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1
58 ............... ............... Friday, January 16, 2015 1SM Something for the Weekend 2 ONES 2 WATCH By CHRIS SWEENEY POP maverick Fryars knows he’s five years out of date. His acclaimed album The Power was held up for that long after he switched labels and got tangled up in red tape. But the Londoner — real name Ben Garrett — stuck to his guns and kept with it. In between, he kept busy working with others, including writing songs for Lily Allen’s latest album Sheezus and team- ing up with Pharrell Williams. Ben, 24, said: “It was like a block at the end of a pipe. “Having not put out my record, I spent a lot of time working on other people’s records. ‘You need to ride the crest of a wave’ “But it’s hard to move on when potentially everything you’re doing could end up on your own album.” While he’s pleased to have finally got it out, he admits it lacked impact because it was out of style. Ben explained: “Pop music is a fashion. “What happened to me is like doing your autumn/winter 2012 collection and then it coming out in spring 2015. “That’s not to say some things aren’t timeless. “But nowadays you need to ride the crest of a wave and you need momentum. “I hear so many good records that don’t take off and it’s because they don’t have the hype at the time. “Those were the things that were lost in the time I had to wait.” Adding to the problems caused by the delay, The Power is a sci-fi concept album. It’s based around a scientist who invents a massive sun machine which causes a nuclear winter. Even though it’s complicated, Ben says punters have got it. He said: “You want as many people as possible to listen to it — and there’s a way to go on that front. “Most of the reviews have been positive. “But what you really want is one person to understand it how it’s intended, so that everything you’ve laid down can be per- ceived by them. — then you know you’ve done your job. And there’s been a whole handful of reactions, so I feel what I was trying to do has been done. “For ages, people were being asked to buy into my project, that only had three or four tracks online. “Personally, I don’t know how you can do that unless you’re buying into a facet which isn’t the music. “I’m thrilled with the record itself and the product. “It’s about people coming to it, whether it’s now or in ten years — but it’s finally now out there for them.” And Ben is taking it on the road. He’s joining pal Rae Mor- ris on tour and the pair play Glasgow’s King Tut’s on Febru- ary 3. Ben raved: “We’re going to do a song together on the tour, which will be nice crossover point between our sets. “And even though my album is a concept one I wanted the songs to be able to stand alone.” Due to his diverse range of work, Ben has been branded the mad professor of pop — but he reckons there’s more to him than that. He said: “I do a lot of writing and production for other people. “And it doesn’t coincide with the work I do for myself which is more left-field. So I feel much more like a calculated professor, than a mad one.” l For more information, check out: fryars.co.uk The Southend rockers are earning their stripes impres- sively. And they’re keeping the march going with new single Ban All The Music — released in March. It’s a frenetic, all over the shop track — with frontman Conor Mason’s high-pitched vocals working a treat. Watch the video now at nbthieves.com LIVELY lads Nothing But Thieves are in the groove. Out of the frying pan and into Fryars LIVELY lads Nothing But ONE 2 HEAR revived their Hits The Fan record label. It’s been shut for seven years, since they made it and moved onto a bigger platform. But they’ve got it going again with exciting new act Kathryn Joseph. She’s got an album due out at the end of this month and is touring around the country hit- ting Glasgow, Edinburgh, Aberdeen and Inverness. Get all the info at kathrynjo- seph.co.uk FRIGHTENED Rabbit have vived their Hits The Fa ONE 2 SEE e off and it’s on’t have the the ere e I the by The i-fi und who ive ich ear it’s says punters ceived by them. — th k SILVER LINING TO GRANITE CITY SILVERBYSKYLINE WHO: Scotty Davidson (vocals), Scott Lynch (guitar), Wayne