Issue Forty-One is our final magazine of 2022, and we see the year out with a band who have grown into one of the most exciting prospects for 2023. Lime Garden are on the cover. From support slots with Idles, Katy J Pearson and Yard Act, to selling out their debut UK tour in November, it’s no surprise that they’re keen to keep up the momentum and have started work on their debut album. The world wants it. We chat imposter syndrome, karaoke bars and rocking until you’re grey. The Murder Capital have released a string of singles from their upcoming new album ‘Gigi’s Recovery’. This record bids to add greater depth of sound whilst maintaining the spirit and energy that we’ve all come to expect from the band. They meet us at the pub to talk about growth, mantras and healing through art. London’s DEADLETTER have just spent some time on the road supporting Placebo. With 8 days notice, they packed their bags and played to crowds that most only dream of. We caught up with the band in Paris and frontman, Zac filled us in on the tour, their new EP ‘Heat!’ and dreams of Glastonbury. Another London band we are getting excited about are Tapir!. We’ve not stopped listening to their debut EP ‘Act 1 (The Pilgrim)’ and we got in touch to discuss The Pilgrim, their relationship with Folk music and their beloved George Tavern. Also in the capital, via Portsmouth, is Jessica Winter.
3 Humour Pure Misery 8 Lime Garden Bitter 15 Jessica Winter Choreograph 20 The Murder Capital Gigi’s Recovery 24 NightBus Music for the night time 29 She’s In Parties Cherish
Alongside a busy period of producing for other artists, Jessica Winter is about to release a new EP. We discuss the themes within it, musical persona’s and the barriers within the industry. Not too far from town are Essex band, She’s In Parties. Although only three singles in, the band have been grabbing the attention of many and we wanted to know more. Their formation and online scenes are on the agenda. In Glasgow, Humour have just released their debut EP ‘pure misery’. Pairing their post-punk and post-hardcore fusion with an outstanding live show, it feels like they’re onto something. We give them a call during the inevitable work grovelling period that follows a European tour. We are excited to introduce three brand new names who have relatively little to no music to their name just yet. Bristol’s Quade make ambient, electronic soundscapes in the band format. At this moment, NightBus only have Instagram and a couple of shows to their name. We are told music will follow soon, and from what we’ve heard privately, it’ll be worth the wait. And to finish us off, new Nice Swan signings, splint have a revolving door of band members, but ever present frontman, Jake Bogacki takes some time out to introduce the band and their plans to us.
36 Sneaks Boxed In 37 Quade The Balance 42 splint 145 45 DEADLETTER Heat! 50 Tapir! Act 1 (The Pilgrim)
And you have to do this every day. You have to post this
Knowing the two conflicting sides and trying to fight it,
every day. And you say, no, that’s the whole point. I’m
but giving up in the end.
trying to be a free thinker and trying not to be told how to be and to try and challenge that. Because it’s not okay,
There’s some really harrowing reflections in there,
what we’ve been taught to be over the last 100 years. It
particularly that idea of pretending to be someone that
feels like we’re going a bit backwards.
you’re not. There’s also this idea across the EP of not communicating effectively and not seeing eye to eye. In
You’ve said in the past that you feel like women in
‘Love Song’ you say “sometimes I think, I don’t know
music are commodified and put into boxes, to the
you. And I think you don’t know me too”. Is that motif
extent that once you’re out of your 20s people lose
drawn from your personal life as something you’ve
interest in you. Do you still think there is an industry
been battling with?
wide ageism issue? I think everything’s definitely drawn from a personal In one respect if you’re 18 then you’re gonna have way
moment. But it’s also trying to convey more of a broad
more years to make money for a company. I get that in
feeling of connection in general and how I am mourning
terms of trying to make a business money and stuff there’s
connection at the moment. And I think I’m blaming tech
always going to be that ageism. But definitely becoming
all the time for it. I guess I do struggle with that as well. It
an artist, and being a woman… you know, you are figuring
makes me awkward.
out who you are throughout your 20s and then, when you finally feel like you’ve reached your craft, and you’re like
You’ve worked with organisations such as Extinction
“yeah, I know what I do now”, then it’s like, alright, no
Rebellion and Hate Zine in the past. I was wondering
one’s interested. See you later.
what your thoughts are on the current political climate, and especially its impacts on the music industry.
