Velvet Underground-Venus In Furs.

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“Strike, dear mistress, and cure his heart.”

There’s always a band, a song, a record that changes everything for you. It can be specific point in a song that just makes you think “Oh shit..this is it .THIS IS IT.” You don’t care if the end of the world comes because you’re in the midst of hearing something truly incredible. It doesn’t have to be a song from decades ago. It could be a song you heard this week, there’s no time constraint on this. It’s all about that moment, and how it makes you feel. For instance, most of these intense feelings for me, come from hearing Warpaint. Certain songs have precise moments that conjure up this feeling. Beach House too. But if we’re going back in time, I’m taking it back to the time of Velvet Underground.

Velvet Underground indulged in drug riddled, sexually fuelled and decadent lyrics. Thing is, these things are only seen as decadent by those who are small-minded and prudish, you know? No good ever came from being small-minded. I’m not saying let’s all go have drug induced orgies in the street. Can you imagine if that ever happened? “Yeah what happened was..I was err…well, Lou Reed’s voice just turned me on and this happened.” It could happen. Let’s hope it does, just to shock everyone.

I remember first hearing Venus In Furs when I was very very young. My uncle is a HUGE fan of anything Lou Reed has ever done (doubt he rates the Metallica thing.) And I remember one day being played the first Velvet Underground record. It was like some kind of epiphany. I wasn’t just hearing a collection of songs. I was hearing poetry. I was hearing music that would go on to play such a huge role in my life. It is Lou’s lyrics in general that have this wonderful grip on me.

Venus In Furs is a song that hypnotises you. There is something about the way it creeps up on you, swirls itself in and out of you. Then it eventually wraps itself around you like a serpent, holding onto you for the rest of time. You don’t allow yourself to feel this strongly towards any other song because this one..man this one just makes you come alive.

This is just musically. Lyrically it’ll leave you weeping into your hands because you know that there is no other song in the world that has been written like this since. Others probably try to write something as powerful as this. The lyrics in this song are sheer poetry.

The song oozes ideas of bondage and submission. The way Lou delves into this world is in a way that, anyone else would probably make it so smutty and degrading. He does it in a way that sounds like something that just happens, anyone else would make it extremely perverse. Maybe at the time it was.

The intro of the song is carried throughout the song. It sounds a bit like nails on a chalkboard. It makes your face crease up, you squirm. Like you are writhing about in pain. But do you turn away? Nah. Far from it. You keep going. You stay with this. There are parts of this song that mean more to me than any other song I have ever heard. Lou manages to sum up exactly how I feel in one verse. No other song can actually get to the core like he did with this song :

“I am tired, I am weary. I could sleep for a thousand years. A thousand  dreams that would awake me. Different colours made of tears.”

I just adore this so much. I guess it is because I constantly feel like this. Tired. Always tired. The rest of the song? I cannot relate to. But, like I’ve stated- this song changed everything for me. It just makes you appreciate music in a different way. It’s on a different level to anything before or after it.

The song is full of sinister lines that make you smirk. If you just listen to the song casually and take nothing in, you’re not listening to it properly. I’ve played the song so many times, and every time I notice a different line to just love.

“Taste the whip, in love not given lightly.”

I think even if you weren’t sure on the subject matter of this brilliant track, this line sums up exactly what it is about. Dark and twisted. Would you have it any other way? Of course you wouldn’t.

If I was going to introduce someone to Velvet Underground (I’d take much pleasure in doing so I reckon) this would be the song I’d use firstly. I suppose if this didn’t do anything for them I’d be hurt in some way ha. Maybe it is THE ultimate Velvet Underground song. I’ll always regard it as one of the greatest songs ever written. I do think though, my heart has a firm attachment to Run Run Run (hence the blog name Gypsy Death And You…reference to The Kills of course!) I just have so much love and respect for Velvet Underground.

Songs as deep and as raw as this do not exist anymore. They do not have that intense build-up within them. I am fascinated by how the intro is throughout and makes you squirm. Play this song to the most uptight and prudish person you know, watch their reaction. You’ll want to film it. Unless they are not a deep thinker. If that’s the case, they won’t get it will they. Shame.

