The Vaccines – The Vaccines EP Review

When a band manages to sell out concerts before even releasing a full-length album, it’s hard not to pay attention.

With just a self-titled EP under their belts, London-based newcomers, The Vaccines, are making waves in the vast ocean of the indie music scene.

Their influences might be vintage—ranging from The Zombies, to The Jesus and Mary Chain, to The Ramones—but the hype surrounding them is completely 21st century. Bloggers and music journalists alike have turned to social networking to spread the word on the next great British band.

Although it’s easy to lump them in the same category with other lo-fi, dream pop bands—like Beach House, Best Coast, and The Drums—The Vaccines manage to rise above the pack with their catchy hooks and punchy lyrics.

On the surface, “Post Break-Up Sex”–the first track off of the EP –sounds like it could be a lost Buddy Holly B-side, with dulcet 50s pop melodies over a pleasantly jangly beat.

But lyrics like, ‘I can’t believe you’re feeling good from/Post break-up sex/That helps you forget your ex/What did you expect from post break-up sex?’ give the song an ironic contrast.

Packing in a lot of punch in less than a minute and a half, “Wreckin’ Ball (Ra Ra Ra)” is the stand-out track on the EP.

Even if The Ramones and The Beach Boys formed a supergroup, and then time warped onto the set of a beach party scene in a raging 1960s surf movie, they probably wouldn’t come up with a song as catchy as this.

Winding down the EP is the more mellow, psychedelic-influenced “Blow It Up.” With its chiming guitars, downtempo beat, and repetitive chorus of ‘Blow/Blow/Blow it up’, this song is the auditory equivalent of getting lost in a kaleidoscope, admiring all of the intricate bejewelled patterns.

Until The Vaccines release a full-length album, The Vaccines – EP is the perfect appetizer to keep your music player satiated.

The Strokes New Single: Undercover of Darkness

To say that I used to be completely, utterly obsessed with The Strokes is a bit of an understatement.

As a 16 year-old high school girl in 2002, once I heard “Hard To Explain” and “Last Nite”, I never looked back.

I joined their official fan club. I went to as many of their concerts as I could. I posted on their music forum. I bought every single music magazine that featured articles on them. I devoted nearly every single blog post to them. I proudly wore their t-shirts. They were even the muses for my high school art assignments:

Drawing of Julian Casablancas, by Amanda Van West

But, like many young bands on the scene, nothing is permanent. As I grew out of my teeny bopper Strokes-obsessed phase, the band produced two more albums, before pretty much disappearing over the last 5 years.

They never officially split up, but most of the band members were busy with side projects, and it seemed like The Strokes might not ever produce music together again.

Undercover Of Darkness

That is, until today. For the first time in 5 years, The Strokes have released a new song: “Undercover Of Darkness.”

This is the first single off of their forthcoming album, Angles, which will be released on March 22nd.

While I was waiting for the song to download (it’s available for free for the next 48 hours on their official website), all of those giddy, 16 year-old teeny bopper feelings came bubbling to the surface again.

Even upon listening to the first few notes of the song, and to Julian’s distinct, yearning-yet-gritty voice, crooning away ambiguous lyrics, little goosebumps actually formed on my arms.

“Undercover Of Darkness” has the classic, Is This It?-era Strokes sound: upbeat, jangly guitars and a feeling that is simultaneously nostalgic and melancholic.

You know that feeling that you get when you meet someone new, but you feel like you’ve known them forever? Yet, you’re still excited about what they’re going to bring to your life, so you want to hang out with them as much as possible to soak up their awesomeness.

“Undercover Of Darkness” is like that new person, and my iTunes is getting a very hefty dose of it–repeatedly!

Hopefully the rest of Angles will live up to the expectations set by “Undercover Of Darkness.” In the meantime, “I’ll wait for you!”

RIP The White Stripes

I distinctly remember the first time I had ever heard The White Stripes. It was over 7 years ago, when I was 17 years old, and it was the summer before starting my senior year of high school.

At this point in my life, I wasn’t the music geek that I am today. I listened to whatever was on the radio, or whatever my friends listened to.

