Introducing - Outblinker and organising a DIY European tour

Introducing - Outblinker

Being in a DIY band can be a whole heap of fun; hanging with your friends, creating music, playing, making new friends and fans, a festival here, a radio session there.....

There also incredible challenges and tough decisions to make - is it worthwhile travelling to play a show in Inverness, losing money and playing to 20 people? Can we all get time off to go on tour? Can we afford to go on tour? How do we organise a tour?!

Chris Cusack is the booker for independent venue Bar BLOC in Glasgow, helping bands from all over come to play in Glasgow. Chris is also in Outblinker; a fiercely independent band that have the ability and vision to create cinematic psychedelic grooves that take the listener on a journey.

The band are about to head off on a European tour to promote their forthcoming The Remains Of Walter Peck EP. In the meantime they have released a cover version of the Neu! song Halogallo.

The cover version is available to download at a price you name. The proceeds will go to Marie Curie under the guise of the Human Is Not Alone project - set up in memory of Robbie Cooper.

Robbie is someone I was introduced to by his great friend Chris. His intelligence, wit, charm, humour and views on life, death and the universe won me over in no time. Sadly Robbie passed away after a brave fight against a very rare and aggressive form of cancer. It is safe to say that Robbie is someone I will never forget.

You can view the video for Halogallo below.

I caught up with Chris to find out how the hell your organise a DIY European tour. Tour dates at the bottom.

1. You have an extensive European tour booked. How hard is it to organise something like this as a DIY band? Who helped? How long did it take? (all one massive question really)

Hi Murray. Yeah this will be our longest European trip, even factoring in some of mine and David's previous act Hey Enemy's bigger outings. It is of course very time consuming to organise these things and can often feel like a full time job in itself when you're in the eye of the storm. We started planning this together around February then it began to take shape in earnest in mid-August. I started the process and Luigi joined when things got serious. Meanwhile the other guys in the band handled peripheral things like bank accounts, insurance and boring stuff I couldn't face.

2. What do you enjoy about ‘being on the road’ the most?

Being on the road in Europe is, for me, without a doubt the highlight of being involved in music. Over 15 years I (and we) have forged some very strong friendships in other countries and it is really akin to visiting family. The European underground has a strong sense of community and it's a lovely feeling to draw up outside a bar 1000 miles away and have familiar faces walk out to give you a hug.

I'm also lucky enough to be in a group of good people with a real nice internal dynamic. It's a pleasure to spend time with the guys in Outblinker and that makes the entire process infinitely easier. I am well aware that this is frequently not how it plays out in bands. Stuck in a van for hours. Cabin fever. Personal space. Many a musical project has met it's match on the road and torn itself apart on returning. I've watched it happen first hand.

3. What are the challenges?

As I say, one challenge is being considerate and establishing good understanding between the members. Making sure everyone plays their part and respects the others. That can take time and frequently needs to be learned the hard way, but all of the best touring acts have ultimately had to forge a viable dynamic through communication and understanding to have any chance of lasting when crammed into each other's company for weeks at a time.

Outblinker's tour van - any room for the band?!

On a practical level, as regards booking, timing is key. it pays to get your plans in place early (as I say, for us we began discussing a November tour in February, making sure everyone was happy and fully committed). However many DIY promoters often cannot commit to solid bookings until much closer to the tour date. So it pays to try get a basic routing or spine of shows in place securing anyone who is comfortable booking well ahead, then being sure to have everything ready to go (bios, riders, online resources) when the "sweet spot" come around. For DIY tours that is usually between 12 and 8 weeks before departure. Activity in that window is frantic as you build a coherent route and swap dates, juggle options etc.

There is usually a final burst of activity which involves trying to fill any conspicuous gaps afterwards. Most early stages of booking tours will result in one or two unplanned holes. Certainly days off are vital, but too many gaps and it takes a toll on the finances (not to mention making for long journeys and musical rust). So between 8 and 4 weeks there will usually be a bit of last-minute horse-trading to get the remaining gaps filled, perhaps by joining existing shows or asking a couple of the existing promoters to put the word out on your behalf.

After 4-weeks, it's really just getting your equipment ready, your transport nailed and anything else is covered.

4. What advice would you give to other bands/artists looking to do something similar?

My advice would be engage with as many other DIY acts as frequently as possible. Unless you get very lucky or have powerful allies, these tours only really work by building up a network of contacts based on mutual respect and philosophy. So for example, helping put touring acts you like in touch with reliable local promoters, putting up posters, sharing online events within a scene you understand - basically acting as feet on the ground for bands looking to visit a foreign country - is an invaluable and greatly appreciated service.

