TURN ME ON: An interview with Vasco of Swiss garage/beat band The Royal Hangmen!

 

Below is our exclusive interview with Vasco from The Royal Hangmen, enjoy!

 

To stay up to date with future interviews like our facebook page at the following link - https://www.facebook.com/aldorabritainrecords

 

 

PART 1 - THE INTERVIEW

 

What is your earliest musical memory and what pushed you towards pursuing a career in the music business?

 

"I can recall receiving my first portable tape recorder at the age of six, together with a tape from Elvis Presley and another one with some hillbilly country and western music on it. From then on the fire was lit and it never stopped since. By watching those early seventies television shows, with chart-acts doing lip-sync, I became impressed with the idea of performing in front of people. This, and the music of the Beatles finally made me pick-up guitar lessons."

 

What kind of records were on around the house when you were younger and would you say that these records still influence your music today?

 

"Luckily, my parents had a good collection of sixties beat and rock records, and I was amazed not only by the music but also by the beautiful cover artwork. I remember hearing lots and lots of Beatles. There were also LP’s by The Who, Janis Joplin and The Rolling Stones. Apart from that they had 45’s from Jimi Hendrix ('Hey Joe'), Arthur Brown ('Fire') and some Pretty Things. This musical education definitely put me in a certain direction and has still a great impact on the music I do today."

 

Had you been involved in any other bands or musical ventures before The Royal Hangmen?

 

"I’ve played in a few bands before starting the Hangmen. The first being a Sisters Of Mercy-influenced gothic trio, then at the end the 80’s, as I was digging more and more into 60’s garage, I played guitar in The Vertical Drops, one of the few 80’s garage bands in Switzerland. But we’ve only released two tapes and never made it much further. Some years later I’ve started my first own band The Vicious Circle. With them I started singing and writing all the material for the first time. Despite releasing an album on CD, this group also didn’t make much of an impression and disbanded soon after the release. Then I took a very long break until the idea of forming a garage band came around..."

 

How did The Royal Hangmen begin?

 

 

"In the first place there was Roger (bass) and me. We had worked together as DJ’s for quite some time, and on one of those nights we thought it may be a good idea to play some of this stuff by our own. Our intention was just to fool around a bit, playing 60’s garage covers with no more than three chords, and having a good time. But a guitar and bass is not much of a band, so we watched out for a drummer and an organ player. Very quickly we found Christopher for the banging and completed the line up with Patrick on the organ. We spent quite a lot of time and money until we collected the right equipment together. It was clear for us that we need to have vintage gear to achieve the right sound. After our first gig, we were approached by some guys to record a demo. Strangely, when we put up that demo on MySpace, there were people from France and Greece becoming interested in our band which led to our first releases on compilations, playing abroad in France and finally to our first 7” on Greek label Lost In Tyme records."

 

Can you introduce us to the band and tell us what you play?

 

"The actual line up consists of Roger on bass, Patrick on the organ, Daniel on harmonica and percussion, Luca on drums, and me handling the vocal and guitar duties. Daniel was added to line up in 2009 after Christopher, our first drummer, left in the summer of 2011 to become our booking agent."

 

Where did the name The Royal Hangmen come from?

 

"When the British beat boom caused a stir in the USA, lots of these bands pretended to be English, just to survive. We liked the idea of being this Swiss band, doing their 'English thing'. As you know, we’ve never had it much with royals in our country but for us as a band the British music culture is, and always will be the main influence. And to have hangmen at your service, was a necessity at certain times in the past...wasn't it?"

 

How would you describe the sound of The Royal Hangmen?

 

"As I mentioned before, we are very strongly influenced by all kinds of British bands. We all love The Who, The Small Faces, The Kinks, The Troggs, The Beatles and The Stones and so on. And off course we dig The Jam, Oasis and many others. Then, there’s all the American garage stuff from the sixties, that draws us in, and we all have a strong addiction for R&B and soul, too. So, that’s all the elements you can hear to some degree in our music."

 

You have released one eponymous LP to date. The cover has quite a retro look to it harking back to the fifties and sixties. Was this the concept behind the artwork and why did you choose this particular shot?

