Hi

Hello, I know it has been a while. I am now in my final year at university so the workload is huge. Alongside my work at Loud Stuff, it's been great. I would like to share with you some reviews I have written also an interview with Liv Kristine from Leaves' Eyes, Loud Stuff has been great so far. This week I have an interview set up with WOLF who are currently supporting Evile, I am looking forward to this very muchly; I saw Evile at Bloodstock and they were fantastic. It will be interesting to see them in a smaller venue.

In other news I saw Shinedown at The Guildhall too and they were amazing. They definitely became a new favourite live band.

That's all for now, I leave you with my work with Loud Stuff so far.

http://www.loud-stuff.com/liv-kristine.html
http://www.loud-stuff.com/the-watermelons.html
http://www.loud-stuff.com/leaves-eyes-live.html
http://www.loud-stuff.com/light-you-up.html

Work with Loud Stuff

Hello everyone, I hope you are all well. I have been busy reviewing new bands for website Loud Stuff, I have review many great bands so far such as Sonburst, Bankrupt and Perfect Khaos. It has been a great experience to work with them so far, it's fantastic to hear new sounds and write for somebody else other than myself has proved very challenging but fantastic so far. I will be off to Paris tomorrow morning but I shall be back with more reviews as I'll be attending Firewind's Paris show that I do plan to review, also I shall post interviews with Dendera and Liv Kristine from Leave's Eyes. Here are my reviews I have done for Loud Stuff so far:

Perfect Khaos - http://www.loud-stuff.com/perfect-khaos.html
Bankrupt - http://www.loud-stuff.com/bankrupt.html
Sonburst - http://www.loud-stuff.com/sonburst.html
Possibly Intoxicated Gents - http://www.loud-stuff.com/possibly-intoxicated-gents.html

I do hope you read them and I shall be reviewing more when I am back from Paris. I have got plenty of gigs planned and hope to be interviewing a lot more musicians in the next coming months!!

Jettblack - Prison Of Love video and Aerosmith's new single

Jettblack have released a second single from their latest album Raining Rock accompanied with a very artistic video. It's for personal favourite song on the album Prison Of Love, the mixture of animations and live actions blended together very nicely. Of course the theme of the video fitted with the concept of the song, being in a prison. This is in my opinion the best video from Jettblack so far; it is different to what their previous videos have consisted of so far. A top notch video, Jettblack never fail to disappoint. 

Head over to Metal Hammer now to check out their brand new video.

Find Jettblack on Facebook

In other news, looking on Spotify this morning I realise Boston rock legends Aerosmith have a brand new single. Listening to What Could Have Been Love this morning I was very uplifted by the single, if I didn't know it was a new single I would have assumed it was one of their classics. It reminded me of their wonderful I Don't Wanna Miss A Thing and I think it's still great to see that Aerosmith still have the power in their music after many years performing. It's a single from their upcoming album that due for release in November this year.

Find Aerosmith on Facebook, Twitter and their official website

Joining Loud-Stuff.com and music from Brave

Hello everyone, hope you are all well. I have some news, I recently joined the team at Loud-Stuff.com. I now will be writing reviews for them as well as my blog so I am incredibly happy with that. It is one step further into the world of music journalling and I am happy to know that I will be gaining experience writing for someone else other than myself. To view my profile on the website click here. 
Also if you want a review than you can contact me on this address charlotte@loud-stuff.com.

I recently watched Disney's latest film Brave with my sister at the cinema. I thought the film was spectacular, there was so much hype around when I was in the States earlier this year since it had already been released so I was curious to find out more. It takes place in the Scottish highlands where young free-spirited princess and skilled archer Merida is set to marry one of the neighbouring clan's first born sons, Merida however isn't happy with this arrangement set by her mother Elenor so visits a witch to find a spell that will change her mother. This spell releases a curse on the family and Merida has to find a way to reverse the curse to avoid the kingdom descending into chaos. One of the things that made the film more spectacular was the soundtrack, I love how composer Patrick Doyle used elements of Scottish music such as bagpipes, acoustic guitars, pan flutes and fiddles in the tracks. 

I got goosebumps listening to the song Touch The Sky by Julie Fowlis in the cinema as Merida rides her horse Angus through the forest whilst embarking on different adventures through the Scottish highlands; shooting arrows at targets on trees and climbing rocky mountains, as you listen to the song you feel as free as Merida does in that film sequence.

My first festival - Bloodstock 2012 (Festival Survival Guide)

As you well know from the previous post I experienced my first proper festival including weekend camping.  Thanks to my boyfriend and other friends who have a lot of experience with festivals I got some hints and tips from them and I also learnt a few myself. I welcome you to my festival survival guide.