Certainly touring bands will be all too familiar with cold-calling hundreds of venues and promoters when attempting to organise a tour but the response rate generally hovers between 10-20% if you are lucky. There is a much greater strike rate when you have someone who is knowledgeable about that specific territory putting you in touch with people more likely to be interested in your show. it saves the band/booker masses of time (and emotional energy) and ultimately creates a reciprocal sense of good will when time comes for you to visit their homeland.

By all means, when looking to build your touring network, speak to other bands in your area or genre who have  toured ina similar fashion and ask if they can share any good contact lists. At any one time there are generally a set of these lists being shared round the continent between bands on the various scenes. Each time being modified and augmented as new people share them and time passes.

5. Where are you looking forward to playing the most?

As much as it is nice to play fancy venues - our show in Barcelona with Zu is especially appealing - some of the best times I can remember touring were in the most unlikely of locations, such as Le Cave in Chadenet or Lakaxita in Irun. This time around, we are returning to Le Pakebot in Chadron. A tiny village in the hills of France. Last time we played people had driven for hours to get to the concert and we bothdined and slept in the same building as much of the crowd afterwards. It was a real community effort.

Also, at one point during the show, I looked out the window of the venue and saw a herd of cattle being herded down the main road past the venue, a few looking in at the noise. We were in the middle of nowhere. The place was packed and full of good vibes. That was pretty surreal and also pretty great.


6. What can people expect from your shows?

Our shows are certainly loud, but grounded in a lot of melody so I hope people can expect as much euphoria as catharsis. Whilst we have a number of songs carefully rehearsed, we also have a large amount of room for improvisation which means each concert is slightly different and in turn reflects it's environment. In a room that responds to heavier parts, we might take these large sections in that Sunn0))) direction. On a more electronic night, we might get a bit more Aphex Twin. In that way the crowd help dictate the show.

In real terms, the music is expansive, pretty trippy and psychedelic, with some cool lights, a love of smoke machines, and one big (hopefully) seamless performance.

7. All the proceeds from the single are going to charity. Can you tell us about this?

Yeah the new single - a cover of Hallogallo by Neu! -was intended to elp promote the tour a bit and is effectively dedicated to "Walter Peck", the deceased protagonist of our current EP ("The Remains of Walter Peck"). It's a typically sprawling space-voyage of a song, as illustrated by the video that is coming out to join it. We tried to stay reasonably faithful to the original version for the first half of the tune but then take it into our own back garden for it's conclusion. Make it something much more authentically "Outblinker". 

The single will be "name your price" on Bandcamp and that money will go via the Human Is Not Alone project that was set up to fund the work of Marie Curie Cancer Care. Something close to our hearts and with subtle relevance to the subject matter that we will let remain a mystery.

Introducing - Gerry Cinnamon

Gerry Cinnamon has been kicking around the Scottish music scene for a number of years. I first caught him live with his band The Cinnamons when my friends (also from Castlemilk) in Sonny Marvello suggested them for a support act away back in 2009.

Gerry shaked, shimmied and owned the stage in Stereo that night and then promptly went AWOL for a few days.  His personality, humour and love of music shone through then. It burns even brighter now.

Part of the reason for the fire burning brighter is the fact that so many people have fallen in love with him. His confidence is sky high. A lot of that stems from the incredible reaction to his song Hope Over Fear that he posted online shortly before the Scottish Independence referendum. Gerry went viral.

The reaction led to Gerry headlining rallies and been invited to play all over Scotland. With a growing catalogue of his own songs and a steady supply of cover versions thanks to considerable time spent hosting open mic nights - Gerry won hearts and minds with his political views, twinkle in his eye and his songs from the heart for the people. I look forward to his forthcoming album.

I couldn't make his show at the ABC but my friend Ryan (also from Catlemilk) kindly offered to write a guest blog review.

Gerry Cinnamon: O2 ABC, Glasgow. Friday 4^th November 2016

There’s a buzz in the air. From the bus stops of Castlemilk Drive and the back seats of every taxi leaving the scheme right up to the queue outside the O2 ABC that extends round the corner and up the hill.

I didn’t manage get a ticket when they went on sale. They sold out in less than a week, making him the first unsigned act to ever do so. I had to rely on my ever-reliable source for tickets, who managed to sort me out at the 11^th hour. He has asked that he remain anonymous. Cheers John.