Velvet Underground are a band I feel that when you listen to them for the first time- that’s it. You’re hooked. It doesn’t matter at what point in your life you are turned onto them, their music is timeless. GOOD music is just like that. You still feel part of it no matter what. They started something no one else has managed to even compete with. Those that are influenced by them carry their importance around and spread the word. Velvet Underground went beyond being just a band. Venus In Furs has all these different layers to it then you truly get from listening through headphones. Something takes you over. Hooked and hypnotised. Just how it should be. When a song like this comes from a band’s debut record, you know you have found something life-changing and inspiring.

Eternal Summers.

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When a band’s bio reads as this :

“Nicole was born inside a volcano. Daniel was born inside a tree. Jonathan was born in a cat’s mouth.”

Then every single part of you knows you have probably found a band you are going to love for a long time. You listen to their music, and you think “What would it be like to be born inside a tree? Or inside a volcano? Or with cats in my mouth?” If you don’t then you are either what society calls “normal” or you are scared to be a bit mental. Or both. If do any of these things, I want us to be best friends. But if you have a Ted Bundy vibe about you then err…maybe not. That’s not good for anyone. Apparently he was a charmer. Okay..okay. Wow.

Eternal Summers are charming. But on the safe kind. Even if one was born inside a volcano. Better than a hospital, right?

You want them to fit in a genre? Don’t bother. Just don’t. When you start wanting to put bands in a category you strip away all they are, and you poison their art. Or something as bad as that. I just love them. And how could you not?

You want songs you can sing along to? CHECK. You want songs that make summer FUN? CHECK. You want a band that make you act a bit crazy? CHECK. What I’m getting at is, that Eternal Summers are fucking brilliant. Stunning and perfect. Dreamy sounds and catchy vocals. It isn’t about who has the best produced record, it is about who puts the most heart into it. They truly play with passion, and that’s lacking in most bands.

They formed back in 2008 originally as a duo. Well, regardless of how many of them are in the band- they’re awesome. You know when you hear something so good and you try to vocalise how much you dig them without sounding like an obsessive dick? That’s pretty much what I’m doing aren’t I? I don’t think I’m doing too well.

So, you should probably go listen to their EP, Prisoner right here and right now : http://eternalsummers.bandcamp.com/album/prisoner-e-p

And when you’re done listening to the EP go back in time and listen to their debut record Silver : http://eternalsummers.bandcamp.com/album/silver

I’m not going to tell you who they sound like or anything like that. You know I hate doing that, and honestly I can’t think of anyone else they sound like. Which is a bloody good thing.

Go listen. Spend the rest of the afternoon listening to them.

Moya.

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Brighton. It’s lovely there. Nick Cave lives there. Nick Cave is a GOD. Disagree? Well, why? Just why? I couldn’t trust anyone who didn’t see how much of a genius that man is. He really is. Go listen to him. He’ll change your life. Then go read his novels. Actually, read his novels whilst listening to his music. That’ll probably work out better for you.

Completely different style of music altogether, also from Brighton is 21-year-old Moya (they say you should never state the age of a lady but 21 is an alright age…I remember when I was 21…I prefer 25 to be honest.)

She has a new song out real soon, but I just want to mention a video that was shot underwater. The last video I fell in love with that was shot underwater was Warpaint by Warpaint. I’m evidently able to mention them in anything. I just love them. It’s possibly more than love? Alright. So, Moya did a video underwater :

Lovely isn’t it? Makes you want to go for a swim. I can’t swim..so I’ll have to settle with a bath. Although, I’ve just had a shower.

Her new single, Lost And Found is take from her debut record of the same name (which is out July 2nd.) She’s also covered a Primal Scream track. I’m not a fan of covers usually, but this is beautiful.

Okay so her new single Lost And Found is already out, and next week you should probably go get her debut record.

http://www.moyamusic.com/ Her website has some pretty cool stuff you can download. And if you’re as weird as me, you’ll probably enjoy her clothes and hair.

Remember, 2nd July. Next Monday. Lost And Found is OUT.

Buy it.

Hooves.

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I know most of what I listen to would probably just seem like noise to someone else (how you can call The Jesus And Mary Chain “noise” is beyond me, they’re easily one of the best bands to have ever existed, alongside The Gruesomes but hey..people never agree do they.) But I do like music that sounds quite peaceful and ethereal. Bands such as Sons Of An Illustrious Father to Warpaint to Youth Lagoon to the band I’m going to write about.

