For Folk's Sake » Johnny Flynn

Editor’s picks… Johnny Flynn, Broadcast 2000, Anni Rossi, Alela Diane, Caitlin Rose, Mara Carlyle

Lynn Roberts — Thu, 30 Jun 2011 22:20:42 +0000

1. Johnny Flynn singing Amazon Love with his sister Lillie for Burberry Sessions. You can also still download the free 5-track EP that Johnny Flynn recorded with the brilliant Rockfeedback for the Independent here.

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2. Broadcast 2000‘s set on Marc Riley’s 6 Music show from last year. The band plays Get Up and Go, Rouse Your Bones, All is Said and Done and their version of Regina Spektor‘s Us. Listen, listen.

Broadcast 2000 BBC 6MUSIC LIVE SESSION + INTERVIEW by broadcast2000

Head to B2000′s website for his Shed Sessions – recordings from his home studio featuring Emily & the Woods, Lucy Rose, John Smith and Laura Moody.

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3. Here’s a gorgeous performance of Own Side Now that Caitlin Rose did for the Guardian’s “How I Wrote…” series. It’s just perfect.

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4. LOVE this new(ish) Anni Rossi song – Land Majestic. It’s a getting ready to go out/driving sort of track I’d say. And it’s available for free download. Hurrah!.

5. This is a sad story. Nick from the Leisure Society is selling the guitar he wrote the first album on. Which means that TWO Ivor Novello nominated songs were composed on this guitar so it is worth at least a million pounds. If you have a million pounds bid on it now.

6. Our Helen is in love with Mara Carlyle. A pal of Willy Mason, who collaborated with him when he played a gig in South London a while back. I’m loathe to link you to a MySpace, but it’s all I have. Sorry.

7. Fancy a snoop around Alela Diane’s house?

ALELA DIANE & WILD DIVINE from More Dust Than Digital on Vimeo.

Festival Preview: Truck

Helen True — Thu, 19 May 2011 13:14:45 +0000

The 14th Truck Festival (22nd-24th July) will, unfortunately for FFS, be our first. We had a rough idea that something good was going on in a field in Oxford all these years, but we’ve only just been informed of the gravity of the situation. Why did no one tell us? WHY?

Truck is a teensy-weensy family-run affair (there’s space for 8,000 people this year), spearheaded by a pair of brothers with impeccable taste and some pretty cool friends.

This year, they’ve palled up with Transgressive, Heavenly Recordings and Bella Union, each of whom will curate the new Clash Stage for a day.

Transgressive’s Friday take-over will see the likes of Mechanical Bride, Dry the River and Johnny Flynn take to the stage.

On Saturday it’s the turn of Heavenly, who’ve invited acts as diverse as Edwyn Collins, Cherry Ghost, and FFS favourite Sea of Bees to join the Truck family.

The last day of the festival sees Bella Union take their turn on the Clash Stage. They’ve lined up John Grant, Philip Selway (him out of Radiohead), the delightful Alessi’s Ark, Treefight for Sunlight and Lanterns to ensure that Truck finishes on the best possible note.

We expect to be exhausted, of course, but we also expect to be taken on one pretty delectable ride. Watch out Truck, FFS is coming.

Tickets are a mere £99, and you can get yours here.

Johnny Flynn to star in new London play

For Folk's Sake — Mon, 10 Jan 2011 21:52:24 +0000

Johnny Flynn is a man of many talents, a travelling player. Not only is he the singer songwriter of folk music that makes our hearts full and glad but he is also an actor and has previously toured with the Shakespearean theatre company Propeller as well as appearing in films. Johnny even wrote and recorded two poems rather than songs as B sides for his recent single Barnacled Warship.

Having finished his UK tour for last year’s ‘Been Listening’ album in December Flynn is returning to the stage in February to appear in a new play called ‘The Heretic’ by Richard Bean at London’s Royal Court Theatre.

Johnny will play Ben Shotter, a University student reading Earth Sciences- the cool degree amongst his contemporaries. The play is billed as a black comedy which uses climate change as the starting point for a discussion of what it means to be a scientist today and whether a belief in man- made climate change is like a religion for modern times.

The Royal Court is known particularly for showing original and cutting edge plays and nurturing new writing and acting talent. Johnny will be appearing alongside the very established and talented actors Juliet Stevenson and James Fleet amongst others.

The play will be performed in the Jerwood Theatre Downstairs from the 4th of February to the 19th of March and tickets are priced from £10- £28.

Tickets are available from the Royal Court website or from the Box Office 0207 565 5000.

