Since September 2016, Aliens potent mix of Alt Rock, Pop hooks and politically engaged social commentary has been firing up live audiences, reviewers and DJ’s across the UK. Long Way to Run is the lead track from their new album, Terradome.
Aliens were created as a music/film collective by composer & producer, Iain Harvie, (best known as the Rock guitarist for million sellers, Del Amitri) and filmmaker, songwriter & singer, Tim May. They were soon joined by Helen Turner from Paul Weller & Style Council on keys, Martyn Barker from Shriekback on drums, The Bible’s Leroy Lendor on bass, and hot new talent Tommy Sheen on guitar. Now, Iain has confined his Aliens duties to mixing and producing, while Tim and the band play live.
Their last single, Desolation Angel, written with Jungle’s Fraser MacColl, was released in aid of Centrepoint, the UK’s leading youth homelessness charity, and swiftly became BBC Radio Scotland’s record of the week. Terradome brings both tracks together with a whole load more that are destined to bring Aliens the wider attention they deserve.
“Maybe the world changes one conversation at a time, one idea, one slight shift of perception, if so Aliens are as vital as any more obvious rallying cry.” Dave Franklin. Scene and Heard.
LINKS:
https://www.facebook.com/blackoutlockdown
https://open.spotify.com/artist/1cdiplXHN22XQZ1qieLtEu?si=_yBEoR8eT2elQVb7ReTlvw
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmeJb7YdDx0C4AzkAok8FLQ
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An Interview with Ashton Nyte (The Week in #Indie Segment)
The Awakening was born in Johannesburg, South Africa in 1995 as the creative expression of artist Ashton Nyte. Nyte is the sole songwriter, vocalist, producer and primary instrumentalist behind The Awakening, accompanied by hand-picked musicians for live performances. Dubbed “dark future-rock” and “Johannesburg’s Bowie” by the press, Ashton came to prominence in 1997 with The Awakening’s chart-topping rendition of The Sound Of Silence, followed by another five #1 singles and twelve top 10’s. The anthemic single The Dark Romantics became a staple on alternative dance floors around the world, one of the many gems of The Awakening’s catalog of 8 full-length albums, 3 EPs and 2 greatest hits collections.
Ashton Nyte and The Awakening have toured extensively and headlined festivals in the US, Europe, and South Africa, including Ramfest and the Oppikoppi Festival to over 30 000 people. Nyte and The Awakening have been featured in a diverse range of media, from Rolling Stone and Metal Hammer to Dark Beauty and Fangoria.
As a solo artist Ashton Nyte has released 7 stylistically diverse albums in addition to his work released as The Awakening. After relocating to the US in 2008, Nyte released the cinematic dark-folk album “The Valley” which was toured from New York to New Orleans, played on over 200 US stations and drew comparisons to Nebraska-era Springsteen and Johnny Cash.
Nyte toured South Africa in March / April 2014 to promote The Awakening’s “Anthology XV” release, as well as the release of “Moederland”, his first Afrikaans-language album. “Moederland” was named one of the top 10 Afrikaans albums of the year by Netwerk24 and enjoyed two number 1 singles on Afrikaans radio and featured the Nyte-penned duet with Karin Hougaard.
Nyte’s most recent solo album, “Some Kind Of Satellite” (2015) received critical acclaim and was featured in a variety of press including Gothic Beauty, Sonic Seducer, Dark Beauty, Giuseppina and Auxiliary Magazine, among others. The album saw the artist perform a national sold out headline tour of South Africa, in addition to performing with British alternative rock legend, Wayne Hussey. Nyte’s works have been featured on NPR/PRI in the USA, and he has performed live in-studio to 125 million listeners on the international radio show “Border Crossings”. A prolific artist and activist, Nyte has also written and performed in theatrical productions and organized philanthropic events including his “Rock Against Rape” concert series, and presenting a lecture series at US universities focusing on tolerance and acceptance.
2016 saw Nyte collaborate with British guitarist Mark Gemini Thwaite (Peter Murphy, The Mission, Gary Numan) on MGT’s debut solo album, along with Ville Valo (HIM), and a host of other alternative music luminaries. Nyte also completed a 17 date sold out tour, spanning 12 European countries with The Awakening in October 2016. The tour was in support of UK band The Mission’s 30th Anniversary and included prestigious European venues like O2 Shepherd Bush (London), Hard Club (Porto), Markthalle (Hamburg) and many more. The Awakening was the only support for their leg of the tour and crowd response and merchandise sales reflected an ongoing growth for the love of Nyte’s voice and various musical incarnations. Nyte performed with MGT at the Wave Gotik Treffen festival in Leipzig, along with a UK date in June 2017.
