It wasn't long ago that if you were asked to name an internationally successful rock band from Las Vegas, the likely answer would have been The Killers. In 2012, Imagine Dragons provided an alternative response, falling just short on both sides of the Atlantic of topping the album charts, but making an impact nonetheless. Indeed, anyone in doubt of their rise to stardom need only glance at their touring schedule - constant until the end of the year, it includes UK arena shows in November.
Opening number 'Shots' is a synth-laden dance-rock tune that hits the target in creating a cross-genre anthem that is clearly intended for arena settings. Dan Reynolds' vocals are just about manageable without the aid of helium whilst the shimmering guitar parts will not for the last time nod toward the delay effects favoured by The Edge. Setting the bar high, it ultimately proves to be the best thing about this record, a point emphasised when the plodding 'Gold' follows it and saps all momentum. The title track, which shares the name of the record, should be a slow-burning success but ultimately feels soulless, a conclusion which also applies to the likes of 'It Comes Back To You', 'The Fall' and the meandering melodies of 'Hopeless Opus'. On first listen, they seem fine, songs that with a few listens will find a place in your psyche, but they fall flat. The latter in particular ruins some enjoyable guitar playing with some awful hip-hop mixing of vocals that is quite frankly embarrassing.
When the Dragons let their hair down they're a more intriguing prospect, but a reluctance to stray from familiar ground regularly makes these moments very much an exception to the rule. 'I'm So Sorry' ploughs along with a fierce rhythm backing some funky guitar, while the outro really should have been extended. Fans of Mumford & Sons may find 'Trouble' as a good entry point to this band, the elements of country and increased tempo providing a pleasant variation to the general tone of the record. Given the accolades that Imagine Dragons have accumulated for being a premier rock act, this is ultimately a disappointing listen, especially given the promise of the first track.
Brian Wilson's solo back catalogue has been an impressive re-imagining of the distinctive song writing that catapulted The Beach Boys to success half a century ago. The 72-year-old's eleventh studio recording under his own name does little to change that formula. The thirteen tracks here work hard to embrace the past, re-uniting Wilson with Al Jardine, while introducing more contemporary contributors to the mix. For the most part, it's a successful collection that is unmistakeably Wilson at his laid back best.
The playful album title, 'No Pier Pressure', seems to suggest that Wilson doesn't feel motivated to emulate the latter day triumphs of artists like Johnny Cash, Bob Dylan and Leonard Cohen. Instead, he's content to play in his own sandbox and explore the possibilities of his favoured vocal harmonies. It's a record that manages to simultaneously be full of nostalgia and is musically a world away from pop music in 2015, while embracing some of the most recognisable voices in the charts. It's an interesting approach that doesn't always pay off, but it doesn't detract from the feel-good sun-drenched hallmark sound of Wilson's music.
The duets that really work are those with Kacey Musgraves and Fun. vocalist Nate Ruess. The former called 'Guess You Had To Be There' nods to Mugraves Country roots with the inclusion of a banjo that broadens Wilson's typical Californian sound. It's a weird fusion of two musical styles that works well thanks to the warmth of Wilson's harmonies. Equally, Ruess' lead vocal on 'Saturday Night' emphasises the innocence and teenage sentiment of the lyric. Crucially, both of these collaborations broaden the appeal of 'No Pier Pressure' beyond the nostalgic tone that prevails elsewhere.
While Musgraves and Ruess complement the material, some of the other artists seem more of an awkward fit. While I like Zooey Deschanel's performance for 'On The Island', the Caribbean cabaret vibe seems a little whimsical and feels more like Wilson is contributing to her song, rather than the other way around. This problem is most significantly felt during 'Runaway Dance', which uses Sebu Simonian as a guest vocalist. It's all processed vocals and dance floor beats with a giant pop chorus. It feels completely separate from the rest of the record, but as it's the second track, you're left with a creeping sense of doubt as the album progresses as to whether more oddities in the same vein will follow, thankfully they don't.
In truth, the strongest moments recall Wilson's classic song writing. For example 'Sail Away' brings to mind 'Sloop John B'. While Im unsure about some of the guest contributions, my Mrs reckons its a shame that Lana Del Rey's planned appearance didn't happen on the best track here, 'The Last Song'. It might just have provided the key moment to propel 'No Pier Pressure' into the territory of being an album that defines Wilson's latter-day career. Instead, it's a record that has broad appeal, and a handful of great songs; it's fun, but certainly not essential.
