So Young Issue Thirteen

Issue Thirteen

The Magic Gang Wolf Alice Childhood The Moonlandingz Black Lips Shame

Karen Lederer

Issue Thirteen marks our arrival to the middle of 2017 and the arrival of a magazine which travels the spectrum of guitar bands. We meet Wolf Alice in a North London pub to talk about how their comeback single chose them and the importance of writing songs to make people move. The Magic Gang have been away writing a debut album, we chat about moving on from DIY to cutting the fat from every track and making the most of each instrument. We then head to Sheffield to meet The Moonlandingz who boast one of the most exciting live shows in the UK, we discuss cling film and fleecing Guardian readers. We head back to South London for a debut interview with Sorry (FKA Fish) and stay in the area to bang heads with Shame, Matt Maltese and Childhood, who return with an exciting, soulful new energy. The Rhythm Method are turning heads up and down the country, we talk about the waiting game for success.

From the states we talk to chief DIY’ers, Black Lips. Who Are You? also returns. Look out for introductions from Mōnk, QTY, Eat Fast and more.

3 The Magic Gang

25 Black Lips

6 Sorry

27 Instant Shit

7 Who Are You?

29 The Moonlandingz

9 The Rhythm Method

35 Shame

14 Wolf Alice

39 Truck Festival

19 Matt Maltese

40 The Great Escape

Your Love

Sorry, We Have No Fish

Get to Know

Party Politics

Visions of a Life

As the World Caves In

21 Childhood

Californian Light

Satan’s Graffiti or God’s Art?

Farewell One-Eighty

The Soundtrack to our Nuclear Winter

Visa Vulture

Legends of Indie Music

Jolly Boys Outing

The Magic Gang It’s hardly a secret that The Magic Gang have what it takes

So you end up cramming a load of people into a house and

to drop a fuzzy pop banger. Look back on their grainy video

having your own party. It’s the most fun thing in the world

for ‘She Won’t Ghost’ and you get the impression that they

sometimes. It’s stressful but really fun. There were a couple

created such tracks simply to throw house-parties, play

where we started a set and the neighbour came around and

Tekken and generally piss about with their mates.

cut us short after a few songs.

Fast forward a few years though and it’s apparent that they’ve developed both as musicians and people. A

What were the key influences before hitting the studio

reflection of this is their recent release ‘EP 3’ which was

this time then?

recorded in a more considered fashion than anything they’ve done before at Yala Studios. We caught up with the guys

We see ourselves firmly rooted in traditional songwriting.

after a soundcheck in Leeds.

So we feel influenced by sixties guitar bands and classic rock. We want to write good songs, interesting but melodic

How have you guys moved things on with this release

and catchy. We try to keep it fairly simple and trim the fat

then?

in terms of structure. Every part of the song has to have a purpose. We don’t want to waste seconds on things that

Things have got more and more ambitious in terms of the

don’t need to be there.

arrangements. We started off playing very simple music and we weren’t really experimenting. Now we think about what

You guys seem to be part of an all embracing scene as

each instrument is doing a bit more. It’s just us developing

well…

as musicians and getting to know each other a bit better. It makes the song writing pop out a bit more and it makes it

With guitar music now I think there’s less room to be too

more interesting. Early songs like ‘No Fun’ compared to

worried about that. Now when we tour with a band I’m

stuff a bit further along just shows we’re more ambitious.

not that caught up over whether we’ve got a similar sound.

Guitar music itself now is more limited so people are less

The live shows have changed massively as well…

specific around what type of guitar music they like. It’s not as divided off as it might have been a few years ago. We’ve

We started off in a really DIY setting so naturally we were

got no prejudice about playing with any band. If their fans

playing a lot of house shows with our mates. When we

want to hear our music then that’s great. Playing with Wolf

started the band we were so unaware of what was going

Alice and Swim Deep did loads for us.

on with the music industry so we never really entered that world. We associated ourselves with our friends bands who

Lastly, any tips on some emerging bands?

were writing really good songs and putting out impromptu songs. Brighton was a great place for that.

I went to watch Sorry the other night. Fucking hell man, they were so good. I’m quite cynical around new bands but

A lot of those came about around The Great Escape

all of us were bowled over by that. They really know how to

right?

write a song.

Yeah everyone always wanted to do something there but not everyone is always on the official lineup.

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Words by Rhys Buchanan, illustration by Gabriel Alcala

Sorry If guitar music’s entering a self-apologetic phase, ‘Sorry’

Louis: Me and Asha went to school together. So we’ve

should be the band to embody it. When we get through to

known each other now for ten years? 10 years ish. Then

them on the phone though, they’re anything but. With the

Lincoln, wait, Lincoln do you want to tell them? Here’s

good-natured swagger of a group of mates on tour for the

Lincoln, he’s going to tell you about how we met.

first time, they’re chipper and relaxed – running us through their story in between asides, inter-van jokes and bouts of

Lincoln: They found a brother in the street one day, just

low-signal static. As part of the booming “South London

having a good time. Busking. And uh, yeah, kind of saved

Scene” – a group of mates who duck the epithet and mostly

me from that desolate swamp you know? And now shit’s

hail from north of the river – they’ve been on the sharp end

going well, I have sticks back in my hand rather than a

of the record-label rumour mill for the last few months;

harmonica.

with whispers of big money offers, and, just possibly, names on paper filtering down through the grapevine. Whatever

Louis: We met Campbell through the Windmill. Campbell

the truth – the band are wary of getting into it – the four-

came up to me and Asha one time there.

piece are on the up, and with a summer of shows on the horizon; they’re more than happy to talk us through the rest

So the classic South London story? Is that South London

of their story.

Scene, something you guys still associate with?

I guess first off, people are pretty interested in the name

Well we’re not actually from South London. We’re all from

change – why Sorry?

North London. Yeah, shout out Shame, Dead Pretties, Goat Girl – those ones mainly. Oh, Hotel Lux as well. Monk.

