(Aural Artful - Cherishable Download - out now - & (Ltd) Compact Disc - October).
21 tracks / £5
ONCE UPON ANOTHER TIME
DOWNLOAD NOW FROM TUNE TRIBE - Out Now
LIMITED CD - Mid October (Artful)
A cup brimming over with a whirl of Alternative but Accessible underground classics. Some, favourites from rock's DIY network, some first recordings commercially released or exclusive to this album. Most of these artists are completely new names to the unsuspecting public in general. All are very cool, very hot tips. When Music Tourist Board began three years ago, it's first compilation was an invitation to check out tips like Art Brut, Bloc Party, New Rhodes, Chris T-T etc and more, that have since raised their profile.
This album is a fiver well spent for music fans checking out new bands to fall in love or get involved with - at less than 24p per song.
The album was inspired by the first Artful (non conventional convention of entertainment & exhibition) itself inspired by the travelling rock n roll circus of musical talent / djs / film / promoters / fairies / media / art / photography / design / pirates / venues and especially imaginations creating an ever evolving excitement this decade. Everybody on the album is woven into this story of once upon another time...
Download it now from
POLE CLUB at TUNETRIBE.COMA limited edition CD (via Cargo Records) to follow in October, as part of this year's Artful festivities. Watch this space and
BE ARTFUL afternoon forum - by word of mouth & net, the second Artful is coming together for this October. Check out Year 007's hot tips between Oct 1st to 31st / join in / whatever...
In the mean time THE WHIRLED CUP contenders are already starting to take off since this album started being compiled in April (All Fools Month)...
01 : We Will All Be Aliens - Seeing Scarlet
Brit-punk for the new age... they have the look, charisma & attitude to be its forerunners.' (Karma Download). Debut single sold out in two weeks. The video was downloaded 15,000 times on MTV2 etc. Critics described them as 'stunning' (Room Thirteen), 'glorious' (Glasswerk), 'compelling' (Damn Pest), 'alluring' (Music Week), 'catchy', 'anthemic' (The Fly). Music Weeks already noticed a stadium grandeur.
02 : AKA Butcher (Rage Mix) - Gear
Intelligent music for intelligent people. Debut made Radio 1 Rock Singles Top 10. Intense, energy tunes loved by punks of all decades (including Mick Jones, Glen Matlock, Julien Temple and tour buddies, The Buzzcocks). "loud, fast, brash and bloody exciting" (god is in the tv) "Possessing the stripped down sneer of punk but too inventive to be classed as nihilistic" (r*e*p*e*a*t) "they look set to carry the mantle the Buzzcocks will eventually leave behind..." (Gair Rhydd).
03 : Five Minute Wonder - William
lurching between wall-of-sound frenzy and sweetly picked melody. (Drowned In Sound). Debut single Aperture/Five Minute Wonder a few months ago, let writers express what they've wanted to say about the art rock band they've been waiting for. Urgent angular guitars, Gavin Williams frenzied yelps and some winning razor sharp melodies combine to create the true beauty that is Five Minute Wonder. (New Noise). "Deftly executed guitar cacophony amongst well-played, catchy rhythm and bass." (God Is In The TV).
04 : Sea Defences - Making Eyes At Elvis
Rock Pop Jazz thrill supreme. Once Upon Another Time there was a school band called Charlie Brown. Their music won a competition and they got to make a CD (Operation Persuasion EP) that was so amazing it sold out twice over. They were spotted (while soundchecking!) in their native Ipswich. That evening's live show earned them an invitation to London then demand fever set in. Joel, Jo and Becky found themselves at In The City a few months later. The industry sat up. They got connected, changed their name, sat their exams and have become a new pop force to be reckoned with.
05 : Brand New Ting - The Darling Reds
South London Heroes in the Making" (2bob). A young dub-rock quartet amassing a (lively!) following with every live show and via their (hot) latest demos. "It's obvious they'd be dynamite live." (The Mag). Extraordinary Boys with energetic, rock tunes you can whistle and full on charisma. The Darling Reds formed to avoid boring jobs and accidentally hit the chemistry for a great band, Infectious. Positively.
06 : Ritual No.1 -Nicky Wire
Initially played anonymously, this calling card anthem proved a fave in the clubs. Being Nicky Wire is an art in itself. An enticingly heady mix of grace and disgrace empowered by an articulate intellect that is as rock'n'roll as it is at odds with it. Life long Manic Street Preacher, Wales first superhero rock star (hoovering househusband by day! Dragged-up-stick-insect-bass-wielding-firebrand-polemicist by night!), winner of Brits, Brats, various honours. Critically and commercially successful, always outspoken, never outgunned. The Wire appears courtesy of himself.
