macmillan - faith, hope & charity

Online // // live promotion // record label

We AeronautsSubterraneans.

The Cellar FamilyJuliana Meyer

About the charity

A legendary club

Why tonight matters

Kim Hope

Faith Hope & CharityTuesday 17th January 2012

12 Bar Club, London

FAITH, HOPE & CHARITY 2012

Welcome to this special edition of It’s All Happening!, dedicated to the third year of Faith, Hope andCharity, the charity gig set up to raise money for MacMillan Cancer Support. In keeping with thereputation of its venue, London’s famous 12 Bar Club, and the ethos of the organizer, Tim Britton,tonight will see four of the best up and coming acts excite, ignite and delight whilst raising money for amore than worthwhile charity which is an invaluable source of support for people affected by cancer.

Opening the night will be award winning singer/songwriter Juliana Meyer. This will be a rare liveperformance, as Juliana is more often found in the studio, writing and recording cross-genre music andsongs for soundtracks. Juliana recently won Best Female (2 years in a row) and Best Pop at the EMAEAwards, and the Exposure Music Award from Live and Unsigned.

One of the things It’s All Happening have in common with Tim is our absolute love for the Oxford MusicScene, and Faith, Hope and Charity is extremely pleased to welcome The Cellar Family. Picked upfrom the Oxford music grapevine, their sound is described by Oxford Music Scene magazine as‘Pixies/Nirvana styled songs build from palpable tension to nailbomb explosions’ and it was their live setat this year’s Truck Festival that blew away FH&C.

They are joined by fellow Oxford band We Aeronauts. We Aeronauts are a collective who startedworking together in 2007 and have recently come back together as various members took time out totravel to various parts of the world. Since then they have played triumphant sets at the inaugural sold-out Owl Festival, and played the main stage at the Green Man Festival after winning a competition toopen the weekend. They released their debut EP Chalon Valley back in July 2011, and their evocativestory telling style combined with twee rhythms and catchy folk sounds even better live.

The lineup is completed by art-rock band Subterraneans. Fronted by vocalist and songwriter JudeRawlins, they also feature guitarist Carl Homer, bass player Robin Phillips and drummer Guy Evans.The band have just released their ninth album This Too Shall Pass which is generously available viafree download from their website, so make sure you head on over tomorrow morning.

Keeping you entertained whilst the bands bash about with backline will be comedian Kim Hope whowill be acting as compere on the night.

Thanks go to all the bands, 12 Bar Club and Tim Taylor and Louise Reilly who joined the project teamassisting in setting up the night, and a big congratulations to Tim Britton for his ridiculous and relentlesslevels of hard work. It’s All Happening have felt privileged to be involved.

So your task for this evening is simple – grab a drink or four, discover some new music, and help makethe plight of those living with cancer a little more bearable.

Cheers guys,

It’s All Happening

7.45pm Juliana Meyer

8.30pm We Aeronauts

9.15pm The Cellar Family

10pm Subterraneans


“More than one in three of us will get cancer. It’s the toughest fight mostof us will ever face. If you or a loved one has been diagnosed, you needa team of people in your corner supporting you every step of the way.That’s who we are.

We are the nurses and therapists helping you through treatment. Theexperts on the end of the phone. The advisers telling you which benefitsyou’re entitled to. The volunteers giving you a hand with the everydaythings. The campaigners improving cancer care. The communitysupporting you online, any time. The fundraisers who make it all possible.

You don’t have to face cancer alone. We can give you the strength toget through it. We are Macmillan Cancer Support.”

£10 could pay for 21 copies of The cancer guide. This Macmillan booklet canhelp someone recently diagnosed with cancer, and their families, understand

more about cancer, its treatment, and the help available.

£25 could pay for a Macmillan nurse for an hour, helping people living withcancer and their families receive essential medical, practical and emotional

support.

£181 could pay for a Macmillan social worker or family support worker for aday. They work with community and social services agencies to help people

manage the social and practical problems of living with cancer.

£658 could pay for a Macmillan cancer information and support specialist for aweek. This would mean more people affected by cancer would have someone

to answer their questions and talk to about their concerns.

£1,826 could help run a small Macmillan information and support centre for aweek.

What can your money achieve?

FAITH, HOPE & CHARITY 2012Music. It’s a force for good.Not only for its gentle abilityto coax donations out of an

appreciative audience, but itsemotional resonance andsupportive power. Here,people who have been

supported by, worked with ortouched by Macmillan share

some of their favouritesounds, from those that

inspire to those that simplyget them through the day.

