Sounds of an Eccentric

Last year, I had the pleasure of going around the UK creating an audio documentary for my degree's final project. I looked into how music city organisations are helping to preserve independent music venues in the UK, and the cultural significance of these bijoux venues. I thought it was an apt time to release this documentary, as many venues in the UK are currently struggling due to lockdown. The documentary explores the issues that venues have faced over the last decade, from high business rates to changes in planning laws. It can be difficult for these vital cultural hubs to stay open, without having to deal with the repercussions of a global pandemic. The Music Venue Trust has joined forces with venues across the nation, in a bid to make sure that they can keep their doors open and the music blasting post-lockdown. If you're in a position to donate to the 'Save our Venues' campaign, click here.  So without further ado, here is 'Grass Root - How m...

Photo by George Yonge Photography www.georgeyonge.co.uk I'm going to be totally honest. I'd put this blog into a neat little box in the back of my mind. A box full of happy memories and experiences, but said box has been gathering dust for quite some time. It's been nearly two years since I last posted anything on here. During that time, I have graduated from university and entered the world of work. I was pulling pints whilst working as a freelance reporter and digital content writer for the BBC and Sky, before securing a full time contract as a newspaper reporter. I also met a nice boy and adopted a couple of cats.  Since the UK entered lockdown, I've had a lot more spare time on my hands (haven't we all), and I thought it was about time that I prioritised writing for pleasure again.  When SOAE was at its peak during my second year of uni, I felt an accumulating amount of pressure to make the blog a source of income or successful. Aft...

'Honey' is the latest track from Liverpool six-piece Red Rum Club . Known for their brazen brand of 'Scouse Americana', the group have had a busy twelve months. From recording their debut album to selling out Liverpool's O2 Accademy, to winning the prestigious Pirate Prodigies and subsequently playing Reading and Leeds Festival - it's clear that the group are set for a bright future. Joe Corby's trumpet fronts the brief intro of the song, with a bold, gutsy sound that captures the listener. Like all of their previous singles, the gallant trumpet melody elevates the track, providing a warm air of theatricality. The trumpet continues to add character throughout the track, but the song could definitely carry an even heavier emphasis on the trumpet. This would compliment Doran's rawer than usual vocals in the undeniably catchy chorus of: "Honey we've got a history, Honey you'll be the death of me". The peppy bass line provi...

Artwork by Kat Willaims Welcome to the first episode of our brand new music podcast: Contra Cast. This week Ben and I will be showing you our inner madness and reviewing music from: DUDS, Hello Operator , Sam Fender, Red Rum Club and KOYO. Check out our Patreon Page and any spare pennies would be greatly appreciated, so we can continue to create the show. So without further ado, here is the show. Let us know what you thought either in the comments or on Facebook .  (Here's our Twitter and Instagram for good measure!) Big Love, Sal and Ben x Download it hear!

Grimbsy indie band MINT have launched a charity campaign in protest of the of Air Strikes in Syria.  After claiming that Hulk Hogan had tweeted about their latest single, the band announced that it was all an hoax . The group wanted to illustrate how easy it is to create Fake News and to coerce the public into believing a skewed message.  The band have since announced that they have created two 'Mintamania' t-shirts. All the profit made from the shirts will be donated to Save the children. I caught up with their front man Zak Rashid to find out more. Now you've caused a bit of a stir on social media recently. Talk us through the whole Hulk Hogan tweet scenario.  Basically, the idea stemmed   from us being so sick of seeing fake news. We assumed that if people saw it was a joke, its comical and harmless. And if they believed it then point proven. So we were scratching our head thinking how we could make it relevant and usef...

Soma Fest hits London venue The Cellar this Saturday - with performances from Sisteray, The Garage Flowers, The Barrats, Feral Family and many more, you'd be mad to miss it. The all day festival is ran by promotions company Modern Age Music, an organisation that goes above and beyond to showcase and nourish the UK's independent music scene. Doors are at 1pm and bands will be performing until 1am - so wear your sturdiest dancing shoes. Tickets are priced at £6.60, and with 15 bands performing, that means that you're only paying just over 40p per band you see. The festival coincides with Independent Record Store Day, meaning that you can really indulge in the best of what the independent music scene has to offer. When you support your local bands and stores, you give them the ability to flourish, injecting a sense of community and culture to your area. For the price of two pints (or maybe one - it is London afterall!) you can make a difference and have an ...