Noise Over Time

Sumo 11th March 2010

2010-03-21T03:28:00.000-07:00

Sumo
Black Carrot
Gummy Bears
Us
oh yeah a number of repeat viewers too.

Rise up Reggae Star! Thug is Life!

2010-03-21T03:26:00.000-07:00

The Musician

Rose after 36 hour Jeremy Kyle themed drug-binge feeling isolated and bereft.

Looking back to Thursday night with Dead Cowboy Culture and Black Carrot at The Musician, without going all Lady Ga Ga about this, some new and interesting ideas on display here and much talent and charisma (at least until Echolocation came on with their anti-stagecraft).

With reference to this question over Echolocation's (lack of) stage persona, it's just the thin end of the wedge that leads to another question: 'Who told you, you could sing?' and ultimately: 'What does it mean?'. My thoughts go out to fallen Rock n' Roll hero Shakin' Stevens currently serving time on Long Island for impaling an impertinent photographer with a mike stand javelin-style.

Anyway looking forward to next Thursday at Sumo with Gummy Bears and Black Carrot again, another chance to communicate, or at least to consider it.

Rise up Reggae Star! Thug is Life!

Echolocation's new album is nearly ready for release.

2010-03-20T10:34:00.000-07:00

Everyone's excited around these parts. A provisional release date of April 16th has been set for Revenge of the Yes Men, the second in the Echolocation Trilogy.
Once again produced by Harvey Sharman-Dunn, Revenge of the Yes Men, sees the band come out of the bedsit that informed much of 2008s C92 and rails against the mundane. They are once again very angry, but there is plenty of wry humour here too. Anyone who has worked in a large organisation will recognise some of poet Peter Ingram's vignettes on display here.
The album starts with a cry of despair at the apathy encountered everywhere; it pokes fun at the in-house magazine, seeks revenge on the petty jobsworths and careerists, but ends with the redemptive and uplifting extraordinary Leap of Faith.
Echolocation still defy categorisation and the sound is augmented by synths, cello and sweet brass as well blistering Rock and Roll.
With most of Regeneration, the final part of the Trilogy already written this should be a good couple of years for Echolocation

www.myspace.com/echolocationmusic

echolocation @ Ciros

2010-02-14T07:50:00.000-08:00

Ashby De La Zouch home to Ciros ( pronounced Cairos) will always be ingrained into the subconcious. It'll be our dirty secret. A gig where we plied our wares took the money and ran home for a long hot shower.
I think their heart is in the right place (they pay bands for a start), its a good venue and it has a hotel attached which we could've used. Fish the sound man was cool, adding to our list of admiring sound-men (he bought a CD). The audience were appreciative but they wanted Kasabian - they closed their eyes and tried to imagine.You can't be all things to all men.
A stage diving first. Some confrontational twat tried to invade the stage clattered into the drum kit knocking cymbals flying, Dan never missed a beat and the said twat was ejected for being a twat.

New Echolocation album imminent.

2010-02-12T06:31:00.000-08:00

Its been a while coming but the final mixes have been tweaked and the running order mulled over.

We may some white labels available for the 4th March gig at the Musician.

Should be a good one with Black Carrot and Dead Cowboy Culture.

Hopefully off to see John Cooper Clarke tonight, then its the Ashby nightclub gig tomorrow. That should be worth blogging about.

Bagging Area

2010-01-03T10:45:00.000-08:00

I'd like to point you to the new blog from Swiss Adam.
Very good it is too
bagging area

echolocation's music to be used in a new film

2008-12-01T08:39:00.000-08:00

Echolocation mix it with the stars.
Echolocation have provided the soundtrack to a new film starring Michelle Collins of Eastenders fame. The film titled, Never Get Out is set in the world of violent crime. The team behind the film heard Echolocation's music through the internet and thought it would be ideal.
A Waste of Me the closing track on C92, their debut album is used throughout the film.
The makers hope the film will be shown at film festivals around the world.
Never Get Out will be promoted by Screen South and the Kent Film office.
This is the third film to have included echolocation's music.
http://www.yourkenttv.co.uk/community/tvpopupnew.aspx?aid=9119&vid=3240

echolocation are to release single

2008-12-01T08:35:00.000-08:00

echolocation are to release their new single Put Up or Shut Up at the begining of December. The single recorded at haunted studios and produced by H will be released on the haunted by fame label.
The single is taken from the forthcoming album Revenge of the Yes Men. The guys are busy in the studio finishing the album as we speak, and hope to have it ready for release in the new year.

