Follow On

Issue 1. May 2013Free

ContentsIssue 1. May 2013

4. A night at the Dovey - we take a trip down Penny Lane.

6. Tune in - Songs that you must listen to this month.

8. Beat goes on - We chat to Tony Burns from A.V.A.

9. Summer Dreaming - Timo from the Tea Street Band on a fear of flying and what the future holds for the group.

10. Legends never die - Why Joe Molloy is determined to get his brother’s single to the top of the charts.

13. Review: Bestival Benefit at Nation.

14. Sound City - A look ahead to this year’s festival.

18. Ride On - We speak to the men behind a new music podcast.

19. - BOSS - Dan Nicolson tells us how a fooball fanzine evolved into a promotion company.

Contributors:

Front Page cover picure taken by Dean Maddocks.@deanmaddocks

John Wharton@wharto15

A word from the Editor:

Hello and welcome to the first issue of Follow On magazine.

I would firstly like to thank you all taking the time to read this which will hopefully be around for some time to come.

Thanks must also go to those who have given up their time to be interviewed for the magazine and I hope that you enjoy reading what’s on offer.

If all goes well, we will be back at some point in the future so feel free to let me know what you thought about Follow On via Twitter @JoelRichards91.

All the best,Joel RichardsEditor

Contact:

Email: [email protected]

Twitter:@FollowOnMag

Facebook:www.facebook.com/followon

17. Radiohead - John Wharton looks at a band that divides opinion.

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Words: Joel Richards

For some, Thursday nights can rather be mundane.

The thought of just one more working day is enough to fill anyone with dread, but there’s a place on Penny Lane which offers a relaxed setting to enjoy music.Since July last year, the Dovedale Towers has invited bands/acts to come and showcase their skills in what is not your average venue to perform in. For starters, the clientele appear to be very relaxed as there is plenty of comfortable seating for them to sit and enjoy the entertainment that is on offer, which happened to be Low Winter Sun on the night I visited.With plenty of food and drink on offer, much unlike

your typical music venue, “The Dovey” does not only showcase new and upcoming talent, but also offers an ideal environment for both performer and spectator.The man behind it all is John Gibbons and despite having to keep an eye on events, he kindly took time out to speak to Follow On when we popped in. He explains: “We were keen to build up the music side and we decided to start a music night of bands we liked” as he leads me through a vibrant, but hectic queue at the bar.In the quieter

surroundings of the venue’s back offices, John divulged further the concept of the Dovedale Social, which is regularly championed by local podcast The Anfield Wrap. He said: “It’s got to the stage where people have got out of the habit of going to gigs. They will still go to big events and festivals but the idea of going to gigs every week like what I used to do when I was 18; people aren’t really doing that anymore. “So we thought if you put it somewhere like the Dovedale, a residential area where a lot of people live,

Going off: The Dovedale is trying to offer an alternative way to enjoy music.

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Thursday night delight: Low Winter Sun performing at the Dovedale Social.

hopefully people will decide to come down and have a beer while they check out a band or two down the road in comfortable surroundings.”The concept seems to have worked with a bustling venue which was treated to a vibrant selection of music in between the sets that night. It is a stark contrast to your average gig where you are forced to stand up for more than an hour or two whilst drinking warm tasteless beer out of plastic cups.Co-owner of the Dovedale Mike Girling believes it’s an “evolving process” and is hopeful of attracting more artists to the venue which appears to be going from strength to strength.As for the band

themselves, Low Winter Sun looked to have impressed the audience with their set. The four-piece opened up with the lively “Thinking Man” and from there the lead singer took over with his enticing vocals and stage presence which kept all focus on him.Their style certainly went down well with a rousing applause from the audience who were starting their weekend early. One other notable track was “Place to Crawl” which was the standout track from their set with its heavy-hitting vocals and plectrum wizadry. John explained the whole ethos behind the Dovedale Social: “We’re trying to encourage people to see bands in Liverpool because there are some great acts around at the moment and they should be playing to bigger

audiences. “So if people come and see them here then hopefully they will keep going to see them in town. That’s the idea anyway.”Despite its large size, the venue somehow manages to maintain a homely feel that makes both the performer and the punter relaxed. John added: “The venue takes a lot of the credit. Considering it’s basically a pub the sound quality in here is excellent and the way its set up. “We’ve put the stage as far away from the bar as possible where if you want to just talk to your mates you can do or there’s an area around the stage where you can get close to the live act. The venue is a bit of a gift really because it’s been the perfect place.”

