The Soundsphere Magazine Podcast

On screen, in the world of JCW, we see a towering figure in black, red-tinted sermons to the camera, eerie roll calls and cryptic messages about “Red Love.” It looks, at first glance, like a brilliantly unhinged wrestling gimmick: a cult-adjacent preacher, a strange sidekick in the form of Mr. Wiggles, and an ever-growing list of names who’ve made the Red Roll Call. But sit down with Father Bronson—as we did, somewhat nervously, over a screen from the UK—and the language of “gimmick,” “character work,” and “promos” doesn’t just fall away. It’s rejected, dismantled and thrown back at you. “You’re using words like promo and vignette,” he says, eyes locked forward. “I think you might be under the wrong impression. You might think that this is an act… that red love doesn’t fuel the fibers of my being, because it truly does.” For more visit: https://www.soundspheremag.com/

For over three decades, the Hardys have been the glitch in pro wrestling’s system – the weird kids from North Carolina who grew up on trampolines, DIY rings and alternative culture, and somehow dragged all of that into the mainstream. They were the ones in fishnets and baggy cargos while everyone else was in trunks, the outcasts who became icons. For more, visit: https://www.soundspheremag.com/

There’s a particular kind of chaos that makes pro wrestling feel like home: big personalities cutting bigger promos. That’s Juggalo Championship Wrestling (JCW) right now – and right in the middle of that whirlwind is Jasmin St. Claire. For more: https://www.soundspheremag.com/news/inside-jasmin-st-claires-world-of-jcw-metal-and-deep-conversations/

There’s a particular kind of world-building that only really happens when someone has lived inside their obsessions long enough to breathe them back out as art. For Braydon Hill, better known as Zeruel, that world is stitched together from late nights with Soulsborne games, Metroidvanias, dark hip-hop, manga, anime, and the echo of his mother’s voice he grew up singing along to. For more visit: https://www.soundspheremag.com/

When two-time Oscar winner Dustin Hoffman first read the script for the indie film,  “Tuner,” he was surprised how Academy Award-winning documentary director Daniel Roher (“Navalny”) had navigated his first narrative fiction thriller. When two-time Oscar winner Dustin Hoffman first read the script for the indie film,  “Tuner,” he was surprised how Academy Award-winning documentary director Daniel Roher (“Navalny”) had navigated his first narrative fiction thriller. Having spent his life playing piano and taking legendary roles like “The Graduate” and “Midnight Cowboy,” Hoffman had attended the Los Angeles Conservatory of Music, and actually hoped to become a concert pianist. “The role of a piano tuner immediately resonated with me on a personal level,” he said.  “This was the first time in over 50 years of doing this, a guy came up to me and said, I wrote this for you,” he acknowledged during a press chat.   Hoffman plays veteran tuner Harry Horowitz, a gifted man who is well-versed in fixing pianos. Later, at a private screening at Black Bear Pictures in Los Angeles, the seven-time Academy Award nominee told the audience: “Somehow Daniel knew that (in real life) I played the piano.” He continued: “Daniel sent me a script, and I liked it very much. I told him it was very well written….I was in Europe, and he flew over to London on his own dime, and we just talked….What particularly struck me was the original way the story evolved into a heist genre; it felt fresh and compelling.” Hoffman said he was “shocked” because he had never met anyone like Roher before, who had worked on many layers of the crime-romance..   For more visit: https://www.soundspheremag.com/

After joining TNA Wrestling, the former WWE Cruiserweight Champion, Cedric Alexander, has allied with The System and become the new X-Division Champion after unseating Leon Slater.  Soundsphere sat down with Cedric Alexander to discuss his new home, faction, and championship reign. More importantly, we discussed his upcoming title defence against several other wrestlers at Slammiversay in an Ultimate X match – which is arguably TNA’s signature match, for its signature championship. For more visit: https://www.soundspheremag.com/features/interviews/cedric-alexander-tna-x-division-champion-slammiversary-ultimate-x/

There are conversations you have with artists where you can tell, within minutes, that the music isn’t a product – it’s survival. Talking with Tim De Gieter of Doodseskader is exactly that. We’re here to talk about the band’s latest record, The Change Is Me – a release that feels like it’s been dragged out of the darkest corners of the mind, but somehow still points toward something like hope. Not the flimsy, Instagram-ready kind, but the uncomfortable, honest, “this might never be perfect and that’s okay” kind.   For more visit: https://www.soundspheremag.com/

There’s a particular kind of electricity that only exists when wrestling leans all the way into the weird. Not just spooky lighting and jump-scares, but genuine psychological horror – the kind that stays with you after the show ends, the kind that bleeds into real life grief, legacy, and art. Right now in TNA, that electricity has a name: The Righteous – Vincent and Dutch – locked in a sprawling, reality-bending feud with Matt and Jeff Hardy that’s already pulled in multiple versions of the Hardys themselves, threatened to tear open the “Broken Universe” once again, and constantly circles one towering shadow: the late Windham Rotunda, known to millions as Bray Wyatt. Over the course of our conversation, it becomes clear that this isn’t just another storyline for The Righteous. It’s a meditation on horror, creativity, grief, and the people they call “the Many” – their fans, their believers, and everyone who sees something of themselves in the madness. For more visit: https://www.soundspheremag.com/

TNA Wrestling's AJ Francis has managed to combine his love of music and wrestling into one persona. Be it within WWE or TNA, Francis has often been a highlight of any stable he's been part of, but after falling out with his last two tag-team partners, the leader of First Class is now going solo — and he's looking forward to it.  For more visit: https://www.soundspheremag.com/news/aj-francis-talks-tna-making-music-going-solo/

Is London still the centre for music journalism?  Music journalism is an extremely competitive field.  A platform for creatives to show off their talents from creative writing to cultural analysis on an array of multimedia platforms. On the surface, it may seem there is equal opportunity to kickstart a music journalism career in the UK – the constant emergence of up-and-coming bands to underground gigs and all between. However, is there a divide in the North and South of England regarding opportunity?   More here: https://www.soundspheremag.com/news/dr-simon-a-morrison-on-the-music-journalism-north-south-divide/

There’s a moment, tucked away in Lyra Valkyria’s story, that says more about her journey than any championship ever could. It doesn’t happen under the bright lights of WrestleMania, or with a title belt raised high. It happens in a small venue in Bray, Ireland, when she’s just starting out, waiting for her cue to step through the ropes. “I’ll never forget doing matches in Bray in Ireland, and the fear that I had of, like, I’m getting in next, you know, when I was just starting out, and honestly, that fear was way scarier than standing behind the curtain at WrestleMania.”   More at: https://www.soundspheremag.com/

#90salternative #00srock #a ‘ A’ have just announced details of their first studio album in over 20 years, PRANG. The alt.rock faves will follow-up 2005’s Teen Dance Ordinance on May 22 via Cooking Vinyl, with vocalist Jason Perry explaining of their mindset in putting it together: “There’s a messiness to it that allows our personality to come through — which is where the magic really happens. I don’t want anyone to put on an ‘A’ record and think it sounds like it was hard work making it. Life’s hard enough – there has to be fun in making music.” Get your limited-edition hand-signed copy of PRANG with K! x ‘A’ sticker Jason adds that, “By the end of ‘A’ in 2005, I felt like we didn’t have anything to say anymore. Now, I really do. We had to go and live a life. We’ve seen massive lows that we’ve helped each other through. This album is gratitude – gratitude for friendship, for still making music, for still being alive.” 