I first met Gerry 15 years ago at a music night in Castlemilk. He appeared quiet and shy, stood there in his AC Milan tracksuit watching the band that was sound checking. I’d heard he was a local boy who was writing songs and he was due to play a few of them on the night but he was nervous. “I haven’t brought my guitar”, he said. I offered him mine but he said, “Na, it’s ok.”  He didn’t play that night.

Fast-forward 15 years and it’s a far cry from the shy, introverted teenager, too timid to take the stage that night. I don’t know him personally but I’ve followed his career with interest since then, from the low-fi days of The Cinnamons to critical acclaim as a solo artist.

On stage now stands showman, able to melt your heart with a love song or smash you in the face with a chorus. There’s a rawness about his act and an honesty in his songs that comes from the heart. That’s why we’re all here.

We arrive at the venue in good time. Outside, a sea of people stand patiently; either waiting to get in or trying to punt a ticket for three times the face value.

Either way, the buzz has intensified. Some folk are chanting his name in the lobby or singing the odd chorus here and there. Following another successful appearance at T in the Park and winning Best Live Act at the Scottish Alternative Music Awards people know what they’re coming to see.

There’s a friendly atmosphere around the place; handshakes and hugs all round, sometimes the occasional nod. It’s like when you meet someone on holiday and you recognise their face and your mind is blown and instantly become their best fuckin’ pal, for the duration of the holiday at least, even though you walk past them in the street every other day. It was that kind of vibe.

Over 1400 are people packed into the main room of the O2 ABC. It’s a good night to be a housebreaker in Castlemilk as half of its population is in Sauchihall St. As usual, the front is crammed with people eager to get as close as they can to the madness. The lights dim and so starts the chanting: “GERRY CINNAMON, CINNAMON, GERRY CINNAMON. NA NANANA NA NA NA NA NA”

As the intro video plays on a huge screen above the stage, a silhouetted Gerry walks on stage to a wall of noise from the crowd. There’s a pause as he appears to take it all in. Then he gets down to business. From the opening beats of Gerry’s Lullaby it was clear that everyone in the room was strapped in and ready for the ride.  Here we…

Sing me to sleep. Sing me a love song. Sing me a lullaby.

What follows is a blistering 80-minute set. The sound generated by one man, a guitar, a loop pedal and a harmonica is incredible. The crowd, lost in the moment, passionately sings back every word of every song. And they mean it too. Every syllable.

It’s hard to believe that his album hasn’t even been finished yet.

The opening guitar riff of Sometimes, a favourite of those who followed The Cinnamons, is belted out note by note by the crowd. A life long friend of mine leans into me and says, “This song just reminds me of my weekends.” Yes, Barry, you and 1,399 other people mate. From here on in it’s any man (and woman) for themselves.

“Can I have two pints, mate”

“We’ve got Tennents or Carling.”

“Doesn’t matter mate. They’re just for throwing.”

“ £10.60 please.”

As the night went on the crowd grew with every track.  The number of drinks being thrown and people on shoulders began to multiply, as did the decibels.

Dead Man’s Shoes and War Song Soldier caused further chaos. The former a single released by The Cinnamons, the latter a harmonica driven folk song that Dylan would have written had he grown up in a scheme in Glasgow.

Gerry is joined on stage by Calum Frame for a rendition of Fickle McSelfish, a personal favourite of mine. Lyrically beautiful and peppered with self-deprecation, every man can relate to it. And if you can’t, you’re a fuckin’ liar.

“Then she grabbed on my hair, bit on my lip ‘til in bled.

Fuck the notion of living without you, I’d rather be dead.”

New track She’s A Belter is a love song, so warmly received it sounds like a new fan’s favorite already, even though it’s never been recorded. Its Irish folk song melody and Glaswegian lyrics makes it instantly lovable.

“She is a gangster, with a 100 mile stare. When she walks her feet don’t touch the flair.”

Diamonds In The Mud slows things down. It has a sound of nostalgia that lifts halfway through. It feels like storytelling at it’s most personal.

Single Kampfire Vampire is a highlight of the set. The harmonica solo and aggressive guitar playing bring the audience up a notch again. It becomes an anthem before the harmonica outro bring the audiences hands in the air to show their appreciation. It’s becoming hard to keep up.

“Schools, run by fools. Leave to get education.”

The encore closes with a cover that seems close to Gerry’s heart, Caledonia. One last sing-along before the curtain falls and the crowd leave knowing they’ve seen something special. One of those nights you’ll be saying in years to come, “I was there.”