Mickleburgh (guitar), Fraser Bush (bass), Liam Ross (drums) WHERE: Aberdeen FOR FANS OF: You Me At Six, Bring Me The Horizon, Mallory Knox JIM SAYS: Floating around the Aberdeen scene for a while now, SilverBySkyline lay down some heavy rock packed full of melody. Captives, their follow-up EP to 2012’s debut EP Goodbye Olym- pus, came out at the start of last year and along the way they’ve recorded with the legendary Romesh Dodangoda (Twin Atlan- tic, Funeral For A Friend). Scotty said: “Heading to Cardiff to record with Romesh was one of the best experi- ences we’ve had. “It was great getting his input and positive feedback on our music.” Their music has been lapped up by rock radio and TV stations. Scott added: “We’ve seen our fan interaction increase exponentially and all our video releases have featured on UK wide music television channels. Our first single was in the top 10 most requested chart on Scuzz TV for six weeks running.” A new EP is now ready to go and the first single from it, Long Time Coming, has already started to pick up plays on Scuzz TV. Four more videos are planned for this year. They’re concentrating on getting the music out there at the moment rather than live gigs and it seems to be pay- ing off. Scotty explained: “Hopefully we’ll have loads of gigs and new material to record. It’s going to be a big year.” Being based in the Granite City, the band can develop without the pres- sure of being in a major music city. I sometimes feel bands in Glasgow especially can be pushed too early because of the vibrant scene. Scotty said: “Bands who work hard really do achieve big things. There have been a lot of great events recently coming to the city.” MORE: twitter.com/SilverbySkyline Jim presents Drivetime on XFM Scotland, Monday to Friday 4-7pm. See xfm.co.uk & jimgellatly.com New Music By Jim Gellatly
Transcript of jimgellatly.files.wordpress.com · Created Date: 20150115220632Z Title
58 .............................. Friday, January 16, 2015 1SM
Something for the WeekendSomething2ONES
2WATC
HBy
CHR
ISSW
EENEY
POP maverick Fryarsknows he’s five yearsout of date.
His acclaimed album ThePower was held up for thatlong after he switchedlabels and got tangled up inred tape.
But the Londoner — real nameBen Garrett — stuck to his gunsand kept with it.
In between, he kept busyworking with others, includingwriting songs for Lily Allen’slatest album Sheezus and team-ing up with Pharrell Williams.
Ben, 24, said: “It was like ablock at the end of a pipe.
“Having not put out myrecord, I spent a lot of timeworking on other people’srecords.
‘You need to ride thecrest of a wave’
“But it’s hard to move onwhen potentially everythingyou’re doing could end up onyour own album.”
While he’s pleased to havefinally got it out, he admits itlacked impact because it wasout of style.
Ben explained: “Pop music isa fashion.
“What happened to me is likedoing your autumn/winter 2012collection and then it comingout in spring 2015.
“That’s not to say some thingsaren’t timeless.
“But nowadays you need toride the crest of a wave and youneed momentum.
“I hear so many good recordsthat don’t take off and it’sbecause they don’t havethe hype at thetime.
“Those were thethings that werelost in the time Ihad to wait.”
Adding to theproblems caused bythe delay, ThePower is a sci-ficoncept album.
It’s based arounda scientist whoinvents a massivesun machine whichcauses a nuclearwinter.
Even though it’scomplicated, Ben says puntershave got it.
He said: “You want as manypeople as possible to listen to it— and there’s a way to go onthat front.
“Most of the reviews havebeen positive.
“But what you really want isone person to understand it howit’s intended, so that everythingyou’ve laid down can be per-
ceived by them. — then youknow you’ve done your job.And there’s been a wholehandful of reactions, so Ifeel what I was trying todo has been done.
“For ages, people werebeing asked to buy intomy project, that only hadthree or four tracksonline.
“Personally, I don’tknow how you
can do that unlessyou’re buying intoa facet which isn’tthe music.
“I’m thrilled withthe record itselfand the product.
“It’s about peoplecoming to it,whether it’s now orin ten years — butit’s finally now outthere for them.”
