica and eclectic imagery that sets them apart from contemporary comparisons.

MMM’s Dan Cook caught up with the London duo…

First question I have to ask is where did the name come from?

We went through a period of texting each other potential band names all day. Eventually one of us texted ‘plant’, and the other doubled it up. It looked good in text and that was it.

And how do you guys know each other?

We started crossing paths regularly while gigging in different bands about five years ago, ending up at the same parties and sh*t until our friend groups just kinda merged. The partying got out of hand. In 2010 we were both bandless and realized we had a lot in common so we started writing together.

What distinguishes you from other acts that are around at the moment?

There’s a solid mutual respect for each other and confidence in what we do.

You’ve played a couple of gigs in the past weeks at Madame Jo Jo’s and Hoxton Bar & Kitchen – how did they go?

Judging by the attention we’ve received since … f*****g well. They were our first two shows. All of our gear took a battering but still sounded great on those PAs.

Who are your biggest musical influences?

We’re both fans of the crunchy beats/production of the RZA and Liam Howlett. As well as a good film soundtrack like The Wicker Man (Paul Giovanni) or Moon (Clint Mansell).

What are you guys listening to at the moment?

All sorts. ///▲▲▲\\\ to ZZ top.

Reading the press release your live set-up sounds very impressive, with 90s Kaoss pads and 15+ effects pedals, particularly without the use of laptops, did it take much rehearsing to get that all sorted?

Rehearsals were a big f*****g question mark to begin with, that was the fun part. We started with this big bulk of gear and wilddled it down to the essentials. Honestly, it’s so much fun to write and perform the way we do. The process of our live show is the furthest thing from a chore.

How do you go about writing your tracks?

A track will start with a beat or a phrase. We keep it loop based, like the hip hop & electronic records we grew up listening to. We like the guitars stuck in between the beats. By the time we get the vox on, we know what the final mix should sound like and then we batter it with effects.

You worked with Jas Shaw, one half of Simian Mobile Disco on the EP, how was that?

Jas is a great guy and a pleasure to work with. The SMD studio is an outrageous collection of outboard effects, analogue synths & guitar pedals … we pretty much moved in. We record majority of our sh*t ourselves beforehand, the sessions are about pimping the sounds & putting an organic mix together. Unlike other “guitar band” producers Jas particularly knows how to mix beats -as well as guitars + vox. When we first played him the demos I think we all knew we’d enjoy working together.

What is your favourite plant?

Phlox caryophylla, common in east coast Mexico.

The self-titled EP is out on 20th June. Any plans for an album? Are you working on more tracks?

We’ll start mixing our second EP soon, which should be out towards the end of the year. As far as an album goes … there’s definitely one on the cards … but for now we’ll keep doing our sh*t and see where we’re at in a few months time.

For more information on Plant Plants please contact God Don’t Like it on alice@goddontlikeit.com or +44(0)7816516166
You can read their Press Release here!
Or check them out on:
www.myspace.com/pl4ntpl4nts
http://soundcloud.com/plantplants/shes-no-one

Interview by Dan Cook (My Music Manager)
1st June 2011
My Music Manager

To maximise your musical potential the need for publicity is paramount. But how do you make sure you’re providing the right information to the right people?

Paul Abraham, the owner of LMP Media Services and author of ‘The “A” Guide to your Music Success’, provides an insight into the world of press packs and releases.

Giving the right information and targeting the right recipients is a thankless task but with some guidelines to follow it can be a vehicle to enhance your reputation.

This article is here to help artists and bands make the correct choice in what information to send and to whom. Many musicians miss out on publicity due to the contradictory advice given on many self-promoting websites.

When finances are tight the need to decide who should receive full press-packs and demo CDs and who requires an up to the minute press-release of a news-worthy story is vitally important. The last thing you want is for your press-pack and CD to be thrown into the rubbish bin because it’s not newsworthy at that moment in time.

Following extensive research, it is our opinion a well-written press-pack should be sent to venues, promoters and music journalists who have requested it. A press-pack can remain in the same format for many months, the only changes required being up to date gig listings and/or press cuttings of reviews etc.

The basic press-pack should contain:

- A covering letter explaining why you are sending it.
- Band history.
- Bio’s or photos of band members.
- Contact details.
- The latest good quality band photograph (optional).
- A copy of a CD/EP if available (Always make sure that your contact details and playlist are located on the disc).