Martin Clunes plays the celebrated novelist and physician Sir Arthur Conan Doyle in a
three-part adaptation of Julian Barnes’ acclaimed novel, Arthur & George, for ITV.
Written by Ed Whitmore, the drama is based on true events in the life of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, who famously created the detective Sherlock Holmes, in which he pursues a notorious miscarriage of
justice.
We caught up with a clearly excited Martin Clunes as filing concluded and he admits he was daunted by the idea of playing one of Britain’s most celebrated authors.
“I was quite terrified by the thought of playing Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, but my wife,
Philippa, had spent a great deal of time optioning the book and doing deals with agents,
writers and ITV,” Martin says. “Arthur and George is a hugely successful book, and Julian Barnes didn’t need us to make a television programme of it. Philippa very patiently and persistently pursued the idea. She swears there was no pressure, but there was pressure!” Martin jokes.
“I am sure if somebody else had said: ‘why don’t you do this’ I would have said: ‘I’m a bit
scared’.It is quite outside my comfort zone in a way. My comfort zone has been Doc Martin or documentaries about animals. That has been my life for so long, with little bits of acting along the way but never in the title role. This is quite big. Conan Doyle is a very famous Scotsman, so I had to speak with an authentic Scottish accent as well"
“At the time we find him in the story his wife has been dying of consumption for about nine years. They have all known it was going to come. She dies right at the beginning of our story, which puts him in a strange place because he had been seeing Jean Leckie - you couldn’t say he had been having an affair because we are pretty certain it hadn’t been consummated. His relationship with Jean was quite openly known about, even his wife knew, and the whole family knew too. They all gave the friendship their blessing. But when his wife died he went into a spiral of guilt and became fed up with his own invention, Sherlock Holmes. He couldn’t get his other books published, couldn’t get people interested in them and they weren’t shifting"
“Having said that there was an enormous appetite for Sherlock Holmes stories, as there
still is today. In his mail one morning, in this strange state, he gets a letter from George
Edalji with press cuttings telling the story of how he had been wrongfully imprisoned for
these ghastly crimes against livestock"
“It triggers something in his imagination, and he gets fired up, and tries to use Sherlock
Holmes’ forensic methods to solve the case. It is kind of frustrating for him, because it is
the real world, it is not fiction, and he can’t write what is going to happen, so things come and trip him up and surprise him. I think he’s seized on this case as a distraction and something to occupy his mind. I think when you are very, very sad and you have nothing to do it makes you sadder"
“I think he becomes aware of that so he throws himself wholeheartedly into this, with great energy, and quite single mindedly. That does seem to nourish him as the story unfolds, even though it doesn’t necessarily go as he’d like it to go, it is still the whole act of doing it which invigorates him"
“What I love about the story is he had this tortured seven year relationship. Then when Sir
Arthur’s wife did die he went on this massive guilt trip. Working on this case sort of
allowed him to marry Jean Leckie, and they did live happily ever after. Then they had three children. It was a tremendous love, and I like that. It could have fallen by the wayside, but it didn’t.”
Martin is full of admiration for the character he plays.
“I like his application. I like his sense of empowerment, his confidence and the fact he
wasn’t born to enormous wealth. They weren’t terribly poor, but he wasn’t born to wealth. In all the photographs of him he is quite a dandy. Les Lansdowne, the costume designer noticed that other gentleman of the age would have just one watch chain, but Sir Arthur had two and so did the King.”
Martin had read Julian Barnes book, and prepared for his leading role in the drama by
researching Sir Arthur Conan Doyle on the internet.
“I know the true story from Julian Barnes’ book, but you can never just televise a book,
everything has to be translated. That is why Ed Whitmore, who has written the adaptation, has done so brilliantly because he writes contemporary crime thrillers. He has given that sort of spin to it.”
Spending time in Scotland, and knowing many Scottish people helped Martin to cultivate
an East coast/Edinburgh accent for the role.He also worked with a dialect coach, and
maintained the accent during breaks in filming.