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Here’s what’s on the playlist at Follow On

Michael Molloy & Alex Evans – Rise and Fall:

Aluna George – Attracting Flies:

Daft Punk – Get Lucky:

Set to be released on 29th April, this track has added poignancy following the death of Michael last year. The track is a living testament to the 18-year-old and the accompanying lyrics by best friend Alex make for a superb piece of music. Michael’s family are determined to get the single to number one.

Having taken a long hiatus, Daft Punk have made a welcome return and this funky number has become an instant hit. Featuring the smooth vocals Pharrell Williams, Get Lucky is sure to dominate dance floors throughout the summer and beyond.

Set to perform at the forthcoming Liverpool Sound City festival (see our preview on page 14), Aluna George have recently collaborated with Disclosure on “White Noise” and this effort is a showcase of their talents which saw them shortlisted for the Critics’ Choice at the 2013 BRIT Award.

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Tony Burns tell us about A.V.A


Can you tell us who are AVA?

We are a duo from Liverpool made up of Tony Burns (Tab) & James Mulhaney (Crouch).

When did you meet/begin to make music?

We went to school together and then started producing and DJ’ing the end of 2011.

Who are your inspirations?

We have a lot and they vary from time to time from the likes of, Hard Rock Sofa, Nicky Romero & Third Party, but then there are a lot more with the likes of Alesso, SHM and Thomas Gold.

What’s been your biggest gig so far?

Our biggest gig we would say would be when we played the Picket on New Years Eve where we opened for one of the biggest dance acts of the 90s, Shades Of Rhythm.

Which remix has received the most attention?It would have to be our remix of Cedric Gervais - Molly or John Ross - Believe.

What would you describe your sound as?

We don’t really like to stick to one sound we just put a kick drum in and then go from there and see what we come up with haha. But its quite progressive/Acid/Electro we try and stick to at least one of them genres or try to combine them all into one track.

What are your hopes and ambitions for the future?

Well we are working with other producers, the likes of, Tom Quinn, John Ross Junior, Adam Mitchell, Josh Miller and Grant Gordon. But in the future we just hope that we can do what were doing now and make a living out of it.

Who’s your current favourite DJ?Tab: DubVision or BlasterjaxxCrouch: Hard Rock Sofa

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How’s the album coming along?Basically finished. All the recording is done it just needs mixing now and mastering. Then all the artwork needs sorting. It could be a lengthy process considering we still don’t know what to call it. It’s sounding boss though. Could you tell us about Pledge Music and how you’ve found using it?I’ll be honest I haven’t used it. It’s been the other lads sorting most of that. I honestly thought we would have got it quite quick but it’s the old problem of get-ting people to put their hands in their pockets. In theory though it’s a good idea and if everyone who said they would pledge had we’d be ok, but saying is easier than doing.When do you hope to have the album out by?I personally would like it out later September early October, but we’ll have to wait and see. We won’t rush it, it’ll just be finished when we’re all 100% happy. this is going to stay with us forever so it’s got to be good.How was New York Sound City?New York was boss. The whole thing though was quite surreal. It was a really good thing