New York has one of the best music scenes, if you can’t see that then maybe..just maybe you need help? I suggest you look up some New York bands and open your mind/ears. You’ll find something you love, trust me. From Ghost Pal to Friends- you’ll honestly find something that fits your mood.

Most of what I listen to (unintentionally) comes from either New York or the West Coast. I’ve always had an obsession with American bands. I suppose it is because my only solid life goal is to move to LA and write. Typical, right? Right. But the dream has been there since I was 14/15 so this isn’t me trying to be a hipster kid. No. This is a person who’s had the same dream for the past 11 years and doesn’t get handed a chance to do so. They say hard work pays off, and I’m tired of waiting.

Those who are familiar with Sun Kin, Ghost Pal and Sons Of An Illustrious Father should be aware of Hooves. Even if you’re not a fan of those bands, you should probably still dig Hooves.

Hooves consists of Dan Kolpin and various musicians. Their debut EP, Minimus can be found here : http://hoovesband.bandcamp.com/album/minimus-ep

If you love bands such as Wild Beasts or Stornoway, you’ll love Hooves. There is something so majestic and charming about the music that you may not have heard before. Well, even if you have..it doesn’t matter. Just turn your attention to Hooves, you won’t be disappointed.

Aside from the EP, a new track has just been released called Ocean. They describe themselves as Electronic/Folk. Don’t be a music snob and turn your nose up at it. Sure most that describe themselves in this way are usually a bit, you know-toss. Hooves aren’t. There is something entirely different about them, and although they are relatively new I do hope this year brings them a hell of a lot of recognition.

You can download the EP and Ocean from their bandcamp page. The EP is a lot more ambient than Ocean is. Ocean has more of a Folk feel to it.

Hooves make beautiful music. We are sadly part of a world where dubstep is regarded as a credible music type (I just hate it, a lot.) So it is nice to have something that means something. Which you can find in Hooves, and I truly hope you do.

Shannon & The Clams.

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Okay, I know NOTHING about this band. All I know is that I love them. I love them for reasons that get me so excited about music. SO excited. Like a kid at Christmas, like a tramp finding a sandwich, like..fuck I don’t know. All I know is that I love this band. I’m going to try my best to give you reasons, but you know- they probably won’t make sense.

Alright now. So I love music that has 60s girl group vibe surrounding them. Lo-fi, surfer pop- whatever you want to call it, I love it. I love it because for the most part the lyrics are dark but the music is enough to make you dance like a mental person. I think most of us do dance that way. I could just be speaking for myself there, who cares?! Unless your limbs don’t hurt the morning after, you had a shit time. Base everything on bruises and such.

Shannon & The Clams are awesome. I want to really REALLY express my love for them in a way that is out of control. Write that I love them on my forehead in permanent marker pen and go for a stroll down the street. Tattoo their name across my chest. Write them love-notes to tell them I adore them. But all of this is creepy, and I’m not going for that look. Trying to tame my wild ways. I’m not wild. I am plain and dull. Music. Music. Music. MUSIC.

Shannon & her wonderful clams make music that will shake your bones, infect your skull with catchy songs. Are you in love? Do you like someone who doesn’t know you exist? This band will provide you with woeful songs that will make you feel less alone, and less shite with your ordeal. I thankfully don’t feel this way so I don’t feel like OH MY GOD THIS IS MY LIFE. Instead, I’m just appreciating how brilliant they are. It’s always good when you can remove your emotions and see a different view. More of us should do that.

I found this band by accident. This stands by my point that, accidents are good. Well this kind are anyway. Pissing yourself or shitting yourself is an accident you DON’T want to happen. Finding a band that steals your heart by accident, you DO want that to happen. Let it happen more often. Open your ears, eyes, mind..and legs if you must. SMUT O’CLOCK.

There is so much that I love about this band. You don’t understand. I want YOU to listen to them and feel the same way. I want them to tour the UK so I can stand right in front of them and sing my heart out to the songs. I doubt I’ll be listening to much else now I’ve found them, so learning their songs is an easy task. I’ve got a lot of love to give them, TAKE MY LOVE. I have no idea why I’m having such a ridiculous outburst about them. I guess this was some much-needed excitement I needed, right? RIGHT.