He jokes: “ I have two Scottish horses at home, but they were of no help.”
One member of the Clunes family of animals was of great help to the production, however.
Five year old Jack Russell terrier, James Henry - the baby in Doc Martin is named after
him - made his television debut as Sir Arthur’s dog.
“There never had to be a second take because Jim had wandered off. He gazed up at the
hairy microphone as if it might squeak. But he was very good.
“I had been teaching him various commands with a Scottish accent in case this helped on
set. I needed him to be obedient around sheep, and I have been at him, and at him. Then I took him into this environment, and I was surprised at how attentive he was to me,
because he knows the trouble he would get into.”
Some of Martin’s favourite moments during the shoot came when they were filming in
central London early on Sunday mornings with horses and carriages.
“One day we were filming at Somerset House. We had horses and carriages, a car from
the period, gentlemen and ladies in hats all in front of that building. It was terribly exciting and magical.”
Martin has learnt to drive a cart and horses on his own Dorset farm and sneaked into the
driving seat of a cart during filming.
“One day when nobody was looking there were two working horses with a big old wagon of straw on set. I got to drive that back and it was really exciting. The horses are all film
horses and are really well behaved, and they all know the word ‘action’. My boys would
cause chaos on a set.”
Martin enjoyed a great rapport with Charles Edwards who plays his trusted secretary,
Woodie. “Charles is great. Alfred Wood was referred to as Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s manservant, which I am sure is the right word for it at the time. But for our ears it doesn’t sound enough because he also performed secretarial duties and dealt with his mail. He was his complete right hand man. Alfred Wood is every inch the English gent as he was in real life. He was a great cricketer, great soldier and a great school teacher and very bright. I like to think there’s a part of him that Sir Arthur looks up to. He doesn’t treat him just as staff. Although when he is being quite spoilt and petulant he pulls rank on him, but he always listens to him. The relationship has been effortless and Charles is superb as Woodie.”
Martin says he would be more than happy to explore the possibility of bringing more
Conan Doyle stories to the screen.
“Historically this wasn’t the only investigation Sir Arthur Conan Doyle became involved in.
If people enjoy watching this and ITV are happy with that, then I am sure we could adapt
some more of those cases.”
Arthur and George starts Monday 2 March at 9pm on ITV
The Twirlywoos
A brand-new comedy pre-school series for CBeebies
We catch up with Teletubbies creator Anne Wood to find out all about her new creation the TwirlyWoos
Can you describe Twirlywoos in your own words?
Twirlywoos is a situation comedy for 3-4 year olds who enjoy the fun of watching characters on screen who know much less than they do.
How did the idea for Twirlywoos come about?
Having worked with Steve Roberts on our very successful short animation Dipdap, we wanted to work together on a longer format, taking some of the ideas that had made children laugh so much in Dipdap.
Tell us about the characters and your favourite thing about them?
The Twirlywoos are bird-like creatures, each with their own characteristics. Chickedy and Chick are an endearing double act. Toodloo is full of frolic and loves to dance. Great BigHoo is the most cautious in his approach to life but is full of curiosity and is most reassuring in the way he joins in the fun.
It’s 18 years on from the launch of Teletubbies how do you think the market/audience has changed?
The market may have changed since Teletubbies in that there is a great deal more competition out there now but the audience does not change. Young children approach the world from their own unique standpoint as they have always done.
This is your third major production with the BBC. What do you enjoy about working with them?
Working with CBeebies is always a pleasure and for Twirlywoos we were delighted that Kay Benbow , Michael Towner and the team were able to join us for detailed discussions of each storyboard before we went into production.
What have you learned from previous series which you brought to bear while developing and making Twirlywoos?
Each Ragdoll programme grows out of the one before. It is a never ending journey. We learn most from watching children’s responses and Twirlywoos in particular owes much to the children’s responses to Dipdap.
How does Twirlywoos differ from other pre-school series on screen at the moment?
Twirlywoos is different in that it is stop-frame animation and contains very little computer generated material. Its main difference, however, is that its animated characters have adventures in the real world.
How did you develop the educational and interactive elements of the series?
From the outset, we invited Professor Cathy Nutbrown to consult with us about the patterns of thinking from which children’s early learning develops. The concept which she approved has become the foundation both of the programme and all developments from it, including interactive.