“Anything that relaxes meor reminds me of mychildhood, I love. My parentswere big Van Morrison fans sothat brings me back. SnowPatrol, I saw a years ago as asupporting act and have beena huge fan ever since”Aoife McDonogh, Fundraising

Manager

“James Brown – I Feel Good. It was a song mum alwaysloved and requested as one of her funeral songs, whichalthough seeming quite ironic (and possibly inappropriate!) itlifted the mood and reminded everyone there that she wassuch a positive person and wanted us to view funerals as acelebration of life rather than death.”

Nicola Forsyth, family supported by Macmillan

“My Uncle Ray, who died a year ago,when asked what music might be played athis funeral came up with Does YourChewing Gum Lose Its Flavour On TheBedpost Overnight? by Lonnie Doneganwhich made me smile. “

Tim Britton, Organiser of Faith, Hope &Charity

“I did a 10k run toraise money for Macmillan

last year, and needed somesongs to keep me motivated -it’s cheesy, but Don’t Stop MeNow by Queen got me overthe finishing line.”

James Finley, familysupported by Macmillan

“Dad was always amassive fan of jazz, so rightup to the end we used to goto Ronnie Scotts on aSunday afternoon”

Petra Wood, familysupported by Macmillan

“I love Florence &The Machine. Strongpowerful stuff.”

Suzanne Horsley,Supporter Services

Administrator

“We play a lot of Radio 2 in thehospice. And our volunteers bring inCDs - I don’t know what’s cool rightnow“

Jane, Macmillan nurse

“The Maccabees. Lookingforward to playing their newalbum in the office“

Callum Mackay, FundraisingManager

For the UK’s most eclectic mix of unsigned and classic music inan online format, tune to www.xstreameast.co.uk and check outXstream Indie.

Hosted by Peter Coulston of RealMusik, the tailored musicpromotion company currently working with Bethia Beadman,The Bloogs, Adam Donen and Gus Garcia, this show regularlyfeatures over 60% unsigned acts and is a stepping stone to themajor radio shows and media as well as attracting a world-wideaudience.

Tune in every week for a great show, or, send material for us toplay to www.realmusiklondon.com. Soon to be on SoundCloud.It’s all good.


� It’s not only tonight’s acts that will have gracedthe 12 Bar stage before becoming famous -other acts to play before they reached a wideraudience indclude Martha Wainwright, JoannaNewsom, Damien Rice, Regina Soektor, TheLibertines, Keane, Seasick Steve and Jamie T.

� Since its birth in 1635 as a stable, the buildinghas been a forge, carpenters shop,storerooms, The Forge Folk and Blues Club, and in 1994 was expanded and renovated, tobecome the 12 Bar Club.

� Denmark street’s musical connections started back in the 1890s, but it was the surge ofrecording studios in the sixties that earned it the nickname of London’s Tin Pan Alley, andthe recording of The Rolling Stones debut at Regents Studios in 1964 that really put it onthe map.

� Take the door number of the 12 Bar, minus a score, and that is the address of one of theearly homes of The Sex Pistols, and the place they recorded their first demos. (6 DenmarkStreet).

� Each week 28 artists and bands play the 12 Bar. That’s before any impromptuperformances, which isn’t as unlikely as it sounds: Jeff Buckley popped up with aperformance just before the release of Grace, and during the height of his hype circussurrounding Pete Doherty tumbled in one Tuesday evening to the delight of fans.

� All the burgers are named after genres of music, such as Ska, Punk and Blues. They tastegood too.

12 Bar ClubHalf a dozen facts

about tonight’s venue.

Quick Quiz On Charity Gigs (answers on page 14)1. Which British comedian joined Coldplay at Under 1 Roof benefit concert at London's O2 Arena

in December 2011?2. After the Royal Salute and God Save The Queen, what was the first song to be played at the

London Live Aid on 13 July 1985?3. Since the first Oxjam festival in 2006, how much has the music festival organised by people

across the country for Oxfam raised? £1.25m, £1.5m or £1.75 million4. Which country was the beneficiary of donations raised by the first charity concert organised in

1971?5. Which famous London road do Macmillan takeover for a series of charity gigs all in one


The Subterraneans describe themselves as ‘an underground sonic orchestra.’ Aferociously independent group, their art rock , which is both visceral and acutelystimulating, has been legendary across London since their formation back in1992. Their set at Faith, Hope & Charity for MacMillan Cancer Support, will bea completely unique Subs performance, comprised of material from the currentalbum, This To Will Pass, which the band confess ‘didn't get a look in during2011,’ plus material from the very first album April May June, none of whichhas been performed live since 1996 - one of which is making its first outing since1993. There are currently no other plans for the band to perform in London nextyear, so make the most of tonight! Frontman Jude Rawlins is known for engaginginterviews and irradiating rhetoric, so It’s All Happening dropped him a note….