It was one of those hot and sticky summer days in Santa Clara, the kind that makes you feel like a Kirkland Signature ham, glistening with sweat instead of a sweet honey glaze. The kind where your ghetto air conditioning (aka spraying a cold water bottle into a fan) just doesn’t cut it. On those types of days, my mom and I would escape to the air conditioned confines of Valley Fair Mall.

I remember walking into Macy’s Men & Home, looking up at the television screen, and seeing this music video:

At the time, I had no idea who the band or what the song was. But I had to find out. It was so different from everything else that I listened to, but something about it resonated with me.

Later that evening, after probably Googling something like “what’s that lego video?”, I discovered that the band was called The White Stripes, and that the song was “Fell In Love With A Girl.”

A subsequent trip to Rasputin Records, and I was officially the proud owner of “White Blood Cells.” I don’t know how many times I listened to that album that summer, or since then, but it remains one of my all-time favorite albums.

Candy Cane Children

Come September, I had the chance to see The White Stripes at the Greek Theater in Berkeley. And it was only my second concert ever.

To this day, after going to hundreds of concerts, this is still one of the all-time best live performances that I have ever seen. The chemistry between Jack and Meg was electric, the songs sounded so raw and explosive, and the audience–a sea of red and white-clad people–was hanging onto every note.

I’ll never forget how The White Stripes helped set me on the path to a fantastic music scene, or how their music makes me feel.

Like many other ‘Candy Cane Children’ out there, I’m devastated to hear that they’ve split up.

But, as they say, the music lives on. Even though I’ll never see them live again, I know that I can pop in “De Stijl” or “Get Behind Me Satan” and relive those memories.

RIP, The White Stripes!

Chuck Berry Poked Me In A Gang Bang: The Postelles Tell All!

“My name is Daniel, and I’m here for the Gang Bang!” It’s less than ten minutes into my interview with The Postelles’ Daniel Balk (vocals, guitar) and John Speyer (Bass), and somehow we’ve stumbled onto the topic of the little-known McDonald’s secret menu.

We’re sitting backstage at The Independent, the location of this New York City band’s first-ever concert in San Francisco, and the band seems eager to show the Bay Area hipsters what they have to offer.

And what they have to offer are succinct, endorphin-inducing songs that sound like the brainchild of The Strokes and Phil Spector after drinking dozens of Tom Collins and playing vigorous rounds of canasta.

After being in San Francisco for just a few hours, I ask the guys what excites them most about the city, and what they’ve had a chance to see so far.

Daniel: We’ve heard it’s a great city, so I think everything excites me right now.
John: I think it’s also like a really rich city, in terms of musical history.
D: And rich people.
J: That’s what’s really exciting, we’re hoping to meet some rich people! (laughs)
What have you guys seen so far?
D: We got here an hour ago, so not much.
J: We saw this Jordanian kebab place (laughs).
D: We saw you!
J: We got some great coffee.
It was really good coffee! (Note: It was at Bean Bag Coffee House on Divisadero)
J: Yeah, at the bean place. It was really good. I got the Sumatra blend.
Ooh, fancy. Was it like Fair Trade, and organic?
J: I hope so, because I only drink that. ‘Cause that’s really easy on tour.
I guess so.
J: No, it’s not at all! (laughs) Organic food is the hardest thing to buy on tour.
D: McDonald’s is easy!
Did you know that McDonald’s has a secret menu?
J: No, like In-N-Out?
I dunno, I was reading this article and I saw that they have one called ‘The Gang Bang.’
D: The ‘Gang Bang’?

J: “Hi, welcome to McDonald’s, I’m here for the gang bang!” (laughs)
D: Are you sure they were talking about McDonald’s?!
Yeah, apparently it’s like a Big Mac with a chicken sandwich stuck in the middle.
J: Can you order it animal-style? “Can I get the Gang Bang, animal-style?”
I dunno!
D: “I’m here for the Gang Bang…animal-style!” It sounds better in my voice.
J: Yeah, you are the singer. It’s more natural. Your vocal quality is higher.
I think you guys should sing that tonight. You should make a song about the Gang Bang.
D: When I walk on stage I’ll say, “My name is Daniel, and I’m here for the Gang Bang!”

Getting Poked By Chuck Berry

Feel like getting gang banged by The Postelles? You can try your luck on Twitter. Like many up-and-coming bands these days, The Postelles are no strangers to the power of social networking. So how has new media has affected their interaction with fans?

