Album Review - Metal forth - Babymetal I still can’t believe that it has been 15 years since the girls burst onto our screen and impressed everyone with their music. I honestly didn’t think they would be around for long and I am quite happy that they have proved me wrong. Metal Forth is an awesome album with some seriously amazing collaborations that have made their way very quickly onto my favourites list. From Me To U feat Poppy was an awesome choice to start the album with, I love the beautiful harmonies and then screaming which all go together perfectly with a fantastic beat to make you want to sit and hear what the rest of the album is like. Absolutely love Ratatatata with Electric Callboy! This song is the collaboration that I have been waiting forever for, it’s on my gym playlist, it’s on my favourites playlist and it’s on my working on my own playlist for when I’m working from home and can blare out the songs that can’t be contained by headphones. It makes me want to dance around the room, kicking my legs out and waving my arms around. Yes, I do have terrible dance moves lol. Song 3 with Slaughter To Prevail is one of my favourite tracks on the album, you don’t just head-bang to it, you head-smashing to it because that’s the level that it takes you to. You just want to grab hold of something solid and give yourself the most severe whiplash you will ever get. When Sunset Kiss with Polyphia came on, I thought my laptop had somehow skipped the other songs or I had activated an ad for a holiday show, but then the beat kicked in and I was like “ok, I get what they did”. The 2 styles of music go together really well and give you a sort of heavy metal dance track. When Metal with Tom Morello started, I thought it was another Bloodywood song but then it developed into this awesome song that got my bum wiggling. It's not like the rest of the songs on the album, it's not full on heavy metal and there isn't any screaming but it still gets me going with a wicked beat. You all need to listen to this album, it is full of brilliant songs that you will put on repeat. It comes out on Friday the 8th of August so make sure you pre-save!!!

Revolution Rabbit Deluxe - Our Band How did the band start? Rev Rabb: The band began as a solo project but when I realised that I'd need a band to perform the songs live, I recruited friends from a music community based on those of us with social issues (such as Autism or Aspergers) or Mental Health issues (Anxiety etc). I literally formed the band in a morning by going around asking the members of the group, who I'd cherry-picked, to join. Luckily no one said no. Who were the first members? Rev Rabb: The first members were Dan on lead guitar, Ben on vocals and bass, with Nicky on drums. I took rhythm guitar and vocals. In the latest iteration of the band we have Tim on bass, Lee on drums and Max on Lead Guitar and vocals. How did you all meet? Rev Rabb: The first iteration met at a mental health music group as noted above. The new line-up was more involved. I rescued Max from a inflatable that had drifted far from shore. She was forlornly singing "Where is my Mind?" by the Pixies at the time, so I begged her to learn lead guitar just to fit into the band. Next, we found Lee trying to hitchhike to 1940s London (long story) and finally Tim, we picked up on an eBay auction. I'm still waiting for my refund. Max: I was looking for my mate Wilson (sadly lost to the ocean waves). What was the first practice like? Rev Rabb: The very first practice with the founding members was held in my living room. Unplugged guitars and a kit covered in towels to muffle the sound. It was both rewarding and frustrating as we couldn't let it rip. Max: My first practice with RRD was sometime around the beginning of 2023, I was brought in by their drummer at the time who I knew from a previous band we were both in years before. As I was the drummer in most of the previous bands I was in I mainly remember feeling like I was incredibly rusty with my guitar playing as it had been a very long time since I’d played. Where was your first gig and how did it go? Rev Rabb: The very first gig was in 2019, at a church coffee shop run by people we knew. We had to tone it down a lot so very little distortion and anger. It went well, we had a free coffee and a walnut cake slice so it must have been a blast. Max: My first gig with these guys was in the Newbridge Memo which was an interesting and fun night, I’d never been there before so was good to play somewhere new to me and also to get back into gigging after years of being out of the game. What was it like the first time you recorded a single/EP/album? Rev Rabb: The very first time was in my home studio, The Warren. It went well, but back then I liked to control the whole process, a leftover from my solo days. So it felt very much like a solo effort. However, the first time with the latest line-up was a totally different beast. We went to a studio run by Jeff Rose of Skindred fame. This time the arrangements were all band derived. Rather than me telling people what to play, I trusted them enough to let them loose on the songs with free rein. And thank heaven I did that. The results were amazing. The songs soared higher than my individual imagination and its now the favourite thing we've ever done: angry and sensitive, angsty and powerful, impulsive and yet reflective. So proud of it. Max: My first contributions to recording with RRD were on the Control Freaks album, which had already mostly been recorded so was just a process of recording my guitar parts