Terry Tyldesley
Kitmonsters Founder and Editor.
Terry, aka Kat Five, is a producer, artist, music tech consultant and speaker, with music featured on stations such as BBC Radio 6 Music, Radio X, Radio 4 and in film. You’ll find her testing AI and VR tools with her electro-punk band Feral Five, and performing at events such as Music Tech Fest, the National Portrait Gallery’s Picasso night curated by Martyn Ware, Shuffle Festival, and Cro Cro Land. She produced and curated Music Tech Fest Berlin, and is a former Chair of ethical music streaming co-operative Resonate, a tutor on the Jump European Music Market Accelerator, and a guest lecturer in music tech at the School of Music Business. She won an RTS award and BAFTA nomination for her film-making at the BBC.
Grove - vinyl single launch show
Grove’s stunning single launch at State 51’s GREED in London, and the first release from GREED singles club.
Hackoustic at IKLECTIK - December party and upcoming performance
Hackoustic’s multi-dimensional Xmas triumph with lula.xyz, Robin the Fog, Tim Yates and Joris Beets, and the next chapter for co-founder and Amoenus artist in residence Tim
(Algo|Afro) Futures programme - interview
( Algo | Afro ) Futures is an innovative mentoring programme for Black artists to explore the creative potential of live coding. Led by Antonio Roberts and hosted by VIVID Projects in Birmingham, it’s supported by Alex McLean and Gary Stewart. We interviewed Antonio, and VIVID Director Yasmeen Baig-Clifford. Photos by Jodi Cunningham.
The Future is Sound at the Barbican
The Future is Sound night at the Barbican in London was inspiring and epic, bringing together future and ancient sounds and visions.
female:pressure Electric Indigo FACTS survey interview 2022
female:pressure has launched its revealing FACTS Survey 2022, that quantifies the gender distribution of artists performing at electronic music festivals worldwide. There’s some good news, as well as plenty of room for improvement. We’ve interviewed female:pressure’s Electric Indigo about the key findings and what should happen next. You can also support the work by getting this FACTS 22 T-shirt.
Hackoustic Presents - October 2021
Hackoustic Presents made an exciting return to Iklectik Art Lab in South London, featuring artists and creators performing and showcasing amazing instruments and sounds.
Loud Women Fest + special performance
LOUD WOMEN’S Loud Women Fest is back, with a cracking line-up and the first ever performance of its supergroup ‘feminist band aid’ single Reclaim These Streets! It’s on 18th September, and tickets are on sale now.
FUTURE YARD venue launches artist support programme
Exciting Merseyside music venue FUTURE YARD has launched a permanent programme to support new music talent, and applications are now open for its PROPELLER scheme!
Ninety - 90 women producers collaborate
New collaboration project Ninety is making waves - it’s an amazing video, a track and a Sample Pack, made from 90 samples collected from women and non-binary producers, and it’s raising money for education in audio production. We interviewed LNA (Liina Turtonen) who founded the project, and you can buy the track and Sample Pack now.
No Such Thing Records - exciting new label
Exciting news on the independent label front as No Such Thing Records launches in the UK - with the slogan “Northern. Independent. Forward Thinking.” and a big commitment to inclusivity and diversity. The first release is an absolute banger from Szou called Rose Tinted, and we talked to the label founders Dirty Freud and Ruby Tingle about their vision.
MiMU launch innovative Glover desktop app
After thrilling people with the MiMU Gloves powered by Glover software, the Imogen Heap-founded music tech company MiMU has just released Glover as a desktop app, making gesture-controlled music infinitely more accessible. We tested it out and were awed by all the possibilities it opens up for making custom sounds, with the Gliss phone app, Leap Motion and more. There’s a free demo too!
Bishi live VR performance with Volta XR
Artist, producer and WITCiH founder Bishi put together an amazing live stream performance with the Volta XR team, for Amazon Music on Twitch. It stunned viewers, who were responding on live chat, and was created using cutting edge code and technology. We spoke to Bishi and to Volta XR’s Alex Kane and Yuli Levtov about how the collaboration worked, and asked for their advice for artists wanting to use VR. There’s also info on how you can become a Volta beta tester!
