MXG SOUNDS Issue 2 : simplebooklet.com

Jasminex-EditorWelcome to the second issue of MXGWelcome to the second issue of MXGSounds!Sounds!First and foremost, we want to extend aFirst and foremost, we want to extend amassive thank you for the incredible supportmassive thank you for the incredible supportwe received on our debut issue. From thewe received on our debut issue. From thesocial media shares to the messages aboutsocial media shares to the messages aboutdiscovering new artists, your enthusiasm hasdiscovering new artists, your enthusiasm hasbeen both overwhelming and deeplybeen both overwhelming and deeplyappreciated.appreciated.Our mission remains the same—to spotlightOur mission remains the same—to spotlightthe best unsigned talent across variousthe best unsigned talent across variousgenres. Within these pages, you’ll find agenres. Within these pages, you’ll find acurated selection of rising artists whocurated selection of rising artists whodeserve a place in your playlists. Whetherdeserve a place in your playlists. Whetheryou’re into indie, hip-hop, or alternativeyou’re into indie, hip-hop, or alternativesounds, there’s something here for everysounds, there’s something here for everymusic lover.music lover.In this issue, we’re bringing you even moreIn this issue, we’re bringing you even moreundiscovered gems, exclusive interviews,undiscovered gems, exclusive interviews,and behind-the-scenes looks at emergingand behind-the-scenes looks at emergingtalent. We’ll also be diving into sometalent. We’ll also be diving into somestandout tracks that you won’t want to miss.standout tracks that you won’t want to miss.So, get ready to expand your musicalSo, get ready to expand your musicalhorizons—MXG Sounds is here to connecthorizons—MXG Sounds is here to connectyou with your next favorite artist.you with your next favorite artist.editor’seditor’snotenoteLewis toms Page 6

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LEWIS TOMSIn the heart of Scotland’s Isle of Bute, amusical prodigy is rising. At just 18years old, Lewis Toms is quicklybecoming a name to remember in themusic scene. Known for his soulfulvoice, captivating songwriting, and amaturity beyond his years, Lewis ispoised to make 2025 the year heintroduces his original work to theworld.Lewis's journey into music started onthe tranquil, picturesque island of Bute,where he grew up surrounded by thesounds of nature and a rich localculture. Whether it was strummingguitar or singing along to his favoriteartists, Lewis found his calling in musicin his early teenage years.“It was just one ofthose things thatlanded in my life”Page 6“I grew up listening to a lot of musicthrough my parents and family, but tobe honest it was just one of thosethings that landed in my life.” Lewissays, reflecting on what shaped hisartistry “I was around 13 and was givena guitar by a family member and thatwas it. Fast forward to my senior yearsat school and I was gifted anopportunity to play at Butefest and Iguess that’s when I started to considerit. Recently it’s started to pick up andI’ve played all around the central beltand am playing this year’s Butefestwith a lot more experience than I hadat Butefest 23.”Although the Isle of Bute is small, it hasa unique charm that has influencedLewis as an artist. The island’scommunity has supported him every stepof the way, and local venues andfestival appearances have offered himplatforms to share his voice with agrowing audience. For someone soyoung, Lewis’s musical journey isimpressive, and it’s just getting started.At the moment, Lewis is known as acover artist, sharing his interpretationsof songs from various genres. Hisrenditions have caught the attention ofmany, with fans and music loversflocking to his performances at localvenues and on social media platforms.For fans of Lewis Toms, the wait for hisoriginal music won't be much longer.This year, he’s set to record his firstoriginal work, introducing the world tohis unique sound and we couldn’t bemore excited. While he’s currentlymaking waves as a cover artist, there’smore to come from the young artist..“I’m hoping to get stuff recorded comesummer" he shares enthusiastically.

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New Article Page 7Butefest, with its inclusive atmosphere anddiverse range of musical acts, provided theperfect environment for Lewis to showcasehis talent to a broader audience. Thefestival’s emphasis on family-friendlyentertainment sets the perfect scene. Inaddition to his festival performances, Lewishas also graced the stage at HMV. Thesesmaller, intimate performances have allowedhim to connect more personally with hisaudience, an experience that can be deeplyrewarding. It is evident that performing atsuch iconic spots has been key to his growthas an artist. Lewis may be just beginning his journey, buthe’s already proven that he’s an artist with anundeniable talent and a fierce determination.Whether he’s covering popular hits orperforming out and about one thing is clear:the Isle of Bute has a star in the making, andthe world is about to hear a lot more fromLewis Toms.As he continues to build his musical career, Lewisis active on social media, regularly postingupdates, performances, and behind-the-scenesglimpses into his journey. Make sure to follow himon Instagram for the latest news on his upcomingreleases and live performances.For now, fans can catch him performing in localvenues and Butefest. The best is yet to come forthis talented young artist.

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T H E S O U N D O F A C O M E B A C KAfter nearly eight years away from the live music scene, NeilGray made his long-anticipated return to gigging on February14th, 2025, at the Fishnet Tavern in North Shields. The intimatevenue buzzed with excitement, and the reception from thecrowd was nothing short of electric. It was a night filled withnostalgia, new beginnings, and a sense of rediscovery as Neilstepped back into his element, armed with a renewed passionfor performing.Page 8Neil’s time away from gigging wasn’t planned. Life simply gotin the way. “I think it was just life, to be fair,” he reflects. “Justkinda working, just kind of lost passion for it. I had guitars, butI went ages without picking up an instrument.” It was afamiliar feeling for Neil. “When I was younger, I went throughmoments like that where I just didn’t play, but when I feel likesomething’s a job I don’t want to do it. But when I feelpassionate about something, that is when I’ll actually pursueit. That’s where I’m at right now with it.”So what was it that reignited that spark to return toperforming music? For him, it was a simple moment ofserendipity. “Dan [Low] posted on his story one night aboutthe buskers night, Tunesday. He thought, ‘Right, where is thenext one? I’ll come to it.’” Neil had heard that Jack Fox, along-time friend, was also involved with the event, and thisconnection played a key role in his decision to get back intomusic. “I’ve been best friends with Jack since I was a teen. Itwas just kind of one of those moments that were like, ‘I’m justgoing to do it and see how it goes.’”What followed was a whirlwind of gigs. Neil describes hisprevious live music experience as more sporadic, “It used tobe one every couple of months I would do, whereas now it’san every weekend thing if I can help it.” He credits his day jobfor helping him secure more opportunities. “I work Monday toFriday in recruitment, so all I do in that job is constantly callingclients. So I think doing my job has kind of helped me then getgigs, because I’m probably annoying every single promoter orperson that deals with gigs in the North East at the minute,”he jokes.“When I feelpassionate aboutsomething, that iswhen I’ll actuallypursue it”

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Now that he’s back on stage, Neil findshimself relishing the very things he missedabout performing. “It’s probably just seeingpeople’s reactions to it,” he saysthoughtfully. “It was always a personalthing. I think the way I play now is differentto how I used to play. I was a bit moreselfish in the songs I chose, so I would belike this obscure person that would pick aBon Iver song or a Radiohead song, whichis my wheelhouse of music and what Iprefer. But now, I think it’s changed to thepoint where picking songs everyone hasheard a million times, but just seeing thereaction of other people to the songs iswhat motivates me now.” The satisfactionof seeing the audience get involved iswhat drives him to perform. “As soon asyou start playing the popular songs to thensee everyone singing along, or tappingtheir feet. I’m looking to see reactions, seepeople singing along or tapping along.”Neil Gray Page 9Despite the enthusiasm and success thathas come with his return, Neil admits that itwasn’t immediately clear when he truly feltback. “I’m in my second month [of gigging]now. Strangely enough, and it wasn’t a gig,it was at Tunesday when I wasn’t well. I was so ill, I just wanted to go home and goto bed. I just got up, did three songs, andleft. I was in a bit of a mood with myself,but I was playing, and then I felt good. Itfelt like there was nothing wrong with it. Idid my songs and left, and I didn’t have tothink about it, so that’s when I felt like ‘I amback,’ because I was confident enough tojust jump up and do a couple of songs andleave.”Neil has also noticed a shift in how heconnects with people during his gigs. “I’mquite a quiet person naturally. I can talk,but I prefer not a lot of the time,” headmits. “Whereas now, I’m more open totalking to people. I’m less introverted andmore extroverted. So I meet random peopleall the time, I’ll shake their hand, they’ll talkto me, I’ll talk to them. I think that’s thebenefit I’ve seen from it.” This newopenness extends beyond the stage,showing how much performing has helpedhim grow as a person. “Performing hashelped me in general life too,” he adds. “Ithink a lot of the time I’ve laid on my laurelsof I know I have a good voice and I cansing, so I think that’s the next venture in mygigging—trying to bring out a bit moreconversation between sets and trying tobring up the energy a bit.”

