Author: Editor

Breaking Glass Magazine – June 2021

Posted in Cover, Fringe, Review, Theatre

Breaking Glass Magazine – June 2021

Cover image © 16 Beasley St Photography 

After an intrinsically difficult year for the arts, it’s great to see the buzz around the full variety of this year’s Brighton Fringe, the largest open-access arts festival in England. Welcoming all forms of art and expression, the city’s venues open up their doors to both new and established performers, offering a diverse showcase of talent across multiple genres.

Kicking off our Fringe experience in flamboyant style, Tell Me Why sees its debut at One Church with a dazzling display of sound and vision. Masterminded by creative director Mr Venus and produced by collective NoAgEnDeR, the show chronicles ‘life outside the mainstream and how it really was for marginalised individuals finding and fighting for their rights’, taking the audience on an ‘emotional roller coaster ride through queer life over the last 50 years’.

Laying bare the sometimes devastating impact of exclusion, the show nonetheless takes the opportunity to mark the historical fight for the right to self-expression and acceptance, and celebrates the lives of friends and loved ones lost along the way, a scenario likely to resonate and bring memories of their own to anyone attending.

Musically, the show is packed with anthems galore, a mix of original compositions and momentous songs from different eras. Things bode well when, on arrival, you’re greeted with a lyric print of Pete Shelley’s Homosapien on each table, a track excluded from radio airplay in the UK in the early 80s for its supposed reference to gay sex. As a solo artist and Buzzcocks’ vocalist, Shelley proved himself to be perhaps the most punk of them all, penning songs about love and relationships amidst his peer group’s cries of anarchy and oppression. 

Elsewhere, a meta moment for me as Blackman from Breaking Glass features, prompting me to rewatch the film which, despite the name, I haven’t seen for many years. The inclusion of another favourite, Suede’s Beautiful Ones is a fitting addition to the fanfare and costumery of the night and the stories it tells.

A heartfelt look back at queer culture through the years, Tell Me Why is clearly a labour of love from all involved and is really what The Fringe and inclusivity are all about – a group of friends with something to say, supporting each other to make the dream a reality and share the project on stage. Work is in progress to produce a documentary about the making of the show; let’s hope this sees the light of day and the sharing continues.

You can find more about Tell Me Why here

Words and photos © Siobhan

1st June 2021

New Music – The Pleasure Dome | Twin Pixie | Dick Dent | Fuzzy Lights

Posted in New Music, Review

New releases – The Pleasure Dome, Twin Pixie, Dick Dent, Fuzzy Lights

The Pleasure Dome – Pretty Picture (single)

Pure punk vitality and pink jumpsuits, what’s not to love in this new track from The Pleasure Dome? Another tune blessed by the production touch of Theo Verney, Pretty Picture attacks the self-absorption that comes with obsessing over painting an unrealistic lifestyle on social media. Check out the video below and look out for live dates later in the year.

The Pleasure Dome
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Twin Pixie – Firestarter (single)

Philadelphia based Twin Pixie bring synth driven pop mayhem to the table with latest track Firestarter. A hybrid of sweet vocals against an almost robotic rap, the duo come good on their assertion that “the song will make you want to thrash, scream, and dance”. Dip your toe into their world here; their debut album is due for release next year.

Twin Pixie
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Dick Dent – Do You Mind If I Talk? (album)

Taking a softer, immersive trip to synth-land, Dick Dent’s new album Do You Mind If I Talk? is full of hazy tunes to take away your troubles. Hints of nostalgia abound as the title track brings to mind the melancholy of Tears for Fears while lead single Click of the Fingers would sit comfortably alongside Julian Cope’s angst and disquiet with the world. The album is out now and available digitally or on cassette via Dick’s new tape label Calathea. 

Dick Dent
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Fuzzy Lights – Under the Waves (single)

With their second single from their pending album Burials, Fuzzy Lights take a look at the impact climate crisis is having on the sustainability of the oceans. Under the Waves mixes a dark, dramatic undertone with gentle folky vocals and layers of heavy guitars. Burials is released on 2nd July via Meadows and looks set to be an eclectic collection of distinctive and poignant songs. Music with a message; appropriate for the times we’re living in.

Fuzzy Lights
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Words by Siobhan

Photos via Prescription PR (The Pleasure Dome © Jackie Palms), Twin Pixie, Dick Dent, Silver PR (Fuzzy Lights © Josie Harries)

28th May 2021

Kraszna-Krausz Photography & Moving Image Book Award Winners 2021

Posted in Books, Photography

Header photo: Dream is Wonderful, Yet Unclear by Maria Kapajeva 

The winners of this year’s Kraszna-Krausz Foundation annual Photography and Moving Image Book Awards have now been announced, with the winning titles chosen as stand out examples of books representing each category. As always, the long and short lists were full of contemporary issues, including cultural identity; collective experiences; social injustices; migration and memory from around the world. It’s heartening to see an award that doesn’t focus solely on commercial popularity and opens its doors to a diverse range of creatives.

Amidst tough competition, the Photography Book Award has been awarded jointly to Sunil Gupta for Sunil Gupta: From Here To Eternity and Maria Kapajeva for Dream is Wonderful, Yet Unclear.

Sunil Gupta: From Here To Eternity by Sunil Gupta, edited by Dr Mark Sealy MBE (Autograph in association with The Photographers’ Gallery and Ryerson Image Centre)

Dream is Wonderful, Yet Unclear by Maria Kapajeva (Milda Books)

Sunil Gupta is known for his photographic work depicting the injustice suffered by the LGBTQ+ community and highlighting race and migration against the constant of family life. His images form an important social commentary and have been exhibited globally. This book forms his first major retrospective.

Sunil Gupta: From Here To Eternity by Sunil Gupta

Maria Kapajeva’s work focuses on women’s position in contemporary society; the title of her book Dream is Wonderful, Yet Unclear comes from the lyrics of March of Enthusiasts, featured in the Soviet movie The Bright Way (1940) about a female weaver making her journey from peasant to Stakhanovite (a group of workers who regularly surpassed production targets and were specially honoured and rewarded). The book is centred on a textiles factory in Estonia.


Dream is Wonderful, Yet Unclear by Maria Kapajeva

The winners of this year’s Moving Image Book Award are Marie-Hélène Gutberlet and Brigitta Kuster for their books On the Run: Perspectives on the Cinema of Med Hondo and 1970—2018 Interviews with Med Hondo.

On the Run: Perspectives on the Cinema of Med Hondo and 1970—2018 Interviews with Med Hondo edited by Marie-Hélène Gutberlet and Brigitta Kuster (Co-published by Archive Books and Arsenal – Institut für Film und Videokunst. Funded by TURN Fund of the German Federal Cultural Foundation)

Marie-Hélène Gutberlet and Brigitta Kuster have used their combined skills and knowledge in art history, philosophy, film studies, cultural research and writing to document the talent of Med Hondo, a Mauritanian film director, producer, screenwriter, actor and voice actor who gained acclaim for his work until his death in 2019.

On the Run: Perspectives on the Cinema of Med Hondo and 1970—2018 Interviews with Med Hondo edited by Marie-Hélène Gutberlet and Brigitta Kuster 

Digital live-streamed events centred around the winning titles will take place on 1st June for the Photography Book Award and 3rd June for the Moving Image Book Award, hosted by and in partnership with The Photographers’ Gallery.

You can find more details about the awards on the Kraszna-Krausz website.

