Cro Cro Land Forever (please)
The sold out Cro Cro Land Festival of 2024 is so much more than a MOMENT of the year.
Read MoreAWEtumn 2023
Totally Biased (sue me) tiny percentage of what’s rocking the now and next for The Events Department, as Leaves Fall From Trees like music news gifts
2023. What A Time To Wish To Be Allowed To Be Alive!
But positivity IS happening in music. Despite The Overwhelming/Underwhelming Everything of Now. The (necessarily) DIY Sector of the Entertainments world is adapting with a star shaped twinkle cracking the cruelty-gloom. See our situationist, cut n paste tapestry weave, whimsically, for further details. Below are three degrees of celebration rather than six degrees of separation. Universe (“one song”) makes it so. Noisily enjoying, A-Z:
ALEX SPENCER
“I’m What The Future Becomes”.
Are people of all ages listening to what the artists are facing? Singing about? Caring about? (kudos, Just Stop Oil, for sharing support for ‘And Now The Weather’) by articulate synth punx, KILL, THE ICON! Do you listen and really HEAR?
In lockdown, Alex Spencer came to attention with videos of busking around Manchester and became part of this tale. In Summer 2023, post GCSEs, the wait was over, got to see Alex perform live (with Will Harvey from his band) at #SoccerSixFest - worth the wait and highly engaging. That #FootballMusic social day out was special day for all the Spencer family. Aces. More on that is still to follow.
For now the new single, ‘Do What I Wanna’, is a sing-along-think-along tune of the year and you just know it will be a stormer at the headline show in November. Best wishes always, Alex.
Hi. We’re a DIY multi media - more Rocking Pebble than Rolling Stone but welcome to our documentary of extraordinary artists! From the following, Vanity Fairy joined our magick folk faves. Thanks MASH! https://www.mashzine.com/
#ArtfulFest 2021 Day 19
ANNA WOLF
If you haven’t yet, do please listen to the EP, ‘Romance Was Born’, it’s an aural spectacle. Currently working on exciting new music with producer, Rex Roulette, Anna Wolf and her band performed a treat of a main stage live show for the launch of key interdependent promoter, KICK OUT THE JAMS, in a brand new grand new location at the world famous Hackney Empire! Two Palms was too good! It launches properly soon. #KOTJmusic already invited back for October, November AND December events!
On Thursday night, I was just gonna leave this there for Friday’s proof read, but … I woke up this morning (da da dada!) and there’s a new single on the horizon for October 19th!
This date holds deep significance to me, and I couldn't wait any longer to share this song with you.
"MOTHER" touches on the painful experience of losing someone dear and the journey to rediscover hope amidst the darkness. It's a raw, honest portrayal of the vulnerability we all face when dealing with loss. Unlike songs that merely say, "everything will be fine, just hold on," I wanted to create something that acknowledges the difficulty of death and the acceptance that it's okay not to be okay.
I hope "MOTHER" provides solace to those who listen, letting you know that you're not alone in your grief. Be sure to pre-save the track using the link below, and mark your calendars for October 19th
#ArtfulFest 2023 Day 19 recommendation
COLOSSUS
‘The Gods Hate Colossus’ has literally just appeared on Earth. It’s a debut rock music EP that is as sparked in variety as their line ups and as passionately energised as what I’ve seen of their live shows (on line). An audio-textured mix of whipcracking rhythms, Classically hard rocking threads that call to mind Scrap Iron Scientists with a twist of Fat White Family - and art punk psyche harmonies. It just sounds like it’s own genres though. As debut EPs go, this is an inventive incentive to turn up the volume!
What a tapestry! Rob Homewood is the artbeat visual of the EP based on a band photograph by Andras Paul.
John Clay is part of the three way conversation with Nishant Joshi of previously mentioned KILL, THE ICON! and Chardine Taylor-Stone of BIG JOANIE (both bands woven into this doc).