Delia Derbyshire Day 2020
Delia Derbyshire Day is back, on Monday 23rd November, with a special online edition of Delia-inspired delights. The day was set up to advance the art and education of electronic music, via the iconic electronic music pioneer.
Dubler Studio kit - new features for voice to MIDI controller
New features for the groundbreaking Dubler Studio Kit live voice to MIDI controller from Vochlea, as Dubler 1.2 launches.
female:pressure - Electric Indigo FACTS survey interview
female:pressure has launched its FACTS survey 2020 that quantifies the gender distribution of artists performing at electronic music festivals worldwide. There’s good news - an increase - but much more work needs to be done by the industry. We’ve interviewed female:pressure’s Electric Indigo who has given some brilliant perspective. female:pressure have also given suggestions for Festival Organisers, Artistic Directors, and Artists to help create change, and have a limited edition t-shirt to support their FACTS work.
halldorophone - interview with creator Halldór Úlfarsson
The halldorophone is a unique acoustic-electric instrument created by Halldór Úlfarsson from Iceland. One of its leading players is Oscar-winning Hildur Guðnadóttir, who used it extensively on her score for Joker, and was part of its development. We talked to Halldór about the cello-like instrument and how it grew from his original idea to becoming a sought-after sound at the heart of tracks from the likes of experimental metal band Sunn O))) and psychedelic folk rap artists CryptoChrome. If you want to see it in action, Bill Thompson will be playing one at his Cafe Oto show in London, on Tuesday 25th February.
Jemma Freeman and The Cosmic Something - album launch
Jemma Freeman and The Cosmic Something ‘Oh Really, What’s That Then?’, album launch at Set, Dalston, 3 October 2019. Available on Trapped Animal Records.
Test Dept @ Studio 9294
Test Dept ‘Disturbance’ album launch @ Studio 9294, London, Friday 26th April 2019
The Blinders at The Garage, London
The Blinders @The Garage, London, with Calva Louise, Moses 7/11/18
Stories From The She Punks - Film Premiere
Stories From The She Punks, World Premiere at Doc’n Roll Film Festival, Genesis Cinema, 10th November, 2018
Instruments Lab - Hackoustic Field Trip
The Augmented Instruments Lab at the Centre for Digital Music (C4DM) at Queen Mary University of London, is a place of wonder. It focuses on developing new instruments and interfaces for creative musical expression, and is led by Dr Andrew McPherson. Hackoustic arranged a Field Trip to meet the team there and explore some of the unique instruments, and unsurprisingly it was quickly fully-booked.
Ty - album launch
Ty ‘A Work Of Heart’ album launch @ Archspace, London, 12th March 2018
The Blinders at The Lexington
The Blinders at The Lexington, London 21st February 2018
Kristeen Young, Bishi, Guttfull at The Lexington
Kristeen Young, Bishi, Guttfull at The Lexington, London 19th February 2018
New Sounds New Styles conference
The first New Sounds New Styles event, curated by design icon Malcolm Garrett, was a one-day conference and showcase exploring the intersection of music and technology. With a focus on Immersive Audio and VR, it shone a spotlight on current research, authoring, design and performance, and looked at the future environment for creatives.
Imogen Heap’s Mycelia Tour & Creative Passport
Imogen Heap launched her 2018 Mycelia World Tour and announced her new Creative Passport plan, at an incredible and inspiring pilot event.
Nuraphone - revolutionary headphones
The groundbreaking Nuraphone headphones are tailored to your hearing and give a breathtakingly deep and different listening experience. They’re a more than worthy recipient of a CES award this year, for Best of Innovation in the headphone category, and we’re sure there will be more honours to come.
Monika Werkstatt artists live at Cafe Oto
Hosted by the UK’s rapidly growing Omnii Collective, a quartet of top talent from the Monika Enterprise label came to Cafe Oto from Germany to talk about their new Monika Werkstatt album and to play live, creating one of the most exciting electronic music nights in memory. Four brilliant and established artists - Gudrun Gut, Pilocka Krach, Sonae and Barbara Morgenstern, ably supported by new British talent La Leif, plus a surprise, non-performing appearance from Electric Indigo, co-founder of female:pressure along with Gudrun.