Words by Siobhan
Images reproduced with permission via Flint Culture and copyrighted as detailed, book spread shots by David Tett Photography 

24th May 2021

Interview – Maya Lakhani

Posted in Interview, New Music

Proving that lockdown hasn’t killed creativity, Maya Lakhani has grabbed the opportunity to launch her solo career and is emerging as one of the most impressive breakthrough artists of the last year. Catching the eye of BBC Introducing and new music champion John Kennedy, Maya’s musical journey looks set to go from strength to strength. We chatted about production, protests and plans for the future…

Hey, how are you and where are you right now?

Hello! I am doing well thanks. I am currently listening to some music with a cuppa in hand.

Despite lockdown, you’ve managed to launch your solo career and be involved in pretty much every aspect, writing, recording and producing yourself – where do you start?

When we first went into lockdown last year, I was very aware that I would never get that much spare time in my life again. I had always wanted to launch myself as a solo artist, so I decided to use the extra time to figure out how to do that!

I have definitely done a lot of learning in lockdown. Before working on my debut, I spent a lot of time doing online courses to get all my recording and production skills up to scratch. There is so much resource online, I truly believe if you want to learn how to do anything, you can! I am super proud to have made my songs entirely from my bedroom, but I work hard for that not to be audibly obvious.

I have been writing more than ever this year. Once I have a rough idea of song structure, I record a demo into my laptop. I begin layering different vocal, guitar, bass & drums sections until the song is fully recorded and produced. I love having complete control over my music and am super excited to be on this journey!

Tell us about your latest single Walk Alone…

I wrote Walk Alone in March, when much of the media conversation was centred around women’s safety. I was angry, sad and frustrated that still in 2021, women can’t walk alone without fear. I was furious at the victim blaming that I saw. I just felt really compelled to put these thoughts & emotions into a song, as songwriting is a key form of self expression for me.

The chorus is very simple, it just features the lyric “All I want to do is walk alone”. I wanted to make the point that still in this day and age, women feel fear over such a basic human right.

The last year seems to have heightened protests about a variety of issues, do you think people are listening and things are changing?

I am hopeful that media coverage pushes people to have much needed uncomfortable conversations around these important topics. I hope that parents are speaking to their children about it. However, it does sometimes feel like it’s ‘trendy’ for the media to cover a particular topic, and then it gets forgotten about. But with the rise of social media, I think that important issues are kept in people’s consciousness more, which will hopefully lead to change.

Social media plays a huge part in creating awareness of everything from music promotion to worldwide news now – which platforms do you use and do you feel it’s generally a positive or negative experience?

Social media is definitely a big part of getting your music out there. I’m on all the platforms, because as an artist, you just have to be to get yourself heard. I do find that Twitter has been an amazing place for discovery. So far, I have found my social media experience to be positive. Being active on those platforms has helped me to connect with listeners and other artists too.

Who’s inspired you to do what you do?

So many different artists throughout my life! Going all the way back to the Spice Girls, who were my first inspiration as a small child, instilling that girl power message! I really got into songwriting and rock music when I started listening to the Red Hot Chili Peppers when I was around 10 years old. Not long after, I started my first band, which helped lay the foundations of my music experience. I saw a live performance of PJ Harvey on YouTube when I was a teenager, I remember being so inspired to see a powerful woman on stage wielding a guitar and having the crowd in the palm of her hand.

What were the first and last records you bought?

I remember buying Stan by Eminem when I was young. I think I was a little shocked by all the swearing in it, as I had only heard it on TV or radio prior! The last record I bought was Chemtrails over the Country Club by Lana Del Rey. She’s one of my favourite artists, and it’s a really interesting and brilliant record.

You received lots of airplay for your debut single The Line – how does it feel to hear yourself on the radio?

It’s an incredible feeling! The first radio play I received for The Line was on BBC Introducing. It was such a special and surreal moment, I actually cried tears of joy! I have been involved in many musical projects in my life, and none of them have led to serious and consistent airplay.  So for my debut solo single to receive lots of airplay was such a special and affirming feeling. Hearing it on national stations like Planet Rock & Radio X was just amazing. Still pinching myself over that! Walk Alone was recently picked by John Kennedy as one of his ‘X-Posure Hot Ones’ on Radio X too, beyond my wildest dreams!

Have you got plans to gig when things open up?

Yes! I cannot wait to gig. As I have produced these tracks in isolation, I haven’t had the chance to hear them live! Getting the opportunity to play my songs with other musicians and to hear it in that way will be very special!

And assuming restrictions keep lifting, what does the coming year hold for you?

I can’t wait to keep releasing more music! I have lots of songs that I’m currently working on, so I’m really looking forward to sharing those soon. I cannot wait to start planning live shows too, fingers crossed that can happen before the end of the year!

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You can find Maya’s website here and catch up with her on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. Walk Alone is available to purchase on Bandcamp.

Interview by Siobhan
Photos via Sonic PR

19th May 2021

Exhibition – On the Outskirts of the Toy Box (The Market Place Theatre)

Posted in Exhibition, Photography, Preview

Exhibition, The Market Place Theatre & Arts Centre, Armagh, 28th May – 17th July 2021
On the Outskirts of the Toy Box  

Previously on Breaking Glass, we’ve featured the photography of Seb Akehurst, aka Jolly Bearded Promotions. Now we’re absolutely delighted to see Seb launching his own exhibition featuring his meticulously detailed brand of toy photography.

He explains, “Think back to your younger self and delve into memories of your favourite toys. Do you remember taking them on adventures? In this body of work, I explore the joys of play and imagination, using childhood toys to forgotten toys from charity shops to toys passed on to me by friends.

These toys can be recognised from all different toyboxes in movies, cartoons and comics. By intertwining these toy storylines, I have sought to recreate the limitless imagination which we had when we were kids playing and creating our own worlds for these characters. My hope when viewing this collection is that you are brought back to a time without rules and restrictions, to a time when you wrote the storyline about what happens outside of the toybox”.

The opening event will be held on Friday 28th May, and limited capacity viewing slots can be booked here. Thereafter, from Saturday 29th, the exhibition is free to the public. Do get along if you’re in the area, this is sure to bring back some memories and put a smile on your face.

On the Outskirts of the Toy Box runs from 28th May – 17th July 2021
The Market Place Theatre & Arts Centre, Market Street, Armagh, Co. Armagh BT61 7BW
Please check the website for further information about your visit

You can find Jolly Bearded Promotions on Etsy, Instagram, and Facebook

Images © Daniel Fagan

17th April 2021

New Music – BK Pepper | Krush Puppies

Posted in New Music, Review

New releases – BK Pepper, Krush Puppies

BK Pepper – Need to Know

Both dramatic and cinematic, the release of BK Pepper’s new video for Need to Know leaves a strong sense of anticipation for his pending EP, From an Empty Castle (due 6th June). The Dublin based composer applies his experience of playing everything from classical to rock to produce something quite unexpected and immersive. This is not background music, give it your undivided attention and see where it takes you.

BK Pepper

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Krush Puppies – Slay the Dragon

’Met in the queue for Pets at Home on the Old Kent Road’ – sounds a tad like a John Cooper Clarke opening line but actually emanates from Krush Puppies’ press release. With such an auspicious start, it’s no wonder that the band members gelled and their shared talents have morphed over the last few years into their current fuzz filled psych tunes. Think Grace Slick hitting a wall of reverb and you’ll be some way there. Slay the Dragon is out now and ready to take on the world, debut EP to follow in the summer.

Krush Puppies

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Words by Siobhan

14th May 2021

Kraszna-Krausz Photography & Moving Image Book Awards 2021

Posted in Books, Photography

Header photo – Sunil Gupta: From Here To Eternity by Sunil Gupta 

Bringing together another excellent collection of photography and moving image books, The Kraszna-Krausz Foundation has announced the long and shortlists for its 2021 awards. It feels fitting that after a year where protests against unjust events have been prevalent in the public eye worldwide, the books up for consideration address issues including gender, identity, history, social injustice, community and memory. The awards offer an opportunity for creatives from all backgrounds and genres to gain recognition and have their work reach a wider audience.