When Lizzy Rain hit WWE NXT, she didn’t arrive like a polished pop act. She came in like a riff: loud, raw, and unapologetically herself. A product of the UK indie wrestling scene—where she was known as Rayne Leverkusen—and a lifelong devotee of ’80s heavy metal, Lizzy has fused grit, theatre, and emotion into one of NXT’s most compelling new characters. Now, with a North American Championship challenge in her sights and a potential rivalry with Tatum Paxley looming, she stands at the centre of a new British wave crashing onto WWE’s US shores, alongside names like Mason Rook and Tristan Angels. For Lizzy, it’s not just about success—it’s about staying true to the outsider spirit that got her here in the first place. For more visit:  https://www.soundspheremag.com/

#progresswrestling #aewdynamite #hull Alexxis Falcon is the current Progress Wrestling Women's World Champion and is set to defend her title against the winner of the Super Strong Style 16 Tournament. Soundsphere sat down with Alexxis Falcon to discuss her time as champion, her journey to becoming a professional wrestler, and her pride in representing the city of Hull each time she walks to the ring. For more visit: https://www.soundspheremag.com/news/alexxis-falcon-on-progress-wrestling-hull/

#zachbraff #scrubs Zach Braff couldn’t be happier that his goofy “Scrubs” character, J.D. Dorian, has sprung back to life –the heartwarming comedy series has returned after 16 years. The sitcom’s original cast members, Donald Faison (who plays Christopher Turk), Sarah Chalke (Dr. Elliot Reid), John C. McGinley (Dr. Perry Cox) and Judy Reyes (head nurse Carla Espinosa) are also in the reboot. More here: https://www.soundspheremag.com/

#braywyatt #thejesusandmarychain #markcrozer There’s a moment, somewhere between Coachella and WrestleMania, between Oxford and Brooklyn, between a Brooklyn library job and a stage in front of 80,000 people, where Mark Crozer will look up and think: How the hell did I get here? He says it with a kind of gentle disbelief, the same way he talks about almost everything – from playing bass in The Jesus and Mary Chain to accidentally soundtracking one of WWE’s most iconic modern characters, to making the most honest record of his life in Homecoming. “I still can’t really believe that’s what I do,” he admits of his life as a touring musician. “Just flying around the world… it sometimes seems ridiculous. You spend 22, 23 hours getting to somewhere like Singapore, you play for an hour, and then you leave. And even that hour is uncertain – it can be incredible, or it can be a total mess. But that’s the job.” For a man who doesn’t consider himself a rock star – “I just work with people who are in that business,” he laughs – his story is stacked with the kind of moments most musicians secretly rehearse in their heads as teenagers. Only for Crozer, they didn’t arrive until his mid‑30s, when a certain cult Scottish shoegazing alt-rock band came calling. For more visit: https://www.soundspheremag.com/

#vampiro #jcwlunacy #wcw When I connect with Vampiro over Zoom, we’re already on brand before the interview even begins. His camera won’t work. Settings are broken, logo showing, no face. The man who spent decades wrapping himself in darkness, ritual and theatricality is now literally a disembodied voice. Somehow, it fits. We’re speaking ahead of what’s being billed as his final match at JCW StrangleMania – a farewell wrapped in Juggalo chaos, underground mythology and punk spirit. It’s happening in Las Vegas, at a casino, with a crowd that has followed him through generations, evolutions and reinventions. Physically, he’s hurting. Mentally, he’s buzzing. “My body is kind of a mess,” he admits. “I’m extremely limited on what I can do now, physically, I just can’t really, really do much, but my mind, I’m so excited.” [0:01:51] That tension – between a battered body and a still-burning mind – runs through his entire story. As we talk, it becomes clear that this last match isn’t just about one more pop from the crowd. It’s about loyalty, ritual, culture and, maybe most of all, authenticity. For more visit: https://www.soundspheremag.com/

As we catch up in 2026, Rich Fownes looks almost disarmingly at ease. No grimy backstage, no dim corridor outside a venue, no chaos humming just off-screen. For a man whose life has been built on high-volume, high-impact noise – Eighties Matchbox B-Line Disaster, Bad For Lazarus, a surreal spell inside the Nine Inch Nails universe – it’s strangely fitting that the most honest version of him so far emerges from a quiet domestic setting. “I am simply very content and happy right now,” he says, half-smiling. “And that feels like something I don’t even want to say, because it makes me feel so insecure… contrary to all the lyrics.” For more visit: https://www.soundspheremag.com/

There’s a particular kind of artist who always seems to stand at the threshold – between mainstream and underground, horror and heart, performance and confession. Over the last decade, David Dastmalchian has quietly become one of those figures: a shape‑shifting actor, writer and creative force who can slip from billion‑dollar blockbusters to deeply personal indie work, without ever losing sight of who he is or who he’s speaking to. Now, as he steps into one of pop culture’s most iconic villain roles – M. Bison in the upcoming Street Fighter film – Dastmalchian does so carrying a lifetime’s worth of darkness, recovery, curiosity and compassion. It’s the same emotional DNA that runs through his haunting new comic Through, and the same energy that’s made him, however reluctantly, a kind of modern horror icon. Someone put it to me recently that David is “the actor that brought goth to the mainstream and gave hope to millions of weirdos to find success and confidence within themselves.” He laughs when I repeat that to him. There’s gratitude there, but also a palpable discomfort. “It’s humbling. I don’t know if I agree,” he says. “I’m just a guy out here trying to do what he’s done, and I don’t want really anyone looking at me for any sense of example, because I make so many mistakes…” Still, as we talk, it becomes clear that underneath all the genre trappings and iconic roles, there’s something very simple driving him: the hope that a story, told honestly enough, might make someone feel less alone.   For more, visit: https://www.soundspheremag.com/features/interview-street-fighter-star-david-dastmalchian-finds-inspiration-to-move-through/

There aren’t many artists left who can genuinely say they’ve seen every side of the music industry and still sound hungry. Midge Ure is one of them. From Slik, Rich Kids and Visage, through fronting Ultravox at their most ambitious and co-writing one of the most recognisable charity singles of all time, to a long and winding solo career, Ure’s story is woven into the fabric of British music. He’s been a chart star, a bandleader, a solo artist, a charity organiser, a producer, a survivor. Yet as he prepares to head out on a substantial UK tour and release Just Words, a new project built around two distinct musical worlds – eight vocal songs and eight instrumentals, fused into one record – he doesn’t sound like someone easing into legacy mode. He sounds like an artist deliberately throwing himself into the deep end again. There’s excitement in his voice. There’s also something else: nerves. “No matter how often you’ve done this, and how many records you put out, it’s still flying by the seat of your pants,” he admits. “You’re not sure anyone’s going to like it or not, or get it or not, and especially after a 12-year period.” For a musician of Ure’s stature to admit that is oddly reassuring. It’s not that the fear goes away; it just becomes part of the fuel. For more visit: https://www.soundspheremag.com/

#tnawrestling #tatumpaxley #tna As of March 2026, Rosemary is currently involved in a dark, cinematic storyline in TNA Wrestling focused on the resurrection of her former "Demon Bunny" partner, Allie. After spending years apart following Allie's storyline "death" in 2019, the two have reunited for a quest involving the collection of the "Seven Deadly Sins" to restore Allie to life. For more on this story, visit: https://www.soundspheremag.com/

