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12 Feb 2018
DR. JASMINE SHADRACK TALKS SEXISM IN MUSIC
Dr. Jasmine Shadrack is a Senior Lecturer in Popular Music at The University of Northampton. She is also a member of black metal band Denigrata. She felt like the perfect voice to talk about misogyny in the music industry, as a local female performer and an academic whose research includes feminism and music. I sat down and had a chat with Jasmine in her office, which was covered in posters of musical acts from avant-garde soprano Diamanda Galás to metal band Sycrax. She laughed and said it was like a boy's bedroom walls! We chatted about everything from what students gain from the 'Popular Music' course that she leads modules for, the exciting opportunities that she has gained from Denigrata and of course her experiences as a female in the metal music scene. Here is what she had to say about the latter topic:
"Yes, I have faced incidents of misogyny. I come from the industry and I am still in it. I have just had a piece published called ‘Under My Thumb: Songs That Hate Women and the Women That Love Them’ and my research on this particular occasion was extreme metal, so I focused particularly on death metal. It has had a very problematic engagement with women. It has not been very kind and this is mostly because of the power differential that is in place. Men are the composers, performers and gatekeepers of the scene. Women are there as girlfriends or groupies. God forbid one of them actually gets on stage and starts performing, because the ways that the metal media will engage with them will be to sexualise them first. Which is kind of sexism 101 really. My whole PhD is on women’s extreme metal performance, black metal in particular, and the ways in which patriarchy infiltrates and informs the modes of address in engagement. It is a difficult path to tread, but it is a necessary one and it is not going to stop my enjoyment of the music. I love playing my guitar, I love screaming and it’s not going to prevent me from carrying on with my band.”
Look out for the full article with Jasmine in the magazine which will be available online in just under two weeks. Listen to Denigrata's music at https://denigrata.bandcamp.com/releases.
What are your thoughts on women in the music industry? Tweet us at @northantsnotes!
08 Feb 2018
UNIVERSITY OF NORTHAMPTON'S CHANGING FUTURES WEEK 2018: DANIEL P CARTER
Students on the ‘Popular Music’ course at the University of Northampton had the opportunity to hear Daniel P Carter, a Radio 1 DJ, speak today. The host of the station’s ‘Rock Show’ visited Avenue Campus as part of the University’s ‘Changing Futures Week 2018’, which aims to showcase industry speakers.
Carter, who has recently returned from a trip to Iceland, quickly explained what it feels like to be a DJ on such a well-known station. He said: “The idea of talking on the radio to a tonne of people is still terrifying. I have done it for over a decade now… which is nuts! Since I have been doing Radio 1 I have had lots of opportunities. Creating a show about Metallica was so cool for instance. I was obsessed with them as a kid.”
Carter was honest about his output. He explained: "There are bands that need to be played and get an audience, whether I like it or not. If it is not for me, then it would be so out of order for me to not play it on the radio for that reason."
Alongside his radio role, Daniel P Carter also plays in a number of bands including A, Hexes and Bloodhound Gang. He was part of a song-writing team too, who wrote material for the likes of McFly and Matt Willis. He described this venture as “a really liberating thing”.
Daniel was keen to talk about the where the music industry currently is. He said the following about British music: "In the past few years there has been a great scene for British bands. It used to feel like there was a load of back-biting going on. Everyone scrabbling for the same thing. I am sure that still happens, but it just feels like recently, with stuff like pop-punk, there have been some really strong British bands coming through. The discovery of this new talent is often due to bands helping other bands out. Neck Deep were doing well for instance and would bring their mates along and wear their shirts in their photoshoots to spread the word. Everyone wants each other to get to a certain level. It is so important for everyone to have that camaraderie."
He also explained his views on bands who don't change up their sound, after a student questioned him about it. He said: "I don't see anything wrong with a band sounding like themselves. A band that is so individual to the point where you can hear any of their songs and recognise them is a great thing. I have not got a problem if a band has not changed their sound between albums."
Popular Music students were gripped to every word as Carter gave a speech about his general feelings towards music. He said: “Music can change your life. It sounds cheesy but there are certain songs that you hear that bring moments back. It is magical. I do not mean a bunch of flowers or ‘rabbit out of a hat’ magic! You can alter the way someone can feel with a song. It is so important and special.”
Listen to Daniel P Carter on Radio 1's Rock Show each Sunday from 7-10pm.
