Its A Family Affair - Stereoboard Look At The Most Popular & Successful Families In Music

In many cases, a certain business or trade can run in the family and that is certainly no different when it comes to the music industry. While some families in the spotlight try to shelter their relatives and keep them from following the same path, others encourage siblings or children to join them in the spotlight. From metal to pop, families tackle many genres of music; this has been the case for many years, and it’s unlikely to change any time soon.

Written by: Heather McDaid | Date: Monday, 28 May 2012

Stereoboard Speak To Emelie Autumn About Her Latest Album 'Fight Like A Girl' & Sell Out Book

Singer-songwriter, poet, and violinist extraordinaire: Emilie Autumn is a performer who not only offers her art, but has lived it. Through her trials and adversity, she has remained true to herself as well as her art, but the road to establishing herself has been anything but easy. Friday 13th (lucky for some, unlucky for others), seems a fitting day to catch up with the lady herself, but during our call Autumn was called unexpectedly to sound checks and all outstanding questions were rescheduled to a later date. In this interview, Autumn speaks openly of her time spent on suicide watch, her sell-out book, touring with Courtney Love, her new album, and recording naked. So ladies and gents, without further delay I finally present to you the one and only Emilie Autumn...

Written by: Gemma-Louise Johnson | Date: Thursday, 24 May 2012

Sex, Drugs & Rock N Roll ...And Books! Stereoboard Look At Some Of The Genre's Best Reads (Feature)

I’m rather rubbish about writing about myself, so much so that my bio on every site is “I just like rock ‘n’ roll and books to be honest.” It pretty much sums me up. I’ve always loved the classic cliché of sex, drugs and rock ‘n’ roll – not to the point of mindlessly living it - but I like to read up on the real heyday of those scandals, the era that typified the slogan that’s synonymous with my favourite genre.

Written by: Heather McDaid | Date: Monday, 21 May 2012

Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes To The Line-Up Of Bands, Past And Present (Paramore, Stereophonics, Oasis Feature)

You know what it’s like, you start a band at school, it’s your attempt to show some individuality while ‘the man’ is putting you down and to demonstrate what an attractive, cool, deep, arty person you are to the opposite sex. Then, horror, you’re replaced!(Yeah ok he might be a better guitarist and better looking, and can sing something other than Wonderwall, but I’ve been in the Flaming Skull Munchkins since the start dude!) Okay just me then? Dropped like little Moses was dropped into the Nile before he could have had any concept of ‘musical differences’. 

Written by: Luke Bailey | Date: Thursday, 17 May 2012

Stereoboard Speak To While She Sleeps About New Album 'This Is The Six' & Breaking Their Mould!

Hardcore metal bands aren't really what you'd expect to hear from mainstream radio. A genre of music that doesn't often get the same airplay, press and coverage as its commercial colleagues, it tends to be confined to specialist media. Luckily there are bands out there ready to smash these stereotypes and make a name for themselves as much in the mainstream as in their hardcore fan bases, and Sheffield based While She Sleeps are doing just that. Stereoboard caught up with guitarist and backing vocalist, Mat Welsh to talk about how the band are on the path to breaking out of their specialist mould.

Written by: Katie Territt | Date: Thursday, 17 May 2012

Do Ticket ID Restrictions Beat Touts Or Penalise Fans? (Ticketing Feature)

Purchasing tickets through alternative means is no new phenomenon, in fact it’s almost second nature. You miss out on regular sales and you immediately ask around, turn to eBay or secondary ticketing sites. The ticketing climate has had its fair share of slamming in the press – Channel 4’s ‘The Great Ticket Scandal’ has caused many music fans to boycott various means of sale. But what is there to do? Many bands now take it upon themselves to ‘stop touts’ – but is it really just down to them?

Written by: Heather McDaid | Date: Monday, 30 April 2012

Stereoboard Look Through The Iconic History Of Download Festival's Donington (Download Feature)

While Download Festival will be celebrating the tenth year of its current namesake, Donington is – of course – iconic when it comes to the rock and metal music scene, having hosted Monsters of Rock for many years and Ozzfest too. Ever since the site became synonymous with rock ‘n’ roll, it has played backdrop to many iconic moments.

Written by: Heather McDaid | Date: Monday, 30 April 2012

Stereoboard Talk To Seth Lakeman Ahead Of The Release Of New Album ‘Tales From The Barrel 'House'

Most famous for his Mercury nominated album 'Kitty Jay' and now set loose from the shackles of commercial record labels, folk’s coolest son and virtuoso fiddler Seth Lakeman took some time out to talk disused mine shafts and art deco caravans ahead of the release of his latest album ‘Tales from the Barrel House’ with Stereoboard's Dan Clark.

Written by: Daniel Clark | Date: Friday, 30 March 2012

Stereoboard Look Back On The Albums That Celebrate Anniversaries This "Apocalyptic" Year (Feature)

Time flies when you’re having fun, or so they say, and when you look back on the releases of some of your favourite bands, it’s fair to question “Where has the time gone?” So, with 2012 said to be the year of the apocalypse (we’ll run with it for argument’s sake), there’s no finer time to look back on the albums that celebrate decades of anniversaries in this apocalyptic year.

Written by: Heather McDaid | Date: Thursday, 29 March 2012

Tour of The Week - Slash in London - Tickets Onsale Now!

