About Me
- Nat Longworth
- St Helens, Merseyside, United Kingdom
- Hiya! :) I'm Nat, 21 years old and studying Music Journalism at the University of Huddersfield and I'm in my final year. I currently intern at In House Press, I'm also the News Editor for No-Title magazine in Leeds and contribute to Silent Radio. If anyone has chance to read anything that I've written, then I hope you enjoy it!
Tuesday, 28 August 2012
From The Creators Of Drinkify: This Is My Jam
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I know I'm about 8 months late to This Is My Jam, but I didn't even know that it existed until about 3 months ago. I saw the odd Facebook status and tweet stating that a specific band and song was their new jam but it was never enough to pique my interest.
That's until Drinkify guided me to the wonderful ways of This Is My Jam. For all those that may have forgotten about Drinkify, it's a website that generates a cocktail recipe that is married with whichever band you've searched for. I remembered spending a lot of time on Drinkify, not because I was eager to put my cocktail making skills into practice but I just wanted to see if my favourite bands were on there and what would be their chosen song - sad I know!
I visited the site again about 2 days ago and that's when I first saw plastered across the bottom of the page, 'From The Creators Of Drinkify: This Is My Jam' and then I knew I'd be onto a good thing. I used to post music videos on my Facebook page quite regularly, but I love how this is a haven solely for the music. It's not a page weighed down with the mundane intricacies of what you've just had for your tea or how sleep deprived you are (often the most interesting of Twitter and Facebook updates...). You can change your jam every 7 days if you wish and I'm going to be dedicated to doing just that. My first jam is Noah's Days by Stealing Sheep. Check it out!
Thursday, 9 August 2012
I'm Listening To...Sleep Party People
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Sleep Party People are a band that I've been listening to for about 5 months and they were one of those chance discoveries that I could have easily have dismissed and clicked off instantly, but I'm so glad that I gave them a second chance and gave them repeated listens. I'm sure this has happened to us all on numerous occasions! I think I was watching a clip of one of the SXSW Showcasing Artists at the time when I clicked on the video below by accident.
Initially, I thought my earphones weren't plugged in properly. I'm sure you'll know what I mean, when it creates that sort of muffled, distorted sound, so after numerous attempts at trying to push them further I admitted defeat and pulled my earphones out completely. With no alteration in sound I came to the realisation that this was the defining sound of the Danish five piece.
It took me so many listens for me to 'get' them but now I think they are gradually becoming one of my favourite bands of 2012. Not only because their sound is so unlike anything else that I listen to now or have even listened to before, but even their choice of stage costume is what I find as equally haunting as it is beautiful. The way that the bunny ears are so great in length and droop so fluidly with the slightest movement combined with the crashing drums that slice through the delicate soundscapes create a captivating spectacle.
There's great news for UK fans of Sleep Party People. You can catch them in Leeds, Manchester or London at the start of September for their UK tour. I'm hoping to get to their Manchester date at the Soup Kitchen which is one of my favourite venues!
Thursday, 2 August 2012
Tragedy! When the band’s gone and you can’t go on, it’s tragedy
We’ve all been there, the moment that you never
anticipate; ‘Sorry fans, we’ve split due to irreconcilable differences.’ In a
fit of anger you rip the posters from your wall in a Tazmanian Devil-esque
rage, the tears formulate and seep down your face, and it’s on the same level
of heartbreak as when Meg, the beautiful and adored Border Collie died on Blue
Peter. At that moment you’d do anything for your favourite band to reunite. But
is it for the best?
You can’t breathe without the whiff of a new comeback and there’s no shortage of acts reforming recently. There are the purveyors of the Madchester scene; The Stones Roses and The Happy Mondays, cheesy pop in the form of Steps and the biggest success story of all - Take That. But do we really want to see our favourite stars throwing themselves across the stage, whilst carrying 50 more pounds that has congregated around their midriff quicker than a fish to dry skin. Sorry, Claire from Steps. Victoria Tyrer was one of the thousands amongst the crowd at Steps’ Liverpool date. “I do tend to skip them on my iPod but they’re Classics, just because I don’t listen to them all the time now doesn’t mean that I don’t still enjoy their music,” she says. “I suppose you could say that it’s nostalgia because when I saw them I felt as if I was transported back to my 10 year old self without a care in the world,” elaborates Victoria with a grin creeping across the contours of her face.