07 Feb 2018
UNIVERSITY OF NORTHAMPTON'S CHANGING FUTURES WEEK 2018: GARY POWELL
The University of Northampton's 'Changing Futures Week' continued today with Gary Powell paying a visit for Popular Music students. He is the drummer for several successful bands including The Libertines, Dirty Pretty Things, New York Dolls and The Specials. He quickly admitted that he likes to talk a lot and indeed he veered off from one topic to another quite often. The talk lasted for 1 hour 30 minutes and this was only including three questions from those who turned up, as there was barely any time to squeeze them in! Gary appeared very passionate about a range of talking points from the music industry nowadays, the bands he is a part of and his desire to look for new talent. He explained how it is harder for artists to break out now, compared to when The Libertines arrived on the scene in 2002:
"Your listening patterns have been coloured by the industry. I watch The Voice every weekend at the moment with my 6-year-old and 8-year-old sons and at first I could not stand it. This is because the contestants were trying to find an easy way into the industry. But then you think about how the industry is now. It is harder to become an Ed Sheeran these days. If we are to compare it to football, then it is easier to become a Jack Wilshere when taking the traditional industry route. Which is ridiculous."
The Libertines saw a lot of success in the noughties, including their single 'Can't Stand Me Now' reaching the #2 spot in 2004, plus its accompanying album reaching the top spot. However, their music was often overshadowed by the press that the group would receive. Powell explained:
"The press would constantly talk about us taking drugs. They also misconstrued the reason we stopped touring. The papers said that we fell out, but really we stopped touring because Pete [Doherty, lead singer] could not do it any more due to taking too many drugs. There was no falling out at all."
The band had a large gap of not releasing any new material, as members concentrated on side-projects (such as Babyshambles and Dirty Pretty Things), however, The Libertines staged a successful comeback in 2015 with their 'Anthems for Doomed Youth' album. It reached #3 in the UK charts. But what have the group been up to since? Powell said:
"We are a little bit mental. We are about to go to Australia! We have also bought a hotel in Margate, which was ranked amongst the top 5 worst establishments in the country on Tripadvisor! It is a fully-functional building that we welcome people who either do or do not like our music to come to. You can say you hate The Liberties, you don't need to like the music that I do, but you do need to be a nice person. Even if you don't like the music, you could have a great sense of humour or be the most intellectual person ever. So I could still learn something from you. People can come along and have a drink, create something... whatever. It is a hub. Carl [Barât, vocals/guitar player for The Liberties] came up with the idea! The studio in it is nearly finished now."
Watch a clip from the talk below where Gary talked more about the industry (and made the audience laugh quite a few times in the process):
Revisit The Libertines' biggest hit below:
Are you a fan of The Libertines? Tweet us your favourite track by them @northantsnotes!
05 Feb 2018
UNIVERSITY OF NORTHAMPTON'S CHANGING FUTURES WEEK 2018: AARON ROACH BRIDGEMAN
Day 1 of Changing Futures Week 2018 was in full swing today at the University of Northampton! This 5 day-long selection of events is showcasing industry speakers that students can learn from. Today from 11am - 1pm, Multimedia Journalism and Media Production students were treated to a 'Digital Destinations' panel, led by UoN lecturer and broadcast journalist Marverine Cole. The panel included YouTube star Shantania Beckford, newspaper editor Tristan Harris, V Television's Stewart Lawley and TV presenter and live event host Aaron Roach Bridgeman! The latter currently focuses on hard-hitting documentary making. But his live events are usually for musicians! 50 Cent is a big name that he mentioned hosting a show for during his time to talk on the panel. Plus he teased a future show for Faith Evans! He has also conducted plenty of interviews with big musical names such as Alicia Keys, Kelly Rowland, Rita Ora and Tinie Tempah. In fact, we were shown the flirty Rowland interview during the session!
Bridgeman began to offer some advice to the UoN students straight after said interview was shown. I captured it on camera right here:
He then spoke more specifically about music journalism to those aspiring to work in that field. He said: "Make sure to specialise in a certain genre of music and just push with that. Unless you have a broad knowledge of music of course, as streaming service Spotify helps with that these days. If you specialise then it will create a persona and profile for you. This will make you respected in your field, including by artists themselves. Also, find online blogs or magazines. Contact them and say you want to do some work with them. Associate with them. All the little bits will add up. I know A&Rs who are now working for labels for mainstream artists after working their way up. They got to where they are due to a hunger for it."
