Review
by Dom Gourlay
You can probably count on the fingers of one hand the number of interesting and worthwhile bands that weren’t influenced by the Buzzcocks. Sadly the only time anyone mentions their name these days is by association with a BBC2 comedy gameshow.
Not that television appearances will ever be a worry for»
Review
by Dom Gourlay
If Catholics love Jesus and Muslims praise Allah, where does that leave those who worship at the shrine of Belle and Sebastian?
In here tonight, for a guess… Because this is what the first Bowlie Weekender felt like.
Obscure classics by the likes of Denim and the BMX Bandits drif»
Review
by Dom Gourlay
Step One.
Inspect band name - 'LORRAINE'. Erm...sounds a bit, well, dull really.
Step Two. Examine title - 'THE LORRAINE EP'. You've really pushed
the boat out in the imagination stakes there boys.
Step Three. Read press release. Blah blah blah "Lorraine are»
Review
by Dom Gourlay
"Mud slide for a joyride, drop my pants before I look around / drop rocks on my sunblock…tough search for a good rhyme".
If only Lee, Duncan and the other two had met Pillow Talk twelve months ago then 'Fly By' might have been one of the most intentionally comical moments in pop»
In Depth by Dom Gourlay
Tired of the Strokes? Bored of Oasis? Fed up to the back teeth with Linkin Park?
May I suggest you carry on reading because Nottingham based four piece Sufferkiss may just be the antidote you’re looking for.
Formed on Valentine’s Day 2001, Sufferkiss have rapidly attr»
Review
by Dom Gourlay
Fortunately, the days when the words 'Australia's' and 'music scene' were
linked together in the same sentence by the names Angry Anderson and Rolf
Harris are well and truly behind us, and whether or not you like the Vines
and Jet, no one can argue that for the time being»
Review
by Dom Gourlay
I hope I'm wrong but the signs look ominous.
Having been dropped by their record label and then seeing bass player Paul Douglas depart a matter of just a few weeks later, most cynics would be sounding the death knell for Six By Seven.
Add to that the fact that the merchandise stall is awash with»
In Depth by Dom Gourlay
Leeds based (via Scunthorpe) four-piece FULC are a rare commodity – an English rock band who don’t sound like they have some strange fascination that involves metamorphosising into Americans. Originally formed at the back end of 1998, the current line up (Duane Walker – guitar & vocals, »
Review
by Dom Gourlay
Is this really what we need right now, more garage rock of the Scandinavian variety?
To be fair, The Caesars aren't really following the same path as most of their Hives instigated comrades, who seem to have escaped one by one off some production line of »
In Depth by Dom Gourlay
South London quartet Athlete may worship at the throne of Pavement
and Grandaddy while sounding like Steve Harley (of Cockney
Rebel fame) jamming with The Beta Band, and new single ‘El Salvador’
may borrow it’s verse hook from Avril Lavigne’s ‘Complicated’, b»
Review
by Dom Gourlay
It may be hard to believe, but The Cardigans have been around for ten years now, and ‘Long Gone Before Daylight’ is actually their fifth long player.
Whereas their last album ‘Gran Turismo’ was a fast and furious onslaught of larger than life pop tunes and even bigger hits (‘Erase/Rewind’<»
Review
by Dom Gourlay
Every once in a while, you’ll discover a book or a song, maybe a piece of film even, that inspires you to get off your lazy ass and do something creative.
Now before anyone rushes out looking for the latest Dom And The Cynics release, don’t bother, cos that last sentence wasn’t meant to be taken literally in»
Review
by Dom Gourlay
One of my ambitions was to be able to play air guitar as good as Bill and Ted, so off I traipsed down to my local GT Sports for that age old air guitar accessory, the tennis racket.
Sadly, it's been lying under my bed now for a good six or more years, destined for a lifetime in a charity shop window, or wo»
Review
by Dom Gourlay
It must be a nightmare if you’ve just started your own band and you’re trying to make a name for yourselves, especially if London’s the place where you wanna make it happen.
Why? Because there are gonna be literally thousands of likeminded souls in the same boat, and only those who can offer something very»
Review
by Dom Gourlay
Right.
Do you lot really think dance music means Scooter, Ian Van Dahl and DJ Sammi??
No?
Good.
Cos Johnny Boy are doing that "dance" thing in a sophisticated manner, like Saint Etienne did with 'Nothing Can Stop Us Now' and 'You're In A Bad Way'.
