Introducing Wonder 45

My friend William was raving about a new band called Wonder 45. I checked them out and could see why! Wonder 45 are fresh out the wrapper and perfectly formed. Gorgeous soul, top class musicians and vocals that just grab you. The band started as an instrumental recording project and grew from there.

I asked William if he fancied writing a blog .... and he has. Enjoy!

Introducing - Wonder 45

Guest blog by William Thomas

Sometimes a band comes along which just jumps out from the crowd, demanding to be noticed – it’s a rare but unmistakeable feeling for listeners. The needle hits the groove and the music just… crackles.

It can either be an indefinable quality, or clear as day. Wonder 45 are firmly in the latter category -everything hits right, the band is tight, the melodies effervescent, the production crisp and warm.

This London soul ensemble started out life as producer/writer Holley Gray, guitarist Ross Ewart, drummer Chris Nickolls and keyboard player Steve Pringle.

They’ve since been enhanced by singer/songwriters Jess Greenfield and Gavin Conder and the outfit have since gathered real momentum with their first gig only happening in January this year. You would never know, such is the assured nature of everything they do.

From their studio cuts too, the manifesto is clear. You can hear the authentic, classic influences coming through loud and clear, but there’s a sharp, fresh pop sensibility too. If you were thinking of another band which had immediately turned its retro influences into earworm gold, then Oasis might spring to mind.

It’s an apposite comparison, because songwriter and vocalist Greenfield is also a key member of Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds, providing affecting backing vocals, keyboards, and percussion both live and in the studio.

Given Noel’s high bar for fellow band members, that’s an endorsement to be proud of, and it has clearly given her a strong platform to spread her wings further with her own musical ambitions.

Greenfield brings that high flying, arena-filling prowess accrued over the last six years to Wonder 45 in spades with standout vocals on the likes of Cry – a gritty, passionate cri de coeur to hold onto love through both bad times and good – the swinging Nothing’s Gonna Change, and Superman which immediately commands attention with its powerful rhythm section and lyric that pays tribute to not settling for a love that’s anything less than heroic.

Conder is no vocal slouch either on Wonderland where the barriers to true love are cast aside with a soaring chorus.

Cry - live studio session

Make It Happen is meanwhile an unapologetic wah-wah guitar-driven note to self, reminiscent of Sly and The Family Stone in their pomp. Carpe diem, grab the opportunity, whatever you want to call it – it’s an inspiring, propulsive crowd-pleaser addressed to anyone resting on their laurels delivered with funk and fun. There is brass in abundance – driving organ, and whip cracking percussion all the way.

Collectively, the singles display a wide, scintillating repertoire of styles, all delivered with complete confidence and melodic panache. Here, you’ll find drama, pathos, lust, longing, and all points in between. Most importantly, each track fizzes with intent, and you wouldn’t be surprised if Wonder 45 very quickly find their career launched into orbit.

The band have undoubtedly released a steady procession of consistently great songs in recent times – all of which have caught the attention of, and made waves with, a long list of prominent radio names, culminating in what is already sure to be an instant classic debut LP Wonderland out on 31 May via Big-AC Records.

Wonderland - live studio session

Songs from Teenage Fanclub - The Creation Records years podcast

My first podcast in ages!

Teenage Fanclub have announced a series of 3-night shows in Glasgow, Manchester, Birmingham and London to play songs from the incredible run of albums they released on Creation Records through the 1990's to 2000.

1991 - Bandwagonesque
1993 - Thirteen
1995 - Grand Prix
1997 - Songs From Northern Britain
2000 - Howdy

I take a look back and play a song from each album and a favourite b-side from the era.

4 dates with The Boss

Away back in 2002 I became friends with Ian Pilbeam, a fellow Manchester United supporter and music fan. We signed up to do a trek in the Cederberg Mountains in South Africa for Maggie’s Centres and hit it off in the lead up to, during and after the trek. There were laughs, tears, beers by the campfire at night and lots of chats as we kept each other going. It was a magical and inspirational trip that really led to me changing career to work in the voluntary sector. I’m pleased to say that we are still friends.

Over the last couple of weeks I have been enjoying Ian’s social media posts on his pilgrimage around the UK to catch Bruce Springsteen live on four occasions. So I thought I would ask him to write a blog....and he duly delivered on the train home from London....here it is....

Ian’s blog

4 shows, 132 songs, 57 different tracks, over 13-hours on stage, Santa Claus Is Coming To Town in May in a rainy Manchester; no-one else does it quite like Bruce Springsteen. That’s why they call him ‘The Boss’ and the four UK dates I was privileged to attend over a magical 11-day period were testimony to the endurance, creativity and sense of occasion of this musical leviathan.

Four years ago I had never seen Springsteen live. I was a fan but for some reason had never got round to it. But the first show was a game changer. I had never seen an artist hold a massive crowd in the palm of his hand for over 3-hours.

Backed by a stellar line-up of musical heavyweights in the legendary E Street Band, with nephew Jake Clemons now wielding the saxophone following the sad passing of his Uncle Clarence, the whole band wind their way through his diverse catalogue, much like a review band, conducted by their inspirational leader.

Be it rock classics such as Born To Run or Because the Night, soul covers like Shout, the gospel tinged City of Ruins, stadium anthems like Badlands and The Rising, or 80’s pop classics such as Dancing In The Dark and Glory Days, this musical legend has quite an armoury to choose from. And he uses it to the full, throwing curve balls a plenty, accepting sign requests for songs and involving the audience all the way through each show. The Boss knows how to party.

Bruce in the Manchester rain

Springsteen is not afraid to dive deep into his catalogue, starting two of the shows at the piano playing early album tracks unaccompanied and finishing each show with just his guitar, mouth organ and the lusty audience for either This Hard Land or Thunder Road, returning to the folk poet ground that led him to be declared as the future of rock and roll over 40-years ago,

And a word for the band of devoted fans, many of whom have travelled round the world to see him over many years. As a late convert it was a joy to spend so much tome with some wonderful people in the long hours of queuing for the pit. And to share some of the unforgettable on stage moments, brought to an overwhelming crescendo by the majesty of his powerful masterpiece of Jungleland resounding around a sold out Wembley Stadium on the final gig of this UK leg of the River Tour 2016.

Worth the wait in the queue!

This was preceded by a tribute to the recently passed Mohammed Ali Tougher Than The Rest.

Some might say it is The Boss who is the Greatest and I for one would not disagree.