How did you develop the Twirlywoos characters to make them visually and emotionally appealing to children?
In the early stages of developing Twirlywoos we did a great deal of experimentation both with dolls and through trial animations before we presented the series to the BBC.
Can you tell us a bit about how you collaborate with Steve on the project?
As Creative Director of Ragdoll, all programme ideas begin with me but I am always seeking a creative partner to work with. With this person in mind, I devise a framework within which I think the Lead Creative’s talent, in this case, Steve’s, will flourish. Together we talk about the capacity of the characters for comic action and what form they should take. It was Steve’s idea to use stop-frame animation. I then devised the structure of the programme to arrive at a rhythm which I think children will respond to and this gives us an approximate length which is essential to our first attempts at writing. We then discuss ideas together from concepts approved by Professor Cathy Nutbrown, which Steve then illustrates, and then, together with other writing colleagues, we discuss the final form of each story.
What do you hope children will get from Twirlywoos?
Our greatest hope for Twirlywoos is that it will add to children’s confidence in their own learning. All Ragdoll’s programmes aim to create confidence and knowledgeable viewers.
What are you most proud of about Twirlywoos?
The greatest thing about Twirlywoos is the entire production team who have embraced the idea with truth and affection. It is a complicated show from a production point of view and it has been extremely important that each person engaged in it along the way has understood its intention and the meaning of every shot. The stop-frame combined with live action is something we have never attempted before and because of the support of the team I am very proud of the finished result.
Heaven 17 are coming to Wakefield – Warehouse 23 on Friday 10th April 2015
Rapidly turning into a go-to venue for those 80s acts amongst many other hings, finally with Unity Hall now open too we have great live venues to be proud of.
Heaven 17, please remember, were not even intended to be a group. In the beginning was the British Electric Foundation, or B.E.F., for short. Born out of the collapse of the original Human League, and the brainchild of Martyn Ware, that band’s leader, B.E.F. was less a record label, as a portfolio of future musical projects of which Heaven 17 would be just one. Ian Craig Marsh, co-founder of the Human League, would join Ware along with Glenn Gregory as lead vocalist the man who would have been the original Human League singer had he not been unavailable.
B.E.F. produced the now iconic Music For Stowaways, and Music Of Quality and Distinction 1, and provided a template that subsequent artists would use from The Assembly in the Eighties, Electronic in the Nineties, and most recently, the Damon Alban and Jamie Hewlett project, Gorillaz. But its Heaven 17 which would endure and help shape the future of modern music for over thirty years. Their first album, Penthouse And Pavement, is, and remains, a modern classic.
Looking back on it, Martyn Ware told us "It felt like a race to get the thing done really. There was no mediation involved. It literally was a lot of ideas coming out simultaneously but also with an intensity which meant that you could realise them very quickly. So it wasn’t just like a million ideas and actually three quarters of them were shit when you looked at them on the day – they were all pretty good I have to say. It was like opening a giant tap for a hose and it was just blasting out"
Within a week, they had written and demoed a new song, ‘(We Don’t Need That) Fascist Groove Thang.’ Listening back to a song written in late 1980, it’s astonishingly prescient. The purely electronic template, the driving musical philosophy of the Human League, had been modified with the addition of funky slap-bass guitar, and treated dance-floor piano. Released as a single, it became NME’s record of the week. The song managed to mention the words ‘fascist’, ‘Hitler’, ‘racist’ and was promptly banned from being played by the BBC. ‘One of the reasons the BBC said it couldn’t be played was they thought Ronald Reagan could sue them over it’, said Ian Craig Marsh in 1981 about the song’s most controversial couplet: ‘Reagan’s president elect/Fascist god in motion.’
Penthouse and Pavement is a musically schizoid slab of modern art. Side 1 fires off in the new, funky direction, whilst Side 2, the all-synth side gives a taste of what a third Human League album with Ware and Marsh on-side might have sounded – wonderful melodies and audacious arrangements with tracks such as ‘Let’s All Make A Bomb’ and ‘Song With No Name’ the very best of British electronica.