at home by myself which were then added into the mix later on. Recording the Rise album in the studio was a much more fun and creative experience for me (I’ve done studio recording before so already knew what to expect of the general process) as all four of us worked together to put together the song structures, and as I’ve contributed two songs of my own it was really cool to be able to revamp these and apply a completely different character to how they originally sounded, with the additional creative ideas from the guys making them sound so much bigger than the sum of their original parts. What has been the biggest and best moments of the band? Rev Rabb: Playing at the legendary Clwb Ifor Bach in Cardiff was a great moment. The people we have met and the bands we call friends (Dropping Like Flies and Critter Cabal to name just two.) Releasing Control Freaks was a great time as was recording the new album, RISE. The process of recording RISE, for me, represents the very best parts and experiences of being in a band. The camaraderie, the facing of obstacles and overcoming them together, the laughs over dinners spent at McDonalds so that Lee could redeem our spends as vouchers :D Max: Getting to play some of the local independent/community festivals has been interesting and fun as I’ve never had the opportunity to get involved with these before. Although at one local festival we played at last year a massive storm kicked in and the stage unfortunately got flooded as the band immediately after us were playing which resulted in everyone being forced to evacuate in a hurry! Getting to meet and play alongside loads of other awesome bands and make friends with fellow musicians within the local community where we’ve all been able to encourage and support each other. Getting radio airplay and/or getting included on compilation playlists. Having the opportunity to record an actual studio album, and getting to work with Jeff was a good laugh, can’t fault his encouragement and expertise and he kept us entertained with stories of touring shenanigans. Not being quick enough to save an entire pizza from being instantaneously demolished by one of Rev Rabb’s dogs during a songwriting session at his house. What has been the lowest and worst moments of the bands? Rev Rabb: OH, grief, that's a hard one. For me, it was losing members along the way as I regarded them all as friends. The worst was having two members quit on the same day but as with all bad things that happen, you need to experience the bad to get to the good. That moment resulted in our current line-up so although it was a terrible moment, it led to this time. Max: For me it would’ve been going through some really difficult times in my personal life over the last few years combined with considerable mental health struggles while trying to balance the challenges of being in a band, which has been hard at times. But being able to get back to doing the thing I’ve always loved doing the most – writing and playing music – has allowed me to channel a lot of that into a creative output that has been incredibly therapeutic. That, and also having wonderfully supportive and encouraging bandmates, has been a huge factor in me eventually getting to be able to get to a point where I can see the light at the end of what has been a very long, dark tunnel. I just really hope that light I can see isn’t a train coming in the opposite direction. What is it like playing on a stage to fans? Rev Rabb: You're asking the wrong person here lol. I have terrible stage fright and always leave the stage wishing I'd done so much better but then a perfectionist always does. It's also hard when I forget lines and have to quickly concoct gibberish on the fly. But overall, when it is over, there is a wave of relief and satisfaction that we did it well, especially if we carry the crowd with us. That is a great moment. Max: It’s a great feeling being up on stage and getting to make a bit of noise. But as I’m also not necessarily the most naturally confident person, I can agree with Rev Rabb that it can be a little scary at times – despite this I’m always grateful for any opportunity to get to play, I always learn something new and it’s always encouraging when we get people coming up to talk to us afterwards as then it reaffirms we’re doing something worthwhile. How does it feel when people tell you they are a fan of yours? Rev Rabb: I feel incredibly humbled that my inner ramblings and musings have touched someone else. It means a lot, that sense of a mutual connection, especially when some of those thoughts can be incredibly personal. It is why I do this, to connect. Max: I never really know what to say when people say they are a fan, it’s always great to hear although there is always a part of me that will internally say to myself “…but I’m just…me”. But when people commend us on a gig we played or airplay we received or music we’ve put out it boosts my confidence and reassures me that we’re moving in the right direction. What is the process of writing new music? Rev Rabb: Usually songs start as a riff or a vague la-la-la-ing to myself. These then become a vague idea for a song which I then either take to the band or I record a rough demo to send out to the others. Individual parts are left up to the others. I trust them to make the song something else with their input. It is scary but exciting to see a song take shape over a few practices and then finally make it onto the setlist. Max: Sometimes Rev Rabb will bring a new idea for a song to us by either sending us a rough idea or