Whizba Music - Acoustic Sessions - Sam Calver - Chase & Status - Lost & Not Found

Thursday last week I was on top of the West Hill in on a beautiful sunny day in Hastings. It really did look stunning as I was looking down on the rooftops of George Street and peering over to Rock a Nore.

I love this town so much, it's so full of character and soul.

So I took out the camera and done some test shots and checked the sound to see if the wind was going to be noticeable on the footage.

Unfortunately it was, just as I was checking the sound the boys turned up for the shoot.

Sam Calver and a mutual friend of ours Scotty Watson from Ricky & The Hats.

I told them that we were unable to do the shoot on the the West Hill which we were all gutted about but we had pre-arranged a shoot in the new banging nightclub West Exit in the town centre.

So we packed up the gear and made our way down to the centre.

West Exit is literally the sickest club in the South East of England to date.

The lighting, the alcoves, the absolutely beast of a sound system they've had installed. They really have done a fantastic job bringing a 21st Century club to this historic town.

I reccomend anyone to go check it out if they haven't done already. They have an awesome lineup of DJ's and great events on every month.

The drink prices are pretty good too.

So for the second video in the series we filmed Sam doing a cover of Chase & Status - Lost & Not Found for Whizba Music.

Sam recently had a summer worldwide hit with DJ Paul Rudd - Wake The World Tonight which has given him a platform for bigger and better things in the future.

Keep an eye on this one fo sure ;)

Album Review - Sir Paul McCartney - NEW - Siggy Baylis - Whizba Music

SIR PAUL McCARTNEY

'NEW' 2013 ALBUM

Paul McCartney has spent a total 98 weeks at number one in his career. His current album called 'New' is his 16th solo album, which is out to purchase now. This is his first album of brand ‘New’ solo material in six years and it includes 12 new songs which he worked on with new collaborators, his single 'New' song is produced by Mark Ronson.

Having had lots of positive feedback while working on it, his main motivation for this album was his wife Nancy, whom he used to call up in the morning from home in the UK and play her his songs that he had composed while she was five hours behind in New York City.

His album is full of typical McCartney catchy lyrics and rhythms. I can't stop listening to it! The songs could easily be on Sgt. Peppers’, I wouldn’t notice even though it's made more than 40 years after the most famous Beatles’ album of all time, Paul McCartney does what he does best, he makes unforgettable bouncy tunes.

His music video for Queenie Eye shows that he has made friends and influenced a lot of people over his music career. The video includes famous celebrities including Johnny Depp, Kate Moss, Jude Law and Meryl Streep; yes, all filmed and edited with the celebrities in the same room at Abbey Road studios.

Paul sings the lines "I was nervous/But I did it/And came back for more" from the song 'Queenie Eye' on the 'New' album referring to the recording of Love Me Do, the Beatles first recorded single. In the original arrangement, John Lennon was supposed to sing lead. But George Martin wanted John to play harmonica and rhythm guitar, and in those days there was no overdubbing so Martin reassigned the lead vocals to Paul. Paul said he was "scared out of his wits". From listening and reading the lyrics, I think that Paul is commenting on life, itself. Life's a game. "Queenie Eye" was a children's street game in Liverpool when Paul was growing up.

Promoting his recent album, Paul McCartney has made guest appearances on television. These shows include The Graham Norton Show and Later with Jools Holland. After Paul McCartney performed his song ‘New’, Graham Norton said that his song was like a "wall of sound.....Brilliant!". He also performed The Beatles classic ‘Get Back’ accompanied by Jools Holland on piano on BBC Two's Later with Jools Holland, 22nd October.

Having seen Sir Paul McCartney play with ‘The Boss’, aka Bruce Springsteen last year in London’s Hyde Park…I can vouch for the fact that he is a living legend, even at the age of 71. He jammed with ‘The Boss’ like a 17 year old in the Cavern Club to pop rock Beatles classics, such as ‘Twist and Shout’.  Fireworks, cameras and screams. They twisted and shouted so much that the Knightsbridge neighbours complained and the police pulled the PA system.

Speaking about the ‘New’ track, Paul said: "We can do what we want, we can live as we choose." His album 'New' has been described as simply amazing by fellow fans that have been listening to the full album on YouTube. Sir Paul McCartney’s album reached over 100,000 views since being posted up just in a week as a Deluxe Edition on YouTube.

Paul can structure and produce songs with polishing ability with seventy years of musical taste and experience combined with the modern sounds of the 21st century. The songs include instrumental bridges and breaks leading to incredible and memorable vocal choruses and verses, which means that the album has enough classical roots. The ‘New’ song could almost be a Beatles Masterpiece, which will leave fans wanting more. 