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Despite the eagerness to grow andprogress, Neil is keeping his feet on theground, taking each step as it comes.“I’ve got at least four or five songs toadd to my set, but they’re not readyyet,” he admits. “I’m working on them,but they’re not ready to be added ontoanything or be played yet. That’ll be anopen mic thing or just in the house untilI’ve got them down.” As Neil looks tothe future, his ambitions are clear. “Thistime next year, I want to be playingmost weekends,” he says, determined. “Midweek stuff as well. More regularsets wherever I go. Ideally, I would liketo record my own stuff and have a bitof a mix of places like pubs and clubs,but also working on myself. On top of his return to performing, Neilhas also started to revisit hissongwriting. “Getting back into gigginghas definitely helped at least start thecogs of starting writing again,” heshares. “Especially at Tunesday, whenother people are playing their songs,you have an opportunity to play whatyou have as well. I have songs, I haveat least three or four which I know I’vegot all the way through, but it’s justfinding the time, plus reworking it andmaking sure it sounds good enough totry it.” Writing and performing go hand-in-hand for Neil, as his creative sidehas been reignited by the experienceof being back in front of an audience.“It’s just started that up again, justreliving it,” he says. “I used to writepoetry all of the time. I still write poetrynow. It’s just started that up again.”T H E S O U N D O F A C O M E B A C KOf course, every journey has itschallenges. For Neil, it’s aboutbalancing the excitement of beingback with the understanding thatsuccess takes time. “I’m trying not to betoo eager,” he laughs. “Now that I’m gigging, I know where Iwant to be, but I want it now. I knowI’ve got to work for it, I’m not delusionalin the sense that I know what I need tobuild and I know what I need to workon, but I just want it now. I would playevery single day if I could. I want to bea known name around the circuit of gigplayers.”I don’t know what the balance is goingto be there. It’s trying to work outwhere I want to be with that really, willI have enough songs to do that?Ideally, next year I want to be a knownname and doing my own things.Releasing stuff and having thingscome out.”Neil Gray’s return to gigging is a storyof rediscovery and reinvention. It'sabout finding joy in the music,embracing change, and connectingwith people in new ways. With hispassion reignited and a growing senseof confidence, Neil is ready to makehis mark in the North East music sceneonce again.

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From Newcastle Upon Tyne, Max has already injected his unique style andskills into its ever-growing music scene with a career marked withimpressive releases, dynamic performances and stand out collaborations.As both a rapper and producer, Max brings a multifaceted approach tohis craft, setting him apart by being able to create the beats that perfectlycompliment his unapologetic lyrics. His innovative sound and captivatingstage presence have garnered him a loyal following, solidifying his positionas a rising star in the North East's vibrant music landscape.IF YOU'RE FAMILIAR WITH THE NORTH EAST RAP SCENE, THEN YOU’RELIKELY ALREADY AWARE OF THE UNDENIABLE TALENT THAT IS MAXGAVINS.Page 11Max Gavins has been making waves in the music scene for nearly adecade, first making his mark with the release of his debut self producedalbum 1994 in 2017. The project, which features 13 tracks, showcased Max'sskill as both a rapper and producer, establishing him as a versatile artistwith a distinct sound. 1994 was a raw and introspective collection thathighlighted his personal journey, blending poignant lyrics with innovativeproduction. It marked a significant turning point in his career, earning hima dedicated fanbase and critical acclaim for his Geordie authenticity andmusical range. Following the success of 1994, Max took some time to recharge beforereturning to the scene with fresh energy in 2021. His comeback single,Kamoze, marked a new phase in his artistry, with Max experimenting withnew sounds and refining his approach to music. It was clear that he wasback with a renewed focus, ready to take on the next chapter of hiscareer. One of Max’s most exciting collaborations has been with fellowartist 90Bro. Together, they form the duo RuMaz, a partnership that hasalready seen great success.

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Following the success of 1994, Max took some time to rechargebefore returning to the scene with fresh energy in 2021. Hiscomeback single, Kamoze, marked a new phase in his artistry, withMax experimenting with new sounds and refining his approach tomusic. It was clear that he was back with a renewed focus, readyto take on the next chapter of his career. One of Max’s mostexciting collaborations has been with fellow artist 90Bro. Together,they form the duo RuMaz, a partnership that has already seengreat success. Following the success of 1994, Max took some time to rechargebefore returning to the scene with fresh energy in 2021. Hiscomeback single, Kamoze, marked a new phase in his artistry, withMax experimenting with new sounds and refining his approach tomusic. It was clear that he was back with a renewed focus, readyto take on the next chapter of his career. One of Max’s mostexciting collaborations has been with fellow artist 90Bro. Together,they form the duo RuMaz, a partnership that has already seengreat success. These platforms have allowed Max to showcase his skills to abroader audience, further solidifying his place in the UK rap scene.His strong presence on radio and in the live music scenedemonstrates his versatility as an artist and his commitment tobuilding a strong connection with listeners.Max's live performances have been just as impressive, including hisappearance at the Mobo Fringe, a key platform for emergingtalent tied to the prestigious MOBO Awards. This performance wasa major milestone for Max, putting him in front of a wider audience and earning him even more recognition within the industry. Max's latest single, North East Legend, droppedon January 31st, 2025, and has further spotlighted his rising reputation. With a warm reception from fans and critics alike, the track once again showcases Max's skill in commanding the spotlight with sharp lyrics and a captivating beat.The Way on Spotify has already garnered an impressive 18k listeners, reflecting the growing demand for his music. As Max continues to release new material, it’s clear that he’s capturing the attention of a wider audience, and the numbers continue to rise.With each release, his sound evolves, and his fanbase grows,positioning him for even greater success in the future.In addition to his solo work, Max has supported several notableartists, including Luke Royalty and Genesis Elijah, allowing him toshare the stage with some of the most exciting names in the UKmusic scene.Looking ahead, Max Gavins’ future in music is incredibly promising.With his unique blend of rapping and production, his deepconnection to his roots, and his growing fanbase, Max is poised tocontinue his rise in the UK rap scene. Whether through his work asRuMaz, his solo projects, or his live performances, Max’s journey isone to watch. His continued dedication to pushing boundaries andcreating new, innovative music ensures that he will be a key figurein the industry for years to come. OUR TOP PICKS:OUR TOP PICKS:Release: 2025Release: 2021Release: 2017Oh Aye (0.I)Release: 2024(RuMaz)North East LegendMic Ashley KamozeThe Evolution of Max Gavins: A North East Legend inthe Making

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Page 16“If you have a mate thatwears fishnets andeyeliner, they’ll like ourband”RITUALSYou guys were formed as a college project in 2018, at whatmoment did you realise that this could be something moreserious?Lewis: Well I think it was probably when Matt and Dom joined. Matt: I was like super serious, like STOP ALL THIS COLLEGE STUFF Lewis: STOP MESSING ABOUT NOW! They joined in like 2021?Matt: It was just after the first lockdown I think, becauseremember when we were sat outside Riverside?Lewis: Yeah, and we got absolutely slaughtered!Matt: Dom had never had sambuca before!Lewis: We all just went out, we’d had our first rehearsal and thenwe went out and got absolutely fucking annihilated, and that wasjust like the sign of things to come I think it was just, they cameonboard then it was just like we all just kind of felt there was a vibechange. One of our first ever shows as a full line up was withSkindred, and that moment for us was like we’d gone from being aband that played Trillians to playing with Skindred and it was like“fucking hell!”Matt: We tried to keep up that level of like cool sort of shows, andwe weren’t busy all of the time but then things started gettingbusier , and we all realised how well we worked together as welland it was kind of in terms of putting out new music it happenedpretty much straight away, we just worked really well.