Gerry discredits music industry ‘vampires’ and encourages people to “Build their own bonfires.” Some might say that Gerry’s built his own bonfire.

I disagree.

It’s more of an active volcano and it’s ready to erupt.

So, what’s next for Gerry Cinnamon? With the album on it’s way and the small matter of some high profile support slots I can’t see this train coming off the tracks. The people are behind him and they want more.

Jools Holland? The Barrowlands?

Who knows? All I know is, based on what we’ve witnessed tonight, whatever the future holds, it’ll be fuckin’ chaos.

Ryan Davidson.

It's All Gone To F**k by Stanley Odd

The State's inspiring hate

Something I conspire to break

It's all gone to f**k

What a crazy week! I was waiting to see if a band would come out with a political song and I've been rewarded with It's All Gone To F**k by Stanley Odd.

The song was written and recorded a few months ago, debuted live at the Stag and Dagger Festival in May. Released today, a week after the UK voted to leave the European Union, it perfectly captures the feeling by many across the country, especially in Scotland.

This isn't the first time Stanley Odd have commented on the state of the country or the world. In fact it's pretty much what they do, although things went viral in 2014 with the release of the beautifully poignant and soulful Son I Voted Yes. Listening to it now sends shivers down my spine.

In somewhat typical Scottish fashion, the hip hop outfit from Edinburgh (via Airdrie and Largs) get straight to the point with the  title and Veronika Electronika (great name) led chorus that starts off with gentle guitars before a pulsating electro synth bass comes in.

Solareye (Dave Hook) leads the listener on a merry dance and he skips through the verses with speed, wit, force and intelligence.

The third chorus (after the second verse) picks up speed, the bass and beats kick in along with energetic electric guitars and Solareye joining in with Veronika. It's playful and it sure as hell makes a statement.

A stunning film with drawing and animation by Kirsty Marquis accompanies the song and the film cleverly makes it own comment on the world, tying in superbly with Stanley Odd.

I look forward to catching Stanley Odd live in the near future. Odd??? Not really - honest, intelligent, funny, soulful and speaking from the heart - yeah. Maybe it is everyone else that is odd :-)

Check the amazing video here and the lyrics below. It's All Gone To Fuck is out now on iTunes, Amazon and Spotify. Keep an eye on the bands Facebook page for live dates.

A rusty nail on a stick tae beat yi wi the irony

Forget the rivalry I took some time tae hibernate

Look lively mate. I’m trying tae be alive again

Hi – I’m Dave. I’m the hardest guy in the library

Don’t lie to me. Any questions fire away

I’m higher than a guy in a spire of skyward ivory

Highrise wi me. Fly away while sirens rage 

My touch is Midas-y with Golden Age variety

Drying ma eyes matey wi Mike Skinner’s Original Piracy

While piloting this hovercraft silently through cyberspace

Is that Matrix reference? Is this in the test professor?

I’m having a get together, all aboard the Nebuchadnezzar

Nae pressure, through the iris of a violent age

Any cunt fancy playing eye spy wi me?

Revolutions coming, no time for lies and games

The State’s inspiring hate, something I conspire tae break

I tried in vein the day tae keep ma eyes on the prize again 

But ma resolve dies when Beyonce shakes her thighs at me

I’ll write the slogans if you and yir mate buy the paint

Never plan tae buy cocaine but I’m easily swayed like Simon Says

I’ve got a sweet tooth but no saccharine in my refrain

Couldnae gie a flying fuck who Alan Sugar fired the day

Even if I utter a stutter I’d still defy an amaze

Here by the way it’d be nice nob’dy had tae die diddy died the day

I watched Inner Space and invented a giant ray

Miniaturised ma mate and then fried him in the microwave

Full ae cider I drew on a tigers face

Then went out tae paint the town violet when the giro came

What lies in wait? For live debate I tried to enlighten some right-wing apes 

Took ma time to state the case for peace, immigration and climate change

But they were more intae inciting hate 

With Solareye restrained and crucified on a Formica stage

The Insomniac Project

In And Out (of My Head) is the debut single by new Scottish band The Insomniac Project and it deserves your attention - remarkably fresh and polished, upbeat and flowing superbly with euphoric male and female vocals.

The band themselves describe it as disco infused electronic pop - and I can't argue with that description and I probably can't top it either!

There is a sense of urgency to the verses that is taken further when the female vocals kick in, but then when you listen to the song a few times in a row it kind of feels like there are 3 or 4 different choruses - it is just constant; flowing superbly, building all the time and keeping things going with cowbell and little twists and turns - bringing in guitar, adding more synths. A brilliant debut.

