Issue Fifty-Two
Also inside: The Voidz Nilüfer Yanya Amyl and The Sniffers Man/Woman/Chainsaw untitled (halo) Divorce Honeyglaze bed Blood Wizard Hank
GEORDIE GREEP
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If this summer’s festival season was the celebration of the
With new records on their way, we’re thrilled to welcome
year that came before, Autumn’s new releases and hectic
Amyl and The Sniffers, Honeyglaze, Nilüfer Yanya, Man/
tour schedule leaves us with no choice but to focus on
Woman/Chainsaw and Divorce back to our pages. Here
the here and now. One artist with no intention of looking
for the first time, we touch base with LA’s untitled (halo)
back is Geordie Greep, the former black midi member is
ahead of their UK visit this year and London’s Hank who
delivering ‘The New Sound’ via his new solo project, an
have been sharing stages with notable names and have
album which moves away from feelings of repetition and
recently released their debut EP ‘Twist Grip’.
works within a stricter set of rules. We speak for the cover feature.
Completing this issue alongside an interview with Nottingham’s excellent Blood Wizard, we speak to
Issue Fifty-Two is full to the brim with conversations
Tyler Bainbridge, the man behind NYC’s most respected
that span household names, like Julian Casablancas, as
recommendations newsletter, Perfectly Imperfect. Having
we discuss the new record from The Voidz, through to
celebrated our tenth birthday at The George Tavern earlier
Japanese newcomers, bed who are breaking the norm and
this year, we speak to iconic landlady, Pauline Forster
sticking two fingers up to the standard practices expected
about the venue’s history and future. We talk village life
from artists in their home country.
and Oasis reunions with Fashion designer, Sam Nowell and self-taught Irish painter, Peter Doyle gives us an insight into his practice.
4 Man/Woman/Chainsaw Just Play It Better 9 The Voidz I’m Just A Normal Guy Man! 15 Sam Nowell Village Life Ideal 19 Geordie Greep The New Sound 25 Perfectly Imperfect Curators 30 Amyl and The Sniffers Let it out, buddy! 36 Blood Wizard BIG FISH 41 The George Tavern In Conversation with Pauline Forster
45 Nilüfer Yanya Distilled 50 bed Rising Beyond Japan 53 Hank A Pint of Guinness and a half 57 Peter Doyle Togetherness 61 Divorce There is no Perfect Place 68 untitled (halo) Is The Verve Britpop? 72 Honeyglaze Real Deal
Most melodies sound good without auto-tune, but with
Songs like ‘All The Same’ and ‘When Will The Time
auto-tune they sort of come to life. It allows you also
Of These Bastards End’ are clearly interested in these
to come up with different ideas which you wouldn’t
powerful, shady, authoritarian figures that still manage
otherwise. I like it as a tool. In ‘Flexorcist’, auto-tune
to rule our societies. With a general election coming
really served the melody so that it pops in a crispy way,
up in the states, how do you feel about Trump and how
for example. Others I can tell that it wouldn’t be the vibe.
close he is to being re-elected?
On the flip side of it, sometimes a producer will tune a As much as Kamala seems like a more pleasant person
note, “correct” it, and it’ll lose the magic it had before.
socially, I don’t see a difference between the two Why do you think it makes sense in The Voidz to play
candidates. The war between the billionaire gang and
with vocal effects and vocal delivery so fluidly?
humankind is the same one that’s been happening for ten thousand years. Both parties here in the US are the
The Voidz is exploratory. If I’m singing something I can
billionaire gang. Are we going to come together and ever
sing it in different registers, high, or low. If you’re singing
figure out how to evolve from a tribal dynamic to a large
low, what kind of inflection are you using? Some people
societal dynamic, while being able to neutralise deception,
sing with different accents. When you sing high, are you
which so far, we have not figured out how to do. Serial
going to scream? There are so many different styles, and
killers roam in the shadows easily, and it’s been that way
within that there’s subtle tuning. On top of that, there’s the
forever.
tone, there’s volume, which will control how the energy of the song is going to be transferred. The most important
We’re about to run out of time, but I wanted to ask a
thing is that you don’t over produce. I think when they
couple quick questions before you go. Favourite album
recorded ‘Billie Jean’ they did one hundred vocal takes
of this year so far?
and ended up using the first one. It’s always the first or the The Beak> record is really good. Quite an enjoyable listen
last that’s the best. The end.
all the way through. Is that theory applicable to how you record in the studio generally? Do you tend to get your vocals down
Favourite current British artist?
on the first take or do you agonise over them a bit more?