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When you guys were starting out as a band, who were someof your biggest music influences?Lewis: Proper fucking class!Matt: Aye, let’s just go with that!Lewis: Oh, it’s a mix! Matt: Aye because there’s all sorts going on in this band. I’m alittle bit older than the rest of the band so for me it was likeMachine Head, Killswitch Engage, that sort of stuff. I was in thatera of Metalcore where growing up you were just kind of like“What have I got to do to be that cool?”. I’m nowhere near howcool they are, but that’s what started it. Yours is a bit different tome, isn’t it?Lewis: I’m all over the shop, me! Ewan is a massive Oasis,Depeche Mode, crazy fan of all sorts of weird shit - and he writesall the music. I grew up on Boston, Dire Straits, Simply Red andthen I spend most of my time not listening to metal. Matt: You’re a shit metalhead, like!Lewis: I’m a shit metalhead!Matt: You don’t look like a metalhead, then when you get onstage you’re just like “Hello!”Lewis: Nah I listen to like rap music, house music, and load of liketraditional Celtic music, like my musical influences are fucked. Allover the place. Matt: What made you want to be in a metal band then? I’m doingthe interview now!Lewis: Watching Slipknot music videos because obviously I dolisten to metal as well, watching Slipknot at Rock AM Ring, shit likethat. Then I found While She Sleeps they’re like my favourite bandin the whole entire world. Just going to see bands like that. One ofmy first gigs I ever went to with my own money was SuicideSilence, Deez Nuts and Venom Prison in Glasgow and it waslike...yeah. It’s just all sorts, it’s just carnage. Matt: It’s a bit of everything, like I listen to loads of different stuffas well but there’s something about metal and the energy levelsthat you get out of it and the sense of belonging, certainly when Iwas growing up anyway, and that’s the community that I found. I’dquite happily sit onstage and play drums for Oasis and get paidmillions of pounds but I wouldn’t enjoy it anywhere near as much asplaying for 400 screaming metalheads, there’s just somethingabout that which it never goes away. Even if you get a little bit sickof metal, like if you think you can’t be arsed with it at the minute,you’ve been in the studio all week and you’re listening to somethingelse, it always brings you back.Lewis: You always get stoked on a riff, and same for myself really,I’d played hundreds of gigs before being in Rituals like in a coversband, travelling around, and there is no better feeling than justhaving a microphone and a crowd. None of us are veryexperimental people, and we don’t do drugs as a band, but theonly way I can describe the emotions that you get from the musicand from a live show is just taking like shitloads of heroin and eventhen it doesn’t come close to what it’s like being on stage, andwe’ve never done it! It’s just such an electrifying feeling.Matt: It’s totally addictive. If you were on drugs, youkinda probably want to come off them because they’rebad for you, whereas with music you get addicted to itand then nothing quite hits that high and then you justwant to do it again but bigger and better.Lewis: I sprained my ankle at the Glasgow show thenight beforehand, it was so close to being broken. Justslipped off the back of Wage War’s riser at the front ofthe stage. I was jumping and on the way back down Icaught my ankle on the side and my ankle just wentsideways, then I saw videos of me hopping aroundstage during the song and I’m looking at Matt going“FUCK”. Just absolute carnage.To someone who has never heardyour music before, how would youdescribe it in three words?

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Lewis: [Wage War] was a strange show, because it was home, it was one of the biggestshows we played, but you never really know what you’re going to get. The Glasgow showwas great, but you know the response you’re going to get out of a crowd. For Newcastle, Iknew it was going to be a good show when the lights went off. When the lights go off, weare standing just to the side of the stage so we can see pretty much everything that ishappening. The lights went off and the whole room just fucking erupted, I was just like “ayerights this is going to be fun!”Matt: That was the hit that was required for the evening. In 2023, you played Download. How was that experience?Matt: Where do you even start? Well, it was the biggest showwe ever played but we didn’t know what to expect becausewe were on first thing and it was boiling hot. Lewis: We thought ‘We’re going to play to a tiny gathering atthe front of the tent, it’s going to be cool, our name is on theposter, it’s going to be fun’ then we just walked out and it wasa full tent. I was just like “oh shit”.Matt: I don’t really know how that happened, I have no idea ifeveryone was stoked or if people were just getting out of thesun.Lewis: My parents were in the crowd, they said like 3 minutesbefore we were on the tent was just empty, Polaris were onmain stage, then just before we went on people just sprintedinto the tent. Matt: To get out the sun man! I’ve been going to Downloadfor 10 years, and that was the hottest it’s ever beenLewis: I didn’t wear any sun cream, I did nothing, I’m ginger,and I got the most incredible tan. Did not burn at all, but Domwalked around, jeans, hoodie, cap, vans the entire weekend,we’re all in shorts and topless.Matt: People must have thought he was an escaped lunaticthe way he was going around the field, hood up and injoggers. But aye, it was just unreal. It kind of feels like it neverhappened, but we have the photos to prove it did.Lewis: I’ve got the fucking brain damage from the alcohol. Matt: There wasn’t that much partying though, to be honest.Lewis: We played on the Saturday, we did press, we hadcatering then I don’t think any of us saw each other for like 5hours. We all went different ways and did different things. Matt: And it’s impossible to contact each other at Download.I fell asleep in the dressing room, I’m pretty sure I hadsunstroke. I was absolutely wiped out. Lewis: I was sitting in Polaris’ dressing room with themdrinking gin with them.Matt: The only reason we went in there is because they tookour fan! We had a fan and it got taken away!Lewis: They had air con?Matt: Then why the fuck did they need a fan?! Lewis: Lovely guys by the way, lovely guys.

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At your gig at the NX, we noticed the the crowd safety level,especially within the pits, was absolutely class. Whensomeone went down, at least three people picked them backup. It was great to see. Matt: That’s the kind of thing we definitely advocate for, becauseit’s absolute nonsense when pits get violent and they stay violentand it’s about how many people you can knock down rather thaneveryone having a good time. If somebody fucking falls down, pickthem up it’s pretty simple. Lewis: We’ve always been a pretty big advocate for that at shows,like we’ve had shows where stuff has kicked off and I’ve stoppedthe show and fucking lost my mind at someone in the crowd. It’shappened a couple of times, like there’ll be a lass in the mosh pitand there’ll be a guy getting proper fucking aggressive with her andI’m like “nah”. We’ve had people getting knocked out at our shows,like what was that one in Aberdeen?Matt: Nah, that was horrible!Lewis: We had a show stoppage and everything, lost the last threesongs of our set, ambulance got called the whole fucking works.Matt: I suppose it can happen, but it’s about what people do whenthat sort of thing happens because you can’t just continue, youhave to just stop. It is an aggressive sport at the end of the daybeing in a pit, one badly placed elbow and that’s it.Do you guys have a song in your setlist that means the most to you? Lewis: Snakes head. Matt: Yeah. It’s never not been the set closer, apart from when we’ve had problems. Lewis: There’s only ever been two shows where we have not finished on that song. Matt: But there’s just something about that song for some reason everyone just gets stoked by it.Lewis: So, lyrically, it’s the most personal song in our set. At Wage War, my parents were on the balcony to the left handside, and every time we play that song, because my mother knows what it’s about, I look at my mother and she’s stoked.Then she and my dad are always in awe because every show we play the crowd sings louder and louder and louderbecause they’re all learning the words and to be able to have a song that means so much, I take my in-ears out andeveryone’s just blasting it out. Everyone’s singing it. At the Wage War show, after Ewan’s guitar solo, I turned around to Mattand we were both like “woah”, and I just turned around and started crying on stage and I couldn’t sing the rest of the song. Iwas just crying, my in-ears are out, the crowd is singing the song to me and I was just on stage like “Oh my God”, I lookedmy mother and she’s wiping her eyes. Matt: I think if I didn’t have so much to do, I’d have started crying as well but then I’d get salty eyes and I’d not be able tosee my drums. Lewis: That’s the boy, that song like. Absolutely.