D: It makes it more personal. Because immediately after a show you’re already getting a few responses like, “Great show!”
J: Or, “Terrible show!”
D: Yeah, “Terrible show!” And then we say, you know, “Fuck you!” back (laughs). No, it definitely makes it more intimate.
J: I think the coolest thing is we went on Facebook and asked where should we go. And people actually told us.
D: We literally went on and said, “Where do you want us to play?”
J: And half of them were St. Louis for some reason.
D: Probably because of the Kings Of Leon.
J: Oh yeah. So we were like, “Ok, we’re going!” And we went!
D: It was funny because there were like 70 responses and we were like, “I dunno. Should we go to St. Louis?” And the next response was from Chuck Berry. And he was like, “Yeah you guys should come to St. Louis!” (Jon laughs) And then he poked me!
Wait, Chuck Berry poked you on Facebook?
J: That should be your headline!
This is breaking news!
D: And then I poked him back. (laughs)
J: He’s totally lying. I actually have a friend who works at Twitter who’s coming tonight, so there you go, social networking!
D: Nice change of subject! Jon’s actually a pathological liar.
J: You’re a pathological liar. Twitter’s actually gonna be here! I’m gonna tweet my friend from Twitter, here, from the stage.
So how was Chuck Berry?
D: It was awesome! Supposedly he “dug” us.
He dug you?
J: According to the keyboardist. We’re telling everybody that!
Are you gonna put that all over Twitter?
J: Chuck Berry says, “I dig you!”

"I dig you!" -Chuck Berry

D: I actually tattooed it to my chest.
That is a good tattoo to have.
J: You don’t wanna know where it is.
D: I said chest!
J: Yeah, but that’s not true. (laughs)

Their Milkshake Brings All The Boys To The Yard

True or not, it’s hard to imagine Chuck Berry not digging The Postelles. Because what other band would play my ridiculous photo game?

What is the photo game? Let’s start with a brief background story:

I found a used roll of film in a camera at a charity shop in London. A small donation later, and the mysterious roll was mine!

Last week, I finally made the trip to CVS to get it developed.

The following photographs were the only pictures on the entire roll of film. Let me just reiterate that I have no idea who these people are, where these pictures were taken, or even when they were taken.

So I’ve asked Daniel and John to look through the photos and decide what music these people might be listening to in each one.

Photo #1

"YMCA" The Village People

D: I would say “YMCA” by The Village People.
J: Yep!

Photo #2

Girl Talk

J: The second Girl Talk album!
D: I would say “YMCA” again!

Photo #3

Milkshake

D: Ooh, “My Milkshake Brings All The Boys To The Yard”!
J: Yep! Yep, definitely.

Photo #4

That tho-tho-tho-tho-thong

D: Uhh…”Thong Song”!
J: “Thong Song”! (laughs)

Photo #5

"Smells Like Teen Spirit"

(Both are momentarily consumed with laughter on this one.)
D: I would say “Smells Like Teen Spirit”!
J: That was sweet!
D: That was a fun game, can we keep playing that game?

The Postelles: Coming To An Underwater Venue Near You! (Maybe)

The photo game may be over, but it’s never too late for the money game.

Ok, so if you had all the money in the world…
J: Which we do.
D: Yeah, because we’re robbing a bank tomorrow, like we said before.
What would be your dream gig? I’m talking location, line-up, everything.
J: We would probably play underwater. Like, accessible only by submarine. And, uh, you know that John Lennon is still alive? He would probably headline the festival.
John Lennon would headline the festival?
D: Huge, breaking news!
J: Dude, he’s been living in Argentina all this time!
D: Juan Lennon?
J: Yeah, and Elvis is still around. He’s old.
D: And where does he live?
J: In Argentina! Yeah dude, and Tupac! So John Lennon, Elvis, and Tupac would headline the festival under the sea, accessible only by submarine. And Roy Orbison would probably open for us.
D: You did not answer that question, at all! You know what? You’re a pathological liar!
J: You’re an avoider!
D: We’re breaking up!
So much breaking news in one interview!
D: This will be the first night we’re not sleeping together in one bed.
J: That’s true.
Aww, separation anxiety?
D: We both have girlfriends, and when we get back to New York we have to tell them that we won’t be sharing a bed with them.
J: For two nights! And then we’ll do a four-person bed.
D: And so the girls will have to stand on the side of the room and just watch while we hold hands and cuddle.
I guess that kind of answers my next question…
D: Do we have girlfriends? Yes, we have girlfriends.
No, how do you unwind on tour?
J: Cuddle!
D: Well, I like to preserve water in the shower. Let’s put it that way…
J: Billy (Cadden, drummer) and I do crossword puzzles. Or I try to do Ab Ripper X.