And Ben is taking it on theroad. He’s joining pal Rae Mor-ris on tour and the pair playGlasgow’s King Tut’s on Febru-ary 3.
Ben raved: “We’re going to doa song together on the tour,which will be nice crossoverpoint between our sets.
“And even though my album isa concept one I wanted thesongs to be able to stand alone.”
Due to his diverse range of
work, Ben has been branded themad professor of pop — but hereckons there’s more to himthan that.
He said: “I do a lot of writingand production for other people.
“And it doesn’t coincide withthe work I do for myself whichis more left-field. So I feel muchmore like a calculated professor,than a mad one.”
lFor more information, check out:fryars.co.uk
The Southend rockers areearning their stripes impres-sively.And they’re keeping themarch going with new singleBan All The Music — releasedin March.It’s a frenetic, all over theshop track — with frontmanConor Mason’s high-pitchedvocals working a treat.Watch the video now atnbthieves.com
LIVELY lads Nothing ButThieves are in the groove.
Out of thefryingpanand intoFryars
LIVELY lads Nothing But
FryarsONE2HEAR
revived their Hits The Fanrecord label.It’s been shut for sevenyears, since they made it andmoved onto a bigger platform.But they’ve got it going againwith exciting new act KathrynJoseph.She’s got an album due outat the end of this month and istouring around the country hit-ting Glasgow, Edinburgh,Aberdeen and Inverness.Get all the info at kathrynjo-seph.co.uk
FRIGHTENED Rabbit haverevived their Hits The Fan
ONE2SEEthat don’t take off and it’sbecause they don’t havethe hype at the
“Those were thethings that werelost in the time I
Adding to theproblems caused bythe delay, ThePower is a sci-fi
It’s based arounda scientist whoinvents a massivesun machine whichcauses a nuclear
Even though it’scomplicated, Ben says punters ceived by them. — then you
know you’ve done your job.
SILVER LINING TO GRANITE CITYSILVERBYSKYLINE
WHO: Scotty Davidson (vocals), ScottLynch (guitar), Wayne Mickleburgh(guitar), Fraser Bush (bass), Liam Ross(drums)WHERE: AberdeenFOR FANS OF: You Me At Six, BringMe The Horizon, Mallory KnoxJIM SAYS: Floating around theAberdeen scene for a while now,SilverBySkyline lay down someheavy rock packed full of melody.Captives, their follow-up EP to
2012’s debut EP Goodbye Olym-pus, came out at the start of lastyear and along the way they’verecorded with the legendaryRomesh Dodangoda (Twin Atlan-
tic, Funeral For A Friend). Scotty said:“Heading to Cardiff to record withRomesh was one of the best experi-ences we’ve had.“It was great getting his input and
positive feedback on our music.”Their music has been lapped up by
rock radio and TV stations. Scottadded: “We’ve seen our fan interactionincrease exponentially and all ourvideo releases have featured on UK
wide music television channels. Ourfirst single was in the top 10 mostrequested chart on Scuzz TV for sixweeks running.”A new EP is now ready to go and the
first single from it, Long Time Coming,has already started to pick up plays onScuzz TV. Four more videos areplanned for this year.They’re concentrating on getting the
music out there at the moment rather
than live gigs and it seems to be pay-ing off.Scotty explained: “Hopefully we’ll
have loads of gigs and new material torecord. It’s going to be a big year.”Being based in the Granite City, the
band can develop without the pres-sure of being in a major music city. Isometimes feel bands in Glasgowespecially can be pushed too earlybecause of the vibrant scene.Scotty said: “Bands who work hard
really do achieve big things. Therehave been a lot of great eventsrecently coming to the city.”MORE: twitter.com/SilverbySkylineJim presents Drivetime on XFMScotland, Monday to Friday 4-7pm.See xfm.co.uk & jimgellatly.com
NewMusicBy Jim Gellatly