 

"A record cover should in some way express what can be expected on the inside. And of course, we can be seen as a 'retro band', but I think we also have a contemporary element in our music. The photo of the band was meant to look like the early cover shots of those sixties beat bands."

 

The CD version of the LP features one cover track entitled ‘Bird Doggin’’. Where did you first hear this track and what pushed you into recording your own version?

 

"I discovered this track while searching for new stuff to play as a DJ. It amazed from the first listening, especially not knowing that Gene Vincent did such terrific stuff in the mid-sixties. I just knew his 50’s tunes until then. As a band, we started with just doing cover versions. There was no intention to write our own stuff. This has changed over the years, and we now play mostly our own songs. But we never stopped doing other peoples songs, because it’s fun and it is also a good exercise. When it came to choosing tracks for the album, we were working on 'Bird Doggin'', liked the way it sounded, then decided to include it."

 

The album also featured the two tracks from your double A-sided single, ‘Mary Jane’ / ‘You Better Tell That Girl’. What is ‘Mary Jane’ about and what influenced it?

 

"Musically, I wanted to do an up tempo garage rocker with a garage punk feel. The lyrics have a double meaning. You can think that it is about a wrecked love affair, or something else that has more to do with plants..."

 

What about ‘You Better Tell That Girl’?

 

"This one’s also about a love affair, which is about to end. But this time there’s a ray of hope. The guy in the song needs to be convinced to make up his mind and forgive her for being so cruel. I’m very happy with the twelve string jingle-jangle sound of this song, influenced by The Byrds and The Chesterfield Kings."

 

Your style of music has quite a retro edge to it but what are your views on the current music scene?

 

"As there is not much music in the last few years that can actually be called 'new', it seems like almost everything these days is in some ways sort of retro. Generally, everything with a good hook, nice guitars and decent songwriting turns me on. And occasionally there pops up a band here and there, that I really like."

 

Do you have any 'rituals' before you go on stage?

 

"No, we don’t. We just go out and play and beat the shit out of it."

 

Any live dates coming up?

 

"We are going to play with US-psych band The Warlocks in March, and we will come over to England for the very first time. So far, we are booked for the Trip Out Festival in Bedfordshire in September, and are now looking for other shows over there to make it a proper tour."

 

Any new songs in the pipeline?

 

"We are working on new songs, but nothing is finished yet. Since the release of the album, we’ve been playing a lot and did not have enough time to concentrate on the new stuff. Our plan is to finish the new songs in the summer, and then try them out live and eventually record them at the end of the year. We are a very slow working band and it always takes a lot of time until we have a song ready."

 

When can fans expect the next official release?

 

"The next project is already in the pipeline. We are doing an EP with cover versions of our favourite garage revival band’s of the 80’s. Recording is scheduled for March, the release will hopefully be before summer."

 

Who would be your dream collaboration?

 

"I would love to play some tunes with Noel Gallagher, one of the greatest songwriters alive."

 

Who would be in your dream super group?

 

"Otis Redding on vocals, Lou Reed on guitar, Steve Marriott on guitar and vocals, Paul McCartney on bass, Kenny Jones on drums and Booker T. Jones on the organ." 

 

 

PART 2 - THE QUICKFIRE ROUND

 

Favourite Beatle?

 

"Paul."

 

Favourite band?

 

"Velvet Underground."

 

Favourite new band?

 

"Jake Bugg."

 

Favourite song?

 

"Pale Blue Eyes, Velvet Underground."

 

Favourite album?

 

"There are so many favourite albums, I can't decide on one."

 

Vinyl, CD or download?

 

"Vinyl."

 

When you press shuffle on your iPod, what is this first song that comes on?

 

"I don't have an iPod..."

 

Style icon?

 

"Mick Jagger."

 

Favourite film?

 

"The Big Lebowski."

 

Favourite TV show?

 

"Mad Men."

 

Who would play you in a film of your life?

 

"Robert de Niro."

 

Favourite food?

 

"Italian pasta."

 

Football team?

 

"No sports, please!"

 

 

Photography by RabbitRiot.net, taken from The Royal Hangmen facebook page!

 

 

Hope you enjoyed this feature on The Royal Hangmen!

 

Be sure to check out our previous feature on the Stone Thieves!

