clairetoomey’s Neighborhood

Helloo,

Yep, I dissappeared for a while. I'm in the process of moving both office and home at the moment, I think I'm a glutton for punishment.

Someone else is organising storage space around the office so I've had to be very creative with stuff under my desk. I never liked putting my feet under the desk anyway.

High Street Kensington seems like a nice enough place, lots of shops and the like. Plenty of eateries which is all I care about.

My new work phone scares me as it resembles a car dashboard with satnav. Luckily I don't use the landline very often, only to accept calls and I think I've worked that out. Hopefully.

The new house I've moved to is a mouse-infested dive, poorly mainted and a bit smelly but I love it as it's in the centre of Camden and I can know get anyway in a short amount of time. I'm in the process of making it proper nice, painting, disinfecting etc etc.

Chapman1

Music-wise there's been so much going on I can't really keep track of what I've done. Caught up with The Chapman Family last week. They'd just finished recording a Radio1 session at Maida Vale. Momentum is really building for them now and I need to decide on what my stance is as regards what they're doing. I think it's fantastic and love what I see live, but I wonder if it's too left of centre for a major?

It's an annoying fact but worth considering, if I love a band for whatever reason I have to think of they're capacity to generate revenue. 40k units for a major wouldn't be considered a hit but if a smaller label shifted that amount it would be considered a big success by them.

Currently I like what they've got recorded as I know how it turns out live, so I have a pre conception when listening to their music. However, someone who knows nothing about the band, having a listen may not win them over as it could be a bit inaccessable. Saying that, I've heard some new mixes of existing material which I hope will edge them further towards the mainstream.

I think it's Ben George's vocal that feeds that idea into my head. I like the fact they can create a large, grandiose sound without cliche reverb and bizarre extended intro's. A very English-upbeat Sigur Ros or Arcade Fire perhaps? Hypnotic layers of melody and the relentless stopstart drums from Doug Jenkins make for quite emmersive and engaging tracks. I'm really interested to see what they're like live. Once I get a night going again maybe I can get a booking out of them.

Other than that all is pretty good in the world over here. Let me know what's happening with you.

Hope all is well with you.

IB

Nope, Broken Hand isn't a new band. Though I do think it's a good band name.

I manage to royally mess up my hand playing djembes in a jam session last night. Went a bit drumcrazy and attempted some kind of pseudo-latino thing and manage to acheive stupido-fracturedhando instead. Kinda hurt at the time but my mate Chalky took me out for a few medicinal beers before coming home to a rather amazing lasagne. This morning was a different story, could barely grip my muffin.

(that's not slang, I had breakfast muffins this morning)

Anyhow, I have to do desk tidying in preparation for moving offices and also I will be getting a work experience assistant. THis is something I'm really looking forward to as it means I can spread the load a little and start exploring new avenues as regards talent tracking both in here and further affield. I'm talking to the digital creative guys about the changes being made to the pages today too. So that should be good fun.

Ran into one of the guys from Melody Nelson last night too. Great band well worth seeing if you like balls out retro riff driven rock. He did ask if I ever check my Vox which probably means there's a message unanswered for some time in my mail box. I do get quite a lot so it's difficult for me to get through them all. I must admit if it's entitled 'Check This Out' it kind of goes to the bottom of the pile as I will check it out anyway if it's in the A&R group. The tracks are simply added to a queue and I pile through them.

Anyhow, I think I'm waffling now. So I should get on with my tidying and maybe get me a special K bar in the process.

Hope all is well with you.

IB

Made pizza with the gf last night. I decided it would be cheating to buy ready made bases. I stubbornly stuck to my guns after it being explained to me that it might be easier. 3 hours and three failed pizzas later I was in a kebab shop in Camden contemplating the benefits of pizza bases and nostaligically looking back at the recent gigs I had attended (see how I linked that, good eh?)

I went to see Glass Shark the other day. I was completely off my face on legal over-the-counter cold remedies convining myself that I didn't have a cold and it was hayfever. Glass Shark is a punk disco three piece who make much of very little in the way of sound. The drummer is the main vocalist/front man which makes for an interesting stage show. Historically, I've never liked the whole drummer/front man thing as it tends to look crap and be the product of a drummer not being happy at the back of a stage. If you want to be a front man, do it, if you want to be the drummer do that.

Anyhow, for me this group is the exception to the rule. I liked the stage set up too as it seemed they had though about how they were going to be perceived. Their mic stands were decorated with strip lights which gave the them a stark monochrome/80's discoteque feel.