07 : Colonel Bright (demo) The Fairies Band
Genuine art punk rockers, exhibited artists (NYC gets and loves them), they grace the stage with a spiky, sleazy showgirl rock. Audiences are gob smacked. "The first time a group has induced pop rapture in too, too long" - drowned in sound. Dont let their glamour fool you, this s is a seriously great band.
08 : Last Guest To Leave - Cutaways
The Betes Noires started out in Teletexts Top Ten demos of 003 and havent looked back. EPs received high acclaim, airplay on Radio 1, Xfm etc. Gigs with Art Brut, Editors, Tim Wheeler, Wonderstuff, Kerbdog etc, and at Northern Ireland The Next Generation, In the City/Artful 005. Their QOTSA / Sugar / Pixies influenced rock has a bunch of labels foaming at various orifices (NME). A knack for a tune while keeping it heavy with big riffs, gritty guitars and impressive bass lines (The Fly). They kicked off 006 supporting The Frank & Walters, Whipping Boy, The Kooks and million selling US act The All American Rejects. New tunes, new name, Cutaways, new thrill.
09 : A Puncture - Dexy
Timeless-Pop Melody. Dexy got up on stage and dared to sing during Artful Festival (October 005). Used to singing backing vocals and playing guitar in cult rock bands, it was a brave first for him. The positive response his songs had, probably astonished him as much as everybody else. Even Elliott Smiths band are among those singing his praises. This year he was invited to play the Goldsmiths City Showcase event, then found himself on the same festival bill as Bob Dylan. Lately Dexy has been working with ex-Mansun front man, Paul Draper, on Paul's new material. This is the first commercially available recording.
10 : Grey Spaces - Nebraska
Nebraska are deservedly adored by those that know. Dramatic, poetic, anthemic, Nebraska combine modernity and classicismto pack a hard punchin a velvet glove. The can't-stand-still rhythms, iconic guitar sound and intelligent lyrics crooned by Michaels 40-a-day choirboy voice weave with washes of wonderful otherworldliness. Nebraska deliver the three minute pop song and seven minute epic with the same level of passion. A live set of potential singles. Producer to the legends, Adrian Hall, has discovered Nebraska and debut album, 'The Path To The Silent Country' is waiting in the wings. This is the sound that stars make...
11 : Set My Guitar to the Heart of Destroy - The Needles
"Fantastic" - Rocksound. "A fuzzy magic gem" - Metro. "From the simplest of constituents, The Needles have created a monster" - NME The Needles have built a following, sold-out 5 DIY EPs, had radio airplay, toured the UK (including festivals/In The City) and recorded sessions for Radio 1, BBC Scotland and more, while generally becoming great at what they do in the process!
The Needles are the most rocktastic, poptastic to make you ecstatic. In that thread, their first proper single went Independent Singles Chart Top 20, and praise is starting to pile up. One of this years fast rising stars already. 6Music session in the wings, the lot. As with all The Whirled Cup contenders, consider yourself tipped. This track is an exclusive. the band that keep on giving!
12 : Go Now Go - Innercity Pirates
Swashbuckling Punk , once they were My Red Cell, came to Pop Of The Tops, rocked it's foundations and helped Digital Sneakers create their acclaimed Rocklands film . A month later and one of them got run over crossing the road outside the Paradise Bar and played the gig with his leg on a stool. Those kind of wild people. Anyway, they went on to huge adoration, singles of the week type stuff, disappeared while on top, retained their motormouth charm and resurfaced as genuine pirates on their own terms. They were spotted busking at Reading Festival last year. It's earned them a slot at this year's event. NME helped track them down from a picture. Go Now Go was the lead track on a five track EP not available in shops. Pirate gigs occur randomly UK wide... invite them to stage one.
13 : You Know - Empty Vessels
Off kilter Noise Pop that is the sound of Death To Mortgage Rock. Empty Vessels are possibly aliens. Since featuring on Earwax Radio's Artful Broadcast at the end of 005, word has spread. As 006 started, Empty Vessels found themselves on various covermount CDs and cool compilations. These are twisted-smart-noiseniks of the undefinable kind. Their "edgy monochrome" sound earned them Demo Of The Week on Teletext while You're So Old Street cited 'A London voice worthy of Bowie". Empty Vessels formed as a reaction against the factory-farmed smugness that fills the airwaves like fungus. They like: Stripped-down grooves - Art not "art" - Cartoon animals shouting at each other... They don't like: Guitar solos & long songs - Acts & gimmicks - Real men & messy eaters - "It's easy to be a vexed3 chord brat, and we love it. This non-miserable song, however,started outaping Kraftwerk. Didn'tend upthat way, buttrywhistling it in the shower..."