to be a part of and I’m really proud of us all. The gig itself was boss. We played a blinder. Everyone loved it and culturally it was beautiful. To go on a plane on the back of play-ing a guitar with your best mates is something that can’t be put into words...We believe you also supported the Inspiral Carpets recently too? Clint Boon rung me and offered us the tour. I remember first getting into music and used to listen to Inspirals because I was just into Oasis so it all tied in. We got to play in Koko in London which was a venue I had always wanted to play and that was amazing. The band themselves are really sound fellas. Clint is really supportive of us and always gets in touch to see how we are doing. It was just good to be on the road.So what’s coming up for you and the lads in 2013? We’ve heard that you’re taking a trip down under...Yes July but I am terrified of flying! The thought of 24 hours on a flight turns my stomach. It makes me nervous thinking about it, Valium should make it ok. I thought I’d probably never get the opportunity to go to Australia but because I play Guitar I am. We are also playing on the main stage at Kendal Calling. I had a dream last night we played shite

ha! I couldn’t remember the set but that will NOT happen!Things appear to be on the up. What other ambitions do you have with the band?Just to pay my bills off by playing music and play music to as many people as I can all around the world. Apart from that not much really.What are your thoughts on the current music scene in Liverpool?I listen on the net to all of the local bands to see whats happening and there’s some good stuff around. The Sound City stage we’re playing on in The Black-E has a good line-up. I’m going to hang around there a bit over the 3 days because I am lazy like that. I do like Shack though. They’re local aren’t they?How has it felt knowing that your singles have been getting airplay on national radio?I’ve listened every time and it’s filled me with joy. I love hearing people say ‘The Tea Street Band’ because that’s us and it makes me proud. I love walking around and see-ing our name on posters and magazines. I don’t seek it, but when I see it I think “is fucking right.” My Mum and Dad always say “we seen a big poster with the band on.” They love it more than I do. It’s boss to have supportive families and all of us do.

Lead singer Timo Tierney kindly took time out of the band’s hectic schedule to sit down and chat to Follow On about his fear of flights and nightmares he has recently had…

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Joe Molloy tells Follow On why he is determined to get his late brother’s single to Number One


Last September saw the sad and untimely death of Michael Molloy.The 18-year-old at-

tended the Bestival music Festival before his life was tragically cut short after a coach crash which also claimed the lives of coach driver Colin Daulby and Kerry Ogden, as they made their way back to Liverpool.But Michael was no

ordinary teenager. He was a hugely talented musi-cian who had received glowing reviews as part of the band Hostile Radio, and then later alongside his best friend Alex Evans who is a brilliant singer in his own right. The pair performed in

various venues across the city and had recorded tracks “Rise and Fall” and “Hope You Know” shortly before Michael attended Bestival.Michael’s older brother

Joe said: “I was never really been surprised by Michael from the age of 14 onwards. I’ve never been shocked like “Oh my God he can do this” “Is he doing that now?” “When he first started

writing it was like ‘Do you really want to do this?’ But then you realised he was being serious and he wasn’t wavering on

what he wanted to do, and once he was off he hit the ground running and Rise and Fall is a testament to how good he was.”Joe, 22, is optimistic that

his younger brother’s name will live on and that looks set to happen. He explained: “It’s been seven/eight months since he died but we’ve already had a studio named after him. We’ve had two paintings painted of him, we’ve had the single released and there’s now going to be an award named after him. “Words can’t describe it

really especially given why it’s happened. Not every-one gets a picture painted after them, not everyone gets a studio named after them and certainly not everyone gets an award named after them.” Joe added the tributes

to Michael meant “more than anyone could possibly

imagine: “As his brother I don’t

think how people realise how much it means.” he said. “It’s a boss testimony to

him and it’s quite fitting that the award is called “One to Watch.” Liverpool Mayor Joe

Anderson paid tribute: “Michael was in many ways the one to watch.” Such tributes have meant a lot to Joe and for people to recognise him in that sort of light “means something”: “It’s not like it doesn’t mean anything because he’s not here anymore. All we’ve got now are our memories and so in terms of these honours it’s creating new memories because he won’t do anything himself, but his name and his legacy will carry on. It’s not the last time anyone is going to hear the name of

Always remembered: Michael Molloy

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Michael Molloy.”Joe revealed that there are talks to set up a music foundation to honour the principles and traits which Michael adhered to. He explained: “If we can respect that and make a difference in music by using his name and sharing what/who he was then that’s what we want to do. “At the minute we

haven’t set it up yet so we’re just in talks in terms of what we can actually do.”The single has been

getting regular air-play on local radio stations Radio City and Juice FM. It has even caught the attention of national radio stations thanks to persistent requests by Joe and Michael’s extended family and friends.Pre-sales for Rise and