Vocally and sound-wise they remind me a little bit of Lightningtype in places (one of my favourite bands from last year). Also the drummer/singer had a really sparse kit. One snare, Bass, Hat/crash and a couple of small roto toms which played a heavy part in the songs. The guitarist was armed with a couple of cowbells and another tom in addition to his guitar. This let them go a bit crazy with percussion sections in their tunes and there were moments of LCD Soundsystem in there for me (though that may have been the beechams) as well as a more distinct sound they could call their own.

As a unit they were really tight, great backing vocals and really use what they've got to the maximum potential. This doesn't mean firing on all cylinders throughout the set. They use clever arrangements, breakdowns and write disco tunes rather than being a tired indie band playing at it for a new angle.

Falsetto vocals, thumping 4 to the floor drums and tongue in cheek belters are the order of the day for Glass Shark. 'Toni Collette' was one of my personal highlights. Be sure to see them live as the myspace doesn't necessarily do them justice. If you want the full experience be sure to take masses of sudafed, beechams, zinc suppliments and dyorlyte when attending.

The showcase at the studio went really well. It's a great place. There's several studios dotted around the residential streets of the area. The one I put the band in is known as the Cottage. As it has a lounge reminiscent of my nan's attached and a little patio area outside. It was a lovely day so met the band outside with manage and crew (engineer and roadie). Was great to sit in the sun and talk about the various festivals they're involved in an such. Chewed the fat, discussed the set they were going to play then headed back to the office to prepare to take the label head over there.

Whilst at the office I think I was probably more nervous than the band were as I really want them to do well. I was seriously full of cold and everything that came out of my mouth that wasn't a sneeze, was some nonsensical faux muso comment that just made me look like a tit infront of the boss. Damn. Have had several cringeworth recollections of that day since.

They hammered through the set and really blew all in attendance away. Plus they really showed the depth of their material which is important. I'm really looking forward to seeing more of them. Leaving the studio a colleague and I agreed that we've probably got one of the more fun jobs out there.

Think I might head back home as I feel like something has hatched in my head.

Hope all is well with you.

IB

So everyone is Glastonbury-ing.

There's is a lot of really really good stuff this year, but none of it on the main stages which I think is better in a way.

It's interesting to see the difference in ticket buying behaviour this year. After last years' crap sound, crap weather and crap provisions for punters the Dunkirk spirit was replaced by miserable soggy crowds and many leaving early. I stuck it out and left on the last day to face the 11 hour drive home. All a bit crazy really. My highlight that year was seeing Fionn Regan. But overall didn't really like it.

Other than those who have work commitments, I don't know anyone who went last year who's going this year. Many are heading for other UK or European festivals. Which is sad as Glastonbury had become an institution.

Anyway, enough whinging. There's plenty going on which is worth comment.

The Chapman Family are playing for one thing and they are truly great. To date, I've found what they've had recorded a bit lacklustre, but only because I don't think they've been with the right production team to translate what they achieve live into record. I was talking to Kingsley a couple of weeks back and he mentioned the difficulty they'd had getting the sound they wanted. It seems he really likes the chaotic noise elements you'll get from the likes of Sonic Youth and such but wants enough control over it for the music to be accessable rather than too art rock/avent garde. I wouldn't know which tracks to recommend as I keep hearing different versions of everything so just get yourselves to the BBC introducing stage.

Mumford and Sons seem to be playing all over the damn place, good thing too. Their day job is as Laura Marlin's backing band but they have struck out and gone it alone with their M&S project. I saw them a month or two ago and really liked the stripped back, rootsy folk sound they play around with. The strength of their songs rely almost entirely on melody and strong lyrics rather than overly elaborate arrangements, which they could do as they're all fantastic musicians. On record their sound is a little more rounded and deep with lush vocal overdubs and a lot of subtle but

The Fox Cubs, remember them?!? One of our first submission on the Vox platform and how far they've come since then. It seems like only yesterday the were sleeping on my lounge floor surrounded by beer bottles n such after playing an End of Camden night. Really matured as a band and everything about them is very slick as regards presentation. Their newly recorded stuff out of Dave Eringa's studio has really nailed their sound and I'm envious of everyone who will see them today. I think they will come accross really well. I certainly hope some of my colleagues from Columbia or RCA will be there.

There's plenty more but I'm in danger of waffling too much.

Has rapidly turned into one of those weeks.

I'll be going to see the Matthew Bennett Band this Friday at the Water Rats, between now and then I'm in hiding from my housemates.

After living like passing ships in the night for years I think everyone has developed that couldn't give a s**t attitude as our lease is coming to an end. I have one of those note-leaving/text-grievence sending housemates. That's something that gets on my wick a little. But I'm sure I annoy them more I guess.