In 2018 Nyte co-wrote and co-produced the second MGT album, called “Gemini Nyte”, with Nyte as the only vocalist and lyricist. The album also featured Paul Ferguson (Killing Joke) on drums and was toured with Jyrki69 (The 69 Eyes) across the US in March of 2018. Nyte is currently completing a range of releases for 2019 and has contributed lyrics and vocals to 3 songs on Michael Ciravolo’s “Beauty in Chaos” project, which features members of The Cure, The Mission, Ice-T, Ministry, Cheap Trick and more. The Nyte / Ciravolo composition “Bloodless And Fragile” was used in the television program “The Purge” on USA network. The Awakening has just released a new album, “Chasm” on 26 November 2018 with first single “Back To Wonderland” currently receiving airplay worldwide.
Ashton Nyte ended off 2018 with working on the score of the movie “Relive” with composer Ethan Gold. The movie stars David Oyelowo, Storm Reid and Mykelti Williamson and premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in January 2019.
Check out the full interview HERE.
LINKS:
https://theawakening.com
https://facebook.com/theawakeningofficial
https://youtube.com/theawakeningsahttps://ashtonnyte.com
https://facebook.com/ashtonnyte
https://youtube.com/ashtonnyte
https://instagram.com/ashtonnyte
https://twitter.com/ashtonnyte -
Skyfever Drop New Single ‘Kings’ (The Week in #Indie Segment)
Skyfever is a rock band from Ireland who is breaking through in a big way, with their music being selected for play in a number of famous sports stadiums. Their infectious rock music has filled the stadiums of Liverpool FC, Chelsea FC, the Tennessee Titans, the world famous New York Yankees and also at the Carolina Panthers 75,000 seater Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina. With this band, rock finds its rightful home!
Legendary rocker Alice Cooper is a fan, and last year he endorsed the band by not only playing their track, The Returning, to listeners of his worldwide-syndicated radio show, Nights with Alice Cooper, but also by personally sharing their track on social media and praising their talent. In fact, radio stations across the USA have recognized Skyfever and they have been played on stations from Philadelphia (WCLH) to Chicago (WZRD) to Nashville, Tennessee (Under the Gun Radio).
The UK has got behind Skyfever too, with Jim Gellatly (Amazing Radio) playing their music and the renowned Fred Perry Subculture website name-checking them alongside Otherkin, Heathers and Squarehead as ‘Top 20 Dublin Bands to Watch’.
Skyfever is Luke Lang on vocals, Brian Clarke on guitar/sounds, Tyson Harding on guitar, Ciaran O’Brien on bass and Karl Hand on drums.
LINKS:
https://www.facebook.com/Skyfevermusic
https://twitter.com/skyfever1
http://www.skyfevermusic.com
https://www.instagram.com/skyfevermusic
https://open.spotify.com/artist/4HPFvyJT6JkaEaoZFFUurl
https://www.snapchat.com/add/skyfevermusic01 -
Jammerzine’s The Week in #Indie for 11/4/2019
Jammerzine’s The Week in #Indie for the week of November 4th, 2019 includes exclusive interviews with dUg Pinnick, Fly My Pretties’ Barnaby Weir, and Danny Chavis from The Veldt. Also featured are premieres from Lunar Twin, North America, Owen Denvir, RISE, The Summercamp, and Too Many T’s.
About dUg Pinnick
Rare is it when I get to talk with someone of such knowledge and depth. Rarer still is when that learned musical scholar is also one cool and down-to-earth guy. That guy is dUg Pinnick. dUg is a virtual one-man walking history of music. Having honed his style and tone in the ’70s and solidified his place in music in the ’80s with King’s X, dUg played it all, done it all, heard it all, and been it all. And now we get the honor of hearing some of those stories and much more from the badass of bass in this exclusive interview.