Fall were so good that it had reached the top 60 on iTunes before it’s full release.

alongside Rise and Fall. Called Hope You Know, the tracks have been available to download from iTunes since the beginning of April, and Joe told Follow On about the moment he decided they had to be shared with the wider public:“As soon as I found

out and the police told me about Michael, I said to Liam (Joe and Michael’s younger brother) “I’m going to have to get his songs out there.” I’d said to Michael for the last three/four years that I was going to make him a musician and a name. Now he’s not here it doesn’t mean anything in terms of his music, he was still as good a musician as he was and no-one can take that away from him. We just want people to realise that.”Rise & Fall is available

to purchase from HMV and iTunes.

Joe said: “It’s already in the midst of proper artists and big-selling names and it’s up there already. “We just need peo-

ple to keep pushing it, keep sharing it, and keep listening to it more importantly. “Me telling people

how amazing it is isn’t going to mean anything unless you listen to it yourself. If we can make him number one it would be amazing.”The song has been

backed by Rob Da Bank and the Bestival record label Sunday Best, who helped to get it released. He said: ““Michael

was a young and rare talent and it was obvious that music was an extremely important part of his world.“I feel privileged to

be able to help his family.” There is another

song being released

Michael’s written lyrics from Rise and Fall, released Monday 29th April

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Positivity, great music, community and an air of celebration fell over Nation.Celebration for Michael

Molloy, Kerry Ogden and Colin Daulby and the joy they brought to loved ones and friends before their lives were tragically cut short in September 2012.That communal vibe

and togetherness was reflected in Rob da Bank and his supporting cast of musicians and DJs as they brought a little piece of Bestival to Liverpool to remember Michael, Kerry and Colin who died in a coach crash returning from the Isle of Wight-based festival.And while Nation

is well known for its non-stop fist pumping nights, be it Cream or Medication, the Bestival Benefit was an alto-gether different affair as a variety of musical genres united to put on a triumphant show for those that died or were connected with the tragedy.In particular, the night

also attempted to raise money to aid the treat-ment of Zach Washing-ton-Young who suffered life-changing injuries in the crash.While the

main room played host to DJ’s throughout the night, it was the Court-yard where Getintothis began the night with the legendary Cuban Brothers whose crazy energetic style went down a hit with a crowd that was mixed with young and old alike.The highlight of what

was an absorbing set had to be when they began break danc-ing in stripped-down costumes despite their age - and rather wide frames - to ensure that the night’s entertain-ment was up and run-ning.Ian Broudie and Ian

McCulloch at the Besti-val BenefitWith a vast range of

music flowing through-out the iconic venue, there was certainly plenty on offer to keep music lovers of different tastes entertained with the main room playing host to local DJ’s Dave Whelan and Steve Parry to name a few.Meanwhile Scouse

legends Ian Broudie and Ian McCulloch played a short, yet poignant set in the Courtyard with the Bunnymen’s Noth-ing Lasts Forever” creat-ing one of the evening’s many lump in the throat

moments.And if that didn’t re-

lease the emotion, what followed surely did, as Bestival stalwart Howard Marks noted how Michael Molloy, known as ‘Mickey Blue Eyes’ really “lived to his full potential” and how he had a spiritual-ity to help people which is fondly remembered by those who knew and loved him the most.Reflecting on Kerry, ‘Mr

Nice’ spoke of her abil-ity to touch the hearts of those around her and help people feel like they were special.All of which led to what

was arguably the main event of the evening where the hugely talented Alex Evans, accompanied by Katy Alex, performed Rise and Fall which was written by Michael before his untimely death.What stood out from this

emotionally-charged per-formance was Evans’ stage presence and his power-ful voice which took the breath away from every single person that was pre-sent. If that wasn’t enough, an audio clip of Michael’s superb guitar solo from the song was played to rapturous applause.