I just heard black midi broke up right, and that Fat White Family might be following suit. Do the two semi-fallen bands count as one?
That’s the thing. It just depends. Some things happen really fast, and some things you labour over.
Lastly, do you feel more freedom to make more daring music with The Voidz than you did with the Strokes?
Was it a deliberate move to obscure your vocals and lyrical narrative using auto-tune effects?
Not really, but I couldn’t really do it with The Strokes. I No, it was more about decorating. You know, the character
could probably strong-arm it, but I just don’t think there’s
in your play is delivering a speech. Is he on a podium, is
the same environment with The Strokes. In The Voidz,
he wearing a black robe? Is he dressed like a clown? Does
everyone is a very respectful craftsman - it all evolves
he speak acoustically or through a megaphone? These are
organically. I’m going with the flow of both bands, and
all just creative options which are borderline limitless.
don’t want to fight against the stream, so to speak.
That’s what art is. You’re putting everything through your filter to deliver your message in the most effective way possible. You want to make it inspiring to your fellow men. Or whatever your goal is. Get rich?
13
The Voidz
The songs paint very detailed pictures of these sordid
Does it stroke your ego when people react to your
characters who have promiscuous, fervent desires.
music in such a positive way like that?
They seem like stories which you must have come up with beforehand.
It’s one of them things. It wasn’t always like that. There was a point when black midi was a very divisive band.
Yeah, I knew what the punchline of each song was going
There was a period when everyone was like “these guys
to be, and then it was about working back from there. I
suck, these guys are shit, this is terrible”. What happened
never have anything fully mapped out, but it’s just about
quite a lot was that people would say “ah, the drummer is
putting together different verses and bridges which I have.
good, but the rest of them are crap. The singer is terrible,
With ‘Holy Holy’, I came up with the entire song whilst
what’s he doing.” We just trusted that what we were doing
watching La Dolce Vita in the cinema. Within ten minutes
was cool and kept going. Almost every magazine gave our
I had the riff in my head, and then halfway through the
debut a lukewarm reaction and criticised it for trying to
film all these children are having religious apparitions
be too clever, but said it was basically crap. Then, when
whilst chanting “holy, holy”, and I knew that was the
the third album came out, they all said it was good, but
hook.
clearly not as good as the first album, which was a modern classic. It was like what the hell!
None of the riffs on this album are challenging, everything is silky smooth and satisfying, quite unlike
It can’t have been easy to be in the firing line of the
your previous music with black midi.
press.
That’s the thing, keep it simple. That way, if you do
Everyone took it differently. We got into this straight
choose to do something crazy, it sounds way better. There
from school. I’m blindly optimistic, and I think maybe
is only one technically challenging part on the album
some of the others were a bit caught off guard when it
which is at the end of the instrumental title track ‘The
all started to happen. It was strange, but if you’re doing
New Sound’. In black midi we’d just do that all the time. I
music, that’s what you want to happen. I find it odd when
noticed this thing happening where the ‘muso’ guys would
people get funny about their fans or people coming to
pick apart a black midi song and discover that it wasn’t
your shows. It’s what you sign up for, you know. If you
that technical, and they were right, it wasn’t. But then
want to get a job, get a job. Some people complain about
the people who just wanted to listen to something nice
fan behaviour, I know I’ve done it. Ultimately though you
dismissed it and just thought it was way over their heads.
can’t complain, people are paying to see you play.