The Insomniac Project play only their fourth show (and first real official show) at Nice n Sleazys on Friday 4th September, so if you want to get into a band with huge potential from the off then you could do a lot worse than The Insomniac Project.

If In And Out (of My Head) is the shape of things to come then I am in for the ride. It is available on i-Tunes and all the regular places on 31st August. Get a note in your diary.

Miss You by Velveteen Saints

Miss You is the latest song to be released by Velveteen Saints, one of my current favourite bands on the Glasgow/Scottish unsigned/DIY scene.

Velveteen Saints stand out for me for a number of reasons; they are 4 young lads with guitars and attitude who have excellent taste in music (embracing The Clash and The Marychain for starters) and they look they are having the time of their lives when they play live on stage. They can fly through guitar punk pop tunes crammed with melodies, hooks and a raw edge in well under 3-minutes.

That raw edge is what makes them stand out. They are not over produced, they are one of the few 'guitar' bands that are not using synths or keyboards. The electric guitars are to the fore.

Miss You is just over 150 seconds of beautiful thrashy guitar punk pop. Steaming in from the opening riff and snarls, hitting the chorus at just under 30-seconds. They pack a lot in, even managing a guitar solo/instrumental before hammering home the chorus.

Oh my love I still miss you

And oh my love I still care for you

And oh my love I can't go on

Feeling, as I do

The band are keen to build momentum following early promise that led to supports with The Charlatans and a European tour with The View who are real champions of the band. Miss You is released as a download only single via iTunes and follows on from Postcards from Rome, their official debut single available on very limited 7-inch vinyl via local label Dead Beet Records.

The band play Broadcast on Thursday 29th January as part of Independent Venue Week.

BLOC

As a follow up to my blog on the re-opening of BLOC I wanted to delve a little deeper into the philosophy of the bar and their music policy in particular. I caught up with Chris Cusack who is the booker for the venue.


1. In terms of music- what does BLOC stand for?
BLOC stands for independent music of all forms. We are as inclusive as possible, hopefully without being inconsistent. We focus on the DIY touring circuit which usually involves live bands and that means a slight bias towards rock and indie, but there is plenty good electro, metal, classical, folk and even hip hop when we can get it.

In terms of general philosophy, we want to provide support for musicians looking to exist as sustainable entities outwith the machinations of mainstream music promotion where money not quality overwhelmingly dictates who and what succeeds to the exclusion of anyone unwilling to compromise their ethics.
Bit of a mouthful but that's the idea.


2. How important have your own experiences of playing in bands been to shaping that philosophy? Care to share any good/bad? 
My own experiences in touring bands (and as the founder of my own DIY record label) have been key to the way BLOC operates. I picked the best aspects of DIY promotion, from my experiences on the continent in particular, and tried to build a system that was realistic for a small business but extremely fair to the acts that perform for us. I wish we could pay double what we do. They deserve so much more. But it is a start and the details (food, drinks, free promo, funding zines etc) all contribute to the sense of investment in the acts and promoters we host.

As for my own experiences, I have had many, both good and bad. Some hilariously so. The most infamous of which - that actually saw me invited to write a chapter for a book published by Cambridge University on the pitfalls of independent music - found me and my bandmates trapped in Prague for 4 days with no transport and our written-off van and equipment in a lock-up surrounding by angry looking dogs and men in greasy vests.

On the flipside, driving across Spanish flatlands, through miles of sunflowers in France or up mountain roads watching a full moon reflect off frozen lakes have all been truly breathtaking. Unloading a van in the French countryside whilst a family of wolves howled in the field next to us was fun. Ach there are so many. This barely scratches the surface. Plus some of them are not entirely PG so probably best kept hush-hush.



3. You have regularly attracted big names for secret/not so secret shows. What is the attraction to them?
The attraction to BLOC for big names is the ability to actually engage with their audience in the most intimate way imagineable. Live music these days is so often entirely soulless. it focuses on light shows and live production and is closer to a circus than a gig. One big, gaudy, flickering distraction to sell beers and tshirts set to music designed for sync-deals in advertising. 


Amidst that mulch, there are genuine, organic outfits that managed to break through and a lot of those acts came from humble beginnings and in some ways miss the buzz of a crowd screaming in their face from less than a foot away.