It’s just because we were going to get sued if we didn’t change it. There wasn’t actually a lawsuit but there’s a

Your first proper track, ‘Drag King’ recently dropped,

singer called Fish from the 80s. He’s this old singer, and his

was it just to give people something to listen to before

fans used to get angry with us on Twitter. And then someone

this tour?

actually turned up to one of our gigs and got really angry – Yeah, we wanted to have something out before the tour.

who thought it was the other Fish.

There wasn’t any studio stuff that we were happy with, so Do people realise that you’re fka Fish, or when you go

we just did that.

out on tour, do you find people are like: “who the fuck Is what’s coming out of the studio going to sound much

are Sorry!?”

different from that rough style?

I think some people get it. I don’t think everyone gets it but… It got a bit confusing because our name on Facebook

Asha: Hopefully not, that’s what we’re trying to do. Find

didn’t change.

the balance between them, so it’s not too different from what we’ve done so far. We actually kind of wanted to just

We’ve featured you guys a fair bit in the past as Fish,

get it done at home, and get it mixed and mastered, but

but I guess as this is the first proper interview we may

we’re not sure. We’re trying things out.

as well run through the back-story. So how did this all start?

Words by Rob Knaggs, illustration by John Molesworth

6

Horsey Eat Fast

We are dogs in the sun. We have leather jowls. We drink saltwater and hold your gaze before offering you a sip. We

We are Adam, James, John and Mark. John and Mark

eat raw eggs. We are irrelevant. We are essential. Like a

became friends after John mistook Mark for Adrien Brody

jack- o’-lantern in a disco, we shine bright and small. We

on a drunken night out. James was already Mark’s bosom

are the wrong place and the right time.

buddy. Adam was a down and out poet in need of some care.

Like Burt Bacharach crossed with Paddington Bear. We took him in, obviously. We’re nice.

Madonnatron We like the fact that there are still people out there with

Hoops

open ears and imagination, creating platforms for music and art. Labels like Trashmouth; bands like Meatraffle,

The band has existed in a couple of different incarnations

Sex Cells, Pit Ponies; landlords like Seamus and Kathleen

over the years, but the present one started in 2014 as a

(Windmill), Art collectives like Wild Fruit and Spleen

project of Drew’s. He wrote an album of stuff under the

Projects, photographers and filmmakers like Lou Smith and

name Hoops, and recruited us (Keagan and Kevin) and some

Trixie Malixie. Plus scotch eggs and Alan Partridge’s latex

other folks to play it.

dance.

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QTY We are a lyrical guitar driven rock band with pop sensibilities.

America has been in a pretty crazy time recently, is this something that effects you musically? How do you feel about home right now?

It affects our lives more than our music. The man is a monster and monsters seem to be a growing trend world wide at the moment. My parents run the Marxist education project here in New York, it’s a non profit!

Show Boy The band started when we were at Goldsmiths Uni together, surrounded by a lot of ambient electronica. Unfortunately our laptops weren’t fast enough to keep up with the EDM, so we took all the abandoned genres that people secretly Milk Disco

loved and churned them into glam-pop hits.

You’ve recently put out your track ‘Welcome to the Milk Disco”. Can you tell us about it?

The whole point of that song was to be as bare bones as possible and make something pointlessly simple. It started off in a rehearsal room with 1 bass note playing for 20 minutes and just the two of us playing drums and guitar.

Mōnk What do you aim to achieve with your music?

Maybe to create music that has many different sides to it, like a cube. Or perhaps like soup; we all throw our different ingredients into the pot, some may not compliment the taste of another, but due to cooking for a while on a low heat, the flavours balance out and you end up with a tasty soup.

8

The Rhythm Method The Rhythm Method are not a joke. They are a serious

I was thinking about this the other day actually, well that

band. If you’ve not heard of The Rhythm Method yet, we

aspect fairly recently. There are a lot of bands who resist

are certain that you will soon. Their feel good soup of The

saying things in case they alienate part of their following

Streets, Style Council and Pet Shop Boys has had new

or whatever but I’m not really afraid of alienating people.

music hero and spangly legend Elton John singing their

I’d rather convince people to come around to our way of

praises, leaving big things just around the corner. We get to

thinking. For example, it’s quite the in thing for a lot of

know London’s wittiest new band a little better by giving

bands to go on about the importance of voting but won’t say

frontman Joey Bradbury a call.

who to vote for. We are all for telling people who to vote for.

You seem to have the whole country talking about you, congratulations. Surely you now face the prospect of

What do you make of the scene of bands emerging out of

breaking out of London for shows?

London right now?

Well I think in a lot of ways, it’s more outside of London

We were part of the scene in 2007, everyone was in a

that was getting a bit more momentum. I mean London

band back then. The majority of them were fucking awful,

is London and it’s our hometown but sometimes we’ve

including my own. Having been on the periphery of this

headlined gigs and we’ve felt the London cliche of people

new scene, because of my nature as a person I’d have been

standing around and not giving a fuck. Whereas in Northern

quite bitter about it at first. These young bands have got

towns it’s not like that, they’re more willing to have a good

opportunities that I feel we should have had. But, now

time.

having actually met a lot of them, I’ve realised that they’re very young and they’re doing things that I think we could

Are you comfortable with still being called a ‘new

still do. But mainly I just respect them all, especially with

band’? Is staying new for as long as possible and

how London is now. In 2007 it was a bit more fertile than

delaying a record part of the plan?

it is now. So a lot of respect to the likes of HMLTD and Shame.

I guess until you release an album, you are a new band aren’t you? So up until that point, we are still plying our

Do you now feel a part of the scene or linked to it at all?

trade and releasing singles and EPs. In a lot of ways (it is part of the plan) yeah! Purely on the basis that recently I’ve

Ever so slightly yeah. We played The Lock Tavern with a

seen that there’s been a lot of indie bands, whether they’re

lot of those bands and both nights the crowds were great

signed to an indie label or a major, there’s a lot of bands

and singing our songs. It felt like we’d been welcomed with

that have sort of got everything right. All the right press,

open arms and then going out with them on a night out,

gigs and exposure. Then they release an album and that’s

it was a good night. We do still feel like we are outsiders

the tip of the mountain... it’s downhill from there. If no one

because we are a bit older but it is nice to be around other

buys it then they are likely to be dropped the next week.

people who are making music and making an effort.