If you haven’t read this, please do. Bring love. You won’t be uncomfortable unless yer a toryhearted bot, but I doubt you’d be reading the wibblings of TheZineUK (which is headed by working class women from Cruella-oppressed backgrounds) if you were! Maybe you’re on side, if so, bonus!
Well done #20YearsOfJoy. Now bring on 26th October. The Artful Party. Fonda 500 playing their finale London show and three new-release bands - Bugeye, Feral Five, Colossus - soundtracking the future with new releases. GOD IS IN THE TV and JOYZINE celebrate twenty years of existence while raising £ for Hope Not Hate anti racism charity!
The latest Moon Faeries to visit #SELondon are Nova Twins fans, Luna Tick Tock and Moona Lisa. They’ll be at the show. You can be too, for a fiver (in total!) from https://www.wegottickets.com/event/589723
God Is In The TV and Joyzine are both blessed with teams of quality writing and photography. New and alternative music reporting, reviewing, interviewing, thought piece articles, releasing hugely acclaimed compilation albums, musical downloads and staging live events! Happy Birthday, both. Again, it’s an interdependent thing.
Incidentally, Joyzine’s Rupert Hitchcox designed and photographed the entire Chapter 1 of TheZineUK. Late 2013, we went to meet a trendy publication in Shoreditch for tips. Showed them the mock up and they sneered that it was nothing special. Originally, the words off and fuck sprang to my mind, in no particular order, but I got over myself and we enjoyed a beer together with them. There’s no competition, they’re huge and doing it right.
We’re definitely different to the on-brand design concept that we may achieve one day. For now, TheZineUK is perfectly imperfect while creating in the wild.
That time TheZineUK were based at The Ministry Of Fluff n Dreama… Gordon Raphael is on the bus chatting all sorts with Ragged Cult Magazine. He also reviewed The Strokes at Hyde Park from side of stage. It was viralled across The Guardian, NME etc Heck I think somebody even remembered to credit TheZineUK - nah, y’aint seen it all before. Listen to all these artists. You may like a song and wahey!
Our first front page (uploaded mid March 2014 - some of our faves still in school) was taken with 15 minutes to capture Rhiannon The Nightmare stunning the main hall of the National Portrait Gallery (fast forward to now, she’s an award winning film maker) and the last page is of teen band, Floodliners, on the bar of Amersham Arms in a scene out of the TryLife TV drama. The bass player is now one half of Elton John faves, Nova Twins (currently on tour with Muse) and the drama is an international, top tier interactive youth powered tech sensation of international acclaim with (goes to check) 6.9 million followers on fakebook. We’re not all bad.
#Zeenagers are Generation Tremorists - All Ages And Backgrounds who are not falling for the whole Earth x Earthlings hating bullshit of the 1% - they don’t even know we exist so as the tides rise seize their yachts for your luxury squats
Maybe it’s because we live and love music world life, that in mid-March 2024, it’s TheZineUK’s tenth anniversary. Zeenagers Expo will let anybody (who is interested) decide if our new whimsical express is on point or not. Now do please go and re-read this page another day, if you likebbecause it will shape October (Artful month) which aims to create a physical event within a year.
Q: Will we succeed? A: We will try to. It’s a situationist kismet cosmic magical mystery tour, just come with… Are friends Electric? Now is the age of
ELECTRIC ENEMY
A pulsing blast of a hip-swinging rhythm that arrives into this tale via new single, ‘Fear’. BombPop Beats (bombastic, poptastic electro rock with alien invasion choir harmonies)! “I wrote, performed, recorded, produced and mixed this song about a panic attack i had” says Electric Jim. Dive in, hear him out as there’s a collection of massive tunes! Get IN! https://linktr.ee/electricenemy
MIMOSA
‘All The Time’ an Autumn single from a band who are a shade of 1970s Americana alternative rock outfit from Chesterfield with a driving rhythm paced, “sing it with me”, guitar-wigged-out shiner. Click here for the freshly unveiled video.
