Our first magazine of 2019 is a landmark for us. So Young started as a bedroom project and nearly six years on, we are remarkably releasing our twentieth issue. Thanks for sticking with us. Issue Twenty welcomes Fat White Family back to the cover, as one of the most important bands of the last few years return with their third album, ‘Serfs Up!’. Lias, Nathan and Alex speak honestly to us about the new sounds as well as the darker times that they overcame. It’s impossible to escape Fontaines D.C. at the minute. The Dublin band have played every city and festival in the last 12 months and we gave them a call whilst they were on the road in Europe to talk about their debut album which is out in April. Staying in Ireland and the Dublin scene, The Murder Capital are the next band to step up and meet the hype. We chat about playing outside of Ireland, toxic masculinity and more. Nilüfer Yanya has had a whirlwind 12 months, featuring on every buzz list going and for good reason. We met up with Nilüfer in London for a chat and
We spoke to the band after their Valentines Day show at
Moth Club. Keeping the New York theme, Sunflower Bean have been keeping up the momentum with the release of
new EP ‘King of the Dudes’. Julia and Nick took our call and they told us all about their love for London and their
DIY DNA. An eight hour flight back and we catch up with three of the UK’s most exciting new bands. We get an
insight into the worlds of Squid, Working Mens Club and Talk Show. Black Country, New Road are another band
breaking out of the London scene. We dig in and put pen
to paper on what we know so far. Three exciting projects across the UK are Antonia Marsh’s, Soft Opening, The
Pistonhead Foundation and Deptford Northern Soul Club.
In a breather from our favourite bands, we send over some Qs to find out what they’ve been doing. ‘Who Are You?’
returns to shed some light on the underground. Expect brief introductory chats with Public Practice, Famous, Buzzard Buzzard Buzzard, Hussy and more.
she took us back to the beginning, speaking about getting into music and the pressure of writing the debut album. Brooklyn’s Surfbort have been taking the UK by storm, playing support shows with Wolf Alice as well as sold out shows in the capital.
3 Sunflower Bean King of the Dudes 6 Fat White Family Serf’s Up! 11 Surfbort High Anxiety 14 Talk Show Fast and Loud 15 Soft Opening Antonia Marsh 18 Fontaines D.C. Big 25 NOV3L To Whom It May Concern
30 Nilüfer Yanya Tears 34 Working Men’s Club Bad Blood 35 Deptford Northern Soul Club Lewis Henderson 38 The Murder Capital Feeling Fades 39 Squid Houseplants 41 Who Are You? Get to know 44 Black Country, New Road Athen’s, France 45 The Pistonhead Foundation Rockabilly Saviours
Opposite, So Young 20 Issues Collage by Josh Whettingsteel
Sunflower Bean Sunflower Bean have crashed into 2019 with a bang. Their
I always wondered if that was the beginning of a certain
new E.P, ’King Of The Dudes’, is straight up punk rock - far
feeling within myself. My mum also broke down a lot ideas
removed from any of their previous releases. Currently on
of what a woman could be for me - you can be vulgar and
tour with Interpol, the band spoke to us about androgyny
powerful and tense and angry…
and their affection for the London scene. Speaking of being a woman in music, do you ever feel Your new E.P, although released so soon after Twenty
pressured to present yourself in a certain way? There
Two In Blue, has a raw punk energy. Where did this
are so many double standards that aren’t expected from
change in musical direction come from?
guys…
Julia: When we make music, we’re not thinking of those
Julia: Women are expected to be everything, to know
changes in the way that the world does after we put it out;
everything, to mother you, and look after you but also
we put our own personal musical innovation before what
be sexy and wear make-up all the time....and those
people are going to make of it. With the new E.P, we wanted
expectations do bleed into music because it’s life. What
to put out something that was really fun and punchy and of
matters is how you respond to that. For us, how you present
the moment, responding to what’s now.
yourself is all about how it makes you feel. I don’t wear make-up or a fun outfit on stage because it’s expected of
Nick: Punk’s always been in our DNA because we came
me, I put it on because I love clothes and art and I know
from a DIY scene - making the music, putting on the shows,
who I am, and I want people to see me as I am. When it
not being concerned with any commercial prospects. So
comes to how you present yourself, you have to look at why
while this is the first directly punk think we’ve recorded,
you want to do it, because if you’re doing it for somebody
I think it’s always been hanging over us and guiding us.
else, it’s never gonna work.
And in 2019 I feel like Punk is less about a sound and more about the attitude.
What are your thoughts on the London scene?
Julia: Punk is something that happens when the politics get
Nick: Shame and Sorry are great, HMLTD are one of my
really bad, and artists start making work in order to make
personal favourites - I can’t wait to see what their next
sense of what’s going on, for the listener and themselves -
recording is gonna be like.
it’s 100 percent necessary right now. Julia: I actually went to The Windmill for the first time Something that also struck me about the new songs
in December...I was a little nervous about going because
was your voice, Julia. It’s very androgynous, very Joan
I’d heard so much about it. People would be like, ‘The
Jett…
Windmill is so crazy’ and I was like, ‘Oh God’.... But when I got there it had such a good energy - the kids sitting in the
Julia: It’s cool you should say that because I think my
smoking area, chatting about the music they love, excited
androgyny is a bigger part of my life than I might know
about Pixx and talking to me about Sunflower Bean. I feel
- it’s who I am. Even as a kid my mum used to take me
like you’ve always been so open and welcome to us. Nick
to the men’s barber shop and people would ask me on the
has this joke all the time, where he’s just like, ‘Let’s move
playground if I was a boy or a girl...
to London...’
3
Words by Eleanor Philpot, illustration by Valat Ampavat
Fat White Family Fat White Family are an arresting proposition. Essentially,
It’s always been in our blood and it’s one of those things
half a dozen nice, if a little dysfunctional, young lads they
where we thought: “what would people not want to hear?”
have become emblematic of the degeneracy and hedonism
Probably Fat Whites impersonating UB40. Let’s do that!
that characterises many of South London’s best-loved
Last record was like “let’s make a load of heroin sludge” so
pubs and venues. Next month sees the release of their
this time we almost made a pop album. We’d done that dark,
third album, Serf’s Up! The album was borne out of a
disjointed thing and it just sort of felt like a natural thing to
collaborative process which saw them relocate to Sheffield
do the opposite now. Nobody wants to hear the same thing
in order to refine a poppier take on their familiar sound. I
twice. What’s the point?
sat down with Fat White Family lead vocalist Lias Saoudi, keyboard player Nathan Saoudi and multi-instrumentalist
What would you say to your fans who love the sound of
Alex White to discuss moving on, kicking smack and what
the old Fat Whites?
exactly happened up north. LS: I would tell them to consult records one and two. We You’re back with a new album. Was getting it made a
could sit around trying to re-write those songs but that’s
difficult process?
death.
NS: I thank god that it’s actually done.
NS: I would tell them to fuck themselves!
LS: It was very hard. There was a hangover from the five
Do you think the change in your sound has been
years of touring which made it hard to get in a room and
accompanied by a moving on in your personal life?
concentrate on our ideas. Last time we were in the studio it was a little bit poisonous. Everybody was kinda gnarly
NS: You move on but you don’t ignore what happened
with the drugs and stuff whereas this time it was actually a
before. You move on but you also look back, if anyone’s
bit smoother. We had a core bunch of songs that me, Nathan
got a problem with that then they’ve got a problem with
and Saul had written which we then fleshed out with this
themselves.
bigger team of people. When we started it was difficult to find collaborators that would work...we were just like fuck
LS: You slow down a little bit. You can’t be a big fucking
everybody. But then two albums later, the chips on our
posse of smack and crack huffing nutjobs drowning around
shoulders were different and it was easy to call people up
the world forever. That was a few years of serious chaos.
who were willing to get on board. Do you ever miss that time? One of your team described the album’s sound as “80s digital dancehall”. Do you think this is a fair
NS: We never wanted to be like that. It was just the only
description?
way we had of dealing with it. I don’t glamourise that shit.