 

You can check out The Royal Hangmen here - http://theroyalhangmen.ch/wp/

 

You can also like our facebook page to keep up to date with all future interviews and reviews at the following link - https://www.facebook.com/aldorabritainrecords

 

AB RECORDS

SHINE ON: An interview with Stone Thieves frontman Aaron Gardner ahead of the release of their second EP!

 

The Stone Thieves have returned!  The band released the critically acclaimed debut EP, 'New Mexico', last year, now their back with their follow up effort, 'Brush off the Rust'! AB Records catches up with frontman Aaron Gardner to find out the ins and outs of the brand new EP! Enjoy and share!

 

 

AB: "Hi Aaron, it’s been a while since we last spoke.  What’s been happening with the Stone Thieves?"

 

AG: "Afternoon sir!  Yeah it has, maybe a year or so!  A fair bit.  We picked up a new member on the road somewhere!  There are now two guitars in the band.  Played a shed load of gigs and worked on the new material.  We've been doing the groundwork as they say, building the foundation."

 

AB: "You’ve recently finished recording a brand new EP.  The tracks seem to have a different feel to them than the ‘New Mexico’ EP.  Was this intentional?"

 

AG: "Not neccesarily, although we don't play any of them songs live anymore, except the title track.  Having another guitarist who is more than capable of lead parts or rhythm parts has helped it develop.  You start to write with the other player in mind or he'll throw his own spin on it sometimes.  'New Mexico' was us finding our feet after forming.  The good stuff has stayed, the lessons were learnt and the bad stuff has gone.  Different inspirations this time around as well."

 

AB: "The new sound seems to be routed in a more bluesy, rootsy sound.  Would you say this is an accurate assessment and what influenced this new sound?"

 

AG: "We're all into the same kind of music, we have just narrowed it down to what influences work when we bring them together as a band.  I've always been interested in blues playing and roots style guitar, it just didn't fit in to the old three piece line up.  Our new guitarist, Mike, has a style that compliments mine.  He's into his John Fogerty, Duane Allman, Neil Young style of playing.  I've also been playing in open tunings a lot which is new to all of us."

 

AB: "The EP is to be entitled ‘Brush Off The Rust’.  Where did this title come from?"

 

AG: "It's kind of an answer to the idea of the first EP title 'New Mexico', which was a reference to us testing new ground, all of us at the time hadn't worked in a band like we created.  So 'Brush Off The Rust' is my way of saying that this again is something new, but underneath we are still the same people, still write about the same things, it's just been freshened up.  We're never going to reinvent the wheel, we're just doing what we know.  It may be me saying that we've ditched old habits and taken it back to roots... But rust never sleeps, so who knows where it will go next!"

 

AB: "The EP is a top class record. The final tune, 'Shine On', stands out for us at AB Records however – especially with the nice wee reference to the Stones’ 'You Got the Silver' in the lyrics.  It seems to be a very uplifting tune with a chorus that you could tunelessly scream along to all day at gigs!  Where did the concept of this song come from and what inspired the tune?"

 

AG: "Thanks man, appreciate the kind words.  I had the chorus in my head for a long time, just the main hook like, but it took a while to refine it.  I knew I didn't want to complicate the chorus so maybe I do intend for it to be screamed all day long!  The concepts usually come after for me.  But it's basically the idea that two people can be on the same page of a different book, and that eventually is accepted.  It's somebody saying to somebody else... I wanted that, you didn't, so don't worry about, chin up, you shine through the shadows. Somebody recently suggested that I had wrote the song in awe of another band or as an appreciation to another band.  I can see that, but it's definitely not true..."

 

AB: "How have the new tunes gone down at gigs?"

 

AG: "Yeah real good.  'Shine On' is a crowd pleaser.  Nice to play as well.  We've got a couple of heavier blues numbers that go down well."

 

AB: "There are a number of Stone Thieves song which have references to American places.  For example, 'New Mexico' on the first EP and 'Red River' on ‘Brush Off The Rust’.  Your sound is also heavily influenced by American groups and musical styles.  What is it about the culture that attracts you as a lyricist and musician?"