You’ve taken too long now! We’re all doomed (laughs) I mean obviously it’s really Yeah, but that’s what people forget is that it’s not just a
hard to make money anyway, in the music industry, and
hot girl who can sing, it’s a craft. And when you spent 10
then us heading into... well we’re already in this recession.
years doing something, then surely you are better by the
It’s gonna be even harder. I just feel like the opportunities
end of that 10 years. That’s why it’s nice that I’m even
are so crap for young people that aren’t from a musical
getting a chance to show that craft now.
background. Like, I’m from Portsmouth, I have no idea about the music industry or anything, so I had to learn the
You described your single ‘Funk This Up’ as almost a
hard way. It would be nice to see at this point, that there’s
conversation with yourself, reflecting on the conflicting
way more help, and there actually are some great things.
sides of addiction. Can you expand on that?
I recently did something with University Underground. They’re like a university for people that can’t afford uni,
So the EP is called ‘Limerence’, which means addiction.
which are so good. They do this music course and then I
Not even addiction, more like obsession or being
went in and did like a little workshop. And it was so nice,
completely obsessed by or infatuated with someone. I
because the music industry is so full of people that have
took that meaning to be a bit more broad, in terms of
got musical parents or are just really privileged. And it’s
the EP because, particularly ‘Funk This Up’ deals with
really nice to see that there are some communities that
more about knowing how you’re capable of sabotage and
actually help people that aren’t as privileged. I just hope
bringing chaos into your life, whether that means drugs,
that those don’t close down because of this recession. I
alcohol, sex, any of those aspects, anything that’s going
just really hope that. And I’ll do whatever I can to just
to basically make you feel like shit after doing it. Well, I
keep bringing awareness to it and telling everyone about
mean most of the time. And so knowing that that inside
it.
of you that voice is always tempting you to do stuff.
17
J e s i c a iW n t e r
I couldn’t understand that we were figuring it out as we
James: ‘to keep alive the secret to hold the past in place’
were going along. I was putting the horse before the
right? I remember every fucking line on this record! That
cart. This record was written in such a similar way to the
line is at the core of what this record is about really:
processes in art therapy in that we were just letting things
Accepting the need to surrender in order to inspire
come out without forcing them to.
fundamental change within yourself. That line also has something to do with the defence mechanisms which we
I feel like the difference between your first and
put up. Most of us have a multitude of traumas in our
second record is this shift between focussing on the
past and sometimes you can feel like you’ve dealt with
past previously compared with focussing on the
them. Personally, I have them all stacked in a shelf in my
future now. As well as that, there’s also a stylistic
mind, beautifully ribboned, but I don’t want to shake the
contrast. Following a mantra which you developed,
shelf. I try to convince myself that each of them have been
‘the evolution will not be compromised’, why was it
processed, yet I’m lying to myself in order to hold that
important to develop a new sound as much as new
piece of my past in place.
ideas? Do you think truth and integrity are hard to come by? Gabe: We took that mantra really seriously, even though
Why do you think we live in a world where we have
it started out as a bit of a joke. Both musically and
to protect our identity, a world which is starved of
personally, we never want to stop growing or improving.
authentic values?
It was hard to let go of the record, because it was such a source of growth for all of us. In terms of the sound of the
J: We live in a self-obsessed society. I think the nature of
record, we were just super open to exploring new textures.
our individualistic society breeds a bastardisation of what
We’re a band who write music which replicates how we’re
identity is and isn’t. When I focus in on thinking about the
feeling, and so our style had to match that.
lack of this or that, be it authenticity or integrity, I often think ‘well maybe things have never been different...’
When the record is finished then, is there an element of
The appearance of our society constantly changes, but
self-consciousness behind releasing it?
authenticity has always been hard to come by. There’s this constant grappling within oneself to figure out who
G: I’m just excited for everyone to hear it! I’m certain
you are, and most people don’t have time to think about
about this record. There’s nothing I would change about
that shit. They’re getting up and working their ass off.
it really. I just hope it can help other people heal and
That’s about it. The authenticity that our generation are
move forward in their own lives. This record is two years
searching for is a feeling of being settled in oneself, to
of work summed up in an hour, and we want people to
feel assured that you are trusting your instincts. A lot of us
feel and understand our journey too. A record can solve
make a career out of not listening to ourselves. That voice
something for you that has been left unresolved for years,
is always asking for a more challenging path, with always
I think.
greater outcomes.