However, with any luck I may be moving into my mates place in Camden. Currenlty I live near no venues, or civilisation of any kind out in Brentford. So living near most of the venues I end up visiting regularly would be great. Plus there are parts of Camden that are lovely with plenty of parkland to go to. Which is important for me.

Meeting up a with good friend of mine who works for a music law firm as a new business/talent scout. She's lovely and looking forward to a good catch up on what's happening and where. She just got back from India too so no doubt she's got a few tales to tell. I really need a holiday, going to try and make it to Cornwall this weekend. It's my birthday and I fancy seeing my grandparents, plus lazing on a beach or some fishing or something. Cider will probably be involved somewhere along the line too.

Decided to hit the physical submissions today, do my bit for the environment and recycle a load of CD's. The funny thing about demos coming in that way is the cover letters/biogs/naked pics haven't changed since I opened my first demo when I booked acts for the Water Rats. In fact, apart from the format, demo packages probably haven't changed since the late 70's. In fact, some of the packages came in during the 70's and were only opended today by the looks of it. I still get sent cassettes. Can you believe that?

Was training with my new coach last night. My new competition is in a week and a bit and I'm trying to get up to fitness n such so I don't get a beating of an UmpahLumpah again.

Anyhow, going to get some work done. Hope all is rocking with you.

IB

I spent about an hour yesterday writing one of those proper industry type posts that'd generate a few comments. Then my PC conked out on me and I lost the lot. Bum. Really p'd off about that. Took two dark chocolate KitKat's to sort that one.

Sorry for the delay in posts, I've been pulled in all sorts of directions.

The biggest thing I'm on at the moment is an act that came to me through one of the online scouts that Columbia is coming to see. I've booked a local rehearsal room to showcase them to the label head. It can be really frustrating getting an act, A&R and label head in the same place at the same time. I guess the better a band get the more busy they are so I can't complain. Anyhow, it's booked now, I've cleared the time with the boss's PA and the band are up for doing it. I've been asked to suggest what I'd think is their 'best of' set. Which is a big responsibility. Do I think what I would want to hear? Or maybe try to guess what the label head would want to hear? Or maybe all the tracks I'd see as 'radio tracks'? It's a toughy. But I think I will go for what I think is great live rather than gunning simply for the three and a half min belters that would get played everywhere on radio. Hmm, quite excited about that.

I've spent the past few days listening to Sparrow and the Workshop. Think I've mentioned them before but I really love her voice and the overall feeling of the tracks. There's a real charm and sensitivity to the vocal and style to the song. They're based in Scotland but the singer is from the US and has a wonderful twang to her accent which gives the songwriting an authenticity which I think is lacking in a lot of female songwriters of the moment. Check out 'The Gun', which is a great track.

Spent the weekend painting a bedroom, I think I'm turning into my dad. I found the process of filling gaps with lightweight filler most satisfying and kept standing back with my hands on my hips to admire my work. I was thinking about doing some kind of mural but stuck with sanitorium white instead. The better option methinks. Ended up listening to Anchorman three times as a result. I love that film, I had the urge to hone my guns afterwards. ;-)

My First Phone

1 comment

I didn't have any internet access or mobile phone this weekend. I went into a panic. After much pacing and Woody Allen-esque monologues I decided to think back to 1996, when the internet was a new thing you used in college  to look at Gillian Anderson and mobile phones were huge, pay as you go brick-like things. When I used mine it looked more like I was calling in an air strike than talking to mum. So I didn't really bother with mobiles. How did I cope. I decided to buy cider and chocolate before heading to the park in the end. Who needs Facebook anyway?

Been speaking to a colleague of mine about formalising an online scouting process. Currently I have a few scouts dotted about who regularly send me great stuff because they love music and want to see the acts they love become successful, which is great. But rare.

There are some great filter platforms out there such as slicethepie, which really do a great job. I do find limitations in their effecacy because of their reactive nature. The acts you tend to find on there are the sort of act that register with all online platforms and spend a lot of time marketing, which is great. But what about those acts who feel that simply having a myspace (or vox ;-) is enough? You end up getting the best of one type of artist demographic (ooh check my terminology). You need to work both ends and have a function which is hunting out talent. This is pretty much the tao of traditional A&R. I'm thinking the future of this is a hybrid of both methods. Open door for submissions, whist at the same time having an educated, targeted filter network in place who's job it is to seek out the best stuff. The higher up the chain it goes the more it's filtered. You can't depend on artists to champion other artists as they're too busy with their own careers, as so they should be.

With that in mind I've just got the info I need of Vox to skin and update the pages of the A&R platform. I wont bore you with the details of the new platform structure, I'd rather just do it and explain afterwards.

