North-NorthWest

This is the blog of an indie band like few others. We're in our 30's, we have opinions, and we have ideas. Buckets of them. Why not tune in for the ride? 

[ianbanksjones]

#EP #northnorthwest #indie #rocknroll #music #newmusic #manchester #madchester #modchester #rock #onsale

[northnorthwesttheband]

Wanted: Mani

Hi. So, you're looking for a band to join, someone who appreciates your meaty, solid bass playing talents. Someone who lets you indulge your deep, funky, iconic britpop, blues tinged basslines. Well, we might be able to help you there. We're called North-NorthWest. If you want to check us out, then have a look on Facebook, Twitter, soundcloud, Instagram or Tumblr (yes, even Tumblr!). But wait a moment, or you'll forget where this page went. In the studio, we're mostly fine with playing bits of bass ourselves. Me and Andy, my bandmate, can cover it in a fairly reasonable way. We both sing, with proper harmonies, and both play guitar to a decent standard. Our real passion though, is songwriting, which is why we do this. Still there? Good. I'll carry on. Here comes the sticky part, and not in a good way. We are after a full band. A serious, tight band. To do this, we need to add drums, keys and a red hot lead guitarist. It sounds a bit tricky, and it is. But having a bassist is the key part. It will add colour to our unplugged live work, and will help us be part of the band we always wanted. Don't panic, I'm nearly done. Thing is, we aren't too fussed about where your influences come from. We don't really care if you've spent ten years in your bedroom playing along to Bluetones B-sides, or you really are Mani. All we want is talent and commitment. The more, the better. So, you crave for real music, and think that radio 1 plays too much pop, while radio 2 should never have that much Elton John on the playlist; or you yearn for football teams that can play with a proper 4-4-2; or want to set your creative juices flowing; or want a decent excuse to get away from the other half every few days; or have a passion for making some great new music? Still reading? I think we need to talk.

[northnorthwesttheband]

Bringing things up to date, our latest release, taken from our forthcoming E.P. (Due in September). Available to hear at soundcloud.com/north-northwest

[northnorthwesttheband]

We're so slapdash. This was the cover for our second single, The New Man. Available to listen to at soundcloud.com/north-northwest

[northnorthwesttheband]

Under the Influence

When you're in a band, you often get asked who your influences are. I always find myself thinking what a stupid question that is. When I was six or seven, my mum had a copied cassette of Invisible Touch by Genesis. You might scoff, but it is a cracking little album. At the time, I thought it was ace. My dad had a tape in the car. One side was Brothers In Arms by Dire Straits, the other was Under a Blood Red Sky by U2. I loved both. Over the years I've wavered from radio 1 to radio 2, dallied with commercial radio, headed through metal, rock, grunge, electronic dance, indie and britpop. I've found an attachment to reggae and ska, punk and classical, stopped off at blues and looked into jazz. I've been moved by Motown, swung by swing and swayed by singer songwriters. I've been under the influence of so many pieces of music that I cannot pinpoint that many of them. My connections to them vary, but any chord change, or melodic progression must come from somewhere. I sometimes feel like a magpie in a tinfoil factory. I wish I could play live like Jeff Buckley, write like John Lennon, own a stage like Liam Gallagher or innovate like Jimi Hendrix. Tomorrow might see me wanting something completely different. It's just the way it is. And it doesn't matter if I hate it either. I will learn to avoid sounding like that. Surely that's an influence too? Negative? Maybe, but still an influence. So, Mr interviewer, Mr Record label, Mr Promoter, or Mr Website creator. You want to know our influences? All of them? All 35 years of music? Everything I've ever listened to. That's it. No exceptions. I've either taken or left every song I've ever heard. Every jingle, every interlude, every stab of incidental music. More or less, taken or left. Registered or jettisoned. Oh and then there's Andy. He's the same. Only he's picked up on different things, and formed his opinions accordingly. We won't get into who thinks what, and how it works between us. So when I don't fill in that particular box, huff as I hold my hands upwards, or nod sagely at that particular question, I'm not being awkward. You're asking a stupid question. IBJ

[northnorthwesttheband]

Follow, Share, Retweet, Repeat

READ THIS…

If you’re Taylor Swift, then this really isn’t a problem. When you have 59 million followers on Twitter, marketing ceases to be an issue. Things are a little bit different for a band starting out from scratch.