In the same vein, we are lucky enough that many of the acts who pass through our doors and go on to become succesful keep us in mind and are only too happy to return our good faith. Frightened Rabbit, PAWS, Twin Atlantic and more are good examples of this. It takes a certain kind of mentality to want to do that though. An understanding of why music is so exciting the more directly you communicate. A realisation of how much truer the art is the fewer middlemen and production staff are inserted into the process. Certainly some bands just don't get that. We have found that out in the past. We asked if they were interested and they were very much of the opinion "We can play big places now. Why would we play a small one?" So yeah. It's a mentality thing.

4. Variety is the spice of life and BLOC offers an incredibly eclectic array of nights and music. Did this come about naturally or was it your goal from the start?
Yeah as I said at the beginning, we aim to be inclusive. Personally I get turned off by venues that only book in one narrow field of music. They become like gang-huts. The same faces. The same sounds. It all gets stale and introverted.

I am not going to pretend that I enjoy the music of every band we put on, but I have worked hard at developing an ear for the quality of the music. I might not listen to much in the way of, say, folk music, but I absolutely make an effort to tell when someone does a good job of it. It helps that we work with so many promoters who have more developed ears for specifc genres. That was on purpose. These people are experts in their style and having them on board keeps the quality high but the styles diverse.

5. Are old favourites like Slow Club, TYCI and Blochestra returning? Any new nights?
Yeah those will all still be in the calendar. We have nurtured every one of those from its inception. And yes there will be a number of newer nights like TariboWest and REPEATER. We also have a few fresh ideas lined up for 2015.

Blochestra

6. I believe the sound system has had a severe upgrade. Can you share the spec? What other improvements have been made?
The sound system has been upgraded but, without being too technical, it's more in the realms of the out-board and mics. To make it more user friendly, especally for bands that bring their own engineer. We had the PA system upgraded quite recently and in truth it is beyond the necessary rating required for the venue which means we can afford not to push anything or endanger the speakers by running too hot. The new outboard is just another stage in our ongoing determination to keep the facilities evolving. We have also improved the DJ set up and equipment. But that is far from "job done". When the chance arrives, we will look to replace these again with better or newer items. It's an ongoing project.

7. BLOC has been the scene of some mental nights; the recent We Are Scientists/Paws show looked incredible. How did that come about?
That came about for a lot of the reasons mentioned previously. Specifically the guys in PAWS, who have played for us many times, were touring with We Are Scientists and suggested it to them. They accepted and the rest is history. It was a pretty spectacular event and the guys in both bands were as down to Earth as we had hoped. Again, it takes that mentality to enjoy a tiny show like that when you are used to playing The Barras. A certain lack of pretention. It is refreshing to encounter that in succesful bands and WAS were as friendly and down-to-Earth as you will meet. it goes without saying that the guys from PAWS are not easily sucked in by that minor celebrity bullshit.

8. What’s your favourite choice off the new food menu?
I have to admit, the boys in the kitchen have really taken it to the next level with some of the new stuff. I pride myself on my spice tolerance (because I am an idiot probably) and thus the Balkan 176 burger was pretty exciting - and surprisingly challenging. It really is pretty bloody intense.

But for flavour, I would say that perhaps the Cuban bagel is hard to beat, though the burgers have been selling like crazy. I don't know man. That is easily the hardest question yet. I love food. Dammit.

Okay. The Cuban Bagel. No. Wait. The Cashew Crunch.

The Durty Burger - try it!

9. Bloc has also branched out into a label. What releases do you have coming up?
We have a couple of albums in the pipeline, including Felix Champion's debut near the end of the year. Those guys are a genuinely dedicated, hard-working group of young guys and seeing the effort they have put in to pursuing their band we were only too happy to be able to help them fund the release.

In the immediate future we have another compilation of Scottish acts. To be precise, it is a series of four compilations as part of a bigger whole and released every fortnight from September 18th. The various bands involved are pretty stellar. United Fruit, Adam Stafford, Felix Champion, So Many Animal Calls, The Cosmic Dead... some of the best underground acts in the country.

Oh and all of those compilations are completely free, just like our shows.

10. Any tips or advice for bands or artists looking to play BLOC?
If you want to play BLOC just drop us an email. Details are on the website, bloc.ru, and I reply to every (non-bulk) email I receive. Which can sometimes be a painful undertaking but, as someone who has written thousands of gig and tour emails and had about a 5% response rate, I made that promise to myself from the start and I am sticking to it.
If you want a gig in general - and assuming you have all the usual rehearsal/demo/professionalism stuff in hand - just make sure you don't sell yourself short. 