They’re a band you can slap your loved one too. Or the person you are annoyed by the most. I don’t know what I mean by that, hopefully you’ll listen to them and you’ll understand what I mean. Make up your own meaning, I struggle with words most of the time. Ask me to describe my love for a band, I can sort of do. Anything else? Ask my mum. She’s the only one who truly knows me.

I’ve got one suggestion for you as you listen to Shannon & The Clams- get a glass of whiskey or wine. Pour yourself something nice, play their music loud and sing a long as loudly as you can do. It doesn’t matter if you are in tune or not. This band deserves your love, they’ll make you happy. Don’t deny yourself of such joys. I was going to quote Free Your Mind by En Vogue, but I decided not to. I’ll save that for another time.

So go on. GET. Go listen to them and fall in love.

I know NOTHING about the band. I don’t know how many there are, their names, where they are from or what their favourite snack is- all I know is that their music is perfect.

Daydream Johnny.

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“Don’t wait for me, I’ll let you down.”

 

I think the older I get, the less attention I posses. I don’t know, maybe I find it hard to care for things that aren’t dear to me. That sounds arrogant, and I don’t mean it like that at all. I guess because I spent so long caring- I just sort of..stopped. Unless I’m just a massive dickhead, that could be it too. It’s tough to keep being good when it gets launched back in your face, but you carry on anyway. The alternative isn’t so pretty. That’s why music is my solid. The one true love of my life, maybe the only thing I know how to love and will ever love. You don’t get rejection, you don’t get told you are wrong. You get all you need to carry on, what more do you need? It depends on what kind of person you are I suppose. Why cling on when you can let go? This is why I love garage rock kinds of band the most. They have this vulnerability and hopelessness you don’t get anywhere else. You truly connect. I’ve found a fine garage rock kind of band. It made this Tuesday less dull and grim.

Daydream Johnny come from..well, I don’t know where they come from. It doesn’t matter at all. What matters is how awesome they are, and that they really are. Listening to their songs, you get this “Ahh well fuck it. It doesn’t matter much” feeling take over. When a band can make you realise nothing means much, you get this weird bout of courage. I don’t know how or why it happens; but it does. If I had the answers, I probably wouldn’t bother. The things we don’t know, well we will never know. So don#’t beat yourself up trying to find out. Silence is golden, and apples are good for you. Life lessons. I don’t know.

Daydream Johnny are good chums with TEENS, another band that I have so much love for. These bands- you really need them in your life. You’re Sitting Pretty is possibly my favourite track so far. I dig the lyrics a lot. I love the build up to the chorus. Sometimes you cannot explain why you really like a band, you just do. Some bands I can sort of get the words out, some bands I can’t. Your love for them takes over. I hope with all my heart Daydream Johnny get the recognition and respect they truly deserve.

They have essence of lo-fi 60s vibe to a punk stance- they merge everything I love about music into short songs that make you want to sing along in a dirty, dark bar. Sweating with strangers and whiskey being thrown about. To me, that’s my idea of a good time.

Daydream Johnny have a basement band vibe that I adore. I love bands that make you feel as if it is just you watching them rehearse. They’re captivating, ridiculously talented and play with passion. If I had the money, I’d go see them in the States or I’d fly them to the UK. As I can hardly afford to get the bus, I’ll just love them from a distance for now.

You can check out their sounds right here : http://ddjohnny.bandcamp.com/album/daydream-johnny

Play it loud, share it with your chums and let them become your favourite new band.

Jamie Hince.

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“How it stirs me, how it stirs me now. To think my fire burnt them out.”

There is something entirely captivating about a duo. The way they are on stage makes you totally believe in all they do, all they stand for and all that they are. Duos fascinate me because they seem to make more noise than a band with 4+ members. They seem more inclined to prove themselves. They play with such aggression and sincerity. There is one man who I firmly believe as being one of the most underrated guitarists of the past decade. I say decade because that is how long he has been in the band I have followed since the start. All hail Jamie Hince from The Kills. I’ve already written about my love for Alison, so it is only right I delve into my love for Jamie and why I love him so. This could take some time, this may read like a rant that will never make sense. I know of no other way to write it seems.