We’ve all done it. We have all scrolled past a story on Facebook or Twitter that we don’t think applies to us. I can’t blame you, I do it too. You could be the greatest dub-reggae sound system in the world, but if you audience is more interested in classical music then you’re only going to be wasting your time. We just feel that perhaps, just perhaps, it could be what you’ve always wanted, or you might love it if you cranked it up to eleven.

Personally, I hate doing it. I hate having to tell the world about my product, and begging the favour that they’ll do the same. But unless you have a marketing budget the size of The Netherlands, then you really have very little alternative. I’m sure I have annoyed many friends on Facebook, and probably lost quite a few too. The constant barrage is as hard to deliver as it is to receive. Listen to this, like this, share this, passed this on. Somehow it feels like you’re having to beg a favour, a bit like a tramp trying to bum cigarettes from passers-by.

So then, if it is such an odious thing to do, then why do it at all? Well, if you want to sell music, promote your band, or build a fan base to attend gigs, then you really have little alternative.

By virtue of the fact that we do this, we have belief that we are making worthwhile music. Viable music, if you like. We love doing it, and probably would regardless of following.

Before I continue, let me give you a brief insight into the psyche of (most) performing musicians. We are a complete idiosyncratic oxymoron. Fragile and introspective, yet full of a need to be extroverted. Massive egotists that can be popped as easily as a bubble of gum. Shy and retiring with a need to be the centre of attention. Quiet and cautious with the urge to be outspoken or audacious. That just about covers it.

I tell you this, as you need to understand the seemingly pointless urge for what the Americans might call validation. More people equals more opinions. If we end up with more followers, then we get it. We get better attended gigs, better sales on our music, and a more realistic prospect of even bigger things. We NEED to be optimistic.

There must be a tipping point. When Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and tumblr followings reach a critical mass, and the whole thing starts to become self-sustaining. We have to believe that, or I’ll be checking the followers, likers, and subscribers every morning for ever more. It really is quite tiring!

Oh, and Why not check out

Facebook.com/northnorthwestband Soundcloud.com/North-northwest Instagram.com/northnorthwestband And @nnwband on Twitter.

I very nearly do in my sleep!

[ianbanksjones]

Get ready. This is set to be released this weekend! #debutsingle #mixingsecrets #newsong #indieband #northnorthwest #rock #newmusic #indie #acoustic #music

[northnorthwesttheband]

Just as much an enemy as a friend. Never hears things how it is supposed to...

[kingsizeandy-deactivated2018061]

The Reaper session for what will become North-Northwest’s first release! (at Doveleys Road)

[northnorthwesttheband]

The North-NorthWest this way

[northnorthwesttheband]

Nijinsky, guitars and being on stage

The world renowned dancer Vaslav Nijinsky once became so engrossed in a performance whilst he was dancing that he unintentionally reached orgasm on stage.

An extreme example to hold up I grant you, but anyone who has ever performed on stage will tell you just what a roller-coaster of emotions it actually is. It starts with the anticipant knot in your stomach as you step up, then a moment of sheer blind panic as the crowd waits for you to begin, on to the point when you start playing and the adrenaline in your body begins to slowly dissipate, into the first clap, cheer, whoop or scream you hear after each song, then the moments after where you manage to zone out completely, falling totally and wholeheartedly into the music, followed by uncontrollable euphoria as you finish, finished off by total dismay and desolation when you realise that the moment has passed forever. It's no wonder so many rockstars die under the influence of something or other.