bringing it into a practice and then we will add our thoughts and suggestions or jam it out in practice and take it from there. In my case, I tend to work on my song ideas on my own at home until I can cobble a rough demo together and then will do more or less the same thing – get some feedback from the guys and see where it goes. A lot of the time we won’t really know how a song will eventually sound until we’ve all been playing them in the same room over and over again in order to get them to sound their best. Do you have a band ritual before you go on stage? Rev Rabb: For me and Lee the drummer, we have a final run to the lav to get those last second nerves out. After that, I mask up and we're ready to go. I haven't noticed pre-gig rituals with Tim and Max. I'll have to ask them as its a good question. Max: Grab myself a drink, plug in, tune up, rock out. Other than the instruments you play, do each of you have specific jobs in the band? ie, who arranges gigs, who runs the social media profiles, who sorts merch, etc. Rev Rabb: Max deals with the brunt of social media and hunts for gig leads. Lee organises practices. Tim excels at graphic design so he does everything that needs a visual input. I fill in the gaps, like behind the scenes organising (at which I excel at being rubbish) and interviews etc.

Single Review - Said I'd Be Yours - Dionne Although this is Dionne ’s first solo outing, you may have come across her playing guitar and doing backing vocals for Florence And The Machine on many tours. This is a very sensuous song, the type which after ten seconds of listening makes you want to jump into bed with your lover, and creating some sweat. It reminded me of the first time I heard Grace Jones, in that the vocal and backing and melody lines were almost other worldly and so in the space of uniqueness. I can hear Tom Waits in the distorted guitar riff, which blends with everything else including the vocal, into one glorious sensory overload. It’s souly, its rocky, its grungy, its funky, it’s ooh yeah let’s listen to that again. Its Dionne from Birmingham, it’s out now check her out, I hope there is a whole load more of this to come.

Goodbye Ozzy The moment that we were all dreading has arrived, the passing of the legend, Ozzy Osbourne. The man that took the music industry, spun it around and then bite off it's head passed away surrounded by his family in his hometown Birmingham. Where just a few weeks ago, he played his final show at Villa Park. I only found out last night when I walked out of the gym to find my husband in a state of shock. When I asked him what was wrong, he showed me his phone screen and I saw the social media post that announced Ozzy's passing. I didn't believe it at first, I didn't think it would actually ever happen. I got in my car to drive home and it just kept going over and over in my head "he's gone, he's actually gone", and I burst into tears. I was never a massive fan of Ozzy's but I loved him as an artist and respected him for everything that he had done for the music industry. He wanted to make music his way and he did that for his whole career. You only have to look at his list of awards to see how much the man achieved in his 76 years. Legend Of Live Award from the Billboard Touring Awards, 6 Grammy Awards, he was in the WWE Hall OF Fame, he had his own star on the Hollywood Walk Of Fame and Birmingham Walk Of Stars, he's in the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame twice, the UK Music Hall Of Fame twice, the Living Legend award from the Classic Rock Awards, he even won the Godlike Genius Award and Hero Of The Year from NME. The list goes on and on but the point I am trying to make is that he was the true meaning of the word legend. From starting Black Sabbath in 1968, all the way up to his final show just weeks ago, he was the ultimate showman. I had the pleasure of seeing him perform a few times and each time I was blown away by him, the show and how much the crowd loved him. To him, it was all about that music and doing what he loved. From everyone here at Suzy's Musical World, we will never forget you Ozzy, you will live on in all of us and we will keep your music and legacy alive forever.

Single Review - F You - Lucy Gallant I have to admit when I saw the publicity photos of Lucy Gallant I thought oh dear this is not going to be for me. She is a dressed in like a Carmen Miranda bonnet with a bikini top and a floral tassely pink skirt/shorts ensemble, sat in an empty bath outside, with a chihuahua by her side. But! I thought I would persevere, and it paid off. Instead of being hit by some euro synth pop I was hit with what I can only describe as the The Shangri-La’s meet Amy Winehouse. A great piece of period pop music, complete with brass and strings, which doesn’t sound dated but doesn’t necessarily sound current either. A cheeky vocal on the top and there you have it, the perfect ear worm for summer 2025, with the full fuck word thrown in numerous times. There is a family version available with the offensive words shortened to a letter. Lucy hails from Cairns Australia and is embarking on an extensive UK and European tour, so good luck with that Lucy. Is this rebellious? Not really, its 2025 and people have heard this word so many times it no longer holds the power it used to. Is it a novelty record? I would say so yes, and I would be interested in hearing more of her stuff to see what sort of punch it packs. But this delivers as a summery pop song which people at gigs will sing a long to before the end of their first hearing.

