Winston's Zen

LIVE AT THE ZEN-TRIFUGE LAUNCH NIGHT

What can I tell you about Turrentine Jones that I haven't already told you?

I could try telling you that the Manchester three piece are set to change the way you see that particular cities music, but I've already told you that. I could mention their enigmatic front-man Jude Neville and his eye-squintingly skuzzy blues guitar, but you already know all about it. I could mention the fact that talented sticksman Chris Carcamo used to bang the tubs for cult local act The Children, but it wouldn't be news to anyone paying attention. If I told you that Thom Scotson's serenely moody organ fills the hole more usually plugged by a bass guitarist like hand fits (particularly snug) glove, I'd just be repeating myself.

So, I guess it's best to just tell you to sit back, plug in your headphones and enjoy todays Moment of Zen. Expertly filmed by Chris Austin of Indigo Video at the launch of the Zen's very own gig-night Zentrifuge, back in July. I give you Midnight Wings by Turrentine Jones

Back soon,
Winston

Links
Turrentine Jones MySpace
Zentrifuge Gigs MySpace
Zentrifuge Facebook Group

NEW ACTS MAKING BLIPS ON THE ZENDAR

Tainted as it has been in recent times by the Blunt's, Nuttini's and Rice's of our generation, the singer-song writer genre is traditionally not greatly lauded on these pages. So it's with an unusual amount of pleasure that Winston's Zen would like to draw your esteemed attention to a young Londoner with talent to spare and an arsenal of tender, heartfelt songs that don't induce feelings of physical illness.

In Damien Renouf, Zentrifuge (the gig night brought to you by Winston's Zen) believe we have unearthed something of a gem. That Renouf's catalogue of demo's is already extensive enough for him to eschew the conventional set-list approach to live performances, preferring instead to pick from his body of work to fit each individual show speaks volumes of his obvious passion for lyricism as well as the diversity and adaptability of his music.

Renouf's song writing style may be distinctly more traditional than the only other solo troubadour to have truly captured the Zen's heart recently, but comparisons to a certain Frank Turner withstand close inspection of the everyday down to earthness of Renoufs songs and the simple likeability of the man himself.

But enough of my babbling, here's a couple of videos shot at the Zentrifuge launch night to prove my point.

All credit to Chris Austin of Indigo Video for the excellent and much valued work on the footage.

You can catch Damien this Thursday evening as he returns for a second crack of the Zentrifuge whip at the Good Ship, Kilburn High Road. Those of you with impeccable taste should join the Facebook group for discounted entry.

I’ll see you there.

Back soon,
Winston

LETTING NEW ACTS SPEAK FOR THEMSELVES

Those of you paying attention when listening to Zenlist Vol 5 might have noticed the glistening gem that was Break, the contribution from London newcomers Stagecoach. The five piece indie-popsters recently signed to the achingly cool Alcopop records and featured on the labels innovative compilation-in-a-bottle not so long ago.

With a pretty extensive UK tour set for October, and an EP led by the infectious sing-a-long We Got Tazers set for release in the same month, pretty soon it'll be hard to avoid Stagecoach.

Winston's Zen thought we'd get in there early and ask the lads a few questions;

What’s the least accurate description of your music that you’ve ever seen or heard in the media?
Some reviewer compared us to the Kooks or The Kaiser Chiefs, it made me do a little sick in my mouth. That dude should listen to more music before being let loose with words.

Set the record straight. How should journalists be describing Stagecoach?
Jedi folk metal with a pop tang.

What has being in Stagecoach given you that you wouldn’t otherwise have?
Four friends who get excited about the little things like me.

If Stagecoach had a motto what would it be?
Party till you puke, although that's not really ours to have.

What’s a Stagecoach gig like?
Short skirts, long hair, Freddo's flying everywhere.

Describe the average Stagecoach fan.
About 5.10, fringe, bis tee, Ginger beer in hand, like's hanging round local Library and listening to Gram Parsons on Sundays.

Tell us how you got together with Alcopop!, and what they can offer you that you might not get elsewhere.
I sent them our self pressed 'School Day EP' they liked it but nothing happened. I sent them the next EP a year later and something happened. Happy times ensued, new friends were made.