In this interview, we get the latest news on King’s X’s new album and tour (dates below), the dirt on his other bands including KXM with George Lynch and Ray Luzier as well as his reflections on his just-completed Jimi Hendrix tribute tour with Joe Satriani and even a much-needed health update on King’s X bandmate Jerry Gaskill and so much more! Consider this interview a lesson in musicianship and a guide to living free.
LINKS:
http://www.dugnation.net
https://www.facebook.com/dugpinnickfanpage
https://www.instagram.com/dugpinnick
https://twitter.com/dUgpinnick_
https://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/dug-pinnick/id73055633?uo=8&at=1001ldnQ
https://www.youtube.com/user/douglaspinnick
https://www.kingsxrocks.com
https://www.facebook.com/KingsXofficial
https://www.youtube.com/user/alienbeans
https://twitter.com/kingsx
https://www.instagram.com/kingsxofficialAbout Fly My Pretties
When I first found out about New Zealand’s Fly My Pretties, I was astonished at how much of a collaborative effort it is while being as smooth running as it is. Their new album, and first studio album titled ‘The Studio Recordings Part One’ is an audio dynamite stick filled with the diversity that only a well crafted and tightly knit family of artists who know how to work together and work off the feeling of each other. And it shows (embed playlist below).
And in this interview, we get to talk with the brainchild of this effort, Barnaby Weir. In the interview, we get to know the roots of this family tree as well as the creative process that comes with each effort that Fly My Pretties undertakes plus much, much more.
LINKS:
http://www.flymypretties.com
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Fly-My-Pretties/70526150479
http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL1D2FFBD9ABFB296E
https://twitter.com/FlyMyPrettiesNZ
https://flymypretties.bandcamp.comAbout Lunar Twin
Lunar Twin returns with a sonically dreamy and melodic turn for the evolution of their careers with their new single and video titled ‘Leaves’. The track is one of those that creeps up to you in a good way and lends that tender surrender of the ears and mind and gives that beautiful turn for the serene with soulful vocals and a quietly ascending cinematic progression with a steady yet poignant backbeat. Think U2 as a more electronic band with an original twist and emotional delivery that only Lunar Twin can deliver.
LINKS:
http://www.lunartwin.com
https://www.facebook.com/Lunartwin
https://lunartwin.bandcamp.com
https://twitter.com/lunartwinmusic
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCuvRCdg_rfg6YBMd324hNXg/videos
https://soundcloud.com/lunar-twin
https://instagram.com/chriscontrollerAbout North America
East London quintet North America releases new single ‘Leave Us To Fate’. A rolling ballad encompassed in ethereal guitar work, the song is a bittersweet reflection on love’s subjugation to fate.
Frontman P.F. Phillip says, “Leave Us To Fate is a bittersweet goodbye to love now lost, a reminiscence of a romance that inevitably could not be.” Torn apart by separation, the protagonist encourages himself and his former lover to live and carry on, while admitting to a hopeless desire that they meet again in an unknown future.
Written, recorded, produced and released by the band themselves, ‘Leave Us To Fate’ is a cathartic release of emotion that encapsulates the band’s lyrical poeticism and sense of indie grandeur.
North America is a London based 5-piece creating viscerally energetic and introspective indie-rock that embodies the anthemic quality of their songwriting. Hailing from São Paulo and California, frontman P.F. Phillip met guitarists Gabe Coulter, Jack Rennie, bassist Sandro Giacometti, and drummer Sam Roberts at the world-famous Metropolis Studios before forming North America in 2017 over a refined appreciation of trashy American comedies and questionable pizza joints.
LINKS:
https://www.facebook.com/northamericaofficial
https://www.instagram.com/northamericaofficial
https://twitter.com/northamericabnd
https://soundcloud.com/northamericaofficial
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCYLulTJDkFWPGiIEg55ArxQAbout Owen Denvir
Owen Denvir dropped his new EP titled ‘Sticks’ on November 1st, 2019. With the panache of a showman and the creativity of a troubadour, Owen gives a varied and stylistic set of tracks that truly lay credence to his body of work and showcase his talents as a singer. And Owen really has the voice for this body of work. His range is perfect for what he is utilizing it for but that weathered emotion within is what is the most captivating. Layer that amongst the solemnly orchestrated music and you have that true magic bottled by an artist.
