Hey there all, normally I do music reviews but this time around I'm sharing a review of a music anime thats been really close to my heart That of BECK Mongolian Chop Squad, it's a really well-done anime & story along with it so if you haven't had the pleasure of seeing it it's something that I highly recommend. so have a look & be sure to post your comments on things.
Wednesday, July 9, 2025
Tuesday, July 8, 2025
DJ Interviews: Brook Hodges
Hey there folks here's my interview with indie singer/rocker Brooke Hodges who shared her humble begging's of her career
How'd you get started in music?
My mum had a guitar which she'd learnt on as a child. One of the teachers at my primary school ran a group lesson on a lunch time, so I went along to that with my mum's guitar and learnt to play hymns. After that, I was self-taught. I was at secondary school when Brit Pop was at it's height so everyone was playing the guitar. I've dabbled in various bands over the years, but then really started writing my own stuff a few years ago during lock down.
Who are your inspirations or influences?
I love good songwriting, anything with a hook and good lyrics, lyrics are really important I haven't got time for songs where they don't make sense! Fleetwood Mac have been a definite constant in my life and I love a lot of other 70s stuff, like Neil Young, John Martyn, Toto. I've recently been listening again to Ben Folds Five who were my favourite band when I was a teenager, they have some brilliant songs, there's a lot of humour in there which I really like too and I try to bring that into my writing at times.
What advice would you offer aspiring performers?
Get up and play! Find local open mics or acoustic nights with a welcoming host and do lots of it. When I was about 13 or 14, we went on a family holiday to Tenerife and there was a live band who played in a bar every night. I was persuaded to get up and play with them, I was beyond nervous and I didn't have a go-to repertoire at that time, it was a bit of a car crash, but we went back the next year and I was prepared and played every night and loved it.
I've only recently got to a point where I don't routinely feel terrified getting up to play, but it definitely gets gradually easier the more you do it. The other thing that I find really useful is to video myself. I joined a Facebook 'Live Lounge' during lockdown where a load of musicians posted a song a day. Prior to that, I would perform but would never listen back to what I'd played for fear of it being awful. Watching my videos back was so useful both for tightening up my performances but also in giving me confidence to realise that what I was doing actually sounded fine.
How do you set yourself apart from other bands or singers?
There are so many talented songwriters and performers out there, I'm not trying to set myself apart, I just want to be amongst them. But my songwriting is very honest and raw and people seem to connect with that which is lovely.
How would you say that music has inspired/made an impression on you?
Writing music allows me to express ideas and emotions that I really can't communicate in any other way. Often writing songs allows me to work through what's going on inside and make sense of it. Listening to music can play with your mood in such incredible ways, from the euphoria of being at a gig where you can feel the music vibrating your bones and everyone is singing along, to the days alone at home wallowing in heartbreak with Jeff Buckley and Radiohead for company.
Any new gigs or albums in the future?
I've got a few gigs in Sheffield lined up in the coming weeks. The next one is at Mester's Tap on 16th July. My next album is taking shape, I've been writing a lot recently and I'm hoping to start recording early in 2026.
Special thanks to both her & Grace Williams for her collabaration in helping with this interview So until then I'll catch you on The Flipside!
Tuesday, July 1, 2025
DJ Interviews: TokyoSOng
Hey there everyone its your old friend DJ Dizzy here with an interview as done by band. Tokyo song who sat with me to talk about their musicial origins
How'd you get started in music?
I've always had a head full of music that's been itching to get out of me... I was tinkering with some layered wall of sound orchestral indie when training to be a producer back in the late 1990s, and a chance meeting with Clint Boon (Inspiral Carpets) and him being bowled over by the weird Beach Boys, Nick Drake tunes I had gave me the belief maybe I had something. Through a few more chance meetings with different folk led to a deal with the Beastie Boy's Grande Royal, festival tours and putting out some songs internationally as the 'Justin Lewis Orchestra', fast forward three years and the label closed and I was back to square one..
Who are your inspirations or influences?
Oh so many, I've already mentioned a couple... I really need a t-shirt that says 'I don't believe in God, but I do believe in Mahalia Jackson', Flaming Lips, Tim and Jeff Buckley, Aretha F, Radiohead, Portishead and lots more besides. In the more modern world I'm super hyped about hey nothing and find their passion, honesty and song writing beauty, Olivia Dean is bringing something special and Jacob Alon is soothing my speakers right now. Love artists that write from the heart.
What advice would you offer aspiring performers?
The most important thing is to be yourself and know you don't need to be perfect first time. Finding yourself as an artist and a singer is a process - and the important bit is to stay in that process. Bad shows, recordings that don't go anywhere or times when you are unsure where you are heading are all part of it - but just keep heading somewhere, keep learning and don't get too distracted by what works for others. This is your journey as an artist and what works for others isn't what will work for you - stay in the process and find out what special thing you bring to the party, and then attach big bright lights to that and sing it loud and like your life depends on it.
How do you set yourself apart from other bands or singers?
I don't sing like anyone else and I'm more of a singer and a songwriter than a musician. With Tokyosongbird I play everything - which brings it's own challenges and charm, on a good run great things happen by accident and everything falls neatly into place... on some of the stuff you wont hear it's like one of them Bob Dylan songs where he asks everyone to switch instruments. The thing is I'm always looking for beauty and emotion in everything I write. Songs just appear through me and I spend my time trying to do the music in my head justice, and deliver the vocal performances these songs deserve. Maybe in this stretching to find the right quality and capturing the emotional meaning and these struggles adds to the unique emotions of my songs.
How would you say that music has inspired/made an impression on you?
I suspect I would be in trouble if I didn't have music. Listening to the opening bars of Ok Computer or Mahalia Jackson singing at Louis Armstrong's 70th birthday concert, having had to leave her sick bed to get up on that stage. In the modern day we've managed to cheapen music and let it become way too much about posh kids from stage school - but nothing grabs your like great authentic music written from the heart, nothing transports you like a singer giving everything, or a band just reaching their peak.
I've an album almost finished, but I feel like you have to earn an album these days as an artist so suspect that will be next year. My next single in the autumn is going to be a duet about a couple of high school sweethearts that broke up and re-meet in middle-age, both single again and finding the flame is still burning - and rather fine it is sounding too.
Special thanks to Lee Christian & Grace Williams for their help in this & you can check out Tokyo Song's music via the following links. So until then I'll catch you on The Flipside!
TokyoSong Music
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