Author: creepingash

  • Pabs music musings. I prefer the early stuff?

    At rehearsal we recently played through our entire first album Whapper Stormer as part of our preparations for our 20th anniversary celebrations in Feb 2015. It got me thinking about bands, their longevity and the law of diminishing returns. Is early output an artists best?
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    When thinking of this subject I thought of some of my favourite artists and some others. Let me begin.

    Case 1. Nirvana. 1st album Bleach. Best album In Utero 3rd studio release.
    Case 2. The National. 1st album The National. Best album Trouble Will Find Me, their most recent.
    Case 3. Oasis. 1st album Definitely Maybe. Best album. Definitely Maybe.
    Case 4. Guns n Roses. 1st album Appetite for Destruction. Best album Appetite for Destruction.
    Case 5. Radiohead. 1st album Pablo Honey. Best album. Ok Computer.

    There is one band on the above list that did not achieve overnight success that the others enjoyed. The National. Slowly they have been building their music, and slowly they have been building their fan base. All the others, bar Nirvana had stratospheric success with early output and have since struggled to match this with later works. Radiohead had huge creative problems after Ok Computer and opted for Kid A which was great but not in the same league as its predecessor. They hit a high with In Rainbows, their peak lies with their difficult third though. Oasis produced one of the greatest debuts of all time then rarely recorded anything of merit thereafter. Guns n Roses had an agonising death after the wonderful Appetite.

    So what has this to do with a small band like Weird Decibels I hear you scream at your tablet/laptop/mobile phone/PC and maybe, just maybe surface…

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    Pabs tries a new approach to song writing.

    I prefer their earlier stuff. This is an expression I had fretted over for years. When we had written Whapper Stormer we were a fresh faced young rock band with ideas pouring out of our finger tips. Whapper had found a small audience of people who really enjoyed it, including a radio DJ who loved The Rain and Vancouver. A year later we had recorded some of our follow up album, the slightly lazy drunken romp that is Firkin Outburst. We handed this DJ our new demo and in the very pub the album is name after I asked him what he thought. His answer? Well I think you know by now….
    I stormed out the pub in anger, seething our new songs had not received the praise that our debut collection had mustered.
    In the following years we wrote songs of varying quality, another 5 albums would be produced. The other guys would ask me what my favourite album was. Without fail I’d say Whapper Stormer, for the lyrics, the music and the youthful exuberance. Then from 2008 we started to write Weird Decibels 1.

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    Our best album to date? Time will tell…:-)

    Derek is quoted saying we had to do Quiet Act (our first fully acoustic album) to write Weird Decibels 1. He’s right. We had a renewed enthusiasm for writing. So many things came together. Our music, my lyrics and the gear we had to record it. A year ago I knew we had written one of our greatest albums. For months I was not sure if it was better than Whapper, a year on and several listens? Its my favourite.

    So what Is the point here? I hear you ask.

    We are a small band, very small. We have our little patch on the huge quilt of music. We have no pressure to make a living out of music, we can write what we want when we want. We have been together so long it was likely we would hit another creative peak.

    Any band that is allowed to breath, grow within itself without the pressure of producing an even better follow up to the last will always prosper. In this new age of self released music, small artists will produce music the way they want to smaller but more enthusiastic fans. I hope these bands will glow for many years instead of burning out and fading away…

    Pabs.

  • Gig diary. Glasgow, Garage Attic 30 Nov 2013

    Our last gig of 2013.

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    It was a surreal night in the city of Glasgow, it was the night after the tragedy at the Clutha yet there was the normal hussle of Sauchiehall Street. We parked up at the back of the venue, climbed up several flights of stairs past the bigger and more impressive stages until we reached the Attic. A smaller, darker room in need of a little love and attention. I must confess I like the little run down places to play gigs there is something ‘underground’ about it.
    We had reservations about tonight. Our fans have dug deep this year to support us at other venues, Christmas was on the horizon and well we didn’t push it as much. When I saw the venue I must confess to being spoilt by the recent adventures at Oran Mor and ABC2. The sound would confirm this. I believe it sounded good to the audience but on stage it was no where near the crispness of the aforementioned venues.