It »
Review
by Dom Gourlay
Well it’s that time of year again, when the NME hold their annual 'Scraping The Bottom Of The Barrel' awards, which basically involves forcing the collective works of some second rate bunch of chancers down people’s throats ‘til their eyes, ears, nose, mouth and stomach need to be removed. Previous winner»
Review
by Dom Gourlay
Sometimes you need cheering up, and when your team’s just given away a future England captain for the paltry sum of £2.25m and they haven’t won for seven games, you know things can’t get much worse. (please note that Dom is a sadly afflicted Nottingham Forest Fan - sports Ed)
Until Tempertwig clambe»
Review
by Dom Gourlay
When Fred Durst says he likes something that usually means one of two things - he's either the main financial benefactor or he wants to shag the lead singer, while the end result is usually as banal and insipid as his own musical output.
At a guess, I'd say the first point doesn't apply as he's probably sp»
Review
by Dom Gourlay
The piano starts up. Then a voice echoes. It reminds me of Supertramp. Or Chicago. Or any of those late seventies MOR supergroups your parents tend to play at wedding anniversaries. Oh No…
First things first.
I do have a lot of time for the Mull Historical Society.
‘Watching»
Review
by Dom Gourlay
There seems to be a renaissance going on in other parts of the world (particularly the US of A) for all things 1979, with the likes of Interpol, Radio 4, and (cough…splutter) The Strokes all releasing records that leave the listener without any doubt as to what, when, where or who inf»
Review
by Dom Gourlay
If past history is anything to go by, comedy and music should NOT be mixed, EVER.
We've had Hale & Pace with 'The Stonk', Mr fucking Blobby and Vic Reeves destroying the Wonder Stuff's hard-earned credibility in little over 3 minutes (other way round, sur»
Review
by Dom Gourlay
Back in the spring of 1994 it seemed like the apocalypse was about to end. Kurt Cobain had just blown his brains out and it felt like he'd mutilated the dying corpse of alternative rock in the process.
Little did we know that a revolution was about to take place. Something had been brewing for the last few»
News
by Dom Gourlay
It seems the curse of Liberty X strikes again.
Just 12 months after Britain's best loved 'Popstars' rejects had to change their name, the same thing looks like it may well have to apply to PALO ALTO.
But the question is, which one?
Manchester based four piece PALO ALTO»
Review
by Dom Gourlay
It might be a new year but some things never change.
One of those is the good old NME's crystal ball, which having predicted global domination for their "new rock revolution" now has to wipe that rotten egg off it's pasty face as one of their supposed saviours of rock and roll has to release yet an»
Review
by Dom Gourlay
It’s good to know that amongst all the "majors control music" conspiracy theorists that some people are actually getting off their fat arses and doing more than whinging about it.
There are labels out there who care about the artists they unleash on us, the general public - honest.
If you don’t believe»
News
by Dom Gourlay
Scottish indie rockers Degrassi have announced today that deposed Idlewild bassist Bob Fairfoull has joined them as a full time member of the band.
It's not yet known whether the band will be operating with two bassists in a Ned's Atomic Dustbin style or revert to the more conve»
Review
by Dom Gourlay
Far be it for me to be the residual misery guts at this time of year but I’m one of those souls who hates New Year’s Eve – I mean having to stand in queues with pissed up, shaven headed, sports label wearing leery twats shouting abuse at you because your hair might be a bit longer or you’re wearing a t-shirt »
Review
by Dom Gourlay
The next time someone whinges on about Popstars killing the music industry, tell them to shut it - very firmly.
Because Waterman, Halliwell and their equally ill advised cronies may be the ones who will save the day.
Before you accuse me of talking out of my arse, think about it.
Every saccharine co»
Review
by Dom Gourlay
If one thing has been consistent in terms of music this year it’s the obsession for artists to use 'The' as a means of expression to make the bland sound better, hence 'The' Datsuns (like, they’ve always been more reliable than Cortinas anyway), 'The' Strokes – alright so they’re last year’s news, »
Review
by Dom Gourlay
If you mention the name Thousand Yard Stare to anybody these days they’re
likely to ask "Thousand Yard Who?" in return. Pretty much the same as
it was in 1992 then. So much so that the band themselves issued a t-shirt bearing
the inscription ‘THOUSAND YARD WHO?’ in bold cream print across t»