I sneak a look through your mobile while you nip to the bar. What’s the most famous name I find in the phonebook?
Barry Hayles

When did they last call you and what for?
Last week. He wanted to know which was my favourite goal he scored in the 98/99 Div 2 championship winning season. I plumped for his debut goal against Burnley in the 4-0 demolition at The Cottage.

Put your iPod / MP3 player on random. What are the first five tracks?
Wavves -Surf Goths
Hot Club de Paris -My Little Haunting
Life Without Buildings -Sorrow
Fionn Regan -Hey Rabbit
Thursday -This Song Is Bought To You By A Falling Bomb

Tell us about the greatest album of all time.
Terrible question, no one likes answering this. I'll go for It's A Shame About Ray by The Lemonheads. I doubt anyone would say it's the greatest album of all time but it's certainly special to me. Reminds me of being 11 and raiding my Sisters collection to find out what's cool with the big kids. I've never looked back.

And the best gig you ever saw.
I'm gonna have a few if that's cool? Evan Dando -Bristol Uni, Saves The Day -Reading Festival, Sufjan Stevens -Barbican, Joanna Newsom -Barbican, Brian Wilson -Bristol Coltston Hall

What was the last record that made you stop in your tracks?
Infinity Milk -Danananakroyd. It's just tons of fun and makes me wanna make better songs. It's like a cocktail of twee pop and hardcore that should taste really bad but goes down great.

And the last one that made wish you were deaf?
This Hip-Hop track called 'Birthday Sex' I'm not sure who its by but you have to hear it to believe it, simply awful. A Franz Ferdinand record would, if I gave it a chance

Back soon,
Winston

Stagecoach Links:
MySpace | Last.fm | Pre-order We Got Tazers EP

THE PLAYLIST THAT BRINGS INNER PEACE...

It's been a long time since there was a playlist round these parts, I know. But, even if I say so myself, I think Vol 5 has been well worth the wait.

Ten Zen-filled tracks from ten hot new bands you might not have come across yet but who all deserve a nice thick slice of your attention pie. Largely as a result of the drive to find acts to be part of our Zen-trifuge gig nights, Volume 5 has a distinctly British vibe going on, the overseas contingent uncommonly numbering just one.

As ever if you like something you hear, please buy a CD or ticket for show, tell your friends and spread the word. And feel free to leave your comments below.

These tracks will be removed in four weeks.

Enjoy;

THE ZENLIST VOL 5

Track 1 - Kill it Kid - Send Me An Angel Down
Track 2 - Turrentine Jones - Della May
Track 3 - Old School Tie - Adventurers & Explorers
Track 4 - Twin Berlin - Kill This Low
Track 5 - Stagecoach - Break
Track 6 - 4 or 5 Magicians - Ideal Man
Track 7 - Lion O'Brien - This Life
Track 8 - Carter Brown - (Ha Ha) Too Little Too Late
Track 9 - The 51/50s - Lies
Track 10 - Big Num - I'm Going Home

[No zip file this time - long story. If you want one, drop me an email and I'll sort it out]


The running commentary;

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Track 2 - Turrentine Jones - Della May

This Manchester trio have taken Zen towers by storm. If you haven't already, rush off now and download their EP An Empty Bottle Called Desire.

MySpace | Last.fm

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Track 4 - Twin Berlin - Kill This Low

Somewhere between the energy of the Killers (circa Mr Brightside) and the dirty fuzz of the Strokes lie NYC's Twin Berlin.


MySpace | Last.fm | Download MP3s

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Track 8 - Carter Brown - (Ha Ha) Too Little Too Late

Driving bass, screaming vocals and a rythym rough enough to jack-knife an eighteen wheeler. What more can ears ask for?

Homepage | MySpace | Last.fm

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Track 10 - Big Num - I'm Going Home

With the riffs of a classic rock monster and a snarl to match any of their contempararies, Big Num are loud, in your face and have bags of potential.

Homepage | MySpace | Last.fm | Download MP3s

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Be good folks, till next time.