Bridgeman is currently focusing on documentary work primarily but hasn't forgot his music background. He explained: "I know everything that is going on in music. I know the hottest songs right now. I want to do more music related work, but it is hard as I am now stylised as serious. But I want to smile more! I love music. I have a lot of friends who are music artists and I want to utilise it more. I am still hosting music live shows. Otherwise I don't know what other music plans are on the horizon yet."
Look out for more musical Changing Futures Week content coming soon.
Watch Aaron's showreel and his infamous Kelly Rowland interview below:
Instagram - @aaronroachbridgeman
Twitter - @ARoachBridgeman
photo credit to Steven Leith
29 Jan 2018
PALOMA FAITH ANNOUNCES A JULY NORTHAMPTONSHIRE DATE FOR THE ARCHITECT SUMMER TOUR
British singer Paloma Faith will be impacting Northamptonshire with her retro sound very soon! Her summer shows have now been announced and one of them will be taking place at Towcester Racecourse, on Saturday 28 July 2018. These shows come off the back of her latest release The Architect, which recently became Paloma's first #1 album in the UK Official Singles Chart, after previous double-platinum releases fell short of the top spot. The Architect has notched up sales of almost 250,000 in a declining albums market. The release was preceded by lead single Crybaby which became Paloma's 8th top 40 single in the UK.
The Architect Summer Tour includes 20 dates across the United Kingdom. The first show begins on Friday, June 8 in Paloma's hometown of London, then concludes on Saturday, August 25 in Portsmouth.
Interested in her Northamptonshire show? Well, mark your calendar as tickets go on sale this Friday (February 2) at 9am. Tickets will be available from £37.50 (prior to booking fees) and they will all be standing. All children under the age of 14 must be accompanied by an adult.
Watch Paloma's latest music video 'Guilty' below, and relive her biggest hit 'Changing', a collaboration with Sigma, that reached #1 in 2014:
Are you planning to get tickets for Paloma's Northamptonshire show tomorrow? Let us know on Twitter @northantsnotes if so!
photo credit to Steven Leith
25 Jan 2018
WHERE ARE THEY NOW: JAMIE BENKERT
Our 'where are they now?' feature aims to look at what Northamptonshire artists have been up to since appearing on talent shows, to tie in with the launch of Northampton's Rising Star 2018. Next up in this feature is Jamie Benkert, who auditioned for The X Factor UK in 2015 in front of Simon Cowell, Cheryl, Nick Grimshaw and Rita Ora. We had a chat with him for the magazine to talk about the show, what he's been up to since and what he thinks of Northampton after living here ever since his first birthday! As a teaser for that article, here are 5 things that Jamie gained from the show:
01) He gained a music deal in LA through writing and recording songs off the back of the show.
02) He has played over 150 shows since that 2015 audition.
03) He appeared on This Morning and his music was also showcased through their fashion section.
04) He had a small stint as an Olly Murs tribute act after his similarity to him was pointed out on the show. This included getting to perform abroad!
05) YouTube views - his audition alone has over 1.5 million views.
In his very own words,"meeting Rita Ora" was also a personal highlight!
Look out for our interview with him in the magazine next month. In the meantime, follow Jamie's social media channels for news about his forthcoming EP:
Watch his X Factor audition below and his latest release 'Wasted Love', a team-up with Saskia Rosimus from girl-group 'Girl Next Door', who appeared on last year's series of X Factor UK.
image credit: Jamie Benkert
23 Jan 2018
MIDNIGHT BREWERS TEASE POLITICS AND ALIENS ON NEW ALBUM!
Midnight Brewers are a local duo comprising of members Hamish MacNamara & Ross Snaith. They are presently working on a brand new album called 'Midnight Melody Highway', which is due for release as soon as next month! This album release was preceded by the launching of two songs - title track 'Midnight Melody Highway' and 'Silver Ashtray'. The former attracted attention last week when it featured on BBC Radio Northampton's 'Introducing' show. The alternative rock song stood out on the show, especially as it is an instrumental! But can we expect more instrumentals on the album? The duo said:
"Yes, many more. There could be around 5 instrumentals on there."
