Ralph's Life Indie Music Blog: The OK Social Club

Showing posts with label The OK Social Club. Show all posts

Saturday, 16 February 2013

OK bands you know the score.....

the more hits your blog gets by the fans, the higher you go.....

So tweet it, Facebook it.....

and generally expose yourself.....

Now Snuggles and me have been sitting with our heads down counting the hits on each bands blog to see who's got which place.

So here it is.....

The Top Ten Blogged Band Chart .....

No 1..... Plum

Back in July last year I acquired a taste for fine female voices after listening to Kathryn Marsh so I turned my nose in the direction of Plum, the alter ego of Edinburgh based Shona Maguire.

So what's the latest...well she's just been and gone and got herself nominated in the Best Electronic category of The Scottish Alternative Music Awards 2013.....

No 2..... Wullae Wright

Everybody likes to make a comparison about artistes and Ralph's old man is no exception. He heard Wullae Wright's 'Halo Effect' playing on my laptop and next thing he was wiping the dust of his collection of vinyl, dug out Led Zeppelin I and stuck it under my nose muttering....."Babe I'm Gonna Leave You". Chance would be a fine thing some would say, however I had a listen and low and behold Wullae Wright is capturing the same raw intensity of vocals that an early Robert Plant did.

No 3..... Vigo Thieves

As me old man never tires of saying, "Always great to hear a Scottish band singing like you know they're a Scottish band". Well that certainly applies to The Vigo Thieves, just listen to the wonderful Steal Your Heart with it's almost Big Country-like intro and the thumping Heartbeats, last years video soundtrack for T in the Park has got to be a big club favourite, which is guaranteed to get the proverbial joint jumpin'. They're up for Best Live Act at the SAMAs.

No 4..... The Ninth Watch

After a hectic and successful years gigging in 2012, Manchester four piece The Ninth Watch are hibernating in the studio with a view to bringing you a host of new tunes and if they're as strong as the tracks they produced last year, we're in for a real treat.

No 5..... Fat Goth

Ok so I saw that these guys were called Fat Goth and I thought erk, but turns out the only thing that's dark and heavy about this Dundee band are their sounds. last year they played The Wickerman Festival alongside other Ralph's Life favourites Campfires in Winter and Olympic Swimmers and now they've been nominated for a SAMA.

No 6..... The OK Social Club

Who said 'I don't like Mondays' (OK, OK I know it was the Boomtown Rats) because one reason to absolutely love Mondays is the release of The OK Social Club's first album 'Nothing In Common' next Monday! They've been on the blog list for a bit but good things come to those who wait and there's no arguing this album is a very good thing. They're also nominated for Best Live act in the SAMA.

No 7..... Wishes

Ralph's now got his own Unsigned Indie Mix show on French station Radio Kaos Caribou every Sunday 5 - 6 pm and it's thanks to listening to their eclectic mix of music that he came across Paris based band Wishes.

Always keen to promote 'The Auld Alliance' and via the wonders of email I bring you an interview with Wishes.

No 8..... Cleavers

OK here's the skinny on fast rising Elgin

based hardcore punksters Cleavers

who've made inroads onto BBC Radio

Scotland's radar. Their first outing was in

December of 2011 after the turn of the year

were included in BBC Scotland's 35

Scottish Artists to watch 2012 by DJ Vic

Galloway and they've got a SAMAs nomination.

No 9..... The Recovery!

The Recovery! are a five piece punk/metal/core band from Glasgow who release their new E.P ‘Wherever Nowhere Takes Us’ on 11^thFebruary, 2013 via Indie label Cold War Legacy.

The first single from the record ‘The Faint & Fragile’ is available now for free download!

No 10..... Campfires In Winter

I can't believe that eight months have passed since I first blogged those lovely hirsute young men Campfires In Winter after hearing the melodious 'Twelve Thousand Drops'. So it was with great joy and expectation when news of a proper debut single release on March 4th dropped into Ralph's inbox.

Tuesday, 29 January 2013

The OK Social Club

The OK Social Club closing the show after winning
Best Live Act at The Scottish Music Awards

Ralph's man on the spot asked them stuff.....

So you hear " The award goes to - OK Social Club.....

MP: How did you feel, explain the moment?

OK: "We were surprised, the category was full of great bands. You always get a bit nervous waiting on any results, it's a relief when they announce it regardless of the outcome but you get a little burst of adrenaline when they say your name."

MP:How do you feel the award will help the band, is it something that will open more doors, bring you to a wider audience?

OK: "I think everybody who was nominated got some great press but hopefully winning best live act will help with things like festivals and touring."

MP:If you could pick a band, who you admire to go on tour with, who would it be?

OK: "We've got lots of friends in bands so going away with them would be fun, the guys in We Are Scientists are good fun too. U2.....that'd be an experience!"

MP:Briefly, can you share any confirmed plans, gig's, festivals etc?

OK: "We're going to release another single from this album. All our dates are on our Facebook/Website etc. There's a few things in the pipeline festival wise but nothing confirmed. At the moment I have been writing songs for the next album and we plan to start recording that later this year."

Who said 'I don't like Mondays' (OK, OK I know it was the Boomtown Rats) because one reason to absolutely love Mondays is the release of The OK Social Club's first album 'Nothing In Common' next Monday! They've been on the blog list for a bit but good things come to those who wait and there's no arguing this album is a very good thing. it's Scottish Indie Pop at its very best, out Frattelli-ing the Frattellis and poppier than The View (who they shared the stage with at Edinburgh's Hogmanay Celebration).

Given that The OK Social Club have only been together as a band since mid 2011 their achievements are becoming the stuff of legend. Their first two singles 'The Shape Of Things To Come' and 'The Late 90's' were released on Platform records in 2012 and featured on a number of radio and TV shows including MTV Rocks, Channel 4's Sunday Brunch playlist with the legend that is Tim Lovejoy, Hollyoaks, (I know) E4 and Ralph's staple viewing Soccer AM as well as Janice Forsyth's record of the week on Auntie BEEB and they were Steve Lamacq's 'Rebel Playlist' winners on BBC Radio 6 (and breathe).

I'm not going to give away too much of the album for free, you've got to go and fork out your hard earned beer tokens for this slice of musical goodness.....however I will let you hear 'The Shape Of Things To Come' which is an indie-pop classic in waiting. It's bouncy and just what you need to kick off a gig at The Barrowlands and get the joint jumpin'.

The OK Social Club are Raff Eragona on vocals and guitars, Chris Finn on guitars and backing vocals, Gordy Burn on bass and Jordan Harvey on drums. The reflective start to 'Twisted Young Gentlemen' lulls you into a false sense of security as it bursts into a twangy guitar, chant anthem that'll go down a storm at any festival that's got the sense to snap them up.

They're going to be busy with a load of gigs to kick off what's going to be a good year for them. Hopefully the second half of the year will see them nip down to Manchester or Liverpool.....I'll put you up in the kennel.....nae worries.....and they've been nominated for Best Live Act in the Scottish Alternative Music Awards and you can vote on this link.....Vote for OK Social Club