“The best thing a fan could do“The best thing a fan could dowould be to take us out for awould be to take us out for aNandos whilst recreating ourNandos whilst recreating ourfavourite Lord of the Ringsfavourite Lord of the Rings

scenes as we eat.”scenes as we eat.”

Taking a mix of genres, smashing them together andadding original twists leaves us with the sound ofPaper Tigers and by the looks of things, 2012 is

their year. Front man Jim Carter remains tight-lippedabout future announcements but spills all the gossip onthe events leading them to where they are now. Keeping news about the future tightly under wraps for

the time being, Jim mysteriously promises: “You'll beseeing a lot more of us in mainstream media, that's forsure.” Naturally we can only assume that these Stoke-on-Trent gems are heading for a big break. ‘Safe In Words’, the long anticipated EP, is due to drop

in July 2012 and is considered their biggest achievementsince forming in 2011. Recording with RomeshDodangoda at Longwave Studios, Jim gleams: “When wefound out we would be working with him I don't think Istopped smiling for days,” adding that the nerves set in ashe took to the same microphone Ian Watkins ofLostprophets had used just days before.The four-track EP, which will be self-released, promises

to be a record that anyone can enjoy no matter what theirmusical preference may be. Jim proudly says: “Itshowcases just what we can do as a band and asindividuals. I really do think every chorus could be beltedout at 1am on a long drive home.”Speaking of his most sentimental song and also the

inspiration for the title of the EP, Jim opens up about themeaning behind ‘Summer on Blossom Street’ and reveals:“It’s about giving yourself completely and utterly tosomeone that you know deep down doesn't deserve it.Words are cheap and it’s so easy to hide behind them andstay safe in delusion.”Writing material as a collective, it is clear to see Paper

Tigers are on the same wave length and also prepared toput in hard graft to ensure the music is befitting to theirunique style. Jim cuts straight to the point and says:“Hopefully the music comes out sounding like PaperTigers, if not it’s back to the drawing board.”Blending the “best aspects” of The Killers, Lostprophets

and Taking Back Sunday set the foundations for PaperTigers’ musical sound. The originality, Jim says, comesfrom their melodies and choruses: “I’d argue a milliontimes over that its our choruses that set us apart fromwhat’s out there at the moment.”Despite this, Jims vocal airs a seemingly unintended

likeliness to Claudio Sanchez of Coheed and Cambria,complemented by such a comparison, Jim says: “Inaturally have quite a high range so I think it would beunnatural for me to sing any other way, I’d like to thinkthis is what gives us somewhat of a unique sound as PaperTigers too.”Their talent is that of a rare breed and the band hope to

ditch the DIY route in preparation for their aim to beworking on a full-length album with sufficient labelfunding early next year. Jim laughs “I don’t think ourwallets could take the strain of releasing everythingourselves again.”In a bid to leave their mark on wherever their endeavours

take them, the quintet have not only mixed up styles andgenres to produce an original sound, but have also puteffort into making their performances aestheticallypleasing. By buying hundreds of flowers and garlands todrape over their equipment on stage Jim hopes it will“provide the audience with something they can instantlyrecognize and take away.”With such commitment, it is no surprise that Paper Tigers

have established a spectacular fan base. Joking ofendearing acts by fans that would easily win the lads over,Jim grins: “The best thing a fan could do would be to takeus out for a Nandos whilst recreating our favourite Lordof the Ring scenes as we eat.”It seems enthusiasts will soon be queuing up to fulfill the

band’s soft spot for chicken and fantasy adventure filmreenactments given the prospect of big announcements tocome in July 2012. With the promise of involvement withmainstream media, we can only hope that Paper Tigersare flung into the spotlight, which is definitely where theybelong.

paPer TiGers

WORDS & DESIGN - MHARI FARMER // IMAGES - JACK LAVERICK

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEWP

lymouth’s finest, The Deering, consisting of CarlJones, Lee Vanstone, Dan Guest and Dan Broadley,as pictured left to right, welcomed Rock On for a

natter before hitting the stage.

Alright boys, lets start by defining your genre?Warm and squidgy. Epic alternative indie pop rock… We’rejust making them up, we’re creating a genre. We don’treally sit inside a single genre, so we find it hard to sumourselves up.

What are you doing with yourselves at the moment?We’ve released our new single Gods, 2012 is the year wewill really push ourselves. We’re supporting Alkaline Trioin May, it’s kind of a big deal. As for the new EP we thinkwe’ll look for someone to release it for us, there’s a fewthings in the pipeline. The DIY route hasn’t really workedfor us, we can’t really build much of a commercial base forourselves so we need someone to throw us in there.