The judging panel for the Photography Book Award commented:
“This year’s longlist demonstrates that photography books with substance are more powerful than simply beautiful photography. The submissions revealed a strong sense of innovative storytelling about contemporary society, made clear through the way images have been combined as well as the texts included and the design of the books. The longlist is an incredible mix of archive, artists, historians, photographers and theorists.”

Professor Gideon Koppel, Judge, Moving Image Book Award noted:
“Now seems to be a particularly relevant time to be thinking about moving pictures and sounds, and how this field interacts with other ideas about humanity. We are in the middle of a technological revolution, where there is an acceleration of new ways to make and experience moving images and sound. So it didn’t surprise me to see a noticeable collection of books musing on the future by looking to the past.”

You can find more information about the work of the Kraszna-Krausz Foundation and the selected books listed on their website.

2021 Photography Book Award Shortlist

Destiny edited by Myles Russell Cook with contributors 

– Centralia by Poulomi Basu (Dewi Lewis Publishing)

– Destiny edited by Myles Russell-Cook with contributors (National Gallery of Victoria)

– Dream is Wonderful, Yet Unclear by Maria Kapajeva (Milda Books)

– Sunil Gupta: From Here To Eternity by Sunil Gupta, edited by Dr Mark Sealy MBE (Autograph in association with The Photographers’ Gallery and Ryerson Image Centre)

2021 Moving Image Book Award Shortlist

Making Images Move: Handmade Cinema and the Other Arts by Gregory Zinman

– Dialectics without Synthesis: Japanese Film Theory and Realism in a Global Frame by Naoki Yamamoto (University of California Press)

– Making Images Move: Handmade Cinema and the Other Arts by Gregory Zinman (University of California Press)

– On the Run: Perspectives on the Cinema of Med Hondo and 1970—2018 Interviews with Med Hondo edited by Marie-Hélène Gutberlet and Brigitta Kuster (Co-published by Archive Books and Arsenal – Institut für Film und Videokunst. Funded by TURN Fund of the German Federal Cultural Foundation)

– The Process Genre: Cinema and the Aesthetic of Labor by Salomé Aguilera Skvirsky (Duke University Press)

2021 Photography Book Award Longlist

Santa Barbara by Diana Markosian

– Centralia by Poulomi Basu (Dewi Lewis)

– Constructed Landscapes by Dafna Talmor (Fw:Books)

– Destiny edited by Myles Russell-Cook with contributors (National Gallery of Victoria)

– Dream is Wonderful, Yet Unclear by Maria Kapajeva (Milda Books)

– Encampment, Wyoming: Selections from the Lora Webb Nichols Archive 1899-1948 edited by Nicole Jean Hill (Fw:Books)

– Hayal & Hakikat: A Handbook of Forgiveness & A Handbook of Punishment by Cemre Yeşil Gönenli (Gost)

– I Can Make You Feel Good by Tyler Mitchell (Prestel Publishing)

– Road Through Midnight: A Civil Rights Memorial by Jessica Ingram (University of North Carolina Press)

– Santa Barbara by Diana Markosian (Aperture)

– Sunil Gupta: From Here To Eternity by Sunil Gupta, edited by Dr Mark Sealy MBE (Autograph in association with The Photographers’ Gallery and the Ryerson Image Centre)

– The New Woman Behind the Camera by Andrea Nelson (National Gallery of Art, Washington)

– Unfixed: Photography and Decolonial Imagination in West Africa by Jennifer Bajorek (Duke University Press)

2021 Moving Image Book Award

Dialetics without Synthesis: Japanese Film Theory and Realism in a Global Frame by Naoki Yamamoto 

– Against the Avant-Garde: Pier Paolo Pasolini, Contemporary Art, and Neocapitalism by Ara H Merjian (University of Chicago Press)

– Bombay Hustle by Debashree Mukherjee (Columbia University Press)

– Cinema Expanded: Avant-Garde Film in the Age of Intermedia by Jonathan Walley (Oxford University Press)

– Dialectics without Synthesis: Japanese Film Theory and Realism in a Global Frame by Naoki Yamamoto (University of California Press)

– Ends of Cinema edited by Richard Grusin and Jocelyn Szczepaniak-Gillece (University of Minnesota Press)

– Making Images Move: Handmade Cinema and the Other Arts by Gregory Zinman (University of California Press)

– Nightmares in the Dream Sanctuary: War and the Animated Film by Donna Kornhaber (University of Chicago Press)

– On the Run: Perspectives on the Cinema of Med Hondo and 1970—2018 Interviews with Med Hondo edited by Marie-Hélène Gutberlet and Brigitta Kuster (Archive Books)

– Paris in the Dark: Going to the Movies in the City of Light, 1930–1950 by Eric Smoodin (Duke University Press)

– The Process Genre: Cinema and the Aesthetic of Labor by Salomé Aguilera Skvirsky (Duke University Press)

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6th May 2021

Breaking Glass Magazine – May 2021

Posted in Art, Cover

Breaking Glass Magazine – May 2021

Cover image © 16 Beasley St Photography 

Just a couple of weeks until art galleries and museums open their doors to the public again, and there’s so much to see. In Brighton, the Bowie / McCormack exhibition has been extended until January 2022 while, in London, Whitechapel Gallery opens up with Phantoms of Surrealism and the Royal Academy hosts David Hockney: The Arrival of Spring. Another not to be missed show features the work of revered social documentary photographer Don McCullin at Tate, Liverpool.

Let’s hope we can see live music opening up safely again soon too and that the industry can start to find its way back to surviving the impact of the last year.

Our next photo gallery will be published in June and we’ll start accepting submissions towards the end of this month. The theme is ‘Toy Story’, so dig out your dominoes and try not to step on the Lego while you send in images of your favourite childhood toys and games or modern alternatives, structured toy photography, lost toys in the street and whatever else fits the subject, more details here.

This month’s street art cover shot was taken in Glasgow.

Words and photo © Siobhan

1st May 2021

New Music – Susan | Tashaki Miyaki | Bedrooms | deep tan

Posted in New Music, Review

New releases – Susan, Tashaki Miyaki, Bedrooms, deep tan

Susan – Hold Still (single)

Another simply beautiful track from Susan, Hold Still will make you catch your breath and absorb all that it offers. Released yesterday, the track is hypnotic, haunting and bursting with emotion. Really hoping there will be an opportunity to see them play live in the not too distant future.

Susan says of the song, “I wrote Hold Still after effortlessly falling in love with one of my friends. It’s a song for those of us who are never to be loved back. Those of us who don’t fit and those of us who want to. Hold Still is an identity of how I love; I love long, pathetically and fairly. I am going to wait for you, however long you need and know that you probably won’t need me at all. There are no metaphors here, just truth.”

Susan

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Tashaki Miyaki – I Feel Fine (single)

Dark dream-pop from LA’s Tashaki Miyaki with this new track I Feel Fine. Vocally reminiscent of Mazzy Star and The Sundays, the song is beguiling and complimented by the cinematic feel of its accompanying video, a homage to vampire films of the past. The band have an album release, Castaway, due on 2nd July.

Vocalist Paige Stark explains how the track was a late addition to Castaway, “I wrote I Feel Fine at the beginning of Covid-19 unfolding and it felt like it belonged to the record. I said lots of the things my friends were saying to me about their lives, so it felt right to add it… I was inspired by the emotion of the Replacements song Unsatisfied and wanted to write my own ode to dissatisfaction. I always say I’m fine when it’s quite the contrary, so I started there and got more and more specific with each verse.”