Mimosa are another name among a myriad of music industry who are part of Soccer Six Fest 2023 (which is part of our story) and graced the stage with a confident rock show swagger for which fans and friends had travelled miles to cut crazy, indie-disco shapes on the dance floor. The UK tour rolls on with this cumulative energy, via BBC Radio Sessions, festivals and tour dates to even greater heights as the year unfolds. A gig at Blackpool Tower?!!!
MOSES
“I’m very close to quit”… (2020) A Rock Opera In Real Time. Musicians from Eastern Europe, Ireland, South Korea form rock band. Build the seeds of a massive reputation. Brexit then Pandemica then ailments and finances hit hard. So glad that they don’t quit. Special kudos to The Wizard of Wolverhampton, producer Gavin Monaghan. A spiritual guide to many in the magical Magic Garden Studio. Fast forward to 2023 where new songs for 2024 were premiered on USA dates and the latest of their releases to hit a landmark, ‘Who Needs The Money' has passed half a million Spotify streams with no playlists in support. #ThatBandMOSES - mostly unknown but blessed with anthems for grand occasions and amazing followers who are a cross between a street team of recommendation and a gig-choir.
Look out, level playing fields, at all the names I’m blubbyblabbing here.
The Fertile Environment is a reality.
RUBY J
After hearing a world exclusive play of the energised Northern Soul tingled single ‘Home’, on John Kennedy’s X-posure Daily radio shows, I was lucky enough to experience the close range live performance at This Feeling’s Test Transmission 003 event that same evening.
With a soulful vocal distinction that I feel Ami Winehouse would enjoy, Ruby is an artist I’d like to hear sing ‘Goldfinger’ or ‘Hey Big Spender’ by Shirley Bassey. Another special artist on the runway of This Feeling’s “Zone Airport”. Yeah, the No.1 Live Music Club in the land staged something special. (cont./…)
Billie tinted Blues: https://linktr.ee/rubyjofficial
Pay attention to Music Venue Trust - if you don’t already - or you’ll no longer see a bill of live sets that you will later pay at least ten to twenty pounds EACH to witness at a later date. For instance…
Test Transmission 003 - Fitzrovia (Central London)
On 26th September you could have enjoyed Spangled, Beverly Kills, Billy Otto, Harri Larkin (introduced to our story by the above mentioned Gavin Monaghan!) AND Ruby J all on one bill for a tenner. Intimately in an inclusive welcome from This Feeling, their team and expanding community - while rubbing shoulders with banger-spinning, star heat-seeker, DJ and Host, John Kennedy, alongside more music industry influencers.
Four of the photographers in attendance - Jon Mo, Rhona Murphy, Keira Anee and Alan Wells - are also appreciated contributors to TheZineUK’s tale/heritage - look out for their highly rated work! Talking of involved interdependent media, Mike from Travellers Tunes is a prolific writer and scout.
Uniqulture. Interdependence. It works.
Yet again, an unforgettable, fun and enthralling evening. First time catching Harri Larkin, Beverly Kills and Billy Otto in the flesh. Superb. Quick taster clips of random adventures https://www.tiktok.com/@thezine.uk and https://www.instagram.com/thezine.uk/
Billy Otto and Harri Larkin, 2023 - This Feeling/TheZineUK
People travelled from all over the country and continent for This Feeling. Music Tourism.
A research of how it works was furthered by the back room that TheZineUK was born in (Amersham Arms) staging an event by 122MM in July. It was filmed by the above mentioned John Clay of Colossus. One of the bands performing was…
STILL TRAFFICO
This morning, this band released a giant bird that flies. Up. There’s something beautifully “SHACK in the Strawberry Fields Forever’ shadowing the single, ‘Seagulls’, which introduces this North/South Uniting band to a wider public. A sultans of swinged urgency within beseeching vocals, chord play rhythms and guitar chimes.