AW: There may be a small element of that, more in the songwriting than in the actual production. LS: I think what happened is we got really into UB40.
Words by Alex Mistlin, illustration by Kingston Poplar
6
LS: It was a time of reflection I think. Once the powers that
I’d just like to swim around in my own shit for a few more
be decide that you’re now flavour of the month, you get
years! On a simple level, it’s your living and you want to
on this mad treadmill that you can’t really get a grasp of
avoid having to go back and pour pints or stock shelves.
because it’s all new to you. You’ve got no idea where it’s
Most of the people in the band are so dysfunctional they
going but you’re glad it’s happening because you get to play
could never do anything else.
music for a living. NS: I can’t even get a job stacking shelves. It’s a daunting Do you think your lack of understanding of your lives at
thought because if it fucks up what have you got left?
that point led you to be abrasive or obtuse as a defence mechanism?
Were you ever worried that you wouldn’t be here now with this record, that Fat Whites were going to go off the
LS: I think if anything it was a promotional mechanism, not
rails?
a defence mechanism. NS: I wasn’t. NS: You might say it was promotion but I didn’t know what the fuck was going on.
LS: I was of course. Saul was out the band for a while and that’s a pretty key given that until that point he’d written
LS: Maybe promotion is the wrong word but you have to
pretty much all the music. And it was definitely a massive
rationalise the situation in those terms. You think “what
anxiety working out how we were going to replace that.
would I want to change about the music scene?” and then
But everybody else bucked up. Alex White came on board,
you offer it with as much gusto as you can muster. We
Nathan started writing his own songs and so we developed a
were promoting a certain attitude, telling people to stop
little pile of material and then Saul came back anyway.
shuffling up to East London to promote your musical hipster wares and start getting stuck into being offensive. It was an
Do you think Saul leaving was a good thing for the
impulsive reaction to what I found difficult in the current
band?
culture. LS: Yeah, it was good for everybody. We did the whole Having said that, do you understand why you were often
Insecure Men thing...
singled out for criticism from certain corners of the music industry?
NS: He didn’t leave. He got a bit wild and we couldn’t deal with him.
LS: It was a deliberate act of wanton provocation to go out banging on about paedophilia and the rest of it. There’s no
LS: Due to complications arising from heroin addiction
mistake there. There might have been a peripheral backlash
he was sacked. But at that point, it’s like losing half of the
but what I saw first and foremost was that, for the first
band. We had to build something without him, that’s almost
time, we had a level of support. And it’s kinda gratifying
what the point of moving to Sheffield was. We had six
when people get offended. It’s quite hard to be offensive
months of trying to plug the Saul gap.
nowadays but we intend to stay the course and be as belligerently offensive as possible.
AW: I think that’s really reductive though. I hate to think that was the purpose of that time. We went up there and got
Are you trying to achieve anything with your
in a fucking room together and we just sat around a really
offensiveness?
out of tune piano for hours.
LS: Nope, no achievements.
NS: I took loads of DMT and drank loads of gin and it all came together.
7
Fat White Family
LS: For me, it was a different experience because Saul’s my
NS: That’s because he wasn’t the lead writer.
writing partner and has been for a long time. So his absence was a very different thing for me than it was for the others.
AW: In my opinion, as someone who wasn’t involved
I really felt his absence so I had anxieties about it that these
previously and wasn’t really a fan before, I think this one’s
guys didn’t. I got really depressed about it. I worried that
number one.
we were going to come up with some ersatz version of Fat Whites and flog it via a slightly more commercial label.
NS: This is where I’m going with it right. I want people to play Fat White Family while they’re eating their Christmas
What exactly happened in Sheffield that meant you came
dinner...Just like with motherfuckers like David Bowie and
out of your time there a stronger and better band?
the Rolling Stones. We can all sit around and say “Alexa, play David Bowie” and everyone in the family enjoys it.
LS: The first thing was establishing a smack-free zone. We needed a buffer against heroin abuse. We were isolated but
LS: You’ve got like Dire Straits, Simon and Garfunkel, Fat
not so isolated that people couldn’t come up and down from
White Family...OK, we haven’t quite pulled that off.
London to collaborate with you. We listened to different music up there; Night Shift by The Commodores was a big
NS: Not quite but it’s coming!
album and we really fell in love with Yeezus. It’s the most decadent thing I’ve ever heard; it’s utterly immoral in so many ways. Do you think any of that vibe comes through in your music? LS: I think ‘Feet’ is our attempt at doing that. There’s a bit of that soaring egotism and total narcissism. I thought if Fat Whites tried to do something a little like Kanye there’s no way that couldn’t be interesting because there’s no way we could manage it. In the end, the development and production of that song was fucking trauma and there was a long-running dispute about how best to finish it which was never really resolved which is why we’ve got two versions coming out. NS: A lot of the disruption came because it’s like therapy music for me. I wrote that melody because it took me to a place where I found resolve from a past love. LS: You put yourself into a position where the only way you can get out of the straitjacket of your emotional devastation is to find some resolution in form, by making it into an object. Is this your best album then? LS: In my opinion, yes. Saul’s opinion might be completely different.
www.kingstonpoplar.com
8
We started So Young when Sam and I were living in Southampton having both finished our degrees and wondering what to do with our lives. It grew out of several poignant moments at gigs and the need to create something physical, a paper fanzine in a time of disposable music and art. We both grew up in Southampton, where going to gigs, buying records and the ritual of picking up the NME from Tesco’s on a Wednesday gave us some sense of meaning and identity. The kind that is vital to a sixteen-year-old trying to find their place in the world. When first putting So Young together we would work in cafes and pubs all over the city, naively emailing every music industry email address under the sun. For all its flaws, Southampton has been the perfect breeding ground for so much creativity and innovation. Way more than it is given credit for, with said innovators heading off to the big smoke as soon as possible. You can trace a lot of contemporary fashion, music, food and design success stories back to the port city.
9
Fat White Family
After releasing our second issue, we came across The Fat White Family. A band who’d seemingly scoffed down the entire history of Rock ‘n’ Roll and regurgitated it in the corner of a Brixton pub. They were the twisted band our generation needed. It was the start of So Young’s second chapter. They set the ball rolling and our pages have since been filled with the Post-Fat Whites era. Bands copying, developing and rejecting in equal measure. In a strange full-circle event, 20 magazines and 3 albums later, we are putting our money where our mouths are and bringing the newly reformed Fat White Family to our beloved hometown of Southampton. On May 1st 2019 they’ll play the 1865 venue, in what is set to be our biggest event to date. It’s a proud moment for us and we’d love to see you there for a beer or five.
Words by Josh Whettingsteel
10
Surfbort Upon asking Surfbort’s Dani Miller a passing question
We were just playing loads of different shows and festivals,
about her experience as a woman within the traditionally
and one of them was [now-labelmates] the Growlers festival
male-dominated world of punk, I was hit with a confused
Beach Goth. Then we were talking to Nasa (manager of Cult
stare, and the reply: ‘I don’t know, I’m an alien’. Twenty
Records), who asked if we wanted to work with Julian. He
minutes after asking this, as I watched her incite a crowd
really understands us and lets us be ourselves, which is rare
into rabid frenzy with a maniacal grin on her face, I could
with labels. Because Cult is artist run, there’s more space
do nothing but agree. Brooklyn’s Surfbort are out of this
for magic. He’s a genius, and the sweetest guy.
world. Whilst the music you play does have that raw, old-school Whilst undoubtedly, the music they play is loud, fast and
punk sound, on tracks like ‘High Anxiety’ and ‘Selfie’
ferocious (indeed, John Doe of legendary punk band X
you reference issues incredibly specific to our time. How
listed Surfbort’s recent album among his favourite Punk
much of your music is influenced by what’s going on in
albums of all time), they are certainly the first band
the world around you?
this writer has come across that radiate such a sense of ungovernable joy in their aggression. Comprised of one
We never really follow ‘what’s punk’, or ‘what’s hard’, and
20-something Californian frontwoman, and three scary
more make music in a response to just the weird-ass things
looking Texan dudes at least 20 years her senior, they
that are going on. It’s part humour, part frustration, and part
certainly aren’t your standard lineup either. Midway through
romance towards it. Anything you create at a certain time
a lengthy European tour on the back of their (brilliant)
has to be a response to everything going on at that moment.
recent album Friendship Music - released on the Julian Casablancas owned Cult Records, the band’s proclivity for
Other interviews see you talk about crippling levels of
loud, fast, fun music and life-altering live shows is quickly
stage fright- is this something you still grapple with?
making them one of the most exciting bands on God’s green earth. Surfbort are aliens. But don’t worry. They come in
I still get super nervous- even if it’s a show for nobody,
friendship.
at my grandma’s house. Some people are desperate for attention, they love getting their picture taken and having
The name Surfbort sounds pretty surf-punk, which you
everyone staring at them and stuff, but that’s not us. It’s
guys aren’t at all. Where did the name come from?
easier on tour because you do it every day, so it’s sort of like brushing your teeth.