Despite their best attempts, it is an irreplaceable set of feelings. If you've never tried it, then you will probably find it tricky to understand. I've lost count of the number of times I've played live. I guess its well into the hundreds. Each and every one still gets me in the same way. I hope it always does. It is my motivation for music. On stage is a strange mixture of feeling completely vulnerable, yet fully at home; watching chaos erupting whilst feeling totally at peace. The palms sweat, the pulse begins to race. Close your eyes and take a second to compose. A second on the precipice (which can feel like a lifetime) before flinging headfirst into the abyss. I am a junkie for that feeling, and unlike so many of the other things associated with rock and roll, this probably won't kill me.

Standing there performing is enveloped in all sorts of multi-layered psychology though. John Lennon apparently hated the idea of being on stage without an instrument to hide behind. Personally, and regrettably for my taste (who doesn't want to be more like John?) I much prefer to be without the incumbency of a guitar. I love the performance as much as the music. I suppose that's why my wife finds it so hard to watch me play.

I've had fantastic gigs in front of crowds into the thousands, and I've played unbelievably great gigs to a dozen people and a dog. I've had rubbish gigs too, plenty if I'm honest. But even the bad ones are amazing for me. Trust me, you should try it some time.

Get out there and support bands of all levels and abilities. A few extra cheers can quite easily make a performers night. Enjoy the high that they are on. Celebrate that moment. Even if they don't become quite as absorbed as Vaslav Nijinsky.

Head to facebook.com/northnorthwestband for more details.

IBJ

[northnorthwesttheband]

Introducing The Band

Well, there's me, I'm Ian, and Andy. It has been for half a lifetime. I got a guitar at 16, and as I bashed away at it, the noise eventually became sound, and then sound became music. Andy was always there, singing, playing along, usually as badly as me. We'd been best mates for half of our teenage lives by then already. We wrote before we could play, and filled in the chords as we went. It was magical. Most of our songs were a bit shit, but every now and then, we found an original progression, or a catchy melody. Finding the words to go with them was seldom problematic.

Then came the acoustic gigs. A friend from our local asked us to play his birthday party. Karaoke had been the sole stretch of our public performances. That night, a 3/4 pissed Andy, and a half petrified me played our first gig. We called ourselves Kingsize. I'm sure Andy will furnish you with the details of our name choice some other time, but that was it. Our stage career had begun.

Then I joined another band. A five piece band on the border between rock and metal called Fuzzy Logic. Andy used to join us every now and then. Kingsize sometimes did a bit of stuff on the same bill, and we all used to jam together at the open mic nights that me and Andy used to run. Both bands shared Joe, the bassist too. Liam was in Joe's other band, and became our drummer. His laid back style fitted with the gentle and sometimes sparse acoustic sound that me and Andy had wanted. He was (and when he gets the chance, still is) an unbelievable drummer.

After a while, Fuzzy Logic did what most bands do, and duly shattered into five constituent pieces. Kingsize went from being a side project to the main event. Me and Andy concentrated on coming up with more original songs. Joe left to go to university, and all of a sudden, we needed a new bass player. One of the latter Fuzzy Logic gigs had seen us playing alongside a band called Coast. Lewis, the Fuzzy rhythm guitarist and me ended up chatting to their bassist. Jen was as talented as she was attractive, and soon became Lewis' girlfriend. When we invited Jen to join Kingsize, we got Lewis thrown in as a bonus, and added a bit more crunch to our sound.

Kingsize gigged in pubs, clubs, holiday parks, music venues, jam nights and Universities. Over the years, we played in 2,3,4,5,6,7 and 8 piece lineups. Perhaps we were busy having too much fun to take it seriously, but we did have plenty of fun. We recorded some stuff along the way, got paid over the odds a few times and were offered gigs and (often impractical) deals. Although in the end, real life was to prove to be our enemy.

When Kingsize ended, it wasn't with a triumphant final gig. There was no massive bust up, or seething disagreement. It all just seemed to ebb away. Andy went on and formed In Loco Bonobo, another indie band, albeit with a rockier edge than Kingsize. I ended up concentrating on the day job, then I got married, then had kids.