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How does it compare being at a home show, to being out onthe road?Matt: Well like Dorothy said, there’s no place like home and that istrue. We’d love to play Newcastle style show all the time.Lewis: One day. One day it will happen. Matt: Sometimes you do get surprised when you go away to adifferent city and the vibe is really up there!Lewis: The last Bristol headline show at The Exchange basement isthe one that sticks out in my mind. It was like this tiny longbasement room. We sound checked during the day, we were alljust hanging out, and we came down into the venue and everyonewas just like “I’m fucking buzzing, can’t wait to see these play” andwe played and everyone knew the words, everyone was up for it, itwas like three tickets off a sell out or something?Matt: It was a chaotic venue likeLewis: Chaotic venue, chaotic time, moshpit from the first song, itwas like “that’s sick”, but like Matt’s saying, Newcastle isunbeatable. Three years ago we were playing Little Buildings, 80cap room, now we’re headlining rooms where we’ve gone to seeour favourite bands play and we’re in a position where the nextheadline show we could push an even bigger room and sell evenmore tickets. The ability to bring that show--we’re stoked but thefan base is stoked as well because everyone whose bought aticket is like “I’ve seen these guys play in front of 30 people, andnow they’re playing in front of 600 and it’s their show”. It goeswithout saying that Newcastle is the best so far but that wouldn’tbe without anyone who comes and sees the shows. Matt: And we’re a bit biased because Newcastle is the best city inthe UKLewis: Best city in the fucking world, actually!Matt: Up the toon, up the mags!Is there a story behind the name Rituals, and what does itrepresent to you now?Lewis: Loads of people think it’s got this really deep, intense, crazylike “METAL” meaning. Literally, me and Ewan, when we were 18,were walking over the Tyne Bridge and we were both sick of tryingto make a metal band. We just wanted to be in a metal band.Ewan was like “shall we just start a metal band together?” and Iwas like “yeah, fuck it!” and he says “what about Rituals for aname?” and I was like “yeah that’s sick”. That’s it. There’s nobehind-the-scenes purpose to it. Now, however, I mean it’stattooed on me now. It’s the most important thing in my life. It’sgone from being something we do for fun, to the only thing I thinkabout every single day and the one thing that I want to do for therest of my life and make my job. I want to wake up every day, geton my bike, ride to the studio, work on music all day. Matt: Not having to worry about a day job. Lewis: Yes. I want to do Rituals every day for the rest of my life. It’sthe one thing that makes me feel the most accomplished andproud of myself doing. That one word now means so much. Morethan it ever used to mean. That’s who I am. Matt: At least you didn’t call it like, Flannel or something. Lewis: Imagine, like, Drywall or something - “WE’RE FUCKINGDRYWALL GET THE FUCK UP!” Nah it’s a cool as fuck name, and it’swho we are as individuals. I’ll bump into someone in town andthey’ll be like “oh you’re the singer of Rituals” or they’ll say to Matt“You play drums in RItuals”. That one word is just synonymous witheverything we do and I wouldn’t want it any other way. And it’s acool as fuck name. Loads of people have Rituals tattoos! There’seven one lass that has the logo tattooed onto her entire shin. Matt: We pretty much have to do this now, otherwise she has apointless tattoo.

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Do you guys have any pre show traditions before performing?Matt: I don’t know how honest to be about this. There’s nothingnefarious about it, it’s just really boring. I’ll be sat there tapping awayon my practice pad.Lewis: For-fucking-ever, everyone has to leave the room.Matt: Ewan will just sit playing guitar, and Dom will find a corner toscream into. Lewis: My warm up used to never ever exist. I do warm up now, andI’ve got my Vocalzone tea, I’ve got pastilles but I’m also partial tonipping out backstage for a pre-show cigarette which needs to stopand I am trying to stop because it’s not good for you. I know Stray FromThe Path shotgun a redbull before they step on every stage, whichwould just freak me the fuck out.Matt: Ewan does that, he has a redbull before going on stage. We’reall like domesticated cats, if you put us in a scenario which iscomfortable to us we’ll be sound, we’ll just sit there and tap awayhowever if we get in a situation where we can’t do that we get reallyaggy and uncomfortable.Lewis: We can snap at each other if we get too aggy with each other.Matt: Especially smaller venues, where there’s nowhere to sit and chill.Lewis: When it comes to that initial burst on the stage, I’m fuming,Dom’s fuming, we’re all pissed off. The last minute of the intro will beplaying, I’ll take myself in my head, because if you walk out like “la la la”then you see a load of people and you’re like “shit, I’m terrified”whereas If you walk out pissed off, it’s like “yeah, fuck you!”Matt: It’s nice to have the calm before the storm where you can justkind of sit and take everything in before you go on stage but sometimesif there’s like a 4 band bill with 15 minute change overs in a small venueit’s just chaos from when the previous band finish to when you go on,you don’t actually have time to do very much. It’s like, get their gear offget your gear on make sure it’s all sorted then you pretty much have tojust go and those shows are very stressful. Lewis: They’re stressful and I think that makes the introduction to theshow stressful, we hit the stage and we’re a little bit more flustered, alittle bit more like “fucking hell”. With the Wage War gig, all of our backline was set up on the stage, we were back stage where we had ourfront of house engineer, we had Jordan doing our tech work, so they justwent on stage and made sure everything was fine for us. Lights out, intro,we walk out and everything's there, then when the show is finished, wecan relax because there were stage hands, and you go down into asecluded green room that is away from all of the carnage and you’resitting having a cold beer trying to wind down and you can hear WageWar fucking killing it upstairs so that’s when it’s really nice because youhave the space to relax. I think the key thing is just being calm. I thinkwe’re all at our best on them shows because we are relaxed.Lewis: We’ll have a little, quick chat before we go on stage.Little huddle. Then whatever happens, happens. Matt: There is a little bit of a story about that. We played a gigat The Grove in Byker, Download warm up show, our biggestheadline show to date and we were all ready to go on, roomwas packed out, we were stoked, there was only one supportband on so we were all like fired up, we’d had our chill time. Lewis: During the entire day as well we’d been walking aroundthe venue and talking to everyone so we’d all nearly lost ourvoices before going on stage, it was fucking insane. Matt: Everyone was fired up that we were playing Downloadso that was really cool, then the intro started playing, we werestood side of stage then we just noticed that Dom’s bass gearwas just all turned off.Lewis: It was when For Those About To Rock was ending. Matt: It had been on for 6 minutes and we had just noticed, soDom had to run on stage, jig all the wires, find out what thehell was going on. He managed to get it plugged in andswitched on about 10 seconds before we were due to start?Lewis: Literally his amp turned on just before our intro started.That was terrifying, because one thing you don’t want to do isyou don’t want to have an into, get the whole crowd fired up,walk on stage and then stop and have no bass. You want it tojust be seamless. That show was fucking carnage though. Ourtech got electrocuted, the guitar stopped and broke. My in-ears stopped working. I sang the wrong lyrics to a new song.Some kid got his nose burst open in the pit.Lewis: We filmed the music video for Catyclsm, and we did awall of death in the song but then we played the song againand did the wall of death again. I watched the first wall ofdeath and I was like “fuck”, like, it was intense, and then thesecond one I was genuinely like “someone’s dead in there!” itwas ridiculous.Matt: To go back to the question, our pre-show ritual now is tocheck our gear on stage about 10,000 times before we playjust to be like “yep, still on!”Lewis: I’ll be backstage, like “I’m going to go check my ears,Ewan’s going to go check the laptop” everyone’s just checkingeverythingMatt: It’s just paranoia, random shit just happens. Someonewill just go “oh what’s that plugged in for?” and just unplug it. Lewis: For me, the panic goes away after the first song. OnceI’ve figured out my space, where I’ve got to move aroundproperly and I can feel the stage, how it feels and sounds, firstsong is done, if we’re happy by the end of the first song andI’ve made all of my changes monitors wise so I can hear thenI’m happy. There’s literally a video of me at Wage War 10seconds into the first song looking up at the guy who wasmixing our in-ears I just looked at him and was like “YOU,EVERYTHING, UP!” and he was like “EVERYTHING UP?!” and Iwas like “EVERYTHING, UP!” because I just couldn’t hear athing, then he turned it all up and I was like “AHHH OH MYGOD”, came off stage and my head was just going“beeeeeep”.