Rob da Bank and Bestival came to Liverpool to remember those who died in the coach crash last year.

Tea Street Band at Bestival

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We speak to David Pichilingi ahead of the return of Liverpoo Sound City this May.


From the 2nd-4th May, Liverpool is set to welcome musicians from all corners of the world as part of the annual Sound City Festival. With 28 venues set to play

host to a variety of bands and artists, it is the largest indoor festival of its kind in the UK and has rapidly grown since its inception in 2008 during the city’s European Capital of Culture. What originally started as a

showcase event of the UK’s Northwest acts at America’s South By Southwest (SXSW) Festival, the event has grown to be a prominent highlight on the Liverpool music calendar. Speaking to Follow On, CEO David Pichilingi is adamant that the line-up for this year’s festival is the best yet.He said: “I think our musical

and conference line-up is superb. It’s a superb weekend to be in Liverpool and I’m sure the people in attendance will enjoy what we have to offer.”“There are certain bands

that I want to go and see and I will go down to the Anfield Wrap stage. We’ve got an iPhone app which helps people to plan a

City and have since gone on to enjoy chart success and sell-out shows worldwide. However David didn’t have high hopes for her at the time.He said: “I’ll be honest

I saw that show and I wasn’t impressed at all! I did not get it and I would not have said that that red-headed girl standing on The Masque stage would have turned into the artist that she now is.“If there was one

artist that blew me away that year was Santigold. For me she was star of that year but it just shows that you can get it wrong sometimes. We got it right in terms of getting the right artists, but for me when I saw Florence she wasn’t great.”Having also booked

the likes of Ed Sheeran and The Wombats to perform at Sound City in the past, there is the potential for many of this year’s acts to follow down the same

schedule as to who they want to see and when and what I’ve noticed for myself is that I’ve got dozens of crossovers already!”With bands including

Noah & The Whale and Reverend & the Makers, the opening night’s line-up alone throws up many dilemmas as to where you should base yourself. It is testament to the organisers and their hard work which has seen record sales for the festival which David believes offers up surprising bands which you may have never heard of before but will instantly enjoy.He adds: “For me,

Sound City is all about discovering your new favourite band, but you just don’t even know who they are yet and I expect there will be a few surprises for our punters.”A notable example of

this came in 2008 when at the time, a relatively unknown Florence and the Machine were booked to play Sound

Pic: David Pichilingi

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path of success and is another feather in the bow of the festival: “It’s always nice when you see acts go on to bigger and better things.”So who are David’s ones

to watch this year?“I always get this wrong

so there are certain acts that I want to go and see such as Thee Oh Sees, Mount Kimbie and I’ll be down at The Anfield Wrap stage looking at a lot of the Liverpool talent we’ve got coming through. There are lots and lots of things to look forward to.”As for the festival’s

growth itself, David is thinking big with regards to its expansion. He added: “It was always

the scale of the ambition to never be parochial, and it was to always think on UK and International terms, and the ambition at that time was to create the biggest event of its kind in the UK just as quickly as we could. It is an expansion which

has seen Liverpool Sound City grow into the biggest event of its kind in the UK.

David continued: “We are internationally important for all the speakers that we’re bringing in from all around the world. So we’re really pleased to have hit that target but we’re not satisfied with that really. “We want to be the

biggest in Europe next so our aim is to continue to grow at the rate we’re growing. But by the same token we do not want to lose sight or hold of the audiences we have had since the start of the journey. “We will always

continue to show what we think is the best new music and with that and as we continue to grow we probably will begin to book bigger artists.”But part of Sound

City’s ethos, David states, is emerging acts and will be the business element that they continue to offer.Another aspect

which the team have

to contend with is the booking of venues. So how do they manage to get them on side?David explained:

“Some are easier than others. We’re using the Anglican Cathedral this year and they were amazing to work with. We’ve put the Black-E into the festival this year, and we are using a couple of other spaces from last year. We talk to the council and the police so there’s a long drawn-out process. “But I think because we

have such an economic impact for the city now, they see us an importantly strategic part of the cultural offer for Liverpool. It’s a lot of work but thankfully people see us as part of the fabric of what’s going on.”