Tashaki Miyaki

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Bedrooms – Afterglow (EP)

Dublin band Bedrooms release their debut EP Afterglow this week, a collection of three tracks that showcase their sound perfectly, unassuming, understated but engaging and enchanting. When you’re still making a name for yourself and you can pull in production from the mighty Bill Ryder-Jones, the future’s looking pretty rosy.

The band say, “Through the Afterglow EP we wanted to put together a collection of songs we believed reflected our progression as musicians and songwriters from our earlier releases. We had aimed to release the EP in the late summer of 2020 but given the uncertainty of everything going on this past year, we kept pushing back and were perhaps waiting for some sort of perfect storm where we could gig again and have a launch night to showcase the tracks. It seemed like that was never going to happen, but ultimately, we needed to remind ourselves that we created something that we’re all proud of and didn’t want to sit on the songs for any longer.”

Bedrooms

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deep tan – hollow scene (single)

Post-punk trio deep tan have shared the final single from their upcoming debut EP creeping speedwells, due for release on 4th June. The band have built a solid reputation with their seemingly effortless mix of Portishead meets Elastica eclecticism, and look set to cement this with more new music and live dates in the pipeline.

The band explain, “hollow scene is about the feeling of having to move through life with a certain level of detachment in order to function. Gatekeeping empathy for the sake of an easy life, if you will. It’s a pretty draining business, though, and can make any real search for meaning feel futile. Meursault was wrong and he was right. Robert Smith, however, is always right.”

deep tan

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Words by Siobhan

Photos via Susan, Silver PR, Prescription PR, Practise Music

30th April 2021

Exhibition – Phantoms of Surrealism (Whitechapel Gallery)

Posted in Art, Exhibition, Preview

Exhibition, Whitechapel Gallery, 19th May – 12th December 2021
Phantoms of Surrealism  

Header image: Sheila Legge as Surrealist ‘Phantom’, Trafalgar Square, London, 11th June 1936. Photograph attributed to Claude Cahun, courtesy Jersey Heritage Collections.

Performance art in public is a familiar scene nowadays with Fringe events and street theatre regularly popping up across our city centres. Perhaps not so common though in 1936, when artist Sheila Legge strolled around Trafalgar Square in a bridal gown, her head covered in red roses. Catching the eye of passers-by and the press, her tribute to Dali’s Women with the Head of Roses created just the buzz needed to launch the London International Surrealist Exhibition, held at the New Burlington Galleries in Mayfair.

And now some 85 years later, she is one of eleven pioneering women celebrated in a new exhibition at Whitechapel Gallery, featuring a wealth of talented Surrealist artists from the fields of painting, collage, sculpture, photography, fashion and poetry.

Left: Max Ernst, poster for International Surrealist Exhibition,
Burlington Galleries, London, 1936.
Colour Lithograph, The Murray Family Collection, UK & USA.
Right: Corella Hughes, scale model of the London International Surrealist Exhibition 1936 (detail). 2021 © Corella Hughes.

After a year of lockdown it’s heartening to see galleries preparing to open up again, and surely a trip down the road of escapism is just what we need right now. This exhibition is set to be a pleasure and an education at the same time. Take a look through the visitor information for this and other events on the gallery’s website, details below.

Elizabeth Andrew – Swan, undated lead.
© The artist’s estate, Towner, Eastbourne.

Extract from press release

Whitechapel Gallery’s new archive exhibition, Phantoms of Surrealism, brings together artworks, photographic scrapbooks, press cuttings and original correspondence from the London International Surrealist Exhibition (1936), including a new scale model. Coinciding with Eileen Agar: Angel of Anarchy, the show reveals the pivotal role of women as artists, behind-the-scenes organisers, editors and animators of the Surrealist movement in Britain.

The exhibition features eleven artists including Ruth Adams (1893–1949), Eileen Agar (1899–1991), Elizabeth Andrews (1882–1977), Diana Brinton Lee (d. 1982), Claude Cahun (1894–1954), Ithell Colquhoun (1906–1988), Sheila Legge, Grace Pailthorpe (1883–1971), Elizabeth Raikes (1907–1942), Edith Rimmington (1902–1986) and Stella Snead (1910–2006).

Also presented are artworks from an anti-war exhibition staged at Whitechapel Gallery in 1939 by The Artists’ International Association, dedicated to the ‘Unity of Artists for Peace, Democracy and Cultural Development’. The exhibition is co-curated by Nayia Yiakoumaki, Curator: Archive Gallery and Head of Curatorial Studies, Whitechapel Gallery and Cameron Foote, Assistant Curator, Whitechapel Gallery.

Grace Pailthorpe – Sea Urchin/The Escaped Prisoner,
7 May 1938, water on colourboard. Private collection.

Phantoms of Surrealism runs from 19th May – 12th December 2021

Whitechapel Gallery, 77 – 82 Whitechapel High Street, London E1 7QX
Opening times: Tuesday – Sunday 11am – 6pm. Free entry to this exhibition, other displays may be paid entry, booking is required for either.

All images and exhibition details are reproduced with permission from Whitechapel Gallery and are copyrighted as listed.

Intro by Siobhan

27th April 2021

Photo Gallery – The High Street

Posted in Gallery, Photography

The high street has been the focus of multiple changes this last year, with shops forced into lockdown, some sadly not to reopen. It’s a tough business with the escalation of online retail, nonetheless a rise in independent stores always brings a fresh feel to an area. We’ve gathered together a variety of high streets, showing their different faces around the world, along with the impact on surrounding areas and transport links to the city…

Header photo by Steve White, details in article

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The High Street

By Steven Medeiros Photography – Website | Instagram

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Onyx Sweet Shoppe

Onyx Sweet Shoppe, located in F.Q. Story Historic neighbourhood in downtown Phoenix, Arizona, opened in February 2020, right before the world closed down. Vernon and Kathi Williams, who own the shop, bake homemade goods that have been family favorites. They always make everyone feel welcomed and support the community.

Street Market

Roosevelt Row Art District adds a unique flavor to downtown Phoenix. Along with the colorful murals, there is always something happening. Saturday is market day outside The Churchill, where vendors sell their wares and masked-up people face the heat to enjoy the festive atmosphere.

By Jennifer Mullins – Website | Instagram 

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Shop Local

Mona Lisa

Both images are of Whitstable High Street in Kent and feature street art by local artist ‘Catman’.

By Lee Thompson – Website

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Sign of the times…

The photograph was taken at the downtown Irving Texas station on a Saturday. The platform was unoccupied except for myself. A sign of the times…  Ridership and traffic are way down from the norm.

Loneliness

This photograph was taken at the Dallas, Texas Union Station in the early morning at sunrise, downtown Dallas.  The station is the main passenger hub for the city of Dallas and usually busy with people and train traffic.

By Robert C. Maxfield II Photography – Website | Instagram | Facebook 

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Lucy’s Basement, Dublin

Sexy Cafe, Barmouth, Wales

By Ingrid Turner Photography – Website | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter

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Where the High Street has no name: Trinidad, Cuba
(Summer Cigar Break from the Factory)

By Courtney Tjaden – Instagram

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Scrummies, Worthing

Beyond Retro, Brighton

By Becky Jones – Twitter

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Dead

I actually set off up my local high street with the full intention of taking some photos showing things in a positive light. I even went in the middle of the day on a Saturday when there’s a usually bustling market. When I got there the only thoughts I had were “tatty”, “drab”, “depressing”. Then it hit me just how many shops/businesses have closed down. Whilst the Covid lockdown has made things worse the general opinion is that most buildings are now owned by big national companies who, through greed, are charging so much for rent the shops cannot survive. All of the photos in the collage were taken along a stretch less than 500m long. I was approached by another photo enthusiast who, after I explained what I was doing, summed things up in just a few words – “Our High Street is dead”.