Festival Survival Guide

1. Valuables

Keeping valuables safe is very important to everyone - money, keys, phone etc. Although there were lockers on the site to keep things in but I much prefer to keep things close to me. If you're like me and like to keep things in a bag, make sure you keep it with you at ALL times; I also found it reassuring to check my bag every time I'm somewhere new so I know I haven't dropped anything on the site. 

At night back in my tent before I went to sleep; I placed them at the bottom of my sleeping bag. Whether it's your sleeping bag or under your pillow always be sure to place valuables somewhere you know nobody can take them without your knowledge.

One more thing; NEVER put your valuables in open pockets, if you do keep checking constantly.

2. Hygiene

In some people's eyes that word seems non-existent at festivals; but there are other ways of keeping refreshed if you don't feel like standing in a long queue for the shower block. I found dry shampoo and wet wipes were the key things that kept me refreshed all weekend; I used wet wipes for my face and hands. I found it was quite fun not having to worry about a shower; I appreciated the shower much more when I came home after the weekend.

Nine times out of ten the portaloos on site aren't likely to have loo roll so make sure you have packets of tissue or loo roll when going to the toilet; I personally preferred packets of tissue because they are small enough to fit in your bag and take them everywhere you go.

3. Food and Drink

A lot of the food and drink at festivals can end up emptying your purse/wallet because it costs a lot of money; you can't take your own food into the arena but you can bring your own food onto your campsite so stock up snacks from shops near by to avoid getting caught out on high prices for food. I brought croissants and small cartons of juice for breakfast so I only really had to worry about lunch and dinner.   If you do need to buy food make you have enough money to cover it. I would say twenty pounds a day for lunch and dinner, perhaps a bit more for breakfast.

I didn't drink alcohol at the festival but a tip from the Bloodstock guide stated drink responsibly and don't drink too much; you want to be able to remember your festival experience and since too much alcohol is bad for your memory don't drink too much. 

Drink plenty of water; especially on hot days, keep your water bottle topped up. There were water taps on site where you can do so.

4. Most importantly

When you first enter the festival they usually do a bag search so anyone with bags should be ready. 

DO NOT FORGET YOUR TICKET; it grants you access to the festival so no ticket no entry.

Relax and enjoy yourself; just remember these tips and hints either from this guide, from elsewhere or what you know already and your weekend should run smoothly without glitches

Well that's my guide to surviving a festival; whether you're a first timer like me or experienced all the festivals I hope you enjoy reading this.

My first festival - Bloodstock 2012 (Bands)

I am back from a fantastic weekend at Bloodstock Festival; here I want to share the experience of the festival, what bands I saw and some hints and tips I have learnt along the way. I had been to Reading Festival before but for the day; since then I have always wanted to experience a full weekend including camping. Up until now I didn't have the time or money to do so. I was very nervous packing my stuff ready to go; I had hints and tips from my friends who have experienced festivals on what to bring and to expect that helped. I wanted be sure I had everything I was going to need; tent, sleeping bag, food, drink and most importantly your ticket so once I had everything prepared I was on my way.

Arriving at the site at about ten; my boyfriend and I picked the camp site Hel, a more than perfect spot and set our tent up. We then headed to the main arena since my boyfriend wanted to watch the band Malefice; from what I heard they didn't sound bad at all, would have paid more attention if I hadn't been spaced out and tired since we left very early that morning. The main stage saw some very big names in metal on stage such as Iced Earth, Dimmu Borgir, Dio Disciples, Testament and many others. The bands I enjoyed the most this weekend were Pythia, Behemoth, Hatebreed, Rising Dream, Kobra and the Lotus, Dimmu Borgir and Alice Cooper; I loved how theatrical Alice Cooper and Behemoth were.

Behemoth's opening was very haunting and atmospheric with the band members appearing from out of the blue, one minute there was an empty drum kit, the next there was the band's drummer Inferno; along with a passionate performance and incredible stage props that gave an indication of what they were about. This performance was particularly important to Behemoth; they were due to play a couple of years ago unfortunately had to pull out since frontman Nergal was in hospital receiving treatment for leukaemia at that time. Luckily he is clear; so it was a touching moment when he shouted out to the crowd 'It's fantastic to be alive'. 

Saturday's headliners Machine Head just didn't quite do it for me; compared to Behemoth's performance the previous night I found the performance from Machine Head to be quite bland. It may have also been to do with all the hype and suspension around the fact they were the mysterious headliner that weren't revealed until June. I think they are fantastic musically; but their live performance wasn't quite what I expected it to be. 

