• Classic Album: The Band – Music From Big Pink

    July 9, 2013 - By 

    You go outside. The sun is warm on your face, and you smile at the sounds of nature that surround you – the singing of the birds, the wind through the trees, the rushing of the river. You sit down upon the warm grass, and you consider that God is good. You chop some firewood. You do some whittling. Then you go and plug in your electric guitar, turn to Bob Dylan and say, “Let’s cut it.” Without a doubt, there was something very strange going on in the rustic backwater of Woodstock in upstate New York. To this day,…

  • Festival Mixtape: Glasgowbury 2013

    July 8, 2013 - By 

    An annual celebration of local musical talent like no other, Glasgowbury Festival returns to the Sperrin mountains this year with arguably its finest line-up to date. Headlined by the globetrotting, genre-defining The Answer, And So I Watch You From Afar and The Japanese Popstars, there is an absolute wealth of homegrown talent littered throughout this year’s line-up – a two-day event for the first time in its thirteen year history. Excited as we are about this year’s showcase, we’ve put together a fifteen-song Spotify playlist featuring songs from some of the finest acts playing this year’s festival – everyone from cello-wielding songstress…

  • Post-Glastonbury Blues: A Diary

    July 8, 2013 - By 

    I’m writing this from my bitter pit of despair. Post-Glastonbury Blues will one day be a recognised as a legitimate illness and I know that there are 180,000 people feeling as horrific as I am today. Our beautiful festival has ended and the reality of the 9-5 has sunk in. Strangers don’t high five you on the way to the loo, there’s no warm cider on the canteen menu and I’m pretty sure my boss will frown upon me standing on my desk and screaming “I LOVE YOU GLASTONBURY” every so often. 2013 was to be different from other years…

  • Instatour: Girls Names

    July 6, 2013 - By 

    In this, the sixth installment of Instatour, Belfast four-piece Girls Names give us an insight into their travels across the States and Europe over the last few months by sharing some of their favourite photos taken on the road. Seriously, at least just check out the shot of them standing in front of Mont Blanc. Toweringly awesome.

  • Interview: The Melvins

    July 2, 2013 - By 

    Having spent the last three decades consistently reaffirming and reinventing themselves as one of the boldest and most thoroughly influential bands of all time, the Melvins have recently released the excellently-titled – genuinely impressive – Everybody Loves Sausage, a covers album featuring renditions of songs by acts as tastefully disparate as Throbbing Gristle and David Bowie. With their 30th Anniversary Tour just around the corner, we speak to the band’s legendary drummer Dale Crover about the release, the band’s quarter of century reigning as the unequivocal Godfathers of Grunge and much more besides. Eighteen genre-spanning full-length albums and several bassists into their…

  • Classic Album: Metallica – Kill ‘Em All

    June 28, 2013 - By 

    You feel it building in your muscles, a tension crying for release.  Your fists clench, and your feet move. The strain spreads into your back, snaking up your spine. Before you know it, you’re thrusting your head forwards, pulling sharply back, your hair flailing. “BANG YOUR HEAD AGAINST THE STAGE, LIKE YOU NEVER DID BEFORE, MAKE IT RING, MAKE IT BLEED, MAKE IT REALLY SORE!” And you’re gone, lost in wild abandon, part of something primal and bigger than yourself. This is 1983, and you are a fan of the greatest thrash metal band the world has ever seen: Metallica. From…

  • Malibu Shark Attack

    June 27, 2013 - By 

    Tucked into a corner of Weaver’s Court Business Park are Studios 2 and 3 of Start Together. Control room, recording booths, a treasure trove of sound equipment – this is Rocky O’Reilly’s manor, the place where the one-time Oppenheimer man, and production maestro, has helped deliver a dizzying array of music. Sitting in his favourite seat, the one beside the mixing console, Rocky has invited me here to tell me about his latest endeavour, Malibu Shark Attack. There is reason to be intrigued. First off, it’s the first band he’s been a part of since Oppenheimer called it quits in…

  • Instatour: Jonny Scott

    June 24, 2013 - By 

    Currently based in Glasgow, Jonny Scott is a drummer and musician acting as a session player both live and in the studio for The Kills, Chvrches and Human Don’t Be Angry. He is also a founding member of the band Olympic Swimmers, who’s debut album No Flags Will Fly was released in 2012 to much critical acclaim and saw the group on tour with fellow Scots band, Admiral Fallow. He shares his instagram photos from on the road and recording with the various bands, his days off and a peep inside renowned film maker David Lynch’s rider.

  • Dan Hegarty: Sound & Vision

    June 24, 2013 - By 

    There are lost albums, those that should have made their way to ears all over the world, but for what ever reason didn’t. Explosive from Cork band The Shades was released to critical applause nine years ago. Rather than getting any further into what might or should have been right now, take a listen to this gem, and treat yourself by streaming/downloading it for free below. Explosive lp (Free Download) by The Shades In true rock n’ roll fashion Kodaline launched their debut album, In A Perfect World, on a boat last Thursday. On the same day, they also found…

  • Under Cover: Dorje de Burgh

    June 19, 2013 - By 

    In this week’s Under Cover, Loreana Rushe talks to Dorje de Burgh, the photographer behind I am the Cosmos debut album cover for Monochrome. He discusses his vast influences, along with writer and curator Padraic E. Moore’s involvement and how positive it is to be part of a thriving artistic community in Dublin. Hi Dorje. Tell us a little bit about yourself.  I take photographs, live and work in Dublin and despite having talked about moving away since I was 19 am currently enjoying it very much. Failed musician. Big reader. How did you create this album cover? I’m lucky enough…