MUSIC

Show some love for Lavene

Sammy Jones takes a look at this month’s Craufurd offerings, and all the music news for the new city...

When they formed in 2019, Benefits were, by their own admission, ‘a fairly standard Idles-lite shouty punk rock outfit’, but one that has since evolved into a highly politicised group merging noise, hip hop, industrial rock, electronica and garage...so you’ll get your monies worth when they visit on February 2.

Despite having no management, no label and no PR, and having no radio support (because of their naughty lyrics), they are still getting through – because creativity and relentless enthusiasm counts.

Fans include Elijah Wood and Sleaford Mods. Nice.

Welsh players Holding Absence wrap up a 20 date tour of these shores at the Wolverton venue on February 5.

The cover stars of Kerrang! magazine’s seasonal edition will be joined by Void of Vision, but this info is only of use if you’ve got your ticket; as with much of the tour, the show sold-out before Christmas!

The Kris Barras Band (Feb 8) enjoyed their highest charting album in 2022 when Death Valley Paradise made it into the Top 30 UK album chart. It signalled a new beginning with a darker and heavier approach, and it’s working well for them.

The band have been reaching new ears with juicy support slots alongside artists including Bon Jovi, Black Stone Cherry, Beth Hart and John Mayall & The Bluesbreakers, but now it’s time for the former cage fighter and his cohorts to take centre stage.

“People used to think I was crazy to be fighting in cages, risking damage to my hands,” Kris says of his violent past, “Truth is though, I always enjoyed it and found that the fighting world offered me more opportunities than the music industry. I got to fight in front of 800 people in Asia...I would’ve much rather played to them instead of getting punched in the face!”

Scottish trio Anchor Lane (Feb 15) have just released their new elpee, Call This A Reality? and will share some of that with you, before Scott Lavene (Feb 16) visits.

Essex born and raised, Lavene has struggled with addiction (a battle now won), was told to ‘Get a grade – you can’t do music,’ in his formative years, and answered that train of thought from his stepdad by heading to France armed with a guitar. He lived in a tent and travelled around before reconnecting with English soil. Canterbury was his new home and he lived among fellow creatives and stoners. Later, in London he lived on a house boat and started a band that he says sounded like ‘Chas ‘n’ Dave meets Queens of the Stone Age, basically,’ which sounds like our kind of musical heaven. But all was far from fine, and things played out badly: “I was just not well,” he recalled, “The madder I got, the more inclined I was to write about going mad. And then my mental health hit a point where I just stopped everything. I stopped playing music for seven years. My life was just solitude, self harm and mental institutions.”

And then, gradually, the rebuild began. He started working with a charity for addicts and alcoholics, and helped to run a music workshop for folks in similar positions to him.

Music has threaded its way through Scott’s family; his grandfather was a successful trad-jazz musician, while his father was a ‘failed musician’, but now Scott was creating with a real honesty, and the results were worth pursuing.

In 2016 he delivered Deadbeat Ballads under the name of Big Top Heartbreak, and then in 2019, Broke followed.

In 2021, Milk City Sweethearts was added to the musical armoury. Scott Lavene’s journey has been frenetic and with some highs and lows we can only guess at. His biography says ‘he’s that voice in our ear who always has a tale more weird, more tragic, more funny than our own, but in whose experiences we can see our own.’

Scott said: “I’ve had people tell me my gigs made them laugh, and then moments later they wanted to cry. In the end, people want to feel things, don’t they?”

He comes to The Craufurd on February 18. You should go.

And we can’t go without giving a mention to Torus. 2023 is shaping up to be a fine year for the rising rock mob who have all sorts of cool plans, but first things first, and they cater for the home crowd with a newly announced date at the venue on February 17. Quality assured.

Anchor Lane are on stage at The Craufurd on February 15 Scott Lavene (above) and Benefits (left) are on the bill at The Craufurd Arms in February

Calling from the underground! Life of Agony pic: Gino De Pinto

Gig of the month

Iwas working on my fanzine when the Roadrunner Records package arrived with a pristine vinyl album in, writes Sammy Jones. There was nothing unusual about that – it was the early ‘90s and media sorts digested all new releases that way. Way more exciting than the streams today, which are delivered to your inbox by faceless PRs.

River Runs Red was the debut album from New Yorkers Life of Agony. It was another album for the pile of listening.

Except that it was anything but just ‘another’ album. It was as dramatic as it was musically delicious as soon as the stylus made the connection with that vinyl.

Its content was dark - abuse, neglect and suicide was all addressed within the tracks of the concept opus.

“River Runs Red was an album that helped so many people get through some really dark times,” reflects bassist Alan Robert, “It was raw, heavy, and extremely emotional when it dropped back in ‘93. We had no idea the impact it would have on that generation, let alone being able to see it have such longevity three decades later.”

I still have that vinyl release, and their music has been a staple of mine ever since.

Life of Agony last played here in the new city in October 2019, and they return to The Craufurd Arms on February 11, when they play the last British date of their ‘30 Years of River Runs Red’ tour.

Support is coming from Madball and Tarah Who?

We’re only entering February and yet this gig is guaranteed to be a 2023 highlight.