You describe your sound as high art. What does thatmean?We don't really think about it. There are no rules,we'll use any sound that serves the material. Thesong is always the boss.

Given the general struggles in the industry and thatthe title of your first album April May June suggestsmusic isn't all good times (it refers to Jean PaulSartre's existentialist essay Nausea, about thestruggle of self-expression being as inevitable as theprogression of the days and months) it seemsincredible that you're still together. What keeps youplaying music?Love.

Do you have any particular affinity for Macmillan?Why are you doing this gig?Macmillan do an amazing job. They support peoplethrough really bad times. They are an absolute force

for good. We'd need areally good reason notto do this gig.

What have been yourhighlights of 2011?Records, artists,events, gigs,everything.

Best records: Emily and the Faves, Kami Thompson,Randi Russo, Astrid Williamson.Best artists: Kristin Hersh, Viv Albertine.Best events: My pal Laura's wedding, The JeanSeberg International Film Festival. Not what youmeant?

Best gigs: ThrowingMuses, Morrissey, BobDylan, Foo Fighters,Emily and the Faves.

We've just started 2012 - what are you lookingforward to this year? Although Dylan and FooFighters - that's going to be tough to top.Looking forward to new albums by Viv Albertine, DasFluff, PlumHall, Fox Lee-Shivers.

What's the most interesting commission you'vehad?Pandora's Box. (In 1999 the Louise Brooks Societyannounced a new print of G.W. Pabst'sgroundbreaking movie Pandora's Box, a Germansilent melodrama which shocked and sensationalisedaudiences when it was first released seventy yearspreviously.) It doesn't get any better than that. It'sone of the greatest films ever made. It was a dreamcome true to be asked, and we took theresponsibility very seriously. And I really like theresult, even twelve years on. We keep getting askedto do Diary of a Lost Girl. I'm gradually warming to

‘It all started, like mostthings, with the Sex Pistols.’

The album behind the name.


It

to the idea, but I think they want arehash of Pandora, which I'm notinterested in doing.

Teach us some lyrics to the songwe must sing along to at the gig?We won't know which songs we'redoing until nearer the time. InAmerica the audience likes to singthe refrain from Hey Jude at me, butI just well up and can't sing whenthey do that.

What is Camden Ale Cake? (See oneof Jude's many projects, theCamden Blogger for anexplanation...)It's a cake recipe that was traced toan Eighteenth Century teashop inChalk Farm. It's a fruit cake madewith traditional London light ale,which was used instead of water because the waterwas undrinkable. As it was authentic to the time ofWilliam Blake, and was certainly sold in Camden,which he would regularly pass through on his visitsto John Flaxman in Hampstead, we decided to usethe recipe as his unofficial birthday cake, and weserved it on the steps of his birthplace in Soho on his250th birthday in 2007.

2012 is 20 years of Subterraneans - how will youcelebrate?We haven't actually discussed it at all. There's acompilation album in the works. We should probablygo back to Germany and America, they've been verygood to us for some reason…

Where ever they end up in 2012, if the last score ofyears is anything to go by it will be strikinglyconstructive, drowning in dimensions, independentand driven, and lacking boundaries. Which soundspretty good.


We Aeronauts are Adam, Anna,Jeremy, Greg, James M, James C,Tom, James T. That’s right, eight ofthem. Three called James. In mid-August 2007, they bundled themselvesand a bunch of instruments and droveoff to France for a holiday. When theycame back they had a band.Simple. The output is charmingly roughhewn and amiable folk. The basstwangs sound as if they are callingacross the Alps to the melodeon, thekeyboard soundtracking a stroll in thevalley, the banjo popping up from behind trees. It’s not campestral folk, but breezyrhythms delivered with joyful necessity. It’s not easy when band members’ love oftravelling results in them scattered in Serbia, Spain, Mongolia, Canada, India andOxford, but the last couple of years have seen them captivate industry folk includingHuw Stephens, Simon Raymonde, play everywhere from Hay-On-Wye to Iceland, bethe only band ever to be invited back to BBC Oxford Introducing and release their debutChalon Valley EP back in July 2011.