In the end no one was getting that much out of it. When you went to music school, did you know how Did you watch Justin Hawkins from The Darkness’
tough it was going to be to make a career out of playing
video reacting to ‘Welcome To Hell’? He picked out all
music?
your riffs which was amazing to watch. I didn’t know what I was going to end up doing really. I I loved that video, and he came across a great guy. I like
knew I wanted to make my own music; I had this drive.
The Darkness because their tunes are well put together,
It’s not that you want to make it work, it’s that you
and he’s a great singer. It’s not trying to be trendy, just
must make it work. It’s not even a question. Of course,
doing its own thing. All that Thin Lizzy stuff going on
there’s a lot of luck involved, and mostly a fair amount
with the guitars. Nothing wrong with that! That video was
of meeting the right people, but it’s healthy if you’re a
great though, he was right on the money.
young musician to have the attitude of keep going, keep practising. They say it’s a gamble, but so is everything.
23
Geordie Greep
I think it’s increasingly difficult to balance growing
Do you think there’s an unfair expectation on artists to
something. Like, we got a comment the other day that was
be complete or wholly original right away?
someone talking about how they missed when we did more people they didn’t know. And I think it’s really important
I think so. I think it almost feels like the more adventurous
to try to keep that in check as we try to grow things and
you try to appear with your sound, the more prone to
we’re getting people like Clairo and, uh, Alexa Chung. A
those kinds of accusations you become. Like all the singer
big part of our role is to still tell you about people that you
songwriter style music, like no one’s really going to give
might not know about already.
you shit because you sound kind of like Joni Mitchell or something. Like I think people can get off the hook
Is there also a side to you that’s also just ambitious for
depending on genre, but if you are trying to advance a
it to be huge?
genre or reinvent something, I think that’s when those kind of accusations start rolling in that you’re ripping off
Yeah, I mean, I never thought I would have had someone
this niche artist.
like charli xcx on Perfectly Imperfect. I was a huge fan for most of my adult life. I didn’t know that that was going
You know, at the dawn of post-punk or whatever, people
to happen, but I was always pursuing that knowing that it
probably heard bands like Joy Division or something and
could happen. I think people start projects and they’re not
then they did rip them off, but I guess the internet wasn’t
ambitious enough and will often give up before you can
a thing back then. So when they were finding out about
actually get it to the point where it can grow.
these newer bands, like they were less famous, and they felt like they were a part of something and contributing to
*we venture into a conversation about a guest that
something that was happening live. The internet kind of
cannot be mentioned yet and land on the topic of
flattens everything and makes everything seem accessible
people calling out imitation and how evolution of
to everyone, so people don’t feel like they’re discovering
what’s come before is called out unfairly in pop music
something niche anymore. Like it’s already there for
and with the unmentioned artist in particular…*
everyone. If it does feel like yours, it doesn’t feel like yours for very long.
…you’re seeing that same stuff with Harrison (The Dare) and LCD soundsystem and all those. I really think people are just incapable of recognizing genre and evolution. Like people can bring their own special sauce to something and it makes it just as exciting and interesting. Every time I hear someone groan about how much The Dare sounds like LCD Soundsystem it just hurts me inside. I’m like, You wouldn’t be saying Fontaines D.C. sounds like Joy Division or something, you know, like somehow it’s okay in guitar music but any other genre seems to be like ‘no, that’s that artists thing’. Rather than everyone’s making music, everyone’s inspired by people and are evolving sounds in different ways. Like the whole Indie Sleeze revival thing, I feel that has been such a missed opportunity. I feel like a lot of the music, like The Hellp or something, I feel like they’re doing something new, but it’s being packaged in a way that makes it feel like nostalgia bait.
27
Perfectly Imperfect
What are you most proud of about the album?
We ended up in bloody Dave Grohl’s studio being recorded by a producer on a Neve desk that recorded
G: I’m proud that it’s fucking over and we managed to do
bloody Nirvana and Fleetwood Mac and stuff. When I
it. We all banded together. We did it. We didn’t fucking
think about that, I’m like “oh shit.” I’m proud when I look
kill each other or anybody else.
at the massive picture, you know, zoomed out 1000 times kind of thing.
A: We don’t want to kill each other, you just want to kill us!