As success grows with your pop intentions, do you have to take a second to step away from a song and assess the subjects you sing about now?

9

Words by Sam Ford, illustration by REN

Ricardo Passaporte, opposite Bradley Kerl

Wolf Alice Those first few steps to meet us in a North London pub

and we’ve learnt our instruments basically… but it’s still a

were also their first steps into the release of their second

Wolf Alice album very much, it’s not like we’ve gone to LA

album, ‘Visions of a Life’. Wolf Alice are back. Following

and started a completely different thing.

an intensive tour period, getting a song on the Trainspotting 2 soundtrack and recording the follow up to a ‘Gold Disc’,

Joff: The process for a lot of Wolf Alice stuff, is very much

Indie’s next hope came to meet us to get things rolling.

song by song, you go, how do we make THIS song sound

Treating us to a sample of the album, Wolf Alice appear

as good as it can, from a musical perspective and that’s

to have not only created the blueprint for an iconic debut

what happened to a certain extent with the first one. We’ve

record but also have the heads up for how to write a second.

always really tried to focus on how to reach the potential

Whilst originality is impossible Ellie, Joff, Theo and Joel

of each individual song… Not how do we make an indie

have created a distinct ‘Wolf Alice’ sound and from new

record? How do we make a grunge record? etc.

single, ‘Yuk Foo’ you can only say that it’s a special one.

We chat to the band about inspiration, pressure and new

What are some of your influences from when you were

bands.

younger, what bands do you love?

Let’s talk about lead single, Yuk Foo then… It’s a pretty

Ellie: I can never answer that question, I think things

hard hitting song, it’s got the intensity of a first track.

influence us that weren’t necessarily bands that we loved when we were growing up. I think we’re quite good

Theo: That was the song when we were recording the

at drawing influences from things that perhaps aren’t

record, I remember it had that cliché moment in the studio

necessarily our bag, if I like something from a dubstep tune

where everyone starts dancing around and gets fucking

or something, I’m not afraid to be like, “how can I take the

excited about something, I remember we were all just so

bit I like from that and put it into our music without making

buzzin’ off it, it was actually like palpable energy of us all

a dubstep tune”, do you know what I mean? So I don’t think

being like “this feels as intense as we want it to be” and we

I always look towards the things that I spent my whole

realised in terms of coming back with a new album, that

life enjoying, for influence, so that’s why I often find that

seems like the most sensible thing to do.

question quite difficult. For example if I say that I grew up listening to… You know, I could give you a selection

You recorded the record in LA, the first conclusion to

of, most probably indie bands that I listen to, it’s not

jump to when a band goes to LA and it’s a British indie

necessarily what I’d always draw all my influence from.

band, is are they just gonna..

Joff: I remember a lot of times in conversation we’d have a Theo: (Interrupting) “Fuck it up?”

specific thing we wanted to achieve. How can we get people to dance? How can we get people to dance at a festival?

Yeah, but we were just listening to it and does feel like a

How can we make an indie song?

continuation of the first album, it feels very Wolf Alice, I don’t know how much of a conscious decision that was…

Ellie: How can I take what I like about that piece of music from that Disney movie and put it into an indie tune? How

Theo: This record does feel more mature as a record as a

can I take what I liked when I was watching Pendulum

whole, when you listen to it, because it’s been a long time

when I was 16 and put it in an indie tune?

Words by Sam Ford and Josh Whettingsteel, illustration by Alan Fears

14

You touched on it earlier about making people dance, is

Joff: I think it was nice what you were saying about having

that a big focus in terms of what you’re gonna do live?

snippets of diary entries over the last couple of years and to revisit those ideas and perspective, so you can look at those

Joff: I think it’ll be a big focus, we had it in the back of our

thoughts and feelings more intellectually from an almost

minds while we were making the record.

outside perspective which I think is quite interesting.

Ellie: I still enjoy going to shows where I can actually sit

Theo: And you get to refine what those diary entries are,

down and not move at all, I still enjoy those too.

essentially, which is like emotional reactions to what’s going on at that time and then really understand and hone

Theo: I think we’d like to smash all those aspects, in the

that rawness and make it the most perfect representation in

same way that, in an internet age you pick-pocket the best

a song form. It’s also cool for the four of us to get in a room

bits of different things and that culminates into what we’re

with all those ideas and it was just the four of us again, it

trying to output, in a sense, you can have the concentrated

really felt like we’d gone back to what we were used to

sit-down moments in our set, then there’s also the moments

doing, that was so exciting. When we started to get songs

where you wanna punch a friend in the face.

done in there I remember just being like, “fuck yes”. A sort of new lease of life.

Lets talk about America, where are you going?

How do you feel about releasing a second record? Is it Theo: We’re doing about three weeks across America,

just pure excitement?

it’s important to us to get back into that groove of playing shows constantly, working out these new songs. We go out

Joel: We’ve gone through different emotions with it, the

on July 5th and we’re back around the 24th. It’s just about

writing of it, the recording of it, being home for a bit and

us getting back into the flow, also it’s just gonna be so fun

listening to the mixes of it and now this today, it’s like the

to play some small, sweaty shows, we haven’t done it for

start of things again. I think I was maybe more apprehensive

like six months and it feels like fucking ages since we’ve

with the first one cos it was like three years and people were

played.

like, “where is your record, where is it?” Is it gonna live up to all this expectation that happened essentially off the back

Joff: It’ll just be nice to get out of the house

of some EPs.

When did the process start as far as thinking about

Joff: It was the unknown with the first one, you don’t know

album number two?

the business and what happens. We have a bit of a better idea of what it will look like if things go well.

Ellie: It started almost two years ago in a sense that we were touring our first album for about 2 years and so we

Are you just purely confident in what you’re doing?

were writing on tour and making demos on and off tour.

Then we had, I guess six months or so when we came back

Theo: I’m not purely confident in any aspect of my life,

to London before we were gonna go to the recording studio

from putting a dishwasher on to walking down the street but

and collate all those ideas, but they’re kind of diary entries

I am confident in the fact that the four of us are happy with

of the two years on tour and that doesn’t mean that all the

this record so…. I dunno… people will probably think it’s

songs are about being on tour, but I guess that will seep

shit...

into it a bit, because with your first album you have your whole life to make it and the second one it’s much smaller.

