Shake Your Money Maker: Southern Rock and Blues-Rock Fashions into a RE-BRANDING
One particular release that you may have missed this year was the sixth release from Black Pistol Fire. Raucous with their fusion of southern rock, blues and garage punk, Look Alive is a stand-out album that is emphatic in its style aswell as its music production. Fused between the boisterous concoctions of The Black Keys, Cleopatrick and the quirky expertise of Queens of the Stone Age, comes a rock-child that joins the list of ever-growing duo rockers.
Accustomed with the stigma of charcoal black already in a rock deluge, Black Pistol Fire have a certain class and persona when it comes to their tastefulness of blues-rock, which goes farther than merely immersing in the black décor. The album comes out swinging with self-titled, Look Alive and Pick Your Poison, with both indulgent songs swinging a depth into the work of Cage The Elephant and among others. Rampant throughout, the album boasts and brags with such a large pair of cajones, as we’re dazzled through the bright funky lights of of Never Enough and spat out the other side with Level.
The album is not just an aggressive boaster though, it has passive – often contemplating – slow-burners like Hope in Hell and Always On My Mind that wouldn’t be a shock to see such songs escape the song-writing booths of Pixies.
A glorious reprise for a fusion of classics – southern rock, blues and dripped in garage punk – Look Alive is a fanatic favourite to swoon and enjoy within your own time, and will no doubt become a classic in it’s own time.
In news that is not utterly shocking to anyone, UK festivals have issued a “red alert” after many festivals cancel, postpone and pull out plans for returning in the summer.
This comes after the talks with the Government break down regarding festival insurance, if they do happen to cancel again due to COVID, as the roadmap to return is ultimately delayed and does not place us where we expect to be.
Yet again, the UK festivals are facing unwarranted certainty and confirmation of anything set to go ahead this summer – not even the support and structure of cancellation insurance if things do not go ahead. Eeesh, we’re seeing a similar pattern as to what we saw last summer, too.
A projection from AIF (The Association of Independent Festivals) reveals that 76% of the remaining festivals left in July and August could cancel too, if no immediate action is taken to help protect these events. It seems there is simply no appetite or mere desire to save such events – despite providing countless streams of revenue each year, not just for the UK music industry, but for the country’s economy in general.
It certainly seems that the lack of action just resembles the Governments’ desire to act fast on such events and really demonstrates just how far down the list UK music festivals, gigs and local grass-root venues are.
There may have to be a rebellious act of courtesy or restriction in the streets again near Parliament, if these are to even be raised in the House. Time will tell if action is set to be taken or not, because if they don’t receive the much-needed insurance and cancel in the coming weeks, the sheer loss and weight of cancelling such events for another trading year, may not see some of our beloved festivals ever returning to our fields again.
In the most recent news to filter out of the industry, one of the most prominent bands in the quirky rock category– who dominated the charts in the ’90s – have sold the publishing for all of their music catalogue for a proposed fee of £100 million to Hipgnosis.
Now, whether it’s a way to secure a stable future for friends and family, or merely demonstrates the situation of music streaming for artists, the Peppers have joined the long-list of eclectic artists who have also sold their songwriting formats, like Bob Dylan and Fleetwood Mac.
As drummer ChadSmith talks about the future of the band, by looking ahead to new music, it solidifies their position in an overwhelming industry as one of those bands that have been there, done that, and signed the t-shirt. Well, signed the deal, in fact.
Either way, let me know your thoughts on this one – will more international artists join the plethora already once momentum is picked up? What does this demonstrate to us artists who are up-and-coming and don’t have a collection worth selling for millions?
Is the industry ethos of selling, changing?
More importantly, if these artists are selling their work now while it’s hot, do these music artists know something we don’t?
But growing up with 6 million dollars net worth at 18 in music is an incredulous feat that no one would ever dare to undertake.
Ellish’s sudden global rise to fame has been seeped over her music ever since she released Ocean Eyes at the age of 15.
Her music ultimately portrays such an intoxicating environment – with melancholic moments and agitated arks when it simply got too much.
Now just turned 19, it seems Ellish has veered onto a new path.
With her second studio album, Happier Than Ever.
Is this a turn of the tides for the artist finally being happy and comfortable with who she is?
With the help of her producing brother, Finneas, Billie has had the eternal spotlight on her since she was 15, and is no stranger to enduring the ugly side of such an industry.
Certainly, starting so young in an industry will almost never result in a healthy life.
Billie Eilish has used her empowering status and power figure in the arts to cast light on important topics such as depression, body image, self-doubt and a certain sense ofimposter syndrome.
Despite being having such a different childhood to many other esteemed teenagers, we have never felt connected more to a music artist than Billie Eilish.
With an overwhelming sense of dread with tours, press and the unbelievable amount of pressure that comes with it all, Eilish has been growing up with us since 2017 is truly an avid watch, and I would recommend to watch her documentary, The World’s a Little Blurry.
don’t smile at me, 2017
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Her acclaimed status started gaining momentum when the temptations of don’t smile at me appeared in 2017, with the cardinal feature of Ocean Eyes, which certainly made heads turn.
WHEN WE FALL ASLEEP, WHERE DO WE GO?, 2019
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After a few scary years up and down struggling with anxiety, depression and true identity all the while growing up as a teenager, her debut album, WHEN WE FALL ASLEEP, WHERE DO WE GO? in 2019. Although slightly more contemptuous in style compared to the likes of Ocean Eyes, it showed an insatiable side to the teenage artist we hadn’t seen before. The sheer humble beginnings of such a debut scored her one of the biggest North America debuts in North America, and solidified her colossal rise with 5 GRAMMYs.
She is now set on a new journey on her own truly reflecting where she feels with herself right now. With us already being indulged with the soothing tones of Your Power, I feel this album will allow us to see another chapter in this artists’ life. Going off the decision of such a title, let’s hope it’s a happier one …
Vanity Fair Interview: One thing that is fascinating to witness and watch the simply intriguing journey this young artist has gone through to super pop stardom is to watch the Vanity Fair interview with Billie Eilish: Same Interview series. You can start the series via the link below:
“I want to know if it’s all worth it, because it’s tiring as heck.”
-Billie Eilish, 2017.
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“You forget that I’m literally 18, it’s funny to be expected to have found myself and stick with it, you know? I’m trying different things out, I’m different ways of living. I’m just trying it all out cause I’m a growing f*cking girl.”
-Billie Eilish, Same Interview, The Fourth Year: Nov 30, 2020
This weekend (May 1st and May 2nd) enjoy the art of entertainment with a whole host of rising bands, impressive acts and obsessive songwriters.
All streamed solely from Facebook and Zoom, Nebula Festival is encouraging the will of live music – despite being in a pandemic that prevents such things occurring in the real world.
It not only pumps the enthusiasm for musicians, audiences alike but also pumps the enthusiasm for a likely return to usual industry business in the summer, too. Whether that be with the usual proceedings or not, we’re all looking forward to enjoying a hardened local pint while listening to a hardened local band for accompaniment. The perfect duo.
Either way, be sure to check their colossal live stream across this weekend via the link below – even if it’s just a 5 minute check-up..