By Steve White – Instagram

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Window Shopping

Wandering along the street looking for a good place to take a couple of shots brings the unlikely juxtaposition of IDLES and this traditional bridal shop window in Southsea.

Road Closed

It’s not just the shops that have been closed in lockdown; this is one of many social distancing measures taken in town. I wonder how it will look in a year’s time.

By Siobhan at 16 Beasley St Photography – Website | Instagram | Twitter 

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A huge thank you to all our featured photographers; lovely to have some new contributors amongst old friends! You can check out more of their work on the links shown.

Copyright for images remains with each named photographer, please do not reproduce without permission.

Our next gallery in June will be ‘Toy Story’ – submission details here.

16th April 2021

Interview – Tom John Hall

Posted in Interview, New Music

Self-described ‘pop musician, producer, web developer and synthesizer nerd’ Tom John Hall clearly hasn’t let lockdown curb his creativity. On top of making and releasing his unique brand of infectious electro-pop, he’s been busy fundraising for projects in Derby with independent arts collective Year of Glad. It seemed only right to find out more, join us for a chat here…

Hey, how are you doing and what can you see from wherever you are right now?

Hiya! Very well thank you. I can currently see mostly synthesizers, guitar pedals and wires. My home office transforms into a home studio at the weekends. It’s a beautiful day so I have the balcony doors open too – not much of a view but it’s nice to see some sun!

It’s been the oddest year, aside from music what’s kept you going?

Animal Crossing, running and food. But mostly I have my partner, Edie, to thank for making this past year actually pretty okay all things considered. I don’t think I could have made it on my own, that’s for sure!

You released My Big Album last year (and 20 tracks truly do make a big album), tell us a bit about how that came together.

It was a relief to finally release it! I started working on it years ago, I’ve always been putting out music in various forms but never felt like I’d made a proper album. From early on I got attached to the idea of committing to this huge project, to capture every aspect of my perspective on the world and life at the time, and just working at it until it was perfect. It was a gigantic learning curve to try and produce what I had in mind with the limited means available to me, and I’m extremely proud of it – but I think the next one will be a slightly smaller album.

Your latest single 8mb has just come out – how have you adapted to releasing music in lockdown?

While it’s a shame not to be able to do one of our Year Of Glad release shows and get everyone together to celebrate, I am lucky in that I can go on producing and releasing everything from home without too much disruption. You definitely feel a bit more disconnected from the people who care about what you’ve put out, and it does feel more cynical relying on things like social media to be your main avenue for presenting your music to the world. The occasional live stream on Twitch has helped, and otherwise it’s just a case of trying to stay active and in touch with the people in our local scene to collaborate and listen to what one another are working on. I have friends in bands who thrive on getting together and performing live, they’ve been waiting for so long to go back to doing what they love so I count myself lucky.

The proceeds from the single are going to Derby and Burton Hospitals Charity, a cause close to your heart?

Yeah, absolutely – I’m sure most of us have people in our lives who’ve needed care from local hospitals this year under uniquely challenging circumstances, and sadly a lot of frontline staff are facing financial uncertainty, so I wanted to be able to donate a little bit to the Hospitals Charity for my (Derby) and my grandma’s (Burton) hometowns. Over lockdown all of Year Of Glad’s releases have been fundraising for causes, and it’s a really nice way to release music and bring people together.

Can we shout out the other stuff you’ve been raising money for in the community too – how did you get involved and how can other people lend their support if they’re interested?

Absolutely! Our YOG20 compilation over the festive season was in support of the Padley Group, a homeless shelter and kitchen in the city, and Doorways Derby, who run food banks and a soup kitchen. We put on a raffle and art stall and put out a compilation and the support was amazing, we managed to raise over £1200 and loads of amazing local creatives, small businesses and musicians chipped in to offer prizes and help out – there’s still a few things left on the art stall at Year of Glad. MARIA-M (now YAY MARIA) also released a single in support of Derbyshire LGBT+, and we put out a Papayér single (the band I play guitar in) for Derbyshire Coronavirus Relief Fund.

Take us for a wander round Derby – which 3 places are not to be missed?

The first has to be Dubrek, a studio, rehearsal rooms and venue in town which is now the home of alternative live music for many in the city and is also where I spent a huge amount of my time growing up, in lengthy ‘band practices’ (just sitting around) with my best mates in Papayér. It’s flourished into far more than just a place for bands to make noise, it’s now more like a hub for an entire creative community.

Second is just over the road, Bar One – a great independent pub where I’ve also spent a disproportionate amount of time. It’s run by a lovely bunch of people and is just a really excellent pub, basically.

Third is Bustler – it appeared a few years ago, occupying disused space and filling it with an eclectic mix of independent street food vendors, and has gone from strength to strength since. A few of my nearest and dearest are involved and I’ve had a sneak peek of the new permanent space they’ve been kitting out, it’s looking amazing!

As things open up again, if you could play any venue with any other artists,  what would you go for?

I’ve just rebooked my tickets for Randy Newman in 2022 – it was cancelled this year. A part of me wants to say joining Randy at the London Palladium but deep down I know that isn’t true, I think I’m much happier in the audience for something like that. To be totally honest I’d go for another night at Dubrek with YAY MARIA, which happens to be the last show I played before lockdown, and will most likely be the first thing we put on post lockdown, so just picking up where we left off basically.

What’s next for you – does it feel like you can start to make plans for the rest of 2021 now?

With my own music I’m moving slowly with working on my next record, THUNDERCHILD, which is a sci-fi concept album. I’ll be putting out a few more singles and booking shows where I can, but I’m also putting a lot of my energy into collaborations with other Year Of Glad artists and working on other people’s music for a little while, which is exciting. But my main focus is being able to be with friends and family again, and anything else is a bonus!

And last up, have you changed the clock on your cooker or are you waiting till October to see it tell the right time again?

The clock on my cooker does not, and quite possibly never will, display the correct time – BST or otherwise.

But thanks for the reminder. And thanks for the chat!

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You can catch up with Tom here; My Big Album is available to purchase now

Interview by Siobhan
Photo via One Beat PR

12th April 2021

 

New Music – The Early Mornings | Tokky Horror | Amongst the Pigeons | Ostrich | Talk Show | Red Ribbon

Posted in New Music, Review

New releases – The Early Mornings, Tokky Horror, Amongst The Pigeons, Ostrich, Talk Show, Red Ribbon

With so much great new music coming through, it’s been tough to pick out just a few for review. So this week we’ve done a bumper playlist update and recommend that you give all these fine artists a listen…

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The Early Mornings

Maintaining the tradition of keeping Manchester on the music map, The Early Mornings share new single Blank Sky ahead of their debut EP Unnecessary Creation, due for self-release on 18th June.

Deadpan vocals, dead good song, high hopes for what may come next.

The Early Mornings

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Tokky Horror

Latest single Godliness is out now from from Liverpool’s electro-punk 3 piece Tokky Horror. The band release their debut EP I Found the Answers and Now I Want More on 21st May via Alcopop! Records. UK festival and tour dates are planned for later this year.

An intoxicating track filled with trance and dance, take some time out for the Tokky Horror show.

Tokky Horror

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Amongst The Pigeons

Perhaps better known for its seagulls, coastal Sussex is also home to electronica artist Amongst The Pigeons (aka producer Daniel Parsons). Available to pre-order now, his fourth album Silence Will Be Assumed As Acceptance is set for release on 7th May. New single Colour Blind is out today.

Electro-psych with a sprinkling of Giorgio Moroder meets Mike Skinner, all in under 2 minutes.