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    We set up our sound and belted out a sound check in minutes. (I have no idea why it takes so long for bands to sound check) It was at this point we were asked for money to pay for the hire of the drum kit. There were four different reactions to this request. Stu went a bid red, (seething anger) Greg went quiet, (how to I sort this), I sighed,( why are we doing this) and Derek went into full blown Kirk rage ( Khaaaaaaaannnnnn, the older folk will get this). He said no to the promoter and we left to get a pint.

    During our rather lovely pint and the effect it was having on me I had a conflict of thoughts. Do I really want, after 18 years of getting f**ked by promoters, to keep doing this. However I love it, sitting with guys pre gig, meeting our crowd and belting out our tunes. Why does playing live have so many pitfalls? I concluded I wanted to do this for as long as possible (although perhaps not as long as the Stones). I still love the whole scene.

    Greg snuck off and paid for our share of hiring the kit… Stu and Derek were livid, I was angry but I could see where Greg’s heart was and gave him some money to put in his lighter pocket’s.

    So we’re all a bit angry, the venue is lite on crowd and we’re about to go on. I looked at our faithful friends who came to see us. I thought, this is for them. The last time we played angry was at the QMU.

    Set list
    1. Deliverance
    2. Speak
    3. Ms Asphyxia
    4. Wonder
    5. Steel
    6. Wait
    7. Joker

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    Angry gigs are amazing, we play hard and fast. Our 30 minute set felt like 10 minutes. I had had a few beers and we were loving it. Every song merged into each other, I didn’t say much to the crowd which is not like me. The sound on stage was poor though. I was distracted by feedback throughout and that really annoyed me.

    I enjoyed the night. It was a fitting end to an amazing year for us. Perhaps the next time we play live we’ll be showing off new songs, oh and we won’t be paying to hire a kit!!

    I must mention Cicero’s Secret.  They were brilliant live. The sound was a bit of a mash but the energy was incredible and their crowd were a delight to watch. Yes we were the oldies up the back foot tapping to the tunes! I wish them the best of luck.

    Pabs.

  • Pabs Unsigned Adventure 2. Kaseciarz.

    Pabs Unsigned Adventure 2. Kaseciarz.

    Discovered on Bandcamp http://kaseciarz.bandcamp.com

    My latest unsigned adventure takes me to the sounds of Poland, the band are called Kaseciarz. They describe themselves as low budget rock and roll, I’d go for lo fi rock. I love the way their music is never in a hurry, like rock used to be. These guys play out their tunes the way they want. Kaseciarz are; Maciej Nowacki on guitars, vocals, bass and keyboards, Cukasz Cegielka on bass and Piotr Lewicki on drums. Motorcycle Rock and Roll I believe is their second album. The guitar fuzz is distinct, the bass is tightly fitted into the mix and the drums are subtly placed to allow the guitars freedom to experiment which is exactly what they do. Occasionally Nowacki sings in English but the music is the main force here. Things kick off with the brilliant Roadog which has a cracking riff driving it. Other highlights include Dance which I would imagine gets the crowds going. Drive slows things back down and it is these more progressive tunes that display the bands strengths. Drives synth drums are reminiscent of Joy Division. Running Low puts the tremolo to good use and fits in well with the feel of the album.

    With hints of Bailterspace these guys have a great underground sound. They are the kind of band you love to discover. It is a lo fi record but that is its beauty. Kaseciarz are playing several dates in Poland and seem to have a solid following. I really like this group.

    Pabs.

  • Pablos Unsigned Adventure 1. 9M Lied

    Pablos Unsigned Adventure 1. 9M Lied

    Random searches can produce great results.

    9M Lied, from Barcelona Spain, found on Bandcamp.

    http://9mlied1.bandcamp.com/album/9m-lied

    A week or so ago I hit a link to this band on Bandcamp. They are instrumentalists, no singing, instead they opt for carefully measured, brilliantly played rock. The bass drives it, allowing the guitars to tell the story through picked licks and full on distorted assaults. The drums pound relentlessly adding to the atmospheric mood of the music

    David, José, Andrei and Anibal are modest in their description of the band, ‘just a fukk yes instrumental band’ this band is perfect for listening towards the end of the night as midnight becomes morning.