WITCiH First Birthday
WITCiH at The Barge House, London N1 4/10/17
Starcrawler @ Boston Music Room, London
Starcrawler @ Boston Music Room, London, 5th September 2017
Teenage Engineering X Prototypa
See inside Teenage Engineering - the iconic synth makers talked prototyping at Prototypa, part of Design Frontiers in Somerset House during The London Design Festival.
DADAMACHINES KICKSTARTER LIFTOFF
The amazing dadamachines have launched their ‘automat toolkit’ on Kickstarter, to massive acclaim, and you can get hands on with them in London on 27th May at Hackoustic, following a massively successful April event.
New ROLI Blocks
ROLI has launched the amazing BLOCKS - a colourful modular music studio designed to let anyone make music, and to connect as easily as LEGO.
Mechanical Techno - Graham Dunning at Music Hackspace
Graham Dunning’s Mechanical Techno is a masterpiece - he has played Boiler Room Live in London, Music Tech Fest in Berlin, and his demo video has had over a million views. Graham works in art, music and sound, and shared the inspiring story of Mechanical Techno at a packed Music Hackspace.
ReVu Video Editor App
It promised a lot and delivered even more - the ReVu Video Editor app launched to massive acclaim, even from an audience of cutting edge musicians and technologists. It gives you quick fix video editing for iPhone, iPad, and GoPro cameras, and Scanner (Robin Rimbaud) was one of the Beta testers.
DADA Machines
DADA Machines are coming for you in 2016 - an exciting toolkit for making sounds. Creator Johannes Lohbihler showed the DADA kit at Music Hackspace, and soon had everyone making music.
Adventures with a 3-string - Vulpestruments style
Inspired by playing some one-of-a-kind DIY gear at a Machines Room DIY and unusual instruments jam, I booked onto a Vulpestruments workshop run by Tom Fox. The aim - to learn about building instruments and come out with a playable 3-string in just a few hours. Little did I know it was the start of an adventure that would lead to a high tech hack at Music Tech Fest.
Kingsley Chapman and The Murder, @ Sebright Arms
Kingsley Chapman and The Murder at Sebright Arms, London, 24th November, supported by James Brute and Avalanche Party.
#SaveTheMale ALPHA exhibition for CALM
Leading musicians such as Professor Green, Gary Numan and Brian Molko have collaborated with award-winning photographers for an exhibition called ALPHA that is in aid of the charity CALM - Campaign Against Living Miserably.
Abbey Road Red launch
Like a music innovation adrenaline shot, Abbey Road Studios launched music tech incubator scheme Abbey Road Red with a bang. The night included a groundbreaking first project, a standout performance featuring Matthew Herbert, and a chance to get hands on with some great gear, all showcased in the historic Studio 2 where The Beatles recorded.
Abbey Road Innovation night
Abbey Road Studios’ Jon Eades announced new Abbey Road Red innovation and incubator scheme earlier this year, at Music Tech Fest in Sweden. Ahead of the official launch of Red this month, he held a showcase that included Tim Exile.
Music Tech Fest Scandi - Day 3
The final day of Music Tech Fest Scandi - the festival of music ideas - in Umeå, Sweden, was both inspiring and thought-provoking. It saw kids hacking, new instruments for more accessible music-making, the Hack Camp awards, and some memorable performances including LJ Rich mixing it up with cocktail master Emil Åreng.
Sleaford Mods talk Dismaland and release Tarantula remix
Sleaford Mods play Banksy’s Dismaland on Friday 18th September, after a string of festival successes. They’ve released a remix of Tarantula Deadly Cargo ahead of the show, and Jason Williams talked about the Banksy event and how they got involved.
ROLI Seaboard Rise - new instrument and MIDI controller
ROLI has just launched the Seaboard RISE and it’s a dream to play. A groundbreaking, beautiful, and sleek piece of design with unique features, that’s the most affordable expressive MIDI controller and instrument yet.
Music Tech Fest Scandi - Day 1
Music Tech Fest Scandi - a festival of music ideas - took place in Umeå, Sweden, and proved the biggest and best MTF yet, with new formats, performance and stunning music tech.
Sleaford Mods and Derek Walmsley at the ICA
What makes a Sleaford Mod? If you listen to the post-punk / hip-hop duo talk through a few of their favourite tracks and artists, some truths emerge. With The Wire Magazine’s Derek Walmsley on interviewing and DJ duties, the ICA Culture Now event was a chance to get some insights into the band’s formative years and influences ahead of the Sleaford Mods’ highly anticipated next album release. ‘Key Markets’, their fifth album, is out on 24th July on vinyl, CD and download.