Music has become an easy way for non or ex-musicians to make cash by inserting their "expertise" into what should be a fairly simple process. Don't waste money on needless PR or management too soon. Don't pay to play. Don't agree to bring coachloads of your family down to Liverpool so you can say you played The Cavern. And probably most poignantly, think twice before agreeing to endless streams of gigs where you are asked to sell tickets. You invariably end up milking your relatives for pity-money, selling at cost price and ultimately it is a form of pay to play.

Don't get me wrong, there are times that a specific support slot or venue will be worth it but, if the promoter or venue shows you no evidence of ever developing that relationship, I would suggest you take your business - and audience - elsewhere. There are plenty of alternatives and plenty places only too happy to have you.

How Long (Change You Into Something Better) by United Fruit

I've heard a few whispers from people on the Glasgow music scene about DIY band United Fruit having a powerful guitar punk pop album that could see the group make significant steps forwards over the next 12-months.

So I was quite pleased when an email popped into my inbox inviting me to check out their teaser track How Long (Change You Into Something Better) which is already earmarked for airplay on Radio 1 this week (indeed this very night on Edith Bowman's review show).

I caught the band last September and was really impressed by their wall of noise, passion and how tight they were on stage, they played 2 songs of their forthcoming second album that sounded superb. Could that translate to record?

Yes!

There is definitely a sense of pop on this song, on first listen there were some echoes of Bob Mould/Sugar in the choppy guitar chords and throat rasping vocals. United Fruit retain their sense of urgency but this is definitely more commercial/pop for them.

Sugar are not the only American band to spring to mind while listening to United Fruit's new sound. I can imagine this going down a storm on American College Radio - assuming they still play the kind of stuff they used to and not R'n'B!

The chorus is repeated until it is lodged in your head, the vocals are delivered with passion and sneer.

I await the album with interest. United Fruit have been going since 2009 and they've put in the groundwork with their debut album and 5 tours of the UK and Europe. They're not afraid of hard work and they might now have found the sound to take them further.

Will I wait for you?

Well I listen to my heart

It won't last forever

I know we can make this work

I think United Fruit can definitely make this work.

Olive Grove Records interview

I got a nice little feeling inside when Lloyd from Olive Grove Records posted online about his label's showcase show at Oran Mor as part of Celtic Connections selling out. Sadly I couldn't make it along, however I know how much work Lloyd and his co-owner Halina have put into the label and the support, passion and encouragement that they offer to the artists on it. So I was mightily chuffed for them.

I hope the exposure and success from the showcase gig helps to establish the label a little more and that they continue to pour energy and enthusiasm into the Scottish music scene.

I thought it might be a good time to catch up with them to hear about the trials, tribulations, successes and joy that come from running a D.I.Y record label,

So read on to find out about sticking out an album by someone wishing to remain anonymous, label highlights, future plans, the one that got away, dodgy dad dancing, juggling life with dreams and lots more.

If you are new to the label why not check out these beauties for starters;

1. Closing Doors by The Moth and the Mirror

2. There Is No-one To Thank by The Son(s)

3. Counting Sheep by Randolph's Leap 

Enjoy.

So how did Olive Grove come about?

Lloyd - Back in the summer of 2010, Halina called me one evening of out of the blue asking me if I wanted to start a label together. I thought about it for about a nanosecond, before blurting out “YES” in quite an over excited voice. We met up shortly after to come up with a plan, an ethos and talk about who we’d like to approach to work with us. About a month or so after we met up with Randolph’s Leap to see if they’d be interested in letting us release their debut EP, ‘Battleships and Kettle Chips’. Thankfully they said yes and we’ve pretty much been winging it from their ever since.

How did you arrive at the name? Can you tell us any of the rejects?

Halina – Lloyd and I used to have a big love of the band Snow Patrol (many will be surprised to find out) and one of the better songs of theirs, An Olive Grove Facing The Sea was a favourite for both of us. Lloyd suggested the name and it was a perfect fit as it was different, but captures the organic ethos behind the label. 

What's your basic philosophy?

Lloyd - That’s an easy one, release good music and don’t lose too much money! When we first agreed to start the label we both agreed that we weren’t doing this for the money and that any profits made would go back to the bands. When I tell most folk that they tend to look at me like I am insane, but that was the plan and to date we’ve pretty much stuck to that ideology.

What labels do you look to for inspiration?

Halina – I think there are loads. Johnny Pictish Trail has always been a source of constant inspiration as has Matthew Young and his label Song, By Toad Records. Others for me include FatCat Records and Smalltown America, both have produced some incredible bands. 

