Clear Conscience: The Thought Process Behind the Band

For most people when you think of the words "work experience" you picture yourself doing the odd bit of filing for a company or something along those corporate lines. Not here at Ragged Moon however! We took on five brilliantly talented musicians: Kally Hefferman-Jockel, Saskia Owen, Sam Judd, Immie Harrison and Rory Thomas-lawton and we set them quite the challenge. We wanted them to end the week with a fully realised track that was created by them as well as a music video to accompany it. Sounds daunting but this group of determined students were eager to tackle this task head on.

Their first mission was to come up with the lyrics to this future smash hit of a song. They put their heads together intently and before we knew it they had the words ready and raring to go. As a band they drew on the different styles of music they liked to listen to individually to come to a consensus on what direction they wanted to move forward in stylistically. Jazz, R&B with a pop twist was their chosen vision and so they began to work towards this melting pot of genres.

With all these ideas and harmonies buzzing around in the studio it was time to begin committing these sounds to something more permanent. Kally and Saskia provided the main vocals and harmonies. The unison between the two created such a memorable and catchy blend together they had us humming along around the office in no time. Then came the instrumentation. Sam had come up with some brilliantly groovy bass riffs and guitar licks that gave the track that much needed jazzy offset. Whereas Rory kept the pacing and the tune solid throughout with his excellent piano skills. To round off this insatiably catchy tune we needed the help of Immie and her fabulous flute which really added another dimension to the whole production. 

After listening back over what they had produced in the studio the band been to tweak and add new elements. The most effective of which was the wickedly impromptu rap like interjections courtesy of Kally that were added between the harmonies. That was the missing R&B piece to their multi-genre puzzle. All of this composing and recording happened over the space of three days, which is quite the achievement! Once the track was completed the next big task loomed, finding out their band identity.

It took some intense brain storming and many a bourbon biscuit but the band finally had a name: Clear Conscience. Similarly they looked over all of their lyrics and decided to name their debut track "Yellow Cars." Their vision then continued onwards to the concept of their very first music video. Wanting a cross between polished studio footage as well as fun and carefree shots out and around Stroud it was going to be a challenge to make. 

Enter Millie Baker video maker wiz-kid. With her direction and guidance Clear Conscience filmed and edited together their music video within a day. It was an amazing feat and the end result looked very professional. Now all that was left to do was to reach out via social media to push this debut as far as possible. We set them the rather imposing goal of achieving 1,000 views on YouTube by the end of the weekend. From the moment "Yellow Cars" had fully uploaded they all valiantly shared and posted the video as much as they could. By the end of the week we were so proud to see that they had reached the goal with an awesome figure of 1,074 views.

All in all we want to say a huge thank you to Clear Conscience for all the dedication, effort and hard work they have put in over the past week. They have consistently been excited and driven in all that they've put their minds to. It has been an absolute joy to watch them progress into a fully fledged band in such a short amount of time. To celebrate their debut effort make sure you check out their music video for "Yellow Cars" below.

By Melissa Tucker

Music Industry networking in the South West

For the last 6 months I have been travelling to Bristol on the first Wednesday of each month to BMIN meetings, I would suggest musicians and music industry professionals might consider making the same trip as it is becoming increasingly worthwhile. In the last two months I have got an invaluable listings database from another member, booked one of our acts for a Bristol radio live session, with the likelihood of more exposure for our other artists, and started conversations about some of the artists coming up to record in Stroud.

Now the name Bristol Industry Music Network might make you think that it is only for Bristolians, but it is very much a south west network. They have great speakers at many of their monthly meetings including UKTI representatives, and I always bring back a list of contacts and info to check out. The meetings are held in the Colston Hall and they supply sandwiches and coffee to oil the wheels of discussion. The membership are a lively passionate bunch who represent a cross section of interests, from Artists to studios, from radio presenters to artist mentors, and well established ‘institutions’ of the industry, to the bright young things that are forging the future of the scene in the South West. 