Interesting! But the other song that is out there, 'Silver Ashtray', is not an instrumental. In fact it departs from the funky sound of 'Midnight Melody Highway' in general, as it is instead quite haunting - with poignant lyrics such as “Yes I know you will always be there". So what inspired this deep-sounding song? MacNamara and Snaith said:
"The song is inspired by a number of things, but mainly the feeling you have after losing somebody, whether that be in a relationship or losing somebody in terms of them passing away, especially if you've left things unsaid to them, though you know they'll always be in your mind or heart no matter where they are now."
Loss is not the only theme you can expect on the album. In fact there seems to be quite a breadth of topics that will be explored. They said:
"I suppose anything can inspire our lyrics, we tend to write about randomly created thoughts or matters we feel passionate about. On this album specifically, there isn't one fixed concept. We reference Politics, pollution, aliens, the British countryside... plus more."
This is already shaping up to be a pretty eclectic and intriguing record by the sound of things. And it won't be long until the album is out there. The boys are currently working on a couple of the tracks to make sure they're in "tip-top condition" ahead of the release date next month. So how are Midnight Brewers feeling about the release? They happily responded with:
"We're really looking forward to releasing it. Recording the album has been a lot of fun and hopefully, if the right ears hear it we might be able to release the album on a larger scale through a contract. The album sounds much better than our earlier record, the recording is far more upbeat. We're just a lot better at it than we were a year ago."
Finally, can we expect any touring for this new release that they're very excited about? The two of them explained:
"We're still trying to plan out how we can create our music live while still having the same atmosphere and sound as on the record. Though with improvements in musical recording and playing the instruments we would imagine the time will come soon."
Look out for the full interview in the magazine when it is launched next month!
Check out 'Midnight Melody Highway' and 'Silver Ashtray' below:
You can also find out more at:
https://www.midnightbrewers.co.uk
What do you think of 'Midnight Melody Highway' and 'Silver Ashtray'? Let us know on Twitter @Northantsnotes!
image credit: Midnight Brewers
21 Jan 2018
DEEP SEA MOUNTAINS DISCUSS UPCOMING EP 'PIPE DREAM'
New music alert! Deep Sea Mountains are a local four-piece alternative rock band comprising of members Will Sey (Acoustic guitar and vocals), Alex Humphries (Electric lead guitar), Robin Pugh (Bass) and Joe Martin (Drums and backing vocals). The group are currently gearing up to launch their brand new EP 'Pipe Dream' in March. This release was preceded by a play of 'Mist Mountains', a track from their self-titled album, on BBC Radio Northampton's 'Introducing' show last week. The band had this to say about the guitar tune and its standout lyrics:
"Mist Mountains is about looking through sunglasses at clouds (the mist mountains in question) - it's an everyday beauty that nobody notices and you just take for granted that it's all around, it is an every day occurrence."
The new EP will contain 3 tracks in total for fans of the band to enjoy. Deep Sea Mountains have explained that 2018 feels like a "new year for us as a band" on their Facebook page and listeners will be able to see why through this release. They said:
"The songs on the EP are called Pipe Dream, Beneath The Leaves and Knife Block. All the songs are completely different from each other and also completely different to what we have made before, so that is why 2018 feels like a new year for us as a band, as we are settled in the direction we are going in and the new sound we are achieving."
The band have also expressed excitement towards the artwork for the EP on their Facebook page. They teased the following for us:
"The artwork for our EP is designed by Joe Martin (Deep Sea Mountains' drummer) - he designed both our album cover and logo, so he was the man to do the next project art with a new logo. Without giving too much away, the front cover is a very contemporary indie-psychy design, with reference to the lyrics in Pipe Dream. The back cover image was taken by our friend Pete Cobbe, a photographer, who pretty much takes most of our pictures and videos."
Look out for the full magazine article next month where you can find out more about the band, including how they formed.
Listen to their music here in the run-up to the release of Pipe Dream - Bandcamp
Social media pages:
Do you like what you hear from Deep Sea Mountains? Tweet us @Northantsnotes!
image credit: Deep Sea Mountains
20 Jan 2018
NORTHAMPTON'S RISING STAR: ORGANISER AND JUDGE TOMMY GARDNER EXPLAINS NEW FORMAT AND WHY HOPEFULS SHOULDN'T BE NERVOUS
Today I met up with the man behind local talent competition 'Northampton's Rising Star' in a café. Tommy Gardner was keen to talk through the format for those who may not know what it entails, plus its evolution since the first edition last year. He explained:
"We have just opened registrations and they are open all the way until March 11. We will close registrations and then at the end of March, plus April, we will have a couple of days of auditions. From that, we will narrow the acts down on scores to 12 final acts. They will take part in the final, which is in the middle of June. Between that, we have made some changes to last year’s format. We had our final 12 last year and that was it, we left them to do their own thing until the end of the show. This year we have a team of contestant mentors, which includes: singers, dancers and a vocal coach. They will be on hand to work with the acts if they have any ideas of what they want to achieve in the final."