14 : Just Like Peter Cook - Korova
Edinburgh art punkers described as "Spiky and jagged like a heart monitor recording a cardiac arrest, their live set is taut and charged, fiercely technicolour and unexpectedly open" by Drowned In Sound. Their first show south of the border last year caused a riot of a mosh, then this (t)Art-punk quartet played In The City 005 (John Kennedy of Xfm caught their set was impressed, and has played them on his show). 'Just Like Peter Cook' went on to win 98n a Radio 1 Evening Session Scotland poll. Korova played The Artful Broadcast by Earwax Radio, the song went on to be the show's song of 005!
Korova made the shortlist, from thousands of bands, for this year's T-In-the Park Festival, if not the event this time round. With their star in the ascendancy as people start to take note, they released debut single Just Like Peter Cook / Microwave Romance (ltd 7) to great acclaim this summer.
15 : Chets On Fire - Chet
Awesome alert. Revered. Abnormal. Essential. The Mighty Chet are Pavement, Pixies, XTC and the 21st century combined. "This band have songs, big songs that you can imagine played in arenas, with thousands singing along". (John Kennedy, XFM/Spill Magazine). Rightly described as "A great slice of rock. Like The Himalayas are a great slice of rock", Chet are one of the UK's "more interesting" prospects becoming a firm favourite with real music fans. This is a re-recording of a live favourite taken from killer EP on the Autumn horizon...
16 : Get Steady - Jonny Lives!
Newer York Newer Wave Jonny Lives! have already toured the UK with bands like Sonic Youth and the Killers, have already received standing ovations from the UK music press, and are now enjoying radio play on speciality radio stations all over.
Get Steady is a gloss-n-grit blast of rock - the love child of a crazy 48 hours in the UK that included a run of shows with the Kaiser Chiefs, a Music Awards party riot, a bottle of tequila with Dave Grohl, cigars with the Kings of Leon, and a wrestling match with UK DJ femmes the Queens of Noize. The weekends insanity filtered back to NYC, where a sleazy guitar riff hit frontman Jonny Dubowsky like a ton of bricks ú all he could do while enjoying another booze-soaked night was grab a pen. On a napkin at Niagra, a favourite Lower East Side hang out, Jonny jotted down the anthem that would become the bands calling card and is already becoming a 21st century anthem.
Nowadays they've been picked up by the same management team as Motley Crue, Blondie, Meatloaf etc and continue their stealthy rise. Get Steady is their first proper single release and is included in the upcoming sequel to the hit film Van Wilder. It's already been featured on various hit X-box/Playstation games and earned Jonny Lives! TV and more attention.
Their latest EP includes cameos from Nick Valensi (The Strokes), Sammy James Jr. (The Mooney Suzuki), and Jodi Porter (Fountains of Wayne). New York's Village Voice describes Jonny Lives! as downtown bar punks and their live show as post-Radiohead pop/rock with teaming guitars and airy vocals, you owe it to yourself to see them. UK's NME simply says pant-droppingly brilliant. Jonny Lives! are being seen and heard on multi media right now. The debut album is a rock classic of this decade out later this year. You can't wait. You just might not know it yet.
17 : Part Time Punk (demo) - Hey Gravity!
Rocketing in less than six months! Top Shelf Rough N Ready Pop a band that deliver excitement live on stage where it counts. A grrrls-n-boys punky rock machine that launched this February from the ashes of M.A.S.S., headlining a packed Camden Barfly. Fans had travelled from all over the UK and Europe. A week later they were Karma Unsigned Artist Of The Week. Within months shortlisted (14 bands from THOUSANDS) for The Road To V, played at the BPIs British Music Week (with Razorlight, Belle & Sebastian etc), graced various UK/European festivals and, recently, Channel 4TV.,. Hey Gravity! are major league entertainment. They have new songs recorded with producer Jeff Saltzman (The Killers' 'Hot Fuss' etc.) and begin work on an album. Dont miss them.