28.5% of the band, namely James with a C and Anna, came down to It’s All Happening’sChristmas gig at which Two Wounded Birds, Deadwax and The Switch all deliveredblinding sets. After the gig we dragged them away from some crisps to chat to us. It’sfair to say that the four of us were adhering closely to the first rule of Christmas’ thoushalt drink and be merry’, and so, for your pleasure and our punishment, here it is...

IAH: So what flavour crispswere you munching on?Anna: Sweet Chilli.James: Two PacksAnna: I didn’t eat two packsmyself

James: Anna stole half apack, and then was so enam-oured by them, shereplenished them.Anna: They were super nice.IAH: Brilliant, end of interview.Thanks for your time.

Anna: That is the smallest mi-crophone I’ve ever seen. Andit’s T shaped. Look.IAH: (possibly attempting toflirt): Thank you. You’re not thefirst person to say so. Anyway,We Aeronauts at Truck


Festival 2011.Anna: That was fun.IAH: Well...there was a lot ofCoke spilt.Anna: That’s actuallysomething I do at every gig. Idid at the O2 Academy inOxford just now. (The bandplayed the 19th November.) Imanaged to kick cider allllover the electrics. And thenthey went out for a bit! Wepretty much blew up the entireAcademy.IAH: Weren’t they a littleannoyed?Anna: A little bit.James: Then we send Annaup there and she’s so sweetlike (in a squawky voice) ‘ohmister, I didn’t mean to breakthe venue.’ James, thedrummer, was more annoyed'cos it was his cider. I boughthim a new one. He wouldhave eaten you.Anna: He was fuming.James: I saved youAnna: You’re an angel JamesCunning.IAH: So you’re playing forMacmillan in January – areyou looking forward to that?Anna: Yes! We are! That’sgoing to be good. Such agood charity.James: Yeah and what is it,few quid on the door, comedown and see some goodbands, it’s going to be reallygood. This is actually oursecond Macmillan gig.Anna: (slightly squealy) Thatwas such a fun gig wasn’t it.Amazing night.IAH: Where was that?James: At the Bully,(Bullingdon Arms) in Oxford.Packed out, think theymanaged to raise…

(We’re conducting thisinterview just outside thedoorway of the Old Blue Last,and at this moment twounkempt fellows push intoAnna to get through.)Anna: Oh hello. I got nudged.Unkempt Fellow Number 2:You were lucky it was him notme, otherwise you wouldhave been in trouble.Anna: Wooooooahh.IAH: Can see that atitsallhappening.co.uk.Anna: Did you hear howsinister the other guy was?James & Anna in unison:‘You were lucky it was him notme, otherwise you wouldhave been in trouble.’IAH: Best interview ever Ithink. In fact probably going tosend this straight toCrimewatch.James: There’s yourreconstruction, right there.IAH: Back to the subject.Macmillan.James: Such a good charity.Hoping to pack it out, Anna’sgot loads of mates inLondon…me not so much. I’munpopular.Anna: Yeah people have antiJames Cunning posters intheir windows…James: ...and pro AnnaWheatley. It’s our first Londongig for a while actually; I can’tremember the last one.IAH: We do keep trying.James: Huh?IAH: We’re always asking youto play one of It’s AllHappening’s gigs.James: We do always try toplay one of your nights. It justnever seems to work out. It’sher fault. She’s somewhatdifficult…

Anna: Not difficult.Unavailable, I’m oftensomewhat unavailable.James: (finishing hissentence) …difficult to pindown. We toured in March,and our last gig was at theDublin Castle, but Anna wassomewhat unavailable, so wedid it without her. Then therewe just did loads of summerfestivals, so yeah, thisMacmillan gig will be our firstfor a while. Which is actuallyreally good, ‘cos it meanswe’ll draw more people.Anna: (Waving dramaticallyfor no apparent reason) OoohI just took a chunk out of thatman with my nail. Yeah so allour London people who neverget to see us play in Oxford‘cos Oxford’s such a trek willget to come down and fill it out.IAH: We’re making a 'zine.Anna: Yessss.James: Is this going to betranscribed?IAH: Every word.Anna: Oh dear.James: Do you reckon thatthis bit, where we’re talkingabout the ‘zine is going toreally transcendental forpeople reading it like ‘oh mythey’re talking about what I’mreading.’ It will be like in theNever Ending Story (in avoice only marginally morealarming than his earlier Annaimpression)‘Artax…..NOOoooo.’Anna: I do not understandthis reference do you? (Wedon’t). So can people putcrazy cool stuff in the ‘zine?Like if I draw a picture of hisface, on a hill, surrounded bybanshees, will it go in?IAH: Yes! That would beamazing! Will you do that forme?


