Headsound: Euros Childs - Tête à Tête

Barely a week goes by without the energetic former frontman of Gorky's Zygotic Mynci Euros Childs coming out with a new collaboration or solo project. His album Summer Special is nominated for this year's Welsh Music Prize but it's already slipping off the front page of his website The National Elf Library as the releases continue.

His latest solo album Situation Comedy is out on October 21st and this lead track Tête à Tête is classic Childs his melodic pop vocals at the fore and lyrics with characters and cultural references worthy of Dylan. The song is available for download by donation at euroschilds.co.uk.

Childs is on tour in October/November and plays Brighton on November 2nd at Sticky Mike's Frog Bar which sounds like the name of one of his bands.

Headsound: Melt-Banana - The Hive

 Set this week's Headsound as your wake up call for an adrenaline shot to start the day. Avoid it whilst driving especially on Brighton's 20mph zones.

Tokyo's Melt-Banana emerged from the Japanese noise scene in the early 90s with energy and technical prowess propelling them onto the global circuit. Twenty years on they've lost none of their energy. Their first new album in 6 years is a highly refined version of their trademark sound distilled to the core components of guitarist Agata's multi-FX wizardry and Yako's shrill jackhammer vocals.

The Hive explodes with a squall of lightning speed guitar riffs whilst Yako comes in like a sped up J-pop idol. The duo bamboozle the listener making them want to turn backflips and kick a hole in the wall.

This is not just music. It's an experience, a violent sonic massage. The Hive is a wrecking ball of a track from a bulldozer of an album.

Fetch is out now on A-zap records.

Show: 6.10.13

Another selection of music and spoken word including new music from La Femme, Holograms and Dragon Noir and a song from Euros Childs who plays the brilliantly named Sticky Mike's Frog Bar, Brighton on November 2nd.

6.10.13 by Headstand on Mixcloud

Steve Hughes: From Motorhead to Motormouth

Metalhead turned standup Steve Hughes gives us a dose of vitriol.

With long hair and dark clothes, and perfectly timed deadpan delivery metal drummer turned standup Steve Hughes is an unusual hybrid.

“Music and comedy are both languages beyond words and culture,” he says. “Music is a wonderful thing which is why it’s so disturbing that Simon Cowell’s in charge.”

Music is a gift from the Gods enabling people who don’t speak the same language to resonate on the same vibrational, emotional and cosmic field. They’ve turned it into Happy Meals!”

He’s glad to be doing comedy now though. “I don’t know why I bothered dragging a drum kit around. Too much of a pain in the arse,” he laughs. Relieved of equipment and band members he’s come a long way in his new career. All the way from Australia to Manchester, in fact. “Australia is so isolated. Nothing ever happens. There’s no one there!” He says of his home country.

He’s enjoying the buzz of the UK’s condensed population and constant gigging has established him on the national circuit. He’s been able to cross pollinate metal and comedy audiences who love his no-holds barred material.

On his current tour ‘While It’s Still Legal’ he’s exercising his right to freedom of speech while he still can. “Comedy that pokes fun at the establishment or is portrayed as controversial or offensive will be outlawed eventually,” he claims.

“Political correctness implies that somehow an ideological structure that protects against you ever being victimised is noble. I see it as a form of subjective fascism.”

Hughes doesn’t set out to offend. He just doesn’t try not to. “How arrogant would it be for me to curtail my material by staring at an audience from behind the curtain and making a subjective judgement about their moral basis?” he argues. “I stand in front of the general public most of the year and they’re enjoying it” he insists.

He extends the rant with an attack on what he calls ‘global colonialism.’ “David Cameron says, ‘I want to export gay marriage to the world.’ It’s none of your business if the Middle East have gay marriage, or Jamaica. Your country’s not perfect either.” He considers Stephen Fry’s campaign to get the Winter Olympics banned in Sochi well-meaning but hypocritical. “They had the Olympics in The UK and they illegally went to war in the Middle East. They had them in Australia and they’re one of the most racist countries to their indigenous people on Earth.”