It comes from a Beyoncé track. We were at a party, and I was dancing with this girl- she was like: ‘Oh, we need
Your album is called ‘Friendship Music’. Is this a
someone to play with Together Pangea, do you know any
reflection of what Surfbort stand for?
bands? And I was like ‘Oh yeah, I know a band’, and then I just made up the name, on the spot. It was sort of a joke at
I feel the album is about boiling down, dumbing down what
first, but now it’s a joke that’s going to last forever! We love
we feel music should be about. Everyone feels alone, and
Beyoncé, and pretty sure she loves us too.
everyone is like ‘what the hell is going on?’ and this is just us saying ‘Hey, we’re out here too, this world is insane,
Your album came out on Cult, how did this coupling
let’s all try and help each other out because everything’s
happen?
fucked up!”.
11
Words by Dan Pare, illustration by Chiara Dal Maso
Talk Show London’s Talk Show dominate their stage with an energetic
and someone will play a riff, and we’ll try stuff out.
live performance. It is easy to see how the band have
Hopefully by the end of the session we’ve got something
created such a buzz; with their high-flying, ‘fast and loud’,
more concrete that Harrison can then write lyrics for.
knife-edged, post-punk sound that shines through their
Sometimes it’s the complete opposite. It changes with each
undoubtedly well thought out tunes. We sat down with lead
song.
singer/guitarist Harrison Swann and bassist George Sullivan over a pint in a quaint pub in Dalston after their return from
You’re now based in South London, what drew you
a chaotic Independent Venue Week.
there?
Can you talk us through how the band formed and came
We all went to Uni, so that’s why. George and I moved
together?
to London to be musicians and used Uni to get us there. We wanted to start a band. We gravitated to being here.
We met at a house party in a dark corner of a room; shaking
It’s great because we all live around the corner from one
our heads at the music that was playing. We had a couple of
another.
beers and spoke about what kind of bands we were into. We then realized that we were into the same sort of thing. We
Has South London had an effect on your writing? And
met Tom [our guitarist], who George was living with at the
are there any other bands from around the area that
time. We were looking for a drummer, and Chloe who is a
you’re really into?
mate of a mate mentioned she was looking to start a band. Harrison was stood talking to a mate outside the library
South London has allowed us to be whatever we want to be.
at Uni talking about how we were looking for a drummer.
There are no barriers; there’s no “oh really, what are you
Chloe, who was sitting beside them said “I play the drums,”
doing?” It’s really freeing. It’s nice to experiment and crack
so he said, “Ok cool, come to rehearsal, it’s tomorrow at
on with our own little thing. There are a lot of alternative/
nine.”
new wave bands coming out of South-East London, which is inspiring. It’s eye-opening coming here as an outsider and
Are there any collective influences on the band and your
realising that there is so much going on. There’s so much on
sound?
your doorstep.
There’s a hand full of acts that we keep going back to. A
Blue Bendy, Truman Dinosaur, Scrounge, House in the
lot of The Cure, The Stranglers, Echo and the Bunnymen,
Trees. Check them all out; they’re honestly amazing.
and Joy Division. But there’s four of us in the band, and we each have our own niches that we’re into. We each bring our
You’ve just released your first single ‘Fast and Loud’
own thing.
through Yala! Records. How were you introduced to those guys?
You’ve mentioned that you all bring your own thing, walk us through the songwriting process?
Yala! put us on for the first night we did in May 2018. Felix from Yala! came up to us straight afterwards and said “I
It completely depends, it changes for every song. We’ll be
want to release your first single,” and we were like “Ok
messing around in our rehearsal room,
cool.”
Words by Sarah Morrison, illustration by Alex Ram
14
Antonia Marsh has curated shows all over the world but
You’ve curated all over the place. What is it about
recently decided she needed her own, more permanent
London that has made you want to work on something a
space. Soft Opening is a gallery located within Piccadilly
little more permanent here?
Circus tube station, allowing millions of eyes, those of art lovers and predominantly non-art lovers, to look into
I’m from London, and I feel blessed to be… so even though
her carefully curated world, if only for a moment. After
I’ve been adventurous, it feels good to come home. The
the success of the first Soft Opening location, Antonia has
pace is much slower here in comparison to somewhere like
now opened a second in Bethnal Green. Antonia Marsh
New York for example, which suits me. Stuff happens,
has worked with some of So Young’s favourite artists and
but it’s more of a slow burn, which tends to mean things
bands, so it only felt right that we speak about the year
develop stronger and last longer rather than just being a
ahead.
flash in the pan.
Tell us about Soft Opening, how it came to be and your
How do you select the artists that you work with?
vision for its future as a concept… I select artists based on so many things: the strength of their I was looking for a more “traditional” gallery space for a
work visually as well as conceptually, how these interact,
while but would always fantasise about the empty spaces in
the relevance and urgency of their message. I also look for
the tube stations when I was travelling around London for
artists who are communicative, open and trustworthy.
studio visits. One day I had enough and began to inquire. It went from there and the first year’s program developed
Could you tell us some of your favourite pieces that you
really organically. More and more people became interested
have on your wall at home?
in the space and we turned shows around like crazy. This year, now we’ve opened a second location in Bethnal Green,
I recently bought a sculpture by Tenant of Culture which I
we are slowing down, letting the exhibitions develop and
stare at every morning, and one of the artists I work with,
the artists get the most out of them.
Arielle Chiara, sent some beautiful silk ribbon wall pieces that also brighten up my bedroom. Sculptor Kira Freije has asked me to look after one of her large steel figures, which will be a real challenge to return when the time comes.
15
Words and design by Josh Whettingsteel
Which artists/curators have been most vital and influential in your career so far? I have found that the two mentor-figures I looked up to most in my early career - Leigh Markopoulos and Chrissie Iles - have massively influenced my practice. I will forever try to channel Leigh’s endless generosity of spirit and empathy in her practice, and Chrissie’s close relationships with artists never cease to remind me why I got this job in the first place. Do you collect/hoard anything other than art? Chairs, I’m obsessed with them. I have no idea where it came from but I’m completely hooked. We first came across you because of your involvement in the music scene during some of the early years of So Young and your zine, Girls Only. What bands are you into at the moment and who are your tips for the rest of 2019? I went to the Celine Homme show in Paris and this band Crack Cloud from Canada was the soundtrack to the models going down the runway, then if that wasn’t enough they performed at the after party. The drummer writes all the music, and sits centre stage and sings it all. It’s pretty wild. Back home the band run a program for recovering drug addicts which is awesome, so important to be connected to your community and give something back in these isolated times. What’s your favourite album cover? Mike Kelley’s Sonic Youth cover. What’s next for yourself and Soft Opening in 2019? Working out how to manage two spaces….
www.softopening.london
16
Fontaines D.C. It fittingly takes a while to get through to Fontaines D.C.