18 : Discount Lead Belly - White Man Kamikaze
"London's most dangerous band" are on the loose! WMK invaded NYC earlier this year, rocked Death Disco, Arlene's Grocery, won new friends and were immediately invited back. The buzz on what Sarf London is doing has spread across the pond big time (a New York label has approached Dirty Sounds to compile a best of UK rock'n'roll for the States, watch that space). Not so "underground" there as more and more bands save their pittances to fly from one place to the other. White Man Kamikaze's reputation preceded them. Music press, labels and even a film crew checked them out. Bill Kates of XM Radio called them "the best live band he'd seen since The Ramones" and booked them for a studio session on their return (mmaassiivvee station!!!!). Check out www.bpfallon.com - for the vibe. Back on home turf, Artrocker and Filthy Little Angels snapped them up to appear on compilations. Live, they are wild. "This is pure whisky soaked trailer trash ripping up the rule book." (Smash Music) "White Man Kamikaze are like a gang of ASBOs doing the The Clash on karaoke" (Pulse). 'Discount Lead Belly' is a live favourite. Ascending show stealers.
19 :What You Want - The Veez
An introduction to a band that demands your attention. The Veez singer, Shay's always been a face. One of the bright young things of D.I.Y.'s anti-scene. Not just a pretty face, at that. The thriving underground rock scene is sussed and creative through necessity. She hunted out the best female musicians around and the result is a near perfect rock band. Starting with great anthems, ending with genuine pop stars on and off stage.
Less than two years since their first show (Oct 004) to a thousand Hawkwind fans (a rough demo impressed sufficiently to get them the tours support slot. They won over crowds that were there to see legends. The Veez have continued to play special events galore since and are attracting a bigger following with each successive gig.
They have IT, because when they play you can see they've GOT it. The Veez have recorded with producer YOUTH (The Verve, Embrace, Primal Scream etc) - this is one of the tracks - and already played Glastonbury 2005. The first single, Rock Star, is released this Autumn and as a recent interview and exclusive play session on Earwax Radio proved, 'What You Want' is the tip of the iceberg. The Veez kick arse! "The next great British all girl group?" - The Fly (Aug 006)
20 : Driving With The Deathettes - Dolium
Dubbed "The Black Stripes" by BBC Manchester, Dolium began by causing a sensation around Sheffield. Since then, they have remained a true hidden treasure, untouched by the hand of the music industry and REAL in every way possible.
Anybody remember The Others? They played New Cross during the height of their "UK's favourite band" fever. But it was the opening band that attracted the most feedback. Dolium?!!! (pronounced "dolly-um") had come highly recommended by word of mouth and did not disappoint live! Their releases are made at home. When 'Driving With The Deathettes' was originally released, Organzine did the only review, championing them "one of the very best bands around". The Rough Trade shop dubbed it 'Punk Rock Single Of 004', and it promptly sold out four times in as many weeks while airplay from John Peel triggered an international flood of interest. Second single 'Kisses' sold 700 copies in a week.
In 005 debut album 'Kisses Fractures' was acclaimed "As infectious as it's uncomplicated" (Gigwise), "Full of hooks and tunes, it's a refreshing sound" (The Independent) and Organart.com noted that Dolium are "Head and shoulders above most bands". 'Driving With The Deathettes' is taken from 'Kisses Fractures' courtesy of the band and Parlour 9 Records, who co-staged the Hot Test Bands event at In The City 005 to kick off the first Artful Festival.
21 : Ultra Violence - Lazyslave
The first commercially available recording released by planet sized brand new rock secret. A new force in British Rock came together from the ashes of various bands and line ups, six months later, they had created a high energy sound and live act based on a wide range of influences, including Faith No More, Interpol, Mars Volta, Deftones, A Perfect Circle, Jimi Hendrix, Rage Against The Machine, System Of A Down... the result created Lazyslave in September 005. They have started performing regularly around London to great success, gathering the seeds of a close following. They made this recording at home.
MUSIC TOURIST BOARDSleeve photography by Fred Tectonic, DJ at Pretty Beat (Bubblegum Club) of artwork in Creekside, Deptford by Banksy.
FRED TECTONIC and
BANKSYAlbum mastered by Rich Pack (also a photographer and DJ)
RICH PACKThank you to all the artists involved. thanks also to Moore Brothers Music, F J Music, The Blue Light District, Earwax Radio, Tough Love Records, Dirty Sounds, Jane & Amelia @ P.O.L.E., The Happy Funny Family, Liz Gould, c:b, Dennis at Sawmills, Scott Needles, 10th Street Entertainment, T.A.R.G.O., Riser Recordings, Alex at Tune Tribe, Parlour 9 Records, Mick Paterson, Digital Sneakers, Creative Lewisham Agency, Fusion/NDC, God Is In The TV, Pete Hill, Southside Management and the playing class artful dodgers of rocknroll for inspiration.
Once Upon Another Time is the first known collection of 21st Century classics from Planet Water. Promo copies via polecd001 @ yahoo.co.uk