To gain maximum publicity for a CD launch, a new band member or the announcement of a tour, a press-release needs to be written, and sent to media targets such as newspapers, magazines, e-wires and internet sites. A one page press-release announcing the latest news will nearly always be read by journalists. However, due to the need for instant news, a press-release has a very short lifespan

Remember, a busy music journalist does not have the time to read through a two or three page press-pack to try and find a piece of news which could be used, so your press-release has to be relevant and interesting. Grab the journalist’s attention and they are sure to follow-up on your news!

We always advise, if finances allow, that you adopt the services of a professional music journalist/company to write your press-pack/press-release. They fully understand the requirements the music journalist is looking for and can give you the commercial edge needed to put you at the forefront of music media exposure.

Finally, an easy way to remember what to send to who is:

- If it’s an announcement or a date related item then treat it as a press-release.
- If you’re trying to promote yourself to new people in the music industry then send out a full press-pack.

*** Paul Abraham is the owner of LMP Media Services and also the author of ‘The “A” Guide to your Music Success’ which is available as a downloadable e-book from www.lulu.com.

My Music Manager

Welcome to What’s Cooking, your weekly digest of the best new albums, freshest tracks and latest music news all topped off with a unhealthy dose of self-indulgent satire.

This week we side-step the much hyped new Lady Gaga album and focus on much more interesting matters (to me anyway). In a week that has seen President Obama swanning around the UK crooning about the tight relations between our two nations I thought it proper to dust this edition with equal measures of UK and US artists. Call me patriotic if you like, but I’d put it more down to my desperation for a starting point for my introductory ramble.

So up this week we have previously unreleased material from New Order (UK), a sneak peek at the new Bon Iver (US) track and the first fresh material from Blondie (US) in over 7 years. Add to the mix a super new track from About Group (UK), who are fronted by Hot Chip’s Alexis Taylor. Putting the cat amongst the pigeons is 13 & God – the hybrid group featuring members of The Notwist (German) and Themselves (US). I think I’ll leave it at that.

So onto New Order. Born from the tragedy of the final days of Joy Division’s Ian Curtis (watch the film Control if you’re not familiar with his demise) New Order led the new wave and electronic dance scene becoming one of the most critically acclaimed and highly influential bands of the 1980s. You’ve all heard Blue Monday right? Well if you’re a fan of dance music you owe these guys big time.

So onto the new track. ‘Hellbent’ which supports next month’s Joy Division/New Order collection, Total. I think it’s absolutely spot on, with a great energetic dance-rock feel – check it out below.

Fast forwarding to the present day we’ve got a new track from the king of heart-breaking indie-folk Bon Iver. It’s three years since For Emma Forever Ago, the album which Justin Vernon created during a 3 month hibernation hiatus, with an ancient acoustic guitar and his haunting falsetto tones. Since those three months of melancholy Vernon has gone on to record with Volcano Choir, Gayngs and Kanye West and in the process establishing himself as one of the most revered musicians of his generation. The anticipation for his follow up eponymous album is huge – here is the first track from it, ‘Calgary’.

For an extra treat check him out covering the Annie Lennox classic ‘Why’ by clicking here – absolutely brilliant.

This week the face of new wave giants Blondie, Debbie Harry revealed that she doesn’t have a Heart of Glass (apologies). Discussing her insecurities about getting old and losing her looks, she admitted being scared about no longer being able to rely on her good looks. Something of a surprising admission from the Marilyn Monroe of the 70′s and one who’s sexuality and image have inspired everyone from Madonna to Lady Gaga. We’ve all got to get old some time I suppose. Perhaps someone should tell the Stones that.

Anyway, Blondie have got a new album coming out, Panic of Girls on June 1st, their first new album since 2003. Founding members Debbie Harry, Chris Stein, and Clem Burke and new members Tommy Kessler and Matt Katz-Bohen will appear on the record. Have a listen to the first single ‘Mother’ below – a tribute to her favourite New York club.

As soon as the vocal kicks in on this next track you’re going to think to yourself – ‘I know this’ and for good reason. The distinctive vocals of Alexis Taylor have been pounding the airwaves for many years as front-man of Hot Chip. ‘Don’t Worry’ is the next single from Start and Complete the sophomore effort from About Group, which counts Hot Chip’s Taylor, This Heat drummer Charles Hayward, Spiritualized’s John Coxon, and veteran jazz man Pat Thomas as members.

It’s released as a digital download on May 30th if you want to get involved.

Last up on the new music front this week we have 13 & God: the most unlikely collaboration of recent years between German electro-pop group The Notwist and US rap crew Themselves. When I read about these guys I thought this is never going to work, how could it? Well somehow it does and the results are great. Check out ‘Old Age’ below, from their new album Own Your Ghost which was released last week.

How to be Bez

Rounding off this week is a superb video sent to me by regular contributor, Fresh. Any aspiring Bez type characters – you could do well to observe the guy on the cow bell in the Rapture video below. Stunning work considering the importance of his role.