Ianna: Yeah!(We high five to seal the deal.She doesn’t).AH: So Releases. What areyou releasing?James: Well that’s a can ofworms.IAH: Open it.James: So we released ourChalon Valley EP this year.IAH: It’s on Spotify, check it out.James: Yup, on Spotify, whichin about hundred years time wemight eventually get 5pfrom. So now we’re inthe studio discussing ina very democratic waybetween the eight of uswhat the next releaseshould be. Which isharder than it sounds.Anna: Actually Gregwas doing an interviewwith BBC Oxford lastweek and in responseto that question he saidthe album will bereleased inJanuary…but he can’t be surewhich January.James: It is coming though.Anna: It will be in the new year,but might be February newyear.IAH: Eight. That must be hard?Anna: Mmmhmmm.James: We’ll we’re in a bandbecause we’re the best offriends. It’s not because wecan play music, it’s becausewe’re best friends and aseemed like a good thing to do.Anna: Which is why it was soshambolic for such a long time.James: As a band we have avery democratic foundation,which is good in some waysbut bad in others. It means weall discuss and agree on

things, but that everythingtakes bloody ages.IAH: Progressively LessElephant? Good times.(Progressively Less Elephantis an indie/electronic/motownclub night run every month inOxford by James and somemates…)James: Anna actually came upwith that name.IAH: (in a tone usuallyreserved for religious

reverence) You? Wow!Anna: Yeah I was auditioningfor drama school in Oxford andI came back from my auditionand was like ‘Oh there was thisstupid exercise where we hadto be progressively lesselephant and progressivelymore human.’ And then a said‘Progressively Less Elephant!That would be a great name foran album. And then him andGrillo looked at each other (shestrokes her chin) andwent…’Or a CLUB night?!’ Andthen there was an entire articlein the Oxford Mail and fiftypercent of it was how aboutgood the name is.James: And it was all her.IAH: You should get royalties.

Anna: I do get in for freesometimes. Pay sometimes.James: You’ve had a greattime though?Anna: Yeah. I have had aflipping wicked time at PLE.Danced with Pat Nevin lasttime.James: Grinded him.Anna: I did not grind PatNevin. Those rumours areunsubstantiated…insubstantiated…untrue. I was official

photographer for thenight and I asked him ifI could take his photo,and he just went (in abrilliantly broad comedyScottish accent) ‘I’m notlike those preciousprecious celebrities;you can take whatphotos you like. Ha. Atthat moment I fell in loveI think.James: Beautifulmoment. And then shegrinded him.

Anna: I did not grind PatNevin. (Seeking adistraction?)That girl justtouched my bum.(To our right the couple whojust came out of the pub aredoing pretty much what wehave just heard Anna and Patdid at that PLE night.) Oh my,film the moment. She touchedmy bum and now they’re inlove. That is love blossomingright there.IAH: Shall we wrap it up here?James: I think so.

With that he picks Anna upover his shoulder and backsinto the pub.

Job done.


That’s how funny lady and compere Kim Hopefor tonight sums herself up. Mixing physicalcomedy with observations on life and a wholedollop of confidence, she says she’ll ‘do prettymuch anything for a laugh - I'm a bit of a clown.’An Australian living in London, she adores thecity, but that’s not to say she doesn’t miss thesunnier side of the world, although London stillmakes her smile. Having just returned to standup after three years off the circuit, Kim’s love ofcomedy comes from a general love of life.

Herself a fan of the big belly laugh whensurprised, and the wry smile when she hearssomething she identifies, Kim will incite both inthe crowd, her stand up show having beendescribed as an ‘exercise in comic callisthenics’by her home country’s Juice magazine.

