Global Report: Midlands, UK Music, Jan 2002
By: Stephen Potter
This time last year, who would have predicted The Strokes would release one of the LP's of the year and appear on every magazine cover on the planet? Absolutely bloody no one, so what's the point in asking what's going to be big in 2002? Well, nothing beats the unexpected thrill of hearing a new band, grabbing yer air-guitar, then running around all yer mates with the single in yer sweaty mitts screaming, 'You gotta hear this!' (Yes, I did all this over The Strokes, before all the hype, honest).
Anyway, in an attempt to find next year's big, new thing, I consulted the 'I-Ching' (Chinese book of predictions, cosmic Ed), and it said:
'Don't remain locked in the conventional view of the way things work...'
... Which could, let's face it, mean anything, but I reckon means that people are going to stop sitting on their arses and buying whatever 'Musictosendyoutosleep Vol. 99' the latest TV-advert features and go and check out their local bands and clubs.
So, now, for a completely personal and biased run-down of some Midlands-based music to check out in 2002, and the promoters who put on nights that are worth missing 'The Sopranos' on telly for, look below...
Awkward records - 'The spoon-fed need not apply'.
With the release of their first compilation launched at their club 'Tokyo Lucky Hole', Awkward take all the best parts of Birmingham's scene and let it loose on the public with a fantastic 12-track CD. For the bargain price of £5, you get - amongst others - the sublime-pop of Misty's Big Adventure, the Pavement-esque gorgeousness that is Autolight, the electro-retro of Kettle, post-rock instrumentalists Grover, The Fall-meets-Beefhart of The Courtesy Group, low down 'n' dirty Mocca next to a rockin' Baxter... Some bands are already veterans of John Peel sessions and all have the potential to break on a national level. You have ears? Then you'll love this CD.
Look out for the planned single by Misty's Big Adventure, featuring a remix by Bentley Rhythm Ace, very shortly.
Antenna records
This is the label based in Burton-Upon-Trent, run by Stephen from the Telescopes, who graced the Creation label in the early nineties. The first releases are to occur early this year with Derby's Los Planetos Del Agua, who take the post-rock sound with a warm organic addition of horns to the tunes within debut LP, 'Too Many Bricks, Not Enough Sea' (well, you live in Derby lads whad'ya expect???). Fuxa - on the other hand - play space-rock and, last but not least, The Telescopes will make a comeback with their fourth LP.
Tours and club nights to follow throughout 2002.
Bearos records
Having spent the last four years putting out 7"-vinyl only for the indie obsessive, Al 'The Doc' Bearos is branching out next year into CD singles and even LP's, although the core of the label will remain primarily 7". The label should see its profile rise further seeing as DJ Steve Lamacq took a shine to The Doc during the Radio 1 Live week held in the Midlands last year, with future radio-play secured over a pint at the Bearos all-dayer event.
Capsule
Birmingham-based promoters, Capsule, are excited as they've just booked Godspeed You Black Emperor! for some shows early next year. Over the last two years, though, Capsule have brought the best of alternative America and Europe to Birmingham, often with accompanying visual artists, always including local bands and DJ's. The best place to hear what this night is about is to tune in to 'Mixing It', a show of bizarre rock and electronica on Sunday evenings at 11pm, bizarrely enough, on Radio 3. It's worth tuning in just to hear a posh-auntie typical Beeb voice announce '.... And that was the Jackie O Mother F**kers from Chicago...'
DIY, Smokescreen, Floatation, Procreation
The Midlands are the home of all yer funky-ass deep-house goings-on. DIY started it all 12 years ago in Nottingham and still play every weekend at a club or warehouse near you. 2002 sees them stepping up a gear with their label DIY Discs releasing an LP by Schmoov, featuring Groove Armada on knob-twiddling and production-duties.
Smokescreen is another East-Midland crew, releasing quality 12" on their own Drop Music label, as well as running regular nights at The Future in Derby. Over in Birmingham, Floatation are building a loyal crowd at The Village on Hurst St, and Procreation move into releasing tracks, again, on their own label alongside their monthly residence at the Medicine Bar.
Static Caravan
This Solihull-based label gained kudos not normally associated with leafy suburbia by releasing music from recent 'Wire' cover-stars, the Japanese krautrock-collective Acid Mothers Temple. Closer to home, though, Magnetaphone and Telefunken keep Birmingham's rep. as the home of weird electronica alive.
So, take them up on the promise to make you 'As Happy as Tom Waites Mending a Radiator in a Brothel', by checking out their club-nights as Statik, which feature all shades of electro avant-garde rock delights.
Download mp3's, join mailing lists etc @
awkward / bearos / antenna / static caravan / capsule / diy discs / procreation
Originally published in 'The Big Issue', but reprinted here by the kind permission of the author