Take a moment to read this interview, you won’t regret it!

We saw you at Takedown Festival last month and we were blown away! Where do you get all that energy from and how do you sustain it while on tour?

We’re fucking hungry for it.  There aren’t enough days in the week so we put everything in the tank into every show regardless of whether it’s an abandoned tube station to 30 people or closing a festival to 3000.

Forced to label your sound, how would you describe it?

Post Dubstep Apocalyptica.  Ha.  Dunno.  Question we struggle with the most.  Some magazines call us Cyper Punk, some Rockstep or Punkstep, others live Dubstep.  All just “words” important to some but not by us.  To me we sound like Subsource and we’ll keep evolving organically, nutured by how hard making a living making music or even existing is and the incredible soundscape readily available to take influence from.  I guess that’s why it is easy to try and glue the “punk” or “dubstep” labels to us.  What would you call us?

Talk us through the birth of Subsource – what has the journey been like to finally get the type of recognition you deserve?

In its infancy the inspiration to start this band came from half the band’s desire to push the boundaries of electronic devices in a live environment and the others wanting to make music more interesting than just a dude behind a laptop. It started as an improvised straightahead dance act.  The longer in the tooth, and more disaffected we’ve become means we have now got something to say and how dissatisfying it can be to be pigeon holed into making one particular sub-genre.

The journey has been hard.  Fucking hard.

It’s not been an overnight thing.  We’ve circumnavigated the globe over three times over in a clapped out van playing to whoever would listen and to be fair now we finally happy that we are representing ourselves truthfully.

It’s great people are listening.  All I can say is keep listening.  We’re far from done.  In fact we’re just getting started.

Stuart – It was great to see a different instrument being used, what made you decide to play an upright electric double bass as your musical weapon of choice? Do you play any other instruments?

I loved the use of the double bass in acts like Reprazent, Red Snapper, and Lamb.  Couldn’t get the sound out of my head.  I put down the guitar and bought a knackered one a mate found in his attic.  My electric upright is a great instrument to play live.  It’s a hybrid of dancing and brawling.  Quite content to sweat and bleed on stage with that bass until my last breath.  At Takedown I jumped in the pit with it and one of the tuning pegs cut my head pretty deep.  It all got a bit CG Alin

What do to keep yourselves entertained in your downtime?

On the road we watch films, explore the towns we’re playing, sleep as much as possible, or just hang out.  We’re lucky that after all this time we still really enjoy each others company.  That lasts for a good while.   By the end of the tour, we park, get out the van, and part ways ready to get some space.  But the following week, there we are again.

Do you have day jobs and what is the worst job you’ve ever done?

Worst job I’ve had was probably working as a shopping mall mascot dressed as a giant alligator escorted around due the lack of vision.

They had to give me break every 15 minutes due the extreme heat from being surrounded by 10 inches think of Styrofoam.  I’d be just in my pants with sweat pouring off me.  There was an incident at the town parade with the rival shopping centres’ mascot bear.  Dick deserved it.

What did you want to be when you grew up?

Doing this but I envisaged more money. Ha

What advice would you give to any other aspiring bands that are struggling to make music that is original enough to stand out?

If you want to do something different, you’re going to have to work a hell of a lot harder than a lot of bands to get shows and interest but be happy in the knowledge that just merging into the deluge of genre specific bile that floods with each “new” trend.

We heard there has been a documentary made about you called Subsource: A Dubumentary – when do we get to see it and what can we expect?

It is still doing the festival circuit at the moment. It’s been nominated for an award in LA in a couple of weeks which is very exciting, but we’ll let people know when they can see it soon.  It’s not a “puff” piece.  The film maker came on the road for a year and a half and it shows just how hard it can be but also in turn equally rewarding.  Man it was weird being at the screening seeing a 12ft me.  Hats off to Colin Arnold.  It’s wicked.

What happened at V Festival? There’s a rumour of a near death experience in your tour bus?

V Festival is one of many near death experiences, but I was parking the van something sharpish while the guys were getting setup and saw a rare parking opportunity underneath a tree.  I piled in thinking the soft folliage would brush out of the way but lurking beneath was a turgid turret of woody doom that smashed through the roof flying literally a couple of inches from my face.  The cab filled the foliage that brushed my face mockingly.

How many festivals have you played and do you have any lined up for the summer?