So, anyone interested will not have to go through it on their own if they need support and have more help than ever before. But what if they're still feeling nervous? Tommy reassured contestants by saying:
"Please don’t feel nervous! We are all really friendly; I promise that we won’t be mean. We just want people to do their best. If you come in feeling nervous then we’ll talk to you and settle you down, it will be cool. It is a nice, friendly environment."
Look out for the full interview with Tommy in the magazine next month, which includes: what kind of judge he is, which type of acts are his favourite and an explanation of future projects on top of Northampton's Rising Star - including the creation of a charity compilation album with Northamptonshire artists, called Voices Northampton!
Watch Tommy explaining how you can register for Northampton's Rising Star 2018 below:
Website: www.northamptonsrisingstar.com
Twitter: @NptonRisingStar / @TommyGardner
Instagram: @northamptonsrisingstar / @tommygardner
Are you planning to register for Northampton's Rising Star 2018 or know anyone who is? Tweet us @Northantsnotes - we'd love to hear from you!
image credit: Faryl Smith
19 Jan 2018
WHERE ARE THEY NOW: BRITAIN'S GOT TALENT'S FARYL SMITH
I decided to create a feature for the magazine that would tie into the launch of Northampton's Rising Star 2018 nicely. This is looking back at Northamptonshire artists who have appeared on talent shows! Today I thought I would share an interview with one of the stars that will be featuring in this article as a teaser. This is none other than 22-year-old classical singer Faryl Smith from Kettering, who reached the final of Britain's Got Talent 10 years ago! This means she was a mere 12-years-old when she appeared on the show. It is a lot of pressure for someone to sing in front of Simon Cowell at that age! She said:
"I was very nervous about auditioning, I thought... there are thousands of people auditioning from around the country so I have no chance! I enjoyed my Britain's Got Talent experience, but it is hard to remember a lot of it as I was only 12. But I was lucky that my family took a lot of photos that I can look back on. My favourite moment was probably the tour after the show."
The 2008 series was won by street-dancer George Sampson. Faryl performed alongside him and other hopefuls in the final and finished as high as fourth. But did she expect to make it so far? She recalls: "I did not expect to make the final no, it was only the second series of BGT and there was such a variety of acts. I didn't know what they were looking for."
Britain's Got Talent has had a lot of longevity as a talent show. In fact the twelfth series of it will be on television this spring and people can still apply for it! Here is what Faryl had to say to those who are thinking of entering this year: "I think the main advice that I would give, would be to try and enjoy every moment. It is such a whirlwind experience and everything happens so quickly!"
Some talent show stars can fade away immediately but Faryl kept her name out there since her series of the show finished. She explained: "The show gave me a brilliant platform to then release two albums with Decca. I felt lucky, particularly about the first album being such a success [it went top 5 in the UK Albums Chart] - that made it even better."
"I think my favourite opportunities since the show ended have got to be performing for the Queen several times and also getting the chance to sing at the Royal Variety Performance even though I didn't win the show."
So what is Faryl up to right now? She responded with: "I am still very busy with performing. I recently performed in Dubai and I'm still singing at a lot of sporting events in the future at Wembley and Twickenham. I am also studying for a degree at the Guildhall School of Music in London."
Faryl may be based in London for her studies and is jetting off to places like Dubai for her singing... but what about her Northamptonshire roots? She said: "I enjoyed growing up in Kettering and I still enjoy going back home a lot now!"
You can follow Faryl on Twitter @farylmusic or visit her website farylmusic.co.uk to keep up with her latest news. Watch a 12-year-old Faryl stunning the judges on Britain's Got Talent:
Watch an 18-year-old Faryl getting the opportunity to duet with Russell Watson below:
Do you remember supporting Faryl Smith on Britain's Got Talent back in 2008? Let us know on Twitter @northantsnotes, we would love to hear from you!