A defining feature of Heaven 17 was their total artistic control over their music. Whereas the sound and the success of the Human League’s Dare was very much a collaboration between the band and Martin Rushent, Heaven 17 were performers, writers and designers creating not just their own music but every aspect of the music’s presentation and packaging.
Martyn continues "It was written into our contract that we had complete control over the content of what we presented. Each stage of production was integral to the band’s ethos, from cover artwork to their own sartorial elegance in video and on photo shoots. We were influenced by Kraftwerk because what they presented was this world view of which the music was an integrated part"
Their next album, The Luxury Gap, was their pop masterpiece, the moment when everything just clicked into place to devastating effect. The bands favourite-ever song, ‘Let Me Go’ so nearly broke them into the UK Top 40. There would be no such disappoint with its follow up. The band convinced their sceptical record company that ‘Temptation’ had to be the next single. A duet between Glenn Gregory and Carol Kenyon, this song of lust, brilliantly framed by a musical structure which just kept building and building, Escher-like to an electric orgasm that seems never to come, it reached Number 2 in the UK charts in May 1983. Martyn tell us about the lasting impact of the song "Every gig we do, in any circumstances with any demographics, that song always works. I could play it on a guitar in a local pub and it would work. I could do it on a tin whistle in St Kilda and it works! I can talk to anyone I’ve never met before, any age almost, and they all know what it is. It’s just bizarre. You would be Abba if you could continue writing that over and over again"
By the late 2000’s, Heaven 17 were down to two of their original members, Ian Craig Marsh having left the band to take a degree course in Psychology. Yet demand for Heaven 17 live which had run dry a decade earlier had now picked up dramatically. A whole new generation of artists began to sight Heaven 17 as prime influences, not least La Roux who would join Heaven 17 for a storming session for Six Music in 2010.
Heaven 17 then toured their classic album Penthouse and Pavement, with a power and fidelity, yet a contemporaneity which made the music as alive today as it was in 1981 with soul singer Billie Godfrey now an essential part of the live dynamic. Heaven 17, who had largely refused to play live during the Eighties had re-invented themselves as a powerful live act. Glenn had never sung better in his life. On some nights, he would even play a cheeky acoustic version of that other Sheffield band’s biggest hit, ‘Don’t You Want Me.’ ‘Don’t tell anyone I can play the guitar; it’ll ruin me electronic credentials’, Glenn told the audience at the Magna Centre in 2010.
Tickets for the WAKEFIELD – Warehouse 23 show taking place on Friday 10th April are available from:
Box Office No: 01924 724523
Website - http://warehouse23.co.uk/events/heaven-17/
Shows start at 7.30pm
The Jockey Club Live presents ‘An Evening At The Races’ returns with a bang for 2015, announcing today that global superstar KYLIE and indie rockers KAISER CHIEFS are the first acts to join their 2015 ‘Haydock Nights’ season.
At home in some of the world’s biggest and best arenas, Kylie is renowned for her spectacular live shows. She celebrated her first UK number #1 in 1987 with ‘I Should Be So Lucky’, clocking up massive chart hits including ‘Spinning Around’ and ‘Can’t Get You Out Of My Head’. Kylie has now been at the forefront of pop culture for 28 years, selling over 70million records worldwide and releasing her 12th studio album ‘Kiss Me Once’ last year.
With her incredible back catalogue, featuring 44 UK Top 40 hits, Kylie will be playing her classic hits old and new when she brings glamour to the Grandstands.
Kylie told us: "I’m so excited to be performing at an evening at the races. I have an amazing band and fabulous dancers and we can’t wait to share my hits with you in a beautiful Summer outdoor show. Being from a horse racing city like Melbourne, I’ll be sure to have a flutter on the horses myself!"
Following on from Kylie’s headlining performance at Haydock Nights on 20th June, Brit Award-winning, multimillion selling Kaiser Chiefs - lead by BBC1’s ‘The Voice’ coach Ricky Wilson - will be bringing their formidable live show to the course on 7th August. The band first shot to recognition in 2005 for breakout hit ‘I Predict A Riot’, followed by hits including ‘Oh My God’, ‘Everyday I Love You Less and Less’ and 2007’s #1 ‘Ruby’. They released their latest LP, ‘Education, Education, Education & War’ last year, smashing into the #1 spot on the UK album chart on release. The record became their second #1 long play, following 2007’s ‘Yours Truly Angry Mob’ and became their fifth top 10 album.