 

AG: "Red River is about getting drunk!  There's a bottle called Red River Bourbon.  You should give it a try man!  You're right though.  It's also a ski resort in New Mexico believe it or not.  Didn't know that at the time of writing.  Can't put my finger on it really.  I loved western films as a kid.  The romanticising of a story or a place, the imagery as well.  I've never been one for writing about politics or a night out down the local working mans club.  The ideas are probably rooted the same way, I just like dressing it up a bit.  In all honesty it's not too intentional.  I listen to a lot of American roots music though.  I think it's the honesty in the heart of country music and blues that I like but more contemporary southern rock acts seem to dress it up a bit."

 

AB: "You’ve sent some press shots over to me and the band seem to have a certain edge about them and you always seem to be looking pretty cool as a unit.  Is the look as important to the Stone Thieves as the music?"

 

AG: "The music comes first, but we're all into our clothes.  Having a brand is important, I think too many people judge a book by the cover nowadays."

 

 

Hope you enjoyed this feature on the Stone Thieves!

 

Be sure to check out our previous feature on Merrymouth and Pete MacLeod!

 

You can check out the Stone Thieves here - https://www.facebook.com/stonethieves

 

You can also like our facebook page to keep up to date with all future interviews and reviews at the following link - https://www.facebook.com/aldorabritainrecords

 

AB RECORDS

WENLOCK HILL: A review of Merrymouth's performance at the Tolbooth!

Below is our review of Merrymouth's performance at the Tolbooth in Stirling on May 10th! Support on the night came from the fantastic Pete MacLeod! Enjoy and share!



Merrymouth concluded the Scottish leg of their tour in support of their brand new studio album "Wenlock Hill" at Stirling's Tollbooth.  The night kicked off with an exceptional performance from Pete MacLeod, a signee of Alan McGee's 359 Music.  The blend of Pete's acoustic guitar and the electric guitar of lead guitarist Andy created a unique atmosphere and the extra reverb and echo all enhanced the mystical nature of Pete's songs as well.  He played a short set which consisted mostly of songs from his album, "Rolling Stone".  Their was also a little verse or two of "Wonderwall" thrown in amongst brand new song "Away".

 

The main act of Merrymouth followed and they did certainly not disappoint.  Their well-honed stagecraft comes to the fore in this more intimate folk-orientated setting than it has previously at the more rock and roll affair that is Ocean Colour Scene gigs.  The humour and between-song conversation (including a tale involving a man with an axe in Glenrothes) was humorous and well received from the audience.  The set included almost exclusively Merrymouth songs; the "Wenlock Hill" album was performed in full.  One OCS track did make the cut however in the form of Jimmy Miller tribute, "Jimmy Wonder", which made a fine addition to the set. Other highlights included "In The Midst Of Summertime", "Shadow Knows" (as inspired by Liam Gallagher), "Over My Head", the 'misguided buffoonery' of "Salt Breeze", a 'folked up' re-interpretation of Strangles classic "Duchess" and of course the tale of 'misery, death and dispair' (as Dan put it) that was "Mr. Marshall", which brought the set to a nice conclusion.

 

The band (Simon Fowler, Dan Sealey, Adam Barry and outstanding folk musician John McCusker) were more than willing to hang around at the end to chat to fans and sign albums as well.  Overall, a top night, a top venue and top acts - highly recommended!



Pete MacLeod Setlist: 'Re:Ality' / 'Away' / 'Rolling Stone' / 'Give A Little Love' / 'Let It Shine' / 'God Speed' / 'Today I Went Swimming'

Merrymouth Setlist: 'Wenlock Hill' / 'Salt Breeze' / 'Sweetest Words' / 'Blink Of An Eye' / 'Without You' / 'Last Train But One' / 'That Man' / 'In The Midst Of Summetime' / 'He Was A Friend Of Mine' / 'Shadow Knows' / 'Teashop Serenade' / 'Over My Head' / 'Jimmy Wonder' / 'Duchess' / 'I Am The Resurrection' / 'If You Follow' / 'The Ragged Spiral' / 'Mr Marshall'



Hope you enjoyed this feature on Merrymouth and Pete MacLeod!

Be sure to check out our previous feature on The Front!