Membership at the moment costs just £10, and there are an ever increasing number of member benefits, you could probably save your membership fee on strings and insurance alone.

http://www.maisonderoquefort.com/bmin/membership-benefits/

To test out the waters you can go along to a social at the Colston Hall Wednesday 15th July (tomorrow), or go to their monthly meeting on the first Wednesday of every month. The meetings usually start with networking over coffee and sandwiches, followed by a business section around a big table, sometimes speakers attend, and then another networking session at the end. Speakers recently have included Conal Dodds from international booking agents Metropolis, Chris Knight from UKTI, Oliver Mochizuki and Derek Ahmedzai from Fundsurfer. 

Check them out at: 

http://www.maisonderoquefort.com/bmin/

Or better still go and meet them, they don’t bite, well not all of them anyway! The Colston Hall tomorrow Wednesday 15th July at 6-8pm or Wednesday 5th August at 12-2.

Sacred Music Festival

The first Sacred Music Festival in Stroud was an unforgettable event. The day was an enthralling mix of workshops, dancing and performance, the Festival was a non-stop celebration throughout. The event was brought to life with a performance outside the Subscription Rooms courtesy of Bhangra band RSVP with high energy chants and vivacious rhythms the crowd were soon tutored in some impressive Bhangra moves ready for the Bhangra procession through the town. When their set was over they started to bring everyone together into one big parade of spirited music. They wound their way through the streets of Stroud bringing with it a vibrant effervescent energy. Concluding with a peel of bells at the hub of this multi-cultrual event, St Lawrence's church, the Sacred Music Festival was in full session!

Both in the Church and outdoors in the sunshine many revellers took part in immersive druid dancing, taize singing and sacred songs. The event united together varying faiths in a beautifully harmonious fashion. However the much anticipated evening portion of the day was fast approaching. The church began to fill with noise and bustling visitors until there was barely any seating left. It was heart warming to see such a devoted crowd who valued this message of peace and unity so much.

The first act was the amazing Renewal Choir from Bristol. Using their impeccable harmonies, powerful vocals and infectiously danceable arrangements they brought gospel to a whole new level. They created such a resonance with the audience that the whole church ended up getting on their feet and joining in with enthusiasm. Embracing the psalms and teachings to the fullest they really produced an impactful and moving set.

Changing the direction completely to the soothing sounds of divine Sikh music, Qi-Rattan took centre-stage. Jagdeep's beautiful melodic vocals intertwined wonderfully around Amritpal's instinctual and driving rhythms which made for sincerely profound listening. So much so that the impact on the audience lasted long after their performance was over.

Moving towards a more traditional style of praise, Jenna Monroe graced the stage simply accompanying her vocals with her keyboard. She particularly entranced the audience with a creatively arranged take on "He's Got the Whole World" as it perfectly complemented the haunting quality of her vocals. Jenna brought with her a riveting sense of storytelling that made for a deeply sincere and captivating recital.

Cantabile Consort used their mesmerising a capella skills as they enraptured every listener to the extent that the church would have been quiet enough to hear a pin drop. Their voices really brought through a pristine clarity and focus to their message. Furthermore the raw and exposed vocals let their synergy, accuracy and pitching truly shine.

Tabla Tom and Friends delivered their inspirational Indian devotion sound to the Sacred Music Festival in a big way. What was really enjoyable was their clear understanding of pacing. They could entice the audience in with their effortless chants and automatically adapt their pathos to amp up the involvement. The rapturous beat changes made for a very involved performance overall. 

The Sacred Music Festivals very own house band Raga Baba's were certainly a crowd favourite. They gave atmospheric world music fusion sound in abundance with their stunning blend of voices and harmonious instrumentation. Their set opened with an expressive dance set to words by Eve Milleaur which was deeply moving. Their performance was complemented by the appearance of Craig Pruess, who is amongst other things an accomplished sitar player and skilful trumpeter. At the end of their set their engagement with the event was really moving as they asked all who attended to hold hands with one another to embrace their music and the message behind them to the fullest. They whole-heartedly represented what the festival stood for and that's what made their music so breath-taking. 

