The Scene was Dead Anyway – Details, episodes & analysis

This is episode number 23 and on the podcast today I’m joined by Chris  Richards of Q and Not U!!  

From the official Dischord Records biography page:  

"John Davis, Harris Klahr and Chris Richards, formed Q And Not U in the  summer of 1998 (along with former member Matt Borlik) and began playing  out in November of that year. The band's first release, the "Hot and  Informed" single, came out in April 2000 followed by the band's debut  full-length, "No Kill No Beep Beep," released in October of 2000. After  much touring in support of their album the band parted ways with Borlik  and continued as a three piece, releasing the single, "On Play  Patterns," in April of 2002 and their second full-length, "Different  Damage," in the fall of that same year. Q And Not U toured extensively,  in the U.S., Europe, Canada and Japan, with friends like Black Eyes, El  Guapo (Supersystem), Antelope, Erase Eratta, Ted Leo/ Pharmacists, and  many more. The band released their final album, "Power," in October 2004  and parted ways one year later. Chris Richards released a solo album  under the name Ris Paul Ric in 2006. He currently lives in Maryland and  is the pop music critic at The Washington Post."

Dan Brookes is the lead vocalist and frontman for arguably the UK’s best modern day post-punk band – Total Victory. They sight influences such as The Fall, Sleaford Mods, and Dischord Records American post-hardcore punk band ‘Hoover’.

Formed around 14 years ago – they have released three studio albums – The Pyramid of Privilege, National Service, and English Martyrs.

Thumbnail photo courtesy of Rémi Goulet (insta: @el_alem).

Don Mclean is the founding member of Action Beat - an instrumental improvisational noise rock band originally from Bletchley, UK. 

Action Beat started in 2004. Their main goal was to be a touring band, and since forming they have played over 700 shows in Europe and North America. The live band normally plays with 3 guitars, baritone, bass, and 2-3 drummers. They toured the East and Mid West States of the US for 23 consecutive dates in 2016, and completed the USA stretch by touring the West Coast in 2019.

Don is also the founder of Fortissimo Records a label with it's roots in the early 00's DIY underground music scene in Milton Keynes. 

Ian Martin is the founder and owner of Call and Response Records; a  Tokyo-based record label and event organiser, specialising in indie,  postpunk and alternative music.

Barney Wakefield is the bass player in Brighton based noise-rock outfit 'Lower Slaughter'. Also a very influential musician based around the  Brighton DIY music scene and his previous projects include his Shellac inspired two guitar and drums outfit 'Epideme'. Plus his London based  90s slacker indie and post punk band 'Shudder Pulps'.

Brandom Smith is a DIY music promoter based in Manchester operating under the name of 'Singing Box Promotions'. He's put on a bands like Locean, Beige Palace, Crywank, Cocaine Piss to name but a few.

Also in this episode I talk about how the podcast is going, the pros and  cons of running a podcast, and some exciting new guests confirmed to come on the show.

Nat Mason AKA Stuart Pearce is a saxophonist based in Hucknall, UK - formerly of Salford Media City, The Part Time Heliocentric Cosmo Drama After School Club, Slumb Party and now playing under his own project aptly named 'Stuart Pearce'. 

Jack Ellis is the founder and owner of Jack's Instrument Services based in Cheetham Hill, Manchester; now regarded as one of the best guitar repair services in the North-West of England. 

Emma Thompson – founder of Fat Out – an independent music promotion based in Salford, England. Founded in 2008, Fat Out has grown from its humble DIY punk roots into a force to be reckoned with in the Salford/Manchester independent music scene. Fat Out was initially set up to put on their friends bands and other touring acts they had witnessed in the niche but thriving D.I.Y scene in Milton Keynes, centred around Don Mclean’s Fortissimo Records. Well over a decade into promoting, the shows have steadily gotten bigger and more diverse, but their DIY ethics remain unchanged, turning Fat Out from an occasional gig/party organisers into a fully-fledged and nationally recognised concert promotion.

This is episode number six in my new podcast series and today I'm joined by Dom & Sam who run their own music related podcast series called 'Bad Music Taste and Other Ways to Ruin Your Life'.

*Disclaimer - there was some connection and audio issues in the recording that I did my best to remedy but I wasn't able to fully rectify the problem. Apologies for the sound quality and cutting in/out.