Martin Austwick (vocals/guitar/bass/superbass/glockenspiel). There's just one of me and I am a man. Grrr.
Influences
Here are a few, in no particular order:"Sin-e" era Jeff Buckley, Tom Waits, Kimya Dawson, Burt Bacharach, "Girl from Ipaneama", Ween, Pixies, Fugazi, Arcade Fire, John Martyn, Bob Dylan (lyrics and not the unholy honk of the mouth organ), PJ Harvey, Mark Mulcahy, Godspeed You! Black Emperor, Aqute Couch, The Monroe Transfer, Radiohead, M Ward, (Smog), Bonnie "Prince" Billy, Papa M (esp the early instrumental stuff), Cocteau Twins, Roy Orbison, David Lynch, Jim Jarmusch, Todd Solondz, early Tori Amos, early-to-mid Smashing Pumpkins, Tim Buckley, Nina Simone, Ben Christophers, Elvis Costello, Scout Niblett, Django Reinhardt, Nirvana, Tool, Boards of Canada, Lyrics Born, Saul Williams, Stevie Ray Vaughan, (The Blue Moods of) Spain. If I really sounded like an amalgam of these it would be mind-blowing. Or extremely derivative.
I've just listened to this
And this week
So I may have been lying in my bio about all that cool obscure shit.
This is how people describe The Sound of The Ladies:
"[The Sound of The Ladies] is actually one guy called Martin Austwick... He should be more famous - his voice is brilliant"
-Josie Long’s "Must Sees" in the Sunday Times
"Somewhat of a superhero in the underground acoustic scene" -God is in the TV zine
and their debut EP Tissue of Lies:
"...the affecting, bittersweet ’I Promised Myself I Wouldn’t Cry’...perfectly evokes waking up to a beautiful sunny morning and half an empty bed. the tender, thoughtful ’Spider’ and aforementioned ’I Promised.’ have been knocking around [my] head for several days, the most obvious and natural accolade for a record that there is."
-God is in the TV
"What is suggested accurately by this name... is the gentle, tender nature of the music... ...a sonic foray into the world of sadness, deceit and failed relationships. A very impressive debut EP, displaying a broad range of musical influences and, more importantly, a great talent."
-Backlash Magazine
"...recalls the uncluttered sonic distance to some of Jose Gonzales’ self-penned work, with a bossanova twitchiness and a lilt to his voice a tiny bit reminiscent of Rufus Wainwright in places..." - New Noise
"This is a soft, considerate record of mild melancholic music that brings to mind Black and the Blue Nile in its earnest jazz-folk way" -Vanity Project
When in Dawsons the other day, there was a guitar, just placed next to an amp, to which it was plugged into. I picked it up, and started learning and played the single chords from the beginning of Nightmare Six :)
Aha, it is. It's lovely :) I drink it, yet i'm still a month away from 18. I even went to a gig last night (Johnny Foreigner) and got a wrist band so i could get served. I didn't need any ID or anything. Go me for looking 18 (H). But i'm not a 'WOOOW BOOZE! LETS DRINK EVERYTHING HERE' twat kind of drinker. I had one drink, and that wasn't even because it cost so much. :)
It's still on the border, and it's still as shit as ever. Mind you, Central Station is still the only highlight. It's a really good and cool venue to play and see bands. I am consider volentering there. I imagine it will be much more entertaining than working where i do now.
A British Heart Foundation Warehouse. Erghhhhhhhh.
Bovril? God, it's like wartime ration. When my Nana was still alive, my family came to see her and my dad was at her side eating a small pot of it. I smelt it and felt like throwing my innards out.
I love Marmite. Life's sweet nectar :) Then again, i say that about WKD as well...
Aha. I've never had the want to ever see it, probably because i don't have any breasts. Speaking of which, do you love or hate Marmite? I would imagine you would like it very much so. I don't know why.
And lovely :) Do enjoy your trek and therefore, cakes.
I have. I just don't know if they're actually designed to be waterproof. Depends on the type, i suppose. In my experience of shoes, and wet weather, they tend not to mix unless you're wearing really think Wellingtons, and even they soak through.
Big Bad Love July 10th Doors: 7pm £6.50 93 Feet East
This is our first 93 Feat East gig and we’re happy to be gracing this illustrious stage so look out for special door price offers a few days before the gig… Or you can buy in advance here: http://www. wegottickets. com/event/32336
After 18 months of songwriting thrills, spills, chilled drinks and temperamental strange beautiful mentalist Shelley like waif and stray musicians baring their warm hearted souls at weekly music night ’Myspace or Yours’. The folks from SONGWRITERS ANONYMOUS are kickstarting a monthly residency at The Vibe Live with a showcase for the acts they’ve nominated for this years Indy Music Awards.
My, my. No one comments you much, do they? :( So, i will!
Birmingham tomorrow! :D I love going there. It's a great city, as i'm sure you're aware.
I hope you're having a nice Easter, Martin, even if it's just a ploy to sell easter eggs, which, ALL TASTE THE SAME! They do! I even checked on the back of one, to see if there was thing saying who made them, and it never says. Weirddd.
Smoke Feathers have been invited to play at the INDY Music Awards media launch and short list announcement party on Wednesday April 2nd 7pm at the Rock Garden, Covent Garden, London.
It’s no guarantee that we have been shortlisted for the final, but we hope it is a good sign....
Hey, I love you, Mr. Soundman :) I would love it if you came to tour near the north, so i could come and see you live! I'm actually going to Birmingham to see some friends in a week, one of which i've been trying to persuade to listen to you for a long while, but she's resisting as she refuses to like any band i like :P.
How are you? :)
Eliot. Ps. Thanks for mentioning me about the welshlistenerness on AMT!, it was nice of you to :) x
The first of a monthly gig night at the Buffalo Bar hosted by Big City Redneck... You coming? Should be rather swellegant!
Buffalo Bar 259 Upper Street Nr. tube: Highbury and Islington 21st February £6/£5 concessions Doors: 8.30pm – 1am
The Chap http://www.myspace.com/thechap “Like Underworld if they’d decided to be a lo-fi rock and roll combo instead of a stadium-selling dance act. Stunning, it’s ridiculous, but in a great way.” Vice Mag
The Guillotines http://www.myspace.com/headswillrockandroll “Snarling spunk-punkers The Guillotines come across like Gallows meeting the Rat Pack, with a flame-haired Lauren Bacall wielding a bass, outside a Brighton S&M shop psyching themselves up to buy leather gimp masks. Wanton sax appeal, voodoo rock'n'roll magnetism and growling dirty lounge” NME
Creepy Morons http://www.myspace.com/thecreepymorons “The thunderous blues crunch of The Creepy Morons first materialised in 2005 having risen from the ashes of Hot Tradition and The Beatings. I know its rubbish when I merely regurgitate information from a myspace, but when a band describes its influences as ‘Women, Drinking and Death’, and their sound as ‘Drunken monkeys assembling an Ikea butchers block’, I’d be daft not to.” Jon Hillcock, XFM
DJ: Dirty Omar http://www.myspace.com/dirtyomar
Interviews with all these bands available at www.bigcityredneck.co.uk
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