He admits his material is not to everyone’s liking, just as not everyone likes Country music. “I tell audiences, ‘don’t boo or jeer people who leave. They’ve got their own beliefs and ideologies.”

But with several sellout shows on the tour already he must be doing something right. Whether you agree with what Hughes says or not he certainly makes an impact.

Steve Hughes is appearing at Brighton Dome Corn Exchange on October 19th.

Headsound: Chris T-T and The Hoodrats - The Bear

Brighton singer-songwriter Chris T-T returns with new album The Bear out 7th October. The title track is an anarchic anthem which manages to reference Joan Rivers and Louis CK and Lenny Henry in his lead role in 90s sitcom Chef.
It has the bite and intellect of The Pixies and the humour of Half Man Half Biscuit.
He's on tour absolutely everywhere in the UK from October - December.

Headsounds are weekly recommended music and spoken word tracks. If you'd like to nominate a future Headsound get in touch with a link to a video or embeddable player (eg. Bandcamp) and 50 - 100 words on why you recommend it.

Tour dates

OCTOBER
10 Aberdeen Lemon Tree
11 Ullapool The Arch Inn
12 Inverness Ironworks
13 Glasgow Oran Mor
15 Brighton Komedia
16 London O2 Shepherds Bush Empire
17 Gloucester Blackfriars Priory
18 Cardiff The Globe
20 Leicester The Musician
21 Bromsgrove Artrix
22 Oxford St John's Church
23 Bury St Edmunds The Apex
25 Norwich Open
NOVEMBER
7 Manchester St Philips Church, Salford
8 Kendal Brewery Arts Centre
9 Newcastle Cluny
10 Leeds Brudenell Social Club
11 Cambridge Junction
13 Winchester Discovery Centre
14 Exeter Phoenix
16 Hastings St Marys In The Castle
17 Portsmouth Wedgewood Rooms
19 Birmingham Glee Club
20 Sheffield Greystones
21 New Brighton Floral Pavilion
22 Bristol Folk House
CHRIS T-T ‘THE BEAR’ UK TOUR – SOLO
24 Cardiff Moon Club
28 Ipswich Town Hall
29 York The Black Swan
30 London Bush Hall Supporting Jim Bob (Carter Usm)
5 Manchester Kraak Gallery
6 Leeds All Hallows Church
7 Durham Old Cinema Launderette
DECEMBER
8 – 11 Scottish Tour, Dates Tba
13 Bexhill Eras Of Style
14 Margatetom Thumb Theatre
15 Milton Keynes Watershed Arts
18 London The Monarch
19 Brighton Venue Tba
20 Devizes The Lamb

6 years of Headstand

Headstand has been going for 6 years now. Here's a recording of a performance I did with Tom Adams at the fifth anniversary celebrations last year. I got to hear Tom Adams playing exactly one year on in the basement of CB1. Performing solo he combined live and electronic instruments with his powerful singing voice in a set of new material. He is working on a new recording to which the words 'eagerly anticipated' can be readily applied. You can hear more Headstand related recordings at headstand.podomatic.com.

Poetry in Brighton

Ross Sutherland

I've been in Brighton nearly three weeks now but I've yet to properly discover the poetry scene here. So I'm looking forward to going to Redroaster coffee house tomorrow evening (September 26th) for a reading by Brendan Cleary who's launching his new collection on local press Pighog who are hosting the night. You can find out more about the event here.

Next week Hammer and Tongue starts a new season at Komedia on October 3rd. I have interviewed headliner Ross Sutherland and it's due to appear in The Argus this Friday. I look forward to meeting him again and hearing about his recent visit to a network of secret tunnels under Disney Land, Florida (seriously!) and seeing his latest show Stand By For Tape Backup. Find details here and come to enjoy some top quality performance poetry and maybe compete in the slam. I know I'm going to.