What do you think of other musicians?Bands can be so bitchy, we think it’s a jealousy thing, we’rebitchy ourselves. It’s a mixture of arrogance, disillusion andcompetitiveness. It’s about genre too. We laugh and jokebut we’re down to earth.

Who would you rather fight, Labyrinth or The Hulk? We’ll go with The Hulk, he’d definitely put up more of afight. We’d all wear hulk hands and just use them.

Nice, so what do you have planned for 2012?We’ve got all these cool gigs from nothing. We also wantto go for a major label. We’re buzzing for the new EP, wedid it with Pete Miles, we’re really happy and proud as tohow Gods came out so we’re going back to him.

How’re you planning to achieve that?The music industry is so thin now so everyone thinksyou’re out for five minutes. We think the trick is to neverlose focus in how your instruments work. Our goal isbasically to just get fucking massive.

To finish, what should we expect next from you guys?We’re considering doing a video on the LondonUnderground, it’s much more story based than realistic. Wethink it could work. Being in a band with no money itdepends what we can afford. This is quite deep for a band but we decided we wont ruinour life trying to make it as a band, we’re gonna fit it aroundour lives. We’ll never be broke at our mum’s housesbasically. We’re all quite successful and growing.

L I V E !MARCH 2012WOLVERHAMPTON CIVIC HALL

Deserving of a uniquely crafted medal for obtaining theliveliest fans out there, Enter Shikari made a longanticipated return to Wolverhampton and summoned a

new level of energy to The Civic Hall. Enter Shikari have been laughing at genre confines for nigh

on a decade now. We’re talking a blend of hardcore rock, punk,trance and dub-step, or to put it simply, Slipknot andPendulum’s love child. The tour arose from the birth of ‘A Flash Flood of Colour’

(2012), a mature and well thought out album, which shows theboys sticking stubbornly to their hardcore roots whilst heavilyflirting with dub-step and electronica.Kicking off with ‘System…’ immediately followed by

‘…Meltdown’, not a single fan stood still and a sea of ravingkids repping glow sticks and screaming their lungs outovertook the hall.Greeting the crowd with “look at you, you’ve grown haven’t

you” and breaking into ‘The Feast’, a well loved classic from‘Take To The Skies’ (2007), front man and show stopper RouReynolds brandished a hefty megaphone to get the crowdgoing even more, not that that was necessary.A circle pit formed on demand for ‘Gandhi Mate, Gandhi’ and

the venue erupted within two seconds of the songsintroduction. Despite being a little rough around the edgesmusically, there was a thrilling atmosphere with a definitesense of euphoria. ‘Hello Tyrannosaurus, Meet Tyrannicide’ saw the crowd

obediently adhere to Rou’s call of “lets go ballistic.” Beer wasflung with absolute disregard whilst the crowd simultaneouslyjumped to the beat. Ending with the classic, ‘Return To Energiser’ and

‘Sssnakepit’, Shikari have a mad knack for ensuring their loyalfans go completely nuts from start to finish. Well done boys,not once did the crowd break for breath during the 17-song setat Wolverhampton Civic Hall.

ENTER SHIKARI

THE DEERING

WORDS, IMAGE & DESIGN - MHARI FARMER

WORDS, IMAGE & DESIGN - MHARI FARMER

“If you want to piss someone off you smashtheir windows, not just steal the glass

out of their wing mirrors.”

Venturing to Birmingham for the first time,Hildamay pitched up with a cold pint to chatabout stolen wing mirrors, missing

Strongbow and a badass house party, before takingto the stage.Made up of vocalist Tim Lawrence, bassist Ollie

James Jeffs, guitarist Chris Carvell, drummer TomSpencer and guitarist Sean Keane, as pictured leftto right, this quintet command a fast pacedinstrumental style and edgy vocals, bringing abouta rare talent, which many other bands of a similargenre could only dream of accomplishing. Established in Sidcup, Kent, in 2008, Hildamay

offer a fresh, authentic sound and have a knack formaking a crowd go wild. Signing to A Wolf At YourDoor Records, the UK’s number one independentrock label and home to greats such as Polar andMallory Knox in summer 2011, Hildamay raisedthe stakes in their mission to make it big in themusic industry.