    Start with their studio album the self titled 9M Lied,tracks Night Rider, the brilliantly named Dolphins v Penguins, Devon and Mosquito Tiger are all highlights. The studio album has a fantastic roomy drum sound, the snare snaps brilliantly in the middle of the mix. The guitars sound ranges from spacious to right in your ear rawness.

    Summer Song steals it though, as I listen I can imagine myself driving along a Spanish motorway, the stillness of the night passing quickly by.

    If you love the studio album try the bootleg. A live recording you can hear the crowd in a bar eagerly applauding the band. The first track is slightly out of tune but the albums recovers and you are rewarded with a great performance.

    I really like this band and wish them the best for their musical future.

    Look out for my next unsigned wonder, its amazing how much talent there is out there, recording and releasing their own material.

    Pabs.

  • Pabs Music Musings 3. The Blackpool Soundtrack

    Pabs Music Musings 3. The Blackpool Soundtrack

    I forgot my headphones for my tablet. Two days in Blackpool without my music.

    So I boiled the kettle and emptied two Colombian coffee sachets into my mug. Poured the boiling water straight. Black coffee done cheap. Looked out the sand smudged window of our room out to the sea and the emptiness beyond.

    Coffee ready, feet up
    Coffee ready, feet up

    My music was the waves crashing furiously against the promenade. I looked out and thought about our new album. What do I write about where do i go from here? Where do my fellow musicians get their inspiration from? Two huge influences of mine, Matt Berninger (The National) seems to capture his lyrics perfectly, slightly off centre but enough meaning for you to relate and  Jason Lytle (Grandaddy) writes of technology, robots that almost have feelings.

    We head out the arcades. The slot machines flashing, bells sounding, coins spilling into metal trays. Reminds me of the arcade scene in Lost In Translation (greatest movie soundtrack ever). I look at the people wandering around, the fellow tourists, the locals staring into the machines, automatically hitting gamble as they clutch a plastic cup of coins. A young boy wanders around with a cowboy hat full of coins asking punters for change. Cheeky wee bugger. It’s here I think of characters again, the different life’s, all colliding in a sea of flashing lights and confusing bleeps. We head out onto the prom.

    The Wonder Blackpool Illunimations

    Here the stalls are still open, bored attendants hoping for a sale, some make a half-hearted pitch, two for a pound and all that. A tram rolls past, a modern machine not like the old romantic rollers from the past.  Blackpool has aged but still has a bit of magic, a bit like an old 80’s light entertainer strutting their stuff on I’m a Celeb. I start to get ideas for lyrics, as my boy grabs my hand desperate for another shot on the racing car.

    The next day after a full English breakfast we head further along the front towards the pleasure beach. I walk to a security gate and the burly guard asks me If I have a ticket. I meekly say no, he points me to the ticket booth. I was going to protest that when I were a lad you could walk in free.  Inside the park I am £34 lighter but still giddy with excitement. My childhood taps my shoulder as I hear the siren of the ghost train, the clacking of the roller coasters and the laughing clown. Again lyrics flood my head, the yearning to return to simpler times can be disturbing.

    Inside the pleasure beach
    Inside the pleasure beach a pigeon takes flight

    I’m keen to show my lad round the shows but he falls asleep…So I run to the Pepsi Max roller coaster. As I stand in the queue I look at the faces of boredom as we are about to ride upon one of the tallest, fastest coaster in Europe, according to the voice over. Later I grab my wife and we run onto the ghost train and I try to make her jump every time we turn into a dark corner.

    Sometimes you need a change of scene to write the next act, I often wonder how other writers pen their lyrics. I hope as the sun sets on our break I’ll go home and create some more characters that will come alive in our new songs. See you again Blackpool!

    The Broken but still standing North Pier
    The Broken but still standing North Pier

    If you are a writer please tell me how do you get inspired?

    Pabs

  • The Lost Tracks

    The Lost Tracks

    Ah found it, the lost tracks!
    Ah found it, the lost tracks!

    http://weirddecibels.bandcamp.com/album/weird-decibels-15-the-lost-tracks

    Bootlegs, B-Sides, Deluxe albums with previously unreleased songs I love them. You find tracks that your favourite band disregarded into the vault and wonder before slowly understanding why they didn’t make the cut. These tracks are the geeky guys that sit at the back of the class, the awkward souls who mean well but ultimately will be shunned by their peers.

