I remember it like it was some other yesterday. I’d been to the local record emporium in Borehamwood in October 1988 and handed over a couple of folded notes for a virgin copy of the new release by Talk Talk. Yes, I’d listened to the new wave effervescence of their early output; at the same time I was deeply immersed in synth pop from as far afield as Sheffield and London, as well as Essex. New Romanticism was my raison d’etre at the tender age of 13. Yet Talk Talk were one in a fairly long line of also rans – or so it seemed…

With RECORD STORE DAY taking place in the UK on Saturday 13th April, we thought that we’d have a read through the list of 546 exclusive releases and hand pick 10 of our favourites, they’re not necessarily the best or the rarest but they’re ones that made us happy…..

Would you ‘Adam and Eve it’, it’s been nearly a year since RECORD STORE DAY 2018 took place, this can mean only one thing, it must be nearly time for the 2019 event! I received an email from the UK RSD team this morning with the full list of exclusive releases that will be gracing the shelves of independent record stores all over the world, take a look as I’m certain there’ll be a few items on there that tickle your fancy!

I was over the moon when I heard that Devon alt-folk duo SOUND OF THE SIRENS were going to be appearing at BOARDMASTERS FESTIVAL in Newquay this summer, so much so, I got on the information superhighway machine (laptop) and emailed Abbe and Hannah and asked if they’d be up for having a quick chat about it.

Abbe came straight back to me and we had a good old chat about how they felt when they heard they were playing at the festival, heroes they’d like to meet this year and the year Hannah queued up for a bus when she didn’t even need one! Here’s how we got on….

FEATURING THE FIRST SINGLE ‘MY LOVE GOES ON’ (FEATURING JOSS STONE)

WATCH THE VIDEO HERE: https://youtu.be/1oMEBw7y0qM

ALBUM PRE-ORDER LINK: https://ADA.lnk.to/YSTYK

NEW UK TOUR ALSO ANNOUNCED

We chatted to Jason Williamson from SLEAFORD MODS a couple of weeks back ahead of the release of their latest album Eton Alive.

I since found out that that they were appearing at BOARDMASTERS FESTIVAL on Saturday 10th August. It seemed a shame to use the same interview twice so we got back in touch with his lovely management team and sent a fresh batch of questions through all about the festival for him to take a look at. Here’s how we got on….

I was thinking to myself recently, being in a band in 2019 must really suck! 

I don’t mean this in a negative way at all but think for a moment, the sheer amount of competition out there, coming up with original material, so many social media platforms to pick and choose from, which one will get the band noticed the most?, which ones are dead in the water? Then there’s having to go out and play gigs…..will people come? Will they like us? Will they spend their hard earned money on our merchandise? 

Seems an awful lot of trouble to me, wouldn’t you rather just throw in the towel, find a bit of Ed Sheehan on Spotify and put your feet up? For some, this may seem like the preferred option, for others, it isn’t! It’s the ‘others’ I want to focus on in this piece.

With the recent announcement from the team at BOARDMASTERS FESTIVAL advising who the final headliner is going to be for the August festival, I thought I’d best get my backside in gear and chat to a few bands and artists who were fortunate enough to see their names appear on the famous lineup poster. We’ve been following a North Devon based young chanteuse who has amazed us with her vocal skills over the past couple of years and to see her being recognised and awarded with a slot at THE biggest festival in Devon and Cornwall is amazing, ladies and gentlemen, I give you YAZZY

With the BOARDMASTERS FESTIVAL lineup being announced recently, we wanted to get in early and find out more about some of the bands and acts performing, we kick things off by chatting to Tim Nice who is 50% of BRONX CHEER who’ll be bringing their unique blend of deep, vocal and tech house music vibes to the masses, here’s how we got on….

Juno Award winning Canadian trio, Good Lovelies return to the UK this Spring with the physical release of new album Shapeshifters impacting in the UK on April 5th (digitally available in the UK now) plus a string of tour dates.

OLYMPIA UNVEILS "SHOOT TO FORGET"

NEW SINGLE - WATCH THE STUNNING VIDEO HERE

EUROPEAN TOUR WITH JULIA JACKLIN THIS SPRING

It’s been a while since we spoke to Jay McAllister, a couple of years even but it didn’t take long to get into the swing of things. We met in the green room of Exeter Phoenix, got comfy, cracked open some beers and had a great chat about touring, Australia, festivals, parenthood and his next album, click the ‘Play’ button below to see how we got on….

WALLOWS RELEASE NEW TRACK ‘SCRAWNY’

FEATURED ON BEATS1 AS

ZANE LOWE’S WORLD RECORD

LISTEN HERE

DEBUT ALBUM NOTHING HAPPENS

AVAILABLE MARCH 22 ON ATLANTIC RECORDS

https://wallows.lnk.to/NothingHappens

NEW SINGLE:  “RATTLE & ROAR" - LISTEN HERE

‘THE STORY IS…’ NEW LP OUT 1st MARCH 2019 VIA XTRA MILE RECORDINGS - PRE-ORDER HERE

WORLD TOUR IN 2019 - ON SALE NOW 

March 8th – March 22nd 2019

https://www.lovemusichateracism.com/

“Everyone can be the beautiful resistance”

YOKO ONO ANNOUNCES REISSUE OF ‘WEDDING ALBUM’ WITH CHIMERA MUSIC AND SECRETLY CANADIAN - ALBUM DUE OUT 22ND MARCH

Haunt The Woods play a special album preview launch at Plymouth Pavilions on Saturday March 16th 2019.  Also joining the band on the night will be local indie folk trio Wildwood Kin.

Following an unprecedented response to his concert recorded at The London Palladium for BBC Radio 2’s Friday Night Is Music Night series, Keane frontman Tom Chaplin will once again celebrate the music of Queen on a 6-date UK tour this April.

UK & EUROPEAN HEADLINE DATES ANNOUNCED

HEAVEN, LONDON ON 30 MAY (BUY TICKETS)

PRE-ORDER the album NOW

Releases ‘Coup De Grace’ CamelPhat Remix

Plays Isle of Wight, Mad Cool, Rock Werchter, Kendal Calling, Y Not & Tramlines Festival This Summer

New Album ‘Coup De Grace’ Out NOW