#robzombie #mötleycrüe #john5 There’s something uniquely fitting about talking to John 5 while he’s stood up and in motion. Even offstage, he radiates the restless energy of someone who would rather be playing than doing almost anything else, except for talking to us about how excited he is, of course! Right now, life is moving pretty bloody fast for the guitar legend who has performed with countless rock, alternative and metal greats, including Rob Zombie, David Lee Roth and oh yeah, Mötley Crüe! For more visit: https://www.soundspheremag.com/spotlight/john-5-precision…-joy-of-the-riff/

#altmetal #alternativerock #phoxjaw Dreem Weapons, one of the newest alternative metal bands in the UK, fully admit that their creative journey is fuelled by a lot of caffeine and approximately four hours’ sleep per night. In the space of a handful of months, the geographically scattered five-piece has rehearsed one weekend at a time. Members of Dreem Weapons, including vocalist Danny Garland, also known for his work in the band Phoxjaw, are dotted across the UK.  Rehearsals happen once a month. They are writing some of the most technically demanding material of their collective careers. There is no room for winging it. After years fronting the proggy, metal powerhouse of Phoxjaw, Dreem Weapons is more of a reset for Danny. “It feels like this band is just about making music,” Danny explains. “We’re not interested in being part of any scene. It’s about the art and the music.” That ethos runs through everything they do. For more visit: https://www.soundspheremag.com/ This unique five-piece made up of experienced musicians from all corners of the UK, have already defied all odds to bring this band to life. Self-sufficient, the band are heading out to new areas of the UK to bring this vison to life in support of ‘Angels Of Rain’ releasing February 27th 2026. The UK tour will be visiting … 5th March - Islington Mill / Salford 6th March - Dive HU5 / Hull 7th March - Mist Rolling Inn / Nottingham 8th March - Dead Wax / Nottingham

Soundsphere’s exclusive PROGRESS Wrestling interview with Shotzi Blackheart ahead of Women’s Super Strong Style 16, discussing her GCW deathmatches, UK wrestling, and horror-inspired persona. When PROGRESS Wrestling announced that Shotzi Blackheart would be entering the first-ever Women’s Super Strong Style 16 tournament, it was a historic moment for British wrestling. For those new to the British scene, PROGRESS Wrestling has been central to British wrestling since its founding in 2012. Known for its wild crowds and talent pipeline that has helped launch stars onto global stages, Super Strong Style 16 has long been its flagship tournament. This year’s Women’s edition represents a landmark evolution for the promotion, and Shotzi Blackheart is front and centre of the tournament. “This is pretty awesome,” she says, speaking ahead of her participation in the Women’s Super Strong Style 16. “It’s such a historic tournament, so it’s fantastic that women’s wrestling is in the spotlight for PROGRESS 2026. I’m completely humbled. I feel so good just to be a part of it.” For more visit: https://www.soundspheremag.com/news/progress-wrestling-exclusive-shotzi-blackheart/

#tnaimpact #tnawrestling #nxtna Total Nonstop Action broadcaster, Tom Hannifan gives Soundsphere his views on modern wrestling journalism, his favourite UK talent and much more in this revealing interview about TNA's new AMC era, the NXT/WWE partnership and his own career. For more visit: https://www.soundspheremag.com/news/tom-hannifan-talks-tnas-top-uk-talent-the-key-to-rosemarys-longevity-the-future-of-leon-slater/

Chris Jericho is set for an incredible year in 2026. Here, he chats to Soundsphere's Dom Smith about his plans for the rest of it, ageism in music and wrestling, his happiness and much more! For more visit: https://www.soundspheremag.com/spotlight/chris-jericho-discusses-fozzys-plans-for-2026-his-own-reinvention-as-an-artist-and-musician/

#tnaimpact #tnawrestling #amc Ryan Nemeth is an American professional wrestler, actor, and writer, known for his work in TNA (Total Nonstop Action) Wrestling as "The Hollywood Hunk," and as the brother of fellow wrestler Dolph Ziggler (Nic Nemeth). He's wrestled under various names like Briley Pierce, held titles in OVW and FCW, and gained recent prominence in TNA, especially after teaming with his brother, experiencing success like pinning Jeff Hardy. Key Aspects of His Career: Early Career: Trained at Ohio Valley Wrestling (OVW) and Florida Championship Wrestling (FCW), winning tag team championships in both. Ring Names: Known as Briley Pierce (WWE developmental) and Ryan Nemeth (main roster/indies). TNA Wrestling: Joined TNA, finding significant success, including tag team gold with his brother. Recent Success: Felt his success was growing with TNA's partnership with AMC and growth in viewership, as noted in early 2025. Brotherly Bond: His partnership with his brother Dolph Ziggler (Nic Nemeth) was a successful experiment in TNA.

Rick Maguire of Pile chats to Soundsphere's Dom Smith about the impact of the band's earlier material, the power of protest songs and much more!

Soundsphere’s Christina Brennan chats to actor, director and comedian Kevin Smith about the 25th anniversary of his iconic film Dogma (1999). It’s been twenty-five – or as Kevin Smith jokes, “twenty-six, but like the Catholic Church, we stretch our truth a little” – years since the release of Dogma. The film’s brilliant and eye-catching blend of theology, satire, and slapstick first satirized Catholic theology, and scandalized the devout, and delighted cinephiles in equal measure. Now returning to cinemas for its anniversary release, Dogma remains a lightning rod for debates about faith on film and the limits of free speech. When I catch up with Smith over Zoom, he’s relaxed and sipping from a giant mug emblazoned with “Clerks Forever” (a nod to the film that cemented his place in indie cinema history). He’s just wrapped a U.S. tour celebrating Dogma’s re-release, and though he’s older and mellower, he’s still the same compelling storyteller he’s always been. More here: https://www.soundspheremag.com/features/interviews/kevin-smith-on-faith-satire-and-25-years-of-dogma-1999

Princess Goes is a band that defies easy labels. Rooted in the art-rock tradition associated with New York, the trio crafts music that blends synth-driven textures with a theatrical sensibility that reflects their shared history on the theatre stage, both as a trio and as individual musicians. More here:   https://www.soundspheremag.com/spotlight/inside-the-world-of-princess-goes/

Have a Nice Life are on Mancunian soil. A touchstone moment in their 25 year existence, Outbreak Fest provides the setting for their long-awaited, yet inevitable encounter with an artistic home from home.  Full chat here: https://www.soundspheremag.com/features/gaining-a-second-life-have-a-nice-life-discuss-manchester-tiktok-ai/

Bush's Gavin Rossdale talks 90s nostalgia and present day inspirations with Soundsphere's Océane Adams. Read more at https://www.soundspheremag.com/