Debut EP ‘We Loved We Lost’ dropped inSeptember 2011, treating us to fist-pound worthyriffs and lyrics that set up tent in your head andrefuse to leave. The new record ‘The Light’ hit thedigital download circuit on Valentines Day 2012and is described by the quintet as the first steppingstone between the EP and the album. Happy with the result, Tom said: “We’re finally

sounding like how we want to sound. We’remassive fans of just getting stuff out instead ofsitting on it for ages. That’s a bit frustrating.”The lads have a close bond to the road are no

strangers to the Midlands, having played showsacross the region frequently over the last fewmonths. As well as thrilling their fans withoutstanding stage performances, they are alsoconfessedly fond of their off-stage antics. “We played a house party in the Midlands and it

turned out amazing,” reminisced Tom and grinned:“It was like operation stealth.” Fearing theneighbours, a swift sound check of 10 secondsensued before commanding the party with their set.“It was so loud, we couldn’t believe we actually gotaway with it. It was a mad show, crowd surfing inthe living room and stuff like that,” they laughed.

“We’re finally soundinglike how we want to

sound. We’re massivefans of just getting stuff

out instead of sitting on itfor ages. That’s a bit

frustrating.”

Cramming themselves into a living room to put ona show is by no means the most bizarre occurrencefor these lads. When visiting Worcester theyreturned to their van to find what seemedsuspiciously like an odd prank, their wing mirrorshad gone missing. “They just nicked the glass outof them, not even the actual wing. If you want topiss someone off you smash their windows, notjust steal the glass out of their wing mirrors,” saida bemused Tim and added: “We’ve got oursuspicions.”

Hildamay’s love for the road naturally means theyhave to spend a lot of time together, talking ofpost-gig vibes, the general consensus is to getdrunk and argue. Tim edged to the end of his seatand said: “Stuff really got mental once cause Iapparently nicked a Strongbow, then saidStrongbow was found underneath a seat,” andjokily added whilst sinking back into his chair:“We don’t hold grudges.”The prospect of recruiting an animal mascot

showed an indecisive side to Hildamay. Theyentertained the thought of a penguin, a crazy fish,an alligator and a snake before settling on the ideathat the mascot must have smooth dance moves,which lead them to the natural conclusion thatthey’d like a monkey mascot to accompany themon tour. Sean confirmed: “We’ll go with a monkey with

symbols and a little hat and waistcoat called Jeff,no dunkie the monkey. No Jeff Mulligan-Brown.”Planning to stay on the road and tour a much as

possible is Hildamay’s main priority for 2012,along with releasing the new album which is dueto drop at the end of summer. The lads have gotplenty of summer festivals to keep them occupiedtoo, Red Fest in Surrey and Crash Doubt Festivalduring May to name a few. Whilst making sure they have plenty of fun, it is

obvious that Hildamay aren’t all about gettingdrunk and having a laugh. Creating original musicand leaving a lasting impression on theirspectators, it is safe to say this quintet have puttheir blood, sweat and tears into mouldingthemselves as a highly talented and unique band.

“It was so loud, we couldn’t believe we

actually got away with it.It was a mad show, crowd surfing in theliving room and stuff

like that.”

WORDS, IMAGE & DESIGN - MHARI FARMER

HILDAMAY

Splitting rock ‘n’ roll at the seams and commandinga shamelessly original sound comes The Orchard,a five piece band who smashed their way out of

‘dead town’ and right to the forefront of the WestMidlands music scene. Made up of drummer Jack Birch, brothers Dave (guitar)

and front man Andy ‘Snake Hips’ McQueen, bassist LukeDavis and guitarist Ash Hunt, as pictured left to right, TheOrchard stay true to their beloved rock ‘n’ roll hardcoreroots, whilst cheekily philandering with a dash of 80’sinspired punk. Forming in February 2011, the quintet ambitiously threw

themselves into Surface Festival, a European live musicevent. With an air of embarrassment, Andy laughed: “Wedidn’t get very far, but it was kind of the point where itwas like right, we need to step up our game and give it agood go.” Debut EP ‘Dead Town’ dropped in November 2011, a

three track record dedicated to voicing their exactfeelings towards Rugeley and as you can probably guess,they’re not too fond of their home territory. The EP was produced in July 2011 with help from Tom

Mitchener of Spycatcher. The Orchard were picked up byWest Midlands based Sink Or Swim Management soonafter. Despite having only been serenading each other and their

loyal followers for just over a year, the lads have madean impressive impact on the UK music circuit. Regularlyperforming in the West Midlands and Manchester, second

home of Jack, has secured them a fan base to be proud ofand established them as a talented band. The quintet unanimously agreed that they’re happy

playing Midland shows, adding that Stafford had beengood to them. However after the success of their first UKtour in April 2012, the five-piece have fallen in love withthe road and aim to travel the UK and bless its peoplewith their music as much as possible. Summing up the seven-date tour with The Amsterdam