Turns out that the above mentioned 122MM (122 Music Management) are based in SELondon and we are on a wavelength, tune wise, so when up’n’comers, The Outers, were invited back to Amersham Arms, we all went together, had a brill night out and a proper social with the band (ha ha, I left them all in the beer garden until the early hours!). The Outers next show was launching a single in Hackney, supporting headliners, Still Traffico. A totally quality evening under a big big moon. Both bands. Both barrels.
My impression of Still Traffico was that their psychedelic structured layers sounded like a fresh feeling familiar for a few bars before a tango of textured tangents. No drugs required, a bit like a scene from 1980s cult TV, Twin Peaks, where the guitar band call in to the strange place, having got lost on tour and we freaks dance odd moves. Still Traffico describe themselves as ‘railway pop’ and they are, indeed, a little off the rails. Credibly.
I enjoyed myself too much, stayed late after instead of shooting for the last train and found myself on my own magical mystery night bus tour, occasionally loudly stating “I Am Moon”. Proudly weird, this is how September 2023 began. How it ends. All day long…
THE KAIROS
I want my Mummy! There’s a monster in my ear! It’s ‘Suspend’ the new single from The Kairos!
As all these random paragraphs are actually connected (uniqulture WEAVES), this is a band that were thriller killer at Test Transmission 001 on March 1st 2022. My first sighting. Dived straight in. That was a night not to forget: A new European war just declared, a rail strike thronged the doomy hearted streets with sponsored walks to get anywhere - and still a beautiful evening of noisy joys at close range - TheZine.UK insta: A “few secs of 'Money Mind' “A punky blues tint of Hamburg era Beatles”. (cont/…)
Now it’s Autumn 2023. Our mate, Louise Schofield’s increasingly busy schedule includes an (entertaining, of course!) session and interview on Spill The Sound - the bath balls reveal music TV show made in Manchester. The opening track played is ‘Suspend’!
Music journalists who go to gigs, DJ, present radio/TV shows, live events/Festivals, interview musicians they’ve put at ease - and just LOVE it. Yeah, they make our world go round. Go Lou, a perfect #NoKairoNoParty match! The UK tour is about to rock off for this band on a roll, get in The Thick Of It!
https://www.thekairosband.com/
THE OUTERS
At the end of last year, The Outers danced into TheZineUK’s ears with an insistently hooky pop TUNE ‘Danger Signs’. They were playing the launch of Bad Apple Club (no, not a policeforce disco) in Shoreditch’s Old Blue Last, supporting previously mentioned MOSES - and the song just stuck.
Their set was an instant winner, thrillingly festive and the perfect special guests for such lively headliners. The Outers are an uplifting band who are determined that you enjoy their gigs as much as they love playing them. Works for me. It’s early doors but their potential is seeding.
Yup, grabbed them to play Pop Of The Tops 2023 in Spring. They made a video for ‘Danger Signs’ in Summer and along the way, each show won fantastic feedback. Not just me, then. For Autumn, there’s a lyric video to the new single, ‘First Sight’, mentioned in the shout about Still Traffico, above… and to a noticeably bigger crowd.
https://linktr.ee/theouters2
Entwined, I tell ya!
Untwining, here is a bucket list band to tick off with a live show some day soon, hopefully.
All hail VENUS GRRRLS - Their new single, ‘Liar Liar’, is a skyward facing gongbanger of a pop strut. Huge if true. Guess what? It’s true! Leeds leads! Watch/Hear (YouTube)
https://orcd.co/liarliar-venusgrrrls by Misha Warren
ZEENAGERS EXPO - mid March 2024.
Wish us luck putting events together during the creative copromotions of the situationist virtual festival, Artful (Oct 1st-31st). What are your visual artists, film makers, illustrators, VJs of choice to soundtrack? Who or what is your #ArtfulFest 2023?
September 2023, Anna Wolf at the Bob Vylan social
newer wave of art punx having cheap fun on the outside looking outwards. Over and out.