I had seen Alice Cooper before and remember his theatrical stage tactics; he first appears on a huge tower with a jacket on that had six metallic arms attached to the sleeves as he performs The Black Widow. It was great that he performed a varied collection of songs; the setlist included brand new ones such as I'll Bite Your Face Off and classic anthems such as No More Mr. Nice Guy, School's Out and my personal favourite Poison. Definitely the perfect end to a great weekend and well worth waiting for. If you missed his spectacular performance at Bloodstock then you do not have to worry as he will be back in the UK for a tour in October.

Other great stand out performances for me came from Pythia, Hatebreed and Rising Dream. Pythia's admiration for gothic literature really was reflected through their medieval costumes and very well scripted passages in between, Emily Alice Ovenden's vocals were so powerful and clear that made their set more magical. I loved how Hatebreed got all the crowds pumping and showed so much energy. Rising Dream's style of music was very unique to me; the front woman Ines Tancheva sang the verses in harsh growls and the chorus's in clean vocals that took me by surprise. I also enjoyed Dimmu Borgir and Kobra and the Lotus.

Well that was my experience of the bands; in my next post I shall share some hints and tips that I have learnt about festival survival that made my first festival experience generally fantastic.

Photos:  Peter Russell

Interview with Dead PinUps - Sam and Jamie

Entering The Suite Studio in Havant I was politely welcomed by Samhain from local unsigned band Dead PinUps as he with fellow band member Jamie were currently recording their brand new EP; here is their interview I did that very day where we talk about their new EP, performing and who they would appoint in charge of a magazine. I also tried something new in this interview that I will be doing again.....a quick fire round of questions as shown below. I think though next time when I ask different band members the quick fire round questions I'll mix the questions up each time or maybe ask a few at a time; other than that the quick fire round seemed to go down well with zombie rock band Dead PinUps.

QuickFire - Sam

Charlotte:  Beer or tea

Sam:  Cider

Charlotte:  Kopperberg or Strongbow

Sam:  Strongbow

Charlotte:  Lady Gaga or Lady and the Tramp

Sam:  Lady and the Tramp

Charlotte:  Ketchup or Brown Sauce

Sam:  Ketchup

Charlotte:  Ice Cream or Ice Ice Baby

Sam:  Ice Ice Baby

Charlotte:  Brighton or Bahamas

Sam:  Brighton

QuickFire - Jamie

Charlotte:  Beer or tea

Jamie:  Beer

Charlotte: Carlsberg or Becks

Jamie:  Carlsberg

Charlotte:  Lady Gaga or Lady and the Tramp

Jamie:  Lady Gaga

Charlotte:  Axl Rose or Freddie Mercury

Jamie:  Axl Rose

Charlotte:  Ketchup or Brown Sauce

Jamie:  Ketchup

Charlotte:  Ice Cream or Ice Ice Baby

Jamie:  Both

Charlotte:  Brighton or Bahamas

Jamie:  Bahamas


Charlotte:  Where did the name Dead PinUps come from?

Sam:  A drunken night out; it was going to be a London band with all London people but then we moved it Portsmouth.

Charlotte:  You are currently recording a new EP at the moment; I hope that's going well

Jamie:  It's going really well; because last time we recorded an EP it seemed really quick but this time was enjoyable

Charlotte:  Could you describe your EP in three words?

Sam:  Death, doom and filthy

Charlotte:  You have some songs on your online pages such as Facebook, Soundcloud etc. Are these going to be included on the EP or is it all new material?

Sam:  This EP is totally new, it's full of porn samples and it's all about sex, drugs and rock 'n roll really.

Charlotte:  What inspirations come to mind when writing and creating music?

Jamie:  For Dead PinUps inspirations as we mentioned in a previous interview; B Movies and really sleazy rock 'n' roll.

Charlotte:  You recently appeared on the cover of Unsigned Muso, congratulations for that. If you were in charge of your own magazine, who would you appoint as editor, photographer, weekly columnist and agony aunt/uncle?

Sam:  Bruce Dickinson for all of them
Jamie:  And Ron Jeremy

Charlotte:  And your reasons why?

Sam:  Bruce Dickinson is just awesome; he's in Maiden.

Charlotte:  You have all performed at Sonisphere along side Corey Taylor?

Sam:  Yeah that was myself and Jamie; he was my sound tech for the gig.

Charlotte:  How would compare that to performing your biggest headline show?

Sam:  I don't know, each gig is different that you have to take with a pinch of salt. We try and perform to the best of our abilities whether it's five people or a thousand people; those people have come, made the effort, paid the money to see your show. Just because there is four other people apart from them, they shouldn't have a lesser show

Charlotte:  What's your best gig you have ever done?

Jamie:  I really liked Halloween at the Intrepid Fox.
Sam:  That was a really good gig; tiny, really really disgustingly hot and sweaty gig dressed up as zombies.

Charlotte:  You describe yourselves as a zombie rock band?

Sam:  It's hard to define yourself in a genre these days because there is so much going around. Try not to pigeon hole yourself.

