ISSUE #5

NOV / DEC | FLOREAT SALOPIA | ISSUE #5
SUPPORTING SHROPSHIRE’S LIVE MUSIC SCENE

next edition out: 1st January 2018
artwork deadline: 21st december
frontcover: tom barras
published by: twisted ego media
Contributors
editor:
kristian wing penny
production co-ordinator:
janinne wing penny
writers:
beth hemmings
michaela wylde
ron penny
dave blackhurst
photography:
chris rollason
social media:
janinne wing penny
nikki henshaw
nev nevey nevster
patrick tighe
FOLLOW US:
We are
interested in
building
relationships
with writers and
photographers
who focus on
music and wish
to be part of our
zine
anger management:
"Yes, honey...Just squeeze your rage
up into a bitter little ball and
release it at an appropriate time, like
that day I hit the referee with the
whiskey bottle.”
SR
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WWW.SHROPROCKS.COM
EMAIL:
INFO@SHROPROCKS.COM
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The thoughts and opinions expressed here are those of the individual contributors alone and do not reect the
views of Shrop Rocks.

EDITORIAL | EDITOR@SHROP ROCKS.COM
_________________
elcome all readers, I know it’s early but
W‘HAPPY CHRISTMAS’ to you all. On
behalf of ‘Shrop Rocks Zine’ I’d like to
thank all our avid supporters, contributors and
customers, without you we would just be a pile of
empty blank booklets or a lovely oak tree over
looking a beautiful idyllic stream. Sorry for the
premature greeting but this is the last edition of
the year, next issue is due out 1st January, so I
had to get it in now!!!
So with the Christmas formalities done, let’s move
on to this rocking issue and onto a true Christmas
story about me and my good mate Rob. We were
fortunate
both
enough to have a season ticket
to watch Wolves. (Obviously that last statement
‘fortunate’ remains widely debatable). Anyway we
could not help noticing that there was always a
spare seat next to us (B14), way up in the Jack
Harris stand at Molineux. We had a friend who
would love to buy a season ticket, especially if all
three of us could have seats together (it’s a man
thing).
So one half-time Rob and I went to the ticket
ofce and asked if we could buy the season ticket
for B14. The ofcial said that unfortunately the
ticket had been sold. Nevertheless, week after
week the seat was still empty.
The season kicked off in August, Wolves were
awful, so all was as normal. And still no bum on
B14. September was a slight improvement on
awful, but still no bum on seat B14. Anyway,
October came and went, so did November. We
drifted through most of December with still no
sign of anyone on seat B14.
Then on Boxing day, much to our amazement the
seat was taken for the rst time that season. Rob
could not resist asking the newcomer, 'Where have
you been all season mate'. ‘Don't ask’ he said, the
wife bought the season ticket back last summer,
and kept it for a surprise Christmas present.
You just couldn’t make it up... How we laughed,
then realized hang on a minute, whose the
suckers here.
Wolves went on to be relegated.
TOP TWEET
_________
PRETEND
you’re on the
set of Michael
Jackson’s
Thriller video
by going to JD
Wetherspoon’s
Bridgnorth at
8am.
@selbyandeke
_________

SHREWSBURY
THE QUARRY, SY1 1RN
SAT 27TH AUGUST

WE SUPPORT ARTISTS
PLAY@
SHROPROCKS.COM
________________________________
As an independent artist or
unsigned band, playing gigs is by
far one of the best ways to get
noticed and reach new fans. But how do
you get more gigs for your
unsigned band? Before we get
into that, here are a few things
to remember.
Ÿ
Ÿ
Ÿ
Ÿ
Whether you’re playing to
less than 10 disinterested
people in a dimly lit pub or
hundreds of enthusiastic
revellers on a festival stage
for unsigned bands – it’s all
experience.
The more gigs you play the more
you’ll improve, so take every
opportunity that comes your way.
There are lots of small venues and
open mic nights out there looking to
showcase new, unsigned talent. To
keep up to date you can visit our
facebook page.
No two gigs are the same
and over the course of your
career you’ll play a wide
range of very different
venues – some good, some
not so good! So learn to take
the rough with the smooth.
The rst and perhaps most
important step when trying to
get a gig for your unsigned band is to
nd a way to sell yourselves. This will
involve putting together a demo of your
music and bio for your band designed to
make venues and event organisers want
to book you.
This doesn’t mean you’ll have to spend
hours in the studio, spending big money
to create the perfect mix of your song! If
you’re just starting out, chances are you
won’t have a studio recording of
your tracks, so simply creating a
YouTube channel or similar with a
few live performances and an
introduction to you and your
music will be enough to land you
your rst gig.
While some venue owners will
have a genuine passion for
helping unsigned musicians get a
gig, in the end – like most things –
it often comes down to money.
Bars and clubs want to bring in
customers, sell alcohol and turn a nice
prot, and if your music helps them do
that then they’re much more likely to
give your band a chance to play live.
One of the quickest ways to land a
booking for your band is by sending an
individual email to each potential venue
in your area, with a link to your
music and a paragraph or two
about you. If you can bring a
large following with you – say
so! That's exactly what venues
want to hear.
Ten to twenty unsolicited emails
to venues can often return a
couple of good opportunities, but
there are also avid unsigned
music supporters like ourselves who you
can sign up with to get you more gigs
and exposure. You can nd out more by
emailing us at;
play@shroprocks.com
shroprocks.com | p5

While email is a great way to massmarket
yourself, for a more personal
touch, why not head to a local venue and
introduce yourself in person? Meeting
face to face with an important contact is
a fantastic way to start a mutually
benecial relationship, show your
commitment and land a great gig for
your band – plus people are much less
likely to say no in person!
Supporting a more established band is a
great way to get better gigs. By playing
in the support slot of a similar genre
band, you’ll have the chance to perform
for a crowd with an interest in your
genre of music, creating a whole bunch
of brand-new fans in the process!
Venues receive demos and pitches from
bands all the time, but bands are likely to
receive very few. They will probably be
attered by your approach and perhaps
offer you the chance to support them at
one of their upcoming gigs. And voila –
another gig for your band with minimal
effort and maximum exposure!
When it comes to playing your rst gigs,
you can’t afford to be too fussy. Supply is
vastly greater than demand and there are
countless other bands in your area
looking to play shows, so take every
opportunity you get.
It’s important never to make false
promises when booking your rst gig as
an independent artist. Don’t say you have
two hours worth of material if you only
have one just to secure a place on the bill,
or apply to play a heavy metal night with
a set-list full of upbeat indie-pop tunes –
it will only burn bridges.
By playing more and more gigs, over
time, you’ll begin to build up your
reputation and credibility as you make
more connections and get to know more
venue owners and promoters in your area
and further aeld. Eventually, when local
venues are looking for a reliable band to
play their next big event, your name will
come straight to mind.
p6 | shroprocks.com