Album Review - Reside Infernus - Insult If the bouncy riff extravaganza party of Iron Maiden was added to a swirling cauldron of juicy ingredients- the vocal led, biker savvy rhythms of Judas Priest (and a healthy pinch of Metallica and Testament thrown in for good measure)-you would get Bristol’s own Insult . Washed down with a nice cold beer on a sunny day and there could be many a worse way to spend your afternoon. Formed in the 1980s, the band has had A LOT of time to incubate their debut (yes that’s right, debut) properly and, as if the decade that gave us the best of the aforementioned bands never ended, Reside Infernus takes us back in time to a place where metal relied on chunky riffs and oily slick vocals going on to inspire whole new generations of growlers, screamers and shriekers. Insult clearly wear their influences on their sleeve but rather degenerate into a, more or less, glorified cover band that many like them often become, Insult add a thing or two to the thrashy-power metal bars that is rarely delved back into these days. And the band’s debut album feels like a middle finger thrust into the faces of those that think this type of music has passed us by. The duel guitar riff machines that are Robbie Harris and Jonny Fifield respectfully could still teach a thing or two to all those aspiring guitarists of the future, delightfully weaving leads together to keep Insult hammering on with no let up for the weak. Most importantly perhaps, the band genuinely seem like they are having the time of their lives just churning out tunes that please them and, no doubt, will please scores of listeners. What a band like Insult reminds us followers of all things metal, is that it doesn’t always have to be about darkness, religion hating, lets punch walls for fun type aggression (although there is plenty of that on here too), we can still have a damn good time while we’re at it-whilst doing all of those things of course. Over its relentless eight songs, Insult are not just flying the flag of New Wave of British Heavy Metal, they’re reminding the scene of it, showing this generation and next that their style of metal has not gone out of fashion. It can still rip. And with its opening riff to its last, Insult prove this in abundance with Reside Infernus- not bad for a band that began life as an 80’s metal cover act. Insult aren’t trying to set the world ablaze with something never before heard, ground-breaking stuff, they’re here to get a crowd pumping, chanting and singing along to some undeniably catchy hooks and, did I mention riffs galore? And the album is relatively and surprisingly short-ingeniously crafted to allow the listener to get stuck in straight away. Insult have done away with all the fluff and theatricality and instead, proceeded to the non-stop fist pumping for all of its fleeting run time. What will the future hold for the NWOBHM die-hards? If this debut effort is anything to go by, the future is very promising and not just for Insult but the whole style and movement.

