Shazamers' Blog

Exciting up and coming rockers The Smoking Hearts release their debut album ‘Pride Of Nowhere’ on Monday 8^th March, the album launch will take place at London’s South Of The Border on Old Street. We caught up with lead singer Lethal to chat a bit about the band, the live show and life in general.

So where are you guys from originally?

Bedfordshire, it’s that place that smells of city and looks like country. About an inch North of London on a map.

How long have you guys been together?

As a band, The Smoking Hearts haven’t existed for very long at all, only 2 or 3 years, but the members of the band have known each other for years – Nobba and Calvin go back years.

What inspired you to start a band?

Doing what we wanted, and choosing to do something other than be stuck in another nowhere place, doing nothing of any significance. The band actually came about in a kind of mish-mash way; we’d all been in bands before all of which were sort of being put on hiatus. Born from the ashes if you like, like a phoenix. I do happen to know however that Barker learnt to play guitar to stop the Devil making work for his idle hands. That boy has Lucifer in his fingers.

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Hazel Savage Interviews, New Music The Smoking Hearts

Graeme Clark AKA The Revenge is one of the fastest rising stars of underground dance music.  His eclectic style blends everything from classic soul to 80’s chart music but is sewn together with a unique slow-motion house groove. His productions have been sending tastemakers doolally for about a year and heavy weight DJ’s such as Pete Tong, Danny Krivit, Radio Slave, Prins Thomas, Gilles Peterson, Kissy Sellout and Tim Sweeney are all noted fans.  We catch up with Graeme to talk about his thoughts on edits, his forthcoming album and his summer DJ sets at the much talked about Garden Festival in Croatia.

It’s been a pretty great year for you. Tell us a little about the last 12 months.

It’s been crazy. I’ve been producing for about 10 years in various projects on and off but I think last year it was the culmination of a few records that went off and people got into, and then joining the roster of the Warm DJ agency. They’ve got a fairly eclectic bunch of people and I just slotted in there. I think the combination of those things – sort of right place right time.         

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Stephen Titmus Interviews, News The Revenge

After being crowned second in BBC’s ‘Sound Of 2010’, it looks almost certain that the next few months promise big things for  Marina And The Diamonds. Having wowed us with her ‘Crown Jewels EP’ last year, Marina has announced her debut album ‘The Family Jewels’ will be released through 679 later this month. The album is preceded by the single ‘Hollywood’ – an ode to the weird and wonderful influence America has had on the Welsh/Greek chanteuse. We caught up with the singer to chat about the single, her thoughts on the hype surrounding her and what she has planned for the rest of the year.

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Jon Davies Interviews, News Marina And The Diamonds

Canadian deck manipulator and electro producer A-Trak has had an amazing 2009. Not only has he delivered more than his fair share of mind blowing sets and productions, but he also chipped in a Fabric compilation that has proved one of the most rated in the already highly acclaimed series. Whereas many former DMC champions fail to escape from the secular world of hip-hop turntabilism, A-Trak’s versatile tastes have set him apart from his former peers.

The man who controls the decks for KanYe West also took part in another great collaboration this year with legendary house DJ Armand Van Helden. Their joint venture, Duck Sauce, produced what stands up as one of the feel good tracks of the year. ‘aNYway’ rode high in our Tag Charts throughout the year and is guaranteed to be heard at whatever New Year’s Eve party you end up at this year.

We chat exclusively to A-Trak as he embarks on the first European tour for his Fools Gold label: home to such acts as Kid Sister and Jokers Of The Scene.
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Jon Davies Interviews A-Trak, Fools Gold, Jokers Of The Scene, Kid Sister

Northern Irish boys The Answer are about to embark on a UK headlining tour after having spent the last year supporting AC/DC in the States. We caught up with singer Cormac Neeson, guitarist Paul Mahon and bass player Mickey Waters to ask a few questions about touring, bravado and just generally having a laugh.
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Hazel Savage Interviews, News AC/DC, The Answer

A track with Pharrell, 5 cars, countless watches, a pad in L.A, and he still doesn’t think he’s made it? By now everyone into house music (and some pop fans) will no doubt have heard about Steve Angelo. He was the guy behind the re-rub of Robin S  ‘Show Me Love’, with fellow producer Laidback Luke, you know the one, the track that went ballistic across every European national chart. He is also 33.3 % of The Swedish House Mafia, the too hot to handle bad boys of Dance music. As a solo artist, Steve’s talents did not go unnoticed by Super star DJ Erick Morillo who quickly became his number one fan. Afer a great deal of chasing, Erick has finally got Steve to produce an album for his beloved Subliminal label. Here Erick interviews Steve and finds out about the man, his music and what’s he has done with the new mix.