Thankfully, as we get older our music tastes change. But do we yearn to hear new material from these reformed bands? “I am interested to see if they are to bring out any new material. It would have to be a different sound though; cheesy pop like they used to churn out 10 years ago will not go far in today’s music scene,” she says boldly.
Victoria isn’t alone in thinking this. There appears to be a consensus when you go to these gigs that it is all about nostalgia and recapturing the soundtrack to a time where you had no responsibility - before you grew up. Dave Simpson, a Music Journalist shares this view. “Trying to get people to buy a new album is very, very difficult and this even seems to apply to The Rolling Stones who never actually split up but they can sell out stadiums at the drop of a hat because people want to hear Satisfaction ten times over.”
Tickets are rapidly snapped up and are becoming more like a golden ticket to Willy Wonka’s Chocolate Factory, but surely there’s no longevity in revisiting ‘Better The Devil You Know,’ a tiresome amount of times. What if you need new material but we don’t want it? Take That, for example, have done a great job in fusing the old and the new and it works for them but when a band like Steps or S Club 7 are tinged with the label of just being capable of the pop party anthems, maybe the novelty begins to wear thin. “This is the stumbling block that a lot of these bands come up against, and it does seem that certainly when you’re doing a first tour or reunion tours as Steps have done, then there’s a massive demand for it, everyone completely loves it and they relive their youth,” adds Dave. “It is very much nostalgia based and it’s what comes next that can be the tricky bit because sometimes people think, ‘I did that last year, why would I do it all again?’
This doesn’t just limit itself to bands that have reformed but whenever any band makes a comeback with a new album, after a brief absence, it’s the songs that will prompt you to throw your pint of beer in the air and over those around you, the ones that get you in a heaving embrace with your friends that are appreciated most. “Tragedy definitely got the best reaction of the night,” Vicky remembers. “They closed their set with it and you could tell that it was the one song everyone was waiting for, just so we could all execute the dance routine as well as we could the first time around.”
Again, new songs are always met with a half hearted bob of the head no matter who the band is, but it appears to be an indication that Steps chose to dedicate most of their set to cover versions that their songs may well be irrelevant and dated now compared to the current hits released by Lady Gaga and Katy Perry. Dave said, “It reminded me of a giant hen night, and that was the atmosphere. A lot of the songs were covers and they were sung in a karaoke kind of style. Having seen them originally, I enjoyed it more this time around; possibly because they’re all 10 years old, again, there seemed to be a lot more cover versions that there were before so you knew all the songs,” he says with a chuckle.
You don’t want to hear their new mature sound, not for the first time you’re seeing them anyway, you want to bask in their glory days. You want to party like it’s 1999 and for the most part they did. “I guess with those sort of events you are coloured by the audience reaction and it’s difficult to avoid when the audience are going absolutely mental, then it does obviously become part of the show itself,” says Dave. “I’m sure if Steps put on the same show in a pub it wouldn’t have been any near as much fun.”
I was a huge fan of S Club 7. I had the CD’s; I watched the TV show and even bought the magazine. Yes, they had their own magazine. My 10 year old self couldn’t wait to race in to school and see who else had got the magazine, had anyone else got the shocking fuchsia bandana or the same ring that Rachael wore in their music video? I still bust out the S Club 7 inspired ‘S’ move with my finger thrust into the air once I’ve had far too many Pepsi’s. I don’t drink but the bubbles act as a stimulus to evoke my inner loon. But it’s something I am slightly embarrassed to admitting, although, nothing unites friends more than the soundtrack to your childhood. It’s not something I’d want to revisit but I couldn’t help but squeal when they announced that they’d be reuniting for a summer tour. You never know, I might be meandering my way through the 10 year olds so I can get to the front; resplendent in my pink bandana and grooving to Don’t Stop Moving.
