Your Set Was Sick

Gwion designs/makes/prints his own pedals under the name Holy Island Audio and his pedals are used by a lot of artists spread about the music scene, plus not to mention some pretty big names that follow the socials. He also plays in Better Than Mending who have just released a new EP. We speak lots about how the love of achieving new sounds while playing guitar led to creating ones from scratch, the design process and lots of music and tech speak too for the guitar nerds. Definitely check out all the cool things Gwion is doing on the Instagram page, you may want to try a pedal for yourself. And Better Than Mending's new EP "Spineless" is a great listen if you're into your Converge/We Never Learned To Live/Palm Reader type bands. It was cool to listen to something new that sounded like the band was smashing it out live in a room together for a change.

Much love too for the Angel Teeth Pedal, hearing I was being sent one at the end of the Podcast made my week.

Luke used to play in Valliers who did a lot of shows with bands like Holding Absence and some big bands on the UK music scene so you've probably seen or heard him do a riff at some point. He's currently working towards producing bands and writing. You can check out a load of work samples he's done if you give him a stalk. We've got a very similar taste in music so chat about that for a while, then lots on guitars, recording bands and all the rest of it. We also speak way too much about how Nickelback may just be the best band in the world. Great chat. All hail Chad Kroeger.

It's good to be back doing podcasts again!

Very happy to have locked down Scott for the first episode back after all this time. We have known each other a good few years now and have often had many chats at past gigs and events but not as long as this. We speak about the new Black Coast songs, plans for the future, writing music and maintaining the band through lockdown + that doesn't scratch the surface. Scott is a legend and overall sound dude to chat with about music and all the rest of it. We get a bit nerdy with metal, solos and guitars near the end. Hope you enjoy and there are more on the way!

If you asked me to recommend any cool live music photographers to take on tour or do your new promos, Alex would be one of the first I'd mention. Much like Ryan on the last episode I'm sure everyone will already be aware of Alex-Jaye or "AlexJayPhoto" if you follow his socials (which if you're in a band playing shows right now you probably do).

We talk about the basics, how he got into photo-ing shows as opposed to the majority of people who get stuck into an instrument, then cover a lot of other things. Also I discover he'd taken a photo of me before I'd properly met him... Small world. He was currently shooting a band in the studio and was recording his end in the studio kitchen so if you hear the occasional kettle don't be alarmed. Was a great catch up and cool to hear experiences from the photographer's eyes for once. Big thanks to Alex for finding time to do this. All that and more, hope you enjoy.

This episode I chat to Ryan, probably needs no introductions because everyone that has ever gone on any size tour around the UK has more than likely met him. Ryan promotes shows in Birmingham as part of 'Surprise You're Dead Music'. First met him in 2016 through playing at the classic Subside Bar (another thing that doesn't need an introduction if you're listening to this episode). He has also started session drumming for new band Wargasm who you can catch at a load of festivals this year including Download.

We talk a lot about Promoting gigs, the importance of bringing so many small bands through town and why meeting so many people through being involved in a huge music scene has helped in actually playing in a band. All this and some other funny stuff plus new music recommendations. 

It's been a while since the last episode.

This time I talk with Matt who plays in local Kent hardcore band, Revoked. Matt is a really good friend, I met him around 2016 when our bands played a fair few shows together. As years went by we'd always see him at shows and was always a pleasure to be around. When my old band did a few runs in 2017/18 we had Matt along with us which brought up some hilarious memories in this episode.

He's very big on his hardcore, we talk a lot about that side of the music spectrum, along with playing shows, look-backs on various shows and tours, plus a load more stuff. We probably go off on multiple tangents but it made for a great catch up and a lot of laughs.

Catch Revoked at some shows this year.

Sorry for the radio silence, been very busy with other things. Got to have a good chat with Alex from Palmist last week, I met him just over 3 years ago at a show in London. His band used to be known as Greyhaven but recently the band changed its style along with a new name and everything else.

We talk about how he got into music and joined bands, this story was a bit out of the ordinary and was great to listen to. We also touched on teching for bands, keeping busy and how to rightly juggle it all as well as other aspects of life. Not to mention more of the worst places for a band to load in and more new music.

I didn't have a lot of time to get another episode out before I went on holiday but luckily this bloke lives next door. I've known Pete since school, we played guitar together for many years, started jamming in 2013 which eventually grew to be 'Cove'. After late 2018, the band went quiet. It is now back, completely re-booted, new songs, new name, new genre, new everything. On top of this, he's recently started taking photos (of shows and otherwise) under the name 'Xvisua'. We talk about how starting fresh has changed the outlook on music and band life, a lot of old funny tour memories and I think at one point we stumbled across the real reason we've been pals for so long. All that plus new music you might want to check out and more.

Another Rob, this one I've probably bumped into about 10 times over the past year at shows all over the place, he plays currently in a band called The Escape Artist and 99% Cobra, he's been in many others and has only just turned 21. On top of this he promotes shows in his hometown of Hull at a venue called O'Riley's, many touring bands will know and have played there, its the one with the huge boxing ring in the back. We speak about how bands from up north may come across different to bands from down south and vice versa, the importance of promoting small local shows and a tonne of other stuff. More talk about shit load-ins (this is starting to become a thing now) and new music you need to check out.

Pretty sure almost everyone knows this bloke, if you're in a rock/heavy band especially. Rob is a massive social butterfly, he used to play in a band called Glass Harbour, he now designs merch/logos/artwork for a lot of bands and has just started working on a clothing brand Skulls N' Stuff. I met Rob back in 2016, did lots of shows in venues all over the UK with him and the band and ever since then I haven't been able to get rid of him, he's an absolute dude. Rob came down from Middlesborough, we went to see Comeback Kid and Svalbard then came home and had a huge chat about all of the above and reminisced some good memories. Oh, he also designed the logo for this Podcast.