Back soon,
Winston

LIVE @ THE OAKFORD, READING - SEP 11TH 2009

White Sunday may have been off our stages for a while, but if the queues snaking around the block and the eager punters locked out of this sold out show at the Oakford on Friday night are anything to go by, then Reading’s gig goers have lost no more of their enthusiasm for their local hero’s than Winston’s Zen has. If ever there was a night to cram punters into a venue like so many sardines then this, with an army of big label scouts in attendance was most definitely that night. And fill the place they did. The band entered the venue minutes before their set was due to start and where lesser mortals than themselves might have faced a casual stroll to the stage, White Sunday are these days required to edge their way through a sweaty mass of bodies, receiving backslaps of encouragement from those still sober enough to clock them along the way.

Once on stage it’s clear that the bands self enforced break has brought with it a few changes. Most obviously there’s been the recruitment of a fresh sticksman (Matt Siyani) and a reduction in strumming personnel. Frontman Jimmy Glanville however, looks as sharp, focused, and confident as he’s ever done. And he’s got good cause to be confident too. As soon as they tear into opening track Musical Inner Peace, it’s clear that White Sunday have chosen to spend their brief hiatus honing their songwriting and shaping a determined sound which, in these days of half arsed electro noodling, is beginning to feel like it belongs to them and them alone.

The slew of new tracks on display tonight go some distance to shaking off the heavy weight of every rock bands influences and impress on White Sunday’s own terms. One after the other they’re soaked up eagerly by a crowd only too happy to get acquainted with fresh material. Older favourites Why Do I Still Do This Everyday and Nothing Without The Music have been stripped back and refined, somehow sleeker than in the past yet maintaining that grit and genuine honesty that grips an audience firmly and has marked White Sunday out from the pack since the early days. Luke Parry’s bass carries a gleeful venom all night, delighting those who can pull their attention from Glanville’s playful preening. His grinning interactions with his bandmates are a joy to watch and speak volumes of how satisfied these four lads are with the way the last few months have seen their stageshow develop.

Frankly, it’s a pleasure to behold.

Honest rock ‘n’ roll that can speak to the masses takes more than tight jeans, a swagger and a collection of Rolling Stones records. Real pop music that stays etched in the memory for generations takes more than a famous dad, a silly haircut and a vocorder machine. Occasionally a group achieves the seemingly impossible, puts the two worlds together perfectly and burns itself onto a nations consciousness forever.

On this kind of showing, and on this kind of form White Sunday have a better shot than most of doing just that.

White Sunday links:
Zendar | Myspace | Last.fm

LETTING NEW ACTS SPEAK FOR THEMSELVES

Four lads from Brigthon eschewing their cities penchant for glam chopped electro beats, Carter Brown have instead chosen the kind of snarling rock n roll that has been known to cause sporadic outbreaks of air guitar and heads that bang harder than Madame JoJo's headboard.

Seemingly capable of achieving the both the cliche'd Wall of Sound ([HaHa] Too Little Too Late) and the hard-to-pull-off acoustic sing-a-long with both ease and flair, Winston's Zen predicts big things for these boys. Which is exactly why you'll find them headlining Zen-trifuge II tomorrow night at The Good Ship in Kilburn.

The Zen caught up with the lads in the run up to the show;

Tell us how the band got together.
(Jimmy) After the first few months of music college, me and Matt began playing original songs together, Paul soon joined the band and after a string of drummers and a move to Brighton in 2007 we took Will on to hit the tubs full time.
(Paul) Me and Matt actually moved into a house and Jimmy had no nowhere to live so we let him sleep in the cupboard under the stairs like Harry Potter,
(Matt) More like Hairy Pothead !!

What’s the least accurate description of your music that you’ve ever seen or heard in the media?
(Matt) It belongs in the smack and crack dens of Kings Cross !! No shit someone said that, some of our live set is pretty damn heavy but that’s ridiculous, funny though!
(Jimmy) All the elements of Blur and Oasis put together.
(Matt) I like those 2 bands though

Set the record straight. How should journalists be describing Carter Brown?
(Will) What Jack Bauer would listen to, to get him going.