One of your first releases was by a mysterious outfit/artist going by the name of The Son(s). The music is incredible and it was a brave move to put something out by an act who remains anonymous and doesn't play live. Very frustrating for people who like his music - how frustrating for you as a label?!

Lloyd – The Son(s) was the very first album that we put out, so at that time I wasn’t too concerned about the whole live thing. I was just super excited that someone was willing to trust us with their hard work. Obviously we liked the music, but the air of mystery surrounding the band also sucked me in. I finally met Karl, aka The Son(s) about a year and a bit after we put their album out, which I thought would be really weird and awkward, but it was quite the opposite. We got on really well and he’s now someone I would consider to be a good friend.

As per usual I have waffled on and not actually answered the question. There have been times that I have found it slightly frustrating, but then I appreciate why it hasn’t happened yet. There have been plans afoot for a while now for them to play live, if it happens then great, if not, then such is life. There’s a new record on the way, which is enough to keep me happy.

One of my fave books is 'Rip It Up And Start Again' and I marvel at stories of bedroom labels (like Mute) suddenly selling hundreds of thousands of records. Things have changed dramatically but what are your ambitions for the label? Could you have a break through artist? Is that an aim? 

Halina – We have ambition don’t get me wrong, but for us it is more of a focus on the artists than anything else. It is always nice to think you would be able to quite your day job for the love of music, but I think people are more realistic these days. I am the romantic in the partnership in that I always think that something unworldly will happen one day and Lloyd is the grounded one. I suppose you have to have 2 opposites. The truth is that all the artists have the potential to be breakthroughs, the question is, how does one measure a breakthrough? 

What are your top 3 highlights of the label so far?

Lloyd - The Celtic Connections show on Sunday is up there as one the greatest things I’ve done in my life, never mind just the label. It’s something we’ve been working on since July last year and it took a lot of hard work and planning to pull it all together. Getting The Moth & The Mirror back playing live again was really exciting, then to sell Oran Mor out was pretty special for me –for those that had to witness my dodgy dancing on stage with Woodenbox, could probably tell by my cheesy grin just how happy I was.

Aside from Celtic Connections, there have been too many highs that I’d find it hard to single two more out. Highlights for me include our showcase at the Insider Festival, The Moth & The Mirror getting a five star review in the Skinny, seeing Randolph’s Leap headline the Queen’s Hall, the State Broadcasters album launch in the Wellington Church Hall, plus I am sure there’s loads more that I have forgotten!

What are your label plans for 2014 (that you can share)?

We are in talks with Woodenbox and Jo Mango again. The aim is to release a second album by one of our artists which we have yet to do. We have to nurture and develop what we have already.

Jo Mango

What are your top 3 favourite things about running a label?

Lloyd – 1) I have wanted to do this since I was 16, so I am kind of living the dream, 2) releasing records by some of my favourite bands, 3) introducing new music that I love to people

What are your 3 most challenging things about running a label?

 Halina – 1) Time – obviously Lloyd and I have full-time jobs and we also run our blogs so trying to fit things in is sometimes brutal. Lloyd also has a child which floors me sometimes.

2) Foresight – this a particularly honest response, but I think that because everyone is different and opinions are different then things will not always run smooth. It would be bullshit for me to sit here and say that things are always smooth. For the most part they are, but there is sometimes those moments whereby you will disagree, it is human nature. 

3) Money – if won the lottery I would put a massive investment and take on more artists. We had to turn down a band this week that broke my heart as I love them and it would have shown a completely different side to our roster and taste, but because we need to work that means no time.

Do you both need to agree on an artist for release?

Lloyd – that we do, as we’re doing this for the love of it, we both have to like the artist enough to want to invest our time in them. Recently we’ve had to pass on a few bands that we both really like, purely because we just don’t have the time and we wouldn’t want to do a half arsed job for them.

If you could release an album by anyone, who would it be and why?

 Halina – Well one that we really wished we had released was Song Of Return’s first album. I really believe that could have knocked a lot of things out of the park. The writing, production, performance and overall product was incredible. I still listen to  it.

Any advice for artists interested in approaching you?

Lloyd - Before approaching any label I would argue that you need to have built up some kind of a profile for yourself. If we haven’t already heard of you, then we’re unlikely to want to work with you. We get a lot of emails from generic lad rock bands, who you get the impression are just out there spamming any label they can find. Have a look at the bands that we’ve worked with before, that should give you a good indication as to the kind of music we like.