On
Ash visit
Whatnull
Swansea
On nOveMbeR 12, AlTeRnATIve ROCk bAnd ASh
plAY SIn CITY In SWAnSeA. RICk MCMuRRAY,
ASH’S DRuMMeR, Spoke To TAMSYn JoneS
AbouT THeIR neW TouR.
Ash are set to play Sin City
Is it your first time in Swansea? We will only release singles now. A few other Do you enjoy touring?
Yes, this is our first gig in Swansea. We’re playing
bands have followed. I think Muse flirted with
We have been on the road since 1992, so we’re
all over the country this time so we get to visit
doing it, and Radiohead and The Charlatans
used to spending huge amounts of time with each
places we’ve never been before. We’ve spent
have gone the same way. They’re doing it for
other in confined spaces. It probably explains why
quite a lot of time in Wales before though. We
themselves, which I don’t think record companies
we all like a drink!
recorded our first two albums in Rockfield studios
are too happy about.
in Monmouth.
We like all sorts of venues. I enjoy playing festivals,
“You CAn’T
but you can’t beat the intimacy of a smaller venue.
Will the set list include new and old songs?
We’re probably going to play about four or five
beAT THe
Will former band member Charlotte
new songs mixed in with our last album, Twilight
Hatherley be joining you on this tour?
of Innocents. The popular singles will definitely
InTIMACY
I went to see Charlotte on stage recently. It was
make an appearance.
good as I haven’t seen her for nearly two years.
She’s doing well on her own so I don’t think she’ll
You have stated Twilight of Innocents is your
of SMAlleR
be on stage with us this time round.
last album. Why?
We decided even before it was released that it
venueS.”
Has your music changed since you first
would be our last album. We felt we were in a
began?
good position to try something new. Most music
If you compare our first album, 1977, with the
It also gives us more flexibility. When you are
fans now are cherry picking songs off iTunes, and
single we last released, Return of the White
fitting songs onto an album, they all have to flow
record companies are shying away from recording
Rabbit, you’ll see they are totally different. It’s
together. It’s good because we can now be more
new, different albums.
been a bit rotational.
creative and do a variety of different things.
flamboyant bella
due in Swansea
FOR A bAnd ThAT hAS OnlY been TOgeTheR FOR ThRee
YeARS, TheY hAve CAuSed quITe A STIR. WITH neARlY 2
MIllIon plAYS on MYSpACe, flAMboYAnT bellA ARe
A bAnD To WATCH, SAYS TAMSYn JoneS.
Flamboyant bella are supporting kid britiish on their uk tour
Flamboyant bella picked their name while looking a bit awkward when the other singer came back this does not bother Flo. “If we bring enough
through some old paper chronicles and headlines and we were still playing together; nobody had energy maybe they will be our fans too!” she says.
that were more than a 100 years old. Its members told her she wasn’t in the band anymore!”
are between 17 and 19 years old, and they have
This summer they performed on the stage at the
all left school to focus on their music.
Their debut single, get a Reaction, has a catchy underage Festival. Flo recounts that they were
chorus and is synth-driven. This, however, is overwhelmed by “about 500 kids there who were
They were due to play Sin City in October. not their normal sound. “We usually play guitary all full of beans, which was brilliant!”
however, this would not have been their first time tracks, but we’ve changed our style for this one
in Wales. earlier in the year they were in Abersoch and produced a dancey tune.”
Without even releasing any singles they have
performing at Wakestock, europe’s biggest
sold out shows all over the uk. do they have any
wakeboard music festival.
They owe a lot of their popularity to their favourite places to play? “up north in newcastle is
MySpace page and were recently number four so much fun! The fans are really in your face and
The four-piece band includes two brothers: Mitch, in MySpace’s Top 10 unsigned bands. “bands fun,” she says.
who plays bass, and doreen on the drums. Flo who don’t have any money need to rely on social
and James, the other members, both sing and network sites such as MySpace to get their music
Flamboyant bella like to have a lot of fun and
play the guitar and write the songs. and tour information to the fans,” says singer Flo.
they bring this to every audience in any city. With
their popularity rising everyday it’s no wonder
Flo only started with the band by chance, filling in This new tour will see the band supporting kid that tickets to their shows are being snapped up
for a gig when their original singer was on holiday. british, who fit into the ska, pop, hip-hop genre. before the doors open. They play good tunes and
The chemistry was so good that she stayed. “It got Flamboyant bella’s music is different to this, but have fun doing it! What more could you want!
42 swansealife November 2009
WhatsOn_Nov.indd 42 21/10/2009 11:43:28
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