Echofest 08 review

2008-11-14T07:15:00.000-08:00

Echofest 31st Oct and !st November 2008
The Music Café. Leicester.

Echofest was set up by Leicester band Echolocation as the antidote to the ridiculous ‘battle of the band’ type shows and X-factor-isms that seem to be prevalent in all walks of life at the moment.
The idea was to get some great bands together from all round the country, most of whom they had seen on their travels, and let them play their thang, no rules, no competition just alternative music. There were some extraordinary performances from bands young and old over the two days.

Friday saw former Factory records artist Kevin Hewick kick start the festival with his new band, No Junk Promise, playing a set of originals before going off to join Peter Hook in Paris.
Twenty Below Zero were next. These are the most talented band to come from Leicester in a very long time. Rare is it that the drummer of a band captures your attention in the way that Darryl Reid does. Reid is no Phil Collins or Don Henley though, this is no middle of the road tosh, this is exquisite indie rock blowing away all peers and in an age where the talent less Razorlight are held up as luminaries of the genre they are sure to go a very long way.
Echolocation played their first set of the weekend, performing tracks mainly from C92, with the highlight being vocalist/Poet Pete Ingram reading out a misinformed review, very funny and self depreciating.
Headlining Friday were Black Carrot, like many bands at echofest defying categorisation, a little bit Kraut rock a little bit funk a little bit avant-gardism with a twist of Tom Waits. Talking to singer Stewart Brackley you wouldn’t imagine the primal wounded animal sounds that come out of him.

How could Saturday top such a great night? I don’t know if it did but it was certainly its equal.
Hulot stormed a set that sound like a cross between Wire and some electro punk outfit, great bass, guitar and electronics.
Armson filled in some amazing acoustic blues guitar
The Gummy Bears were delighted with their set producing something that crosses the Alabama Three with PIL.
Mojo and the Beatniks sent us to sunny California for some early 70’s revivalism.
Tim Filor blessed us with a rare acoustic set. That voice is in fine form.

Once in a while Swiss Guards have to get out of the studio and backed by members of echolocation the Guards performed a short set of modern classics. Swiss Adam won the best-dressed award with his fine vintage military jacket.
Possibly the hit of the weekend were Preston duo Scoobeef?. Powerhouse drums and incendiary funk guitar the pair cooked up a storm. Their songs had wit and depth and Beth’s amazing guitar playing recalling Adrian Belew, the Minute Men and a voice not unlike like Skin from Skunk Anansie, whilst retaining their own unique identity and presence. It’s hard to believe that there are only two of them.
Next up were Peeping Thom & the Voyeurs. For a band so young to produce music so world weary is a sight and sound to behold, surely they will go a long way. Sans harp player Miranda and drummer less, this could have fallen flat on its face. That it certainly didn’t is testament to Thom’s Nick Cave-ish vocals and Simon’s manic guitar.

The penultimate band were The Kull. Arriving with enough kit to fill Wembley the Nottingham’s “most likely to..” produced a surprisingly melodic wall of sound that called to mind Soundgarden and The Cult’s best bits.

It had been a long couple of days and it was running pretty late by now.
But it was time for echolocation to finish what they had started. Pulling out an incendiary performance the festival organisers proved they were at home with the wealth of talent that had gone on before. Producing a set showcasing newer material to be released on Revenge of the Yes Men in the new year, the band showed depth, class and staying power. Lit up by their famed projections and clouded in smoke, they were at once atmospheric, caustic and humorous. Aptly they closed the show with their classic The Shut Off, leaving DJ Lyn and Swiss Guards Sound System to mop up the stragglers and partying bands.
A great, great gig. And a massive success. With many asking to play the next one Echofest looks like it could be a fixture in the Calendar.

