I founded a website recently and it helps young writers to build up their portfolio, unfortunately it is unpaid, but I am a firm believer that you have to work for free to get your name out there in this industry. I will keep doing the website and it will continuously improve, however I am in writers’ limbo with regard to this blog. I feel as though it might be a waste of time and I should just keep writing articles for established websites and newspapers and of course work on the popularity of the indie sight.

I have a lot of projects I want to keep going with, so what I need to discover is whether or not this blog has seen it’s last days? Or should I keep as a place to put the articles I can’t get published elsewhere?

It’s a predicament to say the least.

What should I do?

Claire x

Oasis are often deemed one of the greatest bands of the last two decades, however in reality, most people would consider only their first two albums as worth mentioning. By the turn of the century they were still very much on the musical radar but had failed to produce anything to grab the attention of critics and fans alike. Known by the media as their “transitional period” the band had reached a definite slump, yet the band themselves still felt they were entitled to claim the crown of “best band since the beatles.” A broad overstatement considering the beatles longitude and mass of impressive songs. The band’s cockiness reached a new high, or low depending on your viewpoint, when Liam Gallagher insulted 35, 000 + audience at an esteemed festival on the 26th of July 2000. The entire crowd boo’d and hissed at the band, the often vulgar singer in particular, which sparked yet another famous feud between the Gallagher brothers. The booing became so incessant that the band left the stage 20 minutes into the set, the crowd not wanting to listen to a band that didn’t seem to appreciate their support. Perhaps the beginning of their true downspiral, we’d rather remember the good times with Live Forever.

McLoughlin decided to go solo in 2008 and has met enormous critical acclaim by some of Ireland’s most elite music journalists, include Jackie Hayden, the man who is accredited with discovering the most famous Irish band of the last 3 decades, U2. The singer is extremely busy as of late, and the hustle and bustle won’t ease off for a very long time with dates set already for August and September, including a spot in Canada’s indie week, nothing to be sniffed at by any means. All of this delightful chaos is accompanied by the impending release of Valentine Black’s single “Retrospect.”

It is normally an easy task to compare Irish artists to other Irish artists, but, without insulting other acts, the single would lead listeners into thinking that perhaps Valentine Black is beyond that comparison. Beginning with a gentle acoustic guitar and quiet but moving vocals, the song builds up into a consuming orchestra. The template for the song bares a likeness to that of Arcade Fire but there is something in the song that is his own, a rare occurence for any act these days. While the comparison to Arcade Fire is just, the single is missing the political pomposity of the Canadian band, which is refreshing to say the least. Instead of lacing his well thought out music with seemingly passion filled lyrics laced with pre-emption, the words fit in with the epiphany sounding notes on a more personal level. The song is simpler than it would seem, but it appears to convey the singer’s insolence towards the general shallowness of society, claiming that life is too short to pass judgement, and that everything happens for a reason. Clearly the singer has reached some sort of grown up revelation and the song is so lacking in self-importance that it convinces the listener that it’s sentiments are true. How refreshing it is to hear an Irish singer regail thoughts on life, as in years gone by, rather than the modern trend of whining heartache and soulless drivel. It is clear that his influences come from the likes of Bob Dylan and Neil Young, however it is refreshing to hear that he doesn’t attempt to be his heroes but merely incorporates their essence into his own kind of music.  Valentine Black is a treat for the soul as well as the ears, particularly if you have come to lose faith in the millions of unsigned acts out there, entirely worth a visit to his myspace page.

Valentine Black plays Whelans of Wexford Street on the 19th of August, and The Purple Sessions at the Punt bar, Drogheda, on the 27th of August.

The Shoos have been circuiting the underground scene for a while, and came to prominence with their single “Yeah”, thanks to a boost or two from Ray D’Arcy on his TodayFM show. They are one of the most outstanding bands out there at the moment, sounding a little less pop-like than your average Irish band. This week has been incredibly busy, and important for the Dublin band. The went a step further than any other Dublin band by supporting Taylor Hawkins and The Coattails. We can only imagine the nerves and excitement that accompanied opening for the Foo Fighters’ drummer, but they have little time to dwell on the topic as tomorrow they are headlining Brayfest, a slot most unsigned bands would die to get. To promote the release of their new single, “Distance” the band are headling in Whelan’s on the 23rd Of July. They are well worth a look, and willing good weather, they are likely to shine as well as they have been known to shine. This week the band look set to take flight anytime soon, maybe a visit to Bray will be something astounding to tell your kids about in the future, akin to the stories we hear about seeing Thin Lizzy for 50p? Perhaps not as iconic, or as influential, but time can only tell.