Amongst The Pigeons

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Ostrich

Our second pick this week from Liverpool’s burgeoning scene, alt popsters Ostrich released their third single 48 Hours last week.

Multi layered, multi talented, crossing genres and eras, get your head out of the sand and get onto this.

Ostrich

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Talk Show

The second half of a collaborative project with producer Eli Brown and Hot Chip’s Joe Goddard, Talk Show carry the post-punk torch for London with recent track Trouble. (Part 1 saw vocalist Harrison Swann add to Brown’s version of the song). The collision of musical styles takes Talk Show in a new direction, adding to their already impressive catalogue.

Abrasive and affirming, if there’s ever a Trainspotting 3 this would sit snugly on the soundtrack.

Talk Show

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Red Ribbon

Way is the new single from LA based Emma Danner, aka Red Ribbon. Her pending album Planet X is out on 11th June via Danger Collective Records.

Cinematic and gushing with dark riffs, this will sit well with fans of PJ Harvey and Angel Olson. Take a listen.

Red Ribbon

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Words by Siobhan
Photos via Prescription PR, Wall of Sound PR, Amongst The Pigeons, Ostrich, Prescription PR, One Beat PR

9th April 2021

Album Review – For Those I Love

Posted in New Music, Podcast, Review

For Those I Love

For Those I Love, at its core, is testament to the power of friendship. Platonic love between friends, and more specifically men, is not often discussed in depth by popular music, despite the somewhat surface level shout outs. Dublin’s David Balfe, however, has crafted a tremendous record on the subject, drenched in the grief at the loss of his close friend Paul Curran.

The opening track, I Have A Love, generated widespread interest as a single last year for its spacious electronica against Balfe’s proclamation that “I have a love, and it never fades”. This phrase re-appears throughout the album, like a calming mantra used to pull Balfe back to the centre of his emotions when things get too dark. Which they do. Moments such as The Myth/I DO, where Balfe admits to not checking his phone any longer due to the anxiety of receiving a similar phone call to the one that brought him the news of the tragedy, are emotionally striking, and the album is bursting with vulnerable admissions like it. Top Scheme and Birthday/The Pain are some of the few moments where Balfe allows the listener a wider glimpse into his experiences, tackling class inequality in post-recession Ireland and the desire to break free from an oppressive environment – the latter opening with the chilling childhood flashback, “body dumped on me road when I was 6 – stabbed to death and left on bricks”.

It’s an emotional listen, like peeking at the pages of someone’s diary, though thankfully musically For Those I Love compliments the lyrics, which on their own would potentially be far too difficult a listen.

Elements of trance, UK garage and early dubstep amalgamate to invoke a sound post-warehouse rave, the feeling of being at a rave rather than the music necessarily played at one. Glitchy synths, pitched up vocals and intermittent pianos along with a range of samples from Smokey Robinson to WhatsApp voice memos all come together to complete a beautifully nocturnal and mournful sonic texture.

If the album sees Balfe tussle through the stages of grief, closer Leave Me Not Love offers the clearest moments of acceptance and hope. The opening track’s hypnotic melody returns and though he admits that still “There’s rain that will never go away, there’s days and days of every kind of pain”, it’s on a positive note that the same love is the one that is going to provide the deepest catharsis, “But those I love brought me back to health, and I ain’t never need nothing else”, it’s one of the few moments on the album which seems to look forward rather than backwards.

With this in mind, and with For Those I Love being bookended so beautifully, what musical endeavour Balfe will move onto next remains somewhat unclear. However, if it touches on the quality shown here, it will no doubt be worth listening to.

For Those I Love is out now – you can purchase the album here and listen to David Balfe speaking about the album on the podcast below.

Review by Ryan Bell

5th April 2021

Breaking Glass Magazine – April 2021

Posted in Cover

Breaking Glass Magazine – April 2021

Cover image © 16 Beasley St Photography 

A year on since we first went into lockdown in the UK, there are some hopeful signs that we might be starting to move out again soon. Saying that, it’s dependent on people taking things slowly and sensibly and the track record on that has been pretty abysmal so far. The next few months will give us a good indicator of whether we’ll be back to covering live music again in the foreseeable future. Given that it was a big part of why I started Breaking Glass it’s been very odd not having that content for so long but, with the help of all our fab contributors, we’ve somehow managed to keep things going.

Speaking of contributors, if any of you are interested in writing some new music reviews, drop me an email to discuss. You can see the type of stuff we cover in previous new music features, post-punk, psych, dream-pop, trip-hop, electronica all hit the mark, not a big fan of pop-punk or lad rock. We get sent loads of stuff for review and it would be good to have some new ears taking a listen.

If you’re more at home with pictures than words we’re still taking submissions till 9th for our ‘high street’ photo gallery, more details here. And always happy to hear from photographers / creatives who’d like to have their work featured.

This month’s cover shot is a favourite from the archive of Eagulls playing at Olby’s Soul Cafe in Margate way back in 2016.

Words and photo © Siobhan

1st April 2021

Open Letter to Festival Bookers

Posted in Festival
It’s hardly news that most of the big festival line-ups consist largely of the same white men who’ve been on the same line-ups for the past 10 years or more. However, the last week has seen this amplified in a way that even those preferring to ignore the fact would have been hard pressed to miss. It’s not even apologetic in its approach, described in The Guardian by Maxie Gedge, UK project manager of Keychange, (the PRS Foundation’s initiative encouraging music festivals to pledge to commit to line-ups featuring 50% women and gender minorities by 2022) as “a statement of exclusion”. And yet, those tired old responses keep churning out, as a quick glance through Twitter attests. ‘I just don’t see gender on stage’ ‘Gender doesn’t come into it for me. I like what I like’ ‘It’s about making money, if they drew they’d be on the lineup’ ‘They probably just booked who was available /who they liked, wouldn’t read anymore into it’ ‘Name me a female singer who could headline a major festival’ OK, let’s take that last one first. There seems to be an idea that if you can’t provide a headliner then what’s the point? But no-one goes straight to headliner status, everyone has to build up to that and often, that’s where the huge gaps are. A case in point, Dials Festival puts on an event in Portsmouth with a great diversity split and all the stages are busy all day long. So there I am at Dials in 2018, it’s early in the day and I pop in to see a band called LibraLibra, no idea who they are or what they sound like but I’m at the venue next door so figure I might as well give it a go. What happens next is that their music and performance blow me away and I unwittingly stumble on a new favourite band. I include them in my review, I make a note to try and see them again and I recommend them to friends. Clearly, I’m not the only one as the following year they’re back at Dials, much higher up the line-up. A few months later they play at Icebreaker Festival, another local event with an inclusive billing, and this time they’re on the main stage at The Wedgewood Rooms. Last October, when there was a tiny window where socially distanced gigs could happen, I saw them headline Brighton Dome. You see how this works, it’s not rocket science. You wouldn’t put off having driving lessons because you couldn’t take your test on the first one, you shouldn’t avoid having a gender mix on your line-up because you may not have a headliner yet.

LibraLibra from the top at Dials 18, Dials 19, Icebreaker 20

Back at Icebreaker, someone I know mentions that they’re off down the road to see The Isle of CC. Again, I don’t know their music but I trust this person’s judgement so tag along. And again, am so glad I did as the soulful, immersive tunes and vocals leave me with a warm glow and remind me to move outside my obvious genre choices more often. Aside from making recommendations here, my point is that because those bookers bothered to vary the dynamic, they created better festivals for everyone with no debate about the talent on offer.