Is there any new bands that you like? We always see you

I feel that within those two years I did a lot of life, if you

at shows…

know what I mean. So I didn’t feel scrapped for emotional influence, I think I had a very emotional two years and that served well for making an album. So, lucky, or maybe you could say unlucky in that respect.

15

Words by Sam Ford and Josh Whettingsteel

Theo: I was thinking about this on the way here, I really

and it’s so cool to see that happening again with a whole

enjoyed that HMLTD show, (at the Scala) I thought that in

bunch of people.

terms of a live show those guys, what they’re doing and their ambition in terms of creativity and the artistry around

Joel: There actually hasn’t been a band like these guys for a

it is really inspiring and cool cos they fucking decorated the

little while (looking at the HMLTD So Young cover) where

whole place. That’s so exciting especially if you’re 16 and

it’s just been like, “here we fucking go!” Like brash and

you’ve spent 12 quid on a ticket and you see the band are

bold.

investing as much as you are…

Ellie: It’s leaning away from making sure everything is Joel: I saw Goat Girl, I know you guys have got Goat Girl

perfect and all the marketing is planned before you go and

on the front cover of the magazine and I think that’s some

play a first show. I feel like these guys like Sorry and stuff,

of the best vocals I’ve heard live in absolutely ages. They

to start being a band they just played some shows in the pub

just looked so good and the harmonies were great.

with their mates. And you really enjoy going to the shows because you watch bands grow and you feel really close to

Considering you’ve come through as a new band and

them because you’ve seen them refine and evolve, it’s really

now you’re about to release a second album, what do you

nice, really fun.

think of this new crop of bands, because it’s sort of hard to avoid now isn’t it?

It’s just great to have more young people involved in guitar music again, it can only help in the wider scheme

Theo: I think it’s really exciting, it’s great and also clearly,

of things.

you know, when you look at all the illustrations in your magazine as well, it helps to reinforce that they’ve got

Ellie: Yeah and festivals won’t have to look towards

their own scene and the whole atmosphere of sharing bills,

reunions and heritage acts to fill the guitar band slots, your

swapping who’s above who or whatever, all hanging out

magazine is showing them, “look, there’s loads”.

together.

Theo: So if you do hear of another reunion fucking festival Joel: Who’s in what band as well…

line-up you can genuinely be like, “this is bullshit, this is not fair”.

Ellie: I like seeing that young bands have clearly influenced So what is life for you guys now? Are you just gonna

them, like Alex G and Fat White Family.

start thinking about that live show?

Joel: I think Fat White Family are one of the most influential bands of recent times.

Ellie: Yeah, purely that I think.

Ellie: It’s not still guitar bands churning out their influences

Theo: Then we go out to America and we’ll play a few new

like The Strokes and stuff, which can still be part of it, but

songs but yeah that’s what we’re gonna be doing for the

actually it’s the younger bands which have really influenced

next few years.

people, and when I say younger I mean, not age-wise. It’s fun to watch it happen.

And you know that’s the next two years of your life…

Joel: It’s kind of how music’s always worked, it’s nice to

Theo: It’s a fucking weird feeling.

see it’s still happening in the capital, you know.

But that’s what you got into a band for right?

Theo: It’s also quite clear that with guitar music for some reason, when that energy happens and a bunch of bands start

Theo: Yeah, that’s why we do it, 100%. You don’t

getting together, it seems to always have this trickle down

understand, it’s so frustrating, I just wanna play a show, I’m

effect between them, cos there is always that scene-y thing

ready to play a gig now!

www.alanfears.com

16

Dave Singley, opposite Michael Cox

Matt Maltese Matt Maltese is a South London singer-songwriter

I haven’t got any songs in the exact same vein. I’d be a one

completely in-tune with the strange times we live in. With

trick pony if I kept doing apocalyptic songs, but I guess

wit and wisdom beyond his years, the young troubadour’s

I have songs that have that feel: restless and hopefully of

songs resonate with a generation ravaged by austerity

this time, feeling like they can be placed in today’s strange,

and the first Tory majority government in nearly twenty

strange political landscape.

years. His recent track, ‘As The World Caves In’, is a postapocalyptic love story envisioning romance blossoming as

So does the political landscape offer much to you in

the Earth outside is scorched; if Doctor Strangelove were

terms of songwriting inspiration?

released today, it would be the song soundtracking the last scene. A favourite of The Maccabees, he’s to support them

It’s pretty varying, but I think quite a lot. It’s impossible not

at their farewell shows, evidence even further that Maltese

to be aware of what’s going on, and I think to be socially

is just about to blow up. That is, if the world around him

aware is very important. If you had any sense of connection

doesn’t do so first.

to other people then of course you’d feel a connection to what’s going on in the world.

Tell me a bit about the song, ‘As the World Caves In’.

You’ve played with bands like HMLTD and Goat Girl, I had an image in my head of an apocalyptic last weird night

but obviously your music is very different to theirs. Do

between two warmongering tyrants who pressed the red

you feel part of the so-called ‘South London’ scene?

button, as it were. I liked the idea of it being uncomfortably romantic, and it allowed me to be as sweet as I wanted to

It’s a difficult kind of question because it’s such a

be.

metaphorical thing, “the scene”. I guess simply put, I’ve played gigs with them and I’m friends with a lot of them, so

You’ve worked with Hugo White from The Maccabees.

yeah. We’re all making music at the same time and we’ve

What’s he like?

all got similar outlooks; I think that’s all it takes to have a kind of community. It makes it more fun where all our

It’s been amazing, he’s just a real gent to work with. We’ve

music sounds different. It’s definitely been inspiring being

done three songs together now.

around HMLTD, Goat Girl and Jerkcurb, and it makes you wanna be a whole lot better, you know?

Are you going to work on more stuff together?

Are you doing any festivals this year?