The world is full of people who are willing to take the light out of anything. Happy music is substance-less, silly comedy is for the intellectually challenged and anything in the charts is instantaneously uncool according to these pessimistic snobs. It is hard to tell whether these people have the right idea, that we are turning our brains to mush by listening to mono-beat pop songs and watching gruesomely humoured films, however maybe they just need to embrace the parody side of life.

Parody is an important part of the “don’t take life too seriously” mantra, the majority of people are suckers for the run of the mill parody movies such as naked gun and even the stiffest of film elitists has been known to snigger at leslie nielsen’s dry one liners. This being true, there always seems to be a “love it-hate it” situation where parody music is concerned. “Wierd Al” Yankovich is a pioneer of parody, releasing E.P “another one rides the bus” clearly a take-off of Queen’s “another one bites the dust”. He crossed the line, poking fun at respected artists that were classed as above the above, almost ten years later, he is still turning popular songs into comedic escapades including Greenday’s “American idiot” which he translates to “Canadian idiot.” Many people tend to take the curly-haired musical satirist’s take on pop songs a little too seriously and feel that he is desecrating other singers’ well thought out and performed ditties.The same is often said for modern day satirists Lonely Island, who take a zany look at today’s borderline ridiculous popular songs, however their take is not as well thought out as Yankovich’s.

Perhaps these people’s negative view of something that is largely just good clean fun is close to social commentary on how things have gone as a result of too much exposure to the media, to seriousness. There is nothing to give any musical artist the license to be above any one or anything, once they step into the limelight they, and their art are subject to a right roasting by anybody who has the comedic abilities, and that is just a fact of artistic life. Other spoof bands and artists take a different approach to the parody genre, and yes it has become vast enough to be described as a “genre”. The likes of Tenacious D, fronted by comedy actor Jack Black, teamed with his long-time friend, Kyle Gass, tend to pay homage, while taking a jibe at, their favourite genres, by overplaying the essential elements. Our first treat of Tenacious D was “tribute”, the masses praised it, however although the songs from the debut album, such as Wonderboy, just got funnier and funnier, they received any kind of praise. Even Jack Black had already secured comic status by the 2006 album couldn’t bring the critics and the music fans to embrace them into the music elite. This is despite the fact that the pair are extremely talented, particularly Black, who’s vocals are delectable to say the least. Yet again, people are pushing them down and labelling them as nothing but a talentless parody band. The same can be said for even the lesser known band, Steel Panther, a glam rock spoof band that, truth be told, are not far off from the originals. The band were formed in 2000 and have never, not even to the extent of Tenacious D, made any kind of impact on the masses, it seems as though they are destined to belong in the underground for the band’s eternity. Perhaps the vulgarity of the lyrics within the bands songs keeps them at arm’s length from radio wave acceptance, however the question again arises, are many people just taking music snobbery to an unamusing level.

Maybe the world has become to serious and those who fell into the trap have become embittered towards those who are willing to let their funny juices flow and overwash conformity. Is there really anything wrong with unleashing a bit of creative wit on the drab and often painfully ordinary things that make up our day-to-day lives? Try not to think of parody as a shameless rip off of another artist’s work, instead look on the bright side of life and see it as an honorable adulation.

It may not seem like seven years have passed since we first heard arguably the best Band of the last 10 years, but Kasabian have indeed been around that long. This month sees the release of the band’s album boxset, showing the ever-growing strength and talent from their eponymous album to the current West Pauper Lunatic Asylum.

In Mid-2004 the band, which at the time were being compared to The Stone Roses, released their debut single “Processed Beats”. With the songs heavy bass and haunting chorus, the comparison was easy to make, but little did critics know they would go on to be one of the most successful and stand-alone bands of the decade. Although the song is undeniably good, and fresh at the time, listening to it makes us remember, not only how good they were seven years ago, but also how much better they have become.Although commercially the bands albums were of mediocre success, they have become stadium sell-outs, and in the best meaning of the term. It goes to show you don’t need catastrophic album sales and a wiry, whining front man to be the alleged best british band around. (have a guess who that is a jibe towards.)

Former Oasis guitarist and brains of the operation, Noel Gallagher, once said that Kasabian were the only band that could compare to oasis but he must know in his heart and soul that they are better. Every one knows how the story went for Oasis, two great albums of equal high standard, then over a decade of trying to play catch up with themselves, ending in the bitterest of feuds. Kasabian on the other hand, have so far had three great album, each more structured and more original than the last, it isn’t a hard task to see which band has had the most strength.

If only they could be unsigned band of the week every week. But that would be unfair. Keywest are a band originating from Artane in Dublin and they are everything an unsigned band is, without the unmitigated arrogance. They have come a long way in the last two years, with relentless gigging and a recording stint in America. Soft rock, rock pop, The Script with kick-ass guitar solos, call them what you want they have been one of the most successful unsigned acts of the last two years,  but what merits them becoming unsigned act of the week this week?