shrewsbury | sy1 1qj
Facebook: @albertsshedshrewsbury
Twitter: @albertsshedsy
Not much beats the thrill of
enjoying loud music with a
group of like-minded individuals.
Whether it be a club night or a live act,
it's one of life's most intense and
unforgettable
experiences.
So, to point you in the
right direction, here's
the start to our guide
to the coolest music
venues in Shropshire.
Go to these places for
the most interesting
acts, the best crowds
and the most
interesting
surroundings. So without further ado
let’s start with ‘Alberts Shed’.
Located in the heart of Shrewsbury, you'll
struggle to nd another venue with such
a fantastic decor. But never mind the
sights, what about the sounds? Well,
Albert’s shed is a gloriously dark
atmospheric venue with great staff and
an awesome sound system.
This bar and nightclub is located in
Barker Street. Entering through double
doors, the bar is straight ahead, and the
friendly staff serve a great selection of
drinks. The staircase on the right leads
up to the VIP area, and throughout the
venue there are several large TV screens,
ideal for watching sport. At the far side
of the venue is the stage and dance oor.
Albert’s vast minimalist space greets you
as you enter, with wooden paneling and
exposed xtures giving the overall
impression of someone's shed, be it a very
large shed, or perhaps an industrial unit.
Clean and tidy throughout, though the
decor is designed to
look industrial and
grimy. There is lot’s to
interest the eye, while
you sample one of the
ales on offer. Old
vehicle frontages are
used as furniture which
is a cool touch.
All in all a quirky place
to visit for the more
elderly ale drinkers
during the day, although be warned. It
reverts to it's vibrant young persons
atmosphere in the evenings.
Albert’s is a pub of many names since it
was rst recorded as the Slipper in the
18th century, reverting to the Old Slipper
in the late 19th century. For most of the
20th century it was part of the M&B
empire, before being acquired by
Wolverhampton & Dudley (Banks's) who
themselves re-branded it several times
(Jackson's, Merchant Stores, Rowley's)
All in all a great place to go drinking,
catching local bands and partying with
friends. Highly recommended.
Check back next edition for more of
Shropshire’s live venue’s...
shroprocks.com | p9

PARTY IN
T H E P A R K V I I I
Facebook
@aboutmusicproject
arty in the Park
Preturned again
for its eighth
year in Bishop’s Castle.
This event is the main
fundraiser for the
About Music Project
creating opportunities
for up and coming
young musicians in
Bishop’s Castle and the
surrounding area. This
year saw an exciting
line-up including; The
BC All Skas, Fight the
Bear, Thin Vision,
Nuclear Weasels,
Wyson, Bonnie May,
Mollie’ Ann Grant,
Dunk Burns, Without
Warning and The Beth
Prior Collective.
The AMP (About Music
Project) is a voluntary
organization for people
to learn about all
genres of music, stage
equipment
management and
studio work. AMP are
led by an energetic
adult and youth
volunteer committee.
The project also brings
together volunteers
whose local music
expertise, skills and
experience are passed
on in an informal and
supportive way.
Set in the community
park, in the heart of
Bishop’s Castle, Party
In The Park is a
relaxed family music
festival.
p10 | shroprocks.com

NOVEMBER ____________________
PICK OF THE MONTH
FOR ALL THE LATEST GIGS CHECKOUT OUR FACEBOOK & TWITTER
4TH THE PAPERBOYS
WHITCHURCH LEISURE CENTRE
WWW.TICKETSOURCE.CO.UK
10THJUDAS JOHNSON
SUPPORT - DROUGHT ON MARS
THE WAKES | OAKENGATES
'Thank Forge It's Friday'
10TH
BOOYAKA
THE BEAR | BRIDGNORTH
12TH FUNKE AND THE TWO TONE BABY
THE WHEATSHEAF INN | TF10 9LF
25TH THE SCIENTIFIC SIMPLETONS
LIVE ALBUM RECORDING
THE BULL | BUTCHERS ROW
all gigs are correct at the time of going to press. please check with venue before travelling to avoid disappointment

I BELIEVE a lot of conict in
the Wild West could have been
avoided completely if cowboy
architects had just made their
towns big enough for everyone.
Pete, Shrewsbury
CAN’T GET Radio 1 at work?
Simply load 12 shit songs onto
you ipod and leave on repeat
and shufe all day.
@DavidLegend
I was delighted when the kind
people at the Inland Revenue
wrote to me recently, telling me
that my tax return was
‘outstanding’, particulary since
I can’t remember sending it in.
Jacob, email
HOW come monkeys are all
hairy, yet they have pink arses
with no hair on? whilst I’m as
bald as a coot with a big hairy
arse? Perhaps Charles Darwin
could explain that one!
Rev. J Faulcault, Telford
I have just returned from a
diplomatic trip to the Congo
and can testify at no point did
I ever see anyone drinking Um
Bongo
Neil Palmer, Wolves
Please can someone help me? I
can’t seem to think of another
purpose for multi-purpose
compost, other than growing
plants in.
John, email
I was shocked to realise I was
drinking more alcohol than
recommended in the
Department of Health
guidelines. I decided I ought
to do something about it, so I
quickly drew up my own set of
guidelines and I’m now well
within the recommended level
of intake.
D Haslam
Send us your thoughts...
info@shroprocks.com