Not a tour as such, however, ahead of his anticipated performance at this year's Download Festival, legendary guitarist Slash is to play a one-off show at London's Hammersmith Apollo on Wednesday 6th June. Tickets for Slash are onsale now!

Written by: Jon Stickler | Date: Monday, 19 March 2012

Stereoboard Take A Look At Music's More Unusual Collaborations (Metallica, Slipknot, Slash Feature)

In a world where the music can readily expect a mash-up of both Slipknot and Justin Bieber to create ‘Psychosocial Baby’, it’s fair to say that some odd collaborations will manifest into genuine musical offerings. While they’re not as stark in contrast as the aforementioned example, there have been quite a few creations that brought together artists of various backgrounds. Some like it, some don’t, but they’re still out there regardless.

Written by: Heather McDaid | Date: Thursday, 15 March 2012

The Great Ticket Scandal - Good Things Come To Those Who Wait (Feature)

Last Thurday night saw hoards of music fans tune in to Channel 4 following the announcement that the channel had won a legal battle to screen its undercover investigation of two secondary ticketing websites: viagogo and Seatwave. In the controversial documentary, Dispatches: ‘The Great Ticket Scandal’, the ticketing websites found themselves under fire for some of their practices, unfairly labelled as glorified ticket touts by the shows producers, leaving fans infuriated at their conduct yet without a full and balanced picture. The ticketing landscape was shaken to its core as stakeholders from all sides pitched in their tuppence worth.

Written by: Heather McDaid | Date: Monday, 27 February 2012

Stereoboard Look At The Most Popular Musical Comics (Tim Minchin, Bill Bailey Feature)

To many, music is a wonderful form of expression; one that can translate countless feelings and thought processes that we just couldn’t put into words. It can connect or capture a listener in many ways and ease them through bad times, be present in prominent memories of the good times and much more. Then again, not everyone takes music wholly seriously as an artform. While it’s a fantastic thing, we all like a little sarcasm or quirk or just a good reason to laugh. 

Written by: Heather McDaid | Date: Friday, 24 February 2012

Popular V's More Alternative Songs Of Valentine's Day (Valentine's Day Feature)

While each year is jam packed with songs of love, desire and heartbreak, there’s one day of year that they’re all likely to suffer overplay worldwide. That day is, of course, Valentine’s Day. If you’re into the whole lovey dovey thing, cheese-filled tracks along the lines of ‘I Will Always Love You’ will go down a treat; if you’re alone, some would choose to delve into chocolate and tales of heartbreak. That is how the sweeping generalisation depicts us all on this day of year at least. Warning: this may contain cynicism.

Written by: Heather McDaid | Date: Tuesday, 14 February 2012

The Show Must Go On: Should Iconic Band Members Be Replaced? (Queen, Thin Lizzy Feature)

With the speculation rife that Sonisphere will host Queen this summer with American Idol’s Adam Lambert at the hilt, it has raised the age old debate of: should you replace a band member in an iconic band? It’s an age old problem; bands can’t avoid arguments, people passing away or simple artistic differences, but there will never be one definite answer.

Written by: Heather McDaid | Date: Monday, 06 February 2012

Stereoboard Tour of the Week - Happy Mondays

Following last year’s long-awaited reunion of the one and only Stone Roses, fellow Mancunians the Happy Mondays have followed suit with their own Second Coming. Actually, it’s more like their Third or Fourth coming, depending on whether or not you consider their previous reincarnations to be the “real” Happy Mondays. This time around, however, the full original line-up are together again for the first time in almost 20 years. That’s right - Madchester is well and truly back!

Written by: Rob Sleigh | Date: Thursday, 02 February 2012

Stereoboard’s Top 10 Live Events in February 2012

With the Christmas and New Year celebrations long since forgotten and 2012 well and truly underway, it’s time to look ahead to the next month’s worth of live music-based festivities. OK, so maybe February has a few less gigs to offer than the other 11 eleven months, but guess what… it’s a leap year, of course! That’s right – a whole 24 hours more than the last three years. Let’s see what 2012 has in store for us on this extra-long February…

Written by: Rob Sleigh | Date: Wednesday, 01 February 2012

Stereoboard Tour of the Week - Ed Sheeran - Tickets Onsale Now

Following in the footsteps of fellow solo artist Adele - whose record-breaking second album ‘21’ returned to the top of the chart at the weekend, exactly one year after its release – Yorkshire lad Ed Sheeran is well and truly making his mark on the UK Albums Chart with his hit-making debut, the curiously-titled ‘+’.

Written by: Rob Sleigh | Date: Thursday, 26 January 2012

Stereoboard Look At Possible Sonisphere 2012 Headliners (Sonisphere Feature)

While Download is currently leading the race in announcing their bands, Sonisphere has finally given fans a hint of what’s to come. We already know that their main competition will be hosting Black Sabbath, Metallica, Soundgarden, Machine Head and more, and, at present, we have no one for Knebworth’s rock onslaught.

Written by: Heather McDaid | Date: Tuesday, 17 January 2012

Post-Hardcore: So, What is it and Where has it been? (Feature)

The mysterious yet surprisingly popular genre of rock music known by some as post-hardcore took an agreeable turn for the better last week as two of its most lauded saviours, At The Drive-In and Refused, made their long-awaited returns as they were both confirmed for this year’s Coachella Festival in California.

Written by: Rob Sleigh | Date: Sunday, 15 January 2012