Issue 1, 15th April 1996: Singing For England

MUSIC

News and links on the UK music scene

By Neil Wood

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Black Grape plays for England

Black Grape gets the supreme musical honour of writing the music for the England team as they get ready to play the European Cup. Forget your Brit awards, forget the Eurovision Song contest---this is far more important an accolade for any band---to write the song that will inspire their national team to win football's European Cup! Rumour has it they have recruted ex-punk-rocker and Clash front-man Joe Strummer for the noble effort. But who is going to do the rap this time? Odds on favourite has to be Paul Ince, with rank outsider Dave Seaman practising his chords.

I've found an excellent Black Grape Page, complete with samples of the latest album. I'll let the owner of the page handle any copyright disputes.

The Great Rock and Roll Swindle, Again

It's time to get out those safety pins and stick them somewhere. The Sex Pistols are back together, to yet again turn rude words and the occassional gesture into money. The Sidless foursome now have Glen Matlock on bass.

I don't know how far the offical page has got, but here it is under construction.

But Never Mind the Official Home Page---Here's the Dog's Bollocks.

Battle of the Bands on the Net

This is an interesting project by IceHouse Records featuring the traditional battle-of-the-bands scenerio but using the medium of the Internet and the Web to project the image and sound of the band across the world. With you the Internet user being able to vote for your fave band, and also being able to purchase the track as part of a compilation. The winning band will be announced at a major international venue on the 9th December 1996, altough they have not said exactly where yet...

At the time of going to press there are no bands as yet displayed on the Web page, just a press release and sign-up form [and even that disappeared a few days later; let's hope they sort themselves out soon].

From the bands' point of view they have to pay GBP20 for the privilege, and there is no mention in the advertising of how much Web space or sample length they will get for their money. But it could be cheaper than a band going to the expense of setting up their own Web pages. So it is hard to judge if this is exploitation of penniless fame-hungry musicians or a genuine attempt to help up-and-coming new bands.

There is a Battle of the Bands at New Jersey Online actually up and working.

The Cure

The Cure has a new album. They have spent a whole year together under the same roof, not surprising then that they have called it Wild Mood Swings. Available in early May.

Links

Punk Links:
The Women of 1970's Punk, The Great Rock and Roll Swindle (The Video), World Wide Punk.
UK Bands on the Net:
British Music Web Site.
Folk:
Rootsworld, Folk Stuff, An Online Acoustic Music Establishment.
Festivals:
Phoenix, Reading, Destiny Calling Festival July 12th-14th 1996.
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Copyright (c) ESL 1996.