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You have an upcoming co-headline show with Water Lines - The Northern Dirtbags tour - what can fansexpect from these shows? Lewis: Every single band that is on the line up for these shows are class. The supports are mint, Water Lines - if peoplehaven’t seen Water Lines before they’re proper party metal band they’re sick as fuck. Just a good time!Lewis: We’ve already played two of the venues that are on this tour, but all class shows, really good vibes. It’ll be a lot offun, I’m looking forward to it. Just looking forward to being on the road and not having to think about bills, being away for 6days. I’m not looking forward to driving to Southampto. That drive is lifting. It’s like 8 hours, but we manage to make it 19. Ithink every show on this tour is going to be good fun. Matt: Stacked line up, it’s a bargain as well. Tickets are between £10-12, and the venues are really good. Who can you see for £10 these days?!Lewis: Literally no one, except the underground scene and that’s like a really big, important thing that people don’t reallyseem to understand. You Me At Six for example, tickets were about £40, it’s their last ever tour and people weredevastated because You Me At Six are gone - go find a new band! Like, go out and watch bands. Instead of going toGreggs and getting your lunch for the day, go buy a ticket for a gig and go see new bands, see new artists, see the peoplewho are putting more work than the bigger bands because they need to to be seen, because that’s how you find a newband that you love but then all you do is pay a tenner and you discover something. There’s so many bands in Newcastlealone that have phenomenal music and it’s like no one wants to go see local bands so people have got to try and makeevents, put as much into is as possible and charge as little as possible so that people will even come along or are remotelyinterested in it.Matt: I think a lot of people have this perception where if they go to see a smaller gig, with smaller bands that it’s going tobe shit, but all of the bands that are coming on this tour are worthy of bigger and better tours, except we’re in smallervenues and it’s a tenner. Lewis: This line up is worth £20-£30. Every band on this line up is a professional band.Matt: I think when you get to a certain level, there are so many more people involved that you have to increase the ticketprice to pay those people but at this level. You can keep the cost down but that does not hinder the quality of the gig.Lewis: That’s another thing as well.. People winging about ticket prices of small-medium level size bands when the ticketsare £25–£30, where they’ll complain “aw that’s loads of money! And the bands are going to get all of that!” Like, no it has togo the rep, the promoter, tech, stage hands, supports, headline, PRS. There are so many payments that go out to cover ashow. People don’t understand all the moving parts, how are you supposed to survive an industry where people whingeabout the price of the ticket?Matt: The amount of money that is involved to get 4 blokes on a stage to play music is insane.

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Fan question: when are we expecting more music? -Dale H.Matt: Very soon. Lewis: We are working on it right now. Matt: It’ll be summertime.Lewis: Drums are being recorded at the end of the month, vocalswill be finished. It’s pretty much done.Matt: We are doing it a bit different this time, we are doing drumslast. Which is weird because I’ve always ever done drums first andthen built everything on top of it, but we’re doing it this way roundto try something different. So, drums last then it needs to be mixedand mastered and shoot the music video but it’s very close tobeing done.Lewis: It’s more done than it isn’t done. It’s coming soon. So theintro at NX, the minute and a half of music before we came out,that’s actually the intro to one of our new songs. Anyone who wasat the show and heard that, for when the song comes out, it’s that. Matt: Just to whet the whistle.Lewis: We basically just played the demo. Aye the new shit, what’sit’s like? It’s just fucking daft. It’s ridiculous. Matt: The one that we played the intro for is probably one of themost experimental ones, but we’ve also got the heaviest songwe’ve ever written, then we’ve got just straight up Rituals.Lewis: We also may or may not have a cool feature. Matt: Yeah but we can’t talk about that. Lewis: Nah we can’t talk about that AT ALL. It’s metalcore royalty.That’s all I’m saying. Matt: I’ll tell you who it’s not - it’s not Celine Dion or Tom Jones. It’snot Sam Fender, though, if he would be up for it?Do you guys have any dream music collaborations, whetherthat be a song, or a tour?Lewis: Let me answer for you!Matty: Howay then, I’ll answer for you!Lewis: So Matt would shit his pants if tomorrow morning we gotannounced as opening for an anniversary tour for KillswitchEngage and Machine Head playing in America. Matt: I think I’d pass away. Lewis: He’d just fucking evaporate.Matt: In terms of tours, that’s like up there as “this isn’t real, what’sgoing on” for sure. For you, it would be Polaris or While She Sleeps. Lewis: I’d fucking shit myself. Matt: But also, if The Scratch were up for it.Lewis: Aw, mate I would be the most stoked out! I’d put holes indrywall, every day. I’m stoked right now, I just got a bit stoked. TheScratch are the fucking boys like. It’s an Irish folk acoustic bandwith metal influences. They’re one of the best live bands you’ll eversee. They’re the fucking boys like. If we could tour with them? Fuck. Matt: We’d tour with anyone to be fair. We’ve played with so manydifferent bands and they always seem to go down well. I’d go ontour with whoever really. Lewis: I want to go on tour with The Scratch now. They haven’tannounced their UK dates yet. This could be a thing. Mate I’mhaving heart palpitations at the idea of touring with The Scratch.I’d also have the same amount of heart palpitations touring withWhile She Sleeps or Polaris. Matt: I’d like to think we would go down well on a tour like that aswell. So not only would it be like “holy shit we’re playing with ourheroes, but also it’s our audience, it’s our crowd”.