Check out Merrymouth here - http://www.merrymouth.net/

Check out Pete MacLeod here - http://www.petemacleod.net/

You can also like our facebook page to keep up to date with all future interviews and reviews at the following link - https://www.facebook.com/aldorabritainrecords

AB RECORDS

OH BOY: An interview with Lee from The Front!

 

Below you can find an interview with Lee Poole, vocalist and rhythm guitarist of The Front, ahead of their appearance at the Camden Rocks festival tomorrow!

 

 

PART 1 - THE INTERVIEW

 

What is your earliest musical memory and what pushed you towards pursuing a career in the music business?

 

"My earliest musical memory was wanting to be in a band, even before I was old enough to play an instrument or know any musicians, I knew that was what I wanted to do. Music has always been a huge part of my life, since I can remember."

 

What kind of records were on around the house when you were younger and would you say that these records still influence your music today?

 

"When I was growing up, there was always music playing in my house, my parents had a huge record collection. I remember knowing the words to 'I Am The Walrus' by The Beatles, at the same age that most kids were learning 'twinkle, twinkle little star'."

 

Had you been involved in any other bands or musical ventures before The Front?

 

"I started in a college band, it wasn't that serious but it helped me practice and develop my skills in songwriting. I then played in a band called The Roaches for a few years after college, then finally formed The Front a year and a half back. And even though we have only been playing a short while, it has been the most successful band that I have been a part of."

 

How did The Front begin?

 

"The Front came about from the break up of The Roaches. At one point me and my brother, Sean, who plays bass, were gonna carry on as The Roaches with new musicians, which would have been the easier option. But the idea of starting from scratch with a blank canvas and a brand new band, soon became more exciting, so that's what we did."

 

Where did the name The Front come from?

 

"The name The Front was first suggested by our manager Dean, I think at that point, he was fed up of waiting for us to come up with one ourselves. We thought it sounded rock 'n' roll and represented us. You need to have some front with anything you do in life."

 

How would you describe the sound of The Front?

 

"The sound of The Front is a combination of all of our individual musical influences mixed into one, that is what gives us a unique sound of ska punk mixed with sixties blues."

 

The band currently have a residency at the Barfly. How did this come about and how has it been to get this slot at a well-respected venue?

 

"We agreed to a monthly headline residency slot at The Camden Barfly, after our first gig there. We brought a huge crowd, that absolutely tore the place apart, and they wanted us back ever since."

 

You recently released a new song via Soundcloud – “Oh Boy!”. What is this song about and what influenced it?

 

"The song was about a crazy night we had after we played a gig, that just got more insane by the minute. It ended off with all of us at a girl's house with her throwing her furniture out the window. I remember sitting there thinking that night, I'll write a song about this."

 

You are playing the Camden Rocks festival at the end of the month. What can fans expect from the gig?

 

"People should expect a night to remember if last year was anything to go by. We want to see the place bouncing, people have paid good money for a ticket to the festival, and we feel that it is our job to not let people leave feeling short changed."

 

Do you find that festival appearances help boost your profile?

 

"It guarantees that we will have the chance to play our songs to a large crowd of music lovers, which is what it has always been about for us."

 

Do you have any 'rituals' before you go on stage?

 

"I usually have a shot of brandy before I go on stage, I am not sure if that's a ritual, but if I say it is, then it's probably less frowned upon."

 

Any live dates coming up?

 

"After Camden Rocks, we look forward to playing for our good mates at Cooking Soup on the 26th of July which is always a top night. Then one more at Surya in Kings Cross on the 9th of August. Then we're off to Manchester on the 5th of September at Dry Live for a gig with Manculian promotions. We have a couple more dates, which you can check up on our website."

 

Any new songs in the pipeline?

 

"There's always new songs in the pipeline, it's important for any band to keep writing new songs for the set, it can quickly become boring otherwise."

 

When can fans expect the next official release?

 

"There is no official date as of yet, but we will be releasing a single later in the year. There is already talk of returning to the studio, as we have a lot of unrecorded material that we would like to get out there."

 

Who would be your dream collaboration?

 

"I would love to collaborate on a track with Paul McCartney, I know we'd have a great jam, but I think he would get sick of me constantly asking him questions about The Beatles!"

 

Who would be in your dream super group?