18 Jan 2018
ONE WEEK TO GO: MAYOR OF NORTHAMPTON PROMISES 'A GREAT WEEKEND' FOR CHARITY GIG 'MAYOR-FEST' AT THE PICTUREDROME
The Mayor of Northampton Gareth Eales has launched his own three-day charity festival. 'Mayor-fest' will feature local groups such as The Mobbs and Kickstart, plus tribute bands for acts like Oasis, The Killers and The Smiths. The event will be held over the weekend of January 26 at the Picturedrome pub, which is situated in Kettering Road.
The proceeds of this event will be given to a charity named Alfie Bear's Journey, which supports research into DIPG (Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma), an aggressive form of brain cancer. The charity was set up after six-year-old Alfie Thomas from Northampton died in June 2014. You can find out more about the charity here.
Gareth said: "As the Mayor of Northampton, I am both delighted and excited to have organised Mayor-Fest. There will be some fantastic live music acts. We have tried to go for a blend of some top quality tribute acts, along with some really good local talent and I think we have done that - and trust me, these acts are absolutely top class."
"The headline acts are really top notch tribute acts to The Smiths, The Killers and Oasis, with huge followings. We also have support from well-known Northampton artists."
"It is going to be a great weekend and I am sure we will raise a good amount of money for the charity at the same time, which is what it's all about. Who knows [about expanding Mayor Fest from a one-time event], maybe Mayor-Fest 2 will take place next year? Something for the next Mayor to decide of course."
Got a free weekend next week and £19.00* spare to attend one of the days? If so then visit the Mayor-Fest website to book tickets as 50+ are still available. Alternatively you can buy a weekend ticket for £45* which covers all three days.
Full line-up:
Friday January 26: THE SMYTHS, King's Gambit and Amii Dawes. Doors open at 19:00.
Saturday January 27: THE KILLERZ, Donnybrook Fair, The Mobbs & Daniel Knight. Doors open at 19:00.
Sunday January 28: The OASIS Experience, The 2 Tones, Kickstart, Josh Wylie, Chris JD Wilkinson and Samuel Jared O'Malley. Doors open at 14:00. The night will end at approximately 22:00
You must be 18+ to attend the event.
Will you be attending? Which act are you most looking forward to if so? Tweet us @northantsnotes!
*plus booking fee
image credit: Gareth Eales
17 Jan 2018
NORTHAMPTON'S RISING STAR 2018 SEARCH IS UNDERWAY! LAST YEAR'S WINNER KARA HAMER OFFERS ADVICE FOR THIS YEAR'S HOPEFULS
The search for Northampton's Rising Star 2018 is on! The annual event is a talent competition that is open to anyone of any age - with any talent. If this sounds up your street, or you know anyone interested, then they can register here, or you can visit any Cynthia Spencer Hospice retail location or Step by Step Dance School!
16-year-old singer Kara Hamer won the contest last year with her rendition of Snow Patrol's 'Run' (later a #1 hit for Leona Lewis). Here is her advice to anyone who wants to follow in her footsteps:
"To anyone who is entering this year, just give it a go and try your best, everyone is there to support and help you. Have some confidence in yourself and use your nerves in your performances, that is how you will perform to your very best. And good luck to everyone! I can't wait to see all of the talent that will be found this year!"
Look out for our full interview with Kara in the magazine when it is launched in February. Watch the moment when she won last year here!
More Northampton's Rising Star related interviews are coming soon. Follow @NptonRisingStar on Twitter in the meantime for all information on the contest.
image credit: Kara Hamer
15 Jan 2018
AN AFTERNOON WITH CORINNA JANE: 10 THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW
Pop-rock singer Corinna Jane kindly agreed to meet up with me in a coffee shop over the weekend. I had an extensive chat with her about future musical projects, emotional stories from fans, her greatest achievements to date and what Northampton means to her, amongst other things. A triple-page spread shall be on the way when the magazine launches (February 23, 2018) but for now here is a condensed teaser. Here are 10 things I learnt about Corinna Jane during our coffee shop hour together:
01) She dealt with being compared to Avril Lavigne a lot when she was growing up.
02) Sheryl Crow was the reason that she got into music.
03) She cited the likes of Kelly Clarkson, Paramore, Marina and The Diamonds and The Kinks as other musical influences.
04) She said that The Lab (formerly known as The Labour Club) and The Picturedrome are amongst her favourite venues to go to in Northampton.
05) She is working on a dance project with German producer Mark 'Oh, who had number one hits in Germany in both the nineties and noughties.
