Artist: Alan Pownall
Single: Chasing Time
Label: Mercury
Released: 19th April 2010
Reviewed By: Sapphron Harper

Singer-songwriter Alan Pownall is set to release his debut album ‘True Love Stories’ later this summer; however we get the first burst of his unique pop sensations in April with the release of the highly addictive single ‘Chasing Time’

If you like music with irresistible melodic hooks and a deliciously timeless edge, then you need to make the acquaintance of Alan an energetic young London based solo artist who marries the idea of ageless music with perfection.

Whether you’ve just had a hard day at work or a blast out with your mates Alan’s relaxed tune is a great and easy way to unwind after whatever kind of day you have had. He effortlessly creates a catchy, memorable and impressive sound which is easy on the ear and will keep you in that feel good mood that the song creates. Excellence springs to mind when listening to the distinctive voice of Alan and there is no doubt that he will be a name to look out for in the near future!

(10/10)

Listen to more from Alan Pownall at Myspace

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Reviewers: We are being contacted by Promoters to feature live reviews and albums on the site, if you would like to get involoved with attending shows for us all over the UK and/or reviewing albums/ singles for us, Please get in touch via gettothefront@gmail.com

GetToTheFront: We recently went to the screening of your latest film Shank and have got to say it was amazing and you were fantastic in the film. It was a shame you died in the first part and when reading the script were you kinda like annoyed you were wrote off not long into the film?

Bashy: I just thought okay cool, if I want to do this role I have to make the best out of it.

GetToTheFront: But its good as you are mentioned throughout the movie

Bashy: Yeah, that’s the thing I’m referenced throughout the movie so it’s cool

GetToTheFront: During the film you are in the boxing ring in a few scenes, could you already box or did you have a few lessons before the film?

Bashy: I do watch boxing but I did have one or two lessons before.

GetToTheFront: If you could choose anyone to play you in a film based on your life, who would you pick to play you and why?

Bashy: wow I don’t know, that’s the craziest question I’ve been asked. I guess I would pick Kedar Williams-Stirling; he’s the young boy in Shank

GetToTheFront: Your latest single ‘When the Sky Falls’ is also the theme tune to the film Shank, can you give us 5 words to describe the song?

Bashy: Energetic, massive hook, epic, epic is definitely the word!

GetToTheFront: It seems when writing songs you draw from your everyday life and you reference very British themes within your song. Is this a intentional and if so why or does that just come from what you happen to see and feel at the time?

Bashy: Yeah, that’s exactly it. I draw my influences most of the time from British culture, as it’s a melting pot of different nations, religion and stuff.

GetToTheFront: It seems that the grime scene has shot up in popularity with many grime artists including yourself breaking into the charts. Why do you feel this has occurred now?

Bashy: A lot of us out there are entrepreneurial and doing it ourselves and now people are starting to relate more to the music.

GetToTheFront: You were the music supervisor for the film Freestyle and you have got some top people working on the soundtrack how did you go about choosing the songs and artists?

Bashy: I don’t pick the best names I’m picking the best music. I also have to stay in budget as well!

GetToTheFront: Have you got any tips for an artist or band to look out for in 2010?

Bashy: Yeah, Loick Essien, he’s featured in the song ‘When the Sky Falls’.

GetToTheFront: Finally, its important we mention you being appointed as an ambassador for the Governments Say No To Knives Campaign, as its such an important campaign and must be an honor being appointed as an ambassador to the campaign. What made you want to get involved with that campaign in particular?

Bashy: I don’t feel honored being a part of the campaign; I just want to get on with the work and the whole project. I just want to stop knives and I’m going to do what I can with however much power I get to help the problem.

Listen to more of Bashy at myspace

What: Nick Harper
Where: Central Studio, Basingstoke
When: Sunday 28th March 2010
Reviewed by: Roger Goodgroves

It must be difficult living in the shadow of a great musician. Ziggy Marley, Julian Lennon and Nick Harper all share that curse. Of course the
danger is that the sons all try and live up to their fathers’ reputation or that the public can never separate the two in their minds. Luckily for Nick he has the talent to rise above any comparison.

