1) Sam, you're here to tell us about this fantastic charity album Whorl Clock, but first tell us why you felt the time was right to set up a charity album?
I've seen a lot of charity work happening during this pandemic, I think one of the few positives to come out of it is that it's really highlighted how much people in a community care for each other, especially here where I live in Cornwall.
The music community is no different and I'm impressed with how many people jumped at the chance to help.
Another positive from lockdown has been the time it's given people to work on electronic music. I've seen a lot of new artists posting debut albums and asking advice in various online groups, I think a compilation album like this one gives them a platform to make new contacts and give their music an audience they might struggle to reach when first starting out.
I myself only started Humm Bugg in 2020 and it feels really good to be part of a project like this and join forces with other musicians, coming together through a love of music. It's hard for everyone at the moment and I've really enjoyed focusing on something that does some good.
2) What can we expect from the charity album Whorl Clock?
Whorl Clock is a time travel themed album. Every artist on it has made an original song based on this theme and subjects include primordial ooze, childhood dreams, time traveling adventurers, the perils of time travel, utopian ideas, time travel jet lag and lots of other imaginative interpretations.
Genres range from synthwave, chiptune and breakcore to daz-core, apathy jazz and metal so there's a great range of different music. As different as it is however, it still holds together as an album beautifully.
3) You've invited so many different bands from so many different countries to be part of this project, has this given the album a lot of different styles and culture?
Massively. The album features artists from Siberia (SpaceMan 1981), Sweden (Riddlis), Hungary (Bitrotator) and Arizona (Creepy Pizza); many from all over the UK; and even one from a parallel dimension in the year 2080 (S A Z E R).
Every song is very different from the last, I think this is due to the different music they grew up with geographically but also because there is so much variation in electronic music now. The electronic music community is a global one and it's so great to be able to discover different genres, styles and ways of making music so easily and it's great to be a part of this ever changing and exciting culture.
4) Out of the 12 tracks on the album, which one is your standout record?
Oof! That is a tricky question but the two I've listened to the most are probably Strawberry Galaxy by Riddlis and The 61st Second by S A Z E R. 'Strawberry Galaxy' is a dreamy, spaced out lullaby with a touch of melancholy and I just love it. 'The 61st Second' on the other hand is like being stuck in a nightmarish trip to the future and has that 80's horror movie vibe. The album is full of gems though.
5) Please feel free and go ahead and tell us about the charity involved with the album and how the money from this album will help them?
The chosen charity for this album is Doctors Without Borders. They bring medical care to those who need it most to over 70 countries around the world.
They've been helping those affected by conflict, natural disaster and epidemic since 1968 and with a global pandemic stretching medical services everywhere, they're needed now more than ever.
I also wanted to pick a charity that helps globally to reflect the fact the album is also multinational. You can find out more about Doctors Without Borders here: https://msf.org.uk/
6) Producing an album during lockdown must have been challenging, how did you get around this challenge?
It was actually pretty painless. I started making electronic music myself at the start of lockdown last March and have just dived right into the whole thing.
Under Humm Bugg I had already released a solo album and a few singles in 2020 but I found promoting these and getting more people listening to be quite tricky, especially when you don't have your heart set on one particular style or type of music. I posted my woes on some online groups and found many others had the same problem.
It was then that the idea for themed compilation albums came to me- it gives the artist an opportunity to try something different, provides a unique and interesting listening experience and is really fun too! Working as a group who are all promoting and sharing the album also helps more people listen to your music and the most exciting thing for me has been the introduction to lots of musicians I wouldn't normally have discovered.
The whole exprience has been just brillaint. There are already plans in place for another themed charity album later in the year- this time 'Robots'!
7) The name of Three Eyed Cat Records is a great name for a record label, tell us what their involvement with the album has been?
I came up with the name after trying to think of something that didn't just lend itself to one genre and would also draw people in. I'm a big Sci Fi and horror fan so I also wanted a name that had an air of the curious and mysterious about it. I also love cats! The logo that was made for Three Eyed Cat Records by Animalsoup Art also helps encapsulate what the label is about- it's neon and simple and is reminiscent of neon and club lights, she's managed to get it looking retro and futuristic at the same time and it reminds me of graffiti painted with light. I love how this project turned out and everyone has been so helpful and encouraging.
8) Lastly where can our readers get their hands on this album and help out the charity?
The album is available to download on Bandcamp and is 'pay what you want' to download so you can give as little or as much as you like. All money made on the Bandcamp site will be donated to Doctors Without Borders. Thank you!
1) Paul firstly tell us about The Craufurd Arms venue and where we can find you?
We are a 270 capacity (+14 admitted) live music venue, based in Milton Keynes, we have built ourselves up big enough now to say we are one of the top venues of that size in the UK now, doing warm up shows for the likes of Idles, Fontaines DC, Slowthia, Reef, Wedding Present, Boston Manor and many more as well as supporting and nurturing young newcomers, you can find us at – www.thecraufurdarms.com
2) Which bands have given the best live performances at your venue in the past?
For me I absolutely loved Sleaford Mods, The Low Anthem, DMAS & Wolf Alice.
3) If you could have any live band or singer to play on opening night after COVID 19 lockdown who would it be?
Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds, doing a cheeky intimate show!
4) It’s been a hard year for our amazing live music venues, tell us what the impact of COVID 19 has had on The Craufurd Arms?
Giant impact, basically if we hadn’t gotten the crowdfunder, some help and the
government funding, we wouldn’t be a venue anymore, and we’re used to battling
everything, being fully independent and so close to London, And what's even
sadder is we had a really strong programme of events, a lot of sold out shows.. and
they all had to be cancelled, fingers crossed it starts to ease over next few months..
I believe the people are itching to get back out and get loose, so as with
everything, it all comes down to the awesome people!
5) So you’re here to chat with us because you’ve put together a 16 track benefit
album? Which we believe is being launched on18th December on bandcamp.
Yes, We have, This 16 track compilation album is a benefit for the venue, to keep
the venue name alive and us fighting the good fight and to really showcase just
how breath taking some of the up coming acts are from around our area, which is
MK, Northampton, Bedford, Luton and all the little towns and villages in between,
so it’s the acts that have come through the venue over the last year or so, that
have truly blow us away, so much so, we were compelled to gather them up, put
them onto a compilation and show them off to as many people as we can.. its been
so very bleak this year, we just wanted to do something positive and prove we still
care!
6) Is there a chance our readers can get their hands on a CD version of the
album?
Yes we have have some hard copy CDs available online for sale now (once
everything has eased we will sell it all around our area in various shops and
obviously at the venue… you can pop online and order a copy at
https://craufurdgarms.bigcartel.com/
7) Milton Keynes has been developing lots of local artists in the area, can
we expect any of these artists to be showcased in the album?
Absolutely, this album is really in the spirit of Record Label Samplers or the CD’s
you get on the front of music magazines back in the day. Some of the acts are
already being played on Radio One, Radio X, 6 Music, some have management,
industry interest and a couple are already signed to indie labels… And the bands
underneath them are the ones coming through.. so it really is a full showcase and
all 16 acts have stuff going on for them and looking forward to 2021!
8) Lastly where can we find this album?
At the moment with the restrictions, the album is available on bandcamp and
to buy as a CD online, we will get it put around the areas once the apocalypse
has eased and for online it will be exclusively available through bandcamp only
as we want to keep it a DIY release and not over spread it round every
streaming site possible, and you can message any of the bands as well and
they can help you out!
Kess Off The Hook Music Reviews
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