Enjoy the Bank Holiday!

My Music Manager

Welcome to What’s Cooking, your weekly fix of the best new albums, freshest tracks, music news and satirical suicide.

This week we start off by taking a look at Kate Bush’s new album, Director’s Cut. When I say new, I actually mean an album full of remixed songs from previous albums The Sensual World (1989) and The Red Shoes (1993).

Bush shot to fame in 1978 with her No.1 song ‘Wuthering Heights’, in which she pleads at heathcliff’s window to be allowed in because she is cold. The following year, aged just 20 she released her No.1 album Never For Ever, which made her the first British solo female artist to top the UK album charts. Quite an achievement.

Now at the ripe age of 52, and having inspired a whole generation of female singer-songwriters with her pop mysticism (Bjork, Alison Goldfrapp, Florence Welch) Bush, always the perfectionist has returned to former albums to give them a warmer analog sound.

Have a listen to ‘Deeper Understanding’, a weird and wonderful song about a lonely computer lover. Keep your eyes peeled for Robbie Coltraine and Noel Fielding.

Friendly Fires – Pala
Despite initially really liking their self-titled debut, it very quickly fell out of my listening cycle. The situation grew bleaker after I saw them play live. They were bloody awful. Twice. Being an open-minded man I’ve approached their follow-up with inquisitive caution. And I’m pleased that I made the effort. The album features a superb mix of energetic, hook-filled dance-rock summer anthems. One will reserve judgement about their live offerings.

Pala kicks off with the popular first single Live Those Days Tonight, a raucous and excitable track, bursting with energy and boosted with a wicked chorus. Have a listen below. You can stream the whole album here.

I have been writing about the next album for nearly as long as it has been in production for. Five years in the making, Rome, the spaghetti-western album without a film, is the combined output from super-producer Danger Mouse (Gnarls Barkley, Gorillaz, Black Keys) and Daniele Luppi.

I’m loving a few of the tracks on here, liking many, and feeling ambivalent about the rest. It has to be said that the tracks with Norah Jones’ vocals do sound a lot like Morcheeba, which may be a good or a bad thing depending on where you sit on the trip-hop scene. So the splendid bits are just that and most of the rest is decent, quite a bit like Danger Mouse’s previous project, Broken Bells. Check out ‘Season’s Trees’ featuring Norah Jones:

New On My Radar…The best new tracks I’ve heard this week.

Moby, the bald, bearded electronic pioneer and vociferous vegan has put out a new album, Destroyed. Despite having fairly low expectations of the genre-nomad’s latest offering I found myself really liking the following track. It’s minimal, with moping synths and a strong female vocal, try it out.

Next up we have some funky-twee indie styling from Australian outfit Cloud Control. ‘This Is What I Said’ is the second single from Bliss Release which was released on 14th May and is rather good. On their way to the top if you ask me.

Now we’ve got some superb, schizoid synthed-up dance from New Yorkers Holy Ghost. I was really impressed when I saw these guys supporting Cut Copy recently. Check it out.

We sign off this week’s edition with one of my favourite acts of the year Star Slinger aka Darren Williams who has made a name for himself with some killer big-name remixes and by fashioning old R&B hits and album cuts into cracking new songs. Try out the superb ‘Mornin’ below.

My Music Manager

MMM spoke to Jules Parker from PRS for Music about how songwriters/composers and musicians can collect and pay royalties.

How long has PRS been in business?
Since 1914! A group of classical writers decided it was time to support an already existing law that musicians should be paid if their music is used. There’s a famous story about a composer eating in a restaurant in France refusing to pay for his meal because they were playing a song written by him.

And what is your role there?
I work in Membership Development, working with songwriters and composers , their managers, accountants and other reps to ensure they receive royalties owed. But it’s not just established songwriters/composers, we also help new acts develop through promotional work.

So you must have looked after a wide range of artists – any examples?
Yeah there have been loads, most recently I’ve dealt with Suede, Adele, Razorlight, Frank Turner, Wretch 32 and Tinie Tempah.

Any that particularly stand out?
Working with the 80s rockers is great – they are very amusing and pretty spaced out!

How does the digital music world affect a songwriters/composers royalties?
Songwriters and composers receive royalties from the likes of I Tunes and Amazon but they are also entitled them from streaming sites like YouTube and Spotify too. Established artists are often stuck in the mould of CD sales and can be wary of online music but when it’s done legally and helpfully it is a very positive experience.