#greetdeath “Pain and loss. Everyone feels it; it’s a very human thing. At the end of the day, we’re lucky to lose people we care about.”  Interviewer: Dom Smith This quote comes from Logan Gaval of Greet Death, a Michigan based shoegazing/slowcore leaning rock band formed by two lifelong friends. Logan Gaval and Harper Boyhtari debuted this band in 2011, and they return this month with their third album, Die in Love. Their first album in six years. Release is set for Friday, June 25th, 2025. In this album they tackle the difficult sides of humanity- living knowing that we will one day die, and loving, knowing that we will one day lose it all. Yet despite these deep themes, it’s their most uplifting album yet.   “It is our duty to experience loss and people don't like hearing that. But yeah, life is hell. I'm sorry if I'm the first person to tell you that, and it's difficult, but it's still worth doing. There's still joy to be had.”  Greet Death is a diverse group in terms of genres, covering shoegaze to classic rock. They’ve toured with Say Anything, Low Animal and Clearbody, and Prize Horse. Coming up this fall, they will be joining Nation of Language as a supporting act. To mix with all these different bands, Gaval attributes it to necessity.   “I think that's not really something that's our design. We don't get a ton of opportunities to open for bands, so the reason why the support tours that we get are so different is because when we get an offer, we pretty much have to say yes, right? You know, our influences are pretty eclectic. And I think it has a mixture of shoegaze, and classic rock like Guns and Roses. And then it has a mixture of Nirvana and modern such as Cloak Room. I don't know, earlier Spirit of the Beehive. So, I don't know. I mean, I think we do a lot of things.  I think maybe that's why. But I do think the actual answer is because we don't have a lot of opportunities.”  Photo credits: Kat Nijmeddin Gaval used to define success as being measured by the dollar, although he admitted that in that regard, the band is an abject failure. For a long time, he thought that he couldn’t consider himself a real musician unless he was making all his money from touring.   “Since we put out New Low, I’ve reprioritized a lot of things... I think the true measure of success is whoever is having the most fun. If having fun were dollars, then I’d probably still be a failure. So, I’m trying to have the most fun out of making music, because it’s unbelievable what we’re able to do and it’s a huge blessing...  “What makes everything worth it is performing for people who care... I’m incredibly lucky to get to trudge through hell to bring our music to people that care.”   After years of touring, the band has seen firsthand how deeply their audience connects to their music. Themes of home and alienation, love and death, all through a lenses of humour and catharsis, make this a secure safety blanket for fans.   “I wanted to try to write something less fatalistic, because I feel some kind of responsibility to help,” says Logan.  “I'm a blue, angry, lonely, confused person. And so, every time I try to write happy songs, they come out hella bad. So, this is a journey that I've been on ever since New Low, trying to write a happy song, an uplifting song that doesn't have some tinge of, like, nihilism or pessimism. Some people would say it's not important. I would strongly disagree. The words you put into the world are important, the sound of the words and the meaning of the words.”  Die in Love's Cover Art, credits: Olivia Sullivan Illustration,  Keeley Laures Gaval said that he pushed away any expectations for the album before its release. It’s a lie he tells himself to avoid any disappointment, but as a human, there are still things he hopes fans take away from the album.  “I would like a lot of people to hear the record and enjoy it. I’m so close to the project, at this point I can only hear mistakes. I hope that Pitchfork reviews it positively, so that more people will hear it and connect with it, and then more people will join the Greet Death subreddit.”  Although there are currently no scheduled UK tour dates, Gaval promises to UK fans that the band is on their way.  “What I'd like to leave everyone with is, try your best to get rid of your delusional perspective of what success is, because it's straight up not real and you're going to be broke no matter what. So, if your idea is like, ‘All I want is to tour all the time and make all my money through music and have a career in music,’ the things that you're going to have to do and the kind of person you're going to have to become to get to that point... you basically have to be a bug.”

Nothing hits harder than life, as they say, and the series of bloody-knuckle bouts to get to the release of Yours, With Malice led to some deep introspection by YOUTH CODE regarding who they are, what they’ve accomplished and their next steps. “I think a lot of people’s stories during the pandemic were about self-reflection, but the ironic thing is we were already in a state of reemergence and re-imagination of self before the rest of the world was forced to do it,” says Ryan George. “We took time and began to workshop and demo vocals on some of the material we had. We never stop writing and are sitting on a mountain of tracks that we can rework and tweak. Not having deadlines surrounding us and in no hurry to get our material out there, all of a sudden the partnership with Sumerian arrived. That sort of ignited a fire and got us to where we are now.” These last few years of self-reflection found YOUTH CODE stewing in a simmering cauldron of bile and vitriol as Yours, With Malice is clearly their most intricate, well-crafted and blood-thirsty release to date and their first offering for Sumerian Records. Sumerian Vice President Julien O'Neill adds: "YOUTH CODE have long been a commanding voice in both electronic and heavy music, and we are incredibly honoured to welcome them to Sumerian Records with the announcement of their latest release, 'Yours, With Malice'. We believe this marks a powerful new chapter in their already illustrious career and are excited for what the future will bring for both new and longtime fans alike." While some of the sounds and references on Yours… come from classic 90s influences such as Nine Inch Nails’ classic Broken/Fixed duality, the untouchable middle period Ministry era that spawned The Mind is a Terrible Thing to Taste, in addition to a plethora of others like Front 242, Cabaret Voltaire, and Portion Control, the core attack has not changed much for the Los Angeles-based duo. If the music of YOUTH CODE is the sketchy, yellowing passenger van luring in unsuspecting listeners, then the melodies on Yours… are the out-stretched hand of unlimited candy that growing legions won’t be able to resist. Sara Taylor shares: “I started exploring more melodic vocals on our record with King Yosef [the 2021 collab A Skeleton Key in the Doors of Depression], but I’ve always felt somewhat insecure in my voice… At the same time, Eartha Kitt had a gravelly voice and she was the epitome of a vocalist that ably captured attention – she understood the song and how to make the most of it with what she had.” What has changed is YOUTH CODE's attention to detail and their hyper focus on execution in songwriting, two things that can only come from the wellspring of knowledge found in a band that has been at it for more than a decade. The group began in 2012 as a project between partners George and Taylor, inspired by the classic sounds of New Order, Depeche Mode and the hardcore punk that soundtracked so much of their youth. What emerged was a demo cassette that led to a 7” release on Angry Love, the first band unrelated to the legendary Psychic TV to be released on that label. A self-titled album followed, then 2014’s A Place to Stand EP, and 2016’s Commitment to Complications LP, all while touring with a diverse groups like Chelsea Wolfe, HEALTH, Skinny Puppy, and more, in addition to arena shows with My Chemical Romance and main stage appearances with Nine Inch Nails. Heaps of press accolades followed before the pandemic hit, and now, in 2025, YOUTH CODE return with their magnum opus.

The 10 song “Microtonic”, recorded with long-term band collaborator Alex Greaves and featuring guest appearances from Sydney Minsky Sargeant of Working Men’s Club and Olivesque of Nightbus, is unquestionably a bold leap for the group, who have embraced a fuller spectrum of tones and atmospheres. “I felt very constrained writing a certain type of music to fit the genre [we were known for] but something lifted and I felt more free to create what I want,” says Ryan. “And what I seem to be doing at the moment is a lot of electronic music – taking influence from different spans of electronica, from dance music to ambient and more experimental sources.” Bdrmm’s trademark sound hasn’t disappeared by any means, the band’s more guitar-heavy beginnings a blueprint and influence on many of the groups breaking through in the here and now, a time when shoegaze is enjoying its strongest revival since its inception in the 80s, but those guitars are now incorporated into a broader, more expansive and varied sonic palette. “Microtonic” follows 2023’s “I Don’t Know”, an album that arrived to critical acclaim with the likes of Consequence calling it “one of their most enticing successes yet” and Rolling Stone UK describing it as “a chaotic, thrilling evolution”. The lead single “It’s Just A Bit Of Blood” was also playlisted on BBC Radio 6 Music, and Brooklyn Vegan made the record their Album Of The Week saying that “I Don’t Know” saw them “not only avoid the sophomore slump but deliver a second album that is miles better their debut.” “Microtonic” will be available on digital, CD, classic black LP and on indie stories exclusive coloured LP. You can pre-order the album now via Rock Action: bdrmm.lnk.to/microtonic