tom barras
w h e n s h r o p r o c k s m e T T O M
IN THE BEGINNING...
Tom broke the world record by
busking for 25 hours and 5
minutes, and has raised
thousands of pounds for charities. He’s
won a Pride of Shropshire Award and
The Bridgnorth Mayor's shield for
services to music in the community. Tom
has organised several music events
including his own youth music festival
'’Future Fest', and has arranged for
other young musicians to get songs
recorded, released and played on local
radio. Already having notched up 100’s
of gigs and a few festivals, Tom has
made several radio and TV appearances,
and has been selected by Firestone to
play at Birmingham Arena, and all this
at the tender age of 16.
My rst instrument is
the drums, I got a fullsize
kit for Christmas
when I was eight. I still
love playing the drums
and play for a couple of
bands. About two years
ago I also added bass
guitar, but I actually
only picked up the
guitar about 12 months
ago. The guitar thing
was really born out of frustration. I
know that to get anywhere you have to
work hard, and lots of people just don't
have that drive, they think they are
going to do three rehearsals and then
play the O2! I decided a solo act was the
best way forward. I took sometime out
from gigging to develop my guitar and
improve my vocals I found a fresh sound
with a whole load of songs I had not
p16 | shroprocks.com
done before. When I had something I was
proud of I starting gigging on my own.
The reaction to my the rst few solo gigs
was just amazing and way beyond
anything I had expected. One of my rst
solo gigs was in Wales, and the place just
went mental, this was when I realised I
was denitely on the right track.
I love sharing my love of music, and
really enjoy that hour in the spot light.
A year or so ago I promised Karen
Higgins of the Big Busk that one day I
would come back to Shrewsbury, and put
on a massive gig for The Shrewsbury
Ark in The Quarry and I can't let Karen
down can I?
I listen to a huge range
of music and see as
many live gigs as I can.
My inuences, If I had to
narrow it down they
would denitely include;
Britpop, Madchester,
Punk, some Mod, a bit of
alternative, and plenty
of protest. I don't model
myself on anyone, I want
to be the rst Tom
Barras not the second
anybody, but for live performance and
energy Frank Turner, Green Day and
Gaz Brookeld, for attitude The Stone
Roses, for having something to say Billy
Bragg and for being a pretty top all
round live musician Paul Weller. As I said
I don't want to be the second anyone but
being described as a 'young Paul Weller'
is pretty cool!

on dreams and goals...............................................
Simple; to play music! Well that and
make it in music, and errr, well change
the world. I don't know where my
musical journey will take me but I intend
to have a lot of fun on the way. I know I
will be involved with music one way or
another, but whether that's playing the
main stage at festivals or picking up
litter at the back, who knows? and only
time will tell. In the short term lots more
live performing and hopefully a few more
festivals for 2018. Get in touch if you
want to book a lively entertaining act.
One other thing I WILL do a bit of crowd
surng one day soon! And I will put on a
gig at The Quarry for the Ark.
on writing.....................................................
I am working on my own songs but
nothing I am prepared to share just yet! I
have pages and pages of lyrics and ideas,
I am often not sure where it all comes
from. A songwriter once said, you have to
go through a process of clearing stuff out
and then you start getting to the good
stuff, and that is what I am doing at the
minute. I will make sure Shrop Rocks are
the rst to know when I get there!
on his next gig..............................................
The next big one for me is the Firestone
Stage at the Birmingham Arena on 19th
November, they picked me out as a ‘star
of the future’, and gave me the chance to
perform at this national iconic music
venue. Unfortunately, there are no tickets
left for this gig, but I am playing the
night before on the 18th Nov at
Bridgnorth Football Club. We are
putting on three acts playing the best of
British music to raise money for a
debrillator. We've got Broseley singer
songwriter John Britton and AmI
Winehouse, and then I am going to nish
the night with a massive acoustic party
of singalongs. For me it's a bit of a home
coming and if you come along you will
have an amazing night, I hope to see
everyone down the front singing and
dancing!
on performing live......................................
Firstly, to have a great time! Whether
there are 2 or 200 people in a room, I
always put out a load of energy. Being
solo I don't particularly need a set list, I
learned early on to play what people
want to hear, and I'm pretty good at
reading a room. Secondly there will
denitely be a bit of banter, I love it when
the crowd really gets involved, and we
can have a bit of a conversation, and a
laugh! Finally, expect plenty of dancing
and singing along, there is nothing like
getting a whole crowd involved and
being able to step back from the mic for a
few bars and hear the whole room sing. I
like to be as close up to the audience as I
can get.
shroprocks.com | p17

on experiences so far
Most musicians are hugely supportive of
younger performers, and particularly
since I went solo, I have met some
fantastic people. It's important to get out
and perform live, but it’s hard to nd
chances to play when you start out,
especially at my age. There are plenty of
good (and some bad) Open Mics about,
and they’re a great starting point. I’ve
started doing an annual youth music
event in Bridgnorth to give younger
performers a chance to perform.
It's all about making sure you are as
good as you can be, stretch yourself, go
and see as much live music as you can.
Take a few risks, don't get stuck playing
the same one or two pubs you are known
in. Get out of your comfort zone and play
at places the best musicians play, it
raises your bar and you will learn a load
more.
Finally, don't expect people to open doors
for you, but if you see one slightly ajar
try and kick it off its hinges. It’s hard
work, and you just have to love
performing. I’ve had some of the best
experiences over the last few months,
and I have been able to do things and
meet people, that without music would
never have happened.
One of the down sides that most
musicians will experience is being
bullied, particularly young musicians at
school. Everyone I speak to has
experienced the same things, just
remember you are not alone, and that
you should never stop doing what you
love because someone is jealous or
thinks they are somehow cool. And yeah
it may hurt, but it is my belief no matter
what you do, there will be someone who
gives you a hard time for it, so make
sure you do something that you love,
which makes it all worthwhile. Anyone
who has made a difference, has had a
hard time for it, at some point. I
occasionally put Gaz Brookeld's song
'’Be The Bigger Man' into my set, it’s all
about bullying and it always gets a big
reaction, remember people are on your
side not the bullies.
on busking...
You would think doing a 25-hour 5 min
busk for the Shrewsbury Ark would have
put me off busking for life, but it hasn't,
and I still do a bit of busking when I can,
usually around Bridgnorth or Telford.
It’s paid practice with instant feedback,
which gives me the chance to try out new
songs, and see how people react. I love it
when people come over and say hello.
Lots of buskers use mics and amps these
days, and I have done the same, but I
have denitely gone back to being a bit
old school, there is nothing like standing
on a corner with just a guitar and
entertaining the passers-by. (by the way
it was 25 hours and 5 mins because after
25 hours someone asked for an encore
and you just can't say no to an encore
can you!).
Life is about having the self-belief and
condence to stick to your guns and be
the person you are. Don't worry what
people think or say, they'll come around
in the end! That's how I approach my life
and my music.
on the firestone stage...
Lots of musicians apply to play the
Firestone Stage, so I was delighted when
I got an email inviting me to perform.
Firestone offer unsigned acts the
opportunity to showcase their talent.
This opportunity is another big step in
my musical ambition and I am really
looking forward to it. I want to say a big
thank you to the promoters and the
Birmingham Arena team for supporting
acts like myself, it really makes a big
difference.
You can catch up with Tom at
Bridgnorth Football Club on Saturday
18th November 8pm.
Facebook: @TBMusician