Femme - SOS single launch
Femme claimed the futurepop crown at her SOS single launch at The Lexington - delivering an exuberant mix of slick vocals, edgy electronic beats, and songs that stick, including the new release.
Music Tech Fest from Paris to Sweden
Music Tech Fest is back, from 29-31 May in Umeå, Sweden. With the latest in music tech, plus performance, a hack camp and jam sessions, it’s another don’t miss event. Artists already confirmed include Scanner, Laura Kriefman with Guerilla Dance Project, and Kenneth Alewine’s Performing Melancholia, a visual music experiment with an automaton. Exciting new band merch technologies, sound artists, instruments and digital platforms are all featured too, and tickets are free. Here’s a look at some of the highlights from Music Tech Fest Paris to give you a feel for what to expect.
DIY and unique instruments jam
New maker space Machines Room in London hosted an amazing DIY and unique instruments jam recently - it’s going to be taking place monthly, and there’s also a ‘Scrapitar’ making workshop this Saturday 21st March.
Sherwood & Pinch Album Launch
Packing a huge sonic punch, bass dons Sherwood & Pinch launched their album Late Night Endless with a thrilling live show, that was a compelling mix of dub, dubstep and more. It was a very special night for the crowd, at the intimate Ramsgate Music Hall in Kent.
Desperate Journalist album launch
Desperate Journalist generated huge excitement ahead of their sold out album launch at The Lexington, with even their peers calling them the future of indie music. Their exhilarating, euphoric and intense post-punk is amazing live, and the album a must-have release.
Wolfgang Flür talks Kraftwerk at Ditto Campfire
Wolfgang Flür held the audience spellbound at Ditto Campfire in London, with anecdotes from Kraftwerk days, tips for songwriting, and some of his new music. Electronic musicians at the packed out event included Neil Arthur from Blancmange, and Jon Fugler from Fluke, and it proved to be a great night. Wolfgang played percussion in Kraftwerk from 1973-1986, has written a book called ‘I Was A Robot’, and has a music project called Yamo, as well as DJ-ing and working on collaborations.
HOW Music - Launch Event
The HOW Music collective brought together some brilliant music industry people and performers for a day of workshops, talks and one to one advice, in a bid to start making the music industry more diverse, and redress the underrepresentation of women in music. Held at Red Bull Studios in London, participants ranged from up and coming musicians to bands with a buzz around them, wanting to move up to the next level, and people wanting to work on the business side of things.
Slaves @ The Victoria, Dalston
Garage punk duo Slaves have had a brilliant year, from their single release ‘Where’s Your Car Debbie’ in early 2014 - an instant classic - to a string of high octane gigs and now a place on the BBC’s Sound of 2015 list. At a great show at The Victoria Dalston, they played fan favourites and some new ones too.
Sleaford Mods @ 100 Club
Hot on the heels of our interview with Sleaford Mods, we caught them live at the 100 Club in London. An evening of mighty and brilliant sonic mayhem.
Reverse it! New software launch REV
It’s always great to see something truly innovative, and today sees the launch of REV, designed by Gregg Lehrman and his team at Output. It’s going to get producers, composers and artists really excited - saving hours of time - as it offers you tons of instruments, loops, rises, pads, pulses, and swells all in reverse, in real time. Not to mention the supersonic stutters!
Ty in the studio
It was great to go to producer and rapper Ty’s creative nerve centre and film him with longtime musical partner/co-producer Drew Horley of The Lab Studios. Ty was saying hello to his mate Professor Green just as we arrived.
Ninja Jamm Remix app launches
Billed as a Beat Junkie’s ultimate gadget, the Ninja Jamm remix app has had a lot of thought, love and cracking tunes poured into it. We can’t keep our hands off it it’s so much fun! Matt Black of Coldcut and Ninja Tune who devised it, is known for pushing music tech forward whether it’s with cutting and sampling, or VJ-ing software. He says Ninja Jamm carves out a new space between DJ apps and other music/studio apps, and is good for artists too. Ninja Jamm download here.