Hundreds.  All shapes and sizes.  Love festival season.  Only just closing on the EP so booking hasn’t been a massive focus but you’ll be able to see us on tour around UK in May, Europe in September, and Guilfest, Redfest, Beach Break and more this summer.  Check our facebook page for more dates.

If you could jamm with any artist or band who would it be and why?

We have a series of “resmashes” we call them where we take artists we love and turn their songs them into hellish doom bass deconstructions versions of their former selves.  It’d be great to do that with them in the room.  So far we’ve done RATM, System of the Down, Slipknot, and Nirvana.  Obviously the latter wouldn’t be possible.  Just search RESMASHED on youtube or soundcloud and you’ll find them.

How do feel about being compared to the likes of Prodigy and Pendulum?

Both acts are or have been great and deserve so much respect.

We wouldn’t be doing what we do if it wasn’t for the Prodigy and both have done so much for live electronic music.

How has your songwriting process changed over the years?

From improvising instrumental soundscapes with beats to full on songs with vocals and distorted guitars the process has had to evolve as we need to record more now rather than just program.  We also write more together than we used to.  A track could be circulating in the ether for months when we used to pass tracks around our individual home studio setups.

What are you best and worst memories on tour so far?

The last tour was full of amazing memories. playing to rammed clubs in the middle of nowhere, after-parties, driving though mountains, experiencing different cultures and the worst are playing to empty clubs, running off stage to be sick due to Norovirus infection, breaking down on the side of the autobahn with a bag of frozen vomit and a translucent Dennis in the back of the van, and dealing with narrow minded eejits.  Fortunately the balance tips on the side of the good shit. Just.

HMV browse and grab or digital download?

Digital download.  HMV had their chance on the sun.  Percentage of purchase to artist is greater on a download without as much expense.  We are still old school to a degree and there will be a limited run of the EP available but you’ll need to come to a show to get it.

What is the Subsource mission? Where do you plan to be in five years?

Keep pushing, keep playing to more people, keep developing our music and ourselves as musicians

In five years, we want someone else to be driving the van!

www.facebook.com/subsource for more info
Subsource will be playing Waster at Envy on the 25th May and touring their new EP “Generation Doom” upon its release in May.

Written by Jennifer Le Roux

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Having interviewed him in our April issue of Mayhem! We went along to his gig at The Pyramids to see what all the noise was about!

The queue outside was bubbling with fresh-faced fifteen year olds all eager to see their beloved Charlie Simpson. The intimate crowd slowly poured into the Pyramid Centre and the support acts offered an appropriate warm-up of soulful jazz, relaxed indie and upbeat rock.

The remaining fans trickled through the door as Charlie made his entrance. He was welcomed by adoring, screaming fans and copious claps and, having thanked all for being there, he began his set with one of his most well-known track Parachutes.

The track began with a tuneful combination of light drums and melodic guitar. Charlie’s voice was bold and powerful, which was complemented by the beautifully played instruments. The track had a tuneful, catchy chorus that everyone chanted along to with enthusiasm.

The gig continued to be pretty chilled out and relaxed. There were some memorable tracks including Down Down Down, which lifted the crowds spirits as they all sang along merrily. Towards the end of the set he began to relax and have a bit more fun than just singing into a mic. His music continued to be melodic and peaceful, but carried nothing new. Luckily though, his track Run Run Rabbit Run saved what was becoming a repetitive set with a catchy tune full of creative lyrics and he ended with his favourite track, Sundown, which was wrought with emotion and intimacy.

The only remaining connection between Charlie and his history with Busted were those bountiful eyebrows! His voice has taken a considerable leap and Charlie is a strong artist, just still slightly rough around the edges. However, he is only young so he can be forgiven for experimenting with his music and following his heart. We look forward to seeing what he plans to do next!

Written by Tory Nairn

Live photo by Hannah Mesquitta

Visiting from Portsmouth there was a feeling of curious intrusion roaming the various bars and stages at Southampton University. As we passed fans eagerly clasping their beers and on a mission to catch their favourite bands, we knew it would be impossible to see them all. Here are Mayhem!’s top picks of the day…

Verses – Southampton Music Stage
A solid band with quality vocals and a good range of material. Their full throttle stadium worthy performance delivered from one of the smaller stages was pretty immense. Worth a listen!

Fei Comodo – Big Deal Clothing Stage
Rock songs caressed in harmonic vocals and topped nicely by complex lead guitar. The band projected an energy that intoxicated onlookers happy to give wave to their crowd surfing.