A: That’s a good point. It’s not the actual process, but just like the whole lineage. Getting there, because it’s like
G: More importantly, I didn’t kill a certain few other
little pieces that all add up and then, you know, get us to
people outside of the band. Everyone made it out alive,
where we are, sort of thing.
that’s what I’m most proud of. The thing I like most about the album is that it Is it usually quite an intense experience when you’re
explores all these different things. It hits hard yet it’s
recording together?
tender in other places. But overall, I do think it is really defiant; it’s hopeful, it’s compassionate, and it’s sympathetic. Is that something that you hope listeners
A: Come on, Gus! Let it out, buddy!
will take away? G: Let’s just say I fucking hate recording. I fucking hate it. I haven’t enjoyed any recording experience I’ve
A: Yeah, that’s exactly right. I also hope that they can
ever been in. It’s not my cup of tea. I tend to get pretty
have fun and be light-hearted as well, you know. That’s
aggressive and negative at times, and really sad as well.
not to say I want people to be ignorant. I guess what I was
You know, I’m a fucking big ol’ bowl of emotion. I’m a
saying before about optimism and pessimism; it’s not that
sensitive guy under this big, tough exterior.
I want people to ignore any activism that they might be able to help with, or stop trying to help people who need
D: Let’s look into that…
more than them. I just want people in general to have fun and be light-hearted, be silly, and remember to laugh.
A: Yeah, are we just gonna move on from that or what?
Every now and then not to take everything seriously, switch your brain off and just be a dumbass for a minute
[All laughing]
as well as think about stuff.
D: How do you follow that?!
B: Be a conscious dumbass.
[Declan rejoins]
[All laughing]
A couple of people have touched on how we’ve explored
Was that the alternative title for the album?
a softer element with some songs, and I guess I’ve always known that it was in us to do that. So I’m proud of that,
G: That’s what Bryce says when he looks in the mirror.
that we were able to… I don’t want to use the word experiment… It’s more like, I’m proud that we explored.
B: Jeezzzz
B: I feel similar to Declan in the fact that we’re not, you
G: Hey, we’re laughing, guys. We’ve just got to remember
know, a bloody one trick pony playing two chords for a
to laugh.
minute and a half every album kind of thing. But I think what I’m most proud of is the fact that we actually got there in the first place, you know?
33
Amyl and The Sniffers
What I enjoy most about the record is that it feels as
Since you’ve been a musician for this long, how would
if there’s always something new around the corner.
you reflect on where you are now?
There’s some heavier leaning stuff, the folkier songs, the psychedelic elements… I like how it’s able to
My relationship with it has been turbulent! When we first
transition through all of these styles while retaining a
started, I was pretty young. [Kagoule] started to gain
singular personality throughout.
traction while I was in college, and I didn’t go to Uni because of that. Looking back, it was all very fast. I don’t
One thing I was frustrated about was like “have I put
remember making decisions. There were a lot of decisions
too many ideas here? Why can’t you pick just one thing
made for me. At that point, my whole identity was like,
and just do that!” But then I thought about it, and that’s
“I’m just this musician”. And the times I struggled with it,
one thing I like to hear in other people’s music, to be
I very much attached my sense of happiness or self-worth
surprised. With this, and the future stuff, I’m embracing
to my perceived success of this project. It was exciting
what I liked the most as a teenager, leaning back into
at first. Then it got unhealthy. I started [Blood Wizard]
some heavier guitar music. For a while, because I was
with the idea that I wanted to have a bit of a different
doing Kagoule and Blood Wizard as a bit of an overlap, I
relationship with it, take it less seriously, and do things
was like, “oh that’s my heavy project, and this is my softer
in my own time. Obviously it’s evolved to the point now
project” Now Kagoule has kind of come to halt, I couldn’t
where I do have to take it a bit more seriously, but I think
actually help it. I tried to keep it folky, but I was there [in
I’m in much more of a level headed position to be doing
the studio], I had a Les Paul and a Marshall Amp and I
that.
was like “okay, this is getting heavy!” Being a musician can really suck sometimes. It’s a hard I wanted to talk about the imagery of the album. The
thing to keep going. Every saving I funnel into this thing.