#Zeenagers EXPO is GO!
Mango In Euphoria, The Outers, Jean Genie's Massive Hugs
…and TheZineUK cast and new friends
April 2023 really was a #PopOfTheTops MOMENT. Zeenagers Expo is GO!
#TheZineUK infamous travelling circus, Music People Party, returned to this documentary’s place of creation celebrating an art punk social, in the iconic Amersham Arms. “Big stages are the ones for me…” (Mango In Euphoria).
Good evening New Cross, let’s PARTY! Pic by Dizzy Spell.
Looking forward with a newer wave of alternative sounds, EVERY set brought their entertainment game for an awesome audience who mirrored the on stage engagement with their own cheers and moves. The feedback, still coming, is amazing; “life affirming” (industry scene-shaker, Meli Foris)
Sadly, indie jazzpunx, Brie, were unable to play but gladly the remaining line up proved (oi, non diversifying fest bookers!) that female musicians ROCK.
Jean Genie’s Massive Hugs
Poptastic songs emitted with a stripped down set, Jean Genie & Jonny Hayes showcased magical, melodic stories of reality in surreal times. JG, “Bringer Of Sunshine”, set the tone for an uplifted evening with expansive tunes.
All tonight’s performances were loaded with potential, so emitted an infectious confident joy.
Jean Genie - a living song. Photo by Dizzy Spell.
Music lovers came from as far as Wales and The Midlands to New Cross. It warms the heart that they already want to return to this welcoming space as part of the show. Bless the interdependent grassroots music venue circuit.
Tonight, Amersham Arms is twinned with The Ferret in Preston by the Massive Hugs latest (artivist, radio air played) single, ‘Ray Of Hope (Ferret Forever)’. It’s also linked to The Old Blue Last in Shoreditch, by the next band, discovered through a song before they played a launch there at the end of last year. Yes please, you can never have too much soaring drama.
The Outers
The Outers are a lively live thrill. Photo by Dizzy Spell.
The Outers are groovy and magnetic with occasional tints of Blur and Blondie but an operatic punky energy of their own. After catching them in December, they were another must for tonight’s show. An interactive indie rock party who made some new friends this evening, they’re also setting up for new releases. Watch their (s)pace!
Coming across new faves like that, TheZineUK doc works via kismet, karma, magick and just wanting to stage a recommendable event. The next set being another case in point - a last minute addition to a Kick Out The Jams show in Autumn 2021.
Mango In Euphoria
Now a released recording artist, London’s glam-punked disco diva is back at Amersham Arms by request and packing punchy tunes in the process.
Mango In Euphoria, disco queen. Photo by Dizzy Spell
If I was a festival booker, Mango In Euphoria, The Outers and Jean Genie’s Massive Hugs would be on the line up of our stage. They suit indie-rock, alt-pop events with an inclusive party atmosphere.
This ain’t just excitement speaking. There were an array musical peers and future-movers at the show. There’s a reason that ‘Hollywood’, the latest Mango In Euphoria single, is hitting all the right notes with independent media and radio feedback.
Could have heard a pin drop for the song ‘Radio Waves’. Jean Genie’s Massive Hugs by Dizzy Spell.
Next month, sussed festival bookers, Kick Out The Jams and End Of The Trail have snapped up Mango’s and Jean Genie’s powerful live sets for two 3 Day Free Festivals in Brighton. Both multi-tasking promoters have impeccable show scouting/artist connecting reputation.
#StageStyle 4REAL!
I had kinkyboot envy of Ade, lead singer of The Outers, TheZineUK editor, Dizzy Spell always sports a head turning outfit, Kat Five is a consistent metallic shimmer of glamour and I couldn’t help but notice how sparkled ALL the live sets were this evening. Musicians making rock n roll dreams of the newer wave kind, live on stage. Like a TV show. That’s uniqulture’s fertile environment of “couldn’t make it up, so just live it”, for ya.