The Isle of CC, Icebreaker 20

But where are these women who could draw a crowd for the top spot? Well, tour ticket sales suggest that people will pay good money to see Kate Bush, PJ Harvey, Skunk Anansie, Nadine Shah and Paloma Faith to name a few. What’s that, some of those are hardly contemporary? May I present this year’s players… Duran Duran, Stereophonics, Snow Patrol, Liam Gallagher and yes, even Catfish and the bloody Bottlemen. Need to fill some spaces elsewhere on the bill? How about you let The Kooks and Scouting For Girls have a day off and call up Dry Cleaning, The Nova Twins, The Orielles, Grace Petrie and Celeste? (Am sticking with UK artists here as the decision as to whether international travel can happen any time soon is still, ironically, up in the air. If you add in overseas acts there’s loads more big names to mention).

As much as I don’t want to take away from the gender issue, it’s really important to also acknowledge the imbalance in other areas too. Where’s the POC representation, the LGBTQ+ acts, the disabled artists? If we’re fighting for equality let’s not lose sight of the wider picture. I love this clip of Bowie being interviewed on MTV back in the 80s and using the moment to raise the question of racial diversity on the station in the most beautifully eloquent way, a fine example of how we can all use our situation to influence change, even if it’s about something that doesn’t hold us back personally. You may well have seen it doing the rounds a while ago, it’s worth another watch.

In a world where you can be the interviewer, blaming the lack of diversity on others and convincing yourself it’s not your problem, or you can be David Bowie, seeing the reality of what goes on outside your privileged bubble and challenging the status quo… be more Bowie.

And who knows, if the big festival bookers took a positive lead on this and made some changes, maybe the doubters would see gender on stage – in all its glory being amazing and brilliant. Maybe they would still like what they like and it would include some brilliant new black artists they’d never had the good fortune to hear before. Maybe, as the artists became better known, they would draw more ticket sales and maybe festivals could book who’s available and on their wish list and it might reflect more than just white men whose 10 year old indie haircuts and parkas are starting to look just a little bit dated now. So yes, of course you should book musicians based on their talent, just please take your blinkers off first and see the vast range of talent that’s out there to choose from. We can all do better. We can all make it better. Words and photos by Siobhan 29th March 2021

New Music – Holiday Ghosts | Paul Jacobs | Barnaby Keen | Hooveriii

Posted in New Music, Review

New releases – Holiday Ghosts, Paul Jacobs, Barnaby Keen, Hooveriii

Holiday Ghosts – Off Grid (single)

Time to head off grid and have some fun with this track from Holiday Ghosts, a fine advert for upcoming album North Street Air. Quirky and full of escapism, the riffs and dual vocals are a refreshing take on ‘hard-won alone time in an always connected world’. With hints of Menace Beach and a nostalgia for simpler times, Off Grid offers up a few minutes reprieve from the mundane; great video too.

North Street Air will be released via FatCat Records on 21st May and is available for pre-order here.

Holiday Ghosts

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Paul Jacobs – Day to Day (single)

Perhaps best known as drummer with Pottery, Paul Jacobs is showcasing his pending solo album Pink Dogs on the Green Grass with a self-animated video for Day to Day. The track sees him reflecting on happy memories in suitably slacker-psych, laid back fashion.

Paul explains, “This song was inspired by a trip with friends during which we played at a festival near a river out in the woods. The experience stuck with us as one of the greatest times in our lives. The song is a reminder to live for today and shoot for your dreams”.

Pink Dogs on the Green Grass will be released in the UK on 11th June via Blow The Fuse Records; pre-order here.

Paul Jacobs

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Barnaby Keen – Lay Our Cards (single)

Lay Our Cards, the debut single from multi-instrumentalist Barnaby Keen certainly bodes well for the future. Crossing genres to produce a hazy track fusing fuzzy dream-pop and melodies ‘inspired by Latin American music and Dub’, Barnaby draws on his experience of working with other artists and forges it into his own combination of immersive sound.

Released on South London label Plum Cuts, Lay Our Cards is out now, you can purchase the single here.

Barnaby Keen

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Hooveriii – Erasure (single)

Ahead of excellently named album Water for the Frogs, Hooveriii have shared their latest track Erasure. While the title may call to mind Vince Clarke’s synth-pop of the 80s, this is more synth with attitude and a dose of garage-psych. Talking about the track, Hooveriii say, “Maybe the most sonically aggressive jam on the LP, Erasure is also the only love song. Originally demoed in a more straightforward fashion, but when Shaughnessy added the rhythmic toms it became more of a war chant. Big primitive energy, much like the destructive nature of love. The song also features wicked dueling sax and war cries from Gabe Flores & Gabe Salomón”. If someone’s offering to play you a love song, accept nothing less than this.

Water for the Frogs is due to be released on 9th April for The Reverberation Appreciation Society and can be pre-ordered here.

Hooveriii

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Words by Siobhan
Photos via Prescription PR, Silver PR, Chalk Press Agency, Cabin Fever Collective

26th March 2021

Interview – The Underground Youth

Posted in Interview, New Music

In their latest album ‘The Falling’ released last week, The Underground Youth have produced a collection of songs filled with depth and emotion. We caught up with Craig Dyer to ask what keeps the band moving in new directions musically, their ongoing partnership with Fuzz Club Records and life in Berlin… 

Hello, how are you all keeping – have you been able to see each other during the various stages of lockdown?

Yes, we’re well thank you. Keeping productive and staying positive etc. And yes we all keep in contact, we remain in each other’s ‘COVID bubble’, as they say.

Take us back to the early days, what was the catalyst that kick started The Underground Youth?

2008, I was writing some basic and fairly derivative poetry and trying to work the poems into songs using the few guitar chords I knew and the modest skills I’d taught myself in recording. It all developed from there, slowly and steadily, until we reached where we’re at today.

And how do you sustain that feeling that keeps you together and wanting to make new music?

I think that feeling has to come pretty naturally, you couldn’t force it, you know? But for me personally and for us as a band, we’ve never been happier than doing what we do, well, when we can eventually tour and actually do what we do again!

The songs on your new album The Falling manage to sound both dark and soft at the same time – what’s been the driving factor behind the record?

Lyrically, it’s an introspective record, from a personal place, I think there’s a darkness and a softness to writing in such a way. I think the driving factor was to explore this slightly different sound we’ve adopted on this record, string arrangements, more acoustic instrumentation. It’s fulfilling to work on a record in a different way.

Tell us the story behind one of the tracks.

Ok, Letter From A Young Lover is the final track on the album. Now it’s rare I sit at a piano to write a song but this one came out in that way. Lyrically the idea is quite light, the idea of having a written correspondence with a young version of myself, naive and yet to understand or appreciate love, it’s not so serious. The music is the complete opposite however, dark and dramatic, the clash of mood and context seems to make the song even more powerful.

You’re based in Berlin now, the instigator of much influential music over the years – does the environment or the music scene there impact on your writing?

I do find myself answering this question a lot and whilst of course the surroundings of where an artist lives do influence and inspire the art, that is true of anywhere you would decide to live and work. It seems more relevant to people when the city has a history or has been deemed influential on music in the past, we were always asked the same question about Manchester when we lived there. But the truth is I’d be just as inspired living in any other city and I can’t say in what way that would differ.

I loved Berlin when I was there but haven’t had a chance to go back in years, where would you recommend when things open up again – where are your favourite places to be?

Well the main hope is that everywhere can reopen once this is over, there’s a huge concern in the case of many bars and venues that the financial strain may prove too much for them to survive. But to be optimistic and put that thought aside, we’ll be looking forward to once again frequent our local bars, 8MM, Tomsky, I really miss being able to get a pint of Guinness. Museums, galleries, seeing small shows in cafes. There’s too many venues to mention, I think once live shows become a reality again there will be a huge surge in attendances, it’s going to be an interesting time.