06) Another musical venture that she is working on is a dark cinematic pop project under the name of Animatique.
07) One of her favourite accomplishments to date was being interviewed on London Live TV.
08) Her song 'Echoes Of My Mind' inspired a fan to get in touch with a family member that they had not spoken to in a while.
09) Before moving to Northampton, Corinna grew up in Germany until she was eight and also has a French mother.
10) When asked if her roots impacted her music, she said that the French way of storytelling in 'a sad poetic way' does sometimes influence her writing.
Corinna Jane's latest EP 'Hard In Love' is available here. You can find out more about her through her YouTube channel (Corinna Jane), Twitter (@corinna_jane) and Instagram (@corinnajane).
Here is a bonus video that we took at the coffee shop, where Corinna talked me through 'Hard In Love' track by track:
Are you a fan of Corinna Jane's music? We would love to hear from you! Tweet us @northantsnotes or email northamptonnotes@gmail.com to get in touch.
10 Jan 2018
WESTLIFE STAR SHANE FILAN'S 'LOVE ALWAYS' TOUR RETURNS TO NORTHAMPTON!
Westlife fans may have been left thinking What About Now? when lead singer Shane Filan's 'Love Always' tour came to an end in 2016. But they no longer need to ponder as Shane has announced another run of the tour for 2018! The Royal & Derngate theatre have announced a Northampton date for Sunday, May 16 at the time of 7:30pm. Ticket are available now from £35 if you wish to get your hands on some.
Shane exploded onto the UK music scene after Irish boyband Westlife released their first single 'Swear It Again' back in 1999. It went to the top of the chart and the group followed this with an impressive string of thirteen more #1 hits. These songs along with their albums have equated to a whopping fourty-four million sales. Filan embarked on a solo career in 2013 and has so far released three albums, titled: 'You and Me' (2013), Right Here (2015) and 'Love Always' (2017). 'Love Always', his latest release that this tour will centre around, reached #5 in both the United Kingdom and Ireland. This is his highest solo chart position to date. The album features covers of his favourite love ballads, as well as fan suggestions and three original songs. The lead single is a cover of Jamie Scott's 'Unbreakable' , which was released back in July last year.
image credit: Wikimedia Commons user Supahlove
NORTHAMPTONSHIRE AUTUMN / WINTER END OF YEAR GIG GUIDE
Stuck for plans during the remaining cold months of 2017? Here are some of the upcoming local gigs in store to brighten up these days!
NOVEMBER 16 - NATHAN CARTER - CASTLE THEATRE - WELLINGBOROUGH
NOVEMBER 16 - MARTHA REEVES - THE DECO - NORTHAMPTON
NOVEMBER 18 - FAIRGROUND ACCIDENTS - THE GARIBALDI HOTEL - NORTHAMPTON
NOVEMBER 24 - DJ FORMAT AND ABDOMINAL - MILTON KEYNES - THE CRAUFURD ARMS
NOVEMBER 25 - SALLY BARKER - KETTERING - KETTERING ARTS CENTRE
NOVEMBER 29 - PULLED APART BY HORSES - MILTON KEYNES - THE CRAUFURD ARMS
DECEMBER 1 - DRONES and LOOSE TOOTH - CORBY - THE EX
DECEMBER 8 - AMY TRUE - NORTHAMPTON - THE BLACK PRINCE
DECEMBER 9 - CASKET FEEDER - NORTHAMPTON - THE LAB
DECEMBER 10 - JAZZ COLOSSUS - NORTHAMPTON - THE PICTUREDROME
DECEMBER 14 - DREADZONE - NORTHAPTON - THE ROADMENDER
DECEMBER 15 - CENTURY CITY and PUPPET REBELLION - NORTHAMPTON - THE LAMPLIGHTER
DECEMBER 20 - WE ARE GIANTS - NORTHAMPTON - THE KING BILLY
DECEMBER 24 - MARCUS MAROOTH - NORTHAMPTON - THE ARTIZAN
DECEMBER 30 - DANSMALL - NORTHAMPTON - THE POMFRET ARMS
DECEMBER 31 - THE BARRATTS - NORTHAMPTON - CLUB 43
31 Oct 2017
AMY MACDONALD SUPPORT ACT HOLIDAY OSCAR CHATS MUSIC AND NORTHAMPTON!