Tonight’s gig was in a new venue to me. The Central Studio, within Queen Mary’s College in Basingstoke. It’s a lovely venue and is well suited to attentive listening and an intimate atmosphere. This is just as well as Nick writes lyrics that are well worth listening to rather than just staring mesmerised at his incredible guitar skills.

The roots of Nick’s ability are likely to lay in the wealth of experienced guitarist who lay praise on Nick’s father Roy and often visited their home. These include the likes of Led Zeppelin’s Page and Floyd’s Gilmour.

Nick Harper is pigeon holed as folk which is about as absurd as Elvis Costello being labelled country just because he occasionally plays in that style. Unless that is you want to start labelling anything with a story or a political message as folk!

I think the “folk” tab is put on Nick’s music as he plays solo with an acoustic guitar as an accompaniment. That said the way he plays it could equally be described as rock/punk if he exchanged it for an electric. He attacks the guitar at times like he is trying to beat it to death. It seems Nick is winning the battle as he breaks a string half way through one song. Unlike most other musicians the performance doesn’t stop because of this and he makes sure that the show goes on. Nick launches seamlessly into an “a cappella” soaring vocal performance whilst he reaches into his back pocket for a new string. His face is a picture as he casts aside the ones that don’t match. Prize in hand he continues the singing whilst he simultaneously restrings and brings the offending string back into tune by ear with an almost seamless pluck and off he goes again; seconds out, round two!

Such is the music industry that talent isn’t guaranteed to put bread on the table and sadly Nick was playing to a half filled venue. I was trying to put my finger on why Nick has never achieved the recognition he deserves. He’s just about to release his tenth album (The last guitar) yet few people have ever heard of him. He is certainly unconventional, however that’s never stopped people in music, just look at Newton Faulkner. Perhaps it’s his subject matter. Last nights offerings ranged from a song about the Bolivian President “Evo” Morales to one about Henry the 8th on the “Fields of the cloth of gold”. His lyrics draw on history to point out modern day lessons, never too moralising but always intelligent and often sensitive. Perhaps today’s music buying public don’t have the attention span needed.

Being at the gig you felt very much part of it not just looking in. There was a lot of crowd interaction. Whilst this was very enjoyable for the most part there was one guy in particular who sounded like he’d been at the bar since lunch time that spoilt the mood a few times with stupid comments and heckling. The relaxed atmosphere was emphasised when Nick began to play a song requested from the audience and realising that he didn’t have his Capo out front with him asked for a volunteer from the audience to hold down the right fret throughout the song. I never expected this to work too well but was pleasantly surprised to see Nick once again successfully pushing back the boundaries of conventional gigs.

The support act is one to look out for in the future. Playing with Nick Harper was a Harpist of all things. This young lady a recent graduate from Cambridge Uni is Georgia Ruth (Williams). The inevitable comparison given her instrument is with Joanna Newsom, however Georgia Ruth strikes me as more like Beverley Craven as she can sing really well and doesn’t sound like she’s being strangled when she does it! Like Craven, she writes very melodic songs about relationships too.

Overall a very enjoyable evening of great song writing and accomplished performances.

Nick Harpers’ Website, Harperspace
Nick Live, Youtube
Georgia Ruth on the BBC, BBC

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Reviewers: We are being contacted by Promoters to feature live reviews and albums on the site, if you would like to get involoved with attending shows for us all over the UK and/or reviewing albums/ singles for us, Please get in touch via gettothefront@gmail.com

Reading and Leeds Festivals 2010 takes place over May Bank Holiday weekend Fri 27th-Sun 29th Aug 2010,

Reading Headliners

Friday 27th: Main Stage, Guns and Roses - Radio 1 Stage LCDSOUNDSYSTEM
Saturday 28th: Main Stage, Arcade Fire and with Special Guests The Libertines - Radio 1 Stage Pendulum
Sunday 29th: Main Stage, Blink 182 - Radio 1 Stage Klaxons

Leeds Headliners

Friday 27th: Main Stage, Arcade Fire and with Special Guests The Libertines - Radio 1 Stage Pendulum
Saturday 28th: Main Stage, Blink 182 - Radio 1 Stage Klaxons
Sunday 29th: Main Stage, Guns and Roses - Radio 1 Stage LCDSOUNDSYSTEM

Reading Festival between Fri 27th and Sun 29th Aug 2010, from Ticketmaster, Gigantic, Seetickets, Ticketline, HMV, Stargreen
Leeds Festival between Fri 27th and Sun 29th Aug 2010, from Ticketmaster, Gigantic, Seetickets, Ticketline, HMV, Stargreen

GetToTheFront: Where did you all meet and how did the Middle East first come together?

