Ralph's Top 10 Blogged Band Chart - 11.7.15

OK bands you know the score .....

the more hits your blog gets by the fans ..... 

the higher you go .....

So Tweet it, Facebook it .....

Generally expose yourself .....

                                                 ralphslife.co.uk

Follow Ralph's Life Indie Music Blog on Pinterest.

Now Mr Snuggles and I have been sitting with our heads down counting the hits on each blog to see which band's got what place.

The Top Ten Blogged Band Chart is played every Sunday 5-7pm on Radio KC as part of Ralph's Indie Show.

No 1 ...White Boy

If Marc Bolan and David Bowie had produced a bastard son to give their music a twist for future generations, then White Boy is the result. Although recently formed (frontman Joe Jones was previously with the much vaunted Janice Graham Band) they've produced 'Glitoris', an album of ten quality tracks that'll see them quickly rise to become firm favourites in their home city of Manchester (where they're already playing to sold-out venues) and beyond.

No 2...JB Barrington

Ralph's new found interest in Spoken Word Poetry was further piqued recently when St Helens Central Library announced that 

J B Barrington was performing there courtesy of St Helens Arts Service. So on Friday it was off to the library (and not to pay a fine for a change) to catch the show!

No 3...The Winachi Tribe

Seeing as they're almost next door to Ralph it's about time The Winachi Tribe from Warrington (and Leeds) got a shout out. They've just released their debut single Time For Love and it's seriously funked up in their own inimitable grooved up style.

Although Time For Love is a debut release for The Winachi Tribe, individual band members are already well established on the music scene. 

No 4 ...Lynn Gerrard

It's not often you get an invitation to go and listen to a gargoyle grumble as well as listen to live music, so Ralph sent out his roving reporter to cover the Lynn Gerrard (aka The Grumbling Gargoyle) live book launch in The Citadel St Helens recently. 

To celebrate signing a four book deal with Wallace Publishing to produce her poetry she took over her local theatre for an evening of music, comedy and spoken word.




No 5...The Fireflys


The Fireflys were headlining Runcorn's Brindley Theatre to a sold out crowd supported by The Spase and Chasing Infinity on the Saturday, so it was time to investigate further.

The 'Storyteller' gig gave an insight into both The Fireflys extensive back catalogue and the new tracks including the recently released single 'Branches' as Lee Wylding availed the audience of the thinking behind each track prior to them being performed, more of which later.

No 6... Nieves

Ralph's been a fan of Glasgow band Nieves since playing their simply sublime and sublimely simple Straight Line last year on his Radio KC Indie Show, so it's no surprise there's a bit of excitement in the kennel on hearing that their new single Black Tie is released today as a precursor to an EP later this year.

Initially a duo (Brendan Dafters, vocal/guitar and Herre De Leur, keyboards) Nieves have strengthend both their ranks and their sound by becoming an extremely tight four piece.

No 7...Peur

Ralph's been a fan of Manchester trio Peur since catching their debut EP We Can Build Astronauts back in 2013 so it's with great joy that today sees the release of their much vaunted Future Architects EP.

Their music has earned them airplay on BBC radio, most recently on the Huw Stephens Radio 1 show, an up-coming visit to The Shift Radio HQ, and a range of independent and commercial FM and internet radio shows including Ralph's Indie Show on Radio KC.

No 8...Vladimir


Riding the crest a wave of up and coming young Scottish bands currently flooding the UK music scene is Dundee band Vladimir. Their industrial yet infectious brand of 'post-punk' is reminiscent of fellow Scots the late lamented Cinematics w

No 9...Bloodlines

Now it's no secret that Ralph is a big fan of Ayrshire's Vukovi so it's no surprise his ears pricked up when he heard the new single Cathedral by Glasgow based (formerly from Fort William) band Bloodlines from their recently released debut EP Love The Taste. It's accompanied by an atmospheric video, of which more later.









No 10...Rory Wynne




Ralph's first introduction to up and coming Manchester singer/songwriter Rory Wynne was Post Party Confusion, his new, quirky and insightful single which views the travails of being a young party animal in today's night-life jungle. 