Liverpool Sound City runs from 2nd-4th May. For more infor-mation visit www.liverpoolsoundcity.co.uk.

Eager fans queue around the block ahead of last year’s Sound City festival

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Going to Sound City? Follow On takes a look at what bands to keep an eye out for at this year’s festival.

The 1975 – Thursday 2nd May, The Zanzibar: The 1975 have made a name for themselves throughout 2012 with the release of their debut EP Facedown through Dirty Hit and debut single “The City” working its way through just about every prominent radio DJ. With a debut full length due next year produced by Mike Crossey, they look set to go from strength to strength and are a must see on the opening night.

The Hummingbirds – Saturday 4th May, The Cavern Club: The band has become a favourite of Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney and they have even been play listed by LFC TV. So performing in one of the most iconic clubs in Liverpool should surely be a walk in the park?

Bastille – Thursday 2nd May, The Garage: There is something strange but unique about an everyday car park garage being used for live music and is therefore an ideal setting for Bastille to close out the opening night of Sound City. Having achieved success with the popular “Pompeii” the quartet have recently released their first album “Bad Blood” and come to Liverpool on the back a great start to 2013.

Bill Ryder-Jones – Friday 3rd May, East Vil-lage Arts Club Theatre: Making up 1/6 of psychedelic folk rockers The Coral, Ryder-Jones was part of a band who courted feverish attention from fans, critics and fellow musicians alike. His Friday night slot at the East Village Arts Club is a notable one as the festival reaches the half-way stage.

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Not many bands divide opinion like Radiohead. The quintet from Oxford

have been near the top of the business for twenty years, and the band have progressed a long way since the days when they were known as ‘that Creep band’. Ironically, the song that made them was also the song that almost broke them. Radiohead inspire devotion from their loyal following - a devotion that sometimes goes overboard, as anyone who has read their fan forums can confirm. So, what is it about Radiohead that inspires such loyalty? In order to answer this question one needs to look at the band’s history, their trials and tribulations, and of course their music.The group were formed

in the mid 1980’s when school friends Thom Yorke and Colin Greenwood decided to start a band whilst at Abingdon School in Oxfordshire. The band played their first gig in late 1986.Eventually, support

began to grow and they soon gained interest from record companies. Following a chance encounter between Colin

Greenwood and EMI, the band signed a six album deal with EMI. The record label did have one request though - they asked that the band change their name. After much deliberation, they changed it to Radiohead - the name of a song from Talking Heads’ True Stories album.The band recorded

the Drill EP, which didn’t set the world alight when released in May 1992 and performed poorly in the charts. Later that year, they released the single Creep which also failed to ignite much in the way of interest. The NME called them ‘a lily livered excuse for a rock band’ and Radio 1 banned the track for being too depressing. Their debut album, Pablo Honey, was released in February 1993 and stalled at number 22 in the charts and, just like Creep, the follow up singles also failed to become hits. However, a couple of months later, Creep began to inch up the charts when an independent San

Francisco radio station began to give airplay to Creep. Other West Coast radio stations followed suit and this meant that, by the time Radiohead arrived for their first US Tour in June 1993, Creep was on heavy rotation on radio and MTV. The song rose to number two in the Rock Charts and reached number seven in the UK charts.This sudden

popularity and fame almost broke the band up, and they refused to play Creep for a long time afterwards. In late 1996, the band convened to record their third album, which was released in June 1997, to great critical acclaim. It was the band’s first number one in the UK and is still regarded as one of the greatest albums of all time, spawning the singles, Paranoid Android, Karma Police, and No Surprises. So, why is it that

Radiohead are so popular amongst their fans? The most obvious answer is that the band have managed to maintain a high standard and quality musically.

Guest writer John Wharton looks at one of the most popular UK bands over the past 20 years

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There’s a new music podcast in town. Neil Atkinson and John Gibbons tell Follow On why they decided to set up The Rider.