Interview With Take It Or Leave It Tell us about your latest release Our latest release is Tunnel Vision, which dropped in November 2024. It’s a six-song debut that represents our first real statement as a band. Getting it finished and out there felt like taking off the training wheels and finally getting moving. What was the recording process like? Was it in a studio or do you do it all yourselves? We split the responsibilities up. So we record everything ourselves in Craig’s basement using Mario’s gear. Once the sessions are solid, we send everything over to Anthony at Small Room Studio, who mixes and masters the tracks with us to get the right final sound. It gives us the freedom to create on our own time, but with a professional polish at the end. How do you guys write the songs? Most songs start with a riff, a voice memo, or just someone noodling around until something clicks. Once we have a basic idea, we build the structure as a group and shape the full song. We also like to test new tracks live before we record them. Therapy, our next single, has already changed a lot because of the way people have reacted to it at shows. That kind of feedback helps shape the final version more than people probably realize. What were your main influences while writing? We pull from a wide range of punk rock, especially the bands that shaped our youth. Blink-182, Rancid, The Offspring, NOFX, Ramones, and Descendents are all huge for us. They remind us how to balance raw energy with melody and meaning. We also get inspiration from outside of punk, artists like Foo Fighters, The Beatles, and Queens of the Stone Age definitely push our ideas further. And honestly, anything that’s current, viral, or bending genre rules grabs our attention. We like to keep a finger on the pulse. What is your favourite song on the new release and why? Run is our favorite track on Tunnel Vision. It opens the EP with everything we love, a big riff, a chorus that sticks, and a heavy finish that hits hard live. A close second would be Some Things Never Change, which is being featured by Rock Rage Radio on their Summer Sampler at festivals across the U.S. Those two tracks really get us moving on stage every time we play them. How did you come up with the name of the release? Tunnel Vision came from a conversation we had about needing to slow down and focus. At first, we were bouncing in too many directions, rushing songs just to get them done. Once we learned to really dial in on one piece at a time and make sure it felt right, everything started to take shape. The name became a reminder of what happens when you block out the noise and lock in. How did the band get together? Craig and Mario met through one of Mario’s coworkers who used to play with Craig in another project. That connection led to a jam session, and it immediately felt like something worth building on. They soon brought in Devon, who Mario played with over a decade ago in a similar style band. And in the summer 2025, they brought Nick into the fold on guitar. He and Mario had known each other since just before the band officially came together, so it felt like a natural fit. How did you come up with the name for the band? The name Take It Or Leave It came out of one of those classic group debates where nothing was sticking. Every suggestion was met with “Eh, I could take it or leave it,” and after a while, that became the name. It fit the attitude. No fluff, no filters. Just songs we believe in and leave up to the listener. That also led to the nickname Pasta Rock. TIOLI sounds like ravioli, and the name stuck. It’s more than just a rhyme, it’s a vibe. Have you got any gigs or a tour coming up where people can hear the songs live? We are always announcing shows, both in person and online. We have a few more lined up for 2025 so if you haven’t seen us yet, what are you waiting for!? We know not everybody can live close enough to see us, so we love to stream live from our practice space just for you guys! So follow us and you’ll be able to find a gig that works for you! What are your plans for the next few months? We’re deep in the writing process for our second full release which we hope to release in the early part of 2026. More shows will be announced soon, we’ve already teased one this fall. We have some plans for a music video or two. Things feel like they’re clicking into place right now and we’re just getting started. Official Bio Take It Or Leave It is a punk rock band from Rockland County, NY that blends raw punk energy with pop punk hooks, pulling from influences like Rancid, Alkaline Trio, The Offspring, Blink-182, and NOFX. Their songs are melodic and emotional, but still rowdy enough to throw a shoulder. They jokingly call their style “Pasta Rock” as a nod to how their name abbreviation (TIOLI) sounds like ravioli. It’s comfort food for your ears. Music that hits hard, sticks with you, and feels like home. Their debut EP Tunnel Vision dropped in November 2024. Self-recorded and later mixed and mastered by Anthony Bilancia at Small Room Studio, the release opens with the high- energy single “Run” and features a punked-up take on the Gin Blossoms classic “Hey Jealousy.” The name Tunnel Vision is a nod to the opening line of the record as well as a reminder to keep focused but stay aware of your surroundings. Known for their high-energy shows and spontaneous moments, Take It Or Leave It thrives on live performance. Whether you’re catching them at a local venue or one of their occasional YouTube live streams, every show brings something a little different. Like the name says, take it or leave it. They’re not going anywhere, so come along for the ride or get out of their way. Band Members Craig Chalfin – Bass, Vocals Mario Frascone – Guitar, Manager Devon Beuschel – Drums Nick Correa – Guitar Link Tree https://linktr.ee/music.takeitorleaveit Socials Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/takeitorleaveit_band Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/takeitorleaveitband YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TakeItOrLeaveIt_band Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/tioli-band.bsky.social TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@takeitorleaveit_band Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/takeitorleaveit_band Music Links Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/takeitorleaveit-872042877 BandCamp: https://takeitorleaveitband.bandcamp.com/album/tunnel-vision Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/5S60w9S5bvsF4qM00hjf6V?si=JBUdwxl-RAOxAYjsp_maxw Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/us/artist/take-it-or-leave-it/1777896776 Amazon Music: https://music.amazon.com/artists/B017WY07QI/take-it-or-leave-it?marketplaceId=ATVPDKIKX0DER&musicTerritory=US&ref=dm_sh_T8xEQeAy5t6qutx57HmfJAmEN