Folk singer Holiday Oscar was chosen as Amy MacDonald's support act at the weekend for her Derngate concert and will continue to support her on further dates. He said: "I have absolutely no clue how the opportunity came around. We randomly got an email. I'm so happy to be on the tour I can't begin to explain." He quickly introduced myself and many others to the world of his quirky, personal songs. 'Nicholas', a song penned about his music teacher was the most memorable offering for me. The subject matter is very down to Earth and even name drops Uber transport! The quirkiness does not end there as his latest EP is named 'Spilt Milk & Teething Powder'. His reasoning behind the title? Well, that would be: "I thought it sounded kinda cool".
Holiday Oscar is a relative newbie as a front man. He explained: "I have been performing on my own for around a year. I used to be in a band who toured a lot round the UK, so being on my own is a little weird." Gigs around the country are helping him to find his groove as a solo artist. Especially in Northampton! He was fond of his Derngate experience at the weekend, stating that: "I loved it! The Derngate was such a beautiful venue. The audience were amazing. I love playing to real music lovers who actually want to listen." This was actually Holiday Oscar's first time in Northampton and he extended his "beautiful" comment to the rest of the town!
So, who inspires his distinctive creativity? He said: "It changes all the time, but my hero will always be Tom Waits. At the moment it is Lady Gaga."
The 'Spilt Milk & Teething Powder' EP is out now. Holiday Oscar will be headlining St. Pancras Old Church in London on February 1, 2018 following the Amy gigs.
Did you catch Holiday Oscar's 30 minute set before Amy MacDonald at the Derngate theatre on Sunday? Let us know on Twitter @northantsnotes what you thought if so!
30 Oct 2017
SCOTTISH FOLK SINGER AMY MACDONALD PUTS ON A SHOW FOR NORTHAMPTON
Northampton was treated to the first date of Amy Macdonald's acoustic tour at the Derngate theatre last night. The singer is best known for scoring top 40 hits with 'Mr. Rock & Roll' and 'This Is The Life' in the late noughties. She has sustained her success as latest album 'Under Stars' charted at #2 as recently as February this year.
I viewed the concert from a box seat surrounded by other young adults, children and parents. So there was a good mix of ages present. Amy put on an impressive show, especially considering that she almost had to cancel the gig due to illness. She stated: "what you guys are getting tonight is just 25% of me" but that "the show must go on!" It was admirable for Amy to persevere for local fans and those who had travelled across the country. One family had even come all the way from the United States!
This intimate acoustic set felt like the perfect way to round off a Sunday evening. The night had a very chilled feeling to it as you would expect, but she threw in some more uptempo songs which prevented things from feeling stagnant. So the setlist felt like a perfect mix of tempo and also eras as she played at least a few songs from each album. The crowd naturally went wild for 'Mr. Rock & Roll' and 'This Is The Life' but also 'Poison Prince' invoked a reaction of euphoria from the audience. Prior to Amy arriving, support act Holiday Oscar injected some quirkiness to the night immediately with his personal songs.
It was hard to believe that Amy was ill tonight as her vocals sounded top notch. No voice cracks or anything. She was still attempting tough notes and nailing them. I felt like my £37 ticket was worth the one-and-a-half hour show when she was such a trouper. Especially as her crowd interaction was very charming too. We learnt that her favourite show is The Walking Dead and (on her mum being an extreme pessimist) she said: "This woman was literally preparing me for a zombie apocalypse even if we were just going to ASDA!" This quip provided the most laughter of all.
Fans will absolutely love Amy's current tour that shows off the best of her voice. It is a pleasant night out for anyone of any age who does not have a strong opposition to folk music. Missed the gig in Northampton? Well worry not - Amy said "It has been the perfect start to this tour in terms of audience" and "I haven't seen much of the town [Northampton] - I'll have to come back!".
Visit http://www.amymacdonald.co.uk/live/ to book tickets for her an upcoming show.
Are you a fan of Amy Macdonald? Did you attend her Northampton gig last night? Tweet us @northantsnotes for the chance to appear in issue 1 of the magazine!
NEWSFEED
12 Feb 2018
DR. JASMINE SHADRACK TALKS SEXISM IN MUSIC_
The Senior Lecturer in Popular Music at The University of Northampton and member of black metal band Denigrata discusses women in the metal scene.
08 Feb 2018
CHANGING FUTURES WEEK 2018: DANIEL P CARTER_
The musician and host of Radio 1's 'Rock Show' gave a talk to University of Northampton students.