And, along with red wine, chocolate, anddancing, being happy is good for you. ‘Laughter after tears is a great way to relieve tension.’Of course not everyone is funny, and comedy can be hit or miss. Discussing who just isn’tentertaining, she offers up ‘Politicians. They can be a joke, but they ain't all that amusing.’

Like many of the artists and audience contributing to Faith, Hope and Charity, cancer hasaffected several of Kim’s loved ones. Her beloved father died at the end of last year afterbattling prostate cancer for many years. Grateful for all the love and support she receivedfrom loved ones at this tough time, Kim believes that ‘The more money that can be raised toresearch and treat this horrible disease, the better. Anything I can do to help raise thatmoney I will willingly do.’ In fact, one of the things she’s most looking forward to in 2012 isthis gig!

ComedianShow offBlonde

We asked Kim what the best Christmas Cracker joke is. Answer: ‘It's has to be the classic "Howdoes Good King Wenceslas like his pizza? Deep pan, crisp and even.”’


Lighting everything they touch with an invigoratingand palpable sense of energy, The Cellar Familyare a band that shouldn’t be confined to thedarkness. Such sinister and stormy tunes ofdespair and enragement such as Fritzl, SecretAdmirer and Father Michael unleash snarling angrywhirls of guitar, making blissfully powerful punk thatshakes the system in the best way, all nastyconvulsions and fiery escapades. It was at artcollege in Winchester where singer and guitaristJamie Harris, bassist Sam Good and drummer NickReading found one another, apparently beinglumped together simply due to the fact that no oneelse seemed to play music seriously. They’ve beencompared to Fugazi, At The Drive In and McClusky, and despite an apparentlyunhealthy obsession with the darker side of human nature, have been welcomed bythe Oxford music scene. Raucous and cacophonic, they ignite vehement fervourwhenever they take to the stage, and June 2011 FLAB has a similar stereo result.Dealing in demented dynamics and a strange lure of revulsion, whether the musicscene makes space for them or not, they are set to come in machete sharp to grabyour attention. Enjoy.

The Cellar Family


Headliner Juliana Meyer is a prolific songwriter and composer no stranger to the liveperformance, having delighted crowds of thousands, and played some more exclusive gigs –such as for The Queen, Presidents, dignitaries and celebrities and the like. Self produced albumHolding Up The Sky was chosen by music-news.com as one of their Best Albums of 2008. Placedbetween Take That and Oasis, this shows the diversity of Juliana’s talent. Not content with justpenning the lyrics and scrawling the melody, Juliana is also a skilled producer and recordingengineer and plays most of the instruments on her recordings. Just as broad as her talent isher repertoire, writing in a large range of styles and genres including everything from electropop, acoustic folk, world music to classical, and the excellent and eclectic output may reachedyour ears via documentaries & theatre productions across Hollywood and the media, or onthe good old radio from some Major New Artists. The BBC reckon she’s ‘definitely a star in themaking’ and here’s what she has to say...

We confess, prior to this gig, we haven’t been too familiar with your music. For usand others in the same situation, can you describe your sound?I play Symphonic Acoustic Pop, although enjoy writing in a range of genres for variousdifferent soundtracks and composer commissions, with examples ranging from electronicato Cambodian music.

Macmillan does some amazing work - do you have any particular affinity for thecharity? Why are you doing this gig?Macmillan is a great Charity. Both my grandparents died from cancer and when myGrandmother was really unwell the Macmillan nurses were amazing and helped her somuch. Cancer is something that affects us all, in our lives or of those close to us, andcontinuing to do research to find better treatments is essential. This year my partner is


You never call

Quick Quiz On Charity Gigs - Answers1. Steve Coogan 2. Status Quo - Rockin’ All Over The World 3. £1.75 million 4. Bangladesh 5. Brick Lane

also racing for Macmillan in the Etape Caledonia 2012 Cycle Sportive. (A strenuous butspectacular 81 mile cycle challenge taking place on traffic-free roads in the stunningscenery of Highland Perthshire in May).

What have been your musical highlights of 2011?In recent years I was really lucky to play at Glastonbury and other summer festivals. Theyare my favourite gigs, because everyone is happy in the outdoors, sharing experiencesand being a community for a few days. People talk to strangers and make friends withpeople standing next to them in the crowd, which is so different to our modern communitiesin cities, where everyone stares straight ahead and no-one interacts. I also recently wonBest Female Artist and Best Pop Song at the EMAE Awards, and have been recordingtracks for the new album.