P90X?
J: Yes! Well, this is more hypothetical. Billy’s like, “You know what? I’m gonna drink a lot tonight and then go home and do Ab Ripper!”
D: But we have gone to the gym.
J: Yup, we have been going to the gym.
What, the YMCA?
J: No, we’ve actually gone to the gym! It’s hard on the road to stay in shape, but we try to do it. Brian, our tour manager, is actually our life coach.
D: Our life manager!
He’s like the Tony Robbins of the tour?
J: Yeah, and he’s also an amazing driver.

Breaking News (again!)

Ok, so you guys have probably heard that Coachella has sold out.
D: No, breaking news!
Yes, breaking news again! How would you go about sneaking into Coachella?
D: It’d be nice to actually play Coachella.
J: We’d dress up as a band, probably. Just walk right in.
D: People always say I look like Joseph Gordon-Levitt, so I’d probably just walk in and say I’m Joseph Gordon-Levitt.

JGL or DB?

DB or JGL?

J: Billy looks like everybody. Billy’s one of those people that people always say he looks like someone, every attractive person.
So what’s been your proudest band moment so far?
D: Wow, good question. I would say playing in Iceland was really cool.
J: Yeah, Iceland was cool!
And finally, what’s next for The Postelles?
D: We have a show in like, twenty or forty minutes. That’s literally what’s next for us! Well, we’re gonna be touring a lot. Our debut album comes out in April.

Thanks, guys! To hear the full, unedited (but shitty audio quality) interview, click here.

The Postelles are Daniel Balk (Vocals, Guitar), Billy Cadden (Drums), David Dargahi (Lead Guitar), and John Speyer (Bass). Be sure to check out their website here to stay up-to-date on the latest news, and to listen to some sweet tunes!

 

The Postelles unedited audio interview

WordPress has a fancy new feature where you can use your cell phone to directly post audio content to your blog. I interviewed The Postelles last night at their debut San Francisco show. The following is the full, unedited (albeit questionable audio quality) interview:

Natural “Double Rainbow” Moments

This year, more than ever before, viral video sharing has become easier than ever. Find a funny video on YouTube, and you can send it out to all of your contacts in one easy step by clicking the ‘share’ button and sending it to all of your Facebook friends.

My friends and I are constantly sharing stupid videos we come across, eager to discover the next hilarious sensation that will become the butt of inside jokes for years to come.

Looking back on my ‘favorites’ list on YouTube, my favorite viral video this year–hands down–has been the “Double Rainbow Guy.”

If you’re like nearly 23 million other internet users, you have seen this video. You have probably had heated debates on whether he’s just very in tune with Mother Nature, or if he’s stoned out of his mind, and what exactly is happening off-camera. (Note: supposedly he’s sober in this video, but he’s no stranger to cannabis.)

But no matter if his enthusiasm is a result of massive amounts of THC in his system, or the colors of the rainbow permeating his soul, it’s refreshing to see someone have that much joy out of something as basic as a collision between water molecules and sunlight.

Take a second and think about it: when was the last time you were that excited about something?

Real-Life “Double Rainbow” Moments

Since discovering this video, my friends and I will peg amazing experiences as ‘double rainbow’ moments.

They may not happen too often, but when they do, they’re hard not to share (“Oh my God, I totally just had a double rainbow moment yesterday!”)

My last ‘double rainbow’ moment happened on the day after Christmas. Having probably consumed half my weight in chocolate and gluten-free baked goods over the holidays, I was feeling particularly slovenly the morning after Christmas.

I decided to break out my running shoes, put together a motivational playlist on my iPod, take advantage of the unusually sunny December day, and hit the pavement.

“Flash A Hungry Smile” by Mystery Jets was the first song that came up.