By Siggy Baylis

Whizba Music 

WHERE THERE'S A WILL... by Siggy Baylis - Whizba Music

WHERE THERE'S A WILL... by Siggy Baylis

When I listen to song 'Train' by the up and coming band Will And The People  I can relate to the lyrics. There are a few lyrics that are my favourite, but this one stands out in particular.. "I love these people but I don't know their names" - what a nice way to look at strangers on a crowded train.

Will And The People are a four piece band who come from Brighton and London. The band consists of Will Rendle (lead singer, guitar and bass)  and his "people" are James Keo (bass and guitar), Jim Ralphs (Hammond organ and Melodica), Charlie Harman (drums) and Jamie Rendle (guitar and brother) who decided that playing and making music together was the right thing to do. They met at the Glastonbury Festival in 2010 and moved to a village on the westside of London, White Waltham. They live, rehearse and write songs there in a barn. 

They are perfect for festival main stages, living rooms, sweaty packed pubs and clubs at 3am, in tents, fast cars, slow cars, and on boats... and of course, in the sun. Their genre of music consists of playing reggae, pop, grunge and ska, mixing the sounds all together to create something that is on the verge of genius. 

This is because they have a vibe that is alternative to play to anyone and everyone, making the audience feel a connection and empathy with the songs and lyrics.  Their lyrics are catchy, honest and rather interesting. Occasionally doing covers of songs with their own unique twist on it. This includes The Pixies song called 'Where is my mind'.

Having seen them live numerous times, no shows are ever the same  - they have a spontaneous time with a different set list every show  The band has a happy vibe, which is creative, energetic, stylish and fun.  Will And The People have endless amounts of energy making the audience guaranteed to leave with a smile on their faces. They like to experiment with their sound, taking it to a whole other level of diversity with artistic songs. They have played venues such as Glastonbury, Isle of Wight Festival, Bestival and The Brighton Centre. 

Their self-titled debut album was released in 2012, containing their earlier released single Lion In The Morning Sun and the single Salamander, charting in the Netherlands. It is a feel-good album with songs that have meaning and pull at your heartstrings and others that are bound to make you move and love music itself. 

Their inspiration comes from Bob Marley, The Beatles, The Doors, Supertramp, The Police, John Lennon and Jerry Lee Lewis.

Their music is bright so you won’t miss it...Watch this space!

Siggy Baylis

Blogger

Whizba Music 

Daughter @ The De La Warr Pavilion - October 16th 2013

So Yesterday I received a text from my nephew who's 18 asking me what I was up to... I said I was going to see Daughter at The De La Warr in Bexhill and he was like ooooh can I come? 
I snaughed (snorted and laughed at the same time).. not at him but at the fact he had no idea who they were but was just up for the gig... so I said I don't think its really your scene matey but if you really want to come of course you can. 

The reason I said I don't think it would be his scene is because he's really into Drum n Bass, Grime, Dub-Step and House music etc...  
So I picked him up anyways and off we went. 
I was at Glastonbury festival this year and I must say they were incredible (what I can remember) and full of life and energy, it was such a privilege to see them at the biggest music and performing arts festival in the world.

To see them again a little less GLASTO'd should we say was awesome. 
Thanks to Sam Calver for the ticket by the way. I let him use my P.A at Porters a few weeks ago and he bought me a ticket to say thanks.

So Daughter is a London based trio consisting of Elena Tonra (vocals, guitar), Igor Haefeli (guitar) and Remi Aguilella (percussion) and boy do they pack a punch when it comes to sound. There atmospheric guitar riffs and spine chilling vocals really are just stunning to listen to and watch.

By the end of the gig I looked at my nephew and said so.... What did you think? 
He said he loved them....

So it really is amazing how a band who are on the complete other end of my nephews music taste have the accessibility to draw him in with their absolutely beautifully created music.

I thoroughly enjoyed the gig and I recommend any one who hasn't seen them to go and everyone who has to keep going.

Over and out.

Beve Finch
Deputy Editor of Music
Whizba Ltd.
beve@whizba.com

Whizba Music - Acoustic Sessions #1 MARIE WHITE - Believe - Cher .

So on Tuesday I had the privileged opportunity to film one of Hastings rawest talents in the Old Town on a beautiful Indian summer Hastings day.
This is the first episode of Whizba Music - Acoustic sessions where we get artists to come down and film one cover on location in Hastings. I'm proud to say that the fantastic Marie White was my first.
She absolutely nailed a cover of Cher's Believe for Whizba and done an outstanding performance in the Chess Square on George Street.