I love the way Jamie holds the guitar on stage as if it is a machine gun, as he directs it towards Alison and the crowd. The way he moves on stage and makes the sounds of his guitar with his mouth. The way he plays is how a true musician should play. With power, with passion- with a gang mentality. Do or die. That’s what you get from The Kills. The Kills, for me just go beyond being a band. They become a way of life. Anyone who truly truly loves and adores this band will know what I mean. The way he plays is enough to make me want to start my own duo with someone I can menacingly yet playfully point a guitar at. But I’ve resigned myself to the fact that I just cannot and will not ever be able to play an instrument. I’m okay with absorbing all the music I can from the bands I love rather than try start my own thing.

What fascinates me about Jamie is how he manages to make so many sounds without making you get all confused about what you are hearing. You take in every single note, you take it all in and it becomes part of you. Something takes over. When I listen to songs like Fuck The People or Pull A U, it feels likes some kind of brutal tension building up. With Alison’s delicate vocals and Jamie’s aggressive guitar playing you become so enthralled with what you are hearing. What do you do? Do you just sit there? NO. You fucking dance/move as if you are possessed, as if you are about to start a fight. Why be gentle when you can make a mess.

Their debut record, Keep On Your Mean Side will ALWAYS be my favourite record by them.  I personally feel it shows Jamie at his most aggressive. The record starts with Superstition. You combine THAT scream Alison does with his guitar skills, you fast become aware that you are about to hear one of the best records of all time. It is one of the very few records that instilled something in me that goes beyond words. It is one of those records that I will always look back on and think, “this record defines so much for me.” The Kills aren’t just a band I listen to for any specific reason other than I just HAVE to. It becomes part of my routine. I play them in the shower, singing Jamie’s guitar parts which sometimes causes my mum to yell “WHAT ARE YOU DOING IN THERE?!” I just have to constantly have their thrashing and passionate sounds in my ear. Since I first heard them all those years ago, I have not gone a day without listening to them. I love watching how, when Jamie plays it is like he controls how Alison moves on the stage. At times she stalks the stage like a panther. Then you see her move as if something is taking her over. It is the crowd, the energy and the way Jamie plays. Their chemistry goes beyond being able to put into words. It is sacred, but you feel part of it. How she spins around and bends her body from how Jamie slays the guitar causes you to move the same. They both control you in their own way. Jamie causes you to move like a person possessed and Alison captivates you with how she stares deep into you as she sings the songs that own your heart.

One thing I truly appreciate about Jamie’s guitar playing is that you never hear any sadness. With some guitarists, they can make it sound sad. With Jamie it always sounds so full, hopeful, passionate, raw and alive. Pots And Pans is a prime example of this. For me that song just seems so hopeful. I’m not sure what the hope is directed at, but there is something positive there. I’m not sure if I could pick a favourite track by The Kills but I know Keep On Your Mean Side is my favourite record.

Nostalgia and questions fill you as you listen to The Kills. Jamie’s guitar playing makes you feel like you are battling everyone around you. You are part of this road trip that they are taking you on. You’ve been on it for so long, and you know you will never leave. Do or die. Do or die. It will never leave. You feel like you are on some chase. Desert road or highway, you are being sought after by the law. Or someone who possibly hates you. The windows are down, dust hits your face, drive harder, drive faster. Don’t give up. That’s how he makes you feel. You cannot give up. Then Alison’s voice makes you feel comforted. They are on this journey with you. The music is your keeper, your safety net. For me, my lifeline. There is no deeper or greater love.

A band can sum up a generation. A band can be your life. A band can be that friend at 4am when you have no idea what is going on. A band can be that thing you lean on as you stumble home in a drunken haze. A band can be the hangover cure. A band can be the ultimate cure. A band can lead you to wherever you want to go. For me, The Kills are that band. It was love at first listen (and sight of course.)

It does piss me off that Jamie doesn’t get the recognition that he really deserves, but it makes you treasure his genius even more. When I walk around listening to them, I feel like nothing or no one can touch me. They make me feel invincible, less alone and capable. They give me something that I’ll never get anywhere else. The Kills are home. The Kills are all I know. Their lyrics, their songs are like a guide. “It’s alright, to be mean.”