Charlotte:  Finally; what advice would you give to unsigned bands starting a music career?

Sam:  Don't jump on the band wagon; it's all too easy.
Jamie:  Don't look for a label; because labels are a downfall at the end of the day.
Sam:  Especially with this EP we're doing it ourselves for ourselves; we're really enjoying it on how it sounds and if someone else doesn't like then we are not going to be too disgruntled because in a few years time we'll look back and hopefully have a raging stonk on by listening to it. Especially the porn samples.

Interview with Russ Diapper

Well hello everyone; you may have noticed I have not posted for two weeks! It was because I was in Florida for two weeks. Before I jetted off to this sunny place I conducted an interview with up and coming blues rock artist Russ Diapper, where we spoke about his charity single, where he would like to play a gig and who he would invite to a dinner party. Here is the interview as follows.

Charlotte:  What are your musical influences?

Russ:  Well you know, its Like I've always said, I was born into rock. Not in a 'Hey my Dad is John Lennon' kind of way, I grew up listening to my mum's vinyls of The Who, The Beatles, AC/DC, Sammy Hagar, Queen etc, so I took a lot of influences from all areas. Guys Like Sammy Hagar, Roger Daltrey, of course Alice Cooper is the master. I love David Lee Roth and I'm a drummer too, so in that dept its Keith Moon all the way. I like guys who are different and set a blue print. As John Entwistle said, 'What really makes you different is the DESIRE to be different'. In terms of musical style...I love blues and classic rock...so all sorts! It's a massive bag of worms that I'm not gonna devour right now.

Charlotte:  Excellent; as well as a musician you also film videos for bands, is there a balance between the two?

Russ:  I've always been into film making so its a perfect balance. I used to separate the two, but I thought hey I have all this HD Video equipment, so why not use it? To help others? and its Business venture at the end of the way. I love meeting new musicians and going to shows. Not many young bands can afford their own multi-angle HD DVD of their show...so I offer it at a price where at most, each band member has to chip in a tenner. It's a hobby for me that compliments the music, plus I have an obsession with filming my own gigs and archiving performances. Its a good way to learn and see if your hitting your marks on stage.

Charlotte:  That sounds amazing; do you help film your own music videos?

Russ:  Being an independent musician isn't easy. And by Independent I mean indie in the way of self funded/managed. Not indie in the bland, 3 chord British music way. I've always overlooked and produced nearly every aspect of my music and merch/promos. So I direct all the videos. They are whipped up quick, just something to put an image and some promo out you know? We just have fun with them. Like the new single and video 'DoomsDay' is a dark track, quite a different style to the rest of the record. The video was great fun to do, there's 3 different themes explored in there and I got to wear a tonne of make up, which is always fun. I could get someone else to do the video, sure. I will sometime...but right now, I'm happy working on all this stuff. I want to take it as far as I can on my own, so one day when someone else starts doing some of the work for me, its going to feel like a breeze!

Charlotte:  The video for Doomsday is very dark and quite spooky. Do you plan to make a music video for another song off the album Kingsnake?

Russ:  Well thanks, that was the idea. I'm a horror film maker when I do film stuff mainly so..without falling into the trap of turning into a misfits tribute (I've been there before and I'd love to again but I'm avoiding temptation!) I wanted to do something a bit darker with a horror element. the video was knocked up in about 2 days..made up of pieces I had shot for a horror film, and new material which was track-specific. Doomsday is the last single from the album, so no other video's now until the charity single, I'd imagine anyway!

Charlotte:  A charity single? Tell me more

Russ:  Well....we all need to raise money for charity. I could spend all year working on projects for charity's and only just touch the service. A proud member of Save the Children, Greenpeace, PETA etc...the list goes on but something personal for me...and statistically 1 in 3...is Cancer so I chose to release a single to raise money for Cancer Research. I've done some charity stuff before but I'm hoping this will be different. Some people make cookies and cakes....some hold events...I thought I would release a single, and give the money to charity. I'm working with David Lee Roth's old studio/touring guitarist on it also, he's playing lead and he's a monster player. I'm very exited about it and its going to be a great release. I'm hoping to squeeze a few bonus tracks on there also, so you will get just enough bang for your buck..and its a good enough cause to help you sleep well at night knowing you have done your bit, in the best way possible. I wrote a song that has lyrics that aren't too soppy, on the nose and at the same time...they aren't too happy either. I really hope people listen to the lyrics and really like them, and see what I'm saying. its a bittersweet song with a bridge that says 'Hold on tight, don't let go! Life goes on (and so does the show)'. That's all I'm giving away until its finished but I've laid down all the vocals and the keyboards etc and Its sounding epic. I just cant wait to unleash it and see how much I can raise for this great cause. Its with full support and blessing of cancer research UK which is nice. They sent me free t-shirts and everything! Which make me look sexy I will say...I'll wear them with pride! 