Words: Joel RichardsWhy did you decide to start a music podcast?John: Basically because we thought it would be a laugh. Which is the best reason to do anything. Neil: It is as much that we wanted to do something that wasn’t football. Music offers us the natural breaks that mean it isn’t a meandering conversation. It sparks things off and we both love music.What do you hope to achieve?Neil: It’s interesting this, because the thing itself feels like the achievement so far. There is so much music being released and recorded around the globe now. It is very hard to stay on top of. There are so many bands playing live and so many of them deserve to do so to audiences as big as possible. They need help disseminating themselves and people need help to know what’s good, what’s interesting, what’s changing. So if we can sort of help people do that – and we ourselves need serious help – then we’ll be doing OK.John: The basic premise of the show is to ‘get people out of the house’. If people start telling us they are going to see bands they heard first

on our show, then we have achieved our aims. How has the feedback been so far?Neil: Good. Really good. We did a pilot and John’s selections got slaughtered which was great news on a personal level. Beyond that point we’ve been really pleased with the way people have come with us. Not everyone is going to like everything but we’re enjoying selecting the tracks, Adam’s Pledge Music feature is good, people seem to be getting into the Ladder of Love. Can’t ask for much more.John: Yes thanks for that! People have already thanked us for introducing them to stuff they haven’t heard before, so that feels good. The guests who we have interviewed have really enjoyed it too. What are your main aims for the new podcast?John: We’ve played music from all over the world already. If it is

very good, and not being played much elsewhere, then we will play it. We’re not saying we don’t like popular bands. We are just trying to help stuff that maybe doesn’t get played on the radio, but should be, go to a wider audience. Neil: We’re spending Sunday night each searching for the best three new songs we can find. If one of those is from the local area then great. But we aren’t forcing that issue.What are your main musical interests ?John: My music collection is very wide. But I am still a sucker for a group of lads with guitars who look and act like a gang. The next one of those is always what I am looking out for the most. Neil: I think the days of a cultish devotion of a certain type of music are long gone. I love girlpop, love electro, love folk, love rock ‘n’ roll. I am sceptical of young men with hair on their own with acoustic guitars but there are exceptions.

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We speak to Dan Nicolson from BOSS Mag about their music nights and what inspired them

Could you tell us a bit about Boss Night?BOSS Night came

about almost by accident. BOSS Mag is “very going out” so it seemed natural that at one point instead of writing about going to gigs or nights out, we’d try out hand at an event itself. We did that back in the summer of 2011 and it went down really really well. So we did more. What has been

your most success-ful event to date?Everyone has been

really good. Person-ally I really enjoyed the night we did with Didi Hamman. I think it was a really unique concept. The idea was to bring the Sportsman’s Dinner concept kicking and scream-ing into 2013 and intertwine music into it. We imagined a sort of Newsnight meets question time

meets Jools Holland and it worked. Didi was interviewed in an unplanned and en-quiring way by Daily Mirror journalist Brian Reade. The crowd of match going lads were given free reign on what could be asked and music on the night was pro-vided by Ian Prowse and friends. It’s a format we’ll definitely be returning back to.The next event sees

the world famous Sebastian Leger headline Rubix. How did you man-age that?!Rubix, the dance

nights we’ve been putting on have really took off. The first one got over 300 people through the door to see some of the best underground house talent in the city. For the second we kept more or less the same line up but got London based DJ Mark Fanciulli to headline. He came in between sets in Sao

Paulo and Miami and loved it. We knew the Leger booking was going to be ambitious but if you don’t ask you don’t get. And we got.What other plans

have Boss Night got in the pipeline?We’re full of ideas,

hope and optimism Not everything we try unfortunately comes off, however. Whether it’s trying to secure an artist only to find plans change late on or realising something can’t be done no matter what as it’s just not financially viable.How important

is it to keep your events and appeal-ing to your target audience?It’s the single most

important thing. When we stumbled into this we said that we will never put a gig on for the sake of it.

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