Your music hasn’t forgotten your past either though, is
for a chunk of their time. As expected, the band are in a van
it important for you to acknowledge that and embrace
somewhere in Europe and we get the usual dreaded ‘caller
your identity?
unavailable’. It would be hard to find a time when this hard working bunch aren’t on the move though. There’s a great
Absolutely yes, it’s just us trying to be as authentic as
sense of escapism behind the rampant new single ‘Big’,
possible really. We’re trying to portray our lives and part of
which hears the band stab out the lyrics, “My childhood was
that is to remember your history and where you came from.
small, but I’m gonna be big.” No shit.
If we turned around now and pretended to be some big London band then that would be pretty awful I think. You
There’s a refreshing defiance and self-belief behind this
won’t ever see that happening.
simple sentiment. The band’s journey so far though seems to back up their ideas, after-all they are managing to sell
Tell us about the concept behind ‘Big’, it seems to
out shows left right and centre. That’s all before their debut
epitomise this whole idea?
album ‘Dogrel’ has even dropped. In a time when the world is crumbling around us, their honest rock and roll anthems
The idea for the song came together quite naturally. Grian
don’t pretend to be anything they’re not. It’s just exciting,
had some lyrics that he wanted to throw onto the song. Then
down the line music from the heart of Dublin. With this
we went, ‘lets make the sound of being hit in the head with
sentiment in mind, we share a joyous relief as my call
a brick’ inside a guitar basically. We combined those two
finally goes through.
things and that’s how the song came out.
You’re in the thick of a rigorous touring schedule, how is
I love the lyric about rainy Dublin being yours, what’s
that all going?
the idea there?
It’s very hectic but it’s going really well so far. We’ve had
I mean, there’s some kind of crazy, interesting and
a couple of hiccups along the way as expected, like getting
conflicting thing about feeling like you own a city like
caught in the Norway snow or whatever. Overall though,
ours. It’s conflicting because you can’t really call it great
we’re just really enjoying it, taking it show by show and
and you can’t really call it terrible. It’s ours in spite of all
everyone seems to be loving the music. We can’t wait to get
of its flaws and charms. I like the idea of that you know?
back out there again really. It’s so nice.
It’s a mixture of being divinely proud and having a slight scepticism towards it as well. That’s what the track is really
Is it a strange transition from your lives before the
about, not just the character of the city but going deeper and
band?
asking what the city is.
It’s kind of funny because it’s a big change from the lives we had before, working in restaurants and bars and stuff like that. We’re obviously super happy about it though because it’s what we were hoping would happen with our lives. We’ve all spent a lot of time in bands working towards something like this. It’s great it’s actually happened.
Words by Rhys Buchanan, illustration by Esther Lara
18
We’ve mentioned how busy you are already, where
It’s amazing that you’ve already announced a huge tour
did you find the time to actually put the whole record
beyond the current run of dates, does that give you a
together?
sense of confidence?
We put it all together last September. We wrote it all in
It’s hard to quantify these things because for most of our
Dublin in our rehearsal room over the summer last year. We
career so far we’ve just been learning the ropes of how the
were basically just putting our heads down, just going into
job works. Like, what you can and can’t do onstage, how
the rehearsal room five days a week. Once it was all ready
to keep your instrument in tune and stuff like that. I think
we took it down to Dan Carey in London to record. We
we’re too involved with what we’re doing onstage to think
went in and did it all live which was really important to the
about these things. It’s a nice boost to see dates sell out but
sound. It was mixed and mastered then it was done. It’s just
we’re very much in the moment. We’re still learning from
been the details really around artwork and stuff beyond that.
the crowds and how they react to certain songs. We always
We’re at a point now where we’re dying to see it out there
get a boost on the day.
on the shelves. Beyond this you’ve got a US run of shows, festival season We spoke about you staying true to yourselves but has
and more headline shows, is it a case of taking it one step
your idea of Fontaines D.C changed or evolved since you
at a time?
started out? Definitely. If I looked at this tour at the start of it and Oh, absolutely. When we started the band we were all
looked at the schedule, then it would have seemed very
twenty or twenty-one. Your taste obviously develops a lot
gruelling and intimidating. Having done it though I’ve
and we’ve gotten into different artists. When we started we
thought it was great and really fun. So we do just take it
took influence from The Libertines and our sound really
a day at a time. It will be even better once the album is
reflected that. We’ve found sounds and bands that reflect
out there as well because hopefully people will know all
the people who we are like Girl Band and poetry and stuff
the tunes we’re playing. We’re really looking forward to
like that. All these different elements came together over a
playing different festivals and getting a bit of sun as well.
period of time and quite naturally influenced the band we are. If you’d caught us at a gig in Dublin two years ago, you’d probably be quite surprised at what you’d heard. It was more straight-up rock and roll three chord songs. It wasn’t the same band we are now for sure. Without beating around the bush too much, you are essentially a rock and roll band, is it important for you not to take it too seriously? If you take yourself too seriously with these kind of things then you become a bit of a joke which is ironic really. If you keep a little humility, then it really keeps it alive and it keeps it unpretentious and genuine in many ways because it allows it to be real. Like with The Modern Lovers and Jonathan Richman, how genuine he is and how unafraid he is to be funny, it’s the same with Bob Dylan, he’s really unafraid to be funny in his lyrics. I find that really inspiring and so real.
19
Fontaines D.C.
‘Colour by Numbers’ T-Shirt Collection photos by Rhi Harper, shop.soyoungmagazine.com, opposite, T-Shirt design by Josh Whettingsteel
NOV3L Communication, in its varying forms, has metamorphised
Our generation is being carried by the technology age,
massively in little less than half a century. The idea of
we are attempting to figure out our place in a world
human interactivity has been altered by the immediate,
where something so hyper-artificial like the internet is
seamless contact we now have, for positive or negative.
at the forefront of living. Without prophesying, do you
N0V3L, a inter-disciplinary collective from various cities
believe this is something we ourselves can control?
across Canada, craft pertinent and encapsulating art, expressing their intention to promote discussion through
J: The internet and those that interact with it as a system
their own personal experiences of the ever-changing world
has too many variables to be controlled, but its course can
we live in. This desire to be able to converse and express
be shaped. A free and open internet can act as a leveller
themselves - matched with their enveloping, progressive
between classes when accessible, and we need policy
sound - has already defined N0V3L as a unique and
makers who will ensure it stays that way.
engrossing proposition in 2019. Ben: It is a question of taking responsibility for how these What does N0V3L stand for in the context of music
technologies impact everyone’s lives both short and long-
today?
term, especially in the context of aggressive capitalism.
Jon: N0V3L can be peculiar to categorize because of the
Your instrumentation cleverly embodies the intensity
scope of disciplines covered by the group of collaborators
and confounding nature of the subject matter in your
including: both music and video production, all visual art,
lyricism. Was this an important element for you to be
as well as some clothing and technical design. N0V3L
able to create, or did it quite naturally craft itself?
serves as an example of how current communication and information sharing capabilities allow a collaborative
J: Starting as a three-piece, Ben, Noah & I attempted to
project to exist without a fixed location. In both its
create enough skeletal interplay that the group sounded like
developing and matured stages, members have lived in
more than the sum of its parts. As a more definitive identity
separate cities, collaborating by correspondence.
musical identity developed, pieces and members have been added with a similar mentality.
Your music is informed by how society is transforming and how we are going to make that work for us, at a
Noah: Rhythm is an important means of experimentation
point where none of us really know where we are going
and expression for us. It’s a rudimentary yet profound way
to head next. Was it important for you to be able to
to connect musically.
explore a very global and present study? What would you like people who listen to your music to J: Any topic that finds its way into the primary idea for a
take from it?
song already occupies a significant amount of our attention. In this case, we believe these issues deserve thought and
N: I want them to experience something challenging yet
input from diverse and comprehensive voices - we hope to
rewarding. The goal is to create something which can be
act as a catalyst for discussion.
revisited and the listener will continue to find new layers of meaning and insight.
