* Music Tourist Board (non profit disorganisation) *
** Pop Of The Tops (promotions/events) LIVE MUSIC & CLUBS *
Welcome To Rocklands (guide to the rock'n'roll republic) *
* Music Tourist Board (non profit disorganisation) * | |
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* PAGE 1/4 INTRO * PAGE 2/4 MTB + LINE UP * | ||
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With an eye on the fame and money side of things, (especially for the panel who now star in Pizza ads), Pop Idol is one aspect of new talent. Mobo Unsung, with their own music and performance is another. Establishment media’s tips another. There’s room for as many as possible and from the thriving, buzzing d.i.y. culture underground pop/rock explosion (that sees a new club night starting nearly every week around UK/Ireland!) the tongue in cheek Alternative Rock Idol project wasFirst by email to music fans, writers and workers, and from taking lists at the meetings, an initial set of around 70 band names came up. From these we could pick bands to play at Alternative Rock Idol events, if they were able to make the dates. There’s probably nearer to 100 bands now as various friends have suggested acts that should be included. Their songs needed to have chart or cult potential. Their performances, charisma and as an act they needed individualism. These things are not always apparent at such an early part in a band’s career, but in these times, they have to be. Marketabiity of initial choices would assist acts whose potential needs encouraging. Just getting to the point of having a demo and doing some gigs is such a huge step after forming a band and is worthy of great respect. Most of the acts were at this stage, some were even further down the line. Most of them arrived by public transport to a tiny music bar on the New Cross Road. Innovative film makers, Digital Sneakers captured the events on film. Forward looking music fanatics, they are expert video and film crew working for the love of it. Not only do they have proof of how grreat the live shows were but they also conduccted interviews with the bands who took to it like ducks to water. Ready made stars we have here! Zee, Chris, Ben and their crew captured a moment in music history for posterity. Paul Madden of Joy, the alternative idol website (mika bomb, the rocks, m.a.s.s. and loads more!) got loads of photos, good news for the bands, most of whom didn’t have images of themselves. Joyzine also produced the printed information given away at each show and reviewed each night’s bill at www.joyzine.co.uk. The initial support actually come from the art and creative sector. They related to being ART-ful. Alex Proud of Proud Galleries was the first person to meet up and offered support and advice. They don’t put flyers out at Proud but DID put out the Music Tourist Board flyer. Additionally, creative Week magazine ran an article on Music Tourist Board activity. We were hopiing the music sector (media or industry) might show interest. Outside of gig listings there was a preview in South London Press because Mark Morriss was DJ-ing but the bands were far from ignored and presents were sent to Pop Of The Tops for them and their audiences by music and otherwise companies who wanted to add their support. Most heart warming. So thank you to lovely Eileen Cecere from BBC’s 6Music for the guitar picks and bags to put goodies in. Key Production aren’t only the record manufacturing company of choice (and legendary party throwers, their 13th anniversary bash this year in a huge church included a funfair ride and a live appearance from The Darkness), but also kind hearts to boot, thank you for the lighters. Mary at Acupuncture sent over a wodge of designer footwear which various Alternative Rock Idols are now sporting and the Liberty X frogs from V2 went down a treat. Karen Millard and Tony Wadsworth at EMI emptied the promo cupboards and sent huge packages of t-shirts, bags, hats etc. It was all appreciated, most of all for taking the time and effort just to respond and acknowledge the bands. We'd also been hoping for guitar strings and drum sticks, and to get some clothes. Perhaps somethng for the future when we are a bit more organised. Anyway,it was time for the proof of the pudding. Would anybody come? Would the gigs work? Would there be any results? Amazing line ups mate, of course they'd work! | ||||
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This is pop band, Special Needs. They are (literally) a riot live. | ||||