When I saw them live, it was like my eyes had been opened up to another world. I denounced all that came before, all that came after was to be compared to that moment. If it doesn’t move me or make me feel like that night or like a record by The Kills does- then I don’t want to know. I want to feel like my soul has been shaken. That my face has been confronted with Jamie’s machine gun moves. A brutal force takes over and you realise- YOU ARE FUCKING ALIVE.

The Kills give me hope. They have proven that you do not need much to be heard. And if they can’t hear you- be a bit more mean (alright so I cannot be mean and I’m too gentle for my own good ssshusssh.) and turn it up a touch more louder. Don’t let them take you alive, and always ALWAYS put up a fight.

It feels wrong to write about Jamie without falling back on Alison. They are two of the most important people in my life that I’ll never meet. When a band change your life, you feel as if you have so much to say. I haven’t even covered half of how I feel. The love is there though, the love will always be there.

The Grafham Water Sailing Club.

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 “No one deserves what I put you through, there’ll never be another you.”

Music should scare you. Music should make you feel like something is being pulled out of you. Like a gentle exorcism. I don’t even know if that is a thing. I’ve just made it a thing. You know what else is a thing? I have a disgustingly high phone bill that I have to pay. If I could fake my own death to not pay it, please believe I would do it. I’ve put it off long enough. Anyway, back to what truly matters- music.

Coventry! So much to answer for. The midlands are currently out-doing London in terms of exciting new bands. From Swim Deep to Peace. Yet there’s one band that you may (or may not have) heard of just yet. If the music industry had anything about them, the band I’m going to tell you about would be hailed as the best thing to come out of Coventry since The Specials. However it doesn’t work like that. With a lot of music journalists being pretentious and quick to slag off bands, it makes me realise why no one will ever listen to me and what I have to say. I’m far too nice. But, it’s my general nature. Sure I listen to bands that make dark and creepy music- but that doesn’t mean I have a miserable disposition and hate everything. Most things I dislike aren’t to do with music. Therefore, I’m not going to sit here and slag someone off. What’s the point? Although I am one, I have a severe dislike for music journalists. Or maybe as I head towards hitting 26, I am now going to start hating EVERYTHING. I can’t wait to be 60 years old typing even more nonsense and complaining about my false teeth. That’ll be good for everyone.

The Grafham Water Sailing Club make music that will scare you a bit. They make you feel like someone is coming to get you. You know the scene. Silly person thinks it is totally safe to walk through the woods at midnight then BOOM! A creepy person appears and proceeds to chase them. It’s that feeling the first few records by The Cure give you. There is something sinister about the music, and the vocals. But if you listen extremely closely you’ll find yourself being transported into some insane world where nothing and no one can touch you. I suppose lazy people will say they sound like Joy Division just because it is an easy thing to do. I’m not one for making life easy on myself (or others it seems) so I refuse to go with that. I refuse to compare them to anyone as it isn’t fair. If you want a band that sound like Joy Division, go listen to Joy Division. If you want a new band that sound better than most bands around, then listen to The Grafham Water Sailing Club. Simple as really.

They’ve got some tracks up on their Soundcloud page : http://soundcloud.com/xtxgxwxsxcx

You’ve probably got nothing to do, so hopefully(if you know what’s good for you) you will click on that link and fall in love. If someone asked me what new band I really love right now, I would honestly have to say these lads. They have something about them that makes me remember why I just love music more than anything else. They’re a band you play when you just need something to help you zone out. I know most turn to drugs or whatever to get that kind of feeling- I just use music. It’s cheaper and excess use of it won’t kill me. Nor will I end up looking like Keith Richards.  HUGS NOT DRUGS, KIDS. Whatever..do what you want.

You know how Primary Colours by The Horrors blew your mind because it sounded so different to everything else around? And you probably found yourself thinking, “Why aren’t there new bands coming out with their own sound like this? Why aren’t more bands experimenting and going beyond?” If I had the answers..but I don’t. Instead all I can give you are new bands that are truly brilliant. If I didn’t know that TGWSC were from Coventry, I’d probably think they were from the depths of Berlin and probably make their music at 3am in some desolate warehouse. Maybe they do that, but in Coventry. Who knows.