The Horrors are a band that you cannot pin down to one genre, and bassist/producer Rhys Webb confirms that.  “I certainly don’t believe in any musical boundaries, and I think that’s always been the ethos of the band, and there’s never any limits, or rules or any right or wrongs of what we should do.”   More here: https://www.soundspheremag.com/features/the-horrors-rhys-webb-talks-about-the-new-record-night-life-in-store-shows-and-20-years-of-the-band/

#bowlingforsoup #jaretreddick #wembley Bowling For Soup are Wembley bound! They've headlined festivals, sold out shows the world over, and have never been more popular in their three decades as a band; Now the Texan pop punk legends are headlining a show at one of London's most famous arenas for the first time.   Bowling For Soup will hit the stage at OVO Arena Wembley on the 13th of December 2025. "BFS" will be bringing all the hits - Girl All The Bad Guys Want, 1985, High School Never Ends, Phineas & Ferb and so many more. They're also bringing a fantastic supporting cast of Wheatus (who will be celebrating the 25th anniversary of their debut album) while cover superstars Punk Rock Factory will get the party started. It is set to be a perfect pre-Christmas night out for rock and pop punk fans of all ages. Tickets will go on general sale at 10am on Friday 31 January and will be available from: AEGPRESENTS.CO.UK | AXS.COM | TICKETMASTER.CO.UK Here's Bowling For Soup frontman Jaret Reddick on the excitement of their upcoming first London arena headline show: "Wembley…What can I say?!? When we first started playing the UK in 2000, you could never have told me that one day, we would be headlining the coveted Wembley Arena! More over, that it would take us 30 years to get there!! I don’t have a bucket list anymore. My dreams have all come true. I have a beautiful family, I’m still making people smile, and the future is bright. But let’s just say there is a little part of me that still has some things to mark off…Wembley is at the top." Prior to the OVO Arena Wembley show, Bowling For Soup will be in the UK in February 2025, finishing the celebrations of the 20th anniversary of their celebrated hit album A Hangover You Don't Deserve. The tour, which is almost completely sold out, is playing arenas and venues all across the UK. Full details and last tickets for that tour are available from the Bowling For Soup official website: https://www.bowlingforsoup.com/

When Stin (bass) spoke with Soundsphere in June 2024, the band were preparing for a highly-anticipated set at Outbreak Festival. Now, in the run-up to a 3 month tour spanning North America and Europe, Soundsphere is joined by Luther Manhole (guitar) and Raygun Busch (vocals).  Contrary to his name, Manhole joins the Zoom call in what looks like a cozy home studio. Then comes Busch, right on time, adjusting his vertical iPhone frame as he moves from one room to another. While Cap’n Ron (drums) remains MIA, Stin is busy mixing and mastering the band’s upcoming collaborative project. As anticipated, there’s a stark contrast between band and sound. Both Manhole and Busch emanate a conversation-between-friends dynamic that, if I were to stereotype, speaks to a Midwestern friendliness.  Based in Oklahoma City, the band formed out of a “bad movie night.” The quartet had previously played in separate bands across OKC’s small independent scene, but Chat Pile is the first to gain major success. The band’s relationship with Oklahoma is a complicated one; over the decades, it has grounded and grinded them in simultaneity.  Manhole: “Some people have to stay, right? A lot of people relate to this. You live in a place that sucks but you also kinda love it.” For a band whose identity is centred around Oklahoma, particularly the things about it which “suck”, love manifests in curious ways. Take, for example, their striking record sleeves; signifiers of authority - detention centres obscured by pylons, a colossal Christian cross overlooking a retail park - provide psychogeographical insights into America’s ‘Bible Belt’. Chat Pile’s music seeks to unearth the darker histories beneath these conservative landscapes, scoring ideological resistance under a brutal concoction of noise rock and sludge metal.  Lyrically, Busch explores the breakdown of the social contract, its trickle-down effects on the average citizen. Systemic failures are often elaborated through gruesome depictions of the human body, packaging the quotidian violence of American life  - both symbolic and physical - into microscopic case studies.  It’s impossible to talk about the band’s style and purpose without referring to cinema, Busch being a devout cinephile. One of his ‘truth about life’ films, Killer of Sheep (1979), expresses a similar sentiment in relation to Black life and its fungibility. Systems of racism, exploitation, and cultural displacement, as inherent to America as cowboys and milkshakes, are laid bare in relation to burgeoning Black fatalism.  Prominent cinematic influences also include Mike Leigh, forgotten B-Movies, and of course, horror cinema. With Killer of Sheep, it’s clear how, exactly, Chat Pile has transposed similar ideas into sonic form. The role of social masking is one such idea, all mainline projects - excluding This Dungeon Earth (2019) - including a mask-related song. “It’s a word I like,” Busch confirms, “a motif I enjoy, and it has many meanings - societal masks, literal masks, horror masks.” More here: https://www.soundspheremag.com/spotlight/this-is-all-so-fleeting-chat-pile-talk-empathy-success-and-upcoming-projects/

Happy Holidays to all of the Epic community!    Major thank you to Armando, Steven and Luke for speaking with Oceane Adams for this podcast.    Epic: The Ithaca Saga will be available on all streaming platforms this Christmas, don't forget to listen!    Check out previously released sagas and follow Jorge on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/2kdmTOXncgNHSuYVMhdd5I?si=Ht2bSnjyRomuGn-MJj6KBw    You can check out my written Epic pieces and other works on Soundsphere here: https://www.soundspheremag.com/author/oceane/    Luke's twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/Lukeholtofficial Luke's TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@lukeholtofficial?lang=en    Steven's TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@stevendookie    Armando's TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@elnegroficialpr?refer=creator_embed   Album Art by @artofzwist

#eightiesmatchboxblinedisaster #rock #alternativerock Buy a ticket to the PSYCHIC CINEMA and you’ll find ten dreams to decode. Ten fragments to articulate the human condition. Its paranoia and exhilaration. Its beautiful contradiction. Ten shots at understanding the complexities of one's own identity and purpose. Sym had his 1st acting experience this year, playing a frantic Headmaster in a new Troma movie, Eating Miss Campbell. Seeing himself be someone else onscreen was weirdly profound and has guided his songwriting, generating mental images of a life experienced through music. A vivid collage of worries and celebrations, obsessions and dreams. Take your seat and watch it unfold into an intimate yet widescreen snapshot of a chaotic life in Britain today. Cos in your dreams, anything goes - but hard truths lurk in those ludicrous visions. And maybe decoding your demons and desires keeps you one step ahead of the past, allowing it to be recast it as a pedestal of power, a signpost to progress and happiness, to peace and love. “Primitive Ignorant is my need to unravel and examine my sense of Britishness and belonging; via people and music, politics and football; from failure to celebration. Coming from a different country and growing up in an aspirational family on a London estate, seeing the world with bands and now, as a parent, newly transplanted to Manchester, where it all feels different again. New scenery, people and music to reframe how I view myself and how I’m seen by others. Always the same, always different.” – Symren Gharial The same is true of PSYCHIC CINEMA’s musical heritage. The first album had help from friends like Joe Talbot and Mick Jones. This time, Sym has overcome frontman anxiety to step up to the mic for most of the vocals. His touchstones remain - always bass first - but every great record he assimilates expands what Primitive Ignorant can be. Lately that’s been Young Fathers, Yves Tumor, Nadine Shah, Algiers, Ghostpoet, Ghost Town, Weatherall, Ashnikko, Warmduscher and Viagra Boys. And, as always, Sandinista and Iggy Pop (who inspired both POWER and the album’s cover snap by Mr Steve Gullick, a nod to Lust For Life’s sleeve). For more visit: https://primitiveignorant.bandcamp.com/