music videos for the ‘Imaginary House’ EP were way
It can sometimes be like “like what the hell am I doing?”
goofier, but there seems to be a darker horror influence
Then at the same time, there’s moments where it’s like
now. You’ve got this horrible/amazing cover of a
“Yeah. This is incredible.” I’m still addicted to doing that
bloody mouth. It feels like you’re actually living up to
I guess. I can’t seem to shake it.
the Blood Wizard name now. What does success for Blood Wizard look like at the I think I’d agree. It’s always been fun/problematic being
moment?
called Blood Wizard, in the sense that the name’s this, and the music’s that. Before it was maybe a bit more goofy, a
Because we sat on the album for a year, it feels like a
bit more fantasy, where now, I’m trying to reel it in a bit.
success that it’s even out there! And even more of success
And it’s more my taste now. I love horror films. I love
is that people are responding really well. As far as goals
heavy music. It’s nice to explore that a bit more. Adrian,
go, I’ve got my tick list. A KEXP session! But if I don’t
our drummer has done every video. On ‘BIG FISH’, one
achieve them, then whatever, I’ve ticked quite a few of
of our friends Isaac, he made a documentary about moss in
them off already. With this record, I just want it to be
Scotland. I let him roll with it. Let’s get dark and mossy!
successful enough to do another one really. I’d love to go
We went to Tenerife to do one for ‘Grinning William’ as
play it in some other countries. I’d really like to play some
well. There’s a volcano there. It’s got this thing where the
festivals. I’ve not super crazy expectations for it…
landscape changes from woods, to sand, to black rock. You can do a video that looks like you’ve been to all these
Just a KEXP session then.
different places, but you really travelled 10 minutes. A KEXP would be real nice, thanks! You’ve been making records for like 10 years now. I only know you from Blood Wizard, I only realised yesterday you made your first album in 2015.
37
Blood Wizard
The vocals throughout the EP contain a duet element
I think we tend to get quite self-aware performing and
which beautifully contrasts the instrumentals
we still have lots of nerves, but ultimately yeah we’re
throughout, at points were you using those twin vocals
having lots of fun, especially when you lean into it. I
to illustrate the narrative of your lyrics?
love everyone in the band and it’s a joyous experience to perform with them.
I just really liked the dynamics of a male and female voice and the contrast between the two, Hank’s gone through
Next month you’re joining Crows on their UK headline
many changes as a lineup. I think in the songs with that
tour, how are you feeling about it?
element, the lyrics are quite abstract so I don’t think the vocals play a part in telling the narrative, but more just to
I’m excited, It’s lovely to bring these songs to other
heighten the sound.
places. I’ve toured before but with other bands, driving, selling merch, everything but performing, so it’s cool to
The song that’s stuck with me the most from your EP
finally get up on the stage and perform ourselves. I’m glad
is ‘DYLM’. It’s such a raw and personal song. Did you
we get to experience it.
struggle with putting it out? Do you have any pre-show rituals? So much, I find it so hard to be vulnerable, I hate talking about anything. I think that song had lots of lyric changes
Drink a pint of Guinness and a half!
throughout the struggle. The hardest bit is performing it; Why specifically Guinness?
being in such a small community and having to perform that track in front of your ex’s friends is so scary. It’s the hardest song because I’m completely honest throughout
I think it just hits the sweet spot for all of us, definitely
it. Aside from the rest of the EP I’m trying to be abstract
helps with being self aware on stage for all of us. To be
lyrically.
honest I wish we didn’t have to. I kind of wish we had a handshake or something but nah it’s just a Guinness.
It’s always nice to take such an awful experience and come out the other side having benefited creatively…
What about a Post-Show ritual?
Absolutely, I was going through a rough breakup and I
We’ll have a chill and catch up about what went well and
felt I needed to capture that moment as it was happening.
what didn’t, then another Guinness.