I’ve got another song to release, which is going to be the last song before I go and record the album. Between him

I’m doing Latitude, I’m doing a few dates with the

and Alex Burey I really feel sorted for producers. To have

Maccabees which will be really cool, and hopefully I’m

relationships with producers you can trust is everything you

doing something at Glastonbury on the Sunday. I’m doing

could ask for.

a few others as well, but I think it’s going to be nice (over Summer) to just shut myself in a cave and write as well, and

Do you plan on revisiting the post-apocalyptic feel of ‘As

not be on a constant sesh at festivals this whole Summer.

The World Caves in’?

19

Words by Cal Cashin, illustration by Leesh Adamerovich

Childhood Californian Light

Since the release of Childhood’s debut, ‘Lacuna’, the South

It was more of a struggle starting bands in South London

London scene has flourished and Ben Romans Hopcraft has

when I was a teenager. No A&R’s would come to South,

been a very busy man. Collaborating with singers, writing

you had to go North. The venues were a lot emptier and

songs, making a record with Warmduscher and working on

most of the people in the crowd were other bands. I guess

some very exciting new music with Saul from Fat White

that made people look out for each other a bit when we

Family and Sean Lennon.

started getting recognised. But on the whole, the new breed of bands seem to always play with each other and hang out

During this process he and the rest of Childhood (who have

together. Everyone’s nice and into music so it’s good.

also been working on musical side projects) have come up with a masterpiece in new album, ‘Universal High’ with the

A lot of new bands are taking a political stance in their

first single, ‘Californian Light’ as a loveletter to London.

songs with a potentially pessimistic view of the current

We caught up with Ben to see what’s been going on and

political climate. Do you see your role now as offering

what 2017 has in store for Childhood.

some kind of escapism as opposed to perpetual cynicism?

You’ve all played a big part in the South London

Not at all.. I feel like writing about politics is great, if

scene, both with Childhood and in other bands like

you genuinely live and breathe the perspective you are

Warmduscher, Insecure Men etc. What do you think of

taking in your art. Then it’s important and powerful.

the new breed of bands filling that space? Goat Girl,

Otherwise I just write about what feels authentic to my

Shame, HMLTD etc. A lot has changed since you released

personal experience… whether that’s a societal perspective,

‘Lacuna’…

relationships, stories… whatever. I think it’s important not to write about things because you feel obliged or it’s a cool

Yeah for sure. It’s great… everyone seems to be developing

thing to do. People will always see through that.

their own sound and they’re always down at the Windmill playing and keeping the place going. Not all the music is

How would you describe the new record?

for me but, the music scene in South London is definitely thriving, which can only be a good thing.

I’d say it’s a soul infused pop record. It’s influences are a lot more deliberate than ‘Lacuna’ and the whole thing

Your music has always had a very eclectic mix of

sounds a bit more mature I guess. There’s still a heavy

influences, what albums were you listening to this time

Childhood spirit in there that people will see.

around when writing the album?

The video for ‘Californian Light’ shows a soulful, A lot of the same stuff I always had and more really.

different perspective of London, has London been a big

Early on Todd Rundgren and Shuggie Otis took up a lot

influence on the writing of the new album?

of listening time. Then I remember getting quite heavily into Philadelphia soul. I got quite obsessed with Smokey

Definitely. It’s all about living in London today really.

Robinson’s ‘Quiet Storm’ and Gil Scot Heron’s ‘Winter in

Touches on the collective dissolution the majority seem

America’. Then started listening to a lot of my Doom and

to be suffering at the moment. Also how relationships are

Q-Tip records... discovered a lot of records through their

formed and informed by modern London.

samples, like The Blackbyrds ‘Flying Start’ and ‘Don’t Turn Around’ by Black Ivory.

What can we expect from Childhood in the rest of 2017?

Do you feel like there is more of a community spirit

Gigs. We’re playing some festivals, organising tours and

amongst bands now than there was when you started

continuing writing music!

out?

It’s hard to tell really. I think there are just more bands, in a closer proximity, which always helps.

Words and illustration by Josh Whettingsteel

22

Black Lips

Satan’s Graffiti or God’s Art?

Say a band is approaching their eighth studio album after

Still, I think you could have definitely been excused for

almost two decades of tireless recording and touring; it’s

calling it quits at certain points – which is why your

fair to say, in usual circumstances, you could probably

continuance is both important and impressive.

pretty accurately imagine how it’s going to sound. It turns out it’s about as easy as predicting a presidential campaign

Yeah, you know, life’s tough. It isn’t always fair. When we

in their native USA. Their new record ‘Satan’s Graffiti

started out it was hard, we didn’t receive a lot of help from

or God’s Art?’ is an opus; a meandering eighteen-track

people or have bags of money behind us for example, but

statement of intent and full of surprises. It spans rock and

this was what we were supposed to do so we made it work.

roll and doo-wop, to 13th Floor Elevators-tinged fuzz-rock,

We say we have O.D.D, which stands for Oppositional

featuring the production work of Sean Lennon and guest

Defiance Disorder – so if someone tells us we can’t do

appearances from none other than his mother, Yoko Ono and

something; we kind of just have to.

Fat White Family’s Saul Adamczewski.

You recorded your latest album with Sean Lennon in his There is a wealth of experience for Black Lips to call upon,

New York studio, with all of this great equipment at your

so perhaps it is explainable that a band that have toured

disposal. How was that?

Israel and Palestine, Uganada and outside of the Green Zone in Iraq (not to mention their cancelled tour of India after

Working with Sean was great. We stayed at Sean’s whilst

lewd onstage behaviour) would have a few tricks up their

recording so were totally immersed in what we were doing,

sleeves.When talking to bassist Jared Swilley he agrees

without the distractions of the city every night.

whilst it’s getting tougher for penniless, working class bands to survive – with the industry’s current no-patience

He had a vision of what he wanted with the record, like he

attitude and a favouring of those from a wealthier backdrop

mentioned this was our eighth record, saying The Beatles’

able to help sustain themselves – they wouldn’t have

Sgt Pepper’s was their eighth, so we had to do something

changed a thing.

special.

