Showing posts with label vukovar. Show all posts
Showing posts with label vukovar. Show all posts

Thursday, 1 September 2016

Musicians Against Homelessness


You can donate to Ralph's Just Giving Campaign for Musicians Against Homelessness and 
Crisis UK by clicking here - Ralph's Life Just Giving


OASIS guru Alan McGee is teaming up with local bands in St Helens as part of his new campaign against homelessness. The music mogul launched a new nationwide campaign called Musicians Against Homelessness earlier this year to raise funds for the homeless charity Crisis. It is supported by Happy Mondays legend Shaun Ryder, Irvine Welsh, Cast, The Buzzcocks, Black Grape, The Jesus & Mary Chain and hundreds more bands.
Bands in St Helens have rallied to the cause with The Boston Shakers, Stillia, Scarlet, Vukovar, The Bordellos, Titors Insignia and The Pretty Pennys as well as, Ambrose Chappel, Bloch Eyot, Graham Marshall, Museum Of Backward Hats and The Loving Memory from other parts of the UK playing Zoo Bar, Westfield Street, on Saturday 17th September from 12pm to 12am.




Alan McGee said: “I am delighted that bands of this calibre want to be part of this campaign. “The support in St Helens has been tremendous and inspiring and it’s fantastic to see so many come forward to take part.

“Although our primary concern is to combat the scourge of homelessness it is vital that the MAH gigs also give up-and-coming combos a chance to play to larger audiences.”

The St Helens event is organised by Ralph's Life who said: “We are delighted to have Stillia at our event as they’ve just signed a management contract plus a host of other local bands and others from all corners of the UK. It will be a spectacular 12 hours of music in Zoo Bar.





The event is hosted by Ralph’s Indie Show and will be transmitted live by Radio Kaos Caribou to 158 countries worldwide.

Tickets are available from Hudson Smokehouse, Bridge Street, St Helens - The Deanes House, Prescot - Pop In The Attic, 8 Commercial Street, St Helens and Stillia or online from: www.wegottickets.com/event/363936.




Sponsors of the event are


Ambrose Chappel


Southport producer Ambrose Chappel has been a long time favourite of Ralph's and his debut live performance was at the Ralph's Life event for Rethink Mental Illness in London's iconic Proud Camden.

We're delighted that Ambrose has agreed to come and kick off the proceedings in Zoo Bar on September 17th.




The Bordellos

St Helens band The Bordellos have long been a part of the local music scene and have just released their latest EP Garry Glitter (as recently reviewed on Ralph's Life) to no small amount of critical acclaim.
Ralph was of the opinion that lead track was a cross between The Fall and Joy Division, no bad thing!
We're looking forward to this all to infrequent opportunity to catch them live.



Graham Marshall


Scottish born but now resident in the North east of England, singer sonwriter Graham Marshall has had a long and varied career which included making an award winning film of his epic busking trip the length of Britain.

To quote Abel Folger of The Miami New Times - "Gravel gargling vocals that are full of pop hooks, melody and harmony accompany anthems that blast out of Graham's acoustic guitar. He's immediately infectous!"





TiTORS iNSiGNiA

St Helens band TiTORS iNSiGNiA have gone through a few line-up changes but under the stewardship of front man Stu Oggy are one of the hardest working and consistently rocking it out bands in the North West.

They also played at the Ralph's Life event for Rethink in Proud Camden and we're extremely grateful to them for agreeing to play for Musicians Against Homelessness at Zoo Bar as part of Ralph's 'get On The Wall' event to raise funds for Crisis UK.




Bloch Eyot



We're extremely privileged to have the enigmatic Bloch Eyot volunteer to come all the way from London to perform in Zoo bar for Musicians Against Homelessness. Bloch has had a career that has seen him appear on Top Of The Pops with Feeder, manage a famousrecording studio in The Lebanon and written music with people as varied as Pink Floyd's Rick Wright and Chris Difford of Squeeze.

He now performs house and barge concerts throughout Europe and the UK so this is a rare chance to catch him at Zoo Bar in St Helens!




The Loving Memory


Based in sunny Cleethorpes over on the East Coast The Loving Memory are making their way over to the North West to join the local bands playing for Musicians Against Homelessness on September 17th.

The band are fronted by the talented singer songwriter Sam Simmons who is currently at No 1 (week comencing 29.8.16) in Ralph's Top 10 blogs.





Vukovar


Local lads Vukovar are self-styled idealists, voyeurs and totalitarians who play music that John Peel would have featured on his show on a regular basis back in the day.