Red-Light District and Blow Goat, the only words neededfrom Luke were: “Sick. Welsh. French. English. Bro-fest.Bang Your Fucking Head.” Whilst The Orchard are a bunch of laid back, fun guys,

they are also fully aware that being in a band is not allfits of giggles. With inspiring work etiquette, they areprepared to make it big by any means necessary.Putting in a lot of time and graft to the new EP, they plan

to enter with a wiser head: “This time we’ve written a lotmore so it’s playing them live, seeing what the feel is andputting them together because it’s gonna be a lot differentto Dead Town” said Andy. The ‘Dead Town’ quintet have taken the description of

having “more ego than talent”, which was inherited aftera festival gone wrong, thrown it on the floor and stampedit down to nothingness. Proving their worth with flawless live performances and

an array of skillfully crafted tunes, The Orchard aredestined for massive success and are definitely the nextbig thing.

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW:

So, ‘Dead Town’? You must hate Rugeley.Andy: If you can picture a power station and shadow townwith nothing in it apart from housing estates, that’s it. Ohand pubs, lots of pubs, and charity shops, but even they’reclosing down.

Tell me more about the production of Dead TownWe almost got killed shooting the video. We did it in ourhometown at a pub called Bo Jolly’s. It was full of locals,we were playing our set and we were about to do a fewrun throughs of the song itself and our good friend JohnnyBlue decided he would do a little speech between everysong. The more and more pissed he got, the more abusivehe got towards the locals. In his head he was trying to getpeople going. He has an interesting way of talking topeople, but they had their pint glasses ready. The localshated all of our fans, hated us and yeah, we had to get outof there. Some guy was on leave from the army, I just sawhim, he pointed at me and said: “Pack up your stuff andfuck off,” that was enough for me.

Would you consider yourself new?We are quite a young band and we understand that butwe’ve done a lot in the time that we’ve been together anddone some wicked shows. It’s weird cause we are new butas a band we’re really tight. We’re all comfortable.

So you’ve got brothers in the band do you get anyGallagher shit going down?Andy: Dave and me are really humble with each other. Jack: These two are alright, I think it’s me that’s theantagonist. Andy: Dave likes to solo all the time, no matter whatsong, so if we’re like, no Dave you can’t solo the wholesong he does throw a bit of a fit.

What’s the maddest thing that’s ever gone down at aMidlands gig?Jack: Pulse Fest in Summer ‘11. We were playing thispiece of shit festival and Andy’s mic got turned off halfway through the set because he was swearing and jumpingdown into the crowd, the whole ten people that were there! Andy: I did get antagonized though, the soundman sworeat me for swearing.Dave: So we carried on playing whilst Andy was beingchased round a field by security. They were about 12 foottoo so all I could see was Andy running down a massivefield. So, that was a wicked day, ended badly, escorted offthe premises. We’d only played three songs. Luke: We were all drunk so we had to call Andy’s mumfor a lift.Andy: The best quote for our band ever is ‘more ego thantalent’, which came because of that gig.

Where are you going?Luke: World domination.Andy: We’re hoping to get a deal within the next year ortwo and then just more touring more material for the newEP and then hopefully a full length some time. But yeah,new EP. We were thinking of making it the opposite ofDead Town on a positive note, and we could mayberelease them both as double. It’ll be less cliché, we’regoing to be on less Ketamine this time. Basically we gotcalled drug addicts. Some guy thought we were onKetamine and that we were cliché.

When you’re having girly nights in, what’s yourfavourite food and alcohol?Dave: White Storm and hotdogs, or pot noodles.Andy: Mines definitely medium rare Venison and a glassof Sherry.

WORDS, IMAGE & DESIGN - MHARI FARMER

REVEALING:

THE ORCHARD

EXCLUSIVEINTERVIEW

I’ve seen some vocalists do some weird thingsbefore going on stage, have you got any oddrituals that you do?Every band goes for a turd before they go on stage,I think that’s totally normal now. I think if you’rein a band and you’re about to go on, the mantra is,“yeah, gonna go for a turd lads.”

To some extent you need to have stage presenceto command the crowd and keep theminterested, how do you go about keeping themhooked? There’s so many different ways of doing it, itdepends on the crowd really. This is the case mostof the time, there are a couple of people who looklike they’re just about to crack right into movingabout and having a good time. But there’s alwaysa mind block with some of them, like “oh, I’mgonna look like a dick in front of my friends” and“if I do it and no one else does it I’ll look like adick.” All you need to give those people is an incentive,all you need to do is say “move, you need to dothis at this point” if you tell people to do it andyou’ve got enough presence and command in yourvoice, they will do it.