 

"Keith Moon on drums, Mani on bass, Kurt Cobain on rhythm guitar and backing vocals. Eric Clapton on lead guitar, with John Lennon on lead vocals. I would queue in the rain to watch that band in action."

 

 

PART 2 - THE QUICKFIRE ROUND

 

Favourite Beatle?

 

"John Lennon."

 

Favourite band?

 

"The Beatles, without a shadow of doubt, they covered such a wide range of genres in such a short period of time."

 

Favourite new band?

 

"Unfortunately, there is no new band that is worth a mention, but I have seen some great new unsigned bands playing on the circuit."

 

Favourite song?

 

"Live Forever by Oasis, but to be fair if you ask me the same question tomorrow it would probably be a different song."

 

Favourite album?

 

"Definitely Maybe."

 

Vinyl, CD or download?

 

"Vinyl, I love the crackling it gives the song a real vintage edge, which unfortunately we have lost nowadays."

 

When you press shuffle on your iPod, what is this first song that comes on?

 

"Usually an old 60's number."

 

Style icon?

 

"Don't have a particular style icon, but I do love the way people used to dress in the olden days. It looked like people actually gave a shit about how they looked and what they wore back then, not like the tracksuit, baseball cap wearing scruff bags, you see knocking about nowadays."

 

Favourite film?

 

"Goodfellas."

 

Favourite TV show?

 

"Peep Show, I love Super Hands...what a ledge!"

 

Who would play you in a film of your life?

 

"I'd give the role to Johnny Depp, provided he passes the audition!"

 

Favourite food?

 

"I'm loving sushi at the moment, although it took me a while to warm up to the idea of eating raw fish."

 

Football team?

 

"The Mighty Tottenham Hotspur!"

 

 

Hope you enjoyed our interview with Lee from The Front!

 

Be sure to check out our previous feature on The Electric Stars!

Check out The Front here - https://www.facebook.com/TheFrontuk

 

You can also like our facebook page to keep up to date with all future interviews and reviews at the following link - https://www.facebook.com/aldorabritainrecords

 

AB RECORDS

BELFAST BOY: An interview with Jason from The Electric Stars! Hear about their brand new George Best tribute single, "Belfast Boy"!

 

We caught up with Jason Edge from The Electric Stars just before the release of their George Best tribute single, "Belfast Boy"!  The single is out now and the exclusive interview can be read below, enjoy!

 

 

AB Records:  "The new release for The Electric Stars is a George Best tribute.  How did this idea come about?"

 

Jason Edge:  "Well, it was a chance meeting with TV celeb and lifelong United fan Eamonn Holmes.  He is president of the George Best Foundation and a keen music fan.  He knows our band, owns a copy of 'Sonic Candy Soul' and thought it would be a great idea to re-record 'Belfast Boy' as it would suit our sound!  Then we talked about the proceeds going to the Foundation and the idea just exploded from there..."

 

AB Records:  "The a-side to the single 'Belfast Boy' is a cover of the Don Fardon original.  Where did you first hear the tune?"

 

Jason Edge:  "I first heard it when I was a kid because my dad was a huge United fan (we live near Old Trafford) and he bought the original.  Like all kids when you get into music you play your parents records first and they have always given it the odd spin at games!"

 

AB Records:  The b-side is an Electric Stars original entitled 'Georgie (The Brightest Star)'.  How did this track come about"

 

Jason Edge:  "In this age of download lethargy, I wanted to make sure the CD had something very special and appealing about it.  So, there is a collectable booklet inside with tributes from people who played with and admired George like, Sir Bobby Charlton, Sir Alex Ferguson and Ryan Giggs! Also I wanted to write something myself because George was a hero of mine and once I started to write it, it kind of took on a life of its own!"

 

AB Records:  "You hear a lot of bands say that the big dream was to either be in a band or be a footballer.  Was this the case with you?  If so why did you choose to go down the path of music?"

 

Jason Edge:  "Rock and roll and football are my life.  I still play now twice a week, but when I was a kid I wanted to play just like Georgie!  It soon became obvious that wasn't going to happen although I have played some in some decent local leagues.  When I left school music began to take over and hey presto here we are!"