What have you been listening to and watching through quarantine?

I guess I’ve been through different periods since the beginning, listening to a lot of old music, getting very nostalgic, music from my youth, a lot of hip hop, early punk, I also went through a period of buying a lot of jazz records. Watching a lot of movies, I don’t tend to indulge in many TV series but when I do I get really sucked in. I recently watched Adam Curtis’ new series. I’m a huge fan of his work.

The album is out on Fuzz Club Records – they’ve been putting out a great mix of artists, how did you get involved with them?

It was back in 2011, Casper (Fuzz Club) got in touch with me to ask if we had any of our albums available on vinyl. Now at the time I was just releasing the music for free online, so I told him no. He said he was thinking about starting up a record label and would love for our album Delirium to be the first record they put out. So we did it, he flew over to Manchester from Norway and we signed a contract and we’ve been releasing music and have been great friends ever since.

And where do we go from here – do you have hopes and plans for the coming year?

I think our biggest hope at this point is for live music to return. We have a European tour booked for later in the year and with any hope we’ll actually be able to do it.

The Falling is out now on Fuzz Club Records – you can purchase the album here or from your local independent.

Interview by Siobhan
Photos by Miriam Marlene Waldner (header) and Laura Cherry Grove

16th March 2021

IWD 2021 – Kara Brown, Tiny Changes

Posted in IWD 2021, Music Charity

Tiny Changes was founded in memory of much loved and respected  musician and artist Scott Hutchison. Best known as vocalist with Frightened Rabbit, and involved in numerous other projects, Scott inspired many people with his music, words and illustrations; the charity takes its name from his lyric in the song Heads Roll Off, “While I’m alive, I’ll make tiny changes to Earth”. His family launched the charity to support initiatives that improve the mental health of children and young people. For our final feature this for International Women’s Day, it’s been a pleasure to speak to the newly appointed CEO of Tiny Changes, Kara Brown…

How are you, where have you been spending lockdown?

I’m ok, but this past month has been tough and sure I’m not the only one feeling like that. I’m based in Edinburgh, Scotland and I feel very grateful to have the sea, hills, forests and rivers on my doorstep. Being outside has made life in a pandemic easier.

Tiny Changes is such an important project, how did you get involved?

I’ve been involved in Tiny Changes for over a year now. I worked with Bon Iver as a charity partner on the Scottish leg of their 2017 tour, met Jaye Hutchison at one of the gigs, and we stayed in touch. She’s great at spotting people’s potential and supporting other women, which is how I first got involved in Tiny Changes. I’m one of so many inspired by Scott Hutchison, his art and music, and his family’s vision to help young minds feel better.

Can you tell us a little about your role as CEO?

As we’re a small team, I do a little bit of everything – from writing our annual budget to chatting with our funded charities about their work. We’re building a community of tiny change makers and trying to raise half a million pounds for young people’s mental health over the next couple of years.

What have been the most satisfying achievements so far for you at Tiny Changes?

The online music festival we ran in lockdown was my 2020 highlight. Tiny Gigs was a huge amount of work and it was also one of the most fun, moving things I’ve ever been part of. We raised over £20,000 for young people’s mental health. It was important to us to have a diverse line up; so many music festivals don’t. We worked with artists from around the world, different ages, genders and music genres and over 70,000 people watched Frank Turner’s closing gig. Tiny Gigs was a rare time of ‘togetherness’ in a difficult and disconnected year.

And what’s the hardest part of your role?

I’d like to show that it’s possible to be just as productive and creative, if not more, in less than five days a week. Being a CEO in four days is hard; I’m challenging the status quo, there’s always more work that can be done, and social media is bubbling away 24/7.

You’re also a part of the National Advisory Council on Women and Girls, what does that involve?

I’m one of 17 women appointed by First Minister Nicola Sturgeon to form an independent Advisory Council to help drive forward action to tackle gender inequality in Scotland. We’ve met a few times a year since 2017, listened to over 1,200 people and organisations, and published three sets of recommendations for the FM. One example of how we’ve influenced change is the Scottish Government’s new Equality, Inclusion & Human Rights Directorate and appointment of Madhu Malhotra as the first ever Director.

Who would you shout out as strong female influences in your life?

The closest strong woman to me is my Mum. I’ve learned so much from her knowledge in art psychotherapy and just the way she is too. My early feminist mentors were Ranjana Kumari, Nyaradzayi Gumbonzvanda and Fatou Baldeh – key figures in the women’s movements in India, Africa and on a global stage. I owe so much to them and they continue to light the way for younger women. They’re worth a Google!

Top: With Fatou | Bottom: With Nyaradzayi

And lastly, what’s the best advice you could give to young girls with business ambitions?

Take your own advice. What would you tell your friends and people you love? The answers you’re looking for are already within you and you know yourself better than anyone.

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You can find more about Tiny Changes on their website and follow their socials here: Facebook | Instagram | Twitter 

The rest of our IWD 2021 series can be viewed here

12th March 2021

IWD 2021 – Jennifer Mullins Photography

Posted in IWD 2021, Photography

Header shot: Love

Over the last year, we’ve featured photography, reviews and interviews from Phoenix based Jennifer Mullins. Her contributions are always from the heart and show her love of the worlds of music and photography. And so, it’s lovely to have her involved in our International Women’s Day series, passing on the poignant story of how she ended up behind the camera and the solace it has brought…


Serenity

The Transformative Power of Photography

I began my journey in photography when I met my future husband.  Mike had a lot of camera equipment and tremendous patience as he taught me how to shoot with film and the right settings to use. I soon developed a passion for expressing myself creatively through this medium, even placing second in a northern New York competition. I continued exploring photography after our marriage, but it waned once I had my kids. Then it was more focused on family photos.

On March 13, 2012, Mike died of an accidental opioid overdose, something he’d been struggling with for a long time. I was absolutely devastated by his death and realized that the world was no longer solid. I discovered the Desert Botanical Garden (Phoenix, AZ), a place where I had some serenity, and I could breathe again. I soon bought a digital camera and began taking it with me when I would go there. Photography gave me respite from the grief that I was walking through, even if it was the short time that I was looking through the viewfinder.

Desert Botanical Garden

Over time, I began to spend more time photographing nature, discovering Arizona’s beauty, and learning techniques through online courses and videos that helped me become a better photographer. I learned from my mistakes, such as setting my ISO too high on a bright day while hiking and having nothing but blown-out shots to show for it.

Top: Solace in the Woods
Bottom: Fire on  the Mountain 

My focus in photography took a 180 degree turn when I began photographing my son, Alex, who is a musician. Suddenly, I was shooting in low-light venues without a flash and learning how to shoot with a high ISO. I was very fortunate to meet wonderful young women photographers who encouraged me to shoot in manual mode, showed me which settings to use, and gave me tips for editing the finished photos. Soon I was traveling to different venues around Phoenix to see my son and other local bands. I also became the photographer for the Phoenix Film Festival four years ago, which brought me into the world of indie films and filmmakers.

Alex Mullins

Sydney Sprague & Danielle Durack harmonizing

First Aid Kit

Coyote Tango

Since Mike’s death, my world has expanded so much. I’ve met so many wonderful musicians, photographers and enjoyed the intimacy of hearing live music in clubs. One night when I was driving home from a show, I realized how full circle my life had come. I met Mike when he played a coffee-house at Syracuse University and felt connected to him through his original music. Now I’m using the gift of photography that he gave me to capture the world of music and many other subjects and growing in creative ways that I never dreamed of doing at this stage in my life. Photography proved to be a pathway to healing.

Hands at Work

Words and photos © Jennifer Mullins: Website | Instagram 

The rest of our IWD 2021 series can be viewed here

12th March 2021