Subsource – Big Deal Clothing Stage
Attempting to absorb the array of dubstep-punk sounds propelled at us like a machine gun blew our minds. Frontman, Stu Henshall, belted out powerful vocals and rocked his electro cello including sporadic leaps into the mosh pit. Subsource were a welcome deviation to a day packed with hard rock bands. They are playing in Portsmouth the last friday of May at Envy. Lucky us!

Lower than Atlantis – Monster Stage
An uplifting high energy set that breathed new life into the main stage crowd. Their ability to connect with the audience was slightly lacking but the excitement in the room was elevated throughout by their music alone; they must be doing something right!

Deaf Havana – Monster Stage
Packed into the room like a can of caffeine-injected jumping beans, fans screamed along as Deaf Havana treated them to songs both old and new with the odd bit of friendly banter. A great engine-revving for the crowd preparing for a climatic musical spanking from the headline, Skindred.

Skindred – Monster Stage
Despite the delay of their performance due to technical problems, Benji Webbe grabbed the reigns and played us like a master of puppets as soon as he hit the stage. He choreographed the sweaty mass throughout, including a humorous robot dance-off. There were songs that pounded through your heart and others that lifted you into a trance like state where you understood the dominant message from Skindred; “chill the fuck out!”. The seamless leaps between euphoric reggae to hard rock infused dubstep and sporadic metal mash ups was overwhelming. A delicious dessert to finish off and fully digest the day.

Overall, Takedown 2012 was pretty damn good and very much Mayhem! Approved!

Written by Jennifer Le Roux

Photos by Marianne Harris

May the force be with you…get it?

With the sun starting to peep through the April shower clouds, Mayhem! is celebrating the countdown to summer! We’re cracking on with some outdoor activities in May with all the latest from the FA Cup, the Test Cricket scene and glamming it up for the Chelsea Flower Show. We’re making sweet music with Nicki Minaj and catching up with the new band on the block Lawson – and we’ve even had time to catch up with the likes of Simon Amstel and the Hairy Bikers! aMAYzing I know! And for all you film and television fans, The Don investigates the eagerly anticipated Eurovision Song Contest – for an ear-splitting excuse for a boozy get-together. Plus we’ve rounded up all the newest summer blockbusters, just in case you need to get out of the sweltering English heat!

To celebrate BBQ week this May, we’re throwing another shrimp on the barbie and spicing up the humble burger – how do you eat yours? To wash it down, we’ve experimented with the best summer drink mixers and give our top tip on throwing the best spring garden party. So, however you’re planning on milking the summer sunshine (it’s coming, I promise!), make sure you do it with Mayhem!

Hope you Enjoy!

When a lover leads you to the orgasmic climax of your life you realise all that came before were average and a temporary fix. This is the case when reflecting on previous shows that had holes to be found and elements that were amateur or imperfect. Not this year!

An enthusiastic corset wearing and feather bower draped audience were crammed into a sold-out stalls and dress circle at The Kings Theatre. Strapped in and eager to be amused, they witnessed in awe the overwhelming high standard of talent from a cast of performers booked and teasingly introduced to the stage by the dramatic and emotionally unstable, Joe Black.

It is difficult to select highlights from a set that was drowned in magnificent extravagance. A sentiment reiterated by the consistently animated audience with frequent rounds of spontaneous applause, shocked gasps and wailings of laughter throughout the night.

Forced to summarise and select, personal favourites were Kitty Bang Bang with her complex, on point shoe, dance moves in the first half and flame swallowing alight nipple tassel swirling in the second, a feat that made her stripping simply a naughty bonus. Count Adriano Fettunicin’s brought a smile with his silly drunken unicycle bagpipe striptease and the kooky handsome comedic musician, Elliot Mason, who made us all giggle as he reeled of songs about his bizarre thoughts and observations while his eyeballs seem to dance independently in different directions. Catchy tunes for all the wrong reasons that felt so right!

Further sparks of genius worth a mention included the mesmerising tribal belly dancer, Leah Debrincat. Her use of what seemed to be metal / techno music combined with her flexible tattooed body and big shiny sword delivered a powerful visual experience. Craig the Incredible Hula Boy also sent us all into cheers of adoration as we watched on to a man who mastered the hula in excess and speed that would beat the tapping feet of Michael Flatley on crack!

