Signed to Young Money (the label owned by rap behemoth and recent Rikers Island veteran Lil Wayne) and voted the 6th Hottest Rapper In The Game by MTV this month, Nicki Minaj has utterly divided the rap community. She is, in a word, bizarre.
Ellen Gallagher talks to Hugo White of The Maccabees You released your second album, Wall of Arms, in May last year. How would you go about describing it? I think it’s a much better record really. I think for the first record we had just started and we wrote a collection of songs that weren’t [...]
Robin Perkins and Oisín Kealy talk humanism, nudity and Pink Floyd with The Flaming Lips’ leading light, Wayne Coyne Walking in on The Flaming Lips’ pre-gig stage show is like arriving early to a superbly weird and decadent party. Backstage is peopled with roadies dressed in bright orange dungarees, working away on parts of the [...]
Peter Kelly The second full-length release from London based The Boxer Rebellion is finally out in physical form, following an exclusive launch on iTunes in January of this year. After securing the fourth position on the iTunes UK album chart, expectations are high for the group’s first album since 2005′s Exits. This physical release of [...]
Oisín Kealy and Robin Perkins As ever, the Glasgow music scene is bubbling with new bands, new sounds and new directions. We take this opportunity to introduce a host of local talent from noise rock to future hip-hop, multi-instrumental collectives to transatlantic chamber-folk. Bronto Skylift Glasgow’s burgeoning noise, hardcore and math-rock scene may be reaching [...]
Oisín Kealy & Lewis Porteous reflect on the highlights of Celtic Connections 2009 The careers of both Teddy Thompson and Martha Wainwright were always going to be haunted by their inherited dynasties. Over a decade since their musical debuts, both on the backs of their parents, Martha’s voice is arguably foremost within her family. Teddy’s, [...]
Oisín Kealy and James Porteous take a look at a smattering of new musical talent in Scotland In recent times, Scotland has managed to develop an insatiable habit of producing great bands with almost mundane predictability. Last year saw Dalmarnock locals Glasvegas plough into the limelight, attracting the attention of Britpop authority Alan McGee and [...]
Gerry McKeever & George Binning For the high-pressure occasion that is the first night of Freshers’ week, both unions competed to win freshers to their fold with big names from hugely contrasting musical spheres. Following nicely from Dizzee Rascal last year, the GUU did well to land a performer like Wiley, with his ‘King of [...]
Cormac Beagan & Gerry McKeever It all started a long time ago, in a valley named Deer Lick Holler. A crew of young boys managed to get their hands on a couple of AC/DC records. Only having an old 78 to play them on, they took on a slightly different perspective to rock. When they [...]