One of the great plus sides to online music is the accessibility of it. It’s easy to get your stuff out there by using digital distributors and aggregators like Zimberland, Believe Digital, Orchard and AWAL. Once you’re music is being sent around the legal channels you can collect royalties for it!

What would your advice be for musicians out there new to royalty collection?
Join PRS for Music!

If we don’t know who you are we can’t help you. If you are performing or releasing any music then you should become a member. It’s cheap (just £10 is deducted from your first royalty payment) and all you need to do is register your songs, submit your set list and tell us where you’ve played – you are paid every quarter and receive a detailed PDF statement of all your activity.

It sounds like a very thorough process?
Absolutely. 90% of what is played on TV and Radio is accounted for on a pay per play basis. Due to the fact they have to pay for a licence to play music, Radio stations must submit accurate reports of their playlists. This means our members musicians are able to easily collect the royalties they are owed.

What about the other 10%?
These are most likely small radio stations or community stations. They pay a very small licence fee due to the very limited reach they have, so it’s not beneficial to spend resources on checking them. However, they are monitored.

And what happens when a song is played abroad?
Every country has a ‘PRS for Music’ type organisation and we are all connected. So if a song by Adele is played in Germany, their royalties company GEMA will pass the information back to us so she is paid.

What’s the difference between Mechanical rights & Performance rights?
Performance rights are when something is played in public, like with the French composer in the restaurant I mentioned earlier. It could be also when something is broadcast on television, radio, played in a shop or performed live at a pub or club.

Mechanical rights regard any music that duplicated or copied, such as an on a CD, DVD or even a download.

Who should an artist go to if they have any questions?
Visit www.prsformusic.com, there is plenty of information and we detail or the sources you can earn royalties from.

But please remember that you should only join if your music is being played or you are actively performing. If you’re making music behind closed doors and it is not being used then it’s perhaps not the right time to join!

Does PRS for Music take a commission for their work?
PRS for Music is a not for profit organisation. What this means is that we only deduct our costs and then the rest is paid back to you the members.

Any last tips before we let you get back to work?!

1) Join PRS for Music once you’re making music
2) Take note of the first email you receive from us, it’s got everything you need to know!
3) Take a look at these pages:

Facebook:www.facebook.com/prsformusic
Twitter: @prsformusic
MySpace: www.myspace.com/prsformusic
PRS for Music: www.prsformusic.com
M-Mag: www.m-magazine.co.uk

My Music Manager

ZODIAC N BLACK is a Hard Rock band based in the smokey suburbs of London, which is quite apt given their smouldering look! They have gigged all over the UK and supported the likes of Sweethead and Waxy (two already established rock bands – give them a Google). Their aggressive and edgy style has helped forge an ever growing reputation that they are the UK’s hottest new hard rock property!

MMM caught up with drummer Luca Vavassori…

Hi Luca, thanks for speaking to us! Let’s start at the beginning, how did Zodiac N Black come about?

Jim (guitar) and Jad (lead vocals) met in 2005 and began writing together but could never settle on the right line-up until myself and Hank joined in early 2010 and it then all seemed to come together very quickly.

The music industry is a tough old nut to crack, what’s been your biggest challenge so far?

Getting our music heard by the right people. Venues around London famously cram as many bands as possible on a bill and they are often all completely different genres of music so it’s a real challenge to make sure that the people who show up to your shows are actually fans of hard rock music.

Zodiac N Black, great name, where did it come from?

Back when Jim and Jad put the first lineup together we had our first gig booked and still hadn’t settled on a name so it was actually quite a rushed decision. The name itself intentionally doesn’t mean anything, it was more about how the name sounded and Zodiac N Black seemed to sound right.

Things are really taking off for you guys – your EP “ZNB” came out on the 10th March and you recently had a radio interview with Total Rock – how did it feel being on radio?

It was great, the guys at Total Rock are all great guys and very funny so the whole thing felt really comfortable!

It sounds like you’re naturals! Have you dared set yourself an ultimate ambition?

It’s a difficult one to answer without coming out with some cliché but what it all boils down to is making music that we would listen to. Which is to say, we want to be in a band that first and foremost has killer songs, that are performed and arranged in a way that keeps the listener coming back. And to be the calibre of live band that if they came to your town and you were totally broke, you would beg, steal and borrow to get down to the show because they’re that good. But any band worth its salt should want that!

In trying to achieve that ambition have you been influenced by any musicians?

I think as a band we’re more influenced by a band’s way of making music rather than any individual musicians in particular. It’s about what the collective can achieve together rather than having one virtuoso in the band. From this point of view Led Zeppelin would be a key influence as they made music with the mentality that the song comes first and that songs can come from anywhere and in any style. I think rock music has become far too compartmentalised where bands have to pick a sub-genre and stick with it. We are trying to move away from that, and just go wherever the ideas take us.

