Musical goings on from Manchester. This is a [pretty much] daily updated version of the fanzine, with news, releases, gig listings, new bands, videos, and whatever else might occur.

Thursday, 16 October 2008

Latest Gigs

The Futureheads (DJ set) - Saturday 18th October - Propaganda
No Half Measures Tour (The Holloways, Underground Heroes, Haunts, Regards and Bear Hands) - Monday 27th October
FOM's 4th Birthday (The KBC, Delphic, Lucy & the Caterpillar, Gideon Conn and The Little Comets) - Friday 31st October - Deaf Institue
Seasick Steve - Friday 23rd January 2009 - Apollo (on sale Friday 17th October)

The Enemy have been announced as supports for Oasis at their Manchester dates on 6th and 7th June 2009 in Heaton Park.

Monday, 13 October 2008

Bands With New Directions

Nine Black Alps' frontman, Sam Forrest, has released a solo semi-acoustic album called 'Down The Hillside', recorded during time off from NBA earlier this year. He's also playing a Manchester date on 20th October. It is, however, assumed that Nine Black Alps are soldiering on.

This is an upset letter from Boy Kill Boy announcing their split:

"Hello one and all, jesus it's been a while.
I really hope you're all well. We've missed ya! We've missed gigging, we've missed everything really. I bumped into a girl at some gig the other night (she called herself BOB though i'm sure that wasn't true) and she asked me what's going on with Boy Kill Boy. It made me realize that i'd sat down here about twenty times over the last 4 months trying to write to you all and explain what's going on. Every time i try to i don't like how it sounds so i stop, go to the pub and pretend it's not actually happening.
So i just thought today i'd finally just get it out there.
IN SHORT WE'VE SPLIT UP.
Basically like many other bands we kinda got sucked into some sort of decision made by 'the powers that be' that guitar bands are 'over'. The label got shakey and decided to start chasing whatever they're told is gonna be the next big thing and as a result, we got dropped, just a month after the record was released.
We obviously were completely fucking broken about it. At the time being we all know the industry is in a bit of a state, to say the least, so really everything is being run by a few people. Until 'the professional music industry business people' work out how to sell their artists, really all you can do is just gig your ass off and reach as many people as possible, and that's just what we did. But even still bit by bit, we could feel ourselves being buried alive. No matter how hard we tried to pull ourselves out, there was just another familiar face ready to throw another pile on. Having said that, it's been amazing to have the support of people you'd not necessarily expect it to come from. As much as it's been such a tough time for us recently it's been great to connect in so many other ways. Especially reading all your emails.
You can imagine i'd want to answer all your mail individually but it's just to rough having to deal with the reality of it all day every day.
It's really important to say how much we've appreciated what we've been through. After many many years we finally got the chance to live the dream and we made the most of it that's for sure.
I sent Shaz a message a little while ago asking how he was and he just replied,
"After every great part there is a hangover, we can just hope it doesn't last too long".
True words Shaz. This is one great fuck off hangover.
I'm trying to say how much we've appreciated getting to know you all. We tried our best to meet you all after most gigs. And every show, be it intimate or large has been just as special to us. We just wanted to leave the band in a good place. There's nothing worse than fading away, so our decision to leave it, all be it the hardest thing to do, must be the right thing.
We miss each other and it's so weird where we are right now, trying to look forward to our future, not as Boy KIll Boy but as Chris Peck, Peter Carr, Shaz Mahmood, and Kevin Chase.
Thanks for all your support and amazing words along the way, and sharing the most special moments of our lives.
Speaking for myself, i'll probably swing by here every now and then to reply to as many messages as possible but if you wanna get in touch with me or the guys personally we're all in our 'top 8' (yes we made it!) So please come say hi. I check mine as often as i can.
All the best and good luck for the future,
Love Christian Peck."

Bands With Free Music And Videos

Telegram From The Queen are giving away their EP, 'The Crown Masacre' at Megaupload.com/?d=D11VCF1G. It's very loud and has heavy, dancey synth riffs. There's also an excellent wordless cover of Justin Timberlake's 'My Love'.

Foals' lead singer, Yannis Philippakis, did a deadly serious and very newsy interview on ITN about the tour (which, coincidently enough, is reviewed at Myspace.com/_youvedonethiswrong), feeling famous and the importance of commercial success. This is it:



This is CityLights' new video for, one of their best songs, 'Mashed On Fashion'. There's lots of dressing up and standing in front of screens.