Words: Kim Deadman

Singles: Laura Marling & Johnny Flynn, The Vaccines, Sea of Bees

For Folk's Sake — Sat, 01 Jan 2011 15:50:33 +0000

The Vaccines – Wreckin’ Bar (Ra Ra Ra)

‘Wreckin Bar (Ra Ra Ra)’ by The Vaccines is one minute and twenty- four seconds of infectious guitar music, with touches of retro, surf, the 70s, lo- fi and something new. Justin Hayward’s voice is as distinctive and more- ish on this track as it was when he was Jay Jay Pistolet, although this project is completely different.

Johnny Flynn feat. Laura Marling – The Water

‘The Water’ is as wonderful as you would want a duet between Laura Marling and Johnny Flynn to be. Simply it is a beautifully crafted song, which is absolutely in the tradition of folk music- and true singer- songwriters. The water and our relationship with it, the solace, inspiration and restoration it can bring as it flows through our lives is the theme. The lyrics from this track could easily stand alone and the melody and singing are haunting and melancholy but also reassuring and peaceful. If anything ‘The Water’ is better the more you listen to it- and it is a song you can listen to repeatedly and yet want to hear more each time.
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Sea of Bees – The Woods

‘The Woods’ by Schmercury nominee Sea of Bees (Julie Baenziger) may not be receiving as much air play as the previous two singles but musically it’s certainly a match for them. The track begins with a pulsating guitar line that could lead in many directions- but once Baenziger begins singing her voice becomes the fascination. She sings as she writes her music- with a mixture of strength and fragility. The whole song is slightly hypnotic and other worldly without being too much of either. It is the central refrain ‘happy as a bird’ that particularly resonates throughout the track- and the song closes peacefully with that lyrical line- and thought.
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Words: Kim Deadman

Bandstand Busking get festive with video advent calendar

Lynn Roberts — Wed, 01 Dec 2010 13:47:13 +0000

The marvellous folk at Bandstand Busking have put together a video advent calendar to delight our ears to the run up to Christmas. A new, unseen video will be revealed every day on bandstandbusking.com.

Artists tipped for inclusion are Sam Amidon, Laura Hocking, Vivian Girls, Frightened Rabbit, Sky Larkin, Hundred In The Hands, Caitlin Rose, The Irrepressibles, Chief, Slow Club, Johnny Flynn and many more…

Johnny Flynn to tour UK in December

Lynn Roberts — Tue, 16 Nov 2010 12:36:42 +0000

Johnny Flynn has announced a 7-date UK tour in December, on his return from the continent.

Flynn, who recently joined Mumford & Sons on their sell out UK headline tour, will play dates in England and Scotland.

Johnny Flynn Headline tour
December 2010

SAT 04 BIRMINGHAM Academy 2
SUN 05 MANCHESTER Club Academy
TUE 07 EDINBURGH Liquid Rooms
THU 09 BRISTOL Trinity Center
FRI 10 LONDON Shepherd’s Bush Empire
SAT 11 BRIGHTON St George’s Church
SUN 12 EXETER The Phoenix

For tickets visit Johnny’s website.

Johnny Flynn reschedules American tour dates

Lynn Roberts — Tue, 19 Oct 2010 10:22:46 +0000

Johnny Flynn has announced he is to reschedule some dates of his American tour due to “unforseen circumstances”. Original tickets are still valid, and refunds are available from the point of purchase.

Rebooked dates are as follows:

Friday, October 22, 2010 New York CMJ – Blue Flowers Tickets

Sunday, October 24, 2010 Philadelphia M Room Tickets

Monday, October 25, 2010 Baltimore Sonar Club Stage Tickets

Wednesday, October 27, 2010 Chapel Hill Local 506 Tickets

Thursday, October 28, 2010 Atlanta Masquerade Tickets

Friday, October 29, 2010 Nashville 3rd & Lindsley Tickets

Saturday, October 30, 2010 Memphis Young Avenue Deli Tickets

Monday, November 01, 2010 Dallas Prophet Bar
Tickets

Tuesday, November 02, 2010 Austin Emo’s Tickets

Thursday, November 04, 2010 Phoenix Martini Ranch Tickets

Saturday, November 06, 2010 Los Angeles Hotel Café Tickets

Sunday, November 07, 2010 San Fran Rickshaw Stop Tickets

Monday, November 08, 2010 Seattle High Dive Tickets

Wednesday, November 10, 2010 Gambier, OH Kenyon College FREE

Thursday, November 11, 2010 Chicago Mayne Stage Tickets

Friday, November 12, 2010 Montreal Il Motore Tickets

Sunday, November 14, 2010 Toronto Lee’s Tickets

Monday, November 15, 2010 Boston TT The Bear Tickets

Full dates and more details at johnny-flynn.com

Live: Mumford & Sons @ Hammersmith Apollo 9/10/10

Lynn Roberts — Thu, 14 Oct 2010 14:03:44 +0000

Mumford & Sons have come a long way in the past three years, from playing tiny rinkydink venues they gathered fans through word of mouth and associations with more established acts like Laura Marling and Noah & the Whale. Tonight they play the sold out Hammersmith Apollo, and trace steps the Beach Boys, Beatles and Bob Dylan have also walked.