Album Review - Restless Hearts - John Jenkins When Suzy asked me if I wanted to review this album, I read the press release, saw the words fiddle, mandolin, and dobro , and was shamelessly drawn to it like a moth to a flame, a bee to a brightly coloured flower, a buzzard circling a dead buffalo on the prairie, knowing that soon I am going to get a really tasty and fulfilling meal. And I wasn’t disappointed, it grabbed me from the first track, with it’s simplicity, and then it’s understated accompaniments, of the afore mentioned instruments, and by the time I reached I Didn’t Really Want To Change The World, I was singing along with the chorus even though I’d never heard it before. I love music which sounds familiar, with comforting melodies, and every one of these songs fits those two categories. I didn’t know much about John Jenkins before I was sent his album, but surprisingly the lad hails from Liverpool, (he could quite easily have been from Omaha or Ohio) and has been around the music business for many a year. Obviously honing his UK Americana style which runs through this album. Whether it’s the stripped back simpleness of Farthings Wood with just an acoustic guitar and a tremelo’d mandolin deep in the background, to the out and out old time country song The Man Who Breaks Your Heart, John draws you in to his narrative, with his gentle soothing voice, reminiscent to me of Lloyd Cole. On Sound Of Thunder which features some wonderful weaving of pedal steel guitar, resonator and piano, John slips in a line about feeding the cat who then ignored him, and you can just picture this, it is so out of the blue and personal, and I think it’s this personal touch which makes him stand out as a great songwriter. John is currently doing a smallish UK tour to promote this album,accompanied by Pippa Murdie who plays mandolin cello and backing vocals I would recommend you get to a show if he is near you. I would also recommend you to check this album out Restless Hearts, if you are a fan of country or Americana, or even just looking for some excellent acoustic driven songs presented in a humble way.

Album Review - Square Peg Have you ever thought, I’d like to listen to some old time American mountain music? Well let me point you in the right direction to some real authentic old American music performed by Square Peg, who are Nick Pimbert on banjo, fiddle guitar and vocals, and Emily Johnson on guitar, fiddle banjo and vocals. And what vocals these two command, with harmonies which can easily be compared to sibling harmonies, like The Everly Brothers. There is something special about sibling harmonies and to get harmonies like this without the same blood flowing through the veins is a rare occurrence. But these two are so in sync musically its out of this world. You can feel their love for old mountain music and an enthusiasm which flows through their playing. They draw inspiration from The Rutherford Family, The Cabin Creek Boys, The Whitetop Mountain Band Gap Civil, Ola Belle Reid and The Carolina Chocolate Drops, and I can hear more than a passing reference to The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band. All the songs are traditional but with structures and variations created by Nick and Emily. As you listen to this album of nine songs, you can see old families in the Appalacians drinking some Pettimore’s Moonshine whilst jigging around to the music, whooping and a hollering as the night goes on. The music is so authentic it’s hard to believe you can often find them having a drink in Yorkshires Todmorden. Album Review - Square Peg I also get a vision of a young Johnny Cash listening to the Carter Family on the old family wireless, and next Square Peg comes on. The sound and tone of the instruments coupled with the vocals just transport you back to a time gone by, before television, before telephones, before social media, when all there was for entertainment was your neighbors coming together to share their cultural heritage on stringed instruments, and Square Peg capture this spirit perfectly. It is unpretentious, unpolished and profoundly human, qualities this world needs right now. Personal favourites are Cindy and Rubens Train, though it is hard to choose. Nick says their ambition is to introduce this unique style of music to as many people as possibly. Lets hope this review helps them to spread the word, they deserve to be heard by a wider audience. This wonderful debut album is available on all major streaming platforms.

Single Review - When Sky Falls - Dionne The second single from Dionne in as many months. I absolutely love this artist, I think she has a very unique sound in a world where it’s increasing difficult to sound unique. I compared her to Grace Jones with her last single, I’d Be Yours, and I still keep that comparison on this one, except I am going to add early Roxy Music into the mix, along with early Eurythmics and a splash of Blur. One great guitar led rhythmic track. It’s a really exciting sound she is creating and I love her use of her voice. It all adds to the tension and attitude. Dionne has good training in the music business having toured as part of Florence And The Machine band, I hope she goes on to make as bigger impact as that outfit. If she carries on cutting songs like this I think she has a good chance.