So what it gwanning out there, anything good. Haven't got much in the way of interesting messages recently. Just the usual "You don't know me but..." or "CHECK THIS OUT!!!xxxx" sort of thing. Come say hello.

Hope all is well with you.

IB

A couple of weeks back I went to the Covstock Festival to see some great acts. Managed to film some of it too. I will do a proper posts of it once I get the video together (same old story, waiting on video stuff I know).

and it's been troubling me deeply of late.   My apathy only further compounds my anxiety.  Everywhere i look are signs of impending global melt down but doing anything about it would mean i'd almost certainly miss Gossip Girl or Heroes.   At least Moonlight has finished now which has freed up Tuesdays a little.

More worrying, and almost certainly another sign of doom (i'm sure its in the Book of Revelations), is the amount of slugs and the damaged they have wrecked in my vegetable patch.  Broccoli, red cabbages and radish have all been decimated.  The fate of the squashes keeps me awake at night almost as much as the spectre of global warming (though the irony that global warming means i can actually grow butternut squash in suburban London isn't lost on me).

On the plus side, The Vampire Weekend record is a real winner.  Having been totally supercilious about it but a couple of months ago i'm increasingly overwhelmed by a desire to spend the summer dressed like an Ivy League student.

THought I'd write a random post as I've been neglecting the blog.

Ok, I'm giving in. I'm getting an iPod, or similar generic MP3 player.

Walkman

I've never had a regular 'portable music device' since my Walkman (which I miss I must admit). I did use my PSP for a while but after watching how excruciatingly geeky guys on the tube look playing it, I thought it'd be better to stick to reading Derren Brown/Ray Mears/How To Stop Being a Nerd and Score with Hot Babes books. Any of which look so much better than the frowning, tongue-biting "I'm so going make the next level before Picadilly, I'm frickin amazing" look.

The main purpose of searching to this new toy is I'm actually going to the gym more and can't stand the eurovision reject soundtrack. As soon as I hear it my chest goes tight, neck feels stiff and I get palputations before I start excercising. Don't get me wrong, some of the videos for that kinda stuff are great. Usually involving scantily clad females doing stuff. Benny Benassi's MOS Satisfaction (it's rude stuff) video is probably the best example. Everyone I spoke to who'd seen the video couldn't remember how the track went. Strange that.

Anyhow, this got me thinking about playlists n such. I was thinking what would be a good grrrrrr workout soundtrack. Then I thought, why do I have to think for myself when there's the internet. Was wondering if there were any suggestions? I'm aiming for it to be as varied as possible regarding genre and style, but the one running theme being it makes you a bit grrrrrr for running and lifting heavy stuff. Imagine the montage scenes from Rocky or The Karate Kid, or Team America and you'll get the idea. :-)

So far I've got:

Just got a phonecall to tell me Anthony Kiedis has been seen in Camden this afternoon. Oooooh.

Probably one of the few parts of London where he'd look totally normal and not be recognised, even if he was wearing nothing but a sock over his tackle. They're playing on Saturday so that would make sense. My bro is coming down to London to watch em so will try and get some quality time in consisting of beer and noodles.

Rocket_launcher_v2_desk

I will now spend the rest of the afternoon dodging missiles fired by my co-workers USB controlled rocket launcher. (*sigh*) I'm only annoyed because I want one too. Maybe I could get a remote controlled tank or something.

Ooh, I've just found one that fired 20 feet and has a camera on it. Ha! I'm guessing this is how an arms race starts. By november they'll be sandbags and seachlights around our desks.

Hello,

Listen to Seventeen Days

Twas at a gig the other day in Kentish Town and I saw the Matthew Bennett band, and jolly good they were too. They joined the blog a few months back and I've been hearing good material from it since. They have a track called Seventeen Days that I'm really into.

Great on stage, songs are good and a reckon they're going to pick up a deal easily. Hmm, perhaps I should try to sign them? Any thoughts?

My intial reaction is the songs are strong but it would be difficult to place in it's current form as regards their sound. It would really fit the Radio2 market easily over here but in doing something like this I would really want to cross over in the David Gray type way. It's all in the interpretation. I guess the way to do that is with a really big radio hit that pluggers would be all over and then you'd get regionals aswell as national mainstream. Couple that with a good online campaign and you're onto a winner.

Now then. Champion. I came accross this band as a result of seeing a video on youtube of Bas Rutten kicking ass and 'No Heaven' was the soundtrack. It's a scarey video but then again Bas is a scarey bloke. Does show the power of user generated content though. I would have never come accross a French-Canadian live dance/blues/house/electro crossover act otherwise. ;-)

Hope all is well with you.

IB