Pericolo is my favourite track by them that I’ve heard. There is lucid feel to it. You feel like you are falling fast into a trance when you listen to them. I want music to make me feel like I have no control over my mind and limbs. Although for the most part, I am pretty clumsy. Being short and having awkward limbs is the bane of my life. I hate having to say what songs I prefer because I truly love what I have heard so far.

If you love music that makes you feel like you are on some weird trip. Music that sounds so ethereal and just catapults you into a state you never want to come down from- then The Grafham Water Sailing Club are for you. If you want a new band to fall in love with, they are for you. They are yours. Treasure them. Spread the word. Give them your ears, give them your love. I think the main reason as to why I love them is because they cite Salt ‘N’ Pepa as one of their influences on their Facebook page. I’m not being sarcastic reader. I have so much love for Salt ‘N’ Pepa. I used to want to dress like them. I think I wanted to be part of the band too. That desire is still there. Anyway, more to the point- I love their music (TFWSC) because you can tell they are doing their own thing. They make music because they want to and have a love for it. They’re not ripping anyone off which is all the more reason as to why you need them in your life.

The Doozies.

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Forever fascinated by duos in music. I don’t know what it is, or maybe I do. Maybe I presume I don’t know so every time I find a new duo or whatever, I find something else to leave me in awe. Creating false mystery for myself so I can add a brief stint of excitement to my deathly boring life. It’s alright, I’ve stopped waiting for something to happen. Round here, nothing happens. It’s like I have to jump out of bed and cause a head-rush if I want to feel something strange. It’s cheap I guess.

The Doozies are a duo. They sound like there’s about 10 of them. Okay, maybe 5. They’re brilliant. If they were shit, I wouldn’t write about them. I don’t want to slag anyone off. I’m not *insert name of whoever…* What’s the point? Why would I want to tell you about something shite? That makes no sense. I want you to listen not ignore. Why are most music journalists lazy? My favourite thing is people who have blogs and call themselves a journalist. Piss off man. I gave a friend some paracetamol once, does that makes me a doctor? Alright now. Rage aside, The Doozies. The fucking DOOZIES man. Listen up.

So noisy, so good. I love them. They’re influenced by cheeseburgers. Bands influenced by food- why aren’t there more about? Why can’t bands be more open about that? I mean you don’t want a clinically obese band saying, “Yeah we’re influenced by brown rice and apples.” Would you believe them? Who knows. Anyway, these brothers are influenced by cheeseburgers. I’m a vegetarian so I don’t get how they can be influenced by a dead cow, but hey- each to their own. Once I ate some tofu and ran a mile…okay I didn’t. See, I cannot tell lies. It just isn’t in me.

The Doozies are perfect for those who are fed up and pissed at something/someone. They make you accept that all that is getting you down is a waste of time. Most things quite frankly, are. I guess some things in life have the potential to mean something. I’m not entirely sure.

I’m listening to their tracks, and they give that brilliant basement band thing. It’s just these two brothers making incredible music. It feels personal as in, only they know what the songs are about- they won’t give you the true meaning. You’ve got to find it out for yourself, that’s how it should be. Cryptic in the face of corruption. The world is fucked yo. It’s fine. Deal with it and pay it no mind. You can only change yourself and nothing else.

I love the tracks Trashcan USA and Lemonade. Both are hopelessly comforting. If something or someone has made you feel a bit like “Well fuck you then.” This band are for you. It’s a fantastic middle finger to those that piss you off. That said though, they really don’t sound angsty. They sound truly passionate about the music they are making; that is why I love them.

Bands that play with all they have are easy to fall in love with. When you can sense that the music that they make means everything to them, you find the band meaning everything to you. It’s fascinating how a band from a small town in the States can make someone living in the middle of nowhere near England feel this deeply about a band. I want to see them live. They’ve got to come to England. Better yet, someone fund me to get to the States so I can see them and a whole bunch of other bands I love.

This is noise, this is passionate, this is everything. Maybe bands like The Doozies won’t be plastered all over magazines and sell out arenas. But it isn’t about that; it’s about the music they make. And they make stunning music that is perfect for every mood possible. You don’t have to be a certain kind of person to dig this band. You may not get it at first, but you’ll be won over soon enough. I just love them and I hope someone picks up on these brothers- they’re far too perfect to ignore.