DECEMBER ____________________
PICK OF THE MONTH
FOR ALL THE LATEST GIGS CHECKOUT OUR FACEBOOK & TWITTER
1ST WESTMOOR
PERCYS | WHITCHURCH
9TH LUDLOW
THE ROGUES
BREWERY
14TH CHRISTMAS
BLACK BEAR KISS
PARTY
CROWN INN | OAKENGATES
22ND
ALBERTS
THE PAPRIKA BLUES BAND
CHRISTMAS SPECIAL
SHED | SHREWSBURY
30TH
FIGHT THE BEAR
& MIGHTY VIPERS
ALBERTS SHED | SHREWSBURY
all gigs are correct at the time of going to press. please check with venue before travelling to avoid disappointment

DEAD SOUL
The Dead Soul Communion are a
brand new project from Ex
Devilment founder Daniel Finch.
The band also features Steve Harris
British Lion and ex Dearly Beheaded
drummer Simon Dawson.
The latest album MMXVII took two years
to write and record, and was recorded at
Finches home studio SEVENTH WAVE
STUDIOS.
Lyrically the album talks about internal
struggles, Love, Relationships, Suicide,
Self Destruction, Acts of Violence, War
and Mental Illness. So it’s not for the
faint hearted.
Dead Soul Communion have a superb
pedigree and they certainly use this to
their advantage on this masterly crafted
debut album. Whilst the combined
experience of the band might suggest a
solid, if predictable piece of work,
‘MMXVII’ succeeds all expectations by
drawing from across the metal spectrum
and infusing those inuences with a
strong progressive avour. It makes for
gripping listening that constantly
challenges the listener across the course
of its eleven, well-recorded tracks.
p20 | shroprocks.com

COMMUNION
‘MMXVII’ is a hugely successful album.
Well-produced and superbly executed to
an incredibly satisfying conclusion, it
bucks trends with a causal insouciance
that makes for gripping listening. At its
root core, the album sounds more like
Devin Townsend’s work, although saying
this, it’s hard not to hear a more complete
and unique edge, it’s obvious that Dead
Soul Communion are creating an entirely
new sound and direction. It’s not a long
album compared to a few I’ve had the
pleasure of listening to over the years,
and doesn’t need to be, as the songs
bounce from one to another in a perfect
arrangement. At no point does the album
waver, it’s obvious to the listener that the
bands experience is in no doubt
whatsoever. ‘MMXVII’ is a credit to metal
and will go down well with metal lovers
across the land and further a eld. A
highly anticipated 2nd album is what the
doctor orders here. Watch this space.
Band Members
Daniel Finch, Guitar (Ex Devilment)
Dan Jackson, Guitar (Ex Devilment)
Kev Jackson, Bass (Ex Fifth Season)
Simon Dawson, Drums (Steve Harris
British Lion)
Edwin Mascorn, Vocals (Ex Immortal
Empire)
Paul Jensen, Vocals, Bass, Guitar,
Keyboards
Contact:
@thedeadsoulcommunion
danieljnch@gmail.com
deadsoulcommunion.com
shroprocks.com | p21

Unixx are a vibrant and driven 2 piece on the
edge of a new wave of producers gripping UK
sound. House beats, pop culture and live
instruments create this bands unique sound.
wylde thoughts... michaela wylde writes for shrop rocks
If you're a fan of dance music and all
things electronic, then Unixx are
going to be your new favourite
producing duo. Unixx have just released
their debut EP 'Featuring' which has
already had extensive BBC Introducing
air play. 'Featuring' demonstrates the
duo's talent of combining great
singer/songwrite
rs with a mix of
contemporary
electro-pophouse,
live
instruments and
a slightly
alternative edge.
Each track has
stand out charm,
but they all have
an undeniable
'Unixx sound'. I
caught up with
the guys to nd
out a little about
what they have
been up to, what
inspired their EP and what we can expect
to hear from them next.
Hi guys, thank you for taking time out of
your busy schedule to talk to Shrop
Rocks. This is a really exciting time for
you both after the successful release of
your EP. Just in case the people reading
this haven't heard your music yet, could
you tell us a little about what you do?
Unixx consists of the two of us, Alex and
Craig, both very passionate and
experienced musicians. It all began in
early 2016. As we both analyse the
current industry on a regular basis and
we began to notice a
formula to modern
songwriting, which we
know has always been
prevalent, but seemed
somewhat too formulaic in
its most modern form. We
both had our individual
approaches to songwriting
and it wasn't long before
we decided to create
Unixx! We knew a
combination of these
formulas and some of our
own innovations would
make a versatile duo. We
are always trying to push
the boundaries every time
we start a new song and
our processes are only
getting stronger and more concentrated.
We both bring live musicianship to the
duo with both of our backgrounds being
instruments more so than production.