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Matt: There’s a lot of things in the pipeline for the end of this year, and if they come off then we will be veryhappy chappies this time next year. Lewis: It just gets me very vexed, stressed, and excited all at the same time. Matt: With the music industry the way it is, there’s loads of spinning plates all of the time and you’ve just got tocatch the ones that you can.Lewis: We got the Wage War shows with about 6 weeks notice. It can just happen. You can just be on tour. Ifeverything that is in the pipeline now comes off, this time next year we’re basically just getting ready to not behome. Matt: We’ll just have to see how we’re going to pay bills, because we won’t be able to have jobs. Lewis: Everything’s always just always a massive question mark. Matt: I think the idea of quitting your job and just going out on tour is not as realistic as it sounds. It’s no longer thething. We need to pay for shit. Lewis: We’ve all got rent, mortgages, life.Matt: I’ve got a cat, and the cat eats fucking everything. Lewis: I think I’m the one with the least amount of responsibility - no pets, no partner. I did buy a bike. That’s myplan now, when I’m not on the road or at work I’m just going to be somewhere on the bike just fucking off all of thetime. Yeah, but if it comes off and it happens - incredible. Where we’d like to see ourselves, is just as big ashumanly possible. As many people as listening as possible. As many people knowing the band’s name as possible. Matt: Trying to get in as many people’s ears as possible.Lewis: On tour with literally everyone and anyone. We’re all the best version of ourselves when we are in the backof a van.Matt: That’s not true. I’d say we’re all happiest but when you’re in the van for 8 hours and you’ve got nothing leftto talk about you just start talking absolute bollocks. Lewis: We used to have a devil mask, and I would just put it on, roll down a window and just scream at thegeneral public and it made me feel so much better. It just got the demons out. We’re just massive arseholes thathave a good position in life, really! Matt: Then sometimes we just want to switch off and we won’t talk to each other for several hours. Lewis: It’ll be silence! It’ll just be really quiet music or no music at all. Matt: It’ll be like “are you alright?” “”Like yeah I’m absolute fine I’m just sick of your fucking bullshit”. Lewis: “Ye areet like?” “Aye I just want you to shut the fuck up” like right, we’ve hit the wall. Ewan will put his noisecancelling headphones on, and he’ll just vanish. He’ll wake up in London and be like “right, here we go again”. It’sjust carnage all the fucking time. Fan question: where do you see yourselves this time next year? - Arron P

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Welcome to the Soundboard: MXG Sounds' exclusive advicecolumn presented by various artists, drawing from theirextensive experience in various sectors of the industry18By artistsfor artistsHow important is social media when it comes toHow important is social media when it comes tomarketing my music?marketing my music? Jack FoxJack FoxRAPPER │ DRUMMER │PODCASTER │sTAND UP COMEDIANRAPPER │ DRUMMER │PODCASTER │sTAND UP COMEDIANMANCHESTER uNITED FANMANCHESTER uNITED FANRemember that it’s only a marketing tool. Views, likes,comments and shares don’t count towards how good a pieceof art is. We all know social media is great for promotingyourself and growing as a ‘brand’ but nothing will ever replaceplaying/practicing your instrument/writing a good song. Thatbeing said - I believe Instagram and TikTok are 2 of thegreatest assets to artists that have ever been invented.People are making careers from these apps, it’s truly crazy.You can spend a day recording loads and loads of contentand use that over the course of a month and change yourentire life if you really knew how to! If you are using Instagramand TikTok please record in portrait mode! For the love ofGod! Also, make sure your content starts fast. People do nothave the attention span for faffing around - get to the point.Put the hook first! We can complain about having to use thesesocial media platforms all we like, but the game is the game.So play the game!When you’re performing live you have the control in the room.You’re the one making the loud noises with amps andmicrophones. So own it. I’d say 90% of people in any room atany gig would be petrified to step on stage in the first place -so you’re already 1-0 up. So lean into it. Eye contact is big.Make people feel every word you’re saying. They’ll relate to it ifyou make them feel like you’re performing just to them. If they’reat a gig they’ve paid to be at then they’re there to watch ashow - so put a fucking show on! Talk to them in betweensongs, move around, dance, get into it. I promise you that themore relaxed you are on stage the more relaxed they’ll feel,and the more fun you have on stage the more fun they’ll havetoo!What is the best way to engage with an audienceWhat is the best way to engage with an audienceduring a live performance?during a live performance?Sam ThomasSam ThomasRAPPER │ Singer songwriter │gamer│RAPPER │ Singer songwriter │gamer│open mic legendopen mic legendHow can I create the balance between making the musicHow can I create the balance between making the musicthat I like and music that people want to listen to?that I like and music that people want to listen to?I don’t think it’s about creating the balance, I think it is aboutfinding your true audience and that comes by making musicthat is your true self. I tried to do the latter and it didn’t work, Ididn’t feel it and I didn’t want to promote it and I didn't wantto do anything like that. I think you've got to be authentic andnowadays because people are so easily aware that they arebeing marketed to you’ve just got to be real and authentic so idon’t think it’s about balance, I think it’s really just about beingyou and you’ll find your audience. As I always say, your vibeattracts your tribe and that’s your vibe within music and withineverything. What are some strategies for effective music promotion onWhat are some strategies for effective music promotion ona tight budget?a tight budget? Prioritise. First of all, don’t do it for the sake of doing it. Don’tpost videos for the sake of posting videos. There is so much“advice” out there that tell you that you should be postingthree times a day, every day, but you won’t be passionateabout that. You should feel like you want to do it, otherwiseyou’re just going to hit burn out a lot quicker because itdoesn’t feel genuine. When you’re doing something that’sgenuine and purposeful I don’t really think that you hit burnout as quick. I don’t really believe you need a budget. I think ifyou have a good song, you can turn that song into a conceptthat can be branded, such as with catchy art work. I spent alittle money once on a promo campaign and I didn’t really getanything back from it but then everyone’s music is different. Iwould say if you’re just starting out, spend as little money asyou can and just see what you can reach organically and thenwith the next one, have a different goal and put a little bitmore money into it. If it’s good music, however, it will sell andyou’ll see the streams. The important thing is to not burn outwhen you are promoting yourself because you will get sick ofthe song, you will get sick of yourself, you will get sick of thewhole process and you run the damage of just dropping outof it altogether. Page 27

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19How do i know when my song is truly finishedHow do i know when my song is truly finishedand ready for release?and ready for release? Richard aytonRichard aytonSinger songwriter │ quiz master │Singer songwriter │ quiz master │cool jacket wearercool jacket wearerThis is a great question. I’ve released a few things over thelast couple of years and the temptation has always beento jump the gun. When I’m writing and recording, I wouldinitially find myself feeling things were finished, puttingthem out and then, after a bit of time had past, regrettingputting it out as it was. I find that during the recordingprocess, what I’m actually hearing is the initial ideas in myhead. But after time, when those ideas have faded, I canstart to hear it as it really is. And that often isn’t aspolished or perfect as I had hoped. So my best advicewould be to take your time with it. Give yourself a bit oftime to live with the song, hear it a few times, take a stepaway from it for a few days and then go back to it andlisten again. When you hear it back, you’ll pick up on theparts that aren’t quite right and you can fix them beforeyou put it out.What is the best way to stay motivated when things feelWhat is the best way to stay motivated when things feellike they’re slowing down?like they’re slowing down?It may not always seem it, but it’s a long life. I have tokeep reminding myself that I have about 80 years on thisEarth, give or take, and I don’t need to do everythingnow. So if I take a bit of time out, or if things seem a bitslow, that is fine. It’s better to take that time and honeyour skills, perfect your art and, equally important, notburn yourself out. I used to gig several times a week andevery time I wrote something I would feel the need torush it out before it was too late. But there is no “toolate”. As an independent artist, I try not to stop and thinkabout the commercial side of things. I have spoken torecord companies and done showcases for them, butdeadlines and schedules are largely for them. When youwork independently, you set your deadlines and you setyour schedules. They’re great ways to motivate you butdon’t allow them to damage your art or ruin yourenthusiasm with pressure. If you enjoy it and getsomething from it, you’ve won. There doesn’t need to bepressure.What are some essential skills for successfulWhat are some essential skills for successfulmusic collaboration?music collaboration? ADam leesonADam leesonSinger songwriter │ sparky│Singer songwriter │ sparky│holding absence’s biggest fanholding absence’s biggest fanWith collaboration I find the most important thing is tofind a person who enjoys the music as much as you do,being on the same wavelength the music creates itself.Hit that record button and enjoy How can I find and connect with other musiciansHow can I find and connect with other musiciansin my genre?in my genre?Finding and connecting with other musicians can seemlike a daunting task, but with the power of social mediait’s much easier to find other artists/communities ofmusicians. If you like an artist’s sound and want tocollaborate, reach out and send a message .. worth ashot!Whether you’re curiousabout navigating the musicindustry, honing your craft,or balancing the business orcreative sides of your career- our artists are here tooffer their adviceSubmit it hereGot a question forthe soundboard?Got a question forthe soundboard?By artistsfor artists