Charlotte:  That sounds like a fantastic thing you are doing; are you planning to hold a launch for the single and when are you planning to release it?

Russ:  Well I hope people appreciate it for sure. To be honest, I'd like to hold an event for the release, but it will honestly be more of a networking party, rather than an event I will play at. If I did, it would be an unplugged event or something like that, not a full gig. I just wanna get the word out and rather than holding some big event for it, I just want to release the song and start raising cash for charity and getting people enjoying the music with a good message that we should all listen take to heart. As for releasing, I will release the single as soon as Its finished! Its taking a while and its been in the works for a longtime, but the legwork is done. So not long I hope. Definitely no later than Autumn I hope. The track isn't even in our set for the new tour at the moment, its spiritually a separate entity from me and the band. Speaking of which I have the best band joining me on the road for the next set of gigs, some of which have been announced on our Facebook page.

Charlotte:  Tell us about the tour you have planned for this summer

Russ:  Well I'm exited about the tour, we're still adding new dates all the time but its getting there! Playing the hobbit for the first time and The Brook again, which is always great fun. We have a new set list with the best tracks from the last tour and some ones from the new album , plus some new covers so its going to be a lot of fun. We have a new bass player and a monster of a new guitarist and both of them I cant wait to show off, its going to be a great show for sure! Keeping the spirit of rock and roll alive, as always 

Charlotte:  Where would your dream venue take place? This can be realistic or unrealistic

Russ:  Well that's a really tough question. Somewhere like the house of blues or BB Kings. Somewhere that has atmosphere and some history, rather than 'wembley stadium'. but I would take that too! I like to play places where people 'get' the music and want to be there, rather than a huge place that crams as many people in as they can, when they might not know what they are expecting. I've played some places that have been full and the atmosphere has been dead...some places are pretty empty but it works! You never know what your going to get, and until your signed to Universal or Sony, you have to get used to that. But the fun is not knowing! I've only played a handful of bad gigs mind you. it all depends on the crowd!

Charlotte:   Which five musicians would you invite to a dinner party and why? They can be dead or alive 

Russ:  Now that's a question! The famous Russ Diapper Dinner for the Dead! Well...I'd have to have Keith Moon as the crazy host, John Entwistle as the Butler, Jim Morrison as the chef, John Bonham as the Sous-Chef and Bon Scott as the master of ceremonies. I'll cook the starters, open a bottle of Jack Daniel's, sit back, eat and watch the fireworks! If we need door security then I'll hire Buddy Rich..he has all the doorman attitude and the martial arts skills..either that or he could drum any trouble back out the door. What a party it would be..as for living dinner guests...Alice Cooper, Sammy Hagar, David Lee Roth, Les Claypool and Joe Satriani are all welcome.  I'd have to have my band the runaway train along also, couldn't do it without them! Now who's hungry . . .PS. Better call Buddy Guy to actually provide some background blues . . .

Charlotte:   Excellent mix of musicians; finally what does the future hold for Russ' Runaway Train?

Russ:  Ahh who knows! At this point all I can guarantee is a string of great gigs and a promise that I'll do my best to keep the spirit of rock and roll alive! Hopefully I'll raise some cash for charity also, while rocking out! Peace out, thanks for having me. see you on the road! 

Interview with Velvetine

On Monday 18th June I went to the Voice.FM studio in Southampton to interview upcoming and new band Velvetine; their time creating original sleazy rock tunes and successful live shows have brought great things to them. Being awarded for things including Best New Band and playing at great venues in England such as Southampton's The Joiners and Portsmouth's Wedgewood Rooms. In this interview we talk about their brand new EP, the party that will be showcasing it and who they'd like to be stuck in a lift with. Here is a print version of the interview, that I have tried my best to keep word for word as the audio,  enjoy.

Charlotte:  You have an new EP being released very soon, what are your musical influences on the EP?

Velvetine:  Hardcore Superstar, Crashdiet, Buckcherry, Hanoi Rocks, Guns 'N' Roses, AC/DC; a lot of sleaze but a lot of modern stuff as well such as The Treatment, Michael Monroe and stuff like that.

Charlotte:  What are the main themes on the EP?

Velvetine:  We don't tend to write about a specific theme, we sort of write about how we feel at the time. Different songs represent different moods and just generally overall a party vibe, we try to keep it upbeat and classy as we can. Being musicians we have our moments but it's all about having a good time.

Charlotte:  Can you describe your EP in three words?

Velvetine:  Party's one of them definitely, can rock'n roll be one word?