What gets you excited outside of music?
(Jimmy) A nice toad in the hole
(Matt) KFC gravy

What can a punter expect from a Carter Brown gig?
(Jimmy) a faint odour from the stage,
(Matt) hopefully getting as close towards a chaotic shambles as possible without actually fucking up. Always interesting though.
(Will) a massive headache
(Paul) a free T-shirt and loads of sing’a’longs

I sneak a look through your mobile while you nip to the bar. What’s the most famous name I find in the phonebook?
(Jimmy) Zoe Ball
(Will) Fuck off, really !!!
(Jimmy) Well, her email address actually.
(Will) I knew it, liar
(Matt) Jonas Armstrong (Robin Hood) he’s my mate from back home. Ironically for a man playing a character who steals from the rich and gives to the poor, in real life he’s a proper tight bastard ! Just kidding Joe.

Put your iPod / MP3 player on random. What are the first five tracks?
(Matt)- Corrina Corrina / (Bob Dylan) “Don’t Stop Believing” Journey, “Episode 7” of Learn French with Michel Thomas, “Wild About You Baby” Elmore James, “Memo from Turner” Rolling Stones
(Jimmy)- Death from above 1979 “Blood on our hands”, QOTSA, “leg of lamb”, Charles Mingus ”Fausts of Fabous”, The Beatles “Day in the Life” Beck “loser”

What has your move to Brighton brought to your music?
(Matt) Not much really it’s full of niche electro shit and I hate that stuff
(Jimmy) Good weather though.
(Matt) Can’t argue with that Jimmy
(Jimmy) Nope you can’t

One dinner party at your place, five guests (living or dead). Who gets an invite and why?
(Will) Five strippers.
(Matt) Girls aloud, but I’d swap the ginger for Megan fox.
(Paul) I’m kind of up for going to Matt’s party !!
(Jimmy) Yeah man

What was the last record that made you stop in your tracks?
(Paul) Mars Volta- Octohedron
(Matt) Women- Women

And the last one that made wish you were deaf?
(Matt) "I’m going in for the kill" or whatever it’s called by La Roux. It doesn’t even sound in tune!! Some chavs on the back of the bus had a happy hardcore version it blaring out from their phone, they looked about 7, but like proper hard 7 year olds. If I wasn’t such a wimp I would have thrown it through the window. I’m sure they all had knives anyway so probably for the best.
(Paul) Foals- Antidotes, all the tracks sound the same

What’s going on for Carter Brown right now?
We’re currently recording a double A side ourselves which should be ready around October time. We usually just give the singles away at gigs for free. I think it’s more important people hear the music, play it to their mates, and hopefully more people come to the gigs rather than trying to turn over a profit. We were pretty close to signing a deal with an indie label recently but the contract just wasn’t right so we walked. We’re just looking to sort out a booking agent / management and in the mean time just keep gigging our arses off and writing and having a huge mash up on the way. Feel free to join in ‘cos your’re all welcome. Except Chavs on buses !!!!

Back soon,
Winston

You might recall London five-piece (yes, five piece despite what the picture tells you) Lion O'Brien from last weeks Moment of Zen. In their own words, "striving to establish their own brand of feel-good music" the band write songs about "love, work, robots vampires and other aspects everyday life".

Quite.

Winston's Zen was keen to find out more;

Tell us how the band got together.
We all met by chance at the Llama petting section at Lambeth Country Show in Brixton last summer. We discovered we shared a love of music as well as llamas, and so the band was born (originally as Llama O’Brien, but we changed the name afterwards).

What’s the least accurate description of your music that you’ve ever seen or heard in the media?
James: We once got described as “gravel voiced electric funk for the 21st century” in a live gig review, which sounds like a lot of fun but I’m probably the least gravel voiced singer in the history of music. I think I had a cold that day though, so maybe I just sounded ill and the reviewer was being kind.

Set the record straight. How should journalists be describing Lion O'Brien?
A great big party!

What has being in Lion O’Brien given you that you wouldn’t otherwise have?
A shared love of llamas. It’s also given us at least four very good extra friends each, which is never to be sniffed at.