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O N T H ER E C O R DJOHN MCDINES - LITTLE BAY (HOME)John McDines brings a sense of homeand belonging in an acoustic, countrystyle driven track. Rasp, tone andemotion all rolled into a song that putsJohn’s mark on the scene with his debutsingle Little Bay (Home).A steady guitar chordprogression and country leadriff, carries the track through allof 4 minutes and 11seconds. It’s very wellstructured and a stadium-esquechorus. With Johns accentaccentuating the lyrics,we instantly connect on whatmeans the most to him. At 2minutes and 55 seconds, this iswhere the song goes from goodto great - a brilliant yet simpleguitar solo brings me joy, it’stechnical but not overcomplicated and fits perfectlywith the tone of the songfollowed by Johns bellowing callto what he calls home.Favourite band: Alter BridgeFavourite album: AB III - AlterBridgeFavourite song: Take a Bow -Mammomth WVH Fun fact: “I have seen 2 Wondersof the World, so that’s pretty fun!”Welcome to On The Record, yourdestination for an in-depthexploration of the latest tracks,albums, and emerging artists.Whether you're an avid musiclover or simply discovering newsounds, this guide is your essentialresource for all things worthlistening to.Welcoming to the MXG Soundsteam Matty Kirk, a devoted musicenthusiast and guitarist, ready toanalyse the beats, lyrics, and vibesthat are currently making an impactin the unsigned music scene.Music ReviewsPage 10Hailing from Glasgow - Scotland, JohnMcDines was heavily influenced by closefamily of musicians, including his fatherand uncle, bringing a raw energy of rock,pop and country. Blending this seamlesslyinto a roller-coaster of emotion into hisdebut track:Starting the track with an impressivecatchy guitar hook, John knows hisaudience, those who belong. This wouldn’tbe out of place on any friends or family gettogether playlist. Opening with how andwhat Little Bay is, it’s home. There’s nomore to it, we hear what this means toJohn through pure emotion.Overall, this stellar debut trackhighlights Johns prowess at notonly a very solid songwriter, butmusicianand genuine person. This is justthe start for John and we’reexcited to hear what’s next.Check out the officialMXG Sounds playlist tohear all songs featuredon On The Record:Meet Matty!Page 29

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Ascend with No Rest ForThe Spaceman with theirnew but different 2025track The CP Classic.No Rest For The Spaceman are anIndie group from Watford, as a solidpack of spacemen knowing how towrite songs well and take you througha cosmic journey themselves (Iassume). The CP classic is their 4thsingle, following on from more guitardriven indie-rock tracks SomebodyLike You, Goodbye Jane and MASH.The CP classic is a more mature, laidback piece that lead singer Charliewalks you through, seemingly hand inhand.The Wednesday Flowers are aNorth East based all-girl bandwith tremendous talent. Onlyforming less than 2 years ago,these girls have fine tunedtheir knowledge of music andinstruments into a finequintet, formed of Remy, Kay,Maddy, Becca and Hattie.The track opens with a verymoody feel, a running basslineis prominent then we get afantastic guitar sliding riff.“Lay your head on mine”opens the track vocally andthat’s how I’m feeling, I needto be lying down with this songin cassette form hooked up toa Walkman.0n The RecordAn acoustic guitar progression keepsthe song gripped together too.There’s just something missing withthis one from NRFTS, I understand thepoint of the song but I think it neededa bridge/instrumental for the lyrics tosink to the user or even more use ofthe sliding guitar for a short solo, whoknows.It’s still a strong effort from the boysand I imagine there’s more quality tocome. I believe their craft lies withinthe more fast paced previous tracksas before this one where they canshow some attitude in theirsongwriting..A haunting but beautiful track from TheWednesday Flowers with their streaming debutA very vintage feel to thetrack, sounding like it’s takinginfluences from artists such asRadiohead, The SmashingPumpkins and even JeffBuckley with the track beinglyrically based on a longing forlove and the feelingssurrounding it While still new and raw, I feellike this sound complimentsthe girls well, if they haven’tsound their vibe or preferredmethod of songwriting, theyshould certainly stick with this.A gothic-grunge melody andtrack composition is certainlysomething that would benefitthem.A gritty repeated chorus and verseset up into the same previousguitar slide mentioned prior is agreat transition too. We’re also metwith a Nirvana-like guitar solo at 2minutes into the song, the tone ofthis could be refined to give itmore life but it’s good nonetheless. For a streaming platform debut,I’m impressed that these girlsformed in 2023. I’ll be sure to keepup to date on all socials for themand we’re looking forward tohearing more!The musicianship is very simple, buteffective. The electric guitar riffthroughout with the slide complimentsthe vocals very well and is presentedperfectly with the theme of the track.NO REST FOR THESPACEMAN – THE CP CLASSICTHE WEDNESDAY FLOWERS - LOVE ME

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Page 33The oRB09 album launch was an immersive experience, a genre-blending celebration of music, passion, and connection. Hosted byLittle Red and brought to life by Ambar Dhesi Events, the nightblended powerful performances with a sense of camaraderie, all setagainst a backdrop of deep bass, glowing lights, and unwaveringenergy. The evening began in a uniquely grounding way with sunsetyoga, led by “Spiritual Baddie” Kate Brett, setting an introspectiveand mindful tone. As people arrived, they were welcomed with the signature cocktail ofthe night—the Brojito, a refreshing blend of blackcurrant, berries, andmojito flavors.The night saw a spectacular blend of artists each bringing somethingspecial to the stage. Kicking off the night were B-Type, donned inknitted squid-type masks, they brought reverb, bass and good energy.With a few video game inspired tracks, as well as a “Love letter to Nu-metal”, putting their own fresh twist on some classics like Last Resort,Chop Suey!, and Killing in the Name. Their infectious energy raisedthe bar for the evening. Following on were a great mix of immersive soundsfrom Ambar Dhesi, including a duet with MaxGavins, and a high energy drum and bass originalthat had the audience buzzing. We were alsotreated to some incredible powerhouse vocals fromLouis Chrisp, bringing both versatility and presenceto the stage, easing into his set before transitioningfrom slower tracks to more dance-driven songs.Announcing new tracks from an upcoming album,he gave the audience an exclusive preview of hisevolving sound. With a good attitude and a strongcrowd engagement, he had no trouble keeping theenergy high. The evening was soundtracked bymore incredible artists, such as MK Ultra, AverageJoe and Cypher, all ensuring the vibes strayedstrong all night. When it came time for 90Bro to take thestage, accompanied by his RuMazpartner Max Gavins, the energy shiftedinto something bigger - somethingcosmic. The synergy between the twoartists was undeniable, amplified byimmersive production and visuals thatpulled the audience into 90Bro’suniverse. Before launching into the set, MaxGavins set the mood with a rendition ofRocketman, leading into 90Bro’sentrance. From there, the performancewas a rollercoaster of passion, emotion,and relentless energy. Throughout the set, 90Bro connecteddeeply with the audience, not justthrough music by through words that feltlike matras:“The only limits arespace and time. If youthink you don’t haveenough money to dosomething, it’s becauseyou haven’t had the timeto earn it. If you think ‘Ican’t do that’, you’rejust not in the rightspace yet”The philosophy, combined with the rawintensity of his performance, created anatmosphere of possibility andempowerment. At one point, the emotionovertook the spoken poet and musician,nearly bringing him to tears on stage - avulnerable moment that testified to howspecial this evening really was. It’s worth highlighting the sense ofsupport and camaraderie that filledThe Klurb throughout the night. Fromour corner vantage point, it wasclear that everyone was fullyimmersed in the experience. As eachartist took the stage, the audience—largely composed of fellow artists—was completely captivated, offeringtheir undivided attention andappreciation.With a perfect blend of cosmicenergy, raw emotion, and a deepsense of community, the oRB09album launch became anunforgettable celebration, one thatwill be remembered for a long time.