James: We’re fucking excited to get back on the road
So, this new record is really about calling people’s
as well. We’re really seeing this as the next era of
identities into question, and hoping that listeners might
development with regards to our set. And that’s integral to
explore themselves slightly more than they would do
what The Murder Capital is.
otherwise?
I wanted to ask you about a particular lyric from this
J: I mean if that’s the outcome, that’s great. This is a
new record, James. I feel it really sums up this idea of
project of very personal self-expression, but we hope we
growth, identity and staying true to yourself; it’s about
have gone into those feelings in an extensive enough way
evolution. ‘We lie…’
that others can project their own lives onto it and maybe ask themselves some difficult questions.
21
T h e M u rd e r C a p i t a l
You’re from Manchester, and it feels like now is as
Nightbus is very much in its infancy, but I can only
good a time as any to be making music in that city.
assume your imagination is running wild with where
How did you find yourselves there and what’s special
you’d like to take it. What’s the dream?
about it just now? A big thing for us is to hit the road and eventually tour the There’s no point beating around the bush. Manchester is
US. The full thing. All of it.
a special place when it comes to music. Always has been and hopefully always will be.
To play Glastonbury is a dream of most if not all musicians and artists. But for us to get there and play a
What happened in decades gone by is still felt now and
handful of shows across the week would be out of this
very much part of the Mancunion culture. We certainly
world - things could and would get weird.
still feel an element of it in our music. To be totally honest we don’t wanna work in hospitality Me and Olive were drawn to Manchester from the some-
anymore, it fucking sucks. Imagine giving 40 hours a
what isolated North-east because of Manchester’s rich
week to Nightbus instead? The world would be a better
heritage and scenes but Jake is rooted here - the music of
place! As a band and musically we see this group as
the city and its surrounding areas have heavily inspired
a blank canvas, we’re constantly adding things and
him.
sometimes taking things away.
What’s special about Manchester is that anyone can come
We’d like to think our best music is yet to come.
here and find like minded people, reinvent themselves, The radio silence usually means there are some big
chase something and carve out paths for themselves.
plans going on behind the scenes. What can we be excited for from Nightbus in the near future?
The ever expanding musical scene in Manchester is a constant source of inspiration and there is community which is always important! Venues like White Hotel and
Come to a gig and you’ll find out………
Band On The Wall provide safe spaces to have amazing experiences and nights out. Producers like Space Afrika
Last of all, you’re travelling hours down south for a
are pushing things forward in every sense of the word, and
show. What’s definitely on the playlist?
local bands like Maruja, are blending genres and putting on incredible live shows that leaves an inspirational
We’ve got a secret Spotify which we use for inspiration,
hunger in your stomach. There’s no place like this, well no
so that’ll defo get some attention. Other band favourites
place that we haven’t been to yet…..
include: Fontaines latest album. Without a doubt their best yet. We’re loving Jadu Heart’s latest single ‘I Shimmer’. We’d love to support them one day….hint hint. A bit of Gil Scott-Heron. That’ll be good for the quieter moments of the journey for sure. And of course to get us pumped we’ll channel our childhood heroes, The Cure and Gorillaz.
25
Nightbus
HUMOUR pure misery EP
Out Now on
RECORDS
Cover Photos Tatjana Rüegsegger
Editors Sam Ford
Josh Whettingsteel
Writers Sam Ford
Charlie Brown Al Mills
Eve Boothroyd Leo Lawton
Amber Lashley Reuben Cross Will Macnab Laura Pegler
Elvis Thirlwell
Printed By Ex Why Zed
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Artists
Josh Whettingsteel Harry Wyld
Pamela Guest
Kalisha Quinlan
Tuomas Kärkkäinen Cameron JL West Naida Mazzenga REN
Ana Galvañ
Laura Junger Nick Ohlo
Kissi Ussuki
Trackie McLeod Carmen Casado
Photos for Collage Tatjana Rüegsegger Marcus Prouse Jr Joe Mulville
Sonny Hammersley Manolo Campion
Craig R McIntosh Kalisha Quinlan
Special Thanks Al Mills
Jamie Ford
Cameron JL West Jack Reynolds