Lighter acts that served as a ‘cherry on the top’ were returning local artist, Vie O’Lette who lightened the mood with her Beginners Guide to Tassel Swirling. Kiki Kaboom also entertained us well with her innuendo song about her pussy cat ‘scratching on the back door’. Unfortunately though her striptease was simply that. As lovely as her bottom was, Kiki’s repeated bending over in a thong was unnecessarily seedy and without a strong accompanying talent the striptease was disappointing alongside the outstanding skills from the others. The ‘striptease only’ tone was also demonstrated by the Dita Von Teese tribute, Carrie-Ann O’Dell, which of course is expected given the figures iconic historical routes in burlesque. Aside from the admiration and respect for Dita Von Teese there was no escaping its replication and lack of originality when compared to the kind of outlandish and outstanding talent demonstrated by Kitty Bang Bang and Count Adriano Fettunicin. It seems that a new generation of ‘super’ striptease burlesque performers are raising the bar in the scene beyond their piers and idols.

Finally, the master of ceremonies, teaser of all tassels and enthusiastic giver of all that is inappropriate, Joe Black was on top form and smiling from ear-to-ear in response to the resounding success of the show. The multi talented musician selected the grand piano as his instrument for the night, which added a consistent level of class that cemented the show. Fans know his capabilities in centre stage well, but Joe didn’t hog the limelight and gave us just enough of his inane improvised banter, enthusiastic artist introduction and sporadic musical treats from his repertoire of songs with beautifully grotesque subject matter.

For those that have been and gone from the audience of previous burlesque shows at The Kings Theatre feeling disappointed or only mildly entertained, its time to dust of your corsets and slap on the guy liner – House of Burlesque just got shiny, professional, stunning and even sexier!

Written by Jennifer Le Roux
Photos by Scott Chalmers

Little printer

New From Berg, this funky little printer is a fresh new gadget. This portable gizmo prints and streams straight from your smartphone. The Little Printer will gather all your prints together to create a timely, beautiful mini-newspaper… how cool is that!

A Spiritualized Sermon

Spiritualised came to the Wedgewood Rooms on Saturday evening, and those who witnessed it no doubt felt reinvigorated- a rare treat for the diocese of Portsmouth. For there was a certain sense of the spiritual itself in the air, blinding white light making itself known as they started their sonic sermon with Hey Jane ( from their forthcoming new record Sweet Heart Sweet Light).

On this evidence the new material is the closest that Jason Pierce and company have ever come to making a pure pop record- So Long You Pretty Things, Mary, and Heading For The Top evoking Pierce’s fondness for the cream of 1960s pop, calling to mind as an example the Troggs, whose Any Way That You Want Me they covered as their first single, where earlier albums, particularly Ladies And Gentlemen We Are Floating In Space and Let It Come Down, let in Pet Sounds- period Beach Boys and classic gospel- think along the lines of the Edwin Hawkins Singers, or Popol Vuh’s Hosianna Mantra, a concept record striving to create sacred music without the dividing lines of religious dogma.

All of which gives their sound rich potential for experimentation, and this was reflected in their performance. Just when you thought you had settled into a dream-state thanks to the oddly relaxing buzz of the likes of Electric Phase (from the proudly experimental Pure Phase album, celebrating the legacy of Pierce’s previous group Spacemen 3, not to mention the likes of Suicide), along came an uplifting tempo- lifter of the calibre of Electricity or Cop Shoot Cop, which formed the encore.

Looking around at the audience it seemed Pierce was knowingly playing up to his reputation as a radiophonic rector, an air of distraction giving him the appearance of a man obeying only himself or some higher power if such a thing exists. Euphoria, though, was everywhere – depending on belief or degree of fandom the closest thing anyone could experience to a musical religious baptism or simply an extremely skilled understanding of the sonic science underpinning a sense of the oh so slightly sacred.

But either way all who experienced this will have dispersed into the night with a wave of belief washing over them – the belief they had seen something truly special.

Written By Chris Morley

A Prog Proms?

This June, Winchester’s Railway Inn plays host to an all-day celebration of the behemoth that is progressive rock/metal. At its heart is a first UK performance in three years from *Shels, following the release of their acclaimed new album ‘ Plains Of The Purple Buffalo’. Described as ‘ a monumental journey’, following on from their 2007 début ‘ Seas Of The Dying Dhow’, the core axis of Mehdi Safa ( guitar/vocals) and drummer Tom Harriman crafts music so cinematic it could easily pass for the soundtrack to a far-out celluloid trip.