Charlotte:  Yeah it can be one word 

Velvetine:  Happy. So Happy, Rock 'N Roll, Party

Charlotte:  Your EP Launch is this Saturday [23rd June] at The Edge Of The Wedge in Portsmouth, tell us why people should go?

Velvetine:  It's not the EP Launch, it's a EP party showcasing it. It's £2, four bands; four great bands. We're playing with three great bands; Spartan who will be playing Live and Unsigned at The O2 Arena, White Knuckle Bride who have toured with Thin Lizzy and Dead Pinups who have literally the best unsigned band we have heard.

Charlotte:  Recently you supported The Treatment; what other bands would you like to support in the future?

Velvetine:  Well The Treatment again, Reckless Love, Jettblack, The Howling; they're really cool it's Rev from Towers Of London's new band so it would be cool to gig with them  If we're really lucky AC/DC, Crashdiet or maybe Buckcherry if they came down again.

Charlotte:  Where would dream venue to perform; this can realistic or unrealistic?

Velvetine:  Sticky Fingers in Sweden, Hardcore Superstar filmed a DVD there and it's like the Swedish equivalent to The Wedgewood Rooms in Portsmouth or The Joiners in Southampton. Crashdiet played there and so did Vains Of Jenna, it's a really really good venue.

Charlotte:  A Facebook birdy told me you have a new app under development, what made you decide to do this?

Velvetine:  We're the first local unsigned band to have go at making something up with the modern keeping; it's quite new thing this App store that will give some more promotional value. It will have these ornaments that will keep people more interested; we've got some good ideas for it so it should be good.

Charlotte:  When are you planning to release this app?

Velvetine:  In about a week, it'll be a free download as well.

Charlotte:  You are stuck in a lift; which five people would you love to be stuck in a lift with and why?

Velvetine:  Josh Todd from Buckcherry; he's a laugh, Slash, Bon Scott, Justin Hawkins and Peter London from Crashdiet, that's a great combination. Or it might be all of Steel Panther and one stripper, that would just be carnage.

Charlotte:  Which five people would you hate to be stuck in a lift with and why?

Velvetine:  Justin Bieber, Simon Cowell, who would we hate to be stuck in a lift with; so far we've established Justin Bieber, Simon Cowell, Louis Walsh and Jedward, who count as two. They'd [Jedward] would be dead, we can stick them together with their hair. It is hard to think of who we don't like; we're quite nice people overall.

Charlotte:  Final question; do you guys have future plans for the band?

Velvetine:  Get signed, get famous. We're going to carry on what we are doing at the moment but the fan base is growing, I mean the most recent gig we bought just over a hundred people to it. We have another headline gig planned for the Wedgewood Rooms [Portsmouth] later this year; which we are talking to some promoters about supporting signed bands. We would also like to try and release an album, upgrade on gigs as well in that time. We would like to play Portsmouth Pyramids; we also need to do adventurous things and not do what everyone else has done.

Thanks again to Velvetine for the interview; was truly a great one and I wish them luck for tomorrow as sadly I can't attend. In the meantime find out more about Velvetine on Facebook, Twitter and their official website.

Be sure to attend the EP party tomorrow at The Edge Of the Wedge; Portsmouth, more details of the event can be found here.

Jason Munday Music

Hello everyone. How are you all?? The sun is now shining after days of heavy rain. YouTube is a rather wonderful thing to discover new and fresh music; one particular trio of musicians have definitely made me smile today after a busy day at work. Jimmy Wong, Jason Munday and Alex Carpenter cleverly writing songs about films, TV and games that release your inner nerd; their charismatic charm captures your heart instantly and leaves a huge grin across your face. If you have had a rough day and need something to make you smile listen to this song and many others they have.

I hope you enjoy this I have shared.

Find them on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube

Jettblack - Raining Rock

Ever since hearing the single off this very album and after witnessing the amazing sold out launch promoting it I have been very excited to listen to the album today. Starting off with a fantastic Intro leading into the single Raining Rock it was an excitable few minutes of rock to get the album underway; along the way there has been such a fantastic collection of many different sounding tracks from the beautiful ballad Black Gold to the more grungy sounding System. The particular track that caught my eye was The Sweet and Brave; being since it started with an acoustic tune that I had never heard from Jettblack before so I was very impressed when in transformed smoothly into their stadium like sound. This album has marked the growth and development in one of Britain's freshest rock bands on the scene in the past couple of years; bringing some aspects from the 80s and adding some of the modern aspects of today. Overall a fantastic album from beginning to end; cannot wait to see them in October as part of their UK headline tour.

Tuomaslotte rating:  10/10
Stand out tracks:  Prison Of Love, Something About This Girl and The Sweet and Brave
For fans of:  Whitesnake and Bon Jovi

Find Jettblack on Facebook and Twitter

Some music for the Bank Holidays!