25
Words Words by by Elly RossWatson, Jones, illustration illustration by by Josh Josh Whettingsteel Whettingsteel
26
Nilüfer Yanya Nilüfer Yanya is a girl who needs no introduction. With
Yeah! I wanted it all to be new material and I didn’t want
three critically acclaimed EPs already under her belt [2016’s
to use songs that I’d already used. It’s kind of weird. For
‘Small Crimes’, 2017’s ‘Plant Feed’ and 2018’s ‘Do You
me, I wanted to do the album as the next step, but it’s weird
Like Pain?’], she earned a spot on last year’s BBC Sound
because you get confused as to why you want to do it. Like,
Of list and has cemented herself as a unique voice with her
I want the album to be the next step but why do I want it to
beguiling soul and jazz infused pop music.
be now? I guess, in a way, you feel like you have to keep going and keep ticking boxes. I wanted to do the album for
Hailed for her distinctive DIY sound, she’s now getting
myself, but there wasn’t really a rush, so why did I make
ready to release her debut album Miss Universe on March
myself do it now?
22nd. An ambitious and beautiful record that flows effortlessly with fuzzy indie melodies, the listener is guided
And have you found out the answer to that question?
along the journey by the titular Miss Universe - a haunting automated voice from a fictional health management
I just felt like I had to! I don’t really know where it comes
company called WWayHealth giving you progressively
from? It just felt like after the EPs, I was meant to do the
more ominous notes along the way.
album now! So, I was like “I better do it! Let’s make the album now! And everything has to be new!”
Experimenting with sound and pushing her boundaries, the record acts as a glimpse into Nilüfer’s weird and wonderful
So when did you start working on it?
world. We caught up with her over a cup of green tea to find Most of it was from 2017 to the end of 2018. One of the
out just what that world contains.
songs is really old, from when I was 15, and I started Going back to the beginning, how did you first get into
writing “Baby Blu” at the end of 2016, so a while ago. But
music?
most of it was in that time period.
It started with playing piano when I was, like, 6ish. I wasn’t
What was inspiring you during that time?
really that serious about it until I was like 11 or 12 and I went to a school with a really big music department at the
I think that a lot of it was the people that I was working
time. I really wanted to learn guitar before that so I started
with. I did a track with M.T. Hadley and he’s really into
learning guitar at school. When I left school I made myself
writing pop songs. His music’s not pop, but it’s weird
do this music course, and I made myself perform and do all
dance-pop with a darker side to it. That was really fun to
of those things.
make a pop song. Then I was working with Oli [BartonWood] who was really interested in getting out all the
It clearly worked out because everything you’ve released
details in the sound and diving into each different style in
so far has been hugely critically acclaimed. Was there
different ways. We did “Melt” which has a lot of saxophone
any pressure to “live up to the hype” with your debut
in it and more weirder sounds, and then “Angels” which
album, Miss Universe?
was a lot more rocky and got a bit of an alternative-rock kind of thing.
Words by Elly Watson, illustration by Nick Dahlen
30
You’ve mentioned before about wanting to be more
What do you want people to take away from the “world”
experimental in your sounds for the record…
you’ve created?
I was just trying to be less precious about the production.
I guess an understanding that we’re in the same world
I’ve never been a producer myself and it’s always been the
experience together and a lot of people feel like… You
point of “Oh, this person’s going to ruin the song!” This
know, sometimes it’s like you’re standing on wobbly air?
time I was like “Right, there is no song yet. We’re going
It’s not enough reality. All the stuff we’re talking about
to write it and whatever it sounds like it’s going to sound
and doing, it’s not anchored or anything, it’s all made up.
like.” I was just trying to let loose a bit more with it.
I don’t know if it’s healthy the way humans are. It’s just making your mind do different things. It seems to be hard
Lyrically, what stories did you follow throughout the
to figure out what’s reality and what’s not, what’s true and
album?
what’s not. I think it’s something that I’ve always been thinking about. It’s something I always talk about. It’s the
Again, when you write with different people, it often has a
kind of things I search for when I’m reading books. I find
different theme and they’re like “The chorus needs to make
it a really interesting topic to think about. It feels real. It’s
sense, and this needs to be connected to this” and you’re
weird putting it into an album though, it feels like I’ve made
like “Oookay!” I don’t know. Some of the songs are almost
it my own belief system. It’s kind of funny, people are just
factual. ‘Baby Blu’ was about this very specific situation.
going to think I’m weird! I’m going to come across like a
It doesn’t really have that meaning anymore because
conspiracy theorist! But it feels real! Everyone’s pretending
I’m not that person anymore, which is weird because I
like everything we’re doing is normal and it’s becoming less
remember why I wrote those lyrics! The other songs are
and less normal and it’s becoming more and more unreal.
more abstract that I put together because I liked the way the words sounded. Stuff like ‘Heavyweight Champion of
What’s next for you?
the Year’, I was trying to get to the point but I didn’t really know what that point was. Now, that song has so many
I really want to do loads more writing. I kind of feel like
different meanings. The main themes of the album are really
this album has freed my mind a little bit. Like “I’ve done
paranoia, obsessive thinking, isolation, freedom and that
an album, I’m actually capable of doing something else
feeling of being free, fear and, you know, normal ones like
musically!” There’s always that fear after you’ve written
heartbreak. The classics [laughs].
a song that you’re never going to write again. I’m sure I’ll have that with the next album if I wanna do one. People
There’s the overarching narrative voice throughout the
will either like it or hate it and be like “It’s never gonna be
album - the titular Miss Universe who runs the fictional
as good” or “It’s never gonna be as bad.” I think if I keep
WWayHealth company - can you tell me a bit about
writing, it’ll be fine.
that? Well firstly it’s my voice! I really wanted it to be someone else so I didn’t have to listen back to myself. The monotonousness of it was quite funny. I think I tried as hard as I could but maybe I should’ve asked someone else to do it! Anyway, I came up with the idea for We Worry About Your Health as a slogan. I was like “Oh, I like this, maybe this could be the album name?” But then thought against that, and wanted to find a way for it to exist in the album somehow. I wanted to find a way to blend it in with the album, because the songs are there but they can be about anything! I wanted to give it a base and a story. Like when you open a book, and you imagine a world within it.
31
Nilüfer Yanya
Working Men’s Club Working Mens Club are a three piece band of teenagers
We’re absolutely lost for words to be honest there’s no other
from Todmorden in the North West of England. The band’s
way of saying it to be honest. Its been Guilia’s dream to
arrival has been immediate, releasing their debut single
play the Moth Club for a long long time and obviously it
‘Bad Blood’ to critical acclaim and their limited run of 7”
felt great for the rest of us too. It’s very humbling to go to
vinyl sold out so quickly that they had to press more. The
London, and people actually turn up to see us play in a city
three piece have followed that up live with buzzy support
so far from where we’re from.
slots at the likes of London’s, Moth Club and Hebden Bridge Trades Club. Working Mens Club produce a sound
Everything has happened quite quickly, what does
that’s familiar, it has a clear history and one they’re open to
success look like to you right now, what are you aiming
admit. The excitement comes in their potential, waiting to
to achieve?
see what their youth and experimental nature can do to these well versed, Post Punk sounds. Whilst the band were taking
For now we’re taking it as it comes because none of it’s
a step back and taking stock of what’s to come, we sent over
really sunk in yet anyway. Playing shows and getting our
some questions to find out a little more.
music heard is what we’re gonna do as much as possible (for now). We’ve got some great shows that we’re yet to
Hey Working Mens Club, could you introduce
announce.
yourselves? It feels like guitar music is on the rise again, especially I’m Syd and I’m from Todmorden, Giulia is from Brescia
those post punk sounds. What bands, artists or places
in Italy, Jake is from Hebden Bridge and Liam is from
led you into that sound? Do you believe there’s a future
Widness. We make post punk for the 21st century.
with guitars at the forefront?