When you first started out did you wish you could be Erick Morillo 

Erick’s a big inspiration for a lot of DJ’s, you can see a little bit of him in everyone from David Guetta to us and to anybody. I think he’s a really big inspiration to house DJ’s.

At what point in your career did think ‘This is it, I’ve made it!’?

I still don’t think I’ve made it yet. There’s still so much more you can do and you can always achieve and accomplish more than what you’ve done. So I’m still waiting for that moment.

Tell me about your passions outside of music.

I’m definitely into cars and watches and food! I have 5 cars, 11 or 12 watches.

What’s the difference in your sound when you’re playing a stadium to when you’re playing an underground club?
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Stephen Titmus Interviews Eric Morillo, Pharell, Steve Angello

For fans of hip-hop, an artist like Q-Tip needs no introduction. After forming A Tribe Called Quest in 1985 with fellow rapper Phife Dawg and producer Ali Shaheed Muhammad, the group found massive success and acclaim throughout the nineties. Along with fellow New York natives De La Soul, the band developed a style of hip-hop that shied away from the masculine, gangster bravado that was associated with the genre at the time. Their intelligent lyrics and jazz infused beats were, and still continue to be, an inspiration for many. From their debut ‘People’s Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rhythm’ – including the well known singles ‘Can I Kick It’ and ‘Bonita Applebum’ – through to their final long player ‘The Love Movement’, A Tribe Called Quest pushed the boundaries of hip hop and paved the way for artists such as KanYe West, Common, The Roots and Pharcyde to name just a few.

After A Tribe Called Quest split up in the late Nineties, Q-Tip delivered his debut album ‘Amplified’. While it could be argued tracks such as ‘Breathe & Stop’ and ‘Vivrant Thing’ were more commercial than anything that Tribe had released, the album was by no means a feckless attempt at mainstream success. After this fans were forced to wait until 2008 for its official follow up, ‘The Renaissance’, an album that was again greeted extatically by critics and fans. But fans of the rapper knew that the hiatus of new music was not down to the man himself, but record company wrangling.

‘Kamaal The Abstract’ was originally set for release in 2001, but his label at the time refused to release it. Deemed too ahead of its time, the record now draws comparisons with Gnarls Barkley, Andre 3000 and N*E*R*D, artists who have all found success since ‘Kamaal’ was originally set for release.  After much delay the album has finally been released on RCA , although now in a  remixed and re-mastered state. We were lucky enough to grab an interview with the legendary MC and get his thoughts on the album’s release, his plans for the future and chat about the forthcoming A Tribe Called Quest movie.

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Jon Davies Interviews, News A Tribe Called Quest, KanYe West, Korn, Nas, Norah Jones, Q-Tip, R.E.M

Tim at Green Man

This weekend saw the amazingly chilled Green Man Festival take place in leafy Wales and Shazam was lucky enough to catch up with Tim, lead singer from the fabulous Wave Machines for a little chat about festival life and punk.

I see you’re doing a lot of festivals this summer, are there any you’re particularly looking forward to?

Green Man has been getting talked about by loads of people, loads of friends and friends of friends (that’s how I measure a good festival). We have a big bunch of mates going and there are several birthdays and an engagement to celebrate – it promises to be a load of bawdy fun. Bestival is getting a lot of talk time too.

What can we expect from the set at green man?

A full-speed-ahead rendition of the album, well most of it, whatever our stage time will permit. I’ve been on holiday so am recharged and quite ridiculously eager to play again.

What’s the tent set up for you guys – or is it rock and roll hotels all the way?

Tents, tents and more tents. And a gazebo. You have to have a gazebo. We’re staying for the whole weekend so we’ll be making ourselves comfortable. We just got one of those grill things for making toast on your camping stove. Tasty.

If you could share a tent with anyone who would it be and why?

Is Lauren Laverne going? She’s an intelligent young lady.

What inspired the new single Punk Spirit?

Failure to come through with the threats issued in your internal monologue.

Who these days signifies the punk spirit ethos?

a.P.A.t.T. – a band from Liverpool. Check them out on myspace, but better than that, see them live. They are spectacular; they have little regard for their commercial well being. They are the real deal. Really.

Thanks for your time!

Ta

Hazel Savage Interviews Festivals, Interviews, Wave Machines