Planes on tour
Planes have been whipping up a storm on their UK tour. Fronted by Steve Forrest (Placebo’s drummer), the compelling five-piece play beautifully-formed hook-laden alt blues-rock that we’ve no doubt will thrill festival audiences this Summer. Fans flew in from across the world for their date at Birthdays in East London and they had the crowd spellbound. They’ve a new single ‘Set It On’ out soon and we’ll be bringing you some great interviews.
Bass! London Bass Guitar Show
The London Bass Guitar Show 2013 had something for everyone - top bass players, kit debuts, masterclasses, jams and more. Here are some of the highlights of our visit.
NZCA/LINES & MOSCOW YOUTH CULT Live
NZCA/LINES is Michael Lovett’s shimmering synth-pop project that combines uplifting pop melodies with R&B beats, lush arrangements and multi-layered harmonies. His first album NZCA/LINES got rave reviews and was dubbed ‘debut of the year’ in 2012.
Wheelharp Wonder
The mighty Wheelharp caused quite a stir when it launched at The NAMM Show with its pedal-controlled string action, extraordinary sounds and Steampunk styling. People were queuing up to have a go on Antiquity Music’s beautiful new machine.
Orange reveal new valve tester
Orange Amplification built up anticipation big time at The NAMM Show, inviting people to the launch of a ‘revolutionary new product’. After their innovative Orange OPC amp/pc/studio-in-a-box, no-one knew what to expect. The product they unveiled - the DIVO VT 1000 valve tester - turned out to be a study in sleek pared-down design that will help a huge number of musicians, studios, amp retailers and makers.
Americana - 3D printed guitar
3D printed guitar guru Olaf Diegel loved his first visit to The NAMM Show. It was a chance to show off his latest model with 3D Systems’ Cubify - the incredibly intricate Americana - and to enjoy the procession of top guitar players trying out his creations.
Orbit - Space age wireless MIDI controller with accelerometer
One of the most exciting pieces of kit we saw at NAMM was the world’s first wireless hand-held MIDI controller with accelerometer. It’s by Numark who make a ton of kit for DJs but we think it has huge potential way beyond DJs, and the ‘game-controller on steroids’ approach makes it really easy to use.
Save Ministry of Sound campaign latest
Legendary London music club Ministry of Sound says it is under threat from a housing development. Music lovers across the world are being urged to support the pioneering dance music operation before 26th February when London Mayor Boris Johnson will make the decision that could kill it. We spoke to Ministry’s CEO Lohan Presencer for the latest news.
Latest Gretsch guitars
We’ve noticed Gretsch guitars are getting really popular with up and coming bands, and there were some exciting new models unveiled at NAMM including the ‘Center Block’ range - for Gretsch’s 130th birthday.
She Rocks Awards
The first ever She Rocks Awards, set up by The Women’s International Music Network to take place at The NAMM Show, really rocked! The inspiring event started with a mass vocal warm-up, honoured some amazing women in the music business and finished with a stunning performance by Orianthi, Nik West and drummer Brittany Maccarello.
New Stylophone S2
There’s been huge excitement at the Stylophone S2’s NAMM Show debut, with an exclusive Union Jack edition as well as the standard black model. The classic compact analog synth that’s part of so many musicians’ toolkits, has been “maxed out” in a feature-packed version that’s compact and portable, easy-to-use and at a good price point. Designed by the son of the original inventor too, and with David Bowie to thank!
Bonzo Bash - John Bonham tribute for NAMM 24th Jan
The hottest ticket in rock right now is for the Bonzo Bash NAMM Jamm 2013 - a tribute to legendary Led Zeppelin drummer John Bonham. A ‘who’s who’ of the greatest rock drummers will perform Led Zeppelin songs with an all-star house band in Anaheim, CA. Drummers from Iron Maiden, Korn, Slayer, Whitesnake, Anthrax, Scorpions, Dream Theater and Alice Cooper will all be there, plus plenty more. Who’s playing what track is a closely-guarded secret!
New from Zildjian
Zildjian are launching a host of cymbals and more, from new inventions to updated classics and even Ringo Starr drum sticks! Here’s a whizz round their latest collection, being unveiled at NAMM, in their 390th birthday year.
Natalie McCool at The Lexington, London
We caught up with Natalie McCool when she played The Lexington in London. We interviewed her a little while back and it was great to see her latest live set.