    We left three tracks on the cutting floor. They didn’t fit in with the alpha males of the Weird Decibels 1 class. A year later, blinded from twelve months of darkness The Lost Tracks emerged blinking from the CD cupboard into the light.

    Bullet 

    A simple riff, a simple song

    baby baby baby guess I’m out of diesel

    we gotta find a place to rest and settle

    spent our days just running around

    anchor searched for bed but never been found

    nobody knows when the bullet is coming

    baby baby baby gotta understand my needs

    you know its not money you know its not greed

    couldn’t find a job in our birth town

    don’t like the heat, wasn’t hanging around

    chorus

    baby got a place in a roadside hotel

    we’ll bide here till all is well

    baby baby baby we gotta pay the bill

    but darling my credit is running low.

    Nobody knows when the bullet is coming.

    A young couple decide to leave town, the guy is fearful of many things, debt, death and if his woman is going to leave him. It reminds me of the Kings of Leon of whom I’m slightly bored. The track doesn’t leave third gear but I love the openness of the sound. Stu’s guitar at the end, the live feeling. I put up a half hearted fight to have this included on WdB1 as it offered a different tone, however it was not to be.

    Buddy

    Buddy can be heard on Weird Decibels 1, wait a couple of minutes after Industry fades and a secret acoustic version of this song plays. It was around 1am in the lodge I was full of whiskey and recorded vocals for Drunk Buddy, you can even hear the ice rattling in my glass. The lost version is the full band. I am a huge fan of the National so I guess I tried to marry their influence into our music which was never going to work. We never nailed Buddy despite playing it for months and it shows on the recording. I love the lyrics, a guy having  sex with a married woman, he watches the riots (written around the time of the English disturbances) then heads out to a club where a younger woman shuns him at this point he reflects on his own life.

    we were lovers, we were a dirty weekend

    As I watched the riots below you phoned your husband

    you talked of our dreams, you talked out of hand

    as I lit a cigarette and got dressed

    what you want is different to what I want

    what you want is not the same

    we were f**k buddies, I saw surprise on your face

    I didn’t look back as I left

    there was ash in the air, but the rain was sweet

    I watched a woman flick back her hair

    chorus

    as she was dancing, I see the youth in her face

    but she has no plans, no plans for me

    I have everything I want, everything I need

    but nothing satisfies me

    chorus

    Lewis helps Pabs mix the Lost Tracks
    Lewis helps Pabs mix the Lost Tracks

    Rusted

    A real band divider this one, Greg, Derek they love it, Stu and I are not so sure. Rusted is a style of song we have written many times  its classic Weird if you like.  Of all the songs I took back to the mixing desk this was perhaps the poorest recording. a lot of editing was needed and the song lost its original feel. Wait! Don’t leave it yet! For the radio edit I cut my guitars which were awful, so Stu shines through and saves the recording. Greg and Derek hold a good rhythm as well, its a good song, it would’ve fitted well on our earlier albums. Included in the Lost Tracks is the full version of the song it will allow you to discover if i’m talking s***e or not.  A slightly mixed up political some about lack of ambition and a kick out at our generation being called Thatchers children.  During the writing of Rusted I came out with a middle 8 riff that didn’t fit, it was used as the intro riff for Psalm!! Every cloud!

    Oh I only wanted to get by

    not tread on toes

    not fussed for flying

    oh the guilt I feel

    for not achieving

    for not trying

    oh the greed of this generation will starve its children

    oh the greed of the corporation will starve our children

    Oh we are conditioned

    to want everything

    and pay for nothing

    Oh they call us thatchers children

    I’m not a child

    of that rusted old woman

    I hope you enjoy The Lost Tracks, no band sets out to make bad music. Sometimes all the ingredients needed to make an album track don’t blend. So look after these wee souls, they are shy and a bit lost but with a touch of love they will find a place in your playlist.

    Pabs

  • Writing September, October 2013

    Writing September, October 2013

    Creatively it has been a difficult couple of months. September Stu, Greg and Derek all had holidays in far away lands. So not much got done. I used September to nail the mixes of The Lost Tracks, three songs we did not use on Weird Decibels 1. More on those in another post.