Not only has Ralph played it on his Radio KC Indie Show a couple of times it's been featured by Radio 1 DJ Phil Taggart.

The Grumbling Gargoyle

It's not often you get an invitation to go and listen to a gargoyle grumble as well as listen to live music, so Ralph sent out his roving reporter to cover the Lynn Gerrard (aka The Grumbling Gargoyle) live book launch in The Citadel St Helens recently. 

To celebrate signing a four book deal with Wallace Publishing to produce her poetry she took over her local theatre for an evening of music, comedy and spoken word.

First on the bill was local singer Amber Heyes who had won the St Helens Got Talent competition the previous year at the tender age of just 16 and this year was a Teen Star UK Finalist. 

She performed a short but stunning set of covers that had the audience shouting for more. Over the summer she's performing at more local venues and the Rainhill Festival.





It was Lynn Gerrard's night though and she took to the stage unassumingly, almost apologetically approaching the microphone before taking the audience by surprise with tales of her Mother's chest stubble and nasal hair, her Gran's affection for Custard Creams and crematoriums plus her own children's effect on her ability to breast feed only under the influence of alcohol and view them through tinted glass incubators.

Despite her protestations otherwise, with the use of humour and poignancy alike, Lynn Gerrard is the consummate storyteller and is as at ease with a comedy routine as she is in availing the listener with her spoken word poetry which ranges from the introspective and thoughtful to hilarious and scary! 

Her rendition of The Lovers was funny and insightful as it took a sideswipe at  Asda 'chav life' with it's 'hero' Martin getting his comeuppance for 'dissing' his girlfriend Alice with Chantal - Alice "Drop-kicked him right up his thick posterior - He landed with the words 'Unwanted Item in bagging area'."










Other poems were surprisingly poignant, none more so than Removal and Dark Skies which both kept the audience in respectful silence. The ability of Lynn Gerrard to make me laugh before tearing at my heart-strings and making me cry then making me laugh again is a tribute to her writing as much as it is to the care with which she tells her tales.

Leaving to thunderous applause, she was reluctantly dragged back onstage (she even forgot to plug her book) to take another bow. 

She's performing at Greater Manchester Fringe on July 24th and by invitation in Central Library in St Helens on October 15th for World Poetry Day.

Lee Wylding and Adele Halsall from Runcorn band The Fireflys took to the stage next to perform an all too short acoustic set from their 'Storyteller' Show (which was sold out and two nights hence in The Brindley Theatre) to celebrate the release of their Branches album. 


 


Their intimate, soul searching brand of Americana was perfectly suited to the evening and it was only the time constraints of the show that prevented them from complying with the audiences request for more! If you get a chance go and see them live as Lee's honest vocals are ably backed by Adele and with the full band in attendance they're not to be missed.



Another musical gem presented itself next in the form of London singer/songwriter Officer who had graciously offered to travel up to St Helens just to perform at Lynn's launch night. 

He's as magnetic in his stage performance as his music is to listen to. Playing a selection of numbers from his upcoming Myriad album, he held the audience spellbound. 

His rendition of My Darling Defibrillator (his latest single release) meant he had the audience (especially the ladies) in the palm of his hand and he kept them there with some excellent crowd participation prior to closing the show to rapturous applause.







Do take the chance to catch Lynn Gerrard live as she expands on her Darkness and Decadence show for Manchester Fringe and Central Library, St Helens in March as I'm certain the tickets for her inevitable Edinburgh Fringe Show will set you back a bit - although it will most definitely be worth it!

Top news is the new book Musings & Mischief was launched on March 3rd 2016 for World Book Day in St Helens Central Library, where Lynn performed her poetry to a sold-out audience.

Ralph's Top 10 Blogged Band Chart - 27.6.15

OK bands you know the score .....

the more hits your blog gets by the fans ..... 

the higher you go .....

So Tweet it, Facebook it .....

Generally expose yourself .....

                                                 ralphslife.co.uk

Follow Ralph's Life Indie Music Blog on Pinterest.