You can’t breathe without the whiff of a new comeback and there’s no shortage of acts reforming recently. There are the purveyors of the Madchester scene; The Stones Roses and The Happy Mondays, cheesy pop in the form of Steps and the biggest success story of all - Take That. But do we really want to see our favourite stars throwing themselves across the stage, whilst carrying 50 more pounds that has congregated around their midriff quicker than a fish to dry skin. Sorry, Claire from Steps. Victoria Tyrer was one of the thousands amongst the crowd at Steps’ Liverpool date. “I do tend to skip them on my iPod but they’re Classics, just because I don’t listen to them all the time now doesn’t mean that I don’t still enjoy their music,” she says. “I suppose you could say that it’s nostalgia because when I saw them I felt as if I was transported back to my 10 year old self without a care in the world,” elaborates Victoria with a grin creeping across the contours of her face.
Thankfully, as we get older our music tastes change. But do we yearn to hear new material from these reformed bands? “I am interested to see if they are to bring out any new material. It would have to be a different sound though; cheesy pop like they used to churn out 10 years ago will not go far in today’s music scene,” she says boldly.
Victoria isn’t alone in thinking this. There appears to be a consensus when you go to these gigs that it is all about nostalgia and recapturing the soundtrack to a time where you had no responsibility - before you grew up. Dave Simpson, a Music Journalist shares this view. “Trying to get people to buy a new album is very, very difficult and this even seems to apply to The Rolling Stones who never actually split up but they can sell out stadiums at the drop of a hat because people want to hear Satisfaction ten times over.”
Tickets are rapidly snapped up and are becoming more like a golden ticket to Willy Wonka’s Chocolate Factory, but surely there’s no longevity in revisiting ‘Better The Devil You Know,’ a tiresome amount of times. What if you need new material but we don’t want it? Take That, for example, have done a great job in fusing the old and the new and it works for them but when a band like Steps or S Club 7 are tinged with the label of just being capable of the pop party anthems, maybe the novelty begins to wear thin. “This is the stumbling block that a lot of these bands come up against, and it does seem that certainly when you’re doing a first tour or reunion tours as Steps have done, then there’s a massive demand for it, everyone completely loves it and they relive their youth,” adds Dave. “It is very much nostalgia based and it’s what comes next that can be the tricky bit because sometimes people think, ‘I did that last year, why would I do it all again?’
This doesn’t just limit itself to bands that have reformed but whenever any band makes a comeback with a new album, after a brief absence, it’s the songs that will prompt you to throw your pint of beer in the air and over those around you, the ones that get you in a heaving embrace with your friends that are appreciated most. “Tragedy definitely got the best reaction of the night,” Vicky remembers. “They closed their set with it and you could tell that it was the one song everyone was waiting for, just so we could all execute the dance routine as well as we could the first time around.”
Again, new songs are always met with a half hearted bob of the head no matter who the band is, but it appears to be an indication that Steps chose to dedicate most of their set to cover versions that their songs may well be irrelevant and dated now compared to the current hits released by Lady Gaga and Katy Perry. Dave said, “It reminded me of a giant hen night, and that was the atmosphere. A lot of the songs were covers and they were sung in a karaoke kind of style. Having seen them originally, I enjoyed it more this time around; possibly because they’re all 10 years old, again, there seemed to be a lot more cover versions that there were before so you knew all the songs,” he says with a chuckle.
You don’t want to hear their new mature sound, not for the first time you’re seeing them anyway, you want to bask in their glory days. You want to party like it’s 1999 and for the most part they did. “I guess with those sort of events you are coloured by the audience reaction and it’s difficult to avoid when the audience are going absolutely mental, then it does obviously become part of the show itself,” says Dave. “I’m sure if Steps put on the same show in a pub it wouldn’t have been any near as much fun.”
I was a huge fan of S Club 7. I had the CD’s; I watched the TV show and even bought the magazine. Yes, they had their own magazine. My 10 year old self couldn’t wait to race in to school and see who else had got the magazine, had anyone else got the shocking fuchsia bandana or the same ring that Rachael wore in their music video? I still bust out the S Club 7 inspired ‘S’ move with my finger thrust into the air once I’ve had far too many Pepsi’s. I don’t drink but the bubbles act as a stimulus to evoke my inner loon. But it’s something I am slightly embarrassed to admitting, although, nothing unites friends more than the soundtrack to your childhood. It’s not something I’d want to revisit but I couldn’t help but squeal when they announced that they’d be reuniting for a summer tour. You never know, I might be meandering my way through the 10 year olds so I can get to the front; resplendent in my pink bandana and grooving to Don’t Stop Moving.