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Introducing... Page 33Emily DavidsonI do a lot of covers and I think some of these covers are really good and Ifeel like I’ve got some really good ideas as well and obviously listening toall of my friends that write music as well and I kind of get that feeling of “Ican do that” and “I want to do that”. I think there’s only so much you cando with covers as well, people know that is the people who sang the songoriginally and I just thought it would be quite nice that someone thoughtthat about my songs too. When did you first realise that you wanted to start makingmusic?Who was the first artist you fell in love with?I think this is really hard. So music’s always been a big thing growing up,like with my family and things. my dad lived in York, so he’d always havesmooth radio on and my mum would always listen to CDs and things. Sohonestly, there’s probably two. Like the first one, from my mam’s side,would be Meatloaf. She had the Meatloaf CD and it was like the time youknow when the CD had all the lyrics in as well so I would sit in the car andlisten to that and I’d sing along with it and then obviously driving up withmy dad he always had the Westlife greatest hits album and honestly Iloved it and I feel like I still know all of the songs and I feel like that’sprobably two of the earliest artist experiences I remember.What is your favourite song to perform live?So there’s two and it’s not so much for the songs themselves, it’s aboutthe joke that I can make after the song. So, I like doing I Will Survive byGloria Gaynor for the vocals and things but then I like to say after“have you all survived?”, then the other one’s Get Lucky by Daft Punk,and I really like that song, I think it builds, but also I can say “is anyonegetting lucky tonight?” Well I go through phases and sometimes I do kind of just replay the samesong and it really depends on what mood I’m in. recently, it’s been a lot ofBon Jovi songs, not a specific album but there’s been three songs inparticular that I just keep putting on repeat. one of them is called“Runaway” one of them is called “Have a nice day” because I love that,because the lyric is “when the world gets in your face, I say have a nice day”and I’m like that’s something I would do and other ones - “Two story town”.That was my number one artist on my Spotify wrapped as well. What is a song or album you have on repeat recently?This is quite vague but not unrealistic - just to be fulfilled and happy. I thinkyou can be happy but life is a roller coaster as well and there’s always goingto be something that comes up so that’s probably around me adjusting myexpectations and being happy in what I have. I’m a learning disability nurseas well and I’ve reached that goal that I didn’t think I would, so probably justto progress in my career of helping people as well. Do you have a goal outside of music you’d like to achieve?Probably confidence but also balancing music alongside my full time job Ithink that has been quite difficult especially with writing songs, doing paidgigs and open mic nights. I do struggle to find inspiration for writing songsbut when I’ve got it I tend to write the song in about an hour or two ratherthan a little bit a day. I think if I’ve got an idea I just get it all down prettyinstantly so if I’m not in a place where I’ve got that idea, for example whenI’m at work that can be pretty difficult because I don’t have the time toquickly write the song. I think time is quite hard to balance, but when youwant to do something enough you do find the time.What has been the biggest challenge you have faced so far?

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Introducing...Who influences you, whether that be with your music orjust general life?One of my earliest influences was my grandma, she’s calledDianorah Davidson and she used to sing in social clubs and othervenues. She did do covers, but she has her own CD and Iremember when I first started singing I was probably only aboutseven or eight years old and she had like all of her set up in theback room and I used to go round and sing there so I think sheinspired me with singing but also I think my stepdad as well. So mystep dad is big on music, he plays his guitar, he’s done gigs andthings like that and he’s sort of really got me into that. I don’t thinkI would play guitar now if it wasn’t for him as well, but also all ofmy circle of friends at the minute, all the people who do music,Sam especially has really inspired me with doing his Tunesday andthings like that, I think that’s really sort of kept the passion going.My singing teacher in school was called Phil Caffrey and he reallyinspired me to enjoy singing. He put on gigs for his students toperform at as well as running extra curricular clubs such as “songwriting club”. He was an external person that came into schooland dedicated so much time and effort into this. Without him Iabsolutely would not be performing.I think probably just to keep going and to use music as an outlet. I mean, to behonest, growing up music’s always been a big thing. I did it quite a lot until aboutthe age of 14 then it died off a bit probably until I was about 19 so I think it’sprobably just to keep going with that and even if it’s not something your friends orpeople around you are interested in, it’s something that I was interested in and Iprobably should have kept going with that as well. But probably also that makingmusic doesn’t mean you have to be a world famous pop star, like you know as Iprobably thought as I was growing up and things you know when you have like yourdaft dreams and things like that. But it’s not like that, it’s doing it for you and thepeople around you rather than on a global scale so I think it’s just remembering thatand not getting disheartened if things don’t work out as well because you are doingit for you.What is one piece of advice you would give your younger self?What do you love most about performing live?I think you do just get a rush when you perform live, but also-and Ithink a lot of artists probably agree with this-you get quite a bit ofvalidation when you perform live as well and I think having peoplesing along to songs and having people clap at the end and havingpeople really enjoy themselves is really really important. I thinkhaving like an active and engaging audience is really quiteimportant. It’s not the only thing, like I could perform to people justsitting there not singing along but I think having the audiencehaving that shared enjoyment is really important.Who influences you, whether that be with your music orjust general life?One of my earliest influences was my grandma, she’s called Dianorah Davidson andshe used to sing in social clubs and other venues. She did do covers, but she has herown CD and I remember when I first started singing I was probably only about sevenor eight years old and she had like all of her set up in the back room and I used togo round and sing there so I think she inspired me with singing but also I think mystepdad as well. So my step dad is big on music, he plays his guitar, he’s done gigsand things like that and he’s sort of really got me into that. I don’t think I would playguitar now if it wasn’t for him as well, but also all of my circle of friends at theminute, all the people who do music, Sam especially has really inspired me withdoing his Tunesday and things like that, I think that’s really sort of kept the passiongoing.My singing teacher in school was called Phil Caffrey and he really inspired me toenjoy singing. He put on gigs for his students to perform at as well as running extracurricular clubs such as “song writing club”. He was an external person that cameinto school and dedicated so much time and effort into this. Without him I absolutelywould not be performing.Top 3 movies of all time - GO!This is such a hard question! So one of them is called A Time To Kill, it’s got Samuel LJackson and Matthew Mcconaughey and it’s quite a deep film really. It’s aboutsouthern America, it’s centered around race. Everyone should watch it. On the otherend of the spectrum, The Princess Diaries with Anne Hathaway. I also really lovemusicals and I think one of the best films I have ever seen, and it’s all sung live aswell, is Les Misérables. I absolutely love that. I think seeing that in the cinemaknowing that they have sung it live is really amazing. I’ve seen the stage show of it afew times as well. I would love to be in it. I used to do a lot of musical theatregrowing up, I performed at the Edinburgh Fringe festival once as well. I’ve alwaysbeen interested in all the performing arts - except I can’t dance! Do you have any upcoming objects we should look out for?So I’ve got a few songs I’m writing.I have been working on one that I’m working withSam Thomas to get a finalised production on because I think that is a reallyimportant song to me. Speaking of Sam, we are performing in a duo together calledEm & Ess, and I’m really excited about that and I think everyone else should be too. Ithink we just compliment each other with the vocals and guitar playing and it’s justreally nice playing with someone and someone to bounce that energy off becausesometimes when you are doing a gig on your own and you’re not feeling quite asconfident that can be difficult but when you’ve got someone there and someone asexperienced as Sam as well that really helps. We are very much looking forward tothat.

MXG SOUNDS Issue 2

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