A lot of people seem to think front men arearrogant and egotistical, have you beenstereotyped in that way?Oh yes, I don’t really like talking to people, I tendto stereotype as much as the people who stereotypeme, I will stereotype people thinking, oh they’rejust idiots, the whole planet are idiots in my mindsometimes. But it’s great when you do break through that wallwith people and they realise you are just a dude,you’re not Bon Jovi or Marilyn Manson you arejust a guy in a band.

How do you perceive other front men? Do youthink they let it go to their head? Some front men do, they really do. Even bandsthat are only doing a bit better than Catharsis,bands that are really, in the grand scheme of things,not that big. They don’t deserve the ego they’vegiven themselves.

To finish, front men = women right? Have youbeen a long sufferer of shameless hoes?Haha. There was a time. But I’ve been with mygirlfriend for two years now and that’s longer thanI’ve been with The Catharsis but there was a timebefore that in the band All Hail The Ruin when,well, it was alright I guess. It’s not stuff that anyone should be massivelyproud off but I’m pretty sure the guys who werein All Hail The Ruin and are now in The Catharsiswould be able to tell you some stories, but yeah,that’s another day.

With a wealth of experience in the music industry,Morgan Tedd takes joy in stripping his role inThe Catharsis down to the core, whilst quashing

stereotypes and unveiling an in-depth insight into his lifeas a front man.“I’ve made music my entire life, it is my blood and my

oxygen,” says Morgan, and having fronted The Catharsisfor the past 14 months, as well as being part of numerousother bands, this 23 year old inevitably knows his stuff.Showing his commitment to the Birmingham based

hardcore rock band, he promises to be fronting TheCatharsis in five years time and nothing says “I’m goingnowhere” quite like a tattoo dedicated to the secondrelease ‘God Damned’. Knowing it would be a brilliant record, Morgan says: “I

enjoy listening to the tracks and that’s as much as I needfrom it, but obviously if other people like it that’sawesome.” For someone who openly admits to writing lyrics off the

cuff, it goes without question that Morgan has enviabletalent. Speaking of ‘Colder’, his favourite song toperform live, he declares with pride: “It’s very broken jawhardcore. That’s what I like, that feeling of being punchedin the face every single time we play it.”Naturally influences play a big part in moulding a

person’s style. For Morgan, Ian Curtis of Joy Division,Nick Cave and Tom Waits are his main inspirations.

Talking of Tom Waits he laughs: “The guy has got thevoice of the devil, he makes music that is heavenly butwith the devils voice, it’s absolutely incredible.”As well as that, he believes a key aspect to sticking it out

with a band is to be completely into what you produce:“I think if your band isn’t one of your favourite bandsthen you’re in trouble.”Morgan appears to have no qualms in characterising a

daring nature on stage. Reminiscing of the most criticisedevent in the West Midlands, Pulse Festival, he reveals: “Iscaled the stage, got to the very top of it and did the restof the set from up there. That got us into a bit of trouble.”Showing a humble take on the controversial belief that

vocalists are arrogant, Morgan says: “Being a decent frontman doesn’t mean you should have an ego the size of theplanet. You’re just a guy on stage screaming at people,when you cut it down to the bare bones that’s all you’redoing.“I love talking to fans, if someone shares the same kind

of passion for my music as I do that’s amazing,” he adds.Being able to convey a direct message to people is one

of the most important aspects of being a vocalist inMorgan’s eyes, he describes it as “a great gift thatvocalists have and especially good lyricists.”It is clear to see Morgan Tedd has true passion for his

music, and no one in their right mind would question thathe’s incredibly good at what he does.

MORGAN TEDDTHROUGH THE EYES OF A FRONT MAN

MORGAN TEDD“You’re just a guy onstage screaming at

people, when you cut itdown to the bare bonesthat’s all you’re doing.”

WORDS, IMAGE & DESIGN - MHARI FARMER

REVIEWS!