This could have explained why the band gravitated to

And what did Saul of the Fat Whites add to that?

the Fat Whites’ Adamczewski, from a band that could be described as something of a UK Black Lips-equivalent.

We didn’t actually know he was going to be in the studio!

As it turns out, he just happened to be at Lennon’s upstate

When we arrived to start recording with Sean, he was there,

New York studio when they dropped in, but the culmination

so it just sort of worked out. Saul became like another

of the meeting resulted in a twist on Black Lips’ classic

member of the band whilst we were recording; I think he

garage rock sound – it’s sinister yet playful, conceptual with

played keyboards on all of the tracks. He just has great taste

overtures, interludes and spoken-word passages – it’s a band

and he’s like us, he’s not normal.

indulgently doing whatever they want, just as you’d expect You can definitely hear Saul on the record. I wanted

from Black Lips.

to ask about the song ‘Crystal Night’, an obvious It hasn’t been easy at certain points in the band’s career,

reference to Kristallnacht. It’s a controversial subject

what keeps you pushing on eight albums in?

and something that Fat Whites haven’t shied away from writing about either…

We’ve always just felt like this was our calling, it’s what we were always going to do, you know? We hate laziness and

With this song we’re talking about star-crossed lovers, it’s

we’ve always put everything into the band. Like say you’re

Shakespearean if anything. But it’s set during one of the

a trashman for a living, you get up and throw that trash as

most shocking and awful periods of history. It’s not like we

best you can. Whatever you do, you have to put everything

said Kristallnacht. We’re condemning it, you know. It’s so

you have into it. What beer is the best in the world? It’s the

easy to offend people nowadays, and that’s not something

one you have after you’ve achieved something, worked hard

we try to consciously do in the music.

on something or made something.

Words by Matthew Fogg, illustration by Jamie Wolfe

26

Earlier on in the year we said goodbye to Studio 180 in Lambeth, a place that existed as a kind of paragon of creativity, and the birthplace of Palma Violets. 180 was a place where friends- yes friends, mates, people that genuinely liked and cared for each other, would make music and make merry in equal measure. Last minute gigs shambolically put together on a strictly first come first

It’s hard to write about 180 in a way that captures the

serve basis- not a guest list in sight. It didn’t matter what

feeling and atmosphere of that place. These words feel

band you were in, who your girlfriend was, what colour you

flatter than usual. On the one hand I want to write about

had decided to dye your eyebrows that day… You would

how ‘the sweat in that under-the-ground and over-the-

just have a tug on the long blond plait peeking out of the

capacity basement would evaporate, stick and slide onto

letterbox and open that heavy black door to be greeted with

the walls before condensing and dripping back into your

an ominous sign saying:

own mouth,’ or use my most explicit and expressive words to create this CBGBs-esque myth. Yeh, it was grim, sticky,

‘WELCOME TO STUDIO 180.

sexy, all those things. But it was a community, and it was

A HOME IN TIMES OF TURMOIL.

REAL. Almost understated, I guess.

WE’VE BEEN EXPECTING YOU.’ Before Palmas played their last show, I read out this poem And it really was a home away from home. Not somewhere

to introduce their set. Written drunkenly on the growl of

to escape to, a safe space to get fucked up, but somewhere

that brown Bakerloo line to Lambeth North and shouted

that you could go and be a part of something fucking raw

even more drunkenly into a distorted mic under cheap disco

and real and positive.

lights and a fag smog for the ages. There’s not a stroke of ingenuity in its words, and some of the references may only

It was all about inclusivity- everyone’s mums, sister, cousin,

resonate with the people who were involved, but I think it

brother, colleague and old school mate had been down to

captures the essence of 180 more than a descriptive article

have a night at 180.

ever could:

27

Words by Georgie Jesson

Dead Pretties have it though. No-gimmicks guitar music with thoughtful lyrics and an on-stage presence that is in no way choreographed. All this 21st Century punk rock is so short lived, two minutes of raucous and a recitative about social inequality and then its dead and buried. But Dead Pretties don’t need to dress-up or engineer a personae because they have real fucking songs, they have longevitysomething we take for granted in this mindless, modern age of music- and, of course, they have terrible taste in clothes.

All this new-age punk, yeh it fizzes up this flat earth, injects us with adrenaline, it gives us the power and ammunition to hate, but does it really give us the answers to the questions we need? The questions, the confusion, the disillusion that makes us gravitate to the chaos. What the Dead Pretties give And it is this understated, raw and real feeling we’re losing

us is similar to the difference between the Sex Pistols and

sight of. Its there in the music, the words ‘raw sound’ get

Joy Division. Introspection- not just externalisation, not

tossed about a lot these days, but its lost its meaning. It

mindless aggression. No longer ‘I am angry!’ but ‘This is

might as well be a fucking setting on garage band.

why I’m angry!’.

Illustration by Josh Whettingsteel

28

As every self-congratulatory piece of writing on

You’ve pointed to Yoko Ono’s ending to the album as a

The Moonlandingz begins, it must be made clear that

personal highlight, but you’ve got quite a mixed group of

they are a ‘fictional band, playing real music’. However,

collaborators on the album- why did you pick the people

despite the absurdity surrounding their music, it holds

you did? Was it just opportunism? Or a conscious plan?

up a decaying, cracked mirror to the ridiculous reality in which we exist. Would it really be so far-fetched to state

Well I’ve always been into doing unusual collaborations. I

that despite its lunacy, the album is more reflective of the

used to put out 7”s from this flat, and used to have people

horrors of modern times than the sinkhole of mundane

like Phil Oakley from the Human League on them. I did a

escapism into artists like Ed Sheeran and the 1975? Maybe

weird version of ‘Feels like I’m in Love’, which is a tune

The Moonlandingz are the normal ones, and it’s the people

that Kelly Marie did in the late 70’s- it was written by Ray

who spend their time waxing lyrical about ‘what a nice

Dorset from Mungo Jerry originally written for Elvis, but

bloke that Ed Sheeran is’ who are the insane?

then Elvis died. So I did a cover of that with Mungo Jerry.