Ralph was heard to say in a blog about this dystopian outfit - "I may have invented the phrase Bleak Pop just for their album Emperor as it lays it's foundations in all that's good from Lou Reed and The Velvet Underground to Joy Division and The Fall."

Their live performances are a thing of legend and not to be missed!




The Pretty Pennys


A popular band on the St Helens live music scene, The Pretty Pennys always deliver a high energy, guitar driven set.

They've acquired a strong following locally and throughout the North West as they extend their gigging and last year they performed an excellent set when they supported Blossoms at Central Library, St Helens in June of 2015.





Museum Of Backward Hats


Liverpool based Museum Of Backward Hats are another band best savoured live. Always popular in Merseyside, it will be great to have the chance to see these veterans of the Scouse music scene live and loud in St Helens.

With a strong collection of material behind them, they're very much ones to stir up an audience and guaranteed to get Zoo Bar jumping.




Stillia


Prolific young band Stillia need no introduction to St Helens live music fans as they're already stalwarts of the local scene. Their star is definitely in the ascendancy though as they've just signed a management contract and are currently recording their debut album.

Next years Catfish & The Bottlemen or Blossoms maybe - only time will tell, but watch this space!

They're also another band that travelled down to play Proud Camden for Ralph's event for Rethink Mental Illness in 2014.




Scarlet


Female fronted, Liverpool based Scarlet are quickly establishing themselves on not only the North West scene but also further afield, in fact they've just performed at a music festival in Tallin!


They've long been favourites on Ralph's radio KC Indie Show and it was with with great pleasure that we were able to announce they were playing the Musicians Against Homelessness event in Zoo Bar.

They're a force of nature live, St Helens won't know what hit it!




The Boston Shakers


Ralph had this to say of Liverpool based The Boston Shakers - "They bring their own brand of in-your-face, blues infused rock 'n' roll to the table with heavy beats, a smattering of rap and no small amount of swagger."

They've enjoyed lots of radio play from BBC Merseyside and worldwide via internet radio stations including Ralph's Indie Show on Radio KC. A crowd pleaser to close out a stellar day of live music!



Tickets are available from
Hudson Smokehouse, Bridge Street, St Helens
The Deanes House, Prescot
Pop In The Attic, 8 Commercial Street, St Helens
and Stillia




Sponsors of the event are




Tickets are available from Hudson Smokehouse, Bridge Street, St Helens - The Deanes House, Prescot - Pop In The Attic, 8 Commercial Street, St Helens and Stillia or online from www.wegottickets.com/event/363936.

Saturday, 29 August 2015

Ralph's Top 10 Blogged Band Chart - 29.8.15


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.










It's not often Ralph veers off the track from reviewing unsigned indie bands, however a recent road-trip to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival to see Puddles Pity Party is as good an excuse as any to buck the trend...how often do you get the chance to see a seven foot clown that doesn't talk, has the voice of a proverbial angel, makes people laugh then cry then laugh again and likes dogs!







No 2...Zurich





Oxford based Zurich have just released their eagerly awaited debut EP Small Wars and Ralph was quick to give the single release from it, Alone a spin on his Radio KC Indie Show recently. 


They're described as post-punk with more than a smattering of eighties electro, which I feel they've managed to give a fresh twist.







No 3...Officer




The last time Ralph's keyboard vibrated as he listened to the sounds of London singer/songwriter Officer was when he was bringing news of his then forthcoming album Myriads whilst listening to Glass Ceiling which had just been released as a single back in March. 










No 4...Mog Stanley


ROLAND cover artIt's been a while since Ralph checked out smooth indie blues man Mog Stanley (three years) and in that time he's been slowly but very surely composing an album of his unique bloozy styled tunes and he's called it Roland.

Preston based and armed with only a vintage guitar and home-made percussion box to keep him company, Mog Stanley uses an old-school, DIY set-up to stand out like the proverbial sore thumb with his catchy blues-fuelled and melody driven songs.









Ralph's been spinning tracks on his Radio KC Indie Show recently by Blackburn band New York Tourists who interestingly described as QOTSA meets Foals.

Their debut EP received rave reviews from some of the UK's most respected music media outlets and Chew Me Up, Spit Me Out was selected as one of BBC Intro's top 10 tracks of 2013. 













Third in the mean and moody male vocalists Ralph's been checking out this week is Liverpool singer/songwriter Tony Steele who has returned to music with a new single Starting From Scratch, released on September 25th and showcasing a stripped down folk/rock sound.


Session musicians Charlie Landsborough Jnr, Laura Mackinlay, Peter MacParland and Grant Walker complete the line up of his band Tony Steele and The Massacre.