> Visit thecraufurdarms.com for tickets – but hurry, the tour is selling out.

> Looking for something to watch? In recent years the band documented its story with the critically acclaimed personal documentary, The Sound of Scars.

Step On for tickets

If you were reading a couple of issues back, you’d have caught our exclusive interview with Happy Mondays fella Shaun Ryder, who passed through Milton Keynes recently.

Now, Shaun’s bandmate is heading this way. Boogie boy and maracas shaker Bez will be live at Unit 9 on February 3 with a DJ set spilling the best in indie dance anthems.

Bez will be curating the bash, and will be joined in spin by DJ Arlo and support.

Get yourself in a spin

The delights just keep on coming at Off The Record, the pre-loved music store located at The Point in Central Milton Keynes, which swells the coffers of Willen Hospice.

The shop is well-stocked with vinyl, cassettes, CDs, concert programmes, music autobiographies, instruments and more.

Our choices this month are first edition copies of two metal classics; Ace of Spades by Motörhead and the self-titled debut album by Iron Maiden.

Both elpees – which are in excellent condition – hit the shelves in 1980 and both served the band’s well. Ace of Spades became the anthem for Lemmy’s fast and furious legendary rock trio, and Maiden’s release featured their first ever single, Running Free.

That track sold more than 10,000 copies in its first week of release – a major achievement for a largely unknown band, and they did it without any mainstream play.

Iron Maiden have gone on to shift in excess of 130 million albums, which isn’t too shabby, is it?

If you want to bag yourself a slice by two of metal’s finest, hurry along to the store.

Stripped show for W&W

Wilson & Wakeman make their return to The Stables in Wavendon on February 3.

Damian (Wilson) has a versatility to his vocals which means he can sing his way across the genres like few others can. Aside from his six solo albums, Damian took the lead on stage in Les Misėrables for two years, which saw him hit up many of the UK’s premier stages.

Adam (Wakeman) has enjoyed success in his own right, alongside his father, Rick, and with artists too varied to mention in their entirety, but also including Take That, Annie Lennox, Slash, 10CC and Will Young.

Adam is the keyboard player and guitarist with Ozzy Osbourne, and held the same role with Black Sabbath. Most recently seen on the Stables stage with Jazz Sabbath, this date is an opportunity to engage in the Wilson & Wakeman catalogue, which spans three albums, along with a splash of stories and songs from their respective back catalogues.

> Click to stables.org for tickets.

Wilson & Wakeman are at The Stables

Solstice shine in national poll

The annual Cropredy line-up has been announced and looks set to be a blast with 10CC, Richard Digance, Merry Hell, Beans on Toast, Wilson & Wakeman and the ever entertaining Toyah and Robert Fripp all heading over to the Oxfordshire village for the Fairport Convention headed festival.

And there’s another familiar name in the listings – MK’s own Solstice are booked to play.

“Great to be announced as part of the first wave of acts,” said guitarist Andy Glass, writing on the band’s Facebook page, “Just waiting for confirmation on which day, but proposed is a 75 minute slot late Saturday afternoon which would be phenomenal.”

> Cropredy runs August 10-12. For more festival details and to book tickets visit fairportconvention.com

And while we are on the subject of Solstice, the results of Prog Magazine’s 2022 readers’ poll were recently announced, with Marillion taking the top spot in the band category, and the Pulse music faves, Finnish masters Von Hertzen Brothers in at number 6. And Solstice bagged 8th spot.

There was further success for the band, with Andy Glass voted 5th in the poll for most favoured guitarist, and Jess Holland hitting 4th position in the category of female vocalist.

And it’s not only Cropredy that is signing up MK talents. Annual metalfest Bloodstock (August 10-14) will be headed by Killswitch Engage, Meshuggah and Megadeth in 2023, but Tuskar and Casket Feeder feature among the supporting cast.

> Go to bloodstock.uk.com

Solstice had a brilliant 2022 and look set to follow that up in 2023

He’s ‘bean’ before

and he’s coming back!

Outlaw folker Beans on Toast will be back in the Keynes on February 24, serving up another portion of protein heavy goodness, as part of his Back Out On The Road tour.

Beans is a particularly prolific creator, and he’s been at his game for more than 17 years, so there’s a huge catalogue of tracks from which to pick for the evening’s setlist.

In December, Beans released his 15th album, The Fascinating Adventures of Little Bee, which saw him targeting a new audience; he teamed up with Jaime and Lily Adamsfield to deliver a collection of illustrated stories and songs for children.

Don’t take the kids to this show though, which is more likely to pull from musical moments including 2021’s album, Survival of the Friendliest.

“Folk music is an age-old art form, and it’s more relevant than ever in these wild and crazy modern times,” Beans said, telling ticket-holders that they can get set for a warm and fuzzy time at the MK11 show, “You can expect an inspiring and entertaining gig, a relaxed and fun affair that leaves you feeling like you’ve met up with an old friend, and you’re all the better for it.”

Beans on Toast and The South both play MK11 in February

The South are also at the Kiln Farm venue this month. The nonet, featuring former members of The Beautiful South, will play all those easy pop classics you expect; A Little Time, Perfect 10, Rotterdam, Song For Whoever, Don’t Marry Her and plenty more.