You’re a young band with what seems the world at your
Yes 100% there’s tons of great new post punk bands coming
feet. Can you tell us about how you met, where you’re
up at the minute. It’s nice that the music we’ve grown up
from and its effect on your music?
listening to is being revived but with its own 21st century twang. Bands like Gang of Four, Joy Division, the Clean,
We all got paired up in a tutorial at college and connected
Television, Le Tigre are all bands that led us into our sound.
over a mutual love for disco. We’re from the pennines and the scenery is very rugged but also very beautiful its very
What can we be excited for over the next 12 months?
desolate and there’s not much going on, so that’s definitely got us into playing music. I guess its a way out and a vessel
We’re going to be playing loads of shows so hopefully we
to explore the world. So I’d say it has inspired us yes but in
will be coming to a town or city close to you.
an unconventional way. You’ve had an incredible response to your debut single, and its even got to the point where you’ve had to press more vinyl!! On top of that you’ve recently ventured south for a show at London’s famous Moth Club. What have you made of it all?
Words by Sam Ford, illustration by Josh Whettingsteel
34
What do you think it is that brings people to your nights in particular? We try to keep it gimmick free, make it just about the music with a more dance-music orientated set up than most of the other nights happening. Northern Soul can often be seen as a bit old fashioned, and it is, but its the birth of British dance-culture. It introduced the first real movement where a man could be free to express himself through dance, without a partner, and not be ridiculed. It was the birth of the ‘all nighter’. It, with the Motown 4/4 beat set the precedent for all dance music to come. From Soul to Funk, Funk to Disco, Disco Lewis Henderson is a contemporary artist and co-founder of
to House and House to Techno when you strip it back it’s
the Deptford Northern Soul Club. We’ve previously featured
that same rhythm, it’s that same sea of sweaty dancers
his work in So Young and have been following the DNSC
losing themselves in non-stop music and that’s why it’s still
for a while now, if not just for their logo. So after bumping
popular, it’s nice to forget everything and just move your
into him at one of our shows in New Cross we thought
body to a beat, to not have to think about all the mundane
it was a good idea to delve deeper into what the now ex-
stuff that’s going on in your life and just be happy.
painter has been up to since graduating from Camberwell When were you first introduced to Northern Soul? What
and featuring in So Young…
music was being played in your house as a child? You run Deptford Northern Soul Club with William Foot, could you tell us a little about that and how it came
My Dad was mad about music, he’d been into Northern
about?
Soul but other things as well - to be honest he was a massive metal head for a bit. I do remember listening to
Me and Will have been friends for a long time, we actually
things like Giant Sand, Johnny Cash and The Flying Burrito
used to play in a band together called Lady Cardigan. But
Brothers with the odd bit of Gloria Jones or Luther Ingram.
alas, we never recorded anything and only played one
I remember he took me to see James Brown in Hyde Park
gig, in a youth club in a small village in Wiltshire (near
when I was a kid. I was only about seven and it completely
Stonehenge). We’d lost touch whilst I’d been at away at art
went over my head, but I do remember him telling me
school but we ended up going to ‘End of the Road’ festival
“you’ll thank me for this when you’re older”. So it all
together in 2016.
comes from him really. He’s to blame!
That’s where the idea for Deptford Northern Soul Club was
What’s your favourite song to play at one of your nights?
born, on the Thursday night, drunk on red wine, dancing to an awful soul DJ in a marquee attached to a falafel stand
Probably something like Rita and the Tiaras ‘Gone With
whilst the rain thundered down overhead. I think it was me
the Wind Is My Love’ or Tommy Neal’s ‘Going To A
who uttered the words “this is s**t, even we could do better
Happening’.
than this!”. I think it’d be fair to say the rest is history. Oddly enough, we actually got booked to play ‘End of the
Do you feel like there is a connection between Deptford
Road’ the year after, sadly not in the marquee attached to a
Northern Soul Club and your work as an artist? If so
falafel stand.
could you explain where that starts and ends…
It feels like a very fresh approach to a genre that’s been a vital part of club nights for decades.
35
Words by Josh Whettingsteel
I think they are different entities; I see Deptford Northern
Yeah I came down to see Ugly. They come to our nights
Soul Club as a collaboration with Will and my art practice
sometimes so we thought we’d come check them out!
as a solo project. It’s nice to be able to do something a
They’ve got a great song about Wetherspoons. I’m really
bit different sometimes and be able to work with other
into all kinds of music, I saw Islet at Green Man when we
people as it changes what you think and make. I also
played in the summer and thought they were great. I like
collaborate a lot with Emma Thornton, we make weird
Flohio too, she’s local and has a great vibe about her. SE
‘post-dance-dance-music’ or what ever it is under the guise
London feels like it’s got a lot going for it at the moment,
of ‘BNATZY_DYD’. I think it’s important to be able to be
we’ve got acts like Octavian, Mount Kimbie, Goat Girl,
free to try lots of different creative things with your life
Gentle Stranger, Shinamo Moki, Flamingods and everything
and not be pigeonholed as ‘the northern soul guy’ or as a
happening on the Memorials of Distinction label to name
‘contemporary artist’.
just a few…
As an artist we’ve featured your work in So Young a
What have you got lined up this year as far as your
couple of times before, your work has changed since
art, I think you mentioned Hannah Barry Gallery in
then which was around the time you graduated from
Peckham?
Camberwell. How would you describe that change and your work today?
I’ve been showing a bit with Hannah, she’s got some great people involved with the gallery at the moment and she’s
I think you live a very sheltered life at university, and being
been showing a few of my friends work too like George
on a painting course, surrounded by other painters and with
Rouy, Rosie Ward and Ollie Dook. It’s always nice to be
predominantly all of my tutors being painters themselves
able to work with people you know and are friends with so
really pushed me into making the work I did. The problem
I’m sure I’ll do something with the gallery again but I don’t
with that is when you leave the institution. You need to
have anything planned with them at the moment.
actually think about what it is that you do, and why? I’m going to be in a show in Berlin that opens on the 22nd Looking at painting, there are two main questions that
February at BQ. This is a really big thing for me as I’ve
seem worthwhile; firstly, process painting - painting about
never had the opportunity to show in Berlin before and it’s
painting (e.g. Alexis Harding), and secondly, conceptual
the first time I’ve worked with Tabitha and Ella who run
painting. I did try and get into the first of these two camps,
‘650mAh’ and are curating the show.
but found it too dull. I then set about making conceptual paintings of test screen cards until one day I gave up
The show at BQ, Berlin runs from the 23 Feb - 13 April
painting all together and started focussing on trying to
2019.
articulate the ideas in whatever way would best benefit the work. I’m much happier with what I make now. It’s
Finally, what can we expect this year from Deptford
actually something I enjoy doing again and I’m ok with
Northern Soul Club?
sacrificing the shiny-hyper-pop painting for something that’s conceptually more beautiful.
Big things coming, we are playing all over the UK now. You can catch us in Bristol, Leeds, Deptford, Brixton, Hackney,
What’s the main message you’re trying to get across with
Belfast, Manchester, Liverpool, Chester and many other
your work?
places we are yet to announce. Look out for us at festivals this summer too, we aren’t allowed to talk too much about
If I were to reduce it down to one short quotable statement it might read something like this; stop praying for the better wifi and just restart the router. We bumped into you at one of our gigs in New Cross the other day, what new bands are you into at the moment?
Way up high, way down low (a different kind of good) by Lewis Henderson
that at the moment but it’s all in place!