So a little bit about Marie White, she's a young talented musician from Hastings, UK and has only just turned 18 years old. She started playing the guitar at around 10 years old but stopped for a few years and picked it up again at the age of 13. She's currently on the Access to Music course in Brighton.


So I asked her what made you turn to music and she said " My Dad has played guitar all his life, so I was surrounded by music from an early age, but since playing national badminton from the age of 12 I used to use music to calm me down before a tournament and ease the pressure, so I guess it all started from there!"

I asked her where she'd like to see herself in 5 years time and she replied "In 5 years time i would like to be earning a comfortable living out of music! Fame doesn't appeal to me at all!"

If you liked the video then please Like, Share and spread the word that Whizba Music - Acoustic Sessions is here....

If you'd like to see Marie live then she is playing at:

October 20th 2013 - Buskers Bar - Eastbourne
November 3rd 2013 - The Grey Lady - Tunbridge Wells
November 9th 2013 - Elphinstone Sport and Social Club - Hastings
November 10th 2013 - Buskers Bar - Eastbourne
December 15th & 22nd - Buskers Bar - Eastbourne

If you have the chance then please go and support this amazing young local talent we have...
You wont be disappointed!!!

Beve Finch
Deputy Editor of Music
Whizba ltd.

Want to do a video with Whizba Music - Acoustic Sessions then contact beve@whizba.com
Live Lounge Sessions coming soon........

Funny things Ears! by Graham Turner.

Funny Things Ears! Don't you think? In most cases, they kinda nestle there on the side of your head just doing what ears do. Occasionally they pick up something different, something outside the everyday traffic noise and send a signal to the brain to say, "hey you, listen to this". Clearly, It happens with danger, and, of course, with more pleasurable frequencies. Pardon me for stating the obvious but as I've grown a little older and much longer of tooth, it tends to happen less often. Is that why older people disregard young music? Is it because they've heard it all before? Maybe that's true to a certain degree but I think in part, once that process starts, prejudice kicks in. Like ageism in reverse. You want to get it, you really do, but you can't find yourself getting enthused about something you've heard before. Everything sounds like something you already know, so you feel a little cheated. Maybe that's why Simon Cowell is so dismissive on that dreadfully torturous TV zoo of his. Ah, but don't you see, even John Lennon and Paul McCartney were heavily influenced by Buddy Holly and Roy Orbison, so why shouldn't today's young writers and artists take a little bit of what was once great, maybe still is, and add a little of their own life spice to the mix. I was listening to Jake Bugg the other day and found myself doing exactly that whole prejudice thing. I said " oh he sounds like such and such and why do they have to shoot his video in black and white? Was it to make him appear like a reincarnation of one of the greats that he reminded me of? I decided that I wanted to hear more, but I wanted to really hear the words better, so I played a few of his acoustic numbers on You Tube. Clearly I was already hooked in enough to want to go seeking him out. My ears had told my brain to go find out what was happening at Jake Bugg Land. My ears, despite me always having a complex about one sticking out a bit and appearing to be a little larger than the other, hadn't failed me; even after all this time. The same is true of Tom O'Dell and several others I'm listening to at the moment. Not that they have peculiar ears, but that they are brilliant young songwriters and have the most amazing stage presence. Adele and Ed Sheeran are just the tip of a very big and talented Iceberg setting sail from the UK to conquer the world at the moment. Which must be reassuring to David Cameron and our trade deficit, despite the talk of Music Industry Market shrinkage. I wish I was young again; sigh!!! I wouldn't be jealous; I'd be doing it myself too. I'd have my guitar in hand and be playing at every opportunity could. Posting on You Tube, and all that social media stuff. Gone are the days of Tennis Rackets and Hair Brushes in front of the Mirror to a couple of friends. These are the days of derring-do. I'd love to write with or for them... That's if they weren't surrounded by staff writers and surrounded by a ring of steel the minute they show any signs of being even remotely commercially viable, I don't want to be them, I don't need to be. I can write relevant songs to what I see and hear, what I know is relevant to everyone, regardless of age, colour or creed. Funny then, that despite the disadvantages and prejudice of age, my ears still work., very well in fact. So well, that I know we've written something universal, and a bit different this week: Normally, when I write, I can hear the influences. My influences or those of my co-writers. Sometimes it's deliberate- we want it to sound like something we've heard before. But this song is different. It kinda took on a life of it's own. I originally wrote the first edit back in Feb but it's moved. It was originally a love song, a metaphor. But it was bigger than that. It wanted more. Smiley changed the tone and bingo ... it was like the dam broke. Strangely it's become this song that I'm not quite sure isn't just the most original song we've written. I can't work it out. Are my ears deceiving me? It's not Jake Bugg or Tom O'Dell, so you might argue that it's not current enough. But it's big! I could see it in a film, or being played at a stadium gig. It's anthemic, definitely universal and just plain different. My ears keep telling me to listen. Over and over again. Funny things, Ears!

