Download the PDF version of Issue No.7

HybridLab Who?

Are you an unsigned musician interested in widening your fan base?
Or hankering after your own career in media?
HybridLab is a unique social enterprise set up by charity IEA (Innovative Enteprise Action). We profile unsigned artists for free. Check out www.hybridlab.org/about for more info, and get in touch!

"music junkie"

If you’re a music junkie then Mean Fiddler could provide just the trip for you. This is a venue that’s all about the music. If you find the décor a little rough around the edges (it’s far from swanky) it’s simply part of their purely music fixation. Asymmetric converse clad scenesters flail their limbs to the beats, splashing the contents of their plastic cups everywhere as their feet bounce off the large sticky dance floor. Boasting at least one live act a week, you can sample anything from alt, ska, punk, classic, rock and roll, and all the hybrids in between. Mean Fiddler is also dedicated to promoting unsigned music, and for this we applaud them. Recently they hosted in conjunction with Jar Music Group the Emergenza Battle of the Bands. It was a rollicking success with unsigned artist McGoozer taking the title of best British band. They go on to play the international in Germany. You can find many more club nights going on at their website www.meanfiddler.com

The Furies have returned to town, burning like fallen angels in an angst-riddled ecstasy of sound. Fused garage girl punk with some Led Zepplin moments goes someway in getting to grips with the energy and excitement exuded by this stormy quartet. With tracks like ‘Bloody Mary’ moving from melancholy melodies into thrash choruses, ‘Megaera’ rampantly hailing freedom, and ‘Alecto remix’ summoning dark demons from metal - The Furies hit chords of discontent in the belly of their audience, and the result is incredibly emotive.
Nicola, the latest addition to the band, is a brilliant beat-keeper - drumming with a hedonistic grace through her elegant limbs whilst lead singer Mercedes’ raunchy voice proves this bunch are far from sweet and innocent. El on lead guitar fills the group with a variety of sound from Muse inspired guitar riffs and Blink 182 harmonies to gutsy chords reminiscent of Metallica. A very progressive bass plucked ferociously by Jess underlines that these fearless girls are tough enough to rival any of the male counterparts that dominate the punk-metal scene.
Having recently made it to the final of The British Battle of the Bands at the Mean Fiddler, Return of the Furies roused their audience into moshing and cheering good-natured profanities along the lines of ‘feck ‘em up Furies, feck ‘em up’ (but ruder). The Furies came third, (we thought they deserved better as no one else got the crowd going quite like them) however they have still earned themselves a development deal with Jar Music, which is pretty sweet to say the least! So if you’ve “ever been ditched by a girl” (an infamous Furies dedication), unleash the beast at their next gig at the Trash palace on the 21st of August.
www.myspace.com/returnofthefuries

Promising newcomers Tank Engine have told fans that they will not be recording any new songs and will no longer perform live. The announcement was made to a supportive audience at their farewell gig on Wednesday 1st August at the Bull and Gate in London’s Kentish Town.
Blaming the split on the difficulties they faced in finding affordable venues and sympathetic promoters, band member Tim told Hybrid; “ It was a good farewell gig, a lot of people came to see us off. But everybody has a struggle – promoters charge!”
Far from fading into the sidelines, Tim is working proactively to make life easier for bands that find themselves in a similar position to Tank Engine. He will now be promoting Leonards, a Faringdon based venue in a not for profit venture called ‘Rogue Tunes’ to encourage burgeoning talent. “It will be a forum for bands, artists, photographers and actors,” says Tim, “entrance prices will be kept low and all profits from events will go towards producing further events.”
Artists and fans alike are encouraged to visit www.roguetune.com
to check out forthcoming events.
The White Russians, a band which originally started playing BBQ’s in attractive chicken suits are currently recording their yet to be named debut album, with none other than Pedro Ferreira, the producer who helped create The Darkness debut album. Combine the band’s distinct blend of East meets West with their unique strong blues feel and the album will be sure to set their fans ablaze, and entice a new horde of music lovers to follow suit. Eclectic melodies and mature vocals will make this album, due to be released in October, truly memorable. Likely to produce at least 12 tracks, the songs promise to sooth the soul and calm the mind. They plan to stick to what they know best and aim for the same vibe as their live shows, keeping it fresh with Ferreira in the studio with them. We eagerly anticipate its release!
www.myspace.com/whiterussians