So much MOVE-ment in this movement! Photo by Dizzy Spell.
Great to see Lisa Knight (busy PR and photographer currently on tour with The Kut), Meli Foris of Play It Loud UK (photography, promotions), the above mentioned Kat Five (artist - Feral Five - and techtastic space vixen), John McKiernan Platform 7 Events (virtual dimension technology and arts collaborations), musicians Anita Maj of Lil Minx Records, Ceri James and Alex Wonderland in the house. There was more photography by Neil Anderson (98 Wounds) and as ever, the supportive care of the venue and staff. (cheers Andy and Richard).
The legacy of future making was invigorated by this convention of invention.
Exhibit all this.
The #MusicPeopleParty (December 2017) began #TheZineUK cast and crew's step up into the surreal serendipity of situationism that kicked off in 2018 and forms #Zeenagers - a multi media expo being created between Spring 2023 and Spring 2024 - of the last five (WTF) years,especially. There was an audiovisual slideshow from #TheZineUK documentary on the big screen, then images and clips from tonight will be part of future projections. Appreciation for all there in spirit and support.
The original Pop Of The Tops club (artists, faeries, punks etc) was killed off after a year to "Stay Beautiful" but still inspires fresh ideas. Twisting tuned tales with uplifting energy and chic!
Mango In Euphoria https://linktr.ee/mangoineuphoria by Dizzy Spell
The best thing is that Paul Joyzine has been part of it all. Now one of independent music culture’s most influential standards, Joyzine celebrates twenty years of influence. Down the front for Bloc Party, Art Brut etc at the original Pop Of The Tops and again for these emerging names!
Generation Tremorists of all backgrounds come together, weave a DIY art show, laugh with escapism. In short, Zeenagers Expo is Go! We’re OI (organic intelligence) so it’ll remain chaotically tangented. Phew.
Everybody mentioned above? Find them over the next few days via our social media https://linktr.ee/thezineuk
Pop Of The Tops 2023
Our situationist music socials and their stars, are never “just a gig” then over and finished with - but always an unfolding story’s chapter. Consider this an invitation!
20/4 - Pop Of The Tops 2023 - London
18+ event. £10 on the door, £8 in advance or OTD w/ NUS
(NHS staff card free entry). Grab a £3 early bird entry: https://www.wegottickets.com/event/573847
(Artist support (industry/media) please DM Events Department in advance)
#PopOfTheTops Spotify playlist of #RocklandsParty alumni
A one-off celebration of the club (2003-2004) that started a season of “New Cross scene” with DIY arts and a punky live music social. If anybody’s around in 2043, celebrate this evening’s 2023 live musical gems, again!
The plan is some visuals from 7.45pm - so come early doors if you wanna experience the full audiovision (live sets until 11pm, after show tunes, then the venue is open until 2am). Trains nearby until past midnight. Buses all night (A2, Continent to The Capital main road).
Sonja The Blur Fairy is our welcoming host and one of the #MusicPeopleParty fam who are gonna be out to play. Come for joy, to scout, to connect, whatever. It’s an inclusive/effusive early start to the weekend and we’d love to see you.
Dizzy (Editor), Caffy (Events) + TheZineUK cast n crew
Mango In Euphoria
“It is time to do what you want while the ones who look down on you keep on doing what they can.” (Mango In Euphoria).
Photography for the single, ‘Hollywood’ by Neil Anderson.
Since catching her last-minute addition to a Kick Out The Jams on the famed Amersham Arms stage (Autumn 2021, TikTok clip) been following the UK’s glam-star, Mango In Euphoria.
Fast forward to Spring 2023 where the “Dark Disco Queen” isa released (and highly praised) recorded, reviewed and radio played artist/One To Watch. (Gonna let you into a not-secret: Every name on this event’s line up is acclaimed and tipped. If may be an affordable night but you’ll more than get your money’s worth to support new music and our beloved grassroots venue circuit).