Wednesday, 1 August 2012
London Calling
I'm sure like so many of you, I was amongst the billions of viewers who anticipated the opening of the London 2012 Olympics. It wasn't just the music that I adored but the unravelling of the tale of our heritage that maintained my attention. There was so much going on, but not so that it looked messy or sloppy. It was a true spectacle executed perfectly and the more I think about it, the more difficult it becomes for me to pick just one highlight. My favourites keep fluctuating from the army of Mary Poppins' descending on Lord Voldemort, to the Child Catcher hurtling his way through the arena to the much loved Mr Bean. But I even liked the beginning and the unravelling of the Industrial Revolution. At points, it reminded me of the Quidditch World Cup in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire with its real sense of occassion and organised commotion. Even moreso when the future stars of British athletics lit the flame.
Danny Boyle did a sterling job, executing it so fluidly that it overflowed with sheer excellance that I don't think Rio will be able to top it in 2016. Boyle could've stuck with the safe, the boring and the predictable concerning his music choices. I was expecting Take That or Coldplay, certainly not ceremony opener Frank Turner or even more surprisingly, Alex Trimble of Two Door Cinema Club fame. Arctic Monkeys were a brilliant choice, but for me would've been that bit more enjoyable if they saved us their totally underwhelming cover of The Beatles. In fact, I think any mention of The Beatles should have been wiped from the conciousness of the world with some sort of Memory Charm. I used to love The Beatles but I'm sick to death of hearing about them that I couldn't really care less anymore. Paul McCartney gets bloody everywhere and I don't think I can take hearing him sing Hey Jude one more time at another momentous occasion. It's like when your Dad or Uncle get up at a wedding and insist on singing one more song. Give it a miss next time, Macca.
The Clash - London Calling
Danny Boyle did a sterling job, executing it so fluidly that it overflowed with sheer excellance that I don't think Rio will be able to top it in 2016. Boyle could've stuck with the safe, the boring and the predictable concerning his music choices. I was expecting Take That or Coldplay, certainly not ceremony opener Frank Turner or even more surprisingly, Alex Trimble of Two Door Cinema Club fame. Arctic Monkeys were a brilliant choice, but for me would've been that bit more enjoyable if they saved us their totally underwhelming cover of The Beatles. In fact, I think any mention of The Beatles should have been wiped from the conciousness of the world with some sort of Memory Charm. I used to love The Beatles but I'm sick to death of hearing about them that I couldn't really care less anymore. Paul McCartney gets bloody everywhere and I don't think I can take hearing him sing Hey Jude one more time at another momentous occasion. It's like when your Dad or Uncle get up at a wedding and insist on singing one more song. Give it a miss next time, Macca.
On the other hand, I thoroughly enjoyed the musical snippets of The Kinks and ELF. As if the World didn't need reminding that British music is best, we did it with style. Rule Britannia!
You can listen to my 'London Calling' playlist here which features most of the songs that were played during the opening ceremony for the London 2012 Olympics. If playlists are your thing, then why not check out my Keep Cool and Listen On compilation from back in May or my 13...Unlucky For Some from a few weeks ago.
You can listen to my 'London Calling' playlist here which features most of the songs that were played during the opening ceremony for the London 2012 Olympics. If playlists are your thing, then why not check out my Keep Cool and Listen On compilation from back in May or my 13...Unlucky For Some from a few weeks ago.
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Mike Oldfield - Tubular Bells
The Jam - Going Underground
The Who - My Generation
The Rolling Stones - I Can't Get No Satisfaction
The Kinks - All Day and All of the Night
Mud - Tiger Feet
The Specials - A Message to you Rudy
David Bowie - Starman
Queen - Bohemian Rhapsody
The Sex Pistols - God Save The Queen
New Order - Blue Monday
Frankie Goes To Hollywood - Relax (Don't Do It)
Soul II Soul - Back To Life
The Progidy - Firestarter
Eurythmics - Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This)
Underworld - Born Slippy
Dizzee Rascal - Bonkers
Amy Winehouse - Valerie
Muse - Uprising
Tinie Tempah - Pass Out
Emeli Sande - Heaven
The Chemical Brothers - Galvanize
Bee Gees - Stayin' Alive
Electric Light Orchestra - Mr Blue Sky
Arctic Monkeys - I Bet You Look Good On The Dancefloor
David Bowie - Heroes
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