All The YoungWelcome Home - April 2, 2012

For fans of: The Twang, Hard-Fi, Oasis

We’ve been waiting for real guitar music to behoisted off the ground, brushed off and restoredto its former fist pounding glory. All The Young

promise to do just that with their new record ‘WelcomeHome’ and boy, do they mean business.Kicking off with ‘Another Miracle’, immediately

followed by ‘Today’, the Stoke-on-Trent fellas manifesthints of their former selves, leaving an eerie suspicion thatthe next hour or so will be spent confirming that no newground has been broken musically. When front man Ryan Dooley belts out ‘it’s time to

change and let’s do it now’ throughout ‘Today’, it wasalmost a farewell to old times and preparation for a newdriving force. A contemporary vibe hits the speakers with ‘The First

Time’, a fresh, original style that oozes sincerity. It soonbecomes blindingly obvious that we are going to beshown the true meaning of indie rock ‘n’ roll. An acoustic start to ‘New Education’, also the bands

former name, sets off a nostalgic feeling reminiscent of

high school days. With a sense of true belief in the lyrics‘stiff competition from every direction, but don’t let it getyou down’, there is no doubt that All The Young are in itfor the long run.The height of the album can only be ‘The Chase’, the

addictive melody and honest lyrics will tug at the heartstrings of any true lover of indie rock ‘n’ roll. With a third of ‘Welcome Home’ dedicated to live

performances, All The Young demonstrate their true talentand ability to perform equally as good live, as on theGGGarth Richardson produced album.Feisty drumbeats paired with complex guitar riffs and

tunings shows that this quartet refuse to be a clone ofbands floating aimlessly around the current scene subtlycopying each other and leaving indie-rock scrambling onthe floor to find the balls it once had. Stamping their mark on the UK music industry with

immense style, All The Young is the current band towatch. At a humble £4.99 on iTunes, ‘Welcome Home’ isan essential purchase to expand your music library.

WORDS & DESIGN - MHARI FARMER // IMAGE - ALL THE YOUNG

REVIEWS!

SHARKSNo Gods - March 19, 2012

For fans of: The Clash, Gaslight Anthem, Alkaline Trio

Having shared the stage with the likes of Hot WaterMusic and Gallows, it is slightly bewildering thatSharks have only just got around to releasing a

full-length record.The debut album ‘No Gods’ can only be described as a

punk rock masterpiece with a sneaky twist of indie. TheseLeamington Spa lads have created an uplifting summersound, which was definitely worth the five-year wait.Reminiscent of The Gaslight Anthem's instrumental vibe,

it is clear to see their time supporting them on theEuropean tour back in 2010 was a heavy influence.The opening tune ‘Til The Wonders Rise’ instantly

entices you in. It features the lyrics “the ties are waitingfor you to bind” and there is no doubt that after a fewlistens you will find yourself tied to this album.Pure summer anthems ‘Luck’ and ‘What Entails’ soon

have you hooked, their catchy guitar riffs have the powerto induce you into a party mood, making them utterlyunforgettable tracks. ‘Arcane Effigies’ becomes unavoidably addictive with

the repetition of “Hey Rudy, Rudy” emphasizedthroughout, a line you could imagine being adapted as afootball chant in time to come!The height of the record is without a doubt ‘Matthew’s

Baby’, a fast, rhythmic gem, crafted to perfection. Thetasty lead break towards the end of the song articulatestalent at its finest. This debut guarantees to captivate its listener. It is rare

to acquire an album where not one track deserves a swiftfast forward to the next, but Sharks seem to haveaccomplished this effortlessly.Previous material produced by this Midlands four piece

has by no means been a disappointment, but ‘No Gods’shows a mature and unique style of punk rock to cater toall with an ear for outstanding talent.Sharks’ label, Rise Records, have released a debut to be

proud of, fans should only hope the next album hits theshelves with haste. ‘No Gods’ is available on iTunes for £7.99, a humble

price, which is definitely worth a mild hit to the funds.

WORDS & DESIGN - MHARI FARMER // IMAGE - TOM BARNES

LEIGHLEWISTOMCHRIS

AVANTINEREVEALING: T

o say Avantine have made it to 2012 without somebumps along the way would be a lie, but after alengthy battle the new lineup is almost complete, and

the lads have made their entrance to the metalcore musiccircuit with an incredibly appealing sound. Floating around the West Midlands music scene since

2010, Lichfield based Avantine reformed in September2011 and now consist of golden oldies, vocalist LeighMoylan and guitarist and clean vocalist Tom Cope andnewcomers, guitarist Chris Stevens and drummer LewisMembery. You may notice they’re currently missing a bassist, but that

didn’t stop them from producing the heavenly single‘Animus:Grace’, which has the multi-talented Lewis fillingin on bass until someone suitable is recruited.The track released in March 2012 has received an excellent

response with almost 4000 views on YouTube. NewcomerChris admits: “It was far more complex than anything I’veever played before, but I wanted to take on the challenge.” This four-piece don’t do things by halves, they have

managed to bring about a talented, original take on melodicmetalcore and this is only just the beginning. Avantine havebig ideas and are setting the wheels in motion to make theirdreams a reality.“The main aim is to badger a lot of people, play as many

shows and do as many tours as we can and make sure themajority of people know who we are and what we do,” says