Electro-pop on the Amazing Radio playlist. Here’s the brand new video for the recent single, ‘Hollywood’ (So Far So Good Records)
Friends! Coming? Do the Mango tango and bring your own #StageStyle to Pop Of The Tops - we love to see it!
Mango In Euphoria songs on Spotify
The Outers
TheZineUK being a situationist music movement documentary, it felt like serendipity when checking out and falling for the soaring tune ‘Danger Signs’ by up comers, The Outers, late last year, courtesy of the Bad Apple Club launch at The Old Blue Last.
Uptempo engagement of the alt-pop tuned, rocked out kind. Their live show is infectious and performed with a stylish edge that mixed Blur, Jefferson Airplane and Blondie, maybe, but is all their own sound. We were introduced by gig photographer, Mark S., (who we met at our Amersham Arms show last summer). It was meant to be, then.
The Outers ended 2022 with an interview on established music site Joyzine. 2023 started with an again well received show supporting Vandal at a packed Belfast Sunflower and new recordings to step up an even busier year. post-punk-pogo-pop having FUN in the video for ‘Nobody’s Fool’
Woohoo, we’ve also nabbed one of the ultra-groovy Big Richard Records rosta. The pulsing young-n-happening label/promoter and band, Brie, introduced into this tale by Andy at Amersham Arms.
Describing themselves as “Post-Punk cheese music” the lively gigging gang are in the process of finishing off their next project, a 5-track studio EP recorded last year. Their musical output so far vacuums you into their dairytale of beats, bops and dynamics.
Over the last year, Brie have concentrated on making friends, playing shows around London and the UK (some sold-out) and are now it’s the build up to releasing their record. Catch them live and make fondue memories of the “I Was There” type! Descend into happy madness.
“Brie are bringing the rocking party” says Gouda Than War. You bring the cheese puns, then. See You, Mate! Video for ‘CuM8’ by Brie
Jean Genie’s Massive Hugs
Massive Hugs = Magick hugs!
Creator, Jean Genie, is The Bringer Of Sunshine and a great supporter of musical peers, the grassroots scene and a key mover shaker musician, member of the band Alex & The Wonderland, presenter, producer, promoter, booker, music world community leader and connector while the short film she co-wrote with Jonny Hayes ‘Samuel Coleridge-Taylor, Search For The Blue Note' was screened in January to amazing response.
In February 2023 on the Bandcamp Friday of Independent Venue Week, Jean Genie’s Massive Hugs offered Preston’s top independent venue, The Ferret a Ray Of Hope with a brilliant pop single rof the year, ‘Ray Of Hope (Ferret Forever)’.
The release is in support of Music Venue Trust’s first nine lives (grassroots gig spaces) of the brilliant #OwnOurVenues investments/donations campaign. A sparkling tune, it’s picking up widespread support (Independent media, + Radio X, Loud Women on Louder Than War, Get In Her Ears and BBC Introducing plays and interviews).
March 2023 ended with #SaveTheFerret a triumph (yay!) and Music Venue Trust going to the line. Will they? Won’t they? By midnight deadline they HAD made the £2.3 million required to start buying venues for the music world to own. (yay!) Get involved, this is just the start!
April 2023, Jean Genie is live on stage at another of her regular independent venues and has a poptastic way with a story and melody. “What a song!” (John Kennedy, Radio X). A sparkling video by Robin Hill:
OMG, so excited that this entire line up can come and play!
TheZineUK
Documenting DIY music movement serendipity. A “story being lived through the arts and poetic actions at the austerity inflicted end of broken brexit britain. The one with the best rock n roll”.
The multi-media Expo, Zeenagers, is being made in twelve parts. The first was March 2023. Pop Of The Tops 2023 is Chapter 2. Be here in person or virtual media spirit? Draw/Take a pic? Wear a chic? Applaud loudly? Dance? Make a video? …or not. We’re doing love, anyway.