To round off this inter-faith event in style it was up to the internationally renowned Karama to deliver. They did that and then some. Karama practically brought the church down with their diverse musical landscapes. So much so that chairs were pushed away in ernest and swaying bodies soon filled the spaces they had left. There was a great deal of enthusiastic dancing and celebrating, it was the perfect end to a harmonious and thought-provoking festival.

By Melissa Tucker

Katharine Lady Berkeley's Battle of the Bands Reviews

Ace of Spades:

Starting the day off with a classic rock kick is the dynamic Ace of Spades. Blaring out “Sweet Child of Mine” and raising their defiant fists to the sky they immediately got our attention in completely the right way. Considering this band had only been together for two weeks it was a cracking performance with humour aplenty.

Bryony, Tae and Priya:

As the youngest entry of the day these girls certainly blew us away with their strong voices and lovely pitching. Playing some awesome tunes courtesy of Jason Mraz and Ed Sheeran they really brought a summery vibe to the whole competition. 

Charlie and Travis: 

This rock and roll duo cooly covered a wide mix of classics whilst putting their own spin on things. They naturally handled big tracks such as “Crazy Train” and “Smoke on the Water’ with ease whilst still being humorous with their delivery.

The Anti-Christs:

With a name like that we really sat up and took notice! Loved their intro to their set with a grungy cover of the Universal theme tune. After literally rocking the truck with their performance and fun crowd interaction they took it one step further. They closed their set by making it rain KitKat Chunky’s amongst the audience with their comedic cover of “Play That Funky Music.” Amazing!

The Unstrung:

This cheeky lot had some serious guts playing the likes of Green Day and My Chemical Romance, but that’s why we loved them! Very engaging band who had the audience in the palm of their hand throughout. Inciting a stage invasion with the rebel raising Anti-Christs they brought the house down in true punk style.

Martha Clements:

As soon as Martha sang her first note we were in awe. Her beautiful vibrato tones made her cover of Kodaline truly come to life. Paired with the dulcet tones of her keyboard her powerful vocals left us speechless. Even the original songs she presented sounded polished and soulful. Love the light and shade in her voice, great performance all round!

Beth Butcher:

Beth was one cool character. Donned in her shades she effortlessly cruised through her set. What we really enjoyed was the clever mash-up of Taylor Swifts Blank Space and Stand By Me by Ben E King. The transition between the two were seamless and gave even more of a slick sound to her vocals. Fabulous quality to her tone which seriously packed a punch. 

Dan Watson and Gareth Hodgkins:

Another awesome duo who brought out the best in some of Nirvana's top hits. They were both incredibly talented, the bassist kept up an intense and high octane tempo whilst the lead guitarist belted out some raucous riffs. Great synergy between them.

The Rebellion:

Now these guys know how to engage an audience! With blaring guitar solos, hard-hitting drums and a big sense of fun The Rebellion are a tight-knit and well-oiled rock machine. Drawing in arguably one of the biggest crowds of the day they kept the entire audience enthralled predominately with their own material. Bonus points for the guitarist jumping off-stage and playing in-amongst everyone! 

Max:

Max bravely stood onstage as the first and only male vocalist of the day and what a range of vocal's he possessed. The low bassy tones of his cover of "Mexico" by The Staves sounded very mature and well put together for his age. He knew how to create a sense of intrigue with his voice, beautiful voice Max!

Steph:

Rounding off today's competition in style was the wonderful Steph. She has such a haunting quality about her tone that it drew us in from her very first track. We were extremely impressed with her musical arrangement of a poem by Rumi. It just added an irrefutable sense originality to her set.

It was a very tough choice but overall our winner for the battle of the bands was... Martha Clements! Congratulations Martha and a big thank you to everyone who performed, you did a fabulous job.