Leigh and adds: “We’re not going to beat around the bush,we want to make money from it, we want to do it as acareer.”The band also hopes to influence other people into

breaking new musical ground and draw in a crowd who hasa genuine interest in the music they produce. Lewis says:“It’d be nice to see more bands like us sprout. I know somany bands starting out who are incredible but becausethey’re not what’s in, nobody is interested.” Tom adds: “Wewant to sell tickets to people because they want to see us,not just for a gig to go to.” Executing tight live performances as the old lineup, Chris

and Lewis are quick to admit they have big shoes to fill.Lewis reminisces: “When I wasn’t in the band I had a bitof a sad obsession with Avantine. I heard them live and it’sthe one band I’ve only ever thought “holy crap what thehell is this”.”The debut EP as the new line-up is set to drop in the near

future and promises to make people think “where the hellhave they been?” But the main intention, Leigh says, is tomake sure the band “stick out like a sore thumb” to ensurethey gain the recognition they deserve.Setting themselves apart from other bands with their

complex riffs and unique song structures, Avantine aredetermined to produce music that is entirely original and if‘Animus:Grace’ is anything to go by, it’s only a matter oftime before these lads blow up into something huge.

What’s the story behind ‘Animus:Grace’?Tom: The song is about going from two perspectives ofsomeone being abused or bullied and then from theperspective of having a genuine reason for wanting toinflict that on someone else. So like, two sides of the story.You’ve got Animus, which is Latin for revenge andobviously, grace.

Was it self produced?Tom: Well, I was the puppet master. Lewis: It was all pretty cool though, like it was all doneover the internet because I live about 70 miles away so itwas a case of using Skype and me driving up a lot with allthe gear and then Tom saying down Skype, politely, everyfive minutes, what he wanted doing. But to be fair if hedidn’t do it, it wouldn’t have sounded like it did.

You can headline the NEC if you have a fistfight withChuck Norris, game?Tom: Haha haha. Game. Lets do it.

You all seem so cool, have you not heard about ChuckNorris?!Lewis: Have you not heard about Tom Cope?

Would you rather fall over and break a toe every timeyou greet someone, or do the Macarena in a shark tankevery Tuesday?Leigh: Do the Macarena in a shark tank every Tuesday.Tom: Definitely the other one. Leigh: Tom is completely terrified of sharks.

What? Why are you so scared of them?!Tom: Because they eat you! Why would you not be scaredof them?! Lewis: They don’t eat humans though. Tom: I do not care; they still do it on TV!

Leigh: If you show him a picture of one he’ll cower.

So we’re going for breaking a toe every time we greetsomeone?Tom: Yes please.Lewis: But I need the toes!

Tell me a joke?Lewis: Tom Cope. Tom: Well that one worked, so let’s move on!

Are you dog or cat people?Lewis: I hate cats, dogs. They smell.Tom: Shut up!

So the newcomers are dogs and the oldies are cats?Tom: Yeah there’s something strangely wrong with thescience of the band now. My cats are metal.

As a band what’s your biggest fear? That couldjeopardize you all.Tom: My bollocks coming out on stage again? Well, theydidn’t actually pop out, there was just a photo taken at oneof our gigs and my legs are apart in the middle of a jumpand my bollock’s hanging out. So yeah we don’t really wantthat to happen again. Leigh: It happened twice though, in the same night hisguitar head blew up and he was wearing these flimsy threequarter lengths and as he dropped into a break down theyjust split open at the front. Tom’s very clumsy on stage, hefalls over a lot too. Lewis: But seriously, from an outsider point of view I’dsay the same thing happening again. Everyone leaving allat once pretty much. Leigh: I can safely say from us four that our hearts aredefinitely in it. The fear is definitely someone leaving andhaving to start all over again.

