"We never told anybody that we split up, because we didn’t feel it was important."
Ladies and gentlemen, Six. By Seven have left the building. DiS talks to vocalist/guitarist Chris Olley on one of his last interviews.»
Articles
arobbins has written the following articles:
The Research at Birmingham Academy Bar, Tue 27 Sep
It's like witnessing the Muppet Babies' career through Lazy Line Painter Jane while Fozzie Bear’s secret tears bounce off his Fisher Price organ...»
Crosbi - Coastline
If Noel Gallagher heard this single he’d love it so much he may well follow through into his designer pants, but he would never admit it because he’d realise his own band of aging dad-rockers are well and truly past their sell-by date. And after all, there’s no dignity in shitting yourself.»
Goldie Lookin Chain - Safe As Fuck
Dylan Thomas, perhaps Wales’ most celebrated alcoholic, once stood back, cast his poetic gaze across the town of his birth and declared Swansea “…the most romantic town I know…crawling, sprawling, slummed, unplanned, jerry-villa ‘ed, and smug suburbed by the side of a long and splendid-curving shore.” So what the hell happened a few miles down the road in Newport where “…it was about last week, it really got me thinking about how your missus goes nuts when we go drinking. Last week she ended up on a binge, she got off her tits and showed the bouncers her minge”?»
Epic 45 - England's Fallen Over EP
Sitting on an early morning train, staring at the countryside flashing past as you as you consider where your future lies, a soundtrack of Alvin Stardust on your headphones would be a terribly unsuitable choice...»
Crosbi hit the road
New Welsh heroes Crosbi are set to emerge from Rockfield Studios, where they've been recording their debut album, to play a series of shows this summer»
Crosbi - Sonny
Considering Wrexham is only a few miles down the road from a British north east dripping in musical mythology, there hasn’t been much to smile about for the kids across the border...»
Chikinki, Kasabian at Wolverhampton Little Civic, Mon 26 Jan
It’d be a lie to say Kasabian and Chikinki are life-changing bands, but they must have done something to make me walk back to my car with a smile on my face, a spring in my step and the incentive to write this review.»
Stereolab - Margarine Eclipse
It’d be a crushing understatement to say that last year must have been a bit crap at times for Stereolab, but if they didn’t laugh, they’d only cry.»
Auf Der Maur - Followed The Waves
It’s not like we needed this single to prove it to us, but if there’s one major difference between Britain and our counterparts across the pond, it’s that bigger is always better as far as they are concerned. And I ain’t talking burgers.»
Liars - There's Always Room On The Broom
It seems truly unfathomable that a track just as much under the influence of Squarepusher and Grotbags as Gang of Four and The Raincoats is a prime slice of punk-funk, but prime slice it is.»
Jetplane Landing, Distophia at Wolverhampton Little Civic, Thu 20 Nov
There’s a kid down the front who’s caught my eye. He looks like he’s been there all night. By the time Jetplane Landing strike their first chord, it’s clear who this young lad is here to see.»
Og's Bunkadoo Band - Mengekai Muriarte
Never before has Rolf Harris’ immortal catchphrase ‘Can you guess what it is yet?’ been more appropriate to illustrate an album.»
Echoboy - Good On TV
Richard Warren is clearly suffering from a crisis of confidence. “It’s never gonna’ happen to me/Because I don’t look good on TV” he sings. Don’t fret - just look at the Chuckle Brothers, Jimmy Krankie, Pat Butcher and Rolly from Grange Hill. None of them were blessed with the looks of an Adonis but they c»
Soledad Brothers at Wolverhampton Little Civic, Mon 01 Sep
Edging your way to the bar, you can follow the gazes of an expectant crowd, over to the t-shirt stall. “Is that Meg White crouched over by the boxes of skinny fit tops? Can that really be Renee Zellweger canoodling with Jack White in the corner?” they ask themselves. The answer to both is no. The White»
Various - Ladyfest 2003
“Diddli-di-di-dee, two ladies.” Those were the immortal words uttered by Alan Partridge upon witnessing two slightly politicised women rest their bottoms on his sofa of chat. It makes you wonder what he would have said if former members of Babes In Toyland, L7, Bis and Bananarama turned»
Jameson - Ways We Dreft
It’s claimed you never know what you’ve got until it’s gone. For a few fleeting years, however, between the mid-nineties to the waking moments of the new millennium, a select band of Midland music fans knew exactly what they’d got. They knew that on the eighth day, God created Jameson. He just kept them lo»
Grandmaster Gareth - An Introduction To Minute Melodies
Here’s a situation to ponder. You’ve been told the world will end in just one minute. Do you:
a) Shrug your shoulders and accept it?
b) Scream in disgust that you’ll never see Hollyoaks murderer Toby brought to justice for his crimes against acting?
c) Grab the nearest member of the opposite sex an»
Grandscope - Tricolore
It may have been pigeonholed as a Mecca for metal, but in truth you’re just as likely to fall over a rack of flashing LEDs than a Les Paul on a Birmingham stage in 2003. The cinematic sheen of Broadcast, the scatter-beats of Magnetophone, taxidermist weirdness from Pram and now the refined elec»
The White Stripes at Wolverhampton Civic Hall, Mon 07 Apr
Jack White is rolling around the stage on his back, wringing yet another electrifying riff from his guitar. Meg White tilts her head and closes her eyes in a pose of unnatural satisfaction, beating the drums like a child hitting saucepans. It’s fair to say that, for one night only, a city more f»
Grover - Tiny Blue Sparks
It’s fair to say Grover are to the Birmingham music scene what bread and water is to a staple diet. They’re everpresents. All too often taken for granted, but you’d be lost without them. Slipping 'Tiny Blue Sparks' into the CD drawer and pressing the play button is much like shaking hands with an old fr»
(Review of nothing)
Rising from the ashes of the almost mythically awesome Jameson, Super A have a lot to live up to.
Anyone within a chimp’s breath of Birmingham will testify that those erstwhile five likely lads who managed to merge killer pop hooks with nutty analogue gargles should have been bigger than… ooh,
Papa November - From The Start Line
While it may not rival Dylan’s electrification in terms of shock value or reaction, the release of Papa November’s debut album certainly sees Birmingham’s Bearos Records take a step further from it’s roots, yet while maintaining the unmistakable hallmark of quality. After dipping its toe in th»
The Warlocks at Wolverhampton Little Civic, Tue 11 Feb
To quote the final word of 90’s TV treat This Life, “Outstanding!” Shuffling onto stage, Solihull trio Flik appear to be your average, unremarkable support act whisked straight from the leafy suburbs of Birmingham, but all is often not as it seems – just ask Michael Jackson’s social worker»
The Raveonettes at Wolverhampton Little Civic, Mon 03 Feb
How appropriate. In a city where ‘Out of darkness cometh light’ passes as the football club motto, from a shady doorway emerge four serious looking musicians, taking onto a dimly lit stage they’ll leave in just over 30 minutes as heroes. While Sune Rose Wagner whips up a howling gale of f»