Happy Bank Holiday to everyone; celebrating the Jubilee whether you are watching the concert or gathering with friends and family. I would love to share with you some music to listen and relax to this evening and tomorrow. First is this very cute video of a young man playing a guitar to his dog; watch closely at the dog's face.

The next comes from a new musician named James Dalby; his voice is fantastic and his guitar skills are incredible. Here is one of his videos; you can find this one and many others on his YouTube channel.

And finally the song that was written specifically in time for the Queen's Jubilee; the song Sing was composed by Gary Barlow and Andrew Lloyd Webber. The song is very beautiful; I love the very clear representation of what the song is all about, nations coming together to create something unique that everyone will remember for years to come. The stories behind the musicians that took part in the video are just extraordinary; for instance there are a group of drummers that have made their instruments completely out of litter. It also sends a wonderful message about music itself. Wherever you are in the world music is a powerful aspect in our lives that does bring us together; whether you go to club, rock gig or creating it music does bring us together without even realising this.

Jettblack Album Launch @ The Borderline; London 30/5/2012

An action packed, excitable evening of hard rock took over London's venue The Borderline last night in the form of the sold out album launch hosted by Wycombe rockers Jettblack.

Entering The Borderline reminded me very much of an American bar on Sunset Strip that I thought seemed the perfect layout for the night of rock and roll that was about to take place among it.

First to play last night were Brit rockers Night By Night. I loved their catchy melodies that you found yourself singing along to even if you've just heard the song. Definitely captured the essence of the almighty 80s stadium rock and combining it with the modern aspects of music we have now. I feel that they will go far; a fantastic set and a hint of what was to come next.

Some girl power hailing from Finland, one of the breeding grounds for rock and metal, was next to play. Barbe-Q-Barbies, a name that catches your attention straight away, are a five piece rock band formed by some lovely ladies who really provide some power to their music. There definitely needs to be some more bands like them out there. Be sure to check out their fantastic cover of the Sweet classic Wig Wam Bam on their Facebook page.

Meansteed was the last support act of the night; they brought their ballsy hard rock music and stage prescence that was very well recieved. Their stage moves such as the guitarist on the roady's shoulders and the frontman rocking out on the table tops of the bar will definitely be remembered in years to come as a rock band. Their tunes were fantastic; lots of great guitar riffs and 80s like blew me and the rest of the crowd away.

Headliners Jettblack definitely pleased the crowd; having a sneak peek at their setlist and seeing mainly new songs I was a bit sceptical at first since I had been to live shows in the past where bands have performed solely new material that didn't go down well with the crowd. This was not the case with Jettblack however; the new material performed live was a fantastic introduction to what we are to expect from their brand new album which will be released this Jubilee weekend. The songs showcased included Prison Of Love and Sunshine, were among the songs that were showcased and performed live for the first time. They also performed material from their debut album that I am sure will be deemed classics in their discography in years to come as musicians such as Not Even Love, Get Your Hands Dirty and the anthemic Two Hot Girls. Their single Raining Rock was performed fantastically; the man Lord Zolton himself from their new video made a special guest appearance last night to introduce the new anthem as part of their encore. It was the perfect night for Jettblack last night; possibly their best show I have seen so far that I was lucky to be amongst the crowd for.

Overall a truly remarkable evening that will not be forgotten anytime soon; all the bands performed to the best that they can deliver. I'll shall be following up on the support acts in the future and I now look forward to the release of the new album from the hailing rock band of this decade....Jettblack.

Tuomaslotte rating:  10/10

Find Jettblack on Facebook and Twitter
Find Meansteed on Facebook, Twitter and their official website
Find Barbe-Q-Barbies Facebook, Twitter and their official website
Find Night by Night on Facebook, Twitter and their official website

Howe - Bolt From The Blue

I am loving the beautiful weather we have been blessed with here in the UK; ended today perfectly with a  debut EP from upcoming band Howe. It really had a summery, relaxing vibe; the harmonies reminding me of the Beach Boys and the smooth guitar riffs reminding me of Led Zeppelin. I can definitely see this EP keeping smiles on people's faces and ensuring us to stay relaxed. My overall verdict; a great selection of songs released in time for summer, if they have material that has a faster tempo I would love to hear it. Also I hope to see them in a town near me soon

Tuomaslotte rating:  8/10

For fans of:  Bob Dylan and Led Zeppelin

Listen to their EP by clicking here

Find Howe on their official website

Rachel Hawker - Don't Wanna Break Your Heart video

Well I handed in my last assignment in today so I am now free to catch up with my blogging and reviewing; this makes me very happy. I am reviewing today a video by upcoming singer/songwriter Rachel Hawker; it has been a while since I had heard from this extremely talented lass from Brighton and I got to watch her brand new video for her song Don't Wanna Break Your Heart. The video I feel has a very simple but effective concept; I love how the drawings are done in stop motion animation and the words and pictures match the song perfectly. The song itself I find very relaxing which is perfect now I've handed in all my uni work and the weather being just perfect today. Great music Rachel; keep it coming and I hope to hear more soon. 