    As we enter October we have had a look back on the writing of Decibels 2, we have a few that will go all the way. Some are going to fall by the way side. It happens, however this time we are recording everything so there will be plenty for future bootlegs!

    Stu came out with a cracking riff at the end of rehearsal two weeks ago. I had nothing to offer the song, it was late and I had lost the creative spark. However a week later I had taken the riff and found fresh impetus. There is no title as yet for the new creation but fingers crossed it will survive our ever increasing scrutiny.  We have decided not to set any dates for the recording of the album however we will have to draw a line eventually as lyrically its important to get songs from the same era. (songwriters will know what I mean!)

    1. Miss Asphyxia

    2. I Hope it Rains On Your Parade

    3. Standing on a Viewpoint.

    4.  Kill it! Kill it!

    5. Small Hands

    6. (Untitled)

    7. Feet First

    more news soon! Pabs

    pabs77

  • Pabs Music Musings. Episode 2. Is rock music dead? (And has anyone checked?)

    Pabs Music Musings. Episode 2. Is rock music dead? (And has anyone checked?)

    Is rock dead? How many times have we heard that question being asked. Many times.

    I was reading my latest copy of Sound On Sound in which they review a music submission by a band called Teenage China, an artist from our very own Scottish shores. In the review there is a statement ‘ The distorted guitar/crashing drums combo has been done to the point exhaustion in the multi-pronged world of rock’ Now that statement almost had me reaching for my acoustic guitar and writing Quiet Act 2. The reviewer went on to give Teenage China an enthusiastic thumbs up. A fine achievement from this excellent magazine.

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    Stu does this classic rock post at every gig we play and i love him for it.

    So as a fully fledged vocalist in a distorted guitar/crashing drums band I wonder if the music world has once again shifted its sonic tastes into another dimension.

    Kurt Cobain said great music happens every decade or so, I’d say every 20 years. So here we are now, and no one is entertaining us. There is no scene. I search obsessively for new music (see last musing) and yet ‘proper balls out original rock ‘ appears to be buried deep in the servers of our music providers.

    I love acoustic, folk, electronica, mix them up, indie, a bit of trance, however I miss a primal scream, not the band of the same name but a vocalist who yells so hard down the mic with such passion that you clench you fists, grit your teeth and thank god you are not the only person on this planet that has had a bad day or two. Indeed Mr Cobain had that scream but Mr Plant perfected it well before him.

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    The primal scream, beats counselling ten fold.

    I thought we’d have a scene when the recession hit. Then I thought the riots would piss off some youngsters holding a guitar or two, then there was the cuts and the empty pockets and the run down schemes and shameless poverty that countless rich politicians and richer musicians have tried to eradicate, but nothing. There is no scene.

    The music is there, buried deep in the Soundclouds and Bandcamps. Lost in a fuzz of commercially controlled search engine algorithms that recommend artists based on your listening habits. I really regret listening to ABBA when I was pissed.

    Anyway that ‘celeb’ that pisses herself has just won big brother so I’m going to rock out to Teenage China.

    Pabs, primal screaming lead singer of a guitar solo obsessed rock band that has loud drums and deep bass. Musically Fashionable? In 20 years I guess!

  • Gig diary ABC 2 Glasgow 23/8/2013

    Gig diary ABC 2 Glasgow 23/8/2013

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    Greg struts his stuff on stage. Picture by Kevin Byrne

    Its Friday rush hour. I’m desperate to pick up Stu and get out the town. the city lights of Glasgow are calling. The ABC awaits. As I look in the rearview mirror Falkirk fades away. Nothing draws me to our local music scene now.

    I pick up Stu, there is almost a quiet excitement as he loads his trusted Gibson into the boot of the car. We set off, chatting about the night to come and the future of the band. The new album, the new tunes and gigs. We want to play live, this sort of excitement can’t be matched.

    The roads to the city are fine and we arrive promptly at the venue. Stu and I park up, Derek  has a face that could make a pitbull back down, Greg is laid back and chilled out. Usual. The reason for Derek’s ire? We’ve been placed second on the running order of five bands. Thankfully after a bit of Del boy negotiation we’re placed third on the bill. Our faithful fans won’t miss us after all.