Delia Derbyshire Day
Legendary electronic music pioneer Delia Derbyshire is being celebrated with a day of events in Manchester on Saturday 12th January, including specially-commissioned new music that will also be played in other cities too.
Happy New Year!
Wishing you a great 2013! We’ll be bringing you plenty more bands, kit, producers, custom stuff, reviews, tips and music tech to make it a great year.
Happy Xmas!
Here’s hoping you have a great festive season! Huge thanks to all the amazing people who have helped get the site off to a flying start. There’s plenty more to come - roll on 2013!
3D Printed guitar guru Olaf Diegel’s 2013 vision
Olaf Diegel is the world’s 3D Printed Guitar guru, marrying innovative structures and designs, with tried and tested guitar hardware. His highly customisable 3D Printed guitars made with 3D Systems caused a sensation at the 3D Print Show in London, and will be shown at The Namm Show in California for the first time this year. We talked to Olaf about his plans for 2013 and heard about some amazing new ideas.
The Woodentops’ remastering quest - Rolo McGinty
Pulling together The Woodentops’ tapes for their new album, sounds like some kind of knightly quest - with tasks ranging from hunting down lost dance mixes by legends such as Arthur Baker, to oven-baking fragile masters. The indie dance rock gurus have launched the 3-CD set ‘Before During After’, on One Little Indian Records, to great reviews, and there’s a new album due in 2014.
Music Production Show - with Producer Paul Rez
The Music Production Show at Emirates Stadium in London is a hot ticket - the global launch of Steinberg’s Cubase 7 is a huge draw, but there is plenty more on offer. We went along on the first day with Paul Rez - Producer, multi-instrumentalist, acclaimed ‘Analogue Witchcraft’ sample library creator and Vuvuvultures band member, to check out the latest kit. The event runs today - Saturday - too.
Kit Session - Roland Jupiter-50
Two amazing artists, Amir Amor - a top Producer who is also in the blisteringly hot band Rudimental - and acclaimed multi-instrumentalist Laura Kidd from She Makes War, launched our Kit Session video series with a visit to Roland UK and a good look round the new Jupiter-50 synth. Gareth Bowen from Roland, who also plays with Tricky, showed them all its special features for studio and live, and they asked the questions - finding out the things that artists need to know.
Finding ‘Lost Women of Rock’ - Helen Reddington
Helen Reddington AKA pioneering musician Helen McCookerybook of The Chefs is an expert on women in the early punk scene and wrote the gritty and compelling ‘The Lost Women of Rock Music’. We talked to her about her book, and her latest research.
Inside Fender’s new Artist Showroom
Fender have opened an exciting new Artist Showroom in London for leading musicians to come and try their latest gear. Featuring everything from Pawn Shop series specials, to a Fender Amp Bar, as well as a stage, it’s a great space. We were shown round the latest kit, the amp room and given an insight into how the Johnny Marr signature Jaguar guitar was developed.
Kit Session - Roland INTEGRA-7
Two incredible artists, Amir Amor - a top Producer who is also in Rudimental - and multi-instrumentalist Laura Kidd from She Makes War, launched our Kit Session video series with a visit to Roland UK and a good look round the new INTEGRA-7 rack synth. Gareth Bowen from Roland, who also plays with Tricky, showed them all its special features for studio and live, and they asked the questions - finding out the things that artists need to know.
First 3D printed acoustic guitar - the inside story
Design guru Scott Summit and 3D Systems’ Abe Reichental whipped up a storm when they launched the world’s first 3D printed acoustic guitar. Scott is an award-winning industrial designer who counts Apple, Nike, and Palm among his clients at Summit ID, and is known for revolutionising the world of medical prosthetics. Yet he loves playing guitar, has been in bands, and recorded albums. We had an in-depth chat with him at London’s 3D Print Show where he was showing his instrument designs, and he told us about building the acoustic prototype, spectral analysis of The Clash’s London Callling, and future plans for democratizing production.
Remix Snow Patrol Competition from Shure
How often do you get your hands on the stems of a track from a top-selling artist? Shure have launched a remix competition for the Snow Patrol track ‘Fallen Empires’ from their album of the same name. Turn them techno, acoustic, dubstep… anything goes. The isolated vocal and music stems are all being made available, and Snow Patrol will pick the winners, who get vouchers to spend on Shure kit.