Strangelove Review - Jake Brett - Whizba Music

https://soundcloud.com/strangeloveldn

Mos Def and Tribe Called Quest have their fingerprints all over Strangelove. But I will try not to focus on the genre side of it because at the

Fundamental core, music comes down to just two genres good and bad, that’s it.

No matter who you are that’s the deciding point in whether you will listen to something again or not. Admittedly I weren’t sure on this group at first maybe due to the lack of traditional chorus’s to hook me in instantly. But once I was on my second video they started to grow on me, hip-hop is very personality driven and I felt that in ‘Flight of the caged Bird’ I didn’t get to know the musical personality of the group straight away. But after watching all the individual ‘BARS’ videos, they have a distinct personality, they all seem clued up on music and cultures outside of their expected comfort zones and references to prince, Davie Bowie and even David Ike cemented that for me. One of my issues at first was I was trying to find a story within the song, a narrative and I didn’t find what I was looking for and if I written this review then it would have not carried in their favor so well. But then it hit me, their lyrics are not a narrative and that’s not a bad thing at all in fact it’s a great thing, it’s a fly on the wall style that describes various situations simultaneously whilst giving you juicy, 

a statically pleasing lyrics that roll off the tongue nicely. There is also some modesty and a sense of approachability about them that works to their favour, you’ll notice their lyrics are not of most underground hip-hop, where it’s the classic ‘I make money’, or ‘Im the best’ ego ridden exaggerations that is written by someone who has no proof of their claims. With Strangelove you get none of that, you get a great sense of like ability and the music has really got potential, the great stuff about it is self-evident and doesn’t need to be boasted in the lyrics to make up for insecurity. They seem secure in their self and if they are not they should be. The ‘BARS’ Videos are good way to digest the music, mixed into the actual track on occasion are randomers piping up with ironic stereotype rap hype-man gestures, not intentional parts of the video originally, but Strangelove seem unfazed by this and in on the humour themselves. Strangelove aren’t scared to be in your face in public, but not in an aggressive way like Immortal Technique but in a ‘we are here, you can hear us, if you want to join the party come, if not then we will leave you be’. It’s a more friendly approach without it being watered down to pander to a market. It seems they are the cool kids at school and by cool kids, I mean the real cool kids. Not the ones who would pick on kids on the bus to impress their friends (maybe I'm bitter because I was on the tail end of it, due to my emo faze I was going though, don’t judge me). But more the cool kids who no one notices, they would be at the back of a party passing joints around and welcoming anyone into their friend circle with no elitism which makes them more intriguing. This reflects in their songs, let’s face it their music is never going to be in a mainstream nightclubs among the likes of Pitbull and Akon but I highly doubt this is their intention. Their music will probably be played in the situation I imagine it was written in, these songs don’t have structures you hear on the radio, instead of Verse, Chorus, Verse etc. It’s a bunch of guys hanging out free styling over a mix tape.  Instead of banging these out at a house party with 50 people there, I say wait until the party’s winding down and the last remainders of your closer friends are there and everyone’s in ‘Deep Conversation mode’ put a playlist of this on and get lost within it. I think I’ve got my weekend planned.