In our latest Band Spotlight, Dom chats to Miami-based shoegaze and alternative rock standouts Palomino Blond (Carli Acosta and Peter Allen) about the band's forthcoming album, 'You Feel It Too' (out October 4th via Kanine Records).  --- Find out more about the band below: Palomino Blond are an up-and-coming independent rock band that’s both a product of and an alternative to their native Miami locale. The trio of Carli Acosta (guitar/lead vocals - they/them), Emma Arevalo (drums/vocals - she/they) and Peter Allen (guitar - he/him) will release their sophomore album You Feel It Too on October 4, 2024, on Kanine Records (Surfer Blood, Blushing). It’s a dynamic collection heavily influenced by both ‘90s alt-rock and the not-as-obvious sounds of their surroundings. With a DIY ethos and lots of big guitars, Palomino Blond have gone from heroes of the house-show circuit to darlings of the regional cognoscenti. With a stout, multi-dimensional sound whose prism spans grunge, shoegaze and dream pop, they’ve got all the right influences. But, while Palomino Blond are acolytes of the ‘90s, their music is no basic redux. Instead, they’re part of a surging young class that’s bringing new blood, perspective and verve to give the classic alternative rock aesthetic a distinctly 21st century resonance. About the album: The 11-track You Feel It Too isn’t just Palomino Blond’s most extensive work to date but also their most honed. There are some heavy emotions in here, but they’re woven in a dynamic duality of heavy and heavenly. Lush reinterpreting Siamese Dream might sound like this. It doesn’t completely escape its surroundings either. Miami bass sounds and electronic music influence sneaks in, with synths and electronic drum samples found on “It Kills Me,” “Machine,” “Automatic” and “Plain View.” You Feel It Too was produced by Palomino Blond along with engineering from Ryan Haft (Jacuzzi Boys, Wrong, Torche), Jonathan Nuñez (of Torche) and the band themselves – mastered by Dan Coutant (A Giant Dog, Jawbox, Fiddlehead). Taken together, these songs are a deep swim in thick, plush waters at once cradling and crushing. Dive in, get swept, maybe even succumb for good. --- Find out more about the band below: Palomino Blond are an up-and-coming independent rock band that’s both a For more on the band, visit: https://www.instagram.com/palomino_blond/ https://palominoblond.bandcamp.com/album/you-feel-it-too  

#minecraft #blacklitedistrict #rock Music saved Kyle Pfeiffer’s life.  Growing up in the shadow of his family's struggle with addiction, including the tragic loss of his mother to an overdose when he was just nine, Kyle himself battled through depths of addiction that few could comprehend. But amidst the turmoil, his alter ego, Blacklite District, emerged as a beacon of light, bringing balance to his chaotic world.   Hailing from suburban Chicago and finding his footing in Spearfish, South Dakota, Kyle's journey with music began earlier than most in his small town. "I got my first drum set when I was seven," he reminisces, thanks to his grandma's Fleetwood Mac VHS tape that sparked his obsession. Ozzy Osbourne's 'No More Tears' became his solace during those years of grief. "That song became my refuge," he reflects. "I've been hooked on music ever since." By his teenage years, Kyle was fully immersed in the art and business of music, studying its nuances and navigating the industry's changing landscape. He fused his love for rock with influences from rap and EDM, experimenting with sound and honing his craft. Blacklite District's rise was meteoric, marked by chart-topping hits like "With Me Now" in 2014 and "Cold As Ice" in 2018,  Tracks like "Falling" and "Wishing Dead" continued to captivate audiences, showcasing Kyle's evolution as an artist.   An avid collector of Pokémon memorabilia and a Minecraft enthusiast himself, Kyle discovered a unique channel through which he could connect with his audience: gaming. Collaborating with Minecraft content creators, he unleashed creative music videos, propelling him to fame with the 2018 hit "Cold As Ice." The track amassed over 100 million streams and peaked at number 35 on Billboard's Mainstream Rock Chart.  This fusion of gaming culture with his music transformed his live performances into vibrant festivals, where gaming, meet-and-greets, and music seamlessly intertwined. Blacklite District's rise was meteoric, marked by chart-topping hits like "With Me Now" in 2014 and "Cold As Ice" in 2018.  Tracks like "Falling" and "Wishing Dead" continued to captivate audiences, showcasing Kyle's evolution as an artist.  In 2021, Kyle took a reflective turn with autobiographical tracks like "Live Another Day" and "To Live Is To Suffer," delving into his personal struggles and triumphs.  His 2022 release entitled 1990 was a return to his Rock roots, and at the close of that year, he added more tracks, making it 1990 XL. Added tracks like “Worldwide Controversy” and “I Gambled and I Won” showcase songs of both trauma and triumph, displaying a clear evolution to Blacklite District’s sound, while still providing a sonic journey for new and old fans alike. “I’d like to do this with all of my previous projects,” he explains. “Adding more songs as an XL edition. It’s a nice way to show how far I’ve come.” Now, in 2024, Kyle returns with renewed vigor, promising an authentic experience for both new and returning listeners. With his music as his compass, he embarks on a new chapter, staying true to the credo that has guided him from the beginning: to provide genuine and compelling music for all who tune in. Check out this interview here: https://www.soundspheremag.com/  

When Soundsphere last spoke with AWOLNATION, ‘Sail’ was the sleeper hit of 2011. The career of frontman and founder Aaron Bruno was changed forever, giving way to a smooth wind of success that has been maintained since. Catching up with Soundsphere in 2024, Bruno is preparing for another transformative period; one in which AWOLNATION is perhaps no more.  Read the full feature here: https://www.soundspheremag.com/spotlight/aaron-bruno-comments-on-awolnations-success-the-phantom-five-and-growing-up-as-an-artist/    