Tuomaslotte rates:  10/10

For fans of KT Tunstall and Alanis Morrissette

Find Rachel Hawker on Facebook, Twitter and her official website

The Royalty - Lovers

I received an email from a company called Victory Records telling me about one of their best upcoming bands The Royalty; I was sent a copy of their debut album Lovers and was intrigued. I started to listen to album and it was most definitely love at the first hearing; the moment I heard the opening track Bartender I was immediately reminded of Duffy jamming Vampire Weekend. I can almost definitely see why MTV have given them a very positive reputation; you hear the vintage influences very clearly in the songs yet the music is very refreshing, new and unique. Overall, I would describe this debut album as a masterpiece. Cannot wait to hear and see more from them.

Tuomaslotte rating:  10/10
Stand out tracks:  Bartender, Bottle Breaker and Every Little Bit
For fans of:  Duffy and Vampire Weekend

Find The Royalty on Facebook, Twitter and their official website

Jettblack - Raining Rock single and video

What a fantastic day to kick off my busy day today; four piece hard rock band Jettblack released their brand new single Raining Rock. Giving the fact their debut album Get Your Hands Dirty was very successful and well received I was excited about the new release. The song starts of with the sound of Will Stapleton's distinctive husky vocals that are provided for Jettblack along with a single drum beat and a strumming guitar. You get the vibe of a stadium rock song right there. To be quite honest it did take me a while to get into the song however after hearing the spine chilling chorus and slickest guitar solo the biggest grin had spread across my face. In some parts of the song I am reminded of AC/DC's classic Thunderstruck when you hear the chants RAINING ROCK from the crowd. Overall a fantastic new single to introduce us of what's on Jettblack's upcoming album with the same name. (9.5/10) 

The video for the song has a fantastic concept that most of us can relate to; it follows along the lines of an X Factor type talent show with a twist. It is done in a dictatorship manner where a fictional judge Lord Zoltan rules Britain's airwaves since he assassinated Simon Cowell in the video. Only bands of Lord Zalton's tastes go on through to the next stage of the competition but those who don't get shot by his cronies. Jettblack manage to impress Lord Zalton however one of Lord Zalton's girls accidently sits of Lord Zalton's button to eliminate bands so Jettblack are shot down. Wasn't happy that Jettblack die at the end but I do love how the video has it's own hilarious take on how band's are now accepted into the music industry. (10/10)

Click here to view the video

For fans of AC/DC, Guns 'N Roses and Heaven's Basement

Find Jettblack on Facebook

We Caught The Castle - Time To Grow

Five piece female fronted alternative band We Caught The Castle from Reading have released a debut album called Time To Grow; I had seen them them before locally and have been quite impressed with their performance so to receive a copy of their album was very exciting indeed. Starting with the instrumental Intro that smoothly transformed into the title track Time To Grow was a fantastic way to open up the album. The male screams I did not expect; since I was so used to hearing them perform without scream vocals so when it was the first thing I heard it made me jump slightly. It works well. The album is very well put together, I recognised a few of the songs on the album such as Lips and That Poor Boy from live shows that were good. It started off well but then for my personal taste the songs didn't really show much variety; although it's not the worst album I have heard so overall this album is fairly average.

I am also raising my rating system from now on, so I will be rating out of 10 rather than 5.

Stand out tracks:  That Poor Boy, Time To Grow and Lips
For fans of:  Paramore and We Are In Crowd
Tuomaslotte rating:  7/10

Find We Caught The Castle on Facebook, Twitter and their official website

Twinkle and the Sluts - Sluttier than Thou EP

I was very excited to open an email from an upcoming female fronted punk rock band named Twinkle and The Sluts linking me to some samples of their songs. Hearing the songs from their debut EP Sluttier Than Thou, their edgy strong guitar riffs immediately draws the listener in and lead vocalist Twinkle has a very distinct unique voice that I have not heard in this particular genre of rock before. The music has some elements of older punk rock groups in terms of edgy and plain dirty rock that I definitely think will be very well received by audiences in the UK and worldwide; I think Twinkle and the Sluts will definitely bring classic edgy punk rock back for many future generations. I hope to hear more from them in the future and I hope they visit Southampton sometime.

Tuomaslotte rating:  TTTTT
For fans of Blondie and Juilette and the Licks

Find Twinkle and the Sluts on Facebook and Twitter