    Paul rocks, Derek sips. Juls took this picture
    Paul rocks, Derek sips. Juls took this picture

    We stepped back stage to see End Transmission. It was good to see the girls again, great to see them playing these types of gigs. They had the hair straighteners out and more beer than us. They sounded good, nailed a good set it was a pity to see them on first though. Second on was a really pleasant chap and his guitar with no backing band. Takes guts to do that. Unfortunately I can’t recall his name.

    Setlist

    Speak

    Joker

    Wonder

    Miss Asphyxia

    Power

    Steel

    Industry

    Pabs hammering the hell out of his guitar while Greg holds the groove. Picture by Kevin Byrne
    Pabs hammering the hell out of his guitar while Greg holds the groove. Picture by Kevin Byrne

    Derek kicked things off with the pounding toms of Speak, Its the best way to start a gig, gets me hyper. I pick the first notes, sing the first line and it all flows. We have a few dancers, I love that. I just makes me want go full pelt into the songs. Every note screamed, every lick nailed. In a second Speak is over and Greg is carving out the intro of Joker. Great start for us. the crowd is brilliant. Some of the folks know the tunes now and its great to hear people yell as the song starts. What a buzz. Wonder gives us a breather, we say hello to the utterly wonderful people who pay and travel to see us. Every moment of our performance is for them. Our next song is Miss Asphyxia, brand new. We get another great reception. A hint of the next album before we go back to our current set. Power is the quietest moment of the night. Gives our set a wee dynamic, breaks things up a bit. Steel is next, it all goes well. its a tricky song for me to play live but I get through it. Industry finally gets its live debut. An extended version of this song for our friend Phil. Its a great end to the set. We pack up as Don’t Look Down enter the stage. I have a quick look back to the stage as we had behind the scenes. Top gig.

    Stu has never ever struck this pose before. Must've been the excitement! Pic by Juls
    Stu has never ever struck this pose before. Must’ve been the excitement! Pic by Juls

    Don’t Look Down rock the roof off, Enemies of The State also had a very accomplished sound. I was working the next day so It wasn’t so bad hanging around listened to two decent bands.

    Last orders we’re called and the crowd drift away. Another cracking night for our band. As midnight approaches I drive along the deserted road back to Falkirk I hope we have many more nights just like this.

    Pabs.

  • Pabs Music Musings. Part 1 The Search.

    Pabs Music Musings. Part 1 The Search.

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    My wee sis is a good few years younger than me. She is of this generation of music lovers, accepting with ease MP3’s, Streaming, single song listening and music Blogs. I on the other hand come from a generation of CD lovers, albums and record shops. Today’s music lovers have everything they need to build the most honed music collection to suit their tastes and yet as I sit at this laptop listening to streamed music I feel overwhelmed by the choice of music. Its all about the search.

    I take you back to when I really started listening to music. My father was the first source. Here son listen to this album, it was Dinosaur Jr, I was hooked. Others followed and soon I discovered what I liked. Next I listened to Peel, read the NME, Select and occasionally Q (thanks for Grandaddy Q!). A narrow source by today’s standards. I steadily built a CD collection of which I am proud.

    Today there is an unstoppable flow of music I like but I cannot hope to give those albums the same sort of attention that ‘Where You Been’ got. Uncut, Guy Garvey’s finest hour, Spotify, Personal suggestion lists, countless internet stations, DAB, the wonderful Third Class Ticket, Blogs, Blogs and more wonderful music Blogs (thanks sis), Jim Gellantly’s amazing radio. Last.fm, Bandcamp, Soundcloud, Facebook/Twitter friend suggestions. I could go on. I have a wish list on Amazon I cannot possibly hope to afford. I also want to explore the music that has past.

    Perhaps we need another Peel, Steve Lamacq could be the man if he got that late night slot that Peel used to fill with sublime music. Perhaps we need someone we can trust to say, this band are great and you’ll love them. Or perhaps I need to learn to filter the mass of talent (there is tonnes out there) and pick only the very best. That feels wrong though… So tell me how do you search?

    (Pabs lead singer of Weird Decibels, we are on every modern platform waiting to be searched!!)