In this brand new interview, we chat to Music Venue Trust's Mark Davyd about the organisation's goals for the brand new Cohort tour, and much more.  Ahead of the release of his EP ‘Dead Forever’, the enigmatic, genre-bending alt rock/metal artist, Kid Brunswick, will embark on the inaugural MVT Cohorts tour, coming to Key Club in Leeds on August 10th. The fourteen-date tour will also include gigs at Grassroots Music Venues in Dundee, Stoke-on-Trent, Huddersfield, Swansea and Southampton before ending at Camden’s Underworld on August 21st. The MVT Cohorts tour, organised by the charity Music Venue Trust (MVT), is a new initiative aiming to combat the shrinking tour circuit. Increased costs of touring, including fuel, accommodation and transport, and uncertainty about the impact of the cost-of-living crisis on ticket sales, are forcing artists, agents and managers to reduce the financial risks associated with playing extensive nationwide tours. As a result, tours are focusing on major cities and missing out Grassroots Music Venues in hundreds of towns, rural areas and smaller cities across the country; established grassroots venues are no longer being offered touring artists; music fans are no longer able to see their favourite artists, or discover new ones, without travelling to the major cities.  The MVT Cohorts project will underwrite the costs of the shows, ensuring that both the artists and venues receive a guaranteed fee, removing the financial uncertainty that comes with extending tours in the UK to reach secondary and tertiary markets, thereby allowing the artists to diversify their tours and play outside the major cities and the venues to programme diverse and varied gigs.  Speaking about the tour Kid Brunswick said “These days, the high costs of everything make it challenging to plan tours beyond major cities, which is really frustrating. Musicians should have the chance to perform nationwide, and fans should be able to enjoy live music without travelling long distances to major cities. Thanks to Music Venue Trust, I've been able to perform in smaller towns I wouldn't have reached otherwise. This tour is amazing, I’m extremely grateful to have this opportunity to play nationwide.”  For future tours MVT will organise Grassroots Music Venues into ‘Cohorts’ - networks of venues each with its own distinctive identity, facility or approach but which all share a common theme and goal to support touring artists and development. A ‘Cohort’ might denote a group of venues that specialise in certain musical genres, reflect venues with a unique production style, such as seated atmospheric or small capacity, or have specific audience demographics that are underserved. Each ‘Cohort’ will form a preset and agreed touring opportunity which artists, agents, managers and promoters can tap into to support tours reaching those areas currently being left behind, helping to prioritise places and communities most in need of cultural investment.  Mark Davyd, CEO and Founder Music Venue Trust, said “Everyone in the grassroots sector is talking about the huge decline in artist touring. This is the essential lifeblood of grassroots music venues, and Music Venue Trust is determined to show that the enthusiasm for live music, especially new and original live music, is still as strong as ever. We’ve got to fight back against the concept that live music will only be available in major cities in huge arenas at prices out of reach to most music fans. I’m often asked what music fans can do to support the campaign to keep music live in our communities. Here’s the answer: Get out and see an MVT Cohorts show and let’s prove to the music industry that live music still belongs to all of us.”   MVT Cohorts x Kid Brunswick tour dates: 5/8 Beat Generator, Dundee 6/8 Ivory Blacks, Glasgow 7/8 The Cluny 2, Newcastle 8/8 Bootleg Social, Blackpool 10/8 Key Club, Leeds 11/8 Rebellion, Manchester 12/8 Exchange, Bristol 13/8 Parish, Huddersfield 15/8 The Sugarmill, Stoke 16/8 Sin City, Swansea 17/8 The Horn, St Albans 18/8 The Joiners, Southampton 20/8 The Forum, Tunbridge Wells 21/8 The Underworld, London Music Venue Trust is a UK registered charity which acts to protect, secure, and improve the UK's Grassroots Music Venues. Created in January 2014, Music Venue Trust aims to secure the long-term future of GMVs in England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland, whether they are iconic venues such as Hull Adelphi, Exeter Cavern, The 100 Club, Band on the Wall, King Tut’s, and Clwb Ifor Bach, or lesser-known venues that are equally important to their geographical or musical community. These venues play a crucial role in the development of British music, nurturing local talent, providing a platform for artists to build their careers and develop their music and their performance skills. MVT works to gain recognition of the essential role these venues fulfil, not only for artist development but also for the cultural and music industries, the economy, and local communities. The geographical spread of GMVs provides access to live music, for both performers and audience members, in many locations that do not have alternative cultural venues. The charity provides advice to the government, the cultural sector, and the music industry on issues impacting GMVs and is the nominated representative that speaks on behalf of the Music Venues Alliance, an association of venues from across the UK.

True to name, Peter Hook & The Light (formed in 2010) illuminates a catalogue left to collect dust. With the colourful electronics of New Order came resistance to the band’s past life as Manchester’s finest post-punks. Upon splitting for good in 2007, Hook sought to reverse this trajectory through The Light. Consequently, the atmosphere of their shows is one of pure celebration; from Ian Curtis to Tony Wilson, Rob Gretton to Martin Hannett, Factory folklore comes positively to life.  More here: https://www.soundspheremag.com/features/peter-hook-talks-substance-longevity-and-his-favourite-new-order-lp/

#leeds #thehowlandthehum #indierock Dom Smith talks to Sam Griffiths about moving on from the old version of The Howl and The Hum, to form something new, and beautiful on the new album 'Same Mistake Twice'. We talk Sam's personal, and artistic inspirations, and much more. The Howl & The Hum, the project helmed by Leeds-based songwriter Sam Griffiths, have released the bracing & honest new single ‘No Calories In Cocaine’; the second track taken from the much-anticipated second album, ‘Same Mistake Twice’ which will be released on 6th September via Miserable Disco. A searching, confessional slice of alt-folk that conjures the bleak, lo-fi introspection of Bill Callahan before erupting into Flaming Lips-fuelled synth-pop delirium, ‘No Calories In Cocaine’’s nervous energy and short but sweet runtime belie the struggle, pain and chaos of a tumultuous few years for Griffiths. As a follow up to The Howl & The Hum’s 2020 debut, the awkwardly titled ‘Human Contact’, ‘Same Mistake Twice’ is Griffiths confronting all the monumental and life-changing challenges that have since been thrown his way. From the original incarnation of the band breaking up in front of his eyes to living through the pandemic and wrestling with the uncertainties of a creative future, ‘Same Mistake Twice’ is 12 tracks of Griffiths’ most direct and disarming work to date. Unafraid to air his anxieties in public, Griffiths explores the idea of image, including the ones we project and the not-so-secret impressions that others have of us, as he ultimately asks of himself; am I a good person? As somewhat blatantly evidenced in ‘No Calories In Cocaine’, the answer is a complicated ‘no’, but the strength behind asking questions like that marks that crucial first step towards redemption, liberation and regrowth. Having worked with like-minded songwriters Elanor Moss and Matthew Herd (Seafarers) alongside producer Joseph Futak (Tapir!, Lilo), Griffiths’ channels the frank, raw energy of the likes of Big Thief and Phoebe Bridgers through the self-reflective candour of country greats such as John Prine and Townes Van Zandt to create a work of staggering musical highs and lows that serves as the perfect companion to his captivating tales of late night euphoria and everyday existential dread. In being honest to a fault, Griffiths’ finds kinship and comfort in the chaos of modern life; because, at the end of the day, haven’t we all made the same mistake twice somewhere along the way? ‘Same Mistake Twice’ is set for release September 6th 2024. Sam Griffiths (The Howl & The Hum) on ‘No Calories in Cocaine’: “ This is a song about the lengths we go to lie to ourselves. It was partially written on the stagger-back from a night out, with some lines taken from actual excuses I had given myself, and the dawning realisation that maybe some of my reasoning wasn’t as solid as I thought.” Live Dates: 13 NOV | Gorilla, Manchester 14 NOV | King Tut’s, Glasgow 15 NOV | Leeds Irish Centre, Leeds 16 NOV | O2 institute 3, Birmingham 18 NOV | The Lantern, Bristol 19 NOV | Lafayette, London 21 NOV, Muziekgieterij, Maastricht 22 NOV | Luxor, Cologne 24 NOV | Trix Club, Antwerp 25 NOV | Paradiso Tolhuistuin, Amsterdam 26 NOV | Das Bett, Frankfurt 28 NOV | Hole 44, Berlin 29 NOV | Molotov, Hamburg Image: Stewart Baxter