Gig Day By Our North How do you get to the gig? We all drive, we just meet each other there Do you carpool? Is there someone who is the “driver” of the band? Sometimes me (Dan) and Jonny will as we live in the same village How early do you need to get to the gig? We’re usually asked to arrive a few hours before just get sound checked and everyone organised When there is more than 1 band playing, how does everyone get set up and soundchecked? Is there a specific order to everything? No not really, we let the sound engineer do their thing, we play with In ear monitors so our mixes always stay the same in our ears What do you do once you have done the soundcheck? We usually scope out the area and go and have some food and maybe a beer Do you have any rituals before going on stage? Not really, we just plug in and play What are you mainly thinking about while you are on stage? I’m (Dan) just focusing on my voice and trying not to get in anyone’s way What’s the first thing you do when you have finished your set? We get our gear off the stage and then Go outside to get some air as we’re all really sweaty What do you do next? We either stay around to watch the next band and maybe have a beer How do you end the night? We usually just reflect on our performance and arrange to meet up again afterwards, but if we’re staying over in that town or city we’ll find a bar to chill out in New EP - Everyone For Themselves - Our North - Out 4th Of July

Interview With Trank Tell us about your latest release TRANK’s latest release is “The Maze” – the band’s second album and follow-up to 2020’s critically-acclaimed “The Ropes” (which in its 2012 “Deluxe” edition had been named album of the month by Powerplay UK, Powerplay Italy and Rock Hard France). “The Maze” was released in digital form in October 2024, and, like its predecessor, is getting unanimously rave reviews – which we hope and expect will continue after the release of its vinyl version, on May 1 st , 2025. Two songs have been extracted as singles, “Twenty First Century Slave” and “Queen of the Broken” – both available on YouTube with videos shot by the band’s visual director, Alban Verneret. What was the recording process like? Was it in a studio or do you do it all yourselves? Well – we love the studio, almost as much as we love the stage. But we approach it differently from most of the bands we know, in the sense that we do spend a lot of time finetuning the songs into a fully final state before we start recording them : so there’s no faffing about or “experimenting”’ once you get to the studio, which in most cases is French for “wasting time”. The sessions tend to be very focused as a result of that – but the vibe is really good. It’s never a case of “each of us does slaves away at his thing until it’s all done and no one else cares,” in fact we love to be there when one of us does his thing, so the atmosphere is as friendly and supportive as it needs to be for each of us to be on top of their game. Also, Yvan (Barone), our recording engineer, is a long time friend and he knows how to make us feel comfortable while we’re at it. As to whether we did in professional studios or ourselves – it was actually both. We’re old school in the sense that we like the grain of analogue gear, so even the home studio tracks (the guitars, bass, synths and loops) were re-amped at Yvan’s studio and put through his vintage recording console; and we also use live drums, which have to be tracked in a dedicated place – but it’s worth the effort, because that’s how you get the best out of your drummer if you have a really good one, which we do. For the first album we went to Studio des Forces Motrices, in Geneva next door – where bands like Young Gods or Treponem Pal have made some of their best stuff; for “The Maze” we went to Ella Recording Studios, on the French side of the Geneva area – the console there is the biggest and newest 64-track SSL you’ve ever dreamt of, it’s a museum piece. Yvan piloted the sessions with the help of Serge, the owner, who also happens to be a big bear of a man and gave us the best welcome. How do you guys write the songs? Painfully. But what’s a little unique about our process is we try to balance the sort of strength in ideas that can only happen if ONE person comes up with the core idea – with a collaborative process of how to develop it into a full song. Usually Julien (who has parted ways with us since before the album was finished, but we’re still very good friends and four of the songs on the album started with him) or David will come up with a melodic backbone played on guitar (typically a main riff and two or three variations or chord progressions). I’ll take that and structure it with Johann, our drummer – he helps a lot with finding the dynamics of a song, because he can create drum patterns that are either really textured and low key OR very powerful, depending on what each section wants; and I might add this or that element of melody, typically a bridge or a key change, to give the songs more light and shade; we love the notion of each song and each album being a self-contained trip, rather than a simple monolith with a flat ECG. We’ll record our parts at home and share files as the thing builds up, then put it in the practice room until we have a bass / drums / guitars skeleton that works. I’ll then take it away, let it simmer and add the electronics for added color and atmosphere. More