Do you smoke dear Shindigger? Have you tried vaping? This month’s cover star Paul Weller prefers fags… but many are now trying the safer new way. Let us know your thoughts
Since the birth of rock and roll, through the glory days of punk and into more modern music has always been central to Western counterculture.
Just as music has played a central role in counterculture over the years, so too has smoking. Long seen as something rebellious and edgy, smoking has always appealed to people who want to be seen as hip or unconventional. Whilst the appeal of counterculture isn’t going anywhere, the role that smoking plays in that counterculture is rapidly diminishing. The unstoppable rise of vaping has seen it take over from smoking, as the new cool and alternative thing to get into.
RADIOPHONIC TUCKSHOP’s ‘Running Commentary’ is a blistering study of the powerpop song, harmonic and addictive, the tracks are rooted in early ’70s riffs and sonics. Think Sunflower by Beach Boys performed by an Everbody’s In Showbiz era Kinks
An exclusive video premiere for ‘I Sit And Wonder’ from EL GOODO’s forthcoming, and eagerly awaited, album By Order Of The Moose
The band say: “The track ‘I Sit And Wonder’ was an attempt to do something like Zager & Evans’ ‘In The Year 2525’, but it didn’t turn out like that. The lyrics were based on war films like Come And See, Ivan’s Childhood and Red Daw.”
*** during the EFL Sky Bet Championship match between Cardiff City and Brentford at the Cardiff City Stadium, Cardiff, Wales on 8 April 2017. Photo by Andrew Lewis.
Jon ‘Mojo’ Mills and Thomas Patterson are joined by Craig Pennington from The Liverpool International Festival Of Psychedelia, to discuss… ermmm… you know
MARC LE BRETON meets MORGAN DELT and SYD ARTHUR brothers Liam and Joel McGill post-show in London to hear about adventures in sound and travel
Shindig!: So how did you all initially meet up?
Liam: We were big fans of Morgan’s music and whilst recording our album (Apricity) in Topanga, we heard that he lived there.
Joel: Once we found out, we just sent a message to him saying “we’re just down the road!”
SD!:Morgan, you’ve done a remix of one of Syd Arthur’s songs (‘No Peace’) as a result. How did that happen and any plans for more collaborations or remixes?
Morgan: They just asked me if I would do it. It was a lot of fun as it was the first remix for someone else I’ve ever done so I was hoping to do a good job.
Liam: When we got it back, we had it on repeat a few times over thinking “what the fuck has he done to our song?!”
Morgan: I tried to take out a load of chords and make it really dumber!
Liam: We’re looking to do something in return but we’ve been a bit distracted lately. However we’ll fulfil our end of the bargain eventually!
Pic: Michael Duffy
SD!:If you had the chance to remix anyone, who would it be?
Joel: We just did a remix of Paul Weller’s ‘Satellite Kid’ from his new album (A Kind Revolution), which was interesting as it’s the first one we’ve done as a band. (You can read about Paul and his new album in Shindig! Issue #69, coming soon!)
Morgan: Young Thug!
SD!: Syd Arthur seem to have really evolved their live sound in the last year or so; is this deliberate?
Liam: We’re always pushing the sound and it’s been maturing up over the years. It’s still developing.
Joel: There’s also been a change with Josh (McGill, drums) joining the band, which fundamentally changes things and that’s reflected in the new record as well. The way he plays is naturally bringing about a different approach.
SD!:Have there been any favourite gigs on this brief UK tour?
Liam: The Deaf Institute in Manchester was a great night. This is only our fourth gig alongside Morgan but we’ve got some more dates to come in Europe that we’re looking forward to.
SD!:What’s happening with regard to new material?
Morgan: I’m really slow at developing stuff so it’ll probably take some time.
Liam: We’re looking at some of the older songs and re-working them for this tour. We’re working on new tunes too and looking to get something out by the end of the year if possible.
SD!:Are there any further plans for Syd Arthur to do more collaborations with Amorphous Androgynous [who did a remix LP of their previous Sound Mirror album]?
Liam: Possibly. It’s hard to pin down Gaz because he’s like some wizard man out in the South of France.
Joel: Every now and again he just pops up and says “I’m around! Let’s record!”
Liam: I’ve sung on some new stuff which we hope will be on his new record.
SD!:We see that Syd Arthur will be performing at Glastonbury again this year. Any more festival appearances in the pipeline?
Joel: We’ve got a few appearances lined up at some smaller festivals in Italy and another good one in Finland, then we plan to spend the rest of the summer writing and recording.
What Is Shindig! Magazine?
A publication put together with genuine understanding, sincerity and utter belief. We seek to end mediocrity in music magazines… to bring the scope and knowledge of old fanzines and specialist rock titles to a larger readership: quality journalism, columns, music and film history; exciting new bands and culture. From the most far-out ’60s sounds through country-rock and folk to soul and electronic experimentation. It’s all there.
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