Now being so far past it I’m really glad I did write it and release it because I’m really happy with the track. Especially Charlie’s guitar part. You just performed your first ever headline show at Third Man Records’ Blue Basement, how was it? We really enjoyed it! It was our first show performing as a 5 piece and we had a great reception, lots of lovely faces in the crowd. We played one the next night in Brighton which was also amazing. Definitely riding off of that high! With the EP release and everything getting a bit more serious, is it still fun?
55
@ggskips
I don’t know what it is, but personally, I definitely get
Going on tour with DIIV must have felt like a huge
this kind of Beach House, Victoria Legrand feel from
moment for you. How was that whole experience? Was
your lyrics. Who are the songwriters you actually look
there anything that surprised you about life on the
up to?
road?
A: That is so funny—Beach House was my favourite
A: Oh, the DIIV tour was incredible. Definitely the
band growing up as a teenager; they might still be. ‘Teen
highlight of our summer. The DIIV tour was the highlight
Dream’ is probably one of the most iconic albums for
of summer. I was surprised at how much we laughed and
a teenage girl growing up in Southern California. Soo-
didn’t actually hate each other. We had too much fun,
Young Park of the band ee also has created some of the
actually.
best lyrics. In one of our band’s favourite songs, ‘Retrace’, he says, “Fuck that scene if it’s up to me.”
Jack: I love Austin, Texas.
J: Organ Tapes is my favourite singer-songwriter. And
J: For me, the sense of utility being openers for a touring
then I’d have to say that Panda Bear is also a close second.
band. Everything felt so cyclical and scheduled in such a way that it became easy to get used to.
Animal Collective (Panda Bear) are great! I do love the new Jamie XX song he’s on, ‘Dafodil’. Lyrically,
Are there any places you’re especially excited to
you seem to deal a lot with struggle, regret, and
perform for the first time?
vulnerability. Do you ever feel a conflict between being open and protecting your personal lives?
A: Definitely! We have some shows with The Hellp in November in LA. We are performing at Pitchfork London
Jack: I’ve been struggling with my regret and
on November 9th along with some other EU dates. We
vulnerability.
play in Belgium on November 3rd at Botanique, Berlin November 5th at Urban Spree, and Paris on November
A: I don’t think we ever shy away from sharing about our
14th. Plus, we also have more music out very soon, and
personal lives. Some of it is real, then some of it is made
definitely have some stuff coming up that we are very
up, and that is my favourite part about writing lyrics.
excited about!
And how important is it to maintain that sense of
J: There’s new music coming soon, and different avenues
rawness within that?
to come that aren’t just a record or an EP.
J: Every lyric gets written about 1,000 times in a notebook
I have watched a couple of your live performances, and
before it makes it into the session. That rawness is nulled
I noticed that you quite often open with ‘Supersonic’.
to a pulp before it ever even hits you.
I also read that there is a Stone Roses voice memo floating about somewhere. So, if each of you were a
One band I do see you get compared to a lot is Bowery
Britpop/Madchester band, who would you be?
Electric. Could you ever see yourselves making these big, drawn-out soundscape tracks?
A: Honestly, I don’t listen to much Britpop at all, but I feel like I would have to say Oasis.
A: Yeah, actually we made a song called ‘Oblique Butterfly’, which went from a 2-minute demo to this
Jack: Is The Verve Britpop?
extended version on the EP. We locked ourselves in a garage and ended up blowing out our PA trying to translate
I think they were towards the end, but definitely still
this song live because the guitar was so loud.
Britpop! J: You guys don’t fuck with Suede?
69
untitled (halo)
Editors Sam Ford
Josh Whettingsteel
Writers
Artists
Teddy Maloney
Kalisha Quinlan
Sam Ford
Leo Lawton
Josh Whettingsteel Ed Sargent
Elvis Thirlwell Issy Wetter
Amber Lashley Poppy Richler Peter Martin
Rhys Buchanan Will Macnab
Reuben Cross
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Peter Doyle
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Mélodie Hojabr
Cover Photos
Stills from ‘Holy, Holy’ Video by Ethan & Tom
Photos for Collage Cheryl Georgette Molly Daniel Adali Schell
Jackson Bowley
Kalpesh Lathigra