Artist Promo: This Be The Verse!!

Back in my college days, I met a guy on my Music Tech course who shared an interest in some similar music and we have continued contact for 10 + years. Having had a band at the time called Muswell and then somehow ending up in the more DJ world, he is still making hard hitting music with his industrial influenced project This Be The Verse.

Started back in 2014, This Be The Verse is pretty much the brainchild of "Cyrus King", who, at least on the debut Consequences EP, did most of the musicianship himself. Although obviously heavily influenced by the likes of Trent Reznor/Nine Inch Nails, Cyrus King's vocals lead more towards the shouty hardcore  side of things a la Frank Carter or even Rou Reynolds. It certainly has that very British flavour to it.

A few months back, This Is The Verse released the track Stubborn Youth and more recently posted an audio only video of Unveil. Whereas the former takes in prog rock influences, flipping in between being almost Muse-like to Mastodon riffage and headbanging, the latter sticks to the industrial script, incorporating an intense funky beat, crunching bass, synths, heavy guitars and a gloriously anthemic chorus.




This Be The Verse may not have discovered its unique sound as such yet, but everything that has been put out so far is enjoyable and of great quality and musicianship. Hopefully, a full length album will emerge some time in the near future. 

  If you like what you hear and want to check them out, they will be headlining a Camden Rocks show on 5th March at Camden Barfly, Chalk Farm, London. For more info see here.

I just want to tell you all ... CHECK OUT RYAN HAMILTON!

   This was originally meant to be a post of his latests video, but I've decided to simply make the a general post of how great I think singer/songwriter Ryan Hamilton is.

Formally of indie band Smile Smile and later teamed up with Jaret Reddick of successful pop punk band Bowling For Soup to form People On Vacation, Hamilton released his solo album last month. I had the honour of reviewing it for TOXIC Online, and one of my tag lines has even made its way on to a poster for the album (pictured above). It is simply a very cleverly written album with relatable songs, all wrapped up in a mixed alt. pop/classic coating. You can read more about it in my review here.

From that album, Hamilton has released two singles and videos, both you can see below. Both Karaoke With No Crowd and 4 Letter Verb are bouncy rock numbers with a classic sing-along feel. It's hard not to be taken in by the "ooh la la"s on Karaoke.. or tap your feet to 4 Letter Verb's main riff. Whereas pop punk bands of today express their feelings in an angsty and pretty whiny way, Hamilton manages to wear his heart on his sleeves with pride and deliver uplifting music all at the same time. 

He has just finished a house party tour in the UK and is planning on going back again in March of next year. Although I don't think he yet performs with a full band like on the record, the songs are strong enough to get a great atmosphere going without the big production. If you missed him this time around, check him out on these dates:

As a side note, I just want to check something. Am I the only person who sees a resemblance between Hamilton and British Radio DJ and latest judge of X Factor UK, Nick Grimshaw?

Promo and Interview: Yawning Dog

   For my first promo and interview article, I have the honour to bring to you YAWNING DOG!! The band have had the privilege of being named 2014 Breakthrough Artist of the Year by Musically Fresh, a well-known music site that this dummy has only just found out about!! 

  Yawning Dog hail from Hemsworth in West Yorkshire, UK and like loading peoples' ears with crazy, distorted grunge. I sent a few questions to guitarist and vocalist Sam and lead guitarist Ryan and they were willing to cooperate.

...Sort of....

1. How and when did the band form?
   
   Ryan: We all met in a room 1 day before our 1st gig and played some music, and we saw that it was good.
2. What kind of material were you playing around with at the beginning?
   
   
   Sam: Cloth.
3. Where was your first show?
   
   
   R: First Show..
   S: Snooty Fox in Wakefield, with Penguin
   R: We were rubbish.
   S: Penguin we(re) awesome.
4. What and when was your first release or upload?
   
   
   R: We have nothing to say on this matter.
   
   :/
5. Who is the main writer of the band?
   
   
   R: We complete each other..
   S:  We're like 4 nuts in a ball sack
   R: Any idea that anybody has is channeled through the inner spirit of the dog and comes out mangled and with more fuzz and shouting.
6. What is the Hemsworth/West Yorkshire scene like?
   
   
   S: We're half of the bands in Hemsworth, and the other is better.
   R: Yeah, Jam Abraham are an awesome band
   S: Hemsworth is a very small town though
   R: The West Yorkshire scene in general is great though.
   S: Check out Allusondrugs, Forever Cult, Treason Kings, NARCS, Valours.
7. What are your dreams for the band?
   
   
   S: I want to win X Factor
   R: I once dreamt we'd play and people would turn up, and then the next week they did… Spooky
8. What's the weirdest thing to happen to you or that you witnessed at one of your shows or on tour?
   
   
   R: Playing in a prison
   S: Thats how we met
   R: I was in for insider trading
   S: I was a Cheese thief
9. What is everyone's aftershow snack of choice?
   
   
   R: We're all too full from the big fat grungeyness
10. What's your poison?
    
    
    S: Arsenic
    
    (They probably would have said that even if I just asked "Favourite drink?")
11. Best venue you played at?
    
    
    R: Probably Parish in Huddersfield, for our single launch
    S: 360 in Leeds is great as well, we want to play there again at some point.
12. Worst venue you played at?
    
    
    R: 'Castonbury'; it was a fundraiser for a rugby club in Castleford and we were really out of place.
13. What was your favourite kids' show growing up?
    
    
    S: Teen Titans
    R: Thomas the Tank Engine
14. What's your favourite show now?
    
    
    R: Collectively we all enjoy Trailer Park Boys
    S: Breaking Bad and Simpsons
15. Pearl Jam or Soundgarden?
    
    
    S: Smashing Pumpkins
    R: Sonic Youth
16. Rancid or NOFX?
    
    
    S: The Clash
    R: Minor Threat
    
    ("Neither" would have sufficed, too, you know?)
17. What's your favourite recent chart/pop song?
    
    
    S: They're all too good
    R: We're all massive fans of Nicki Minaj and you can hear that in the music.
18. What was your favourite release of 2014?

           S: Allusondrugs EP

           R: Led Zeppelin Re-issues

For any of you dotted around the UK, these are Yawning Dog's upcoming dates, including a tour with Bi:Lingual.

17th Jan - Santiagos Bar, Leeds
29th Jan - Mulberry's Tavern, Sheffield*
30th Jan - Players Bar, Wakefield*
31st Jan - Carpe Diem, Leeds*
1st Feb - Parish, Huddersfield*
19th Feb - South Sea, Sheffield
26th Feb - Spread Eagle, York
*Bi:Lingual Tour support

Here are all the links where you can check out the bands work and follow them on their merry journey through life..:

Don't Be Shy, Vlad

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AGKXSMq71Rc

I've Only Got One Ghost

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZgCrMpGJO1c

https://www.facebook.com/yawningdogtheband

https://soundcloud.com/yawningdog

https://twitter.com/Yawning_Dog