If you are heading to Oxegen this weekend you can catch the band opening the vodaphone stage on Saturday. This is no mean feat considering they will be followed by acts such as The Cribs, Doves and headliners black eyed peas, something the band will be very excited having covered “I gotta feelin’” in a number of gig sets. Keep an eye on this band they will be resurfacing on your screens and in your newspapers for the next while.

Limerick/Dublin band The Vagabond’s sound matches their name. A little rough around the edges, a little rambling, and very interesting. Lead singer Phelo’s vocals are gravelly and often refreshing as you hear his genuine accent float through every now and then. The vagabonds secured a support slot with The Urges at Sweeneys Bar (known as le cirk, once upon a time.) for their retro revival night. The slot is apt seeing as how the band spin a bit of modernism onto on an old sound akin to the buzzcocks and the sex pistols. They seem to take their carefree stance from that very era,  so much so that they list begrudgers as their influences. Take a look at their breaking tunes page to listen to their music, or if you want to get a live feed, head to Sweeneys bar, Dame St. on July 3rd.

This year’s Glastonbury music festival was indeed one of the most impressive . Not only was it not just a regurgitation of line-ups gone by it featured acts that possibly are not as likely to pop up at any other festival.  Is Glasto the festival to end all festivals?

Not only did Kylie Minogue make a glamorous guest appearance with The Scissor Sisters. While U2 couldn’t perform on the first night, it is notable that they were even confirmed, it would have been a dream line-up with Stevie Wonder headling on the Sunday, unfortunately for the festival revellers, Gorillaz were lined up as a replacement for the Irish stars, hardly like for like, but an impressive performance all the same. Comparing our Irish counterpart saddens any muso snob- Granted, any festival line-up, any year, looks fairly similar, Oxegen has muse, faithless, gorillaz, but what would be the chances of MCD nabbing Stevie Wonder to headline? Or even Bruce Springsteen, Glasto’s 09 headliner. Last year our alternative to Bruce Springsteen was The Killers, while it is impossible to compare a musical legend who has spanned across 4 decades to a mediocre rock-pop band with unimaginative songs, it is a must do when showing that Glasto is king when it comes to line-ups that blow the revellers away.

This year, Oxegen is playing catch up with Glastonbury having Jay-Z and Eminem headlining. Two years ago Jay-Z controversially headlined Glastonbury much to the annoyance of Noel Gallagher, and most regular festival goers. The addition was hugely questionable because Glastonbury was always a predominantly rock weekend, with little or no unacceptable pop or hip hop acts over the years. This year Oxegen organiser thought they would try to recreate that controversy by adding not one hip-hop high flyer, but two, but it fell on deaf ears, as Oxegen lacks the credibility and legendary status of Glastonbury. The festivals credibility went out the window when Sugababes played a few years ago. The reason it was not controversial was not just that, but also because Oxegen is a fashionable festival and it is more for the drink and the dance tent than the legendary acts, depsite promoters insisting that it is the greatest “rock” weekend of the year.

Glastonbury is mostly about the music, who plays, what they play and why they play, however there is more to it than that.  The area makes it more special than any other festival in this part of the world. Glastonbury is a magical town with many a mythical story attached to it, most recognisable surrounding King Arthur and The Holy Grail. This aside, the history of the festival is almost as fruitful. Hand in hand with the Isle of White festival, one that has become slightly more commercial than Glastonbury, the festival was part of a free festival movement, inspired by hippie ethics of the 1970s. In the early 80s Michael Eavis began organising the festival and turned it into what we know it as today, a fun music festival in which its organisers and participants often use to get their social worries across to the masses. The festival is celebrated across the media and the magic is brought to those who aren’t there, but would love to be, via BBC television and radio. It is also featured in many songs by influential artists, for example Joe Strummer of  The Clash wrote Coma Girl, about his experience of the festival, and this was the inspiration behind Bruce Springsteen’s wanting to take part in the festival last year. Can you imagine in 10 years time a hit song by an influential band being written about oxegen? Maybe the most honour the Irish counterpart will receive could be a rap written by one of Dublin’s many try-to-be rappers. After all there is nothing quite as inspiring to be found in a festival organised purely for financial gain, held in a racecourse, in a bland (no offence to the residents) town void of any tempting historical and mythical past. Perhaps it is impossible for Oxegen to posses any of the magic that Glastonbury has, so maybe the organisers should stop trying to compete, it’s not as though they have any actual need to compete with a festival in another country. Glasto is the only festival that can conjure up that magic, maybe it’s the magic of the town, maybe its the meaning behind its origins, maybe it’s the cow dung, who knows? But all signs point to the idea that it is untouchable, so why bother trying to win?