Get to know: http://doozies.bandcamp.com/

(Check out the track Gimme Gum and the new one, Burger King.)

Be careful when trying to find them- there’s another band with the same name.

A Victim Of Society.

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The mind is a terrible thing to waste, they seem to say. The heart is a terrible thing to ignore, I say. Then the conversations stop because I’m apparently in the wrong. I’m not one for ever listening to what my head tells me. I follow my heart and it always leads me to disappointment and what have you. It has never worked out for me, but I do it anyway. It’s not that I don’t learn, I just believe that the heart is the strongest point. Your mind can trick you. The heart doesn’t lie to you. How does this even tie in with the band I’m going to tell you about? Truth is, it really doesn’t. I just wanted to type that out. I hope you skip this opening paragraph and just go straight for the music. There’s always a hidden message. Maybe one day someone will pick up on it and think “hey, that person is my soulmate.” That’d be nice, but I’m nobody’s type. That’s just how it is. But, enough of that. It is highly irrelevant. What I need to do is tell you about a band that have stolen my heart. Corrupted my mind and I refuse to let this be a bad thing. Real love in the form of a record.

A Victim Of Society come from Greece. I don’t know much about Greek bands, but I know this- A Victim Of Society have violated my ears in the most pleasurable way possible. There’s this fucking INSANE lo-fi vibe all around it, and I think I am in love. I am hopelessly and wonderfully in love with this band. It just feels RIGHT you know? You know when you just connect with a band and it seems like it is meant to be? That’s going on right now. I’ve made it a thing, this is a big deal. I like to think having NO life at all whilst living here is a good thing because I kill time by finding bands to love. A Victim Of Society are currently sending every part of me to ridiculous stratospheres right now.

I’ve had them on repeat for quite some time now. The same feeling is building up. It is burning inside of me. Is this what love is? Or did I just drink my cup of tea stupidly fast? Love and tea, easy to mix up. What is going on. Rhetorical. Don’t answer. Let’s back it up…I just really dig A Victim Of Society. I love the name (I love the name a lot.) I love how fucked up and dark their music is. If they see this,  I do not mean it as an insult. Most of what I listen to is dark, tormented and twisted. I love you guys. I love you so much. Fangirling aside now.

A Victim Of Society riddle your ears with a distorted sound that you only thought you could find in 80s shoegaze kind of bands. WRONG. You get it right now. Right NOW. With this band. That feel surrounds all their music. Put on your battered leather jacket, your ripped jeans and your favourites shoes- act mean. Stare, and fall in love. Don’t let them tear themselves away from your eye. This is fucking intense. This is what you live for. It is aggressive. It’s going to shake up your bones something good. This isn’t a band you make love to (although, high 5 if you have done.) This is a band you probably fuck shit up to. If you’re strange like myself, you’ll probably find this band relaxing. There’s something about them. There’s just two of them and they make this grand sound. It is incredible. Oh look, another duo. I’ve really got something going with this you know. You may think I don’t, but I’m right. Partially.

I want to get into the song Car Chase with you real quick. You see, it is terrifying. It’s a song you’d probably hear in a murder scene or in some twisted David Lynch kind of film. Their music feels like a David Lynch film. It is strange but ethereal in its own way. It is beautiful but tormented. Some of the best things in life are exactly like that. They are dark, but have a beautiful smile. I don’t know. Why is a sense of romance coming out right now? I’m shunning it. Car Chase is probably my favourite track I’ve heard so far. But you know by the time I’ve put this out for the rest of the internet to see, I’ll probably change my mind about 10 times. I just love them.

They formed last year and..I really cannot tell you how much I enjoy their music. They have this brilliant Garage Rock thing going on that I just adore (I really love Garage Rock bands) The thing is, when bands sometimes go that way they sometimes don’t do it quite right. It is like they are trying super hard to sound like something else. A Victim Of Society remind me slightly of Dirty Beaches. A lo-fi sound with deeper meanings. There is something hidden, and when you find it you will treasure it for as long as you possibly can. That’s just how I feel about the band. There’s something you’ve got to be willing to give yourself over to. This isn’t just a casual listen, this is commitment. They don’t want your blood, they just want your time and ears. Your love too. Give them your love.