Echofest 08

2008-11-07T12:47:00.000-08:00

And That, Ladies And Gentlemen, Was Echofest Current mood: accomplished Category: Music
And that, ladies and gentlemen, was echofest, a weekend of music, dancing, revelry and so much more. I, William Borrows, your humble scribe was there, as a punter, and as technical consultant and spiritual advisor to the much-loved underground art-rock band swiss guards. My boys. Scheduled to appear at some point on the line-up on Saturday night.
Before their appearance in this weblog however it is my duty to inform you of the events of the previous day, culminating in a wonderful performance by Market Harborough kraut-jazzers Black Carrot. Huge bassoons and rhino recorders, growling bassplayer, seated guitarists with a passing resemblance to Kid Rock. Great stuff, and a wonderful way to round off the first night of the festival. Before them the mighty echolocation, less shabily dressed than the previous times I have had the pelasure to see them perform. Greatness surely awaits them. And before them Twenty Below Zero. Frenetic yet melodic, fringy, tight jeans, singing-drummer. An outpouring of ideas. Unique. One of my swiss charges, Swiss Adam, was playing records in between the acts. I believe this practice is known as djing. The man with the skull on the stick certainly seemed to enjoy the records. Well, Halloween brings them all out onto the streets. Scooter rally record selecting star Lyn played later, a mixture of punk, Pixies and pop.
Saturday brought sore heads, scuffed shoes and dirty jeans. Foul weather and a packed running order. And swiss guards. They arrived on stage mid-evening, sometime after the soundman Peter had spent a considerable time 'using feedback to destroy feedback'. My technical expertise outdone by his I retired to ensure swiss guards were in top-notch fighting shape for the forthcoming performance. A slightly shaky start from the guards, beginning with the oldie Better Weather, the song almost collapsing under the weight of a paucity of rehearsal time. But then a surge. Into A Hole, performed live for the first time, with stirling drums and melancholic giutars. Swiss Adam, persued later for his marble eyes, resplendent in a 1957 Devon and Dorset rifles dress tunic. I'd told him to buy swiss uniform, but he just about got away with it. Applause from the house before they raised the temperature and speed with Moonwalker Blues. Gene Cernan-where are you now? From rollicking tales of lunar flights with those catchy doo-doo-doo-doos, to Time Please, one of the best in their back catalogue, all staccato guitars, bubbling bass, pleading vocals and backing vocals (from the new swiss pete. How many men will fit on one stage?). A short step for man, a giant step for mankind into their everyman anthem of bitten knuckles, swearing and gritted teeth, One Thing After Another. The highlight of their set, and any set for that matter, the tension of the day resolving itself in a fine, nay, great performance. 'That is the story of my life' one punter was heard to remark. And so it was over, bar the salutes from the stage and guitars feeding back into the night. A triumph from the Vatican city rockers. And a relief to me.

For sure it would be remiss of me not to mention the other bands from Saturday night despite my obvious preoccupation with my boys, swiss guards. The youngsters known as Peeping Thom and the Voyeurs shook the Music Cafe and the festival with their drummerless rock. Powerful voice and strong songs. Bassless Scoobeef, from the northern outpost of Preston, provided post-punk, Minutemen style jerkiness and were much admired. The Kull did their dark, classic rock thing, putting me in mind of the early Cult. Mojo and the Beatniks took us to San Francisco with flowers in our hair, and Derbyshire moptop Tim Filor got back in the saddle with a fine 4 song acoustic set, songs of binbags and jam. Great stuff. And to round it off? I hear you ask. Echolocation again, even better than the night before, Pete and Harvey prowling the stage and the area in front of the stage, Shutting Us Off. A wild time indeed. More from the garage, rockabilly, electro, punk dj's. And then home.
So there we have it. I, your humble scribe William Borrows,techincal consultant and spiritual advisor to swiss guards(did I mention that before?) reporting, from echofest 08. When's the next one gentlemen?

