SAMMIES SCOOP
SHIFTY AWARDS
IT WAS A CLOSE RUN THING but it seems like the Samurai Seven are everybody's favourite local pop pups. The band scooped three of the six awards at the sold-out Shifty Disco poll winners' party at the Point last month, taking the trophies for best b-side, band people would most like to make an album and best overall band, from votes taken for every category. Dustball's 'Senor Nachos' pipped Beaker's 'Backgarden' by a mere two points and Unbelievable Truth's 'Building' by only three points to win best a-side ever released on the label. Spunkle's experimental 'Lubetune' was scandalously voted worst single by subscribers to the monthly singles club while Cody deservedly won best artwork.
Shifty Disco, which has been releasing singles on a monthly basis for two years now, canvassed all of its subscribers, mostly from the Oxfordshire area, and asked them to name their five favourite bands in each category. Given the large number of votes cast the closeness of the results was staggering.
Label A&R boss Angela Sammon, who last month staged a spectacular management buy-out of the label, commented that 'The results just go to show how much strength in depth there is in the local music scene. And while there is no real rivalry between bands like Dustball, Beaker and the Samurai Seven, there is a competitive edge in Oxford that pushes bands to greater creative heights.'
Sammon also promised to make the poll an annual event and explained that Shifty Disco were continuing to expand their roster beyond Oxford and even the UK, with January's release coming from Californian band Beulah.
Subscriptions to the singles club are £30 for the next twelve releases, available from Shifty Disco at Suite 1, 2nd Floor, 65 George Street, Oxford OX1 2BE.
|
TRUTH IS CLOSER TO HOME
UNBELIEVABLE TRUTH (pictured here at their 'Your Song' appearance at the Point in December) play their first hometown gig since last July when they visit the Jericho, upstairs at the Philanderer & Firkin on Walton Street (Thursday 14th Feb). Tickets are limited to 125, available from Chalky's in George Street, and is virtually sold out.
The Truth are about to start a lengthy French tour before retreating to the studio to record the follow-up to last year's critically-acclaimed 'Almost Here' album. The new album is due to be released in late Summer, although there will be a single out in June. Their 'Your Song' set, meanwhile featured a cover of the Stone Roses' 'I Wanna Be Adored'.
Other highlights of the night were ATL, all dressed as Santa, covering 'Self-Preservation Society' from The Italian Job and Callous' blistering take on 'Rockerfeller Skank', complete with live vocal scratching. Some of us were sick the next day. Oh well, it's only twice a year.
Photo by Gerard Wood
|
THE NME CARLING PREMIER TOUR on Wednesday 20th January is just one of half a dozen big name gigs at Brookes University over the next few weeks.  The showcase tour features James Lavelle's UNKLE project (though, sadly, without DJ Shadow), IDLEWILD, DELAKOTA and LLAMA FARMERS. Mo'Wax supremo Lavelle, who grew up in Oxford and still returns occasionally to DJ at Po Na Na, here teams up with the Scratch Perverts for a sample-heavy journey through hip hop, jazz and techno.
Joining UNKLE are Scottish apocalyptic punk pups Idlewild (pictured); the playfully moody pop insurrectionists Delakota (the 'new Beck' alledgedly) and spunky punky teen titans the Llama Farmers.
The gig, as with all the shows coming up at the venue is open to the public and tickets, if there's any left are available from the Brookes box office - 01865 484750. |
|