After a few years, I felt the urge to get back into music. I got hold of a copy of GarageBand, and began recording, under the name The Albions. It was mod flavoured rock, and whilst I loved it, I never really had the chance to assemble a full band to go with it. Andy had moved to Salford by then, and collaboration was rather tricky. Although he had built himself a studio (and learned to drive it), distance made working together very hard. And that was that.

Nine months ago, I left the confines of Northampton to head off to Stoke-on-Trent. Leading up to my departure, me and Andy came up with the idea of North-NorthWest. So now we want to make the music that we always wanted to...and that is what we are going to do

Head to facebook.com/northnorthwestband for more details.

IBJ

[northnorthwesttheband]

No excuses, but...

I've been doing the 'band' thing for years now. Some of the people I've shared a bill with in the last few years weren't even born when I started. I suppose I should be old enough to know better. But I don't. And neither do I really want to. When we were in our teens, me and Andy dreamed of being rock stars. The idea of touring the world and making a living from the business of show seemed so visceral that we were constantly frustrated by our inability to seize it. In reality, there's only so many times that you can tell yourself that the next big break is hiding in the shadows of a dingy back-street boozer. Not that we really understood that then.

These days, it's all about viral marketing. It is as much about brand as band. The accessibility to production, promotion and purchase has changed grass roots music so much in less than two decades, it is barely recognisable from where we started to where we are now. My wide eyed teenage self would have nearly exploded from the avenues of potential available now. Am I bitter? Not a bit of it.

See, as Jessie J (or at least her writers) said, it's not about the money. Diminishing returns, fractured niche cultures, poorly paid and attended gigs and open mic nights have seen to that. I don't think of the cash. I enjoy writing songs, playing good music, and being the centre of attention. Sure, I'd love to do it for a living, but no amount of free acoustic slots is going to pay my mortgage. We simply do it because we love it. It's nice to earn a few quid as you go, but it seldom pays the bills. Do I still believe in the quality of our music, and think that the 'big boys' of the industry are missing a trick? Course I f*****g do.

Technology plays a part in other ways too now. As a musician, I'm a good song writer. I'll never manage to nail the riff the same way twice, and I wouldn't say I was much of a guitarist by any stretch of imagination. These days, that doesn't matter, not anywhere as much as you'd imagine. When recording, the undo button is a click away. My smartphone (on which I write this) can do more than a massively expensive studio could back then. In 2002, I went into a pokey little studio in Corby with my band at the time, Fuzzy Logic, to record some tracks. £300 bought us 8 hours at the behest of a guy called Iain, who deftly mixed primitive digital recording equipment with a weave of patching cables and reel to reel tape machines. Three songs (and far too much gated reverb for my liking) later, and we had a carefully burned CD. No masters, or raw tracks, just a CD. Incidentally, the whole building burned down a few years later. I just hope he got a decent insurance pay out. Luckily though, we didn't actually pay for our demos. An enthusiastic but naïve local music entrepreneur thought he could make some cash from us, but we'd managed to implode quite beautifully as a band before he could see any meaningful return. But that, dear reader, is another story for another day.

13 years of tape have spooled forwards, and me and Andy are sat in his studio. A studio far better appointed than Iain could have imagined back then. As I said earlier, I play guitar well enough to be considered average at best. It doesn't matter. A trim here, and a clip there and all of a sudden, I'm as solid as 'Bonehead' Arthurs ever was. A few licks with a bit of cut, copy and paste, and George Harrison would be nodding sagely. Technology is ace, innit!

So do I dream of superstardom any more? Well, not really. Everyone or anyone can do it these days. Only the biggest marketing budget can achieve what we all think of as fame and riches anyway, save for the rare occasion when someone finds something musical, some unexplored avenue that nobody had spotted before. Me and Andy are arguably no longer young or pretty enough (not that I ever was) to break into that particular heaven. But it won't stop us knocking on the door, though with technology, at least we'll be knocking in time with the beat.

head to facebook.com/northnorthwestband to find out more.

IBJ