Echolocation play with Murder By Death

2008-08-20T02:07:00.000-07:00

Friday, August 15, 2008

Murder By Death gig!
Ok ok, it's a full month after the event but Harv's scowling at me for not doing my promised account of the gig. So retrospectively here it is. Firstly though, a big thanks to Su for labouring so hard to get us a support slot with one of my favourite bands of all time.
As Dan was away and we didn't want to miss out on the gig, we recruited the young and very talented Daryll Reid to stand in on the drums. Check out his band Twenty Below Zero and side project Boy Kid Cloud in our friends - he's a proper clever little bleeder alright.
A mere three rehearsals later we were ready. Sort of. I don't think that Daryll was used to our method of 'working', or in other words fucking about with the lengths/arrangements of some songs, making them different each time we play them. At one point he was overheard on his mobile saying, "Write songs? They can't even write a fucking setlist" Arf!
We heard before the gig that the other support band had pulled out, which for once meant we could relax a bit time wise and get a decent set in. We arrived at the venue early and I set about ingratiating myself with all the members of Murder By Death (I didn't stalk them though, honestly) who all turned out to be absolutely lovely people, despite the darkness of their music.
We launched into our set with a new song, 'Put Up Or Shut Up' for which you can see the video on the main page. Daryll's powerhouse drumming rattled everyone's ribcages and Harv's gleaming guitar lines cut through like glass. The rest of the set flew by and we got a pretty good response from the sizeable crowd. Last time we played the Bodega, there were about five paying punters in.
The remainder of the night, for me anyway, was spent getting pissed and worshipping Murder By Death who were totally wonderful as expected. We made the most of our photo opportunity afterwards and bade them farewell as they disappeared to stay overnight with two nubile young Nottingham girlies. Hopefully we will try to get them on in Leicester next time they are back in the UK.
A top night all round. Thanks again to young Daryll who is a cocky little git, but a massive talent. I'm sure you'll all be hearing more of him in the future. Thanks also to Adam, Sarah, Dagan and Matt of MBD for being ace and dispelling the long held theory that 'you should never meet your heroes'.
I'll get my Bolton blog in a bit quicker or Harv will be shouting at me again. The miserable bastard.
Cheers y'all. A.

The three 'F's: Finking, Fucking & Fighting.

2008-08-20T02:04:00.000-07:00

Saturday night's Sexual Display.
The three 'F's: Finking, Fucking & Fighting.

These people are 'orrible. Your friends are nice but the rest of them are funny buggers. And I don't find it amusing. Can't look them in the eye. Who gives a fuck what they think, I'll just shout louder!
“Sounds like that group. Him! He's dead!. Sounds like that one that goes, 'She's lost control...'”. Sunday. Contrary to singer-songwriter's sexual boasting, rejection is good for the soul. The disappointment will make us strong.

Echolocation and Swiss Guards release new albums

2008-07-25T06:14:00.000-07:00

UK indie bands Echolocation and Swiss Guards have both released new albums on the haunted by fame label.

Echolocation, stunning debut, C92 unites the 'Nu Beat' poetry of Peter Ingram with the avant rock of the former Bocca boys; throw in some cool brass from Paul Hing and you have a unique listening experience.

Swiss Guards second long player is One Thing After another. Much more assured than their Lo-Fi debut Once the Process, the Guards have augmented their line-up with a full band. Still very much the lovechild of 'brothers in swiss', Adam Turner and Harvey Sharman-Dunn.

Both albums are available from i tunes and all good digital outlets and physical copies are available from the haunted by fame shop.

You can listen to and get free downloads from myspace.

http://www.myspace.com/echolocationmusic

and

http://www.myspace.com/swissguards