Nineboys Guitars Downhome Pop-up shop
Pop-up shop mania hit London last week as London Fashion Week and London Design Festival collided in a maelstrom of party madness. So hats off to Nineboys Guitars who launched a guitar pop-up called Downhome for their new Downhome range, as well as show-casing prototypes like a crazy Jack Daniels machine. The launch party featured filthy blues and metal from the Tin-Tone Army - Motorhead’s Ace of Spades on biscuit tin guitars was brilliant. Josh from Nineboys jammed using the hit of the night, The Wedge, and Stu and Chris Da Lipz played cigar-box guitar and harmonica. Downhome runs at 64 Clerkenwell Road, EC1M 5PX until 9th October, and here are some pics of the latest kit.
Latest hot kit at Gibson
We dropped by Gibson’s UK HQ to check out their latest guitars. From a 12-string Les Paul to the new Firebird ’70s Tribute and a Grace Potter Signature Flying V, there was loads to investigate, including some guitar furniture! We’ll be back at Gibson soon for some filming.
Whales in Cubicles Single Launch
Whales in Cubicles are making plenty of hot lists right now, from XFM to Artrocker, Daniel Radcliffe AKA Harry Potter, The Independent, the BBC’s 6 Music and The Sunday Times. They launched their new single Nowhere Flag this week at Hoxton Square Bar and Kitchen. The jaw-dropping video - in which they blow up London - has already had a huge response. We’ve got some pics from the gig. Full video interviews and kit talk here.
The Penelopes
The Penelopes - Axel Basquiat and Vincent T - make shimmering electro pop, with plenty of indie influences. Originally from Paris, they moved to London to finish their new album Never Live Another Yesterday. It was mixed by The Vaccines/Scissor Sisters/Lana Del Ray collaborator Dan Grech-Marguerat who was seduced by their international yet very French sound, and features Laura Kidd as guest vocalist. The Penelopes love playing live and Axel has a gorgeously growly deep voice as well as the kind of stage persona that sees him dubbed “The Black Iggy Pop”. The duo are playing a series of London gigs this month including one for Oxjam at the Hoxton Square Bar & Kitchen on 25th September.
Tales From The Bridge
Martyn Ware launched the stunning “Tales From The Bridge” in July, a 3D soundscape collaboration covering the length of the Millennium Bridge in London. The mesmerising piece was commissioned by the Mayor of London for the London 2012 Olympics. We filmed behind the scenes - with riggers more used to rock stadiums, dangling over the Thames - and asked Martyn how he and the team, including Grammy winning composer Eric Whitacre, and poet Mario Petrucci, created the work. There’s more from Martyn on making his Human League and Heaven 17 hits on our bands page.
The Fresh & Onlys - Free Track
Great filming with Tim Cohen and Shayde Sartain of The Fresh & Onlys today when they were in London. The San Franciscan musicians told us about some pretty interesting kit and plenty of funny stories. From pawn shop specials to beaten up guitars, we were gripped.
Neon Indian’s mini synth and competition
We managed to get hold of one of chillwave pioneer Neon Indian’s mini analog synths a while back. It was so exciting, but the PAL198X came in bits and we wimped out of putting it together for far too long. The synth was designed by Neon AKA Alan Palomo and the wonderful Bleep Labs, and Alan held a competition for PAL sounds. A rainy Sunday afternoon in London and we set to work.
Feral Tagging
Tagging – that nightmare point in your upload when you have to pin yourself down. Some places give you wiggle room as a musician, others are more prescriptive. How do you make the most of the process? When Matthew Hawn, Last.fm’s VP Product, gave a cutting edge talk on tags at the amazing Digital Shoreditch festival, we were all ears. You need to know this stuff and not just in relation to Last.fm.
Music Tech Fest 2012
The first Music Tech Fest, run by Ravensbourne College and Stromatolite in London gathered sound gurus, hackers and musicians together to make, talk and play. From synth legend and 3D sound designer Martyn Ware (The Human League, BEF, Heaven 17) to the dance demon that is Coldcut/Ninja Tune’s Matt Black, and new app designers, minds were well and truly expanded, if not blown! There’s even a free Synaesthesia app.