Just as the twinkling, chiming opening started, the clouds simultaneously cleared from the sun. Beams of sunlight shone down upon me and, for less than 5 seconds, it felt like the most perfect moment. I found my pace matching the tempo of the song, which motivated me to keep going.

I may not have shouted out “Oh my God, OH MY GOD!” like the Double Rainbow guy, but the moment was not wasted. Something so simple, so quick, and yet completely memorable.

Here’s to more natural ‘Double Rainbow’ moments for 2011! What are some of your ‘Double Rainbow’ moments? Leave a comment below! Best moment will win a special (to be determined) prize

MidiMidis and Delays @ The Relentless Garage, 6.10.10

Remember this tune? For anyone who grew up in the 90s, hearing the familiar, bleepy “doo doo dooos” can instantly transport you back to the days of playing Nintendo, watching Saturday morning cartoons, and swilling hefty portions of sugary, crack-like Kool-Aid through crazy straws.

For up-and-coming act, MidiMidis, mixing nostalgia with crazy electro rock is their name of the game. Their music is entirely composed of 8-bit and midi melodies. Imagine a British version of Julian Casablancas stroking himself with a Duck Hunt gun while watching “Tron”, and you’ll have some sense of what MidiMidis sound like. Or, y’know, you can just listen on their Myspace page.

The band were opening for Delays at the intimate Relentless Garage in London. An odd combination of bands, but they seemed ready to take on the challenge by performing with raw enthusiasm and fervor.

But despite giving an energetic performance, complete with brilliantly garish stage lights, the crowd was only mildly receptive. Perhaps they’d be more suited to opening for a band like Klaxons or Late of the Pier, rather than Delays.

Although, oddly enough, their performance seemed to have a Viagra-like effect on an older couple standing next to me, inspiring the man to gratuitously squeeze the bottom of his partner while she listened on to the bleepy, shouty spectacle going on in front of her.

Bottom line? MidiMidis are the perfect soundtrack for either your next crazy electro-rock warehouse party, or for people in their ‘frisky fifties.’

Delays: Still Rockin’ After All These Years

Six years is a long time to wait to see one of your favorite bands in concert again. The last time I saw Delays, I was just starting my first semester at USF. So naive, so innocent (but still with a kick-ass taste in music).

They’ve released three albums since then, including the recently released “Star Tiger Star Ariel.” And judging by the crowd at the Relentless Garage, they’ve managed to maintain a strong fan base of hardcore followers.

The venue was packed with their most dedicated fans; the fans that can sing along to every single word whilst fist-pumping and pogoing up and down to every song.

Musically, they’ve come a long way since releasing “Faded Seaside Glamour,” but they’ve retained the same freshness and exuberance in their live performance. And, somehow, they don’t seem to have aged at all in the last six years. I’d like to know their secret!

Perhaps it’s the same source of magic that gives lead singer Greg Gilbert his androgynously siren-like vocals, as he wails along to the lush, ethereal melodies and beats of the rest of the band.

Like the veelas had the power to hypnotize unsuspecting men in “Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire” with their song, Greg managed to get even the toughest-looking men in the venue to jump around like hooligans at a football match.

The band played a good mixture of songs from all of their albums, including “Long Time Coming”, “Cavalry”, and “Valentine.” As the songs continued, hands shot up into the air like some type of religious spectacle at one of those weird churches in a tent, where people speak in tongues and pass out from the power of Christ.

Luckily, no one passed out here. The band expertly knew how to command the stage and get the audience going. It’s obvious that Delays are a band that have been doing this for awhile, without the awkward or nervous onstage moments. Greg, Aaron, Colin, and Rowly all play with a noticeable confident attitude, somehow managing to simultaneously engage the crowd and blow them away at the same time.

And the crowd wouldn’t let them get away without an encore, enticing the band to come back onstage by clapping in time and continuing the melodic “Oooohs” that Greg left off with.

Bottom line? Like Super Mario Bros, Delays are still just as amazing (if not better) after all these years!

The Futureheads: Live at Pure Groove Records in London

“Ok, this next song is going to sound very Russian, and when we start it will become very clear why,” explains Barry Hyde, with the same mischievous grin as The Grinch when he’s slinking around Whoville, stealing all of the Christmas decorations.