What gets you excited outside of music?
Christmas, second-hand book stalls, skanky old pubs, the seaside and dogs chasing their own tails.

What can a punter expect from a Lion O'Brien gig?
Bounceability. They’ll need a new pair of dancing shoes by the end of the night and there voice may be a little hoarse from singing along.

Put your iPod / MP3 player on random. What are the first five tracks?
Implode Alright – Built by Snow
This Charming Man – The Smiths
Remember Me – British Sea Power
Old Stone – Laura Marling
Don’t fence me in - Bing Crosby and The Andrew Sisters

What has your hometown brought to your music?
James: I grew up in Brixton which meant that I grew up hearing a mash up of rock, pop, hip-hop, reggae, dance hall, gospel, folk, classical – all sorts. I think that’s had an impact on my writing and the Lion O’Brien sound cos we blend indie-pop sensibilities with the more upbeat danceable rhythms of ska and old school hip-hop.

Do you remember a moment when you knew you wanted to become a musician? Mike: When I was 3 years old I went missing from my parent’s house. They found me 10 minutes later following the brass band that had passed through our road in Bristol, blowing away on my toy trumpet

One dinner party at your place, five guests (living or dead). Who gets an invite? Eve: Bill Bailey
James: Stephen Fry
Catherine: Simon Amstell
Mick: Chuck Norris
Mike: Derek Smalls (Spinal Tap bass player)

What was the last record that made you stop in your tracks?
Mick: Ritual - Jape
James: Veckatimest – Grizzly Bear
Catherine: Lungs – Florence and the Machine
Eve: A balloon called moaning – Joy Formidable
Mike: Fleet Foxes – Fleet Foxes

What’s going on for Lion O'Brien right now?
We released our debut EP, Raincloud Vs Sunshine, last month on our own label (available as a digital release on iTunes, Amazon and Napster) and we’ll be spending the next few months gigging as often as possible, trying to reach new audiences wherever we can find them, and generally trying to spread the word.

Our thanks to the band for taking time out.

Winston's Zen is happy to do our bit to help spread the Lion O'Brien feel good vibe, so with that in mind here's the rather excellent This Life, a track, which in a more enlightened world would be headed straight for the top of the charts.

MP3 - Lion O'Brien - This Life

You might have noticed a recurring theme to recent articles, and yes this one is no exception. I can't deny that Lion O'Brien will be onstage at the Good Ship in Kilburn tomorrow night as part of Zen-trifuge II: The gig nights by Winston's Zen.

Doors open 7:30. Advance tickets still available from WeGotTickets.

Back soon,
Winston

Lion O'Brien links:
MySpace | Homepage | Download MP3s

LETTING NEW ACTS SPEAK FOR THEMSELVES

If you haven't heard me raving about Turrentine Jones yet, then you've definitely not been listening very carefully. A swollen, organ-laced blues-tinged beauty, the Manchester three piece's self released debut EP is a mainstay on the Zen Avenue stereo for a few months now. In fact, we like them so much we made them the first ever Zen-trifuge headliners back in July... and then we booked them again.

While we were at it, we asked them a few questions too....

MP3 - Turrentine Jones - Della May

What’s the least accurate description of your music that you’ve ever seen or heard in the media?
Every critic will best try and label us in some way, in a deprecating or complimenting fashion. There are so many different flavours of music these days, not singling out ‘Dance’ music for that but – what the fuck is happy hardcore? Everything has been chopped and changed around I’m surprised it doesn’t physically all come out of the speakers as vomit.

Set the record straight. How should journalists be describing Turrentine Jones?
That ringing noise in your ear when you go to sleep after a loud and ruthless blues gig.

Tell us how the band got together.
Jude got talking to Chris’s uncle, Eduardo, who was waiting for an Italian restaurant in the city’s CBD. Jude who’d only recently moved over from Australia was looking for players, Eduardo pointed him in the direction of Chris who was the drummer for The Children at the time. After a few rough dabbles in a local studio they made the move to finding a bass player which became a gruelling task finding only unreliables, no-shows, and cats that turned up without any instrument at all! When an organ player, Tommy, put his hand up for the spot the sound it produced suddenly gave more room for improvisation. At that point we decided to keep things pretty simple. We got used to the sound of organ filling rhythm, and Jude playing his usual style of guitar playing which was a mix of rhythm and lead guitar gave plenty of mind for thought - there was a lot of sound in that rehearsal room.

