September 2008

To kick things off this month I want to first mention Musexpo Europe which will be taking place for the first time on our fair UK shores this October 27-29th at The Cumberland Hotel in London. http://www.musexpo.net. Musexpo Europe features one of the best lineups of music industry speakers that you will witness at a music conference in this country and I am sure will also help stimulate intelligent debate about our rapidly changing industry as it continues to evolve.

Guest speakers include Seymour Stein , Harvey Goldsmith , Tommy Ramone (The only surviving Ramone), Gene Sandblom (KROQ operations manager) , Steven Stewart (senior music manager Nokia), Richard Kingsmill (Director Tripple J Radio Australia), Steve Schnurr (Worldwide Head of Music marketing EA games), Martin Dodd (VP international Sony Music / 20/20 music), Stuart Galbraith (Kilimanjaro) and music supervisor Alexandra Patsavas from Chop Shop to name but a handful.

As a poignant way to start this months column I have asked former publisher of music week Ajax Scott whose new company Woodshed Media has also helped program Musexpo Europe as to the hottest new unsigned act that he has come across on his travels over the last few weeks.

Ajax Scott (Woodshed Media / Former Publisher of Music Week ) - It would have to be Melbourne based act The Temper Trap. www.myspace.com/thetempertrap. They have actually just signed to Mickael Gudinskis Liberation label in Australia and been recording with producer Jim Abiss best known for his work with the Artic Monkeys and Kasabian. While they are signed to Liberation in Australia I believe the album is available for licensing elsewhere via Liberation Australia. The band also happen to be playing at Musexpo Europe on Tuesday 28th Oct at 10.30pm at the Borderline. Edge style guitars and falsetto vocals make for an inspired listen and the band obviously possess that defining quality that helps set them apart from the pack. Tracks to listen to Sweet Disposition.

Steve Wolfe (Manager / Former Director of A&R Universal Records)
Without doubt the best unsigned artist I have come across recently is Marla Joy from Toronto . www.myspace.com/marlajoymusic. For anyone that loves great classic voices in the vain of Janis Joplin and Joss Stone then look no further than Marla Joy. She is currently locked in record label offices doing showcases in New York before heading to the UK for a few days. Its early days but this girl has a great voice and looks set for greatness. Watch this space. (For more details on this act email "Wolfiesdesk@aol.com")

Matt Biffa - ( Cutting Edge Films - Music Supervisor Harry Potter & The Goblet of Fire , Severance and Wedding Belles). Carina Round is incredible. www.myspace.com/carinaround. She has just come off a tour supporting The Gutter Twins, and is currently unsigned (she was formerly on Dave Stewart's WME label). A lazy person would compare her to PJ Harvey, but that is because they are both quite upfront. I saw her totally waste an audience with just her voice and an acoustic guitar, and the last person I saw with that ability was Elvis Costello at the Royal Albert Hall when I was 19. When she is in full flow, it's like having every conversation you ever had with every ex-girlfriend thrown at you, all at the same time, and I mean that in a good way. Her genre is not soul, but to me she is a true soul singer, like Tim Buckley was a soul singer but not classified in that genre. Key songs to listen to are "Come To You". She also performed new songs at the show I saw called "Backseat", "Do You" and "For Everything A Reason", which are just something else..

Paul Tipler (Record Producer (Idlewild, Cable & Placebo)
The best new unsigned act to of graced my studio over recent weeks is without a doubt Swound. http://www.myspace.com/swound. Swound are 4 Brothers from the Isle of Man whose next door neighbours happen to be Norman Wisdom on one side and Gilmi the dwarf from Lord of the Rings on the other. The band have already recorded sessions for Radio One and are doing shows for both John Kennedy XFM and Huw Stephens from Radio One over the next 2 weeks. Their unique brand of twisted punk and shouty but hooky songs like "Whats Your Poison" make for something energetic but different for those that like their music slightly harder ?

Lastly all that is left is for me to roundup the unsigned acts that I have seen this month have similarly inspired me to want to write this column. I have to first tip Brightons Kovak who played a fine set at XYZ Magazines most recent unsigned band night . www.myspace.com/kovakuk. They have an armoury of pop songs and while it has taken them a long time to get to this point they have now firmly arrived with songs like "I Love the Dance Floor". Check out their video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gVmvJ4M7uls. They remind me of 80s band the Passions that had a hit with "Im in Love with a German Film Star" crossed with the pop sensibilities of Franz Ferdinand and the Scissor Sisters. Definitely check this band out now. There is a great video on You tube to.

On the more vibrant side Brighton band "Floors and Walls" continue to inspire with great sets whenever I see them . While their recordings don't do them justice "Tracey" is a great song and this band are ticking all the right boxes live. www.myspace.com/floorsandwalls. Lastly and by no means least controversial punk skinhead band Missing Andy www.myspace.com/missingandy have similarly blown me away with some great live performances recently and with songs like "Scum" its great to hear some politically motivated pop songs with edge and a singer that can deliver them. With over 2000 plays a day on this bands myspace they are obviously the talk of the town and it wont be long before this band are snapped up.

That's it Folks....

(Next Months Blog will cover the rockier end of our industry)