Booking enquiries - changoflash@gmail.com







http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l1nRWZYIMi8

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=meAkGWB_8g8

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KW27LowFvzw

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vLuIEcdAnY4

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gn71SZlpPu0

John Newman - Love Me Again (Sam Calver - Live Lounge) Whizba Music

Songwriting - Passion or Mission? - Written by Graham Turner

I'm intrigued by the strategies adopted by fellow songwriters and Artists in order to get their songs heard; Some camp back stage, or at the homes of the Stars, scaling over garden fences to hand a song over to their target, others will attach themselves to moving vehicles which are travelling from the cutting edge of the Urban jungles, and others will plough a long term furrow, learning their chops and slowly but surely building up a steady following and playing upwards of 200 gigs a year , or using every penny they have to get demos done to a high enough quality and then filling their pack back and trudging the streets of London , New York, LA or Nashville , handing them out to anyone with a clean set of ears and a cheque book.  Some even resort to posting up You Tube videos of themselves in their pyjamas singing an abstract cover of A Katy Perry or Bruno Mars song in the vein hope that the video is engaging enough or the singing magnificent enough to make the rest of the world want to share it. There are subscription networking events charging up to $300 to join, pitch to publisher sites charging $10 a pitch, songwriting Campus' charging for lessons and critiques, and countless books with variations on the theme of "how I made it in the Music Biz in one easy lesson". All Songwriters, including me, hope that one day, one of their songs, will make it big. All of them, or at least the ones I've met, are furiously trying to grab on to the coat tails of the person in front of the person in front of the person in front of them. It's a game of leapfrog. There is no glass ceiling that disappeared with the advent of the Internet or so it seems, but there are many glass splinters still laying around, most of which will cut you financially, emotionally or both. It's dog eat dog, survival of fittest, where the odds are longer than buying the winning Lotto ticket. How many unknown writers do you see in the Charts?Any charts at all except maybe Reverbnation. How many of today's hits are written by unknown writers? I know what you're thinking: Either I'm a defeatist old cynic, or you're going to prove everybody wrong. Well maybe you will. Maybe you will make it big, maybe you will get your song to Britney Spears and she will not only love it, but will convince her record label, marketing executive, producers and Finance executives, to cast aside the team that they pay so much money for, cast aside the named writers who can pull a crowd just by walking down the street and replace them with.... you. An unknown writer with no fans, no customers, no new genre, no originality and a song that sounds like the last song that Britney did. Jeeze, that's so last season. Maybe you have that original song that everyone is trying to write, maybe it's a new sound that no one has heard before and no one will hear again. Maybe your age is right, you look great, you're setting a trend, interacting with your 20,000+ strong fan base, you have a following on twitter, your nice to old ladies, children and animals, or maybe you're not (either is just as appealing, depending on the audience of course). Maybe you're doing all the right things and everyone says to you that it's only a matter of time. What then? How long do you wait? How much can you afford to keep paying, just to stay in line? Only time will tell I guess! How do you know they're not blowing smoke up your ass and actually, you're not being discerning enough to listen to the negatives. Everybody wants to be told they're the best and that there songs are "hits" and they have the talent and application to make it. Musicians, more than most, love to be loved. They have big Egos and want their backs stroked at least 300 times a day. I'm no exception; I believe my own press just as much as the next man. I may be good enough, though, my Id is always looking for the Glory moment, when someone of influence will raise their finger from the clouds and point it straight at me. Tell me they want to pay me an advance, give my song to their top artist and boom, the house on Malibu beach will be on order, along with the pool and the fast car. The truth is, it's unlikely to happen, even though I do apparently have the songs to do it. Oh yes, I write upwards, attach myself to moving vehicles and have my own fair share of fans and exposure. Why, I even have singles out there in listener land. I have access to over 40,000 fans in fact.. I do all the networking money can buy; I have the ear of the decision makers. All the components are in place. So why wont it happen? What am I doing wrong? Can you smell the desperation already? Am I coming across as too keen? Have I done enough? Would you tell me you love me right now and that you'll beg borrow and steal to help me make it? I don't think so. There is no formula but there is a time when enough groundwork has been done. When the moneymen can spot an opportunity. When they simply say, yes, we think you have all the ducks lined up, and, with a little expertise, we can turn all that exposure into cold hard cash. So it is: miraculously and almost overnight, an unknown writer is signed and the future looks bright. Someone once said that I would make it in this business because I was prepared to cut the arms off the baby. Because I wasn't afraid to chop up a song in order to make it better without worrying about it starving to death and that I appeared to adopt the same approach to my songs in general. I'm not precious about them. I don't mind who has a share in them. I don't mind having Indie Cuts. I don't mind what happens to them within reason. If they are out there, they are out there, making their way in the world, gaining exposure and gradually drawing attention to my cowriters, the songs and more importantly, me. Sure, they might get copied, but then I'd sue for breach of copyright. Yes the terms may be less than favorable but who am I to argue? How long do you wait for the BIG ONE? Who's to say one of those Indie Artists wont make it, and carry your song with them? Who's to say that obscure TV show playing your song won’t be watched by the CEO of Universal, or their mother? One thing I'm convinced of.... by holding the baby too close to your chest and trying to control every breath it takes, you can go beyond the point of nurturing and get to a point where it will drown on your own milk. You've over egged the pudding. It cant breath, it suffocates and then no one wants to take on a damaged child. You never stop caring but sometimes you just have to let go and trust the forces and the people that are beyond your control and focus on the things you can do. Like continuing to play your music to the people that want to listen, ignore the promises of a fast buck, continue to grow the exposure and have fun being creative. The rest will look after itself.

Written by Graham Turner.Whizba Music.