Unixx is an unusual name, what inspired that?
A lot like our overall ethos to the modern
day industry, we wanted something that
would grab our audience and make our
potential fanbase see something different
in the name, as we hope they
would in our music. We want Unixx to
become somewhat of a household name.
From what I've heard, I am sure you will be! You are both
accomplished in your respective musical fields, what are
some of your musical successes so far?
We have over 30 years experience
collectively in the industry. As part of
that we have extensive live experience,
having performed in various different
bands for the past 15+ years. We
continue to perform to this day on a
weekly basis as instrumentalists or Djs.
What are your
future
aspirations for
Unixx?
Unixx
would love
to
collaborate
with as
many
artists as
possible in
the near
future. We
have a
desire list
which we
hope will
become a
reality as
we continue
to write
music. Our number one goal is to keep
making music. We wish for our fan base
to grow and for our fans to seek
enjoyment from listening to our music. If
we could have the same effect
emotionally that our favourite
bands/artists have had on us, then that
would be a big achievement!
Sounds exciting! You've spoken about collaborations. It is
great to see that the EP features local artists, one of which
being the brilliant Olly Flavell. How did that come about and
what was it like to work with him as an external
singer/songwriter?
Olly is actually an old school friend of
Craig's brother. We were familiar with
Olly from his relentless busking and
amazing work ethos. Olly is a stand up
professional, we actually worked
SUPPO
remotely on 'Someone' due to Olly's
University commitments. He has such
adaptability and takes guidance and
direction really well, whist retaining his
own meaning and soul on the track. We
hope to work with Olly on many more
projects in the future.
What's up next for Unixx?
We have just released our rst EP
'Featuring'. We always wanted Unixx to
be different and we are actually going to
head out on the live circuit with a full 4-5
piece band! We will be
playing songs from
our release, alongside
some of our remixes.
It was really
important that the
music we write was
translatable and
viable to take live as a
band and not just a
DJ set.
Unixx are
unquestionably an
act to keep your eye
on and will, I'm sure,
go from strength to
strength. If you've
not had chance to
listen to their music
yet then here's all the
information you
need…
Instagram: unixxuk
Email: unixxuk@gmail.com
Facebook: unixxofcial
'Featuring' is now available on iTunes,
Spotify and all other main platforms.
Michaela Wylde
@michaelawyldemusic
shroprocks.com | p23

h o o - h a h
jonathan markwood’s
'Award winning actor and
musician Jonathan Markwood
takes his internationally
acclaimed songs to the stage
with his band The Hoo-Hah
Conspiracy.'
What type of band are you?
Jonathan: A nice one…
Jim: …original material trio…
Tony: …playing story based songs and
delivering them live with studio
quality sound!
Tell us the brief history of your band?
Jonathan: I originally started the band in
London a fair time ago, but
musically we were never able to get the
songs sounding the way they
were meant to. This incarnation is by far
the best and I’m very lucky to
have met and be playing with such
brilliant and talented musicians as
Tony Holt (drums) and Jim Streets
(guitar). I’m really delighted by the
way the songs sound and how we can
present them to an audience.
What are your dreams and goals?
Tony: To get Mark Cooper to see
sense…(Exec Producer ‘Later…With
Jools Holland’)
p24 | shroprocks.com
Who writes the songs?
Jonathan: That’ll be me. They’re little
vignettes or character studies and
there’s denitely a lot of theatricality and
humour about them. I suppose
what might be initially confusing to
uninitiated listeners is they’re often
written in the ‘rst person’. So, if you
come to see us and I start wailing
madly ‘The doctor he never liked
me/Never Understood me’ you might
not know where I’m coming from!
(‘Home’ actually a song about a
slightly unhinged character reaching an
epiphany)
What are they about?
Jim: Jonathan writes story and character
based songs, inviting the
listener to follow the lives, loves and
outrageous fortunes of an eccentric
coterie of characters including a lovelorn
'Chelsea Stacey', the largely
unlovable ‘Minnesota’, weapon wielding
avenger 'Catapult Kevin’ and a
sort of ‘Midsommer Murders’ inspired
superannuated serial killer ‘Pamela’.

c o n s p i r a c y
What is your main inspiration for their lyrics?
Tony: Jonathan’s a little unhinged you
know!
Jonathan: Probably! Our JPF Award
Winning album ‘Telling Tales’ (out
now as a remaster on iTunes - at a special
price folks) was inspired by
being fortunate enough to see, many
years ago (more than I care to
remember) a performance of a show
called 'Shock Headed Peter’. It
was a genius piece of theatre which used
the German book
'Struwwelpeter’ (1845) by Heinrich
Hoffmann at its core, and featured a
series of dark (and funny) so called
‘morality tales’ for children. The idea
behind them being, as they’re ‘cautionary
tales’ of how not to behave,
the stories often had characters who do
did dark things but who all got
their just desserts in the end. In my own
songs I used what was going
on around me as inspiration. ’Barbarella!’
for example was written at a
time when being a 'Big Brother'
contestant, in the way it was presented
by the media, seemed almost a
respectable and aspirational career
choice. The song focuses on a deluded
individual who sees ‘them all on
BB/Where you get anything you want for
free/To get famous is to get
respect/It doesn’t matter how you do it’.
It’s really a dig at the celebration
of ‘celebrity’ itself. It still permeates
society today and I think the ’15
minutes of fame’ culture is very scary.
Another of my songs 'Minnesota'
follows a similar theme but is more
specically about hero worship and
how we sometimes value the wrong kind
of behaviour. The song
features two characters, both of whom
sing. Ratman is disciple to
repugnant and morally corrupt ex-con
Minnesota. After the vile, amoral
and self aggrandising rap ‘Minnesota’
spouts (best check the recording
for that, a little unprintable here!)
Ratman opines ‘I want to live my life
like Minnesota/I never dip my hand in
shouldn’t oughta/ I want to be just
like old Minnesota’. Another song we do
‘Catapult Kevin’ is about
bullying. Kevin is a schoolboy who’s
picked out and picked on because
his ‘stories always won rst prize’. He’s
very unhappy but then one day
happens to nd a catapult lying around a
port-a-cabin and endeavours
to avenge his attackers one by one. I
won’t tell you how it ends but it’s
maybe not as you might expect!
Describe your gigs, visually and musically
Tony: A fully immersive experience,
melody, stories, bass drum projector.
Jonathan: Like Gerald Scarfe
illustrations set to music.
Jim: You can’t shake a stick at the
amount of fun you’ll have.
what do you think about downloading music online?
Tony: It was the future.
Jim: The ease and lack of cost of it is
fantastic, but there’s nothing like
holding a record or CD in the hand,
opening the gatefold or inlay,
admiring the art, perusing the words.
The ubiquity and ease of access to
music devalues it. When I were a lad…