#span #massdistraction #london Rock band SPAN return with long-awaited reunion through 2024, including their first and final UK show in over 20 years at the O2 Academy Islington, London. By arrangement with SJM Concerts and Solo Agency, tickets go on sale this Friday (19 July) at 10am BST via https://tix.to/spanldn. SPAN was widely known for their energetic live performances and catchy rock anthems. They were one of the most popular rock bands in Norway from the early 2000s and dominated live venues and festivals both at home and abroad. SPAN recently made a comeback with two concerts at Rockefeller in Oslo, both of which sold out instantly. On Monday 23 September, they will play their first and final show in the UK in 20 years at O2 Islington Academy, London. The early 2000s was a golden age in Norwegian rock. SPAN had spent 10 years on the road both in Norway and the UK, when they released their debut album Mass Distraction in 2004. The album went gold in Norway and was well received by both fans and critics. SPAN was hailed as a Norwegian success story with an international appeal. This was confirmed by record deals with Island Records in the UK and Interscope in the US. Mass Distraction was produced by Foo Fighters producer Gil Norton and mixed by Kevin Shirley, who has produced everything from Aerosmith to Iron Maiden. SPAN spent way too many hours in the rehearsal room to become the tightest rock band on the scene. And even though the Norwegian cred-police had their reservations with the band’s lack of tattoos and their stellar work ethic, hundreds of sold out shows with screaming fans spoke for itself. Everyone had their own opinions about the band, and they got a lot of press coverage, both home and abroad, in magazines like NME, Rolling Stone and Kerrang. After 15 years of sweaty backstages, thousands of miles in the van and too many signed boobs, the band split up in 2005. Now they are doing a reunion through 2024 - and doing their very last round in the ring, ending for good in Trondheim, Norway in October.  Find out more here: https://www.soundspheremag.com/news/span-reflects-on-first-and-final-european-tour-in-two-decades/

#BrayWyatt  Acclaimed artist Kyle Scarborough speaks to Dom Smith about his music taste, approach to tattooing, and creating the concept for what would eventually become The Fiend in WWE, with his friend Windham Rotunda. Here, Kyle shares some of his favourite memories of working with Bray, and we also get his thoughts on the WWE at present, including Uncle Howdy and The Wyatt Sicks.  Kyle also goes into the creative process behind more of his work, his opportunities in AEW with Malakai Black and The House of Black + so much more.  For more on Kyle's work, visit:  https://www.facebook.com/kyleascarborough https://www.instagram.com/scarborough.studio/ 

Highly Suspect, the trailblazing rock outfit comprised of Johnny Stevens [vocals, guitar], Ryan Meyer [drums, vocals], Rich Meyer [bass, vocals], Matt Kofos [guitar], and Mark Schwartz [keyboards/guitars], are gearing up to unleash their latest opus, LP As Above, So Below. Known for defying conventions and embracing their own sonic instincts, this forthcoming album promises to continue the band's tradition of pushing boundaries and challenging the status quo within the rock genre. With As Above, So Below, Highly Suspect invites listeners on a sonic journey that blends their trademark gritty guitars, haunting piano melodies, and off-kilter synths with a newfound sense of introspection and exploration. This album is poised to captivate both longtime fans and newcomers alike with its raw energy and thought-provoking lyricism. To celebrate the news of forthcoming As Above, So Below, Highly Suspect is unveiling the first single, "Summertime Voodoo." "If my life is a book, then this album is the first chapter that truly addresses the central conflict," says Johnny Stevens. "The recognition of an ego, the problems its caused - and the birth of its death. “As Above, So Below.” If I’m being real, I hit rock bottom again. After another close call with death, I feel wide awake. I don’t know how the book ends yet, but I’m very engaged in the plot now. I’d rather it not end at all. For the past few years I don’t think I gave a shit one way or the other. Like Thom once said - “for a minute there I lost myself.” - “Summertime Voodoo” is the introductory paragraph to this chapter. We didn’t know which song to put out first, so this time, instead of trying to guess which one sounds most like a single, we just decided it makes the most sense to start at the top of the story."   In addition to the new track, Highly Suspect will embark on a select series of tour dates across the United States this summer. These highly anticipated shows promise to be electrifying experiences, as the band will play the entire As Above, So Below LP from front to back at these intimate shows. Find more information and tickets HERE. HIGHLY SUSPECT LIVE July 24 - Memphis, TN - Growlers July 25 - St. Louis, MO - Delmar Hall July 26 - Chicago, IL - Outset July 27 - Flint, MI - The Machine Shop July 29 - Detroit, MI - El Club August 1 - Asbury Park, NJ - The Stone Pony August 2 - Brooklyn, NY - Music Hall Of Williamsburg

#LukeBlack #Goth #Eurovision  London based Serbian artist Luke Black releases new single ‘Winter Dahlia’  - it’s taken from debut album Chainsaws In Paradise out now.    An eerie, snaking alternative-pop cut ‘Winter Dahlia’ employs all of Luke’s trademark theatricality - operating at the intersection of symphonic arena rock, and late-night club absolution. The themes it tackles are macro; the titular flower is used as a vehicle for examining climate change, and humanity’s lack of urgency in recognising it, as Luke explains:  “Winter Dahlia" delicately unveils the poignant anomaly of a flower blossoming out of season, subtly alluding to the impact of global warming and the impending end of the world. The tender bloom in winter serves as a metaphor for our delicate Earth, while the voices of children echo a plea for help from future generations, softly chanting, "hurry up if you want to be saved."  The ‘Chainsaws' musical era began when Luke landed in London in 2019. Seeking an outlet for a musical drive that felt stagnant and dissonant, he instantly found collaborators in the likes of producers Shurk (Solardo, Zand), Majed and alone.nowhere. Luke developed a creative family in the people he met in clubs and underground gigs in dark, pulsating corners of the city. Though battling negative inner voices, he was quickly inspired by his surroundings, developing a sound and artistic vision that was as expansive as London felt.   For the creative aspects of the project, Luke has teamed up with Vasso Vu, Furmaan Ahmed and Marija Iva Gocic who have worked with the likes of Ashnikko, Caroline Polachek, PC Music. With them he has built a glossy-industrial image that speaks so directly to his upbringing and poised-pop approach to hardcore music   Luke would spend nights recording the blueprints of the album in his shoebox studio bedroom - paper thin walls muting his ability to scream his deepest thoughts into the pop-shielded void so forcing him to pivot emotional strife into the hardcore production of the record.   This element of wrestling with the everyday is vital in the strong bonds Luke has established with his exponentially growing fanbase online, many of whom feel disenfranchised. Whether that’s Shrek watchalongs after the film entered Luke’s referential lexicon, or open-hearted spaces for emotional outlet -  it’s a refreshing and conscious step towards solace and strength in community in an evermore isolating world.    Luke came to wider attention after an exhilarating appearance at the 2023 Eurovision song contest in Liverpool representing Serbia, which caught the attention of NME, Popjustice, The New York Times, The Evening Standard, The METRO, BBC and more.    This was an unexpected opportunity, which kickstarted 6 months of intense work for Luke. An independent artist, he acted as creative director, and effective project manager for the performance, leaning on relationships he’d established since his move to London to study and subsequently work in music.    Not one for doing things the traditional way - Luke’s recent live explorations range from live performances on prime time Serbian TV, supporting GO_A at Indigo @ O2, a  tour in China, to a mind-blowing techno-opera medley at Berghain, as well as a euphoric sell-out shows at The Lower Third and Amazing Grace in London, and a sold-out homecoming show at Dom Omladine in Belgrade.  Chainsaws In Paradise  - the debut album from Luke Black - is out May 24th. It was written by Luke Black, and co-produced with Shurk; mixed and mastered by Shurk.  Luke Black Online  Spotify / Youtube / Twitter / TikTok / Instagram / Discord / Website   Live Dates  4 June - Bristol - The Louisiana (UK)  6 June - Manchester - The Lodge (UK)   7 June - London - Oslo (UK)   11 June - Warsaw - Hydrozagadka (POL)   13 June - Helsinki - Kuudes Linja (FIN)   18 June - Vienna - B72 (AUT)