The Middle East: We met in our hometown of Townsville, North Queensland, through school and the music scene. we wanted a summer project and thus the middle east was born

GetToTheFront: How have the reactions been in the UK compared to back home in Australia?

The Middle East: We’ve never been to the UK so it’s hard to say. Australians have been really supportive. We’ve done some interviews from some blogs and magazines from the UK and some of them seem pretty nice. There’s a lot more of you in the UK than Australia so it’s hard to gauge.

GetToTheFront: Who are your main influences musically?

The Middle East: That’s a hard one to nail down. At the moment i really like Waits, Debussey, Dylan, Patty Mann, and the Silver

GetToTheFront: Can you give us 5 words to sum up your new EP The recordings of The Middle East?

The Middle East: Nope!

GetToTheFront: The first single to come from your EP is ‘Blood’ can you tell us what the inspiration behind this track was?

The Middle East: It concerns the events of 2005 in my family, when my grandpa was living alone after the death of his first love, and my father was living alone on a mountain out of town after the breakdown of his marriage.

GetToTheFront: Now every band/ artist is at some point compared to another what comparisons have you had and is there any that you really didn’t like/understand?

The Middle East: We sound like a lot of things so i don’t take it too hard when people compare us to others. We don’t particularly have our own sound and don’t really do anything very groundbreaking so it’s not a headache to hear things like that. I suppose it can be a bit disheartening to hear people say you sound like a band or certain sound that you’re currently trying to steer away from, but that’s the ebb and flow of things these days.

GetToTheFront: you could choose to collaborate with any other artist/band past or present who would you choose and why?

The Middle East: Aaah so many options…. maybe i’d make a sound track for the black paintings of Francisco de Goya. or maybe i’d make music for Othello or Romeo and Juliette.

GetToTheFront: If we were to go through your iPod what songs would be on your recently played playlist?

The Middle East: I’ve been commemorating Mark Lincous…. Sparklehorse - Saint Mary, Piano Fire. and ‘The Dumb Earth - Walk The Earth’ album.

GetToTheFront: You have a big following though social networking sites, what is the weirdest/funniest thing that you have been tweeted or sent?

The Middle East: I can’t keep up with them. I usually stay away

GetToTheFront: So what’s in store for you in 2010?

The Middle East: We’re recording and hopefully releasing our album in June/July. We’re playing some shows in the States of the United and in Europe, Japan and Australia and writing more music along the way. And i’m going to get a motorbike.

Listen to more of The Middle East at myspace

John Bishop, the comedian gets bigger with each show, he announces big arena dates for Feb 2011,

Doncaster Dome on Friday, 28th Jan 2011
AECC, Aberdeen, Fri 4 Feb 2011,
The Brighton Centre, Brighton for Mon 7th Feb 2011,
Birmingham LG Arena, Tuesday, 8th Feb 2011
Metro Radio Arena, Newcastle Upon Tyne for Thu 10th Feb 2011,
Trent FM Arena Nottingham on Sat 12th Feb 2011,
Glasgow Clyde Auditorium, Monday, 14th Feb 2011
Cardiff International Arena, 16th and 17th Feb 2011
Sheffield Arena, Saturday, 19th February 2011
BIC Windsor Hall, Bournemouth on Monday 21 february 2011

Tickets onsale from 9am/now from Ticketmaster, Seetickets, Gigantic, Ticketline

He is also touring up and down the UK throughout 2010 and early 2011 in other venues, catch him while you can, onsale from Seetickets, Ticketmaster, Ticketline, Gigantic