What's your outlook on the record industry today?
Jonathan: The same as yesterday.
Jim: Same as it ever was. But more so.
Tony: There isn't one, it's all about
working hard to eke out a prole.
What's your claim to fame?
Tony: Jonathan will be in ‘Corrie' in
November!
Jonathan: This is surreal but true.
Jim: Max Rafferty from the Kooks was
briey in my band. I gave him
some guitar lessons. One of my riffs is on
their rst record. But I don’t
know which riff because after I played it
to Max I got too drunk to
remember it.
How do you promote your band and gigs?
Jim: Social media, yer-ing, word of
mouth, fervent prayer.
What inspires you to do what you do?
Tony: Playing a shit hot tight set and
affecting an audience.
Jim: The desire for a life less ordinary…
Jonathan: The endless streams of money
I earn (this is simply not true)
What advice would you give to new upcoming bands in
Shropshire?
Tony: Wait. This is our time...
What are some of your pet peeves?
Jim: Don’t get us started. At this age
we’ve accumulated a few.
Jonathan: I’ve nothing against pets.
How does music affect you and the world around you?
Jonathan: I couldn’t live without it.
Experiencing people dancing to my
songs and the way we’re playing them is
wonderful.
Jim: Well, I’ve emptied a few rooms in my
time. But I’ve made a few
rooms dance too. Life without music is
hard to imagine. It would be like
never experiencing colour vision.
Tony: The same as any musician - it's the
meaning of life!
songs differ from your older material?
Jonathan: It’s changed a lot. I think a lot
of us nd we’re not the same
people as when we were younger. We’re
older for one thing! There’s a
mellowing that happens. My most recent
album ‘Black Against The
Sun’ (also out on iTunes!) I wouldn’t have
been able to write a few years
ago.
Tony: Time is the acid test. That and
translation into other genres. Good
songwriting is good songwriting.
What are the main themes or topics for most of your songs?
Do you think these topics will change over time?
Jonathan: Well, there’s quite a lot of
songs and they’re pretty varied in
style from album to album. I think when I
started the The Hoo-Hah
Conspiracy, I was very conscious that I
wanted to write stories as a way
of expressing how I felt about the world.
But you know a lot of the stuff is
also very ‘tongue in cheek’ and ,hopefully,
funny. Which is why the set
up we have is so great. Now when I get to
the ‘punchline’ in a song like
‘Catapult Kevin’ people can actually hear
it!
Tony: We are also entering into an
interesting time where we are looking
to develop new material. Naturally the
end product is a sum of the parts
that constitute so Jim and my
contribution may take things in an
unexpected direction! Watch this space....
What's the best and worst thing about playing venues?
Jim: The best is people appreciating your
work. The worst: being asked
if we know any Oasis.
Tony: We stick to venues that support
original music, so we generally
get well looked after. There's nothing
wrong with covers and tribute
bands and commercial reality dictates.
But the proliferation recreating
name bands really sties that essential
creativity.
How has your music changed over the years? How do your new

Tell us about your next gig and why we
should be there
Tony: Albert’s Shed Bar,
Shrewsbury 24 November.
You should come,
we will buy you beers!
Jonathan: And biscuits!
Jim: A night of Hoo-Hah
is better than 1000 self
help books. We might
just heal your life.
What genre of music do you consider
your work to be?
Jim: A diverse melange of
styles from pop to rock
via rhythm and blues,
ska, funk, rockabilly and
jazz.
Tony:…with stories.
Who are your major influences?
Jonathan: I try not to
write under the inuence
but Beatles, Radiohead,
Hendrix, Dylan, Bowie,
Pixies.
Tony: Any music which
evokes an emotional
reaction through lyrics,
melody or rhythm.
What do you feel is your strongest
song to date?
Jim: 'Who Pushed Barry
Off the Edge?’ is a
marvellous offering of
rich
satire served on a broad
smorgasbord of
sophisticated music
encompassing crazy rock
riffs, quirky chords,
perfect dissonance,
baroque piano and
dramatically crescendoing
strings.
Jonathan: Very kind Jim -
the cheque’s in the post.
Do you have any pre-gig or post-gig
rituals that you partake in?
Jim: A certain number of
kittens are dipped in
honey and mead.
What age group is your music aimed
towards?
Jim: Any. The kids dance
to it. More mature types
listen to the words.
Have you had any strange experiences
with fans? Or strange
experiences in general with the music
industry?
Tony: We were all asked to
autograph a giant
inatable appendage by a
hen party at a recent gig!
What are your rehearsals generally
like?
Jonathan: Orderly,
measured, spiritual.
Jim: It’s a bit like a
musical version of ‘Top
Gear’. Three middle aged
geezers mucking around
and crashing occasionally.
How did you come up with your band
name?
Jonathan: Spookily! Years
ago at an early band
meeting in London we
used the ‘cut up’ method
as employed by Mr Bowie
when he assembled
lyrics. We all wrote down
words on scraps of paper,
shook them up in a bag
and pulled out ‘Hoo-Hah’
and ‘Conspiracy’. What
can I say?
Describe your band in three words?
Tony: The Real Deal.
Jonathan: In The
Zeitgeist.
Jim: Darkly humorous
pop-rock. Hyphenated
words count as one,
right?
24 th Nov| alberts shed | 8 pm
next gig

HAYGATE RD | WELLINGTON | TF1 1QA
# 1 LIVE MUSIC VENUE

NOVEMBER
SAT 4TH.................................. KIRVANA - (£5)
THU 9TH.................................RUBLOOD, & THE SECRET ELEPHANT
FRI 10TH...............................iNDIGO MACHINE - FREE ENTRY
SAT 11TH..................THE CRACKED ACTORS & THE LEECH BLEEDERS
SUN 12TH...THE TOASTERS, BROKEN 3 WAYS & HERBIE JACK - £5/£6
FRI 17TH..................................ADRENALIZE
SAT 18TH......................................................F1-11
FRI 24TH..EASTFIELD, SWAKTANG, DEVILS & THE MEATBEATERS - £5
SAT 25TH.................................................. THE WANTED
DECEMBER
FRI 1ST................................................ THE ZOOBS
SAT 2ND............................................KNUCKELBONES
THU 7TH............................ FIGURE OF SIX & NEXT TIME Mr fox
FRI 8TH..................................................TORQUE
SAT 9TH................... LICK THE ALIEN & DEAD RENEGades
fri 15th............................................. screemer
sat 16TH..............................................The Steve Petty Band
FRI 22ND............................................TBC
SAT 23RD...................................... VALOUS, KONCEPT & 14 PIECES
SUN 24TH.........................................XMAS EVE ROCK DISCO
FRI 29TH / 30TH...................................TBC
SUN 31ST.................. NY EVE PARTY WITH THE HOGZ - TICKETS £5