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW:

WORDS & DESIGN - MHARI FARMER // IMAGE - SAMIR IRFAN

Taking Hayley= SUCCESSHARD WORK + AMBITION

In 2011 you may have detected pop rock band TakingHayley casually stalking the likes of You Me at Six andKids In Glass Houses in a bid to seduce their followings

into leaping aboard the Taking Hayley revolution. Oh howthings have changed!The quartet has now shared the stage with the infamous

McFly, embraced the long awaited ego boost that is beingchased down the street by over enthused female fans, andare producing an album that will without a doubt treat theeardrums. How did they make the breakthrough in a matter of

months you ask? Well, the boy’s unveiled all the gossipduring a chat in a snug dressing room, which was anythingbut calm and civilised! Emerging from the deep depths of Birmingham in

November 2010, the four-piece made up of guitarist LeviKeeling, bassist Tom Paton, drummer Jay Murphy andfront man Alistair Keenan, as pictured left to right,embarked on a journey to grab the genre of pop rock bythe horns and make their mark, the process of which couldonly be described by the boys as “hard work”.Influenced by pop rock legends All Time Low and bands

alike, the quartet has a tried and tested instrumental sound,but stand out with distinctive vocals fit for Wembley Arena.Their escapades over the last 18 months have established

them as a well-respected pop rock band with a followingof thousands strong, but these accomplishments have byno means fallen at their feet. String master Levi openly admits to slaving away for

hours on end and formulating intricate plans in attempt topublicise the band and increase their fan base. TakingHayley show massive commitment, even at the cost ofgiving their music away for free just to make their nameknown.A combination of getting up in peoples faces as much as

humanly possible with flyers and CDs, touring across theUK and keeping up a strong social networking vibethrough the likes of Facebook, YouTube and Twitter hasenabled the lads to reap the benefits of the musicianlifestyle.All of this hard work must of course be matched with

antics, keeping the balance in check, so to speak. Sonaturally, the boys have a few tales to tell of their journeyso far.

The standard “drummer put his bass drum through” cameas no surprise, especially considering Jay’s Dave Grohlinspired beat pounding. However, most would agree,“vocalist being knocked unconscious by a guitar on stage”is a little more of a rarity. Alistair’s account of the incident incited even more bizarre

occurrences: “I woke up in the dressing room with Levistood over me in his boxers. I just wanted to know why hewas naked! Turns out he ripped his jeans.” Perhaps someembarrassing situations are best left unsaid, lads!Amidst the stories of unconscious vocalists and half naked

guitarists, came the talk of mythical animals. Fans may beintrigued to know that Taking Hayley would love to lay thesmack down on a Leprechaun, with the belief that “they’dfight dirty”. They also happily voiced an undying urge topunch a Unicorn in the face, nice!

On the subject of fans, the idea of having a significantfollowing outside of the West Midlands was somewhat ofan alien concept to the Taking Hayley boys. At least untilthey visited Glasgow in 2011 to be greeted with a packedout venue and a mass of screaming fans: “It was absolutelyrammed. The crowd reaction was, well, to go to anothercountry and have that is dead cool. It was crazy, absolutelymental. To go to a different city alone and get a response iscool, but to go to another country and get that was crazy,”said Tom. The debut music video ‘Circles’ dropped in November

2011 and received a response to be thrilled with. It nowdon’s eighty-odd thousand views on YouTube and airs onKerrang and Scuzz TV, which was a slightly surreal notionfor the four young fellas. The single prompted their first UK headline tour entitled

‘Last Man Standing’, which also gained a jaw droppingreception in December 2011, much to the lad’s surprise.The boys humbly described the tour as “the best time oftheir lives” and reminisced: “We started in Sheffield, we’veonly ever been there once before. It was crazy to see thatwe’ve picked up a decent fan base there. It was cool to seethe hype. We thought “wow this is going to be like the highpoint of the tour,” but every night was equally fantastic.”A similar reaction was granted to ‘Stop Drop Rock’, a four

date rotating headline tour with The City Calls, TheExtraordinary and The Famous Class, which took to theroad last month in April. Taking Hayley befittinglyheadlined in their hometown of Birmingham and closed thetour at the Ballroom venue in pure class and style. The music video ‘Up All Night’ dropped on 31 March

2012, pleasing fans in their masses and the album is due torelease later this year. The down to earth quartet that is Taking Hayley have made

their mark in the West Midland music scene and beyondthrough sheer grit and determination. No longer the stalkersbut instead, the stalked, it is needless to say, the long hoursand hard work has definitely paid off.

“It was crazy, absolutely mental. To goto a different city aloneand get a response is

cool, but to go to another country and get that was crazy.”

ALISTAIR KEENAN“I woke up in the

dressing room withLevi stood over mein his boxers. I just

wanted to know whyhe was naked!”

WORDS, IMAGE & DESIGN - MHARI FARMER