Zeenagers - the early seeds (clips), then, this pic: CroCroLand Spring 2019 supergroup: Weekend Recovery, Nova Twins, Tiger Mimic
Spring 2023 links to feedback. The Fertile Environment returns to Sarf London on 20th April
This is a slideshow of the doc’s 2021 cast and crew between 2014-2017. With more people in the story by 2023, let’s make newer-news together! Yes?
Pop Of The Tops?
Yeah, like Top Of The Pops; diverse popular music variety show of 20th century prime time BBC1 TV viewing fame. But 21st Century DIY punked! Independent artists / venue / promoter and creativity welding alternative rock, electro punk and disco pop tuned performances with a creative crowd.
Let’s make a Hallo Gallery on the second stage in the TARDIS of New Cross backstage bar where years of gigs, parties, clubs, theatre and shenanigans (like TheZineUK being born) have taken place – especially over the last decade while musician, Andy Palmer has been making heritage with a staff of mostly musicians as staff. Come, have a laff.
2003, Sarf East London - a community of artists, locals, students, fairys etc. at a weekly live music social.
By the time it was killed off in 2004 Pop Of The Tops (“The CBGBs of SE14”) had spawned acclaimed/widely screened films, an NME compilation of the year, ‘The New Cross’, an Oxford Street riot, a John Kennedy radio special and the Rocklands Party of creativity.
Over the years of shows, festival stages, sessions, collabs and expos, invited music lovers to witness, early or intimate shows by Kae Tempest, Howard Marks, Nova Twins, Anna Wolf, Art Brut, Bloc Party, gglum, Deux Furieuses, MOSES, Feral Five, Ebony Bones, Something In The Lake, Tinie Tempah, Glen Tillbrook, The Heavy, Beans On Toast, Too Many Ts … ah, so many more.
TheZineUK has officially staged and co-promoted at many events/festivals since 2014 and is always looking at the NOW and the NEXT. So come tonight!
An art rock opera in real time. Kicking against the hostile environment pricks – and despite everything – the uniqulture of the Fertile Environment is seeing talent seed and bloom. A pipeline of potential, which the interdependent music world feeds into wider attention. Often works.
Amersham Arms
388 New Cross Road, London SE14 6TY
https://www.theamershamarms.net/
Yes, of course our “2023 is inspired by 2022” TikTok short features Amersham Arms the most!
Buses: 24 hours. Stop by the venue and a minute away outside Goldsmiths Uni.
Trains: Opposite New Cross Station, 5-10 mins to New Cross Gate (both are National Rail / East London Line), 5-10 mins Deptford Bridge (DLR), 10-15 mins Deptford High Street (National Rail/Thameslink).
Access: One-level venue and toilet.
Welcome to New Cross!
Early Pop Of The Tops-ness: "A congregation of creatives lighting up the darkness of south-east London, with musicians, filmmakers, comedians and artists coming together to conjure a modern-day Haight-Ashbury." (Time Out Magazine) * "In London, New Cross and Deptford attract the hip." (New York Times). * "The rock n roll borough" (NME) * "The new Montmartre" (Italian Vogue) * "Forget Buck Palace get down to Deptford." (The London Paper). * "You gotta be kidding!" (Daily Mail)
The Fairies Band of the naughties are now also widely exhibited and acclaimed visual artists. Pop Of The Tops DJs like The Heartbreakers, Unemployable Welsh Scum and Dirty Sounds keep creating and inspiring. Some of the original amazers can make it on the night to check out the new sounds. Very happy about that. “Rocklands”? - Where Lover’s Rock Meets Rocker’s Love: #SELondon postcodes.
TheZineUK music social is a safe space.
We will not tolerate any gropeytwat or bigotty BS and neither will this inclusive venue - so please be respectful to each other/yourselves - (tho tbf, we’re whimsical and don’t tend to attract wrongs uns).