noun
1. a deception, esp a practical joke
he line between fact and ction
Tcan be precariously thin in music.
Plenty of acts have fooled us about
their pasts, or adopted aliases in secret
that have been equally perplexing to
fans. And then there are those acts for
whom faking it goes into a whole
different realm, creating scams so
complex that it becomes almost
inconceivable that they aren't true. Is
that the measure of a good hoax, or do
some musical acts get so deep in they
can't help but build more and more layers
of falsehood? Here are ve tales of
trickery. The strangest hoax acts in
music (and how they almost got away
with it).
The Bogus Deep Purple
English heavy rock group Deep Purple
formed in 1968 and broke through in the
early-70s when they had ve consecutive
Top 5 albums (two of which went to
No.1). They toured like crazy, made it in
America and swiftly burned out. In 1976,
they called it quits, concentrated on solo
projects and ignored lucrative offers
from promoters to get back on the road.
Except their original singer, that is - the
little-known US-based Rod Evans, who
had been replaced by Ian Gillan in 1969,
before the group hit the big time. To the
surprise of the rest of the band, he began
fronting Deep Purple once again in 1980
for a run of shows in North America and
Mexico, with a bunch of session
musicians making up the numbers.
Purple Concert at Long Beach Arena
Tomorrow Aug. 19 1980," before listing
the members of the actual Deep Purple.
It was also the Los Angeles Times that
had a eld day reviewing the gig, saying,
"The band's playing was sloppy... The
songs were barely recognisable... The
whole thing is sham," as Classic Rock
reported. Fans dubbed the group The
Bogus Deep Purple and they didn't last
long. The real Deep Purple's lawyers soon
caught up with Rod, who'd signed a
dodgy contract with the management
company behind the ruse. Rod was solely
liable and ordered to pay hundreds of
thousands of dollars in damages. Because
he was broke, they were taken out of his
future royalty payments from sales of his
recordings with the actual Deep Purple,
and from other projects he might start,
effectively ending his career in music.
In 1984, Deep Purple reformed and
headed out on the road again, seemingly
with no hard feelings towards their
original singer. "The poor guy was trying
to breed Alsatians in the California
desert, I think he probably got a bit
desperate!" guitarist Ritchie Blackmore
told Sounds in November 1984. Rod has
all but disappeared since.
Fido
Back in England, the actual Deep Purple
got on the phone - to their lawyers, and
also the advertising sales team of the Los
Angeles Times. Brilliantly, they bought
ad space under an ad for Evans's Deep
Purple show, which read, "The following
stars WILL NOT PERFORM at the Deep

Of all the wild stories on this list,
perhaps Joyce Hatto's is
the most extraordinary and
elaborate, and, in its own way, inspiring.
In 2012, BBC One made a Victoria Woodscripted,
feature-length docudrama about
her, Loving Miss Hatto and, two years
earlier, Radio 4 asked, Who was Joyce
Hatto? That's a very good question, to
which you could answer, "She was an
English pianist," but that barely
scratches the surface of Joyce's bonkers
tale.
When she
died in 2006,
her
reputation
was intact,
the fraud
undetected.
She was "one
of the
greatest
pianists
Britain has
ever
produced", the
Guardian said
in their
obituary,
known, the
Telegraph
said, "for her
deeply
expressive
and
profoundly
moving
interpretation
of the music
of Liszt,
Chopin and many other important
composers". And what made her story all
the more intriguing was that she'd
achieved her fame very late in life and
from behind closed doors - as a prolic
recording artist, who honed her craft in
isolation after an ordinary career as a
good, but not world-class, concert
pianist.
She'd retreated from public life, her
husband William Barrington-Coupe
(Barrie) said, because she had been
suffering from cancer since 1976 - a
claim subsequently disputed by her
consultant radiologist, who said she was
rst treated in 1992. In her nal years,
more than 100 recordings bearing her
name were released, the quality of which
stunned critics. She became a sensation,
and remained a sensation until early
2007 - a year after her death - when
Gramophone magazine published a full
investigation into her recordings,
suggesting they had been lifted from
other recordings
and, in many
cases, digitally
manipulated.
And how was the
deceit revealed?
Gramophone
editor James
Inverne told
BBC News that,
"We wouldn't
have known even
to look had it not
been for the
accident where
iTunes came up
with the 'correct'
title for the
discs." It really
was as simple as
that.
Barrie, a sound
engineer, fessed
up to the scam
and took full
Joyce Hatto
responsibility. "It
is self-evident
that I have acted stupidly, dishonestly
and unlawfully," he wrote in a letter to a
record label whose music he'd stolen.
Joyce, he also said, had no idea of the
fraud, although it seems unlikely, and
therein lies perhaps the real reason why
her story remains so captivating. At root,
was it just a misguided act of love?
p32 | shroprocks.com

Joaquin Phoenix Rapper?
"What can you
tell us about
your days with
the Unabomber,"
quipped David
Letterman
during Joaquin
Phoenix's carcrash
interview
on The Late
Show in 2009,
not long after
he'd announced
that he'd quit
Hollywood to
concentrate on
his new career as a rapper managed by P.
Diddy. Inevitably, clips of the interview
went viral and the press speculated that
the Gladiator actor had gone completely
off the rails.
We know now that Phoenix was staging
an elaborate year-long hoax that would
become the source material for the Casey
Afeck-directed mockumentary, I'm Still
Here, released in 2010. Eighteen months
later, a clean-shaven and coherent
Phoenix was back on Letterman,
explaining its purpose. "We wanted to do
a lm that explored celebrity and
explored the relationship between the
media and the consumers and the
celebrities themselves." The critics were
divided, but not about Phoenix's
masterful rst Letterman performance,
parts of which were included in the lm.
2012, pretended to be Chinese and only
did interviews collectively as 无 名
(Nameless). For a while, they fooled fans
and the press, with Pitchfork saying
around the release of their 2014 debut
album, Funeral, "China has a booming
metal culture, but it's often overlooked by
labels, media, and fans... Ghost Bath are
a black metal quartet from Chongqing
City whose use of beautiful melodies to
make even the lowest throes of
depression seem uplifting."
In 2015, Noisey interviewed them - via
email - and embedded a stream of their
second album, Moonlover. But writer Kim
Kelly smelt a rat and, just two days later,
posted a new story, From Velvet Cacoon
to Ghost Bath: the Curious Anatomy of a
Black Metal Hoax, in which she revealed
that these four anonymous metallers
from China were actually natives of
Minot, North Dakota and called Jamie,
Dennis, Taylor, and Donovan. In Kelly's
second interview, the band came clean:
"Our origin was always to be unknown,
though Bandcamp requires to pick a
location on their site. We have seen many
bands jokingly pick Norway or Hell,
Michigan as their location but did not
want to do as such. Since we wished our
origins to be unknown, we picked a
location of immense beauty... Call us
whatever you wish. We are worthless
humans. If we thought highly of
ourselves, maybe we would play a
different type of music.”
‘Ghost Bath’ Black Metal
Hoax
Disguise and anonymity go hand in hand
in the complex underground world of
black metal, often leading to confusion,
which is sometimes the point, or perhaps
it's a useful way of standing out in
overcrowded market. Take the story of
Ghost Bath, for example, who formed in