15
Words by Rhys Buchanan
The Murder Capital The Murder Capital were formed out of necessity. Not just
I feel like I have this conversation on a near weekly
a desire but a genuine need to express oneself through the
basis, where I’m just asking what the fuck is going on?
art of music. Having formed within such an encapsulating capital like Dublin, the group have quickly grown into
Gabriel: The price of going out in Ireland is nearly the same
themselves, finding their platform to vocalise the human
price as a counselling session, so young fellas our age just
aspirations and impulses they possess. The Murder Capital
tend to do that to talk about their feelings.
are the essence of personal and vulnerable exhibition. James: You can probably go to counselling for £50 an The Murder Capital, welcome to Cardiff. How does
hour, but people spend that on half a gram? Not saying you
it feel to be playing your music in different countries
can’t do both, maybe that’s something to talk about in the
and bringing it to bigger and bigger audiences when
counselling session.
thematically it is so entrenched within the heart of We live in a time and a generation where as much as we
Ireland?
attempt to combat toxic masculinity and the inability Gabriel Paschal Blake: It just feels like the right thing that
to talk to one another about issues we may have, the
we should be doing, it’s cool to see that a lot of the feelings
nihilistic restrictions that we set ourselves are very much
that people in Ireland are getting from it seems to be the
still there at the heart of the issue. Not to sound defeatist
same that people over here are getting from it. Irish people
myself, personally do you think this can be combated on
love supporting English football teams so it’s nice to have
such a scale?
England supporting an Irish band. James: I think the human race seems to be like an elastic You seem to be very aware of your roots, how has
band in the way that it deals with things. Everything is
Ireland informed not only the very being of the group
fucked and it’s on one side, so we try and fix it, we go way
but impacted on yourselves growing up, positively or
too far the other way and we’re fucked in a whole different
negatively?
light now. I think in a lot of ways that might be where we’re at now, and we’re just waiting to come back.
Gabriel: Well I suppose that’s the reason you start making art, is to express the situations that you find yourselves in. I
Gabriel: I think men will get to a point where they can
lived in Donegal for a lot of years before I moved to Dublin,
express themselves, because even my own boy, his
it was only in the past year or two when I met the boys
generation, having being born when I was born I feel like
that you completely get encapsulated by the culture, being
I’m able to talk about my feelings, teaching him to be
around people in Ireland who are the same age and have
able to do that from being quite closed off, it’s definitely
gone through the same things as you. There’s that thing that
possible for all men to taught to be like that. At the same
everyone feels “we’re fucked, let’s be fucked together” but
time everyone is different and there is a lot of men in the
I think what’s happening in Dublin is we’ve kind of gone
world that won’t want to do that. Yet I definitely think toxic
past that feeling of we’re all fucked together to how can we
masculinity can be beaten.
make everything better? How can we mean something and make an impact on culture?
Words by Ross Jones, illustration by Carter O’Sullivan
38
Squid Brighton’s Squid have been busy popping up on every
but it has meant that our songs have developed
tastemaker billing and “ones to watch list” this year and
predominantly through our approaches to playing them live,
now, as winter grinds through it’s motions and festival
which has energised our style.
season rears its ugly head, they look set to make good on the hype with a clutch of big name billings including End of
‘The Dial’ was a lot of people’s first introduction to your
the Road and Green Man. With a new EP in the works and
music, is that a good marker for the sort of sounds we
trips to America on the horizon, we caught up with the jazzy
can expect in the future?
four-piece to talk influences, playing live and “post punk”. Anton: Yeah, maybe. We like to keep challenging ourselves Squid are Laurie, Louis, Anton, Arthur and Ollie.
with new approaches to music but you can certainly expect to hear more of Ollie shouting like a mad man. We wrote
Who are your influences — a lot of people have pegged
‘The Dial’ years ago and it was the first track we’d written
CAN, Devo, Talking Heads etc — is there anything
that people could dance to.
people haven’t sussed out? How was working with Dan Carey — he seems to have Anton: Yeah, all that new-wave and krautrock has really
been in with 90% of the new crop of hype bands — are
influenced us. Sometimes there’s particular pieces of music
you working with him on any of your new material?
that the whole band gets completely obsessed with for a short period of time. I remember about two years ago it was
Arthur: Yes! Our latest single is called ‘Houseplants’ and we
Olivier Messiaen’s ‘Quartet For the End of Time’, recently
recorded it with Dan in his studio. It was a similar situation
it’s been Fontaines D.C.’s ‘Hurricane Laughter’.
as to what happen with ‘The Dial’; he heard the song and immediately requested that this be the one to record. It feels
Ollie: Anton and I are big fans of Bob Mortimers podcast
great to work with someone who shares your faith in your
Athletico Mince. That’s been influencing us. Mark
composition and performance.
Kermode’s film reviews also. I’d love to get him on stage reciting his Marley & Me review whilst we do some weird
The UK feels likes it’s in a midst of a post-punk
psych thing.
resurgence, with Shame and Idles breaking through to headliner status — do you feel like part of that wave?
Live seems to be where you’ve really made your name, how important is that side of things to you?
Ollie: We’re not sure! It’s hard for us to have any perspective on that, maybe it’s up for the public to decide,
Anton: The band started because we booked a venue and
it certainly wouldn’t be a bad thing. Those guys have used
ourselves to play and then quickly had to write some music
their music as a platform to shout about some things that
to fill a set. We never would’ve got anywhere if it wasn’t
really need to be shouted about, and that’s really great.
for our friends coming to see us play in the early days.
At the stage we’re at currently, everything seems like a
When we were all in Brighton, we used to agree that we
mad scramble, we’re still trying to be comfortable within
should be playing more gigs as we spent so much time just
ourselves, and then maybe we can think about a Squid
writing. Since then most of us have been exhausted and had
manifesto. We’re quite happy plodding along, making some
numerous sleepless nights juggling work with music,
oddball music.
39
Words by Rob Knaggs, illustration by REN
Buzzard Buzzard Buzzard What’s special about where you’re from? Cardiff is a really great place for positivity, everyone has a real affection for working together and making music, which has been a huge inspiration for us. The way that everybody works in Cardiff kind of encourages you to make whatever music you want to make and feel confident whilst doing it, which is how we have the confidence to play songs about denim.
Famous We are a group of relatively close friends from England and Scotland. We make music that is sometimes lots of fun but is mostly very sad.
Can you tell us something that you collectively hate? I would say something egalitarian like the gender pay gap (which we do hate) but for the purpose of light reading, I’d say Guns ’n’ Roses.
What’s special about where you’re from? Only a couple of us are from London, most of us are from small towns. London is the greatest city on earth and inspires us daily. One day, we’d like to play on the roof of The Shard; just like The Beatles.
Hussy Can you tell us who you are, where you’re from and about the music you make? I’m Sophie and I make music under the name Hussy. I live in South East London but am originally from the middle of nowhere in the North of England. I’m a one woman band on record and make everything myself as a lofi meets hifi ambition bedroom studio project. I like to merge my love of weird stuff and pop music. I equally love Sonic Youth and Ariel Pink.
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Lacuna Common
A.Swayze & the Ghosts
We all come from Abingdon, a small town next to Oxford,
I’m Andrew Swayze, front man and sporadic guitarist of the
and we make indie/rock music about a lot of topics such as
rollicking Australian punk band A. Swayze and the Ghosts.
growing up in our generation and a lot of stories us or our
We make music from tangible instruments, and play them
friends have experienced, We try to combine to-the-bone
with our own hands too! It comes out abrasive, energetic
lyrics, twisting melodic bass lines and gritty guitar tones
and always slightly on the verge of all falling apart, but it’s
with Gabe hitting the skins like a freak at the back.
real and we fucking love it.
Can you tell us something that you collectively hate?
What’s special about where you’re from? Has it inspired your music?
Dark Fruits Tasmania is a picturesque but slow moving place that is slightly detached from the rest of Australia both physically and socially – we were bored and isolated as kids. The art
Public Practice
scene here is huge and you can find absolute integrity in how people portray their ideas – I attribute a hell of a lot of
We are Public Practice which is comprised of a Sam, Scott,
our band’s artistic attitude to the place we grew up, it’s a
Drew, and a Vince. From Brooklyn, NY. The music we make
wild place.
could best be described as danceable haikus. Can you tell us something that you collectively really love? Our budget dentist in Brooklyn we all go to. Can you tell us the story behind one of your songs? One of the songs on our debut EP could be described simply as Hemingway’s ‘The Sun Also Rises’ feat. the 2016 US election.
