In a new foray into the world of technology FFS interviewed Andy Regan, AKA Pagan Wanderer Lu, over MSN. PWL’s first general release album Fight My Battles For Me was released recently on Brainlove Records, but Andy has been writing, recording and playing under the moniker for nine years. He is also a regular blogger – and wrote a series of blogs for the Independent in the run up to his album release, which are well worth a read. We’ve tried to ask him the sort of questions that’d get him talking cos, as you’ll see, he has something interesting to say on pretty much every subject. Now you sit back and enjoy the interview while we reflect on our realisation that we’ve effectively got an artist to transcribe our interview for us…
Live: Alessi’s Ark, Left with Pictures and Tristram aboard The Tamesis
Moonshine Jambouree started out a little under a year ago with free shows in The Slaughtered Lamb in Clerkenwell. The gigs have come a long way since then and now promoter Antony Chalmers is part way through a run of shows on the Tamesis. A split level boat docked on the south bank of the Thames.
It is in this picturesque setting that FFS finds itself watching Tristram. We first saw him live eight months ago and his delicate vocals and quiet acoustic guitar have since been transformed into assured jangly pop by his backing band of a cellist, keyboard player and percussionist. Tristram’s vocals have a lovely timbre and the cheery glock and pretty harmonies contrast with a melancholy in his voice reminiscent of Nick Drake. Although he seems almost embarrassed to be watched and applauded, Tristram is a real storyteller who had the crowd hanging on his every word.
Live: TV on the Radio @ Brixton Academy 13th July 2009
It stands to reason that as a band ages their popularity should take that natural ascension up into the stars. It’s exactly what all their fans hope for, to see the band with all that talent finally getting the kudos they always deserve. But the trouble is that when the band reaches that level of adoration from so many people they automatically lose some of that magic that made them so precious in the first place. This is the perilous ledge that TV on the Radio find themselves on as they take to the stage for their biggest show in the UK, following the mammoth success of their last album ‘Dear Science’.
EP: The Dufflefolks – Through Fire Escapes Love
Through Fire Escapes Love is the enigmatic title wrapped around the new EP from London band The Dufflefolks, whose mercurial sound is difficult to classify in terms of genre.
*UPDATED* The FFS Schmercury Awards long list – submissions wanted!
We at FFS are not impressed with the Mercury Prize nominations this year. Not one bit. So we’ve decided to create our own: The FFS Schmercury Prize. And cos we’re not jingoistic types we’re allowing artists from the WHOLE world.
FFS Exclusive competition: Win a T-shirt designed by Rilo Kiley, New Pornographers, Bon Iver and more
For Folk’s Sake have teamed up with Yellow Bird, which asks indie artists to design t-shirts for charity, to offer two FFS readers the chance to win a t-shirt by their chosen band.
Artists involved in the project include Bon Iver, The New Pornographers, The Magic Numbers, The Shins and Au Revoir Simone.