THE JAPANESE
‘BEETHOVEN’
And, nally, another from the world of
classical music, but this time from Japan
and the bizarre story of Mamoru
Samuragochi, a man dubbed the
'Japanese Beethoven' and the 'digital-age
Beethoven' until he was exposed as a
fraud in 2014, causing a scandal that
seems no less extraordinary today and
even involved Samuragochi pretending to
be deaf, just as Beethoven became in his
life (although Samuragochi, now 54, still
claims he has hearing problems).
As BBC News reported, "Mamoru
Samuragochi shot to fame in the mid-
1990s and is most famous for his
Hiroshima Symphony No. 1, dedicated to
those killed in the 1945 atomic blast." It
sold over 100,000 copies in Japan and
became known as the 'Symphony of
Hope', after Samuragochi was lmed
meeting survivors in the tsunamibattered
Tohoku region in 2011.
But Samuragochi didn't write the piece,
nor the massive majority of other works
attributed to him in the 18-year period
between 1996 and 2014 when the scandal
broke. In fact, he paid a part-time music
teacher, Takashi Niigaki, to compose the
works for him, as Niigaki explains in the
fascinating World Service interview.
When Niigaki came clean, the story
shook Japan, but it was still thought that
Samuragochi was deaf. When it was
revealed soon after that he wasn't,
Samuragochi said he was "deeply
ashamed of living a lie", leading the city
of Hiroshima to revoke the Hiroshima
Citizens' Award presented to
Samuragochi in 2008.

B E Y O N D T H E S H I R E
The human race knows no
bounds when it comes to
diversied musical talents.
Some are thrusted through the
popular music scene and spat right
out again, only to be left with a
handful of successful renditions.
Others dedicate their lives to gain
that moment in the spotlight and
become ornate for the latter part
of their existence. Then some are
found more on the lower scale,
creating magic from the sidelines
and causing ripples from writing
adorned, therapizing melodies.
Having recently released her 12th album
Choreographic, an album heavily inuenced by
her ardor and lifelong dedication to ballet,
Sage’s career is now peaking higher than a
relevé. Having just nished touring with fellow
American singer-songwriter Beth Hart, Rachael
has sprung back on the road to support Howard
Jones on his US and UK tours.
Rachael Sage may not be a name
well-known to your household but
after today, that will change – and
your world will contain a little
more sparkle for it. Rachael has
had a fascinating career thus far,
spanning over a dozen albums,
multiple Independent Music Award
victories and her own record label
(MPress Records). Her songs are
gleeful and heartfelt, each laced
with a sentiment that allows you to
see right into her whimsical soul.
The instrumentation of every song
is steeping with beauty and is
evidence of her scrupulous
composition-ship which is
renowned across her illustrious
body of work.

W I T H R A C H A E L S A G E
BETH HEMMINGS WRITES
hroughout her life, Sage
Thas had an eclectic array
of inspirations that have
had a seminal inuence on her
work but Howard Jones in
particular has been a beacon.
Sage comments: “I relate so
completely to Howard’s
songwriting and musicianship,
and to get to hear him tell
intimate stories night after
night about the songs I grew up
inspired by is an incredible
treat” and exclaims that this is
“denitely my favorite tour I’ve
ever been on!”
One of the dates supporting
Jones was at The Lowry in
Media City, Salford. Sage
occupied the stage with her
current duo violinist Kelly
Halloran, with an aura of
rapport and connectivity with
everything – and indeed
everyone – in the theatre. ”I just
want to take whoever is in the
room on some kind of journey,
musically…to transport and
hopefully inspire!”. And that she
most certainly did. Her set was
compiled with classics from
albums Blue Roses, Chandelier
and new album Choreographic
all of which demonstrated Sage’s
multi-instrumentalist skills and
her spellbinding deliverance of
her narrative ballads. Every
song was performed with a
sentiment that unveiled Sage’s
sense of pride over her music
and it was evident that the
storyteller behind the
microphone was looking to take
us on a sentimental journey with
her soothing breathy vocals as
an aid. Her heartening popinspired
tune Happiness from
2015 album Blue Roses was
especially eloquent, seemingly
causing a ripple of betting
happiness throughout the venue.
The combination of Kelly
Halloran’s harmonious strings,
Sage’s therapizing yet somewhat
plaintive breathy vocals and the
exquisite piano were an
enchanting concoction. With
every single note and bar, Sage
transformed a somewhat static
vibe of the audience into a room
lled with gleaming smiles and
melted hearts. Her overall
performance, charm and energy
on stage is one that should be
aspired to by any eager
performer and should be written
in a musical performance
guidebook, perhaps under the
title: ‘How to concur a stage
with class’.
shroprocks.com | p37

Having recently
toured with Beth
Hart and
Howard Jones – some of
Rachael’s whopping 100
tour dates a year – as
well as managing her
own record label and
balancing a semi-normal
life, Sage has somehow
found the time to work
on a new album. She has
already written half of it
between tours and will
resume work on it this
summer. Sage says: ”I’m
also looking forward to
releasing some new
music by other artists on
my label (MPress
Records) including Dom
Kelly and Seth Glier”.
Rachael Sage’s musical
prowess is one to be
commended. Not only
are her songs lyrical
with a delicate mist of
candid realism, but her
overall composition and
stage presence is
esteemed. She possesses
a genuine passion and
commanding quality
that seems to be lacking
in our modern popular
music scene and in
terms of her
performance supporting
Howard Jones – she
came, she danced and
she conquered the stage.
Upon release, Rachael’s
new album will be
available on her website:
www.rachaelsage.com
BETH HEMMINGS
Twitter:
@Hemmings_radio
Fb @bethhemmingsFGH

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