 

AB Records:  "What does the rest of the year hold for The Electric Stars?"

 

Jason Edge:  "The single is out on Monday 12th so we expect to be busy with that for a while.  Then we have some decent gigs and festivals to do.  Autumn should see another single, the first from the new album!"

 

 

Hope you enjoyed our interview with Jason from The Electric Stars!

 

Be sure to check out our previous feature on Edwina Hayes and John Hinshelwood!

Check out The Electric Stars here - http://www.theelectricstars.com/

You can also like our facebook page to keep up to date with all future interviews and reviews at the following link - https://www.facebook.com/aldorabritainrecords

 

AB RECORDS

 

IRISH WALTZ: A review of a fine live performance from two of the UK's finest unsigned singer-songwriters, John Hinshelwood and Edwina Hayes!

 

Our regulars will remember our review of Edwina Hayes' live performance supporting folk royalty Fairport Convention earlier this year! Well she was so good that we had to go and check her out again - this time at the Edinburgh Folk Club with support from the superb John Hinshelwood! Check out our review below!

 

The Edinburgh Folk Club hosted a night of music from Edwina Hayes and John Hinshelwood on the 9^th April. Glasgow-born Hinshelwood was up first and performed two three songs sets accompanied by a lead guitarist and a bassist. The songs were mainly taken from his three albums to date – ‘Lowering the Tone’, ‘Shattered Pleasures’ and ‘Holler ‘Til Dawn’ – however the guys also treated the crowd to a cover of a country classic which Hinshelwood revealed to be his favourite song title of all time – ‘My Wife Thinks You’re Dead’. The highlight of Hinshelwood’s sets were original numbers, ‘Radio Angel’ and 'A Few Shallow Moments'.

Hayes played two longer sets and, in true folk tradition, played a mixture of originals and covers. She was chatty as ever between songs and provided some amusing tales as to how the original tracks came to be. Hayes opened with the two opening tracks from her debut album, but in reverse order – ‘Leave a Light on for you’ and then ‘Run’. These were followed by Richard Thompson’s rare Elvis song, ‘From Galway to Graceland’. Also included in the first set was an astonishing rendition of Kate Rusby’s ‘Who Will Sing Me Lullabies’, various Hayes originals such as ‘Tell Me So’ and ‘Bend in the Road’, and the sing-a-long finale of Joe South’s ‘Games People Play’.

The second set saw Hayes continue her fine form opening with Leonard Cohen’s ‘Famous Blue Raincoat’ – as requested by an audience member. She also showcased a brand new original entitled ‘Crying over you’ and one of the finest versions of Bob Dylan’s ‘It Ain’t Me Babe’ ever! The set concluded with the final track from her debut album – ‘Irish Waltz’. For those lucky enough to have heard the studio version, the live version is taken to a whole new level as the heartbreak-drenched lyrics are brought to life with Hayes’ incredible voice. Shortly after leaving the stage she was invited back to perform the classic Randy Newman number ‘Feels Like Home’ (as featured in My Sister’s Keeper).

All in all, a top night of live music which demonstrated the fine pool of talent that is still in the folk world to this day.

 

THE SETLISTS

 

John Hinshelwood Set 1

Dangerous Journey

Radio Angel

Your Move

 

Edwina Hayes Set 1

Leave A Light On For You

Run

From Galway To Graceland

Bend In The Road

Stay

It's A Hard Life Wherever You Go

Who Will Sing Me Lullabies

Want You To Stay

Tell Me So

From Galway To Graceland

 

John Hinshelwood Set 2

Look Back In Anger

A Few Shallow Moments

My Wife Thinks You're Dead

 

Edwina Hayes Set 2

Famous Blue Raincoat

Open The Show For You

It Ain't Me Babe

Nobody's Coming Around

Pour Me A Drink

Season Of Love

Crying Over You

Speed Of The Sound Of Loneliness

To Ramona

Irish Waltz

 

Encore

Feels Like Home

 

 

Hope you enjoyed our review of Edwina Hayes and John Hinshelwood!

 

Be sure to check out our previous feature on The Last Of The Troubadours!