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People came! And from all over! Locals, fans of the bands from all over the place, media, industry (including Scouts from two big U.S. labels), loads of other musicians! Caught various members of fellow Alternative Rock Idols, M.A.S.S. and The Rocks, doing some bloody wild frugging! Total stars, one and all. San Sebastian had turned up at the Monday night open mic club and landed a gig at Pop Of The Tops on the spot with their epic guitar/piano melodies. We had to coax them to tell us who they were, and lost all contact with them until the day before they played but they delivered on the night. Ludes were a sensation, already with a biz buzz, their gypsy rock shook the foundations. Again caught them a couple of times and loved them. The Crowd have been moving and shaking on the mod circuit and literrally bring a CROWD when they play Pop Of The Tops a regular haunt of theirs.Singer Toby often shows just how musical he is, jamming at Sound Turns open mic club with all kinds of fellow musicians. Mark Morriss and John Earls had us dancing until the early hours - it got very lively at one point - ask Paul from Ten Benson! The lovely 3 Inches Of Blood parked their skate boards in the cloak room for the night before heading off on their tour with The Darkness. Art Brut's front man, Eddie Argos, should be the next prime minister. They make art rock an... ART! and rock! My Red Cell are giants at a seminal stage. They already have a deal with V2, but its their songs and gigs that will make them stars. Corporation:Blend are pop idols in waiting. Big tunes, obssesed fans, good looks and driving determination. They got the crowd right to the front of the stage. Gaz Cloud is a Pop Of The Tops fave DJ and it was hilarious to see the DJ booth disappear under a mass of dancing bodies. King Adora fans had trafvelled from as far as 200 miles to be near them. At some drunken point in the early hours, after having their pic taken with Mickey Finn, Del Trotter's mate (and dad to one of The Crowd!) we managed to misplace The Nelsta. King Adora were nearly a trio for a day or two! | ||
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The third show was a few days before New York's CMJ and two of the UK acts making their debut there were Kinesis and Chris T-T. Kinesis (bless them) drove all the way from Bolton to come and DJ. There was actually a big article on them in The Times that day. In true 21st century punk style, when asked what they would most like thrown on stage, they had answered "the head of George Bush". They came to ROCK the house. Chris T-T, whose albums have critics frantic for superlatives, travelled up from Brighton to come and play a special acoustic CMJ warm up. What a way to kick the night off! The New Rhodes then came and blasted energetically through a blazing set that got the thumbs up from our DJ Mark Beaumont and the now customary roar of approval from the crowd. Also daren't tell Malcolm from Saint Rose how much of a new fan he made that night at the bar, and they weren't even playing. Special Needs did it again. A decadeless pop band with any appeal going you care to name, cool, teen, punk, style? They can't help building into a glorious riot of wild aaffection. Legendary. The NEW YORK t-shirt defiled to read NEW CROSS summed up the night! By the time of the last gig, we just didnt want it to end. Tuesday nights had become kind of sacred. Coast was nearly an acoustic set, they became an electric one on the night. They have an intense presence and some soaring tunes. Bloc Party came to attention courtesy of Rob from Corporation:Blend who was raving about them. They were called Union then. He was right. Instant love from their first hearing and Pop Of The Tops show. Hard impact art punk. By now they were becoming hot news. A bunch of big-label folk turned up to see them and blagged in. It was cool, cos Bloc Party are worth it, but people on good wages that didnt want to part with £3 to help the bands, let alone see em. Hmmm. Twisted Charm are twisted and charming. Sax appeal with a Magazine hint and a ready made cult from day one. Wow. The Miggs were the last Alternative Rock Idol band to take the stage. Quite frankly, they are truly DEVASTATING. I'm not sure when such a big star last played at The Paradise Bar but their singer, Mig, is a rocket ready to take off. It was the way to go. All four shows had been successes. The bands were total stars on the night. The d.i.y. production team had pulled it off and put the bands, the venue, the locality and the underground pop explosion in bigger letters on the rock and roll map. Now what? Well I'm typing this on 28th November, one month after the last show. Any results? Have to finish this later though, I'm out seeing Gold Blade tonight with lovely Sian. But anyway, the answer is yes, loads of results. In one month, Alternative Rock Idol bands that played the shows have already moved on, and many from the original pool are set to make 2004 such an exciiting year for doing thiings a little bit different. | ||
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* PAGE 1/4 INTRO * PAGE 2/4 MTB + LINE UP * | ||
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