The lead singer of The Futureheads has successfully captured the attention of the crowd packed into the tiny Pure Groove Records shop and cafe. It’s a quiet Thursday afternoon in London, and a mixture of students and young, suited professionals on their lunch breaks are gathered to catch a rare, free acoustic performance of the normally raucous Sunderland-based indie rock quartet.

As the group launches into “Struck Dumb” from their newest album, The Chaos, which was released in the UK on April 26th, the Russian reference becomes very clear indeed. Without the aid of electric guitars, band members Ross Millard and David ‘Jaff’ Craig harmonise “ra da-da!” sounds–making sure to heavily roll the R’s–and occasionally display Russian-inspired dance moves, alternately squatting and popping back up with flailing leg kicks and arm thrusts. The only thing missing from the scene is black, furry hats and shiny, red voluminous trousers.

Hyde joins in by singing, “Misery, is a little line, of a little dash, it’s a subtraction sign.” Meanwhile, drummer Dave Hyde sits off to the side, providing a rhythmic beat without the aid of a drum kit.

With influences ranging from new wave and post-punk greats like Fugazi, XTC, Devo, and Gang Of Four, The Futureheads normally perform upbeat-yet-aggressive sets that often result in moshing, crowd-surfing, and pogo dancing. But despite not having the usual array of electric instruments, amplifiers, smoke machines, and brilliantly-coloured stage lights, their performance doesn’t feel any less exciting.

The Chaos
Here, the excitement comes from admiring the power of their voices and poetic lyrics, like “Every time I listen to my heart/It’s like a cartwheel in my head but my legs are made of lead” from “Heartbeat Song.” This is The Futureheads stripped down to their rawest elements.

And, today, those elements consist of one part concert, one part variety show–the band members seem to be in a jovial mood, joking around with each other and encouraging crowd interaction. It’s not every day that a band turns one of their songs (“Hounds Of Love”, from 2004′s self-titled debut album, in this case) into an audience participation game. Millard’s side of the crowd has been instructed to sing the “OH oh-oh”s, while Craig’s side of the crowd has the dueling “oh-OH!” melody.

It’s here where it becomes clear that this isn’t your ordinary British indie rock band, with generic melodies and a pretentious attitude–the band’s vocals alone intertwine in perfect harmony, almost like a throwback to a-Capella barbershop quartets from the turn of the 20th century.

Although the audience members may not possess the same level of vocal talent as the band, hearing the entire shop singing along to “Hounds Of Love” is a testament to the band’s showmanship. Moments like this make you remember why you bother going to shows in the first place. It’s easy to sit back and listen to an album on the bus, while working, or at a club, but without the smoke and mirrors of studio productions, some bands just can’t cut it live.

But whether they’re playing an intimate acoustic set, or performing at Europe’s largest festivals, The Futureheads have consistently proven that they can do more than cut it live–especially with the occasional, impromptu kalinka dance moves.

Interview With Craig Monk: From The Voom Blooms to the Defector’s Weld

Two years ago, I interviewed a British band called The Voom Blooms for our music/culture show, “Visionz”, on USFtv. I recently caught up with Craig, former guitarist/keyboardist, as part of an interview for my Arts and Entertainment Reporting class, to discuss what he’s been up to since the band split up last year. Check out our episode of “Visionz” below, and the interview with Craig!

With his tight black shirt, even tighter black trousers, and a shaggy mop of dark brown hair, 27-year old Craig Monk looks ready to strap on his guitar and step out onstage to a mass of adoring fans.

But it’s not the stage of the Royal Albert Hall he’s stepping onto, and there are no swarms of fans screaming his name. It’s the Defector’s Weld pub in Shepherd’s Bush, a pub he’s been managing since his former band, The Voom Blooms, split up nearly one year ago.

It’s a quiet afternoon at the Weld, with just a few people scattered around the heavy wooden tables, enjoying pints of lager and seeking shelter from the drizzly London weather. Mellow jazz music permeates through the air, blending together with the murmurings of deep conversations.

As he sits down with a fresh pint of Guinness in hand, Monk seems relaxed, despite this being his first interview in almost one year. Since 2005, he played guitar and keyboards for The Voom Blooms, a Loughborough-based indie rock band.