And how is 2012 shaping up?I am working on an exciting new Online Music Platform for artists such as myself, whichwill be launching later this year and am currently scouting for great bands for the Beta,so 2012 should be quite eventful.

You cite yourself as a songwriter and a composer – what’s the difference?The main difference for me between my singer-songwriter songs and music commissions,is that as a singer-songwriter I write songs to express myself and my impressions andvisions of the world around me. When I am composing a music commission I have abrief, which requests a particular style, length, and content, so I have to step across intothat space, like an actor learns to inhabit a role, and it challenges me to think in a differentmusical context - a process which I love.

What’s the most interesting commission you’ve had?It's been quite varied, from music for a play which had to be ‘Britney Spears meets Drumn Bass’ to an orchestral choir song for Suffolk's HolocaustMemorial Day. My favourite was for a video for Britain's topParagliding team, as I loved watching people flying with suchfreedom - a space I loved inhabiting!

Teach us some lyrics to the song we must sing along toat the gig?A fun one to sing along to is You Never Call. The lyrics of thechorus are really easy as the title says it all. It can be a reallyfun one for crowd participation, when the crowd is willing.


You may have noticed that fifty percent oftonight’s bands hail not from the capital, noreven from cities famed for their musicalreputation like Leeds and Manchester, but thatquiet dreamy city just to the west, Oxford. (Ofcourse, this means that fifty percent don’t, butjust work with us here ok?) Oxford is renownedacross the world for its beauty and some prettyclever people at the university, but, over the lastdecade, it has developed a name for itsblossoming music scene. Oxford’s beenmaking some waves for a while now, but whatis it that makes the city so special for music?Bursting with creativity, everyone in Oxfordseems to be in at least three bands. The sceneis not a sonic one, as far as a music scene canbe, in that there is no one defining sound orgenre. Take the jovial pop ofAlphabet Backwards, trippyelectronic randomness of TheKeyboard Choir, intense guitargravitas of Gunning For Tamarand chillwave of Chad Valley.You couldn’t put a label on it –other than from Oxford.

You get the feeling everyone’shaving a good time, and thisone aspect should help stop the scenebecoming to scene and cool, in a Brooklyndisappear up it’s own arse way. In our interviewwith We Aeronuats they told us how thereason they are in a band is because they arethe best of friends, not because they can playmusic, (although we would argue that they can)and the aim of Spring Offensive’ Christmas gigat the East Oxford Community Centre was ‘aparty. On our own terms.’ When we spokewith Alphabet Backwards at Truck they told thatwhat made Truck such a ‘special’ festival isbeing invited to play in the Bennetts’ backgarden. Large as it is.

Of course it’s not a new thing. Jon Spira’scrowdfunded movie ‘Anyone Can Play Guitar’

documents theheritage and outputof the city that hasbeen home toRadiohead,Supergrass, Foalsand Ride, a tale ofthe ‘small townmusic scene thatchanged the world’that isn’t often usedin the same breathas Merseybeat in the 60′s, London’s summerof punk in the 70′s, Sheffield’s Electro 80′s andManchester’s ‘Baggy’ 90′s, but perhaps shouldbe.One of the driving forces making the Oxfordmusic a scene rather than a ramshacklecollection of bands is the collective BlessingForce, a passionate and ever growingcommunity of artists, musicians and writers inOxford staging multimedia gigs & exhibitions,releasing records, managing bands and

publishing literature. It isthis community that reallymakes the feeling aroundOxford something special.Play any gig and you’ll seemembers of other bands inthe audience. Chances arethat each of those peoplewill play in at least threeother bands. All of which

will be of different genres. In vast contrast to theEnglish Capital, just 70 miles away, Oxford hasa sustainable music community which seesbands help and support each other throughre-mixes, promoting and a number of othercross-collaborations. It’s a genuine love ofmusic which helps to reign in the egos andambitions, and keeps everyone focused onwhat matters – playing those tunes. Despite thesad loss of the wonderful Truck Festival, musicin Oxford is still thriving and with bands such asWe Aeronauts, Secret Rivals and The CoolingPearls on the brink of main stream success,don’t be surprised to hear more about the Cityof Dreaming Spires in 2012.

Mercury nominated Foals are one of the citiesfinest exports.

Anyone Can Play Guitar, the story ofthe city’s music scene

Oxford: dreamingspires and guitar wires

macmillan - faith, hope & charity

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