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Black Country, New Road When Nervous Conditions disbanded last January it
It’s with this technique that ‘Athens, France’ was gifted to
was with disappointment but also undeniable necessity.
the world. An utterly unforgiving debut track, it slips and
They were one of the most exciting young bands that had
twists down avenues that perpetuates the label’s ethos of
emerged in years; frenetic, experimental and truly cathartic,
questioning the fundamentals of recording. Black Country,
they possessed a vitality that triggered the senses better than
New Road’s sense of timing is as off-kilter as the tempo of
most of their contemporaries.
their music and with ‘Athens, France’, the bare bones of the song may be built around a tight, dense backdrop but
Now, over a year later, born somewhat out of the ashes,
the flesh and blood take on its own personality. The band
lies a tantalizing new prospect; a second bite of an acerbic
stated it was about ‘a romantic encounter and a chronic
apple. Some of the very best alternative music is created
fear of intercourse’ and the music lives up to the mission
by musicians neurotic enough to examine new pathways
statement; the guitars tremble under the weight of its
with complete artistic totality (and sometimes unfortunate
sinister intensity, the sax only creeps in when it’s granted
essentiality). Musicians who build songs with rules of their
access, the strings dip and dive but know when to get the
own and a narrative that could speak only to them. Step
fuck out of there… Then there’s Issac’s narrative, which
forward then, Black Country, New Road.
is totally jarring; his delivery is never off beat but entirely unpredictable - a voice that stutters and jolts and presses on
Just like before, the majority of the six members have
every emotion. He practically shudders when he says the
studied jazz, classical or electronic music in some form
word, ‘demanding’ yet sounds wry and disdainful stating the
or other, understanding compositions like the back of
fabulous line, ‘give me sourdough, my daily bread.’ It’s an
their hand as they co-exist within other bands, including
intimate dialogue you feel intrusive listening to, but can’t
Jockstrap, Ugly, Goat Girl and Guildhall Military Orchestra.
tear your ears away from.
It seems crucial to point out that any project Georgia Ellery seems to have a hand in, is always extremely fresh and off
Their live sets are met with genuine intrigue and if you
the wall. Issac Wood, also part of the original line-up, has
search the band on YouTube, you’ll find an audience
stepped up to the role of vocalist in a way that no one could
already thirsty for more. This is where South London
have truly anticipated.
archivist Lou Smith and his abundance of live videos from The Windmill will earn him royalty status. People enjoy
It only seems natural that Speedy Wunderground would
watching something unconventional unfold in front of them
release their first single; producer, Dan Carey, has an ear
and whilst the band never engage with their audience, their
for the unique and has proven it time and time again. A
dead-eyed nonchalance and dry humour still feels accessible
true original in the recording industry, Dan’s Streatham
as they sardonically reference every millennial trope this
studio has played host to acts as versatile and entertaining
side of our generation, from Thank U Next to Boomtown
as Warmduscher, Kate Tempest and TOY, whilst his latest
Festival, resiliently aware of how predictable and easy to
releases with Black Midi and Squid prove that it’s a label
surmise we can be. Sometimes, listening to Black Country,
repeatedly on the pulse. Spontaneity is the name of the
New Road, especially live, doesn’t really feel like listening
game in Speedy Wunderground’s world; tracks are strictly
to cohesive music at all; it’s more akin to a compressed
recorded in one day building up a tension that adds palpable
conversation. They cast you as the eavesdropper and throw
urgency to the entire process.
you in at the deep end. There’s no top nor tail with these guys, which makes their path so much more interesting.
Words by Harley Cassidy, illustration by Cameron JL West
44
The Pistonhead Foundation Pistonhead as a beer began in Sweden, their iconic small
How did the relationship between Pistonhead and the
cans have been found in the fridges of your favourite
creative world begin?
pubs and music venues since 2011. Fast forward to 2019, and Pistonhead are more than a craft beer with brutal can
It was borne out of the brewer’s love of rockabilly culture,
designs, they’ve become a supporting platform for creatives.
which is, of course, massively influenced by music, fashion,
The Pistonhead Foundation has officially launched in the
art, tattoos, and hotrods. The brand is guided by this DIY,
UK and we caught up with the team to find out how they’re
anti-establishment thinking and so naturally we are pulled
helping this country’s up and coming creatives, independent
towards the creative world and those that associate with it.
venues and bands. Why is now the right time to bring it to the UK? Can you tell us about the history of the Pistonhead Foundation?
After seeing some alarming press last year concerning the state of the art and music scene in the UK, particularly in an
The Pistonhead Foundation was originally created in
increasingly financially challenging environment, it seemed
Sweden in 2011 to support the talented individuals who
like the perfect time to launch the Foundation here. We
make all our lives better through art, music, and culture.
have always worked with artists, musicians, tattooists and
This has included supporting independent venues on a
bike builders since Pistonhead launched in the UK, but now
tight budget, artists that need their train tickets covering,
we want to establish a hub where these creatives can reach
exhibition and rehearsal space or even simply beer for an
out to us and find useful information and resources to help
event. Now, we’re bringing it to the UK.
them.
45
The Pistonhead Foundation
Who is Pistonhead focussing their help upon this year?
Finally, dream scenario...What do you hope to achieve
It looks like independent venues are at the forefront of
by 2020?
your thoughts! We love dreaming of festival stages, tour buses and so Independent venues are definitely a key focus for the
much more, but the focus is to simply provide more and
Foundation. They provide a great place to discover new
more attainable opportunities each year to the hard-working
music, new friends and are a platform for emerging bands.
creatives that strive to develop an exciting, innovative
It is such a shame to see so many of these pillars of the
artistic culture in the UK.
music scene disappear. Therefore, we are going to be working with independent venues to put on fundraising
If you think that the Pistonhead Foundation can help you
nights as a way of creating additional funds for them. We
then head over to www.pistonheadfoundationuk.com and
will also be highlighting the people behind the scenes at
apply.
these venues: those that work day in day out to ensure we all have such a good time. As well as the venues, we want to support the individual creatives. Another main focus for us to relieve the everyday costs associated with being a creative, to make it easier for them to concentrate on their work. For musicians and artists, this will include things like providing rehearsal, studio and exhibition spaces. You’re getting involved with our Illustration Competition too, what’s inspired that? We are big fans of So Young Magazine and closely followed the Illustrator competition last year. You provide an amazing opportunity for artists to be able to showcase their work to an active, relevant audience, and so as part of the Foundation, we wanted to provide additional funds to the winner so that they can continue to grow as an illustrator. How can the everyday art and music lovers help Pistonhead in achieving its goals? Share our message: everybody knows a struggling artist or musician, let them know about the opportunities the Foundation can provide for them. Keep watching and listening out for events and activities we will be planning over the year. Check out our website, as we will be highlighting a new creative each week. If you like their work, share it to keep the support going.
www.pistonheadfoundationuk.com
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‘Colour by Numbers’ T-Shirt Collection photo by Rhi Harper, shop.soyoungmagazine.com
Editors Sam Ford
Josh Whettingsteel
Writers
Eleanor Philpot Alex Mistlin Dan Pare
Artists
Josh Whettingsteel
Valat Ampavat
Ross Jones
Chiara Dal Maso
Sam Ford
Esther Lara
Harley Cassidy
Nick Dahlen
Printed By
REN
Sarah Morrison
Josh Whettingsteel
Rhys Buchanan
Kingston Poplar
Elly Watson
Alex Ram
Rob Knaggs
Rhi Harper
Carter O’Sullivan
Ex Why Zed
Cameron JL West
Photos for Collage
Website
Art Direction
News
Special Thanks
SoYoungMagazine (Facebook)
Samuel Huxley
soyoungmagazine.tumblr.com
Jamie Ford
info@soyoungmagazine.com
www.soyoungmagazine.com
@soyoungmagazine (Twitter)
soyoungmagazine (Instagram)
Rosie Ann Butcher
www.joshwhettingsteel.com
Sam Craven Cal McRae
soyoungmagazine.bigcartel.com