Taking the stage to a chorus of screams, the foursome launched into the acapella beginnings of ‘Sigh No More’. Having had a little break from Mumford & Sons’ headline shows, the adulation the band receive comes as a bit of a shock. The audience treats them like a boyband. Although it’s slightly offputting, about four songs in the familiar feeling rises up in my chest. Mumford & Sons put on a rousing, affecting show and it’s impossible not to get caught up in it.

Tonight keyboardist Ben Lovett lives up to his suffix. He bloody loves it. Out of the four band members he’s the one whose face registers the most joy at the crowd’s attention – and it’s infectious. He and banjo player Winston Marshall bound around the stage when not restricted by their instrumental duties. And when the brass section are introduced for ‘Winter Winds’ the pair jostle over to them as they blast out the fanfare.

The mood changes when frontman Marcus Mumford tentatively announces a new song, ‘Matthew’s Room’. It begins slowly, and every 16 bars the crowd sped up their clapping the hope of an ensuing hoe down. While the song built in tempo and energy, it didn’t break down in the same way as the majority of Sigh No More‘s tracks, perhaps signaling the beginning of change in pace when it comes to new material. Marcus announces that writing for album number two will get underway in a months’ time, when the boys return from an American tour.

Mainstream popularity is not without its drawbacks. The gathered – and I’m willing to hazard, inebriated – throng squawked and whistled over the lovely four part harmonies of ‘Timshel’, and in the encore an attempt at an unplugged version of beautiful pre-album track ‘Sister’ is almost totally drowned out by whoops and shushing. But elsewhere the atmosphere is electric, the circle seems like it might come crashing down under the weight of the clapping and stomping during crowd favourite ‘Little Lion Man’. Newer song ‘Lover of the Light’ is a storming success and momentarily forgoes the band’s bluegrass influences for a rockier sound.

There’d been rumblings before the show about a secret guest, and soon enough Marcus welcomed Kinks legend Ray Davies to the stage along with ex-Cherbourg drummer Chris Maas. Dressed in jeans, a tweedy jacket and a knotted scarf, Davies looked for all the world like another Son as he collaborated with them on a medley of Kinks classics ‘Days’ and ‘This Time Tomorrow’.

Mumford & Sons seem unchanged by their “overwhelming” success, they still put everything into their live show. It’s clear that Marcus, voice gravelly and gorgeous, is grafting from how much he’s sweating, Winston still pulls out his unique knee-swooning whenever the occasion calls for it, Ben headbangs along to his keyboard chords and Ted Dwane still pulls that face (best described as a gurn) when he loses himself in playing his double bass. It’s gratifying to see that success hasn’t ironed out these kinks and eccentricities, their unselfconsciousness is part of who they are. This band know how to push an audience’s buttons, they’ve found a winning formula, and by the looks of things they’re sticking to it.

Brian’s Mixtape #44: Then & Now

Lynn Roberts — Mon, 11 Oct 2010 22:36:20 +0000

FFS turned two last month, and while we don’t like to make a fuss, it’s made us a tad reflective. Especially Brian, who’s a sentimental sort of owl. He has been remembering all the beautiful music he’s listened to over the past couple of years and has concluded that it has made his life approximately 160 per cent better than it otherwise would have been.

When FFS began in 2008 it was because we were very excited indeed about artists like Laura Marling, Noah & the Whale, Johnny Flynn, Peggy Sue and Mumford & Sons. And in our humblest of opinions, the music these bands make has just got better and better.

As well as being sentimental, Brian is a fan of science and so he has constructed an experiment to test our hypothesis. Here are some examples of the work of our heroes and heroines then and now. Cast your votes on which mini playlist you prefer.

And listen to the whole lot on Spotify – Brian’s Mixtape #44: Then & Now

Then:
Laura Marling – New Romantic
Mumford & Sons – White Blank Page
Johnny Flynn – Hong Kong Cemetry
Noah And The Whale – 2 Bodies 1 Heart
Slow Club – Me And You
Emmy The Great – Canopies And Drapes
Broadcast 2000 – Pep Talk
Alessi’s Ark – The Horse

Now:
Broadcast 2000 – Gonna Build A Mountain
Johnny Flynn – Kentucky Pill
Laura Marling – Rambling Man
Slow Club – It Doesn’t Have To Be Beautiful
Mumford & Sons – Thistle & Weeds
Emmy The Great – We Almost Had A Baby
Noah And The Whale – Love Of An Orchestra
Alessi’s Ark – The Bird Song

Interview: Jamie Ley

For Folk's Sake — Mon, 27 Sep 2010 17:58:59 +0000

Emerging from London’s seemingly never-ending and ever-talented pool of wonderful folksy-types, Jamie Ley has been packing out a variety of the capital’s venues with people, all eager to hear his soulful and timeless tunes. Emma Barlow caught up with him to talk about the rise and rise of folk, his inspirations, and what the future holds.