practice, more simmering, and then one day the song’s melody and atmosphere will dictate the general theme and the first line of the lyrics and vocals – and the rest of the vocal writes itself around that first line. The music guides everything. What were your main influences while writing? The huge fail between how we think the world should be and feel and make you feel, and how it really is. Also, the music of artists who are an inspiration to us. We’ve all got extremely eclectic tastes and our musical centres of gravity are wildly different from one another, but our tastes meet around bands and artists that do the best job of sounding like we aspire to : epic AND intimate, intense AND contagious, powerful AND layered, authentic AND cinematic. In music as in life, it’s always the contrasts that feel the most interesting. We find that in the sounds of Depeche Mode, Radiohead, Massive Attack, SoundGarden, Queens of the Stone Age, Nine Inch Nails, Porcupine Tree, there’s too many to name. But they all take fairly dark subject matters and transcend them into songs that feel truly cathartic. Pretty much also what we try to achieve. What is your favourite song on the new release and why? You’re really going to ask us to choose between our kids, are you. I can’t say we have a “favorite” – I can tell you that “Queen of the Broken” is the closest we’ve come to a pop song within our world, so we have a special affection for it; and “Miracle Cure” is probably the most sonically ambitious thing we’ve done – it stretches out from electro-pro to a rap segment of sorts, with very intimate- sounding verses, a towering solo and a big rousing chorus. All that in the same song. It’s also my favorite one to sing on stage, because of the range of emotions and intentions in it. How did you come up with the name of the release? We realized, about four or five songs into the writing, that there was a common theme to them. The same thing happened on “The Ropes”, and then the theme was “the ties that bind us whether we know it, want it, love it, or not.” The theme for “The Maze” is how difficult it is to find and preserve your own sense of identity in today’s world. Which is strange, because “identity” is the most ubiquitous word in contemporary politics, but I actually think it poisons everything. You get constant injunctions to define or assert yourself on the basis of who and what you ARE, not what you DO, what you MAKE, what you THINK, what you accomplish or create. I find that dangerous on all sorts of levels, but also I find that, paradoxically, the constant quest for identity has so many people lose themselves. “The Maze” is that place – whether it’s the complexities of life, relationships or your own brain, it’s where you seek, and hopefully find, yourself. (That was so deep, wasn’t it – I think I might need air.) How did the band get together? TRANK is a passion project, which started with myself (Michel) and Julien getting together because he needed a vocalist and lyricist for the music he was composing in his spare time – and I was in a local cover band that did really well, but didn’t really want to get into own songwriting, which I aspired to. From the first session together it was obvious something special was happening, so I called Johann (drums) who had been a friend for a while and I knew was an exceptional drummer looking for a serious project to get involved in. About a year later and after a few bass players came and went, David showed up and something really clicked, in the music and the spirit of the group. That’s when TRANK really came into existence. We remained a four-piece until last year, when all sorts of changes happened. Julien had too much going on in his private life to go on with the band, David wanted to go back from the bass to the guitar which was his first love; the songs we were working on called not only for a bass player with tons of groove, but also another guitar player to do them justice on stage. So we ended up recruiting, not on ly a new bass player, but also a second guitarist. Arnaud has played the bass in a million bands and he’s a very technical musician – but he gets exactly what we’re after and he’s blended in seamlessly. Nico on the guitar is a long time friend, and he's so good that David and him swap rhythm and lead depending on the song, in a very fluid manner. Last but not least, our manager, Emma, plays the live keyboards and sequences and does backing vocals as well. So there’s 6 of us ono stage now – the logistics are complicated but it’s worth it for the huge sound and the friendship . We pretty much made “The Maze” as a three-piece of David, Johann and myself – it’ll be interesting to go back to the studio as a six-headed gang and see what happens. How did you come up with the name for the band? I could tell you, but then I’d have to kill you to save ourselves from the embarrassment of reading the story out there. Have you got any gigs or a tour coming up where people can hear the songs live? Yes – you can find out about those either on the band’s website or FB / Instagram ; you can also pester your favorite venue until they book us. What are your plans for the next few months? Play the brains off the audiences of our next gigs, add new songs from the studio catalogue to the live set, start to work on the third album, have fun. Whenever we get more ambitious, bad things happen. So we’ll just take it one song at a time.