Check out Edwina Hayes here - http://www.edwinahayes.com/

Check out John Hinshelwood here - www.littleroots.com

You can also like our facebook page to keep up to date with all future interviews and reviews at the following link - https://www.facebook.com/aldorabritainrecords

 

AB RECORDS

ONLY REMEDY: We catch up with Joel from The Last Of The Troubadours!

 

The Last Of The Troubadours have had a busy last few months, topped off by a UK tour supporting The Rifles. However, just as the recording process for their debut album begins, two key members depart including frontman Darron J Connett. We have a little catch up with guitarist Joel Rogers to find out why and to see what the future holds for the band.

 

Enjoy!

 

 

AB Records: "The Last Of The Troubadours have come a long way in the last few months - you have continued to gig heavily, have supported The Rifles and have started work on a debut album. It seems, from the outsiders perspective, to be a really exciting time for the band. You have however just announced the departure of singer and frontman Darron. How did this come about?"

 

Joel Rogers: "We had a great end to 2013, as you say, with some great shows and ending the year with supporting The Rifles on their tour. The dates we did were amazing and we all had the best time! Yeah, Darron has decided to leave and we wish him the best in whatever he does. It came about by him saying he wanted to leave. I wish I had a better story, but that's it. We will always love him, but he felt it was his time to go. That said, TLOTT roll on regardless and as you mentioned there is a debut album bubbling over which we are really excited about!"

 

AB Records: "How will Darron's departure change the dynamic and set up of the band. Will you bring in a new lead vocalist or will you step up to fill these shoes?"

 

Joel Rogers: "We become a four piece again I suppose. For whatever reason, the line up has evolved since we kicked off and very rarely, if at all, out of choice. But I guess this is the next stage. No, we are spoiled for vocals. With Neil Amon now in the fold on bass, we not only have a great all around musician, but also another vocalist, in addition to the vocal talents of Tony and Luke, we have so much scope to explore."

 

AB Records: "You have already begun work on your debut album. How will Darron's departure affect this? Will you start anew or keep going with the current album?"

 

Joel Rogers: "The album we started writing will continue, nothing changes there. What is written so far is sounding interesting so there is no reason to change anything, we will just take our time to make sure we have the sound we want for it. It's pretty clear in our minds the feel and sound we want from the new tracks."

 

AB Records: "What can fans expect from the long awaited and eagerly anticipated debut long player?"

 

Joel Rogers: "Well I hope, a great  collection of eclectic tunes that will get everyone going, singing and moving!"

 

AB Records: "Over the last few months the band have gone from strength to strength. A definite highlight must have been supporting The Rifles. Would you say that playing these bigger venues with acts such as The Rifles make you 'up your game'?"

 

Joel Rogers: "We had the best time on that tour! We just enjoyed every minute but in all honesty, we play every show as if it's the Albert Hall. Even if it's only a half full venue."

 

AB Records: "Away from the gigging you have also found time to record a video for the 'Don't Stand On Shadows' track, 'Shame On You'. Why did you pick this song for a music video and what is the song itself about?"

 

Joel Rogers: "It was a natural choice from the last EP. We have done a Christmas gig/party for the past two years, and we decided to shoot a 'warts and all' live video last year for this video. We were pleased with how it ended up."

 

AB Records: "As a very style conscious band you must have been excited to design the Troubadour shoe with Delicious Junction. Thanks again for my free pair! How did this project come about and can we be expecting more Delicious Junction-Troubadour collaborations any time so?"

 

Joel Rogers: "Glad you liked them. Yeah we loved the end result. Not every band can say they have their own designed shoe. We will always love Delicious Junction, all they have done for the band and every thing we have done together."

 

AB Records: "Just before you go can you let us and our readers know what sounds you are currently grooving to in The Troubadour camp?"

 

Joel Rogers: "Most of our time currently is grooving to what we are writing! We really hope eventually you all do too!"

 

 

 

Hope you enjoyed this feature on The Last Of The Troubadours! Check out our previous feature on Eddie Japan!

Check out The Last Of The Troubadours here

-

https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Last-of-the-Troubadours/231392100220545

https://twitter.com/TLOTTROUBADOURS

You can also like our facebook page to keep up to date with all future interviews at the following link

-

https://www.facebook.com/aldorabritainrecords

 

AB RECORDS