In a time where so much is explained, so much emphasis

So going back to interviews published in the Guardian

is poured onto the importance of the ‘genuine’, the ‘real’,

and the like, they really fixate on the idea of The

The Moonlandingz use the absurd as a way of producing

Moonlandingz as a ‘fictional, concept band’, is it

surrealist music that paradoxically invites its audience

difficult to go along with that? Having produced such a

to become more socially aware of this ongoing cultural

raw, ‘REAL’ record?

cataclysm that is the 21st Century. While the rest of us are struggling to be so down to earth we have begun to dig our

Nah, I’m completely happy to go along with that, you

own graves, they force us to question our depraved reality

know? Makes it sound a lot more interesting than just being

through the unreality, forging a far more violent, raw and

another band from Sheffield, because then you’re the Arctic

poignant connection with a far wider audience. We listen

Monkeys, and we’re more interesting than that surely!

to Lias wail that ‘The Rabies are Back’-- the Rabies aren’t back, but a rabid, social disease is sweeping the nation.

Do you think it’s music’s job to reflect society? Or Is it just slap the clingfilm on before going on stage and

With ‘Interplanetary Class Classics’, The Moonlandingz

the absurdist performance and Johnny Rocket persona

give off the impression that humanity has gone too far, and

simply a way of catching people’s attention with sheer

that doom is imminent- and the only thing we can do is

ridiculousness?

laugh and dance in the face of existential dread. With tracks like the motorik thudding of ‘I.D.S’, the growling doomsday

Yeah, he’s going down to the greengrocers in full getup,

gospel of ‘Neuf du Pape’, and the sleazy, Cramps-esque

slapping his shopping onto himself as he walks around

‘Glory Hole’, The Moonlandingz have provided the perfect

(laughs)... I mean I guess it’s a secret... What do you think it

soundtrack to the impending nuclear holocaust.

is? Really, it’s not something we think about too deeply, but we’re quite playful when we do. We are the only group that

You and Lias are natives of Sheffield, and in other

don’t exist. You’re actually speaking to a hologram...

interviews you’re very proud to show off your Northern roots, how did your shows up North compare to the

What’s happening now? Are you going to continue with

infamous London slot?

the ERC? Will Lias return to Fat Whites?

Yeah well, Lias used to live in London, but I coaxed him to

Lias and Fat Whites are currently writing their next record

come up north because there’s less heroin ... The Sheffield

at the moment… But we’re hoping to do a show at the

gig was literally a moshpit from the front to the back, which

Southbank- I want to do it properly, almost like a theatre

is unusual for Sheffield, because normally people just

show, with Maxine Peake and The Moonlandingz involved,

stand there looking unimpressed- but at the back there were

and all the ERC people- get sets made, and film, and just

people like Richard Hawley just getting crushed, I thought

really do it properly. £30 tickets and all that, get Guardian

it was gonna turn into some sort of Hillsborough incident!

readers in, charge ‘em through the teeth.

Words by Georgie Jesson and Dan Pare, illustration by Clay Hickson

30

April Arabella

Shame seduce with their evocation of a post-Brexit world

I mean, we all think the ‘scene’ word could be potentially

imprinted with satire, social consciousness and remaining

dangerous as it may group such individual bands, like there

faithful to your opinions, regardless of who it’s going to

are at the moment, into the same category. However, that is

piss off. When we heard ‘The Lick’ last year, a song about

what is so special about it - the individuality of everyone

someone enjoying their trip to the gynaecologist a little too

involved. I think the link that chains us is our age possibly,

much, it served as a grubby vessel for those of us who crave

we are all in a generation which seems to be fucked, to put

something with a little more bite.

it simply. There is a lot to be angry about and to write about but there is also the drive to progress and change simply for

Now, they’ve just finished up a headline UK tour with Sorry

survival as a generation. It may not come from music but

where their Birmingham gig was fittingly graced by the

music has always been an incredible way to have a platform

presence of Saffiyah Khan, the girl who went publicly viral

and share your fear or anger for what is going on and

when she calmly laughed in the face of an EDL protester.

engage with people who can relate to this

Whilst the alliance was a “moment the band won’t forget,” Shame are fully aware of the lack of unity in Britain where

Do you have a seperate persona on stage?

ignorance is strife and “Keeping Up With The Kardashians isn’t going to be worried about competition in ratings

Yeah, definitely. It’s just a very liberating experience

from Question Time.” Yet, their tenacity when speaking

being onstage and you feel you can get away with a lot of

about social issues and political disarray has allowed the

things you cannot off stage, almost like being momentarily

zeitgeist to tap into their malcontent underbelly. We spoke

untouchable - not that anyone would want to touch me with

to frontman Charlie Steen about their latest release and why

the amount I sweat. I used to take a lot of MDMA before

SXSW was like hell… but in a good way.

our gigs when we first started or just get really drunk cause it would allow me to have no thoughts on stage and

Firstly, I wanted to talk a bit about your B-side, Visa

therefore no hesitations or restraints and I think that created

Vulture. You could have attacked Theresa May in a very

the persona I now use on stage.

obviously, angry, beer monster kind of way but you chose to do it quite softly and elegantly, almost like a

How was SXSW, by the way? Do you think the American

love song. Was that a conscious decision?

crowd reacted well to you?

Well, to be honest, I wrote the lyrics to that song about two

SXSW was pretty much like hell: loud music, loud voices

years ago as I was fascinated by her and how much she

and sinners. But there was something quite nice about that

seemed to be getting away with stuff without the general

as well. It was an amazing experience, apart from when we

public noticing. At this time I was also obsessed with

were stranded in Houston under a freeway with all our gear

Television Personalities, who are truly masters of satire

and surrounded by crack heads carrying guns. We ended up

and I wanted to do something in a similar style, so I guess

at a frat party for some reason. It was literally like walking

it was a conscious decision. The idea of someone listening

onto the set of an American Pie film. Hell on Earth. Playing

to it and not immediately understanding that this soft,

to an American crowd was interesting and something I

gentle song is addressing a topic that contains such hatred

really enjoyed; the two shows we did out there were great

almost adds to the dark humour of it. It’s supposed to be the

and we’re planning on going back to the States later this

world’s worst love song.

year. America’s just a different planet.