Outside of Zodiac N Black, what do you all do?

We all have various day jobs that keep the rent paid and food on the table but the idea is to make Zodiac N Black what we do. I mean, is there a better job than playing music for a living?

It’s clear drumming is your passion but it looks really tiring, you must exercise a lot to keep up?

As a drummer, you need to practice a lot to keep up your best chop, but most of the times it’s not that easy. Drums are loud as hell and there’s no way you can have one in your flat, especially in London, unless you want your neighbours to kick in your door after a couple of rolls! At the moment I only practice with the other guys a couple of times a week, and whenever I can I play some rudiments on my pad at home.

So if you and the other guys had a race, who would win?
Me of course!!

Moving back to your music, when I Googled the name of your song Bastinado, Wikipedia told me it meant ‘foot whipping’. That sounds painful, what’s the thinking behind the song?

The lyrics are all done by our singer Jad, and he likes to keep the lyrics as open to interpretation as possible. That being said, broadly speaking, it’s the comparison of the experiences in a relationship, to a form of torture, in this case being whipped on your feet.

I can certainly empathise with that! Speaking of torture, it very much reminds me of my own musical attempts – if I decided to start my own merry band of musicians what advice would you give me?

Learn to play the drums! The drummer makes or breaks a band. A good drummer can elevate a mediocre bad to greatness but on the flipside a bad drummer can ruin a great band. You may not get in all the photos but you’ll never be out of work…

It’s time for some shameless PR: when’s your next gig and how can fans-to-be gain access to your music?

Our next gig is at a night called “Rock Mass” at Camden Rock on Thursday 19th May. There’s a great line-up of hard rock bands so it has all the makings of a great night out.
People can check out our music at all the usual site but the best starting place is www.zodiacnblack.com.

Thanks Luca, we wish you and Zodiac N Black the best of luck!
Thank you Matt and MMM for having us on your pages!

Interview by Matt Renton (My Music Manager)
17th May 2011
My Music Manager

That’s where HomeForStudents.co.uk comes in. Launched earlier in the year, the site offers a quick and simple way for student tenants to find a student flatshare. Similar in nature to a social networking website, students can upload pictures, along with their details and preferences as to who they’re looking for as housemates. Landlords, too, can upload their rooms to rent, look for suitable tenants and then make contact.

Students using the site are able to browse properties from both landlords and letting agents, for whom the service is currently free to use. A paid service for is planned for a later date once the site is firmly established, but students will never be charged for using the service.

In a similar vein to EasyRoommate, all content on the site is kept up to date to help keep it safe and scam-free. Outdated ads are quickly removed to prevent misrepresentation and an artificially inflated database, and the website also has an advanced search facility along with dedicated 24/7 customer support.

Three of the most common e-mail scams which consumers should look out for are:

• Phishing – the email appears to come from your bank, a company you regularly do business with, a Government Department or from your social networking site and directs you to a mocked up website that asks you to provide personal data such as account details, passwords and credit card numbers. The site is fake and your details can be used to commit identity fraud.
• Bogus foreign lotteries – you are told you have won a foreign lottery but to claim your winnings must send off money to cover administrative fees. Often your personal details will also be requested and used to commit identity fraud.
• Advance fee scams – someone asks you to help transfer a large sum of money out of a foreign country in return for a share of the spoils but they are just looking to empty your bank account.  A recent variation involves being asked to part with money for “taxes” and “visas” in relation for a fake job offer.

Mike Haley, OFT Director of Consumer Protection, said: “Using the internet can be safe and easy but we are urging the public to be vigilant to the dangers of ever more sophisticated online scams. Never respond to offers promising vast lottery wins or ‘get rich quick’ opportunities and never disclose personal details to people you don’t know.”

Tony Neate, Managing Director of GetSafeOnline.org, adds:

“At the moment, many of us will be particularly worried about our financial security and we shouldn’t be surprised to see online scammers trying to turn this to their advantage. Don’t let this deter you from using the internet, however – as long as you make sure you know the warning signs to look out for and how to protect your computer properly, and use your common sense, you can enjoy the web safely as millions of people do every day”.

People who have fallen victim to internet frauds should contact their local police station. Phishing emails should be reported to the relevant bank using the contact details on their website or by sending an email to reports@banksafeonline.org.uk, as well as your Internet Service Provider (ISP).

For free, independent, easy to follow advice about online safety, visit www.getsafeonline.org.

For more information on scams in general and what to watch out for visit www.consumerdirect.gov.uk/watch_out/scams/