unlabel

unlabel unfestive news

When Manchester band the Buzzcocks released their own record ‘Spiral Scratch’ the genie was out the bottle, you could make your own music, release your own music, sell your own music. The man with the fat cigar and polaroid shades no longer had to give you permission.

When the punk dust settled Manchester and in particular it’s Factory records showed what was possible when you stood in your home town, worked with eclectic, experimental ideas and let the world come to you.

‘Independent’ may have become a tag, a section in the cd racks, ‘please conform to being independent’ we can start giving you permission again, but there is still art and soul out there.

Ted Milton headlines this years ‘Unfestive Show’ with his band Blurt, a true maverick, who singed to Factory records in the day, although the label’s head Tony Parsons felt contracts where ‘bourgeois’. We caught up with him at his Deptford Studio talked about puppets and public conveniences. Article Link

Some one we feel is really coming into his own at the moment is Thomas House. He’s long had association with Unlabel, a five year term with Joeyfat and may be most notably with the band ‘Charlottefield’. With his latest group ’Sweet Williams’ he has lifted his song writing to a new level of emotional intensity. Talking with him about what has influenced and encouraged his work, he is candid about how the Tunbridge Wells Forum and those musicians involved in it gave him confidence and direction. Article Link

Tom recorded three acoustic solo tracks for our podcast, simple but affecting recordings that breath and intrigue. Podcast link

Joeyfat made the pilgrimage to Manchester’s Media City earlier this year to play a live session on Marc Riley’s 6 Music show. It was a cracking performance reminding us all what a vital band they still are. The Forum, the venue the band played the opening show for will have been open for 25 years in 2018, its still independent and still pressing the buttons of the nonchalant. Article Link

December Podcast

Gigs

December 15th The Forum , Tunbridge Wells ‘Unfestive” Blurt + Joeyfat + Three Quarter Williams + JC Palmer

December 22nd The Sussex Arms, The Pantiles, Tunbridge Wells Joeythin + Black Rock Sands + The Sixteen Steps

New Releases Epona - Rewind For A Face EP