Bed wetters? Mommy’s boys? Princes of the prosaic? Keane have been called many-a-name since their trillion selling debut album Hopes and Fears; so many names, that, in fact, it became something of a counter-cultural statement to admit that… you know… they’re actually quite good. It’s easy to see why and where the Keane backlash started. Their sensitive indie-posho flavouring was already providing musical indigestion to the masses with Coldplay and Travis (amongst others) being gobbled up by mums, dads, neighbours, [...]

Often, bands of a certain distinction (or age), talk glibly about ‘coming full circle’. This circadian spiel is usually prompted by a slump in sales; i.e. ‘we’re getting older, but we still want the adulation (income) we received when we were rock’s impudent younglings’. And so, the sir Chili of Peppers have reached this aforementioned milestone, it’s been 20+ years since their socks were placed so precariously on their cocks, 20 years since the start of their non-more-debauched binges of [...]

It’s 2001. The music world is monopolised by bland, monotonous, irrefutably ‘safe’ music. Whilst America is split between listening to ‘N Sync or parent-approved Linkin Park, Britain had the choice of Travis or Dido. Where is the danger? the excitement? the unpredictability? The world needed something… That something turned out to be the destruction of the World Trade Centre. The event sent shockwaves throughout the world, re-igniting a feeling of anger, guilt, confusion, a sense that everything isn’t ok. The [...]

“I want to make it absolutely fucking clear…” starts singer-guitarist in-chief Andrew Ferris, neck arched toward, eyes bulging; “…sorry, would you like a beer?” Umm, sure. Andrew sits down; bassist Jamie Burchell sits content in the corner, fingering large amounts of sushi into his mouth. “…Make no mistake about it, we’re not a band who’s out to f*** anyone over…” continues Andrew; “we’re not here to sell people a lifestyle, we’re here to mean something, we’re here to make music [...]

SO, HOW IS the psychedelic sci-fi surf-rock scene in Wigan? It’s very well, thank you. Wiganites The V.Cs have a bit of a ‘thing’ for 1950s B-Movies and Sci-fi; so much so their beanpole lead singer (that’s Vocoder Joe to you) plays each gig with outsized ski-goggles strapped to his face, bass-siren FemBot-S4FF wears only PVC and Keyop-503 treats his synth and theremin like a rare specimen of, like… space goo. But let’s do the time-warp (I apologise) back to [...]