‘An Evening At The Races’ offers a value for money experience unlike any other this summer. Alongside incredible headlining performances by the likes of Kylie and Kaiser Chiefs, the action kicks off earlier in the evening with 6 races - giving fans the chance to witness up close powerful equine athletes who are stars in their own right, and enjoy the thrilling drama and spectacle of them racing for glory. Whether you fancy a flutter or a dance with friends and family the event is certain to be an odds on favourite for all, with tickets starting at only £30.
Jason Fildes, Haydock Park General Manager told us "We’re expecting a rush for tickets for two of the ‘must be there’ music events of the summer, all racing and music fans are urged to reserve their tickets as soon as they can.”
Tickets will be on sale at 9am 6th February via http://www.thejockeyclublive.co.uk. Tickets are priced starting at £30 adults /£15 child (under 17) for Kaiser Chiefs, and £35 adult/£17.50 child (under 17) for Kylie. All T&C’s are available on http://haydock.thejockeyclub.co.uk. There will be hospitality packages available to suit all budgets.
We are delighted also to offer to our subscribers cant be beaten rates on hotel rooms in the area. You will be required to show your ticket upon check in to obtain these rates rooms are limited and non transferable.
Rooms for night of 20 June (Kylie) SORRY SOLD OUT and for 7 August (Kaisers) SORRY SOLD OUT
"With new material on the horizon we can't wait!"
We can now announce that Mumford & Sons are R and Ls second Main Stage headliners! The British rock band last appeared at Reading & Leeds in 2010 when they performed a triumphant set to a packed NME/BBC Radio 1 Stage. The band return to Reading & Leeds just four years later as Festival headliners.
Festival boss Melvin Benn comments:
“I’m delighted to have secured Mumford & Sons for Main Stage headliners this summer and can’t wait to see them return to the Festivals for their first UK performance in over two years. With today’s announcement of a further eight great acts joining the bill, the Reading & Leeds line-up is already shaping up to be one of the best ever and I’m looking forward to revealing the third headliner and even more great artists soon.”
Reading & Leeds continue to tear-up the festival season by securing performances from some of the biggest bands around.
ROYAL BLOOD, BASTILLE, DEADMAU5, REBEL SOUND FEAT. CHASE & STATUS, RAGE, DAVID RODIGAN AND SHY FX, CATFISH AND THE BOTTLEMEN, YEARS & YEARS, WOLF ALICE, PRETTY VICIOUS, JACK GARRATT AND HANNAH WANTS also announced to appear across the weekend!
Dark times are coming to the United Kingdom. During a handover to MI5 Counter-terrorism leader Harry Pearce (Peter Firth), one of the UK's number one most wanted terrorists, Adam Qasim (Elyes Gabel) devises a way to escape from custody. With a country-wide manhunt in progress, Pearce suddenly disappears, throwing MI5 into chaos. His protégé Will Crombie (Kit Harrington) undertakes the task of hunting down the missing terrorist and finding the lost leader before an attack on London can take place. As he delves deeper into the hidden mysteries surrounding the events, Crombie discovers a worldwide conspiracy with villainous intentions.
Following the tremendous success of the British television series 'Spooks' between 2002 and 2011, the film was announced to be in production in March 2013. At this time, the script was in development from Jonathan Brackley and Sam Vincent - both of whom worked on the series. On 1st November 2013, an official announcement was made, with Bharat Nalluri (the first director to work on the series) directing the film. Principple photography began in March 2014 in London, Berlin, Moscow, and Pinewood Studios. 'Spooks: The Greater Good' is set to hit UK theatres on 8th May 2015.
Click to watch the new teaser trailer.
http://youtu.be/KOvhMI86Ffc
Spooks is starring: Kit Harington, Jennifer Ehle, Elyes Gabel, Lara Pulver, Tuppence Middleton, David Harewood, Peter Firth, Tim McInnerny, Lasco Atkins, Shina Shihoko Nagai, Elizabeth Conboy, Eleanor Matsuura, Michael Wildman, Elliot Levey, Paul Blackwell, Ronan Summers, Graham Curry