Now Mr Snuggles and I Have Been sitting with our heads down counting the hits on each blog to see which band's got what place.

The Top Ten Blogged Band Chart is played every Sunday 5-7pm on Radio KC as part of Ralph's Indie Show.

No 1...Peur

Ralph's been a fan of Manchester trio Peur since catching their debut EP We Can Build Astronauts back in 2013 so it's with great joy that today sees the release of their much vaunted Future Architects EP.

Their music has earned them airplay on BBC radio, most recently on the Huw Stephens Radio 1 show, an up-coming visit to The Shift Radio HQ, and a range of independent and commercial FM and internet radio shows including Ralph's Indie Show on Radio KC.

No 2 ...White Boy

If Marc Bolan and David Bowie had produced a bastard son to give their music a twist for future generations, then White Boy is the result. Although recently formed (frontman Joe Jones was previously with the much vaunted Janice Graham Band) they've produced 'Glitoris', an album of ten quality tracks that'll see them quickly rise to become firm favourites in their home city of Manchester (where they're already playing to sold-out venues) and beyond.

No 3...The Fireflys

The Fireflys were headlining Runcorn's Brindley Theatre to a sold out crowd supported by The Spase and Chasing Infinity on the Saturday, so it was time to investigate further.

The 'Storyteller' gig gave an insight into both The Fireflys extensive back catalogue and the new tracks including the recently released single 'Branches' as Lee Wylding availed the audience of the thinking behind each track prior to them being performed, more of which later.

No 4... Nieves

Ralph's been a fan of Glasgow band Nieves since playing their simply sublime and sublimely simple Straight Line last year on his Radio KC Indie Show, so it's no surprise there's a bit of excitement in the kennel on hearing that their new single Black Tie is released today as a precursor to an EP later this year.

Initially a duo (Brendan Dafters, vocal/guitar and Herre De Leur, keyboards) Nieves have strengthend both their ranks and their sound by becoming an extremely tight four piece.







No 5...Vladimir


Riding the crest a wave of up and coming young Scottish bands currently flooding the UK music scene is Dundee band Vladimir. Their industrial yet infectious brand of 'post-punk' is reminiscent of fellow Scots the late lamented Cinematics w

No 6...Bloodlines

Now it's no secret that Ralph is a big fan of Ayrshire's Vukovi so it's no surprise his ears pricked up when he heard the new single Cathedral by Glasgow based (formerly from Fort William) band Bloodlines from their recently released debut EP Love The Taste. It's accompanied by an atmospheric video, of which more later.

No 7 ...The Empty Page

It's always nice when you find a virtually brand spanking new band that sounds like they've been together for years and producing a focused and polished sound. Just such an eventuality is the case with The Empty Page (which it wont be as I've got more to say, otherwise it'd be a short review) from Manchester.

With that in mind Ralph had a quick chat with Jim of The Empty Page with a view to finding out what's driven them to forming the band to bring us their version of 'fuzzy 90's Alt Rock'.

No 8...Rory Wynne




Ralph's first introduction to up and coming Manchester singer/songwriter Rory Wynne was Post Party Confusion, his new, quirky and insightful single which views the travails of being a young party animal in today's night-life jungle. 

Not only has Ralph played it on his Radio KC Indie Show a couple of times it's been featured by Radio 1 DJ Phil Taggart.

No 9...Multiplier

Ralph has played tracks by Manchester band Multiplier previously on his eponymous Radio KC Indie Show and to good feedback. So when he heard they were releasing a shiny new EP in may he thought it'd be a good time to take a closer look and listen.

The Multiplier EP is three tracks of sublime Indie Pop goodness with shades of 

No 10...The Jade Assembly

With thanks to @PhotographyGaz ©

Ralph has had his beady eye on immensely popular Bolton band The Jade Assembly for some time now and with the release of their new single One Last Time on May 5th, what better time to look closer.

Keen to stand apart from their contemporaries, The Jade Assembly say - "We're in this for the long haul and for the right reasons."