FFS: Do you describe your music as folk? Or is it a label that has been somewhat thrust on you?

JL: I guess it is folk, but I don’t really think we are this or we are that. We usually get described as folk or nu-folk, it’s always got some folk in there somewhere. I don’t consider it anything I just consider it my songs played as best as we can play them!

London has become something of a haven for up-and-coming folk acts, who do you most admire?

Most admire…I dunno. I like what’s happening with folk and it’s exciting to be in anyway involved in it. I admire how massive and how mainstream Mumford & Sons are now. Like I still cant really believe it. Usually bands takes like 5 years to get that big. I’ve played with them in Cardiff and I know them. That gig in Cardiff – about 2 years ago, there were about 20 people in a room and now they’re headlining Reading or whatever. So I admire what they’ve done for folk – the fact that they’ve made people more aware and bought this kind of music to people’s attention. And they’re great musicians, really great.

I think that’s what people like because it’s less of the kind of manufactured pop music and more people on stage with cool instruments like the banjo and the mandolin making honest music and that’s what appeals, that’s what appealed to me about it forever and that’s what I think people are starting to see. And I’ve always admired Johnny Flynn, he was one of my favourite artists while I was at uni and now I’ve had the privilege to like play with him. Bands like that – I always thought they were cool are suddenly much cooler, which is good for me, so I’m a bit cooler now too!

So that’s you’re more recent influences what are some of your older ones?

Bloody hell! Well, obviously The Beatles, so boring! Have you heard of the band Love? Arthur Lee, he’s a bit of a legend, Bob Dylan. But my true greatest hero of all time is Johnny Cash. Yeah I love Johnny Cash. And also songwriters like him, I kind of aspire to be like Leonard Cohen. As a lyricist he’s incredible and his poetry… even the way he sings them…he sings them as the poems they are, which really appeals.

Okay, so what about the poets that inspire you?

Well I used to be into the Romantics, you know the Shelley’s of this world and the Dylan Thomas’s but I’ve recently kind of moved away from that, just because, you know, it’s healthy! I’m into a few German poets and writers – they have a theory about pure imagery and it’s less about words and more about telling things like straight to the point. It’s all about writing in a purist way rather than using fanciful words so yeah: I’m trying to do that with my songs.

Is songwriting something that comes easily to you then or is it really hard work?

Um…sometimes I can sit there for like a week and nothing will come out! Or even a month! And I’ll just be banging my head against the wall. But other times I can write three in a day so it just depends. It’s cliché but if you’re sitting there with your guitar and you just feel you’re in the zone, you’ve got your music mojo or whatever so it just comes out. That’s the time you’ve got to sit there and make yourself keep working at it because that’s the time that’s going to be the most fruitful.

Are you more at home with a band behind you on stage these days or do you miss going it alone?

Yeah at the moment we are doing kind of a mix. So we play three songs as a band and then I’ll do a few. Because there’s something really special and intimate when you’re on your own on stage with an audience. But personally I prefer having my pals around me on stage and I get more into it. Now I feel a bit naked when they leave!

And how did the current band line-up come to be?

I played some gigs in Steeles in North London because my friend Rodney Fisher, who is an amazing musician, he runs a folk night there. We used to have lock-ins and things and I got chatting with one of the barmen, Matt. We just got playing some stuff together and he ended up becoming my bass player and then he knows Jack our drummer from a former band. So we pinched Jack from his old band. Elena Tonra – we had played a lot of gigs together and got on well so she started singing and then we’ve got Bobby on piano, who is our newest sort of musical hero. So basically we just went pilfering from other people’s bands. But in a really charming way so no one seems to mind…yeah so, don’t tell anyone that!

So what can we expect from Jamie Ley, what are the big plans?

Well expect to see a release, quite soon. I’m doing my showcase on the 20^th October at the Flowerpot. So getting a lot of people down, lots of people that haven’t seen me who want to see me um….and hopefully that will be a great night and we’ll push on from there with a tour and a release and everything that follows.

Interview: Emma Barlow

For Folk's Sake » Johnny Flynn

Editor’s picks… Johnny Flynn, Broadcast 2000, Anni Rossi, Alela Diane, Caitlin Rose, Mara Carlyle

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