LINKS:
http://www.owendenvir.com
https://www.facebook.com/OwenDenvir
https://twitter.com/owendenvir
https://www.instagram.com/owendenvirAbout RISE
RISE delivers a score for her beautiful voice in the form of her new single and video titled ‘Temples’. The meaning of this video is striking in its execution, having been filmed in and around select abandoned properties on the West of Ireland. Shot with grainy and subdued aesthetics that perfectly flow with the music in a very cinematic way, ‘Temples’ encapsulates that silent drama within us all that constantly blur the borders between complicity and compliance and that struggle that helps, or hurts us in finding that medium.
RISE is a musician that knows how to write and perform what she feels and isn’t afraid to face those demons that stifle us all when confrontation results. Simply beautiful.
LINKS:
https://www.riseofficial.net
https://www.facebook.com/talitharise
https://www.instagram.com/r_i_s_e_music
https://open.spotify.com/artist/7HpWYxWrJpeNlyhlDGD14M
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgctenga8Vhhxj65Ap2-LSg
https://twitter.com/RISE_MusicianAbout The Summercamp
The Summercamp drop their new video and track in the form of their new song titled ‘Pull’, and we have this premiere right here! These party-pirates from Pittsburgh have what a lot of artists in the mainstream lack these days; personality. Built on the base of a smooth groove and super-sounds-of-the-seventies style bass groove in what must be either a Precision or Jazz (musician-speak there), The Summercamp delivers said personality within the lines of the lyrics and throughout the video. This, to me, is the perfect example of a ‘jam band’. I say this because that groove is indicative of such. These guys bring the party and the video shows that with its creativity and originality.
And for those thinking that groove is consistent through the track, wait until the 3-minute mark when the song and video take a dramatically dark turn and get downright dirty. You will love it!
LINKS:
https://www.thesummercampmusic.com
https://www.facebook.com/thesummercampmusic
http://instagram.com/the_summercamp
https://thesummercamppgh.bandcamp.com
https://artist.landr.com/music/628810020652
https://open.spotify.com/artist/5JdLem1bxjdsTBPhTM1bsx?si=z6BPLcd_ThCr6addriVKQQ
https://twitter.com/the_summercampAbout The Veldt
The Veldt is a band that has earned more than their reputation as shoe-gaze and alt-rock legends and pioneers. And now that is more evident in their new tour with guests including Seefeel, Your 33 Black Angels-Micah Gaugh-Honeychild Coleman & Haunted Horses among others (dates below).
And, in this interview, I get to talk with Danny Chavis. Along with his twin brother Daniel (vocals, guitar), and Hayato Nakao (bass), Marvin Levi (drums) and Alex Cox (guitar), are continuing to expose the masses with some of their new music (check out ‘Thanks to the Moth and Areanna Rose’ HERE) with a special glimpse of what to expect via the Raliegh, NC based show ‘Oak City Session’ below.
LINKS:
http://www.theveldtmusic.com
https://www.facebook.com/VeldtThe
http://twitter.com/veldtthe
http://www.reverbnation.com/theveldt
http://theveldtmusic.bandcamp.com/releases
http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCExvaP_PYVCPOyuvoFaVXkw/videos?sort=dd&view=0&shelf_id=0About Too Many T’s
Too Many T’s does it again with a catch-all-be-all true-to-form-wonder-of-words with their new video and single titled ‘Everyday People’ featuring french mega-mind ProleteR. To me, Too Many T’s is a perfect example of those artists who keep hip-hop pure and relevant in today’s world of increasing white noise. They are musical purists in the truest sense of the term. And they find like minds to consistently work with. In the ever-shrinking bubble of originality look no further than this dynamic duo to deliver us from evil.
‘Everyday People’ combines old school beats with older school horns and lifts them out of history with relevance that only comes from those who understand the relevance. I have officially met the artists in who, the old ways have joined then new.
LINKS:
http://toomanyts.com
https://www.facebook.com/toomanyts
https://instagram.com/toomanyts
https://www.twitter.com/toomanytsClick HERE to watch Season 5 of Jammerzine’s ‘The Week in #Indie’.
Click HERE to watch Season 4 of Jammerzine’s ‘The Week in #Indie’.
Click HERE to watch Season 3 of Jammerzine’s ‘The Week in #Indie’.
Click HERE to watch Season 2 of Jammerzine’s ‘The Week in #Indie’.
Click HERE to watch Season 1 of Jammerzine’s ‘The Week in #Indie’.