What has being in Turrentine Jones given you that you wouldn’t otherwise have? Ladies. Lots of ladies. Sometime men, but in these desperate times, money and all, you’ll take what you can get. Ideally, I would say that it has just given us the chance to get on that stage with some of the great cats in town, learn from them and see a few places. Jude had the experience of playing with those guys like Knopfler, Eric Bibb and it takes a little bit of muscle from them to ever get yourself the opportunity to play in the kinds of venues where you walk in the front doors and straight away from looking on the wall you see the greats in golden frames who have played there before. It’s a damn real thing. Chris got the chance to play with Weller at the Apollo in The Children, meet up with Mike Joyce from The Smiths and play with Anton Newcombe from Brian Jonestown Massacre. It’s all part of the game.

If Turrentine Jones had a motto what would it be?
Never forget where you and your music came from.

Describe the average Turrentine Jones fan.
Certainly not average. They’re the people who will work their arse off during the week and spend it all in a weekend having fun. You’ll see them buying a ticket to a show. Fucking incredible.

What can a punter expect from a Turrentine Jones gig?
A wall of sound. Enough to vibrate the legs of your pants and a few other things. A whole lotta thump and crunchy blues licks. The smell of tubes running hot and overdriven!

I sneak a look through your mobile while you nip to the bar. What’s the most famous name I find in the phonebook?
My mother.

When did they last call you and what for?
Last week and to know if I had a job yet. Lazy bum of a musician.

Put your iPod / MP3 player on random. What are the first five tracks?
Mr. Airplane Man – Wait for your love.
Taj Mahal – Statesboro blues
Band of Gypsys – Machine Gun
Screamin Jay Hawkins – Put a spell on you
Pete Tosh – Black Dignity

Tell us about the greatest album ever made.
It hasn’t been made yet.

And the best gig you ever saw.
Just as difficult as the last question. The Black Keys put on a 100 filla show at a university in Canberra, Australia. Dan Auerbach had his guitar growling through some of the loudest 4 stacks I’ve heard. Everyone was smoking n choking and soaking in the whole vibe of the place. I think they played for over two hours and Patrick was hitting his drums that hard he had to change sticks each song. I decided that was the only way I wanted to see a blues gig.

What was the last record that made you stop in your tracks?
I think for me personally, a bash between TV on the Radio’s Return to Cookie Mountain or the Black Lips’ Los Valientes del Mundo Nuevo. I know Bowie said in an interview he was diggin TV’s album and once I picked it up and gave it a listen I ran that thing red hot for weeks. I made an appearance at a Black Lips show in Manchester not that long ago and that was a live act of such fucking energy and noise! People were right in it, including myself. Amazing. Great band.

And the last one that made wish you were deaf?
I think as a group effort, it can be said that anything that has made the Pop charts in the last 10 years has fallen on deaf ears. RnB isn’t RnB anymore its auto-tuned plastic rubbish. Pop is all about singstar wanna-be’s and 15 minute glory queens. Where has the fresh air gone? There needs to be a big vacuum that sucks all this shite in and gives hard-working bands a chance. There’s some great music out there but unless the artist is willing to have an arm held behind his back and rear guarded from some label exec he has to settle for a place on the bench. It’s a game of chess and we’re the pawn pieces.

What’s going on for the Turrentine Jones right now?
There’s a lot of love and interest but for the moment it’s all coming out of our mother’s stereo speakers. So OK, we’ll give you the 4-1-1. We have recorded a 4-track record we’ll be handing out free-as-a-bird to all the kids on the street next month. We’re in BBC radio studios around the same time so you’ll get a chance to love, hate or relate to our music on the waves soon.
We’ll be hanging posters for shows we’ll be doing around Manchester – keep an eye out for white posters with big black writing on them saying ‘Who is Turrentine Jones?’ Our shows will be cheap, if not free for all the punters, and CD’s will be given away there too. We didn’t pay to get our music recorded so you won’t need to pay to hear it!