You’ve mentioned how describing South London as

How are you dealing with all the growing attention?

a scene doesn’t do the bands justice as everyone is so different but do you not think you all carry the same

We’re just trying to be productive and keep busy; whether

kind of sentiment, which is to create something true to

it’s writing songs, doing videos or making zines. We all

yourself? I don’t know anywhere else in the country

know how lucky we are to be in this situation and we

where bands seem as honest as that?

don’t want to fuck it up. We don’t ever want to get too comfortable.

Words by Harley Cassidy, illustration by Josh Whettingsteel

36

Karen Lederer, opposite Dave Singley

Truck Festival Legends of Indie Music

In July, annually, Hill Farm in rural Oxfordshire becomes a

and demonic stage presence makes for an invasively savage

haven for all kinds of guitars as Truck Festival commences.

live performance. Also from the capital are Dead Pretties,

Past headliners have included The Cribs, Manic Street

an off-the-way clusterfuck of screeching garage rock, as

Preachers, and The Horrors, but it seems this year they’ve

well as Husky Loops, a post-punk band whose angular

outdone themselves in securing the services of legends

rhythms and electronic breakdowns make them ones to

of indie music. The Libertines, The Vaccines and Franz

watch.

Ferdinand top this year’s bill, whilst the further you go down the bill, the more hidden treasures you see (Idris

Elsewhere, fast-rising post-punk five-piece Abattoir Blues

Elba’s name crops up too?), making Truck the must see

sound like successors of Eagulls or Iceage, with thudding

indie event of the year.

basslines intertwined with shoegazing guitars, whilst Superfood’s messy-haired, misty-eyed 90s revivalism is

The best set of the festival looks to come from semi-

eternally charming. LIFE rep Yorkshire’s incredibly vibrant

fictional Valhalla Dale ouija pop supergroup The

guitar scene, with politically-fuelled garage rock, whilst The

Moonlandingz, who’ve been tearing up the country as

Magic Gang represent the flourish of melodically perfect

they’ve been touring their debut album Interplanetary Class

indie bands from down south.

Classics. A combination of budget 70s Doctor Who dressup, bloodthirsty performances full of energy, and thick

Set to be one of the lineups of the year, Truck has proven

pulsating synthesisers makes them the band to see.

time and time again that there is a right way to do a small festival. Time and time again, we’ve been blessed by this

As well as that, the trio of London noiseniks known

small Oxford fest, and it should be no different this July.

as Yak come into their own in a live environment; frontman Oli Burslem’s concoction of home-made pedals

39

Words by Cal Cashin, illustration Words

by Josh

by Sophie Whettingsteel, Diver opposite words by Sam Ford

Brighton was home to all that had some noise to share.

Next up was the most exciting band in the country right

Whether you’re there for the social and the beer or there

now, HMLTD. The London group strive only for perfection,

for the incredible array of bands on show, there’s no better

in sound and performance. Possibly the only truly unique

home for a multi venue festival than Brighton. The Great

act at the festival, HMLTD electrified, shocked, disturbed

Escape 2017 boasted headliners such as Rag n Bone Man,

and challenged Brighton that night. What couldn’t be

Kano and Slaves (a band who’s raucous show put the

challenged was that they had made TGE 2017 there own

famous pier at risk due to stability concerns) but it was

with a show that will slot into conversations up and down

everything lying beneath that caught our attention. Friday

the country for many years. New track ‘Proxy Love’ was

delivered the return of Childhood, the London four piece

the perfect slice of 80’s pop, a track with true ambition and

returned with their fresh sound and had festival goers

the first time they’ve truly perfected a whole song. HMLTD

queueing around the venue. Latest single ‘Californian Light’

will always push the boundaries but it leaves you asking

really has done the business, an exciting turnaround for a

how far they can take it. We are excited to find out.

brilliant band now made for sunny days.

Saturday, like for many, arrived too soon. A morning of For us at So Young it was off to The Haunt where we

self forgiveness and a spoons breakfast was followed by a

hosted our very first showcase with the festival. 20 minutes

stand out performance from The Rhythm Method. Komedia

before the openers King Nun took to the stage, the venue

welcomed one of the most talked about bands of the year

was already rammed. Dirty Hit Records’ young signings

and they welcomed us with the words, “June 8th, don’t be

have really caused a stir and plenty were there to get their

a prick”. A passionate band both politically and musically.

first taste. Following them, South London’s Dead Pretties

Their music makes people move and that can never be

upped the intensity and defined the hype behind the band.

underestimated. For an act that has built a reputation for wit

Frontman Jacob Slater is a passionate fellow and does all

and lyrics, the transition to live can be a tall ask. But they

he can to make people move during their 7.30pm slot. Beers

deliver with the genius of Rowan’s keys and performance

were flowing and he’d had plenty of them, the band played

of vocalist Joey Bradbury and special guest Zoee. It’s music

a song they “usually don’t play” and it was at that point the

from the pub for you and me, performed by the locals. The

movers came to the front. Play it more boys. Finishing up

formula seems within arms reach but you’d never be able

with their country infused classic ‘Take It Easy’, the four

to do it yourself. Track ‘Local, Girl’ was then sung by us

piece certainly left with plenty more fans.

for the duration of the festival. Sometimes even during other bands which we apologise for as that was probably annoying. Shout outs also go out to fave performances from Sorry, The Magic Gang and Matt Maltese. Thank you The Great Escape, until next time!

Editors Sam Ford

Josh Whettingsteel

Writers

Rhys Buchanan Rob Knaggs Sam Ford

Josh Whettingsteel Cal Cashin

Matthew Fogg

Georgie Jesson Dan Pare

Harley Cassidy

Printed By Ex Why Zed

Email

info@soyoungmagazine.com

Artists

Josh Whettingsteel Karen Lederer

Gabriel Alcala

John Molesworth REN

Bradley Kerl

Ricardo Passaporte Alan Fears

Michael Cox

Dave Singley

Leesh Adamerovich Jamie Wolfe

Clay Hickson

April Arabella Grace Wilson

Photos for Collage Bolade Banjo

Matt Lief Anderson Holly Whitaker

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