But after four years of living the rock star lifestyle, the band decided to split. “We were like a unit, a family, but it got to a point where we had enough and were tired of being poor,” explains Monk. “But I still have great memories from being in the band,” he recalls with a nostalgic grin.

Blooming Blossoms
The Voom Blooms started gaining momentum in the summer of 2006, after getting over 12,000 fans on Myspace in just a couple of months. After recording their first single, ‘Politics & Cigarettes’, they spent many late nights adding friends on Myspace. “But that was back when Myspace counted for something,” explains Monk.

Their persistence paid off, though, garnering the attention of BBC Radio 1’s Steve Lamacq, who played their single on his show. A week later, after receiving a phone call from Babyshamble’s manager—who had heard their single on Lamacq’s show—The Voom Blooms went on their first tour and signed a one single deal with Fiction Records, a subsidiary of Universal Music Group.

However, industry politics proved to be difficult for the band. “When our second single ‘Anna’ was released, our former manager decided that we needed a hook in order to get press. He came up with this story about me and George [lead singer] being secretly gay, and missing a gig in London because we were arrested in Paris after getting too drunk. We basically said, ‘Fuck off’, and so we didn’t get a story,” he recalls with a sense of disdain.

“Pressure comes from the top down. The record labels want a certain image, one that will sell. They try to tell you what to do and if you say no, they drop you,” he continues. “It got to a point where it stopped being fun.”

A New Label
Eventually the band moved to an independent label, managed by Brandy Provenzano. Under new management, they were received better in the U.S. than they were in the U.K.—even gaining a residency at Hollywood’s infamous Viper Room.

“I think the U.S. is more open to different genres of music, and the people are friendlier,” explains Monk. “I remember playing one gig at Neumo’s [in Seattle], and I didn’t have the right converter for my plug. The bouncer drove all the way to his house to pick one up for me!” he reminisces in amazement.

“You don’t get that in the U.K.” Despite finding success—and friendliness–in the U.S, the combination of exhaustion and outside obligations led to The Voom Bloom’s split (“But we’re all still good friends”).

Although he didn’t pick up a guitar for six months after the band split up, music is still an integral part of Monk’s life. All of his staff members are in bands (“We have seven drummers, and we even have a drum kit in our basement!”), and The Defector’s Weld often hosts after-parties for his friend’s bands. So will he ever get back into playing music?

Finishing off his pint of Guinness, he replies, “Music is like a drug; of course I’d like to get back into it. But if I do, I’d just like to quietly release something, and not have to market it.” You can take away the tour buses, sound checks, and recording sessions, but Monk’s passion for music remains as strong as ever—band or no band.

Passing Clouds documentary

Friends, Family, and other readers of ‘The London Scene’: you may have noticed that I still haven’t posted anything in ages, but there are two very distinct reasons why:

1. Since my laptop broke, I’ve barely been online. My replacement laptop came in about a week ago, but it’s painfully slow, making me avoid computer usage unless absolutely essential. Instead, my nights have consisted of intense “Lost” and “Queer As Folk” marathons.
2. We’ve been working really hard over the past 6 weeks on our documentary for one of my courses here at Westminster University. Many hours spent filming, scripting, and editing. Far too many. But, it’s been worth it because we’re finally done!

The documentary is called “Passing Clouds”, and it’s about an alternative arts club–hidden in a back alley in East London–with the same name. In a nutshell:

“Fed up with present-day commercialism, a group of people from different countries gather to build what they believe is a better way of living. They created a place called Passing Clouds, in London, to introduce a more communal and responsible lifestyle.”

And you can watch the documentary here:

In terms of production, there were three of us working on it. I initially found out about this place from a blurb on Time Out. After making contact with the organizers, we filmed over a period of three days.

I did a lot of the camera work, as well as editing (though we all took turns with different tasks, and worked together closely to produce this final version).

This was the first documentary I’ve worked on since the Nicaragua one (“Mano Por Mano”) that I produced for USF in 2008. I forgot how much work goes into such a little amount of time, but I love doing it.

So what are your thoughts on the documentary? Would you visit a place like Passing Clouds? Do you agree with their way of life? Do you think it’s better to live a more communal, rather than individually-minded, lifestyle?

Leave comments with your thoughts!