Turrentine Jones will be shakin' their tail feather at Zen-trifuge II, this Thursday night - 27th August at the Good Ship, NW6. Tickets available from WeGotTickets. Doors 7:30.

If you find me, (There'll be a clue folks) I'll buy you a drink.

Back soon,
Winston.

LETTING NEW ACTS SPEAK FOR THEMSELVES

When a band name themselves after the police radio code that describes their particular racial demographic, you probably won't be surprised to learn that you won't be discovering their CD's in the Easy Listening section of your local HMV. Just as well, because no one's life is long enough to endure meaningless musak.

The IC1s are five West London lads who are most definitely White Europeans, and have a penchant for gritty, honest rock 'n' roll songs, the kind of songs that shake you by your lapels whilst demanding your pocket money.

Here at Winston's Zen we like it a bit rough and ready so we were happier than pigs in muck when the lads agreed to play for us at our Zen-trifuge night on August 27th, (Grab your tickets here) and happier still when drummer Andy Faulkner took time out to answer our Q&A.

Tell us how the band got together.
Me (Andy, Drums), Robin (Lead Guitar) and Jake (Bass) are old mates from school. We’d been jamming for a while and last summer we met Daniel (Vocals) during a game of pool in a North West London pub. We needed a singer and he needed a band. He brought Alex (Rhythm Guitar) in and we started gigging soon after that.

What’s the least accurate description of your music that you’ve ever seen or heard in the media?
A review of our first gig included the line “Dashes of Red Hot Chili Peppers and perhaps Incubus were evident in The IC1's repertoire”. That’s pretty way off man.

Set the record straight. How should journalists be describing The IC1s?
We’re just a bunch of ordinary lads, who play fucking great rock n roll music for the masses.

Put your iPod / MP3 player on random. What are the first five tracks?
1. Slide Away - Oasis
2. How does it feel –The Zutons
3. The man who would be King - Libertines
4. Railing Pt 2 – Roni Size
5. Diesel Power – The Prodigy

What can a punter expect from an IC1s gig?
Bleeding ear drums and beer drenched clothes! Everyone puts in 110% effort - the band and the crowd! There’s so many anthems in the set, each one takes you on a journey.

What was the last record that made you stop in your tracks?
Ian Brown’s new single Stellify.

And the last one that made wish you were deaf?
Anything by Scouting for Girls.

What’s going on for the The IC1s right now?
Our first EP is being mastered as we speak. It’s called Lowering the Tone – look out for for further news of its release on our myspace page www.myspace.com/ic1s.

Don't forget folks, you can catch The IC1s live at The Good Ship, Kilburn High Road on Thursday 27th August as part of Zen-trifuge: The gig night by Winston's Zen. Anyone who can identify me (and I'll be wearing a clue) should approach me for a beer. You'll find I'm quite generous when drunk.

MP3 - The IC1s - Never The Now

Back soon,
Winston

RELEASES FROM THE ZEN INBOX

Firm Zen favourites The Rifles, Official Secrets Act are both set to play at Merc’s legendary Carnaby Street store in London as part of its LIVE Initiative, an enticing series of free shows that have already seen the likes of and the Zendar 2009 shortlisted New Education entertain the crowds.

With The Rifles performing a "classics" set, their intimate gig will kick start the last bank holiday weekend, taking place at 6pm on Friday 28th August. Official Secrets Act will take to the same stage on September 25th.

Having enjoyed a close relationship with the clothing brand over the years, lead singer Joel Stoker (who Winston's Zen spoke to ahead of the release of their second album Great Escape) is looking forward to playing such an intimate gig:

“We love doing these types of small gigs. It’s something different. We’ve always liked playing small venues and you can’t get smaller and closer to people than this!"

Now there's a good reason to follow your girlfriend to Carnaby Street!

Back soon,
Winston

The Rifles links:
Homepage | MySpace | Last.fm | Spotify
Buy CDs | Download MP3s