Belgian band Oscar and the Wolf delivered a sublime semi-acoustic (although slightly shortened) set at Royal, Baden on Saturday, the second night of the third instalment of the One Of A Million Festival, Baden, despite being down two members (one fell ill + one stayed behind to keep him company). Through a thick cloud of …
Well, my first Midem Festival in Cannes, France is done and dusted. Phew – so much to take in at once. Took me most of the first morning just to find my way around the labyrinthine Palais des Festivals. And I have to admit I did spend some time admiring the sunny seaside view and humongous luxury …
Everyone I know in the music industry does more than one thing – multitasking is the norm. But few do it as well as Tatjana Rüegsegger. At the tender age of 23, Tatjana has been living and breathing music since her early teens, and is now in the enviable position of occupying two very desirable …
Welcome, dear readers, to another (hopefully relevant) instalment in the Left of Centre series, in which I put the delightful Lukas Keller, music journalist, event organiser, concert/festival-goer, man-about-town, and all round good sort under the microscope. With his indefatigably excellent taste in music and finely honed cultural and aesthetic sensibilities, Lukas is the Editor-in-Chief of …
Ah, I can’t stop listening to TOY, the follically-blessed, psychedelic drone pop-rockers who’ve been making waves in the UK this year. It’s getting to the stage where I might need professional help! The London-based 5-piece were in Zurich a couple of months ago, as part of the inaugural This is Tigerr festival. I caught their gig without …
When I first started this site back in late 2009 I didn’t know how the music industry worked from the inside – I’d only ever experienced it from outside, as a fan (even now I don’t fully understand all the arcane workings of it – one of the reasons why I’m doing this series). But …
How did I miss this one? I adored NYC duo Exitmusic’s From Silence EP, and was eagerly awaiting their debut album Passage. Now it’s here and I totally missed the release. Well, no time like the present to thrash it to death on all my various listening devices. Think I’m a little bit in love …
She has performed, toured, recorded and worked with some of the biggest names in the music industry, both commercial and indie, and is also a well-respected writer, producer and orchestral arranger in her own right. Yep, we’re talking about the lovely, gracious Fiona Brice. A classically trained musician (she is a graduate of both Kings …
Browsing through the Guardian Music site recently, I saw their new, Spotify-enhanced (hello, sponsorship ‘cooperation’ deal, eh) project, Six Songs of Me. Quite a cool idea. But I thought their choice of questions left a little to be desired, and besides, only *six* songs? You can’t condense a lifetime’s worth of obsessive music listening to …
…about the pretty effin’ fantastic Radio France vinyl record collection – just look at all that luscious, lovely vinyl! The La Blogotheque team filmed him in a jaunty little hat choosing some of his faves, with Laura Leishman as his guide: The Molko’s picks: The Pixies, ‘Bone Machine’/Jessica Harper, ‘Old Souls’/The Grateful Dead, ‘St Stephen’/Can, …
Yet another Two Things missive from the Midem front, this time from Rumblefish CEO and super-friendly guy Paul Anthony. Tell me about an important or defining musical experience in your life. I guess that would be the time that I decided to become a drummer – I’m a drummer who turned into a drum composer. I … Continue reading »
The last time I saw UK singer songwriter Mike Rosenberg, aka Passenger, he told a hilarious story about staying with an old man in outback Australia that had the audience in stitches. During his set at Papiersaal last year, he took requests, told jokes and charmed the pants off every single person in the room. With an effortless … Continue reading »
Music for tortured lovers today. I’m obsessing over Daughter’s track ‘Landfill’, and its desperately conflicted lyrics – ‘I want you so much, but I hate your guts…this is torture’, all sung in Elena Tonra’s sweetly despairing, bruised voice. I’m in no such situation at the moment, but I’ve been there (haven’t we all) – even … Continue reading »
Recently I attended Midem, the big European music/tech trade fair that takes over the posh French Riviera town of Cannes each January. It’s four days of mad networking, industry discussion and frenetic searching for the Next Big Music/Tech/Branding Thing. It’s also four days in the company of some of the most interesting people you’ll ever … Continue reading »
Look who I found at Midem – some fellow Aussies, quite a few in fact. Here we see Nick O’Byrne of AIR (Australian Independent Record Labels Association) on his soapbox (ok, chair), kicking off Australia Day celebrations on Saturday. Continue reading »
What is it about Belgium? There are a whole slew of amazing bands coming out of there at the moment – Amatorski, Oscar and the Wolf, Bony King of Nowhere, Douglas Firs…Is it something in the water, or perhaps beer? Well, greatness doesn’t go unrecognised for long, and as ever, the One Of A Million … Continue reading »
Last winter I took a punt on a small festival I’d never heard of, but which had an intriguing line-up of bands that I’d only caught vague whispers of – the One Of A Million Festival (OOAM) in Baden. I had to practically force myself to leave the city limits (well, it was in the … Continue reading »
I’ve been to lots of festivals, but I’ve never been to the massive music & tech behemoth that is Midem. But this year I’m going! Woo! Now in its 47th year, Midem is held annually in the swanky environs of the Palais des Festivals in Cannes, France. What started out as a small music industry … Continue reading »
It’s that time of year again – time for the ubiquitous Best Of end-of-year list. Actually, I enjoy reading them, and I look forward to looking back at them in later years – they manage to evoke the feeling and sense of a year so well. I made this list because I want to be able … Continue reading »
What would you buy the birthday boy who has everything – international rock superstardom, adoring fans by the million, a roomful of guitars, luxury brand sponsorship, an iPad, curls & eyelashes to die for, and ‘a voice to make me cry’? Well, if you happen to have seen #MolkoFourOh and/or Molko, Y’Know? around the internets … Continue reading »