No 7... Vukovar


EMPEROR cover artRalph's ideally placed to find out what's happening musically in St Helens and a quick trip to Kaleidescope Records on Westfield Street proved to be worthwhile as local band Vukovar have produced a gem in the shape of their recently released album Emperor on Small Bear Records.

I may have invented the phrase Bleak Pop just for Emperor as it lays it's foundations in all that's good from the likes of Lou Reed and The Velvet Underground to The Fall and Joy Division. 











It's been a while in the making, but well worth it. Hull four piece and long-time Ralph's Life favourites The Holy Orders have released a new single on the indie Mono Sound Records and it's a corker.

Recorded at Mountain Sound Recording Studio in Hull with Patrick Tobin and mixed by Mark Osborne-Lawn, The Deuce Of Hearts sees The Holy Orders taking their uncompromising guitar sound into new territory.








No 9...Cfit



Following the release of debut album, Triage and three singles Cfit are releasing Throwaway Survival Machine, an album that kicks off with the delightfully dreamy, moodily meloncholic and absolutely anthemic Salvo which trips into the Dream Poppy Dust Silhouettes.













If you've been following Ralph these last three years you'll know he's been a fan of Scottish band Vukovi as they've slowly but surely pushed their way to the forefront of the UK Indie scene. 

Well Ralph's tipping Manchester band False Advertising who have a similar feel to do exactly the same as they release their eponymous debut album. 






Saturday, 15 August 2015

Ralph's Top 10 Blogged Band Chart - 15.8.15


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...Officer





The last time Ralph's keyboard vibrated as he listened to the sounds of London singer/songwriter Officer was when he was bringing news of his then forthcoming album Myriads whilst listening to Glass Ceiling which had just been released as a single back in March. 



Well the wait is over as the album is available now on pre-order prior to it's release.









No 2... Vukovar




EMPEROR cover artRalph's ideally placed to find out what's happening musically in St Helens and a quick trip to Kaleidescope Records on Westfield Street proved to be worthwhile as local band Vukovar have produced a gem in the shape of their recently released album Emperor on Small Bear Records.

I may have invented the phrase Bleak Pop just for Emperor as it lays it's foundations in all that's good from the likes of Lou Reed and The Velvet Underground to The Fall and Joy Division. 













It's been a while in the making, but well worth it. Hull four piece and long-time Ralph's Life favourites The Holy Orders have released a new single on the indie Mono Sound Records and it's a corker.












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...All The King's Men




With a new video out and a headline gig in top Manchester venue the Soup Kitchen coming up on the 7th of August it's all go for All The King's Men at the moment. 


The psychedelic video for rheir debut single Fever brings us a choppy, guitar driven, raunchy vocalising piece of in your face alt rock.










No 6...The Jackals





As Ralph's heading North next week he thought it'd be a good time to check out the new People EP from psych rockers The Jackals who hail from Edinburgh.

A tight knit musical unit who are known for their blistering live performances, the band's sound combines cryptic lyrics with expansive guitars, underpinned with the solid grooves of the bass and drums.









No 7...Mog Stanley




ROLAND cover artIt's been a while since Ralph checked out smooth indie blues man Mog Stanley (three years) and in that time he's been slowly but very surely composing an album of his unique bloozy styled tunes and he's called it Roland.

Preston based and armed with only a vintage guitar and home-made percussion box to keep him company, Mog Stanley uses an old-school, DIY set-up to stand out like the proverbial sore thumb with his catchy blues-fuelled and melody driven songs.












No 8...Fiona Soe Paing




Ralph's long been a fan of the immaculate electronica produced by Fiona Soe Paing and is delighted that she's now developed a new multi-media experience that she's taking to the Edinburgh Fringe in a series of shows in The Capital's Summerhall venue. 

She's combined her stunning live vocals and electro soundtracks with animation from New Zealand artist Zennor Alexander to create a unique and surreal live performance called Alien Lullabies - Songs From A Decaying Future, which will both surprise and delight the Fringe audiences.













Third in the mean and moody male vocalists Ralph's been checking out this week is Liverpool singer/songwriter Tony Steele who has returned to music with a new single Starting From Scratch, released on September 25th and showcasing a stripped down folk/rock sound.


Session musicians Charlie Landsborough Jnr, Laura Mackinlay, Peter MacParland and Grant Walker complete the line up of his band Tony Steele and The Massacre.








No 10...Chris Flynn







Manchester singer/songwriter Chris Flynn has spent many years performing with bands, but is now releasing solo material of an extremely high quality. 

His work has attracted a fair bit of high profile attention too, including I Am Kloot's Peter Jobson.