Support is provided by Codes In The Clouds, Echoes, Caretaker, Bearded Youth Quest and others to be confirmed.

Codes In The Clouds promise potential, having had a maiden single ‘Distant Street Lights/Fractures’ play listed by BBC Radio One’s Huw Stephens in 2009, a blend of Sigur Ros and Oceansize characterising their first album ‘Paper Canyon’, followed within a year by the remix set ‘Paper Canyon Recycled’ and last year’s second album proper ‘As The Spirit Waves’.

Local boys Echoes bring a darker edge to this prog love-in, Hans Zimmer – influenced post-metal adding a certain malicious intent to the similar and blissed-out sound promised by the headliners, a new album out later this year – see http://www.echoesuk.com/ for more.

Formed way back in the mists of time ( well, 1999), Caretaker’s music carries with it a whiff of Mogwai, Sonic Youth, and Tool. With the recent release of their album ‘ Providence’ under their belt it promises to be melodic and skull-crushingly brutal, a trip to the darker side of the moon. http://www.caretakerband.com/ is the place to go to hear more.

And just to round off the journey, you might find time for Bearded Youth Quest. Defining themselves as ‘instrumental beard-rock’, they mine a lineage stretching back to progfathers like Rush and Yes, a portal back to 1970 should you fancy a trip back to the time of extended solos and classical ideals. A self-titled five-track EP is available to download from http://beardedyouthquest.bandcamp.com/ .

Tickets are available now, and the magical mystery tour begins from 3pm on Sunday, June 3, taking you into the evening on a wave of ‘kosmische’ ( that’s ‘ cosmic’ to those of you who have yet to discover the joys of Can, Faust, Tangerine Dream, and their kind). Best of all, if you and your band fancy hitching a ride to the other side, contact Hadley Keenan ( hadley@railwaylive.co.uk)- this is a 16 + event.

Written by Chris Morley

A top quality night of live music delivered amid the faint odour of prepubescent sweat, Topshop skinny jeans and hysterical high-pitched screeching of a predominantly tween audience at the Wedgewood Rooms Rizzle Kicks gig on Sunday 11th March. It should have come as no shock that the average age of this original Youtube sensation were about fourteen. They are the Facebook Generation after all and instrumental in the success of Rizzle Kicks today.

However, if you find yourself, like we did, wanting to stomp on them or knock their shiny iPhones (WHO is buying these children iPhones in the first place?) out of their hands, don’t feel bad; just punch up to the front and show them how the adults can too “Get down with the trumpets!’.

The first support act Random Impulse (aka Jovel Walker) was not at all how you would expect a grime/hip-hop artist to be. He played with a cool rocky vibe given that his electric guitar had a larger presence than his rapping. For an artist that seemed to have a completely incongruous feel to Rizzle Kicks he impressively engaged the audience and was a very entertaining support. Pepper was the second support act who lacked in the audience engagement that Random Impulse had but made up for it with her singing. She had a robust, soulful voice giving the impression of a young, cockney Adele.

Rizzle Kicks burst onto stage and immediately the small venue buzzed to life. Their energy was utterly infectious and the sold-out crowd were soon dancing and jumping along with Harley ‘Sylvester’ Alexander-Sule and Jordan ‘Rizzle’ Stephens like they were mates that they had met down the pub. Their sincerity and friendly banter drew you into their electric performance, with the intimate location suiting their style perfectly. Rizzle Kicks involved the crowd, dealt with all technical hiccups effortlessly with humour and hopped around the stage as if they had lived to perform there.

Their talent is undeniable. Harley has a technically impeccable voice that perfectly accompanies Jordan’s sharp rapping and despite adopting an ‘old-school hip-hop’ style their songs feel refreshingly modern. Rizzle Kicks have created a very clever, unique blend that is sure to keep them around for a while.

Highlights of the gig included Mama Do the Hump complete with the little dance, Miss Cigarette and of course Down With The Trumpets. Rizzle Kicks are performing in several UK festivals this summer including T in the Park, V festival and Bestival where they’ll be busting some shapes so I recommend them to anyone who wants to get down and dance (just beware of the tween following).

Written by Liz Ryan
Photography by Hannah Mesquitta