By Melissa Tucker

An Interview with Lila J

Lila J are the self-professed chameleons of the industry. From weddings where they played soft whispers of music at the altar to full on out-and-out clunky distorted noise at max volume in the middle of a bustling festival. They possess a repertoire that is highly lucrative for any self-respecting venue out there. Not only that, Lila J proudly sports two people and two guitars. Thats it. No overly-elaborate set-up, no added nonsense just them and the music they adore. "So many people think we have to have a full band. But it's really satisfying to know we don't actually need it." Lisa beamed as she said this. They’re a stage managers dream, little set-up with a huge-pay off.

What's even better is that their energy is simply infectious. The pair were bouncing off each other making jokes and giving off such an inviting vibe the entire time. An air of authenticity surround them. They were genuine salt of the earth people who didn’t care for the persona’s and pigeonholing of artists. They wanted to be taken for who they were and how they played their music. That’s where Ragged Moon stepped in. 

The pair had much to say about how Ragged Moon interacts with musicians. "They're hooked into the industry already and because they are musicians themselves they're looking out for us more so than most studios." The added value that they've gained was also a big talking point. "Our first stint of gigs in Stroud were entirely set up by Ragged moon and that was a really good thing for us. But there's the opportunity for management as well so there's more than just producing and engineering available at the studio."  

When reminiscing about their catalogue of gigs there were certainly some stand out moments. The most prominant moment thus far of 2015 for them involved a very iconic punk band. That's right, Lila J supported none other than The Damned at Gloucester Guildhall and they were chosen for the job by the band themselves. Being the acoustically driven storytellers they are it seemed like an odd line-up on paper. Lisa was incredibly dubious going as far as googling the gig to make sure it really was them and not a tribute act. 

"We didn't really know why we were chosen. My concern was that we are a bit quirky but we aren't punk!" All the doubt melted away however as the 400 capacity hall began to swarm with intrigued fans. "The room just kept filling and filling. What was a thrill for me was that people were coming in and staying in." The crowd were entranced by their raw rhythmic flair and they made quite the impact on a rather unsuspecting audience.

It’s not all punk-loaded madness though. The simple act of being the first band to play at a local coffee shop was also a highlight for the pair. The venue were slightly nervous about having them play but rest assured Lila J exceeded their expectations dramatically. "We had people coming out from the block of flats around the coffee shop to come listen to us!" With their unique and quirky sound it's easy to see why these guys have really picked up momentum in the past year. By that I mean they've released two albums and have been non-stop gigging across the country. They'll soon be disappearing off to the Isle of White over the weekend for a private party, how swanky! 

With this in mind we wondered what they looked for in their own music. Lisa pondered for a second. "Music has to be something you love, you have to have the passion for it and you have to be having fun. If there's no fun involved in the music it's evident in what you produce." It seems Lila J have embraced this mentality to the fullest as Gavin ellaborated further. "We were both involved in bands before this, for years I played in Foreheads in a Fishtank. But it just got to the point where I had to take a step back and walk away from something that no longer excited me." 


So their advice for eager musicians fresh on the scene? "You have to believe in what you are doing and don't make music for other people. Believe that your sound is something people want to listen to." For Lila J they have a very similar drive. "Our motivation is to do what we love for as long as we can and earn enough keep from it." There's no worry about this though. Because by the looks of the trajectory of their career and their achievements thus far it's only the beginning for this talented duo.

By Melissa Tucker

Emily Barker's Quest for Change

It’s no secret that musicians have always drawn on inspirations that surround them. Be it love, conflict or family it’s always been the driving force behind their songs. However one local artist has used a topic that is slightly overlooked in comparison. Protests for change. One petition in particular on change.org proved to be the catalyst for Emily Barker’s emotional song “Doing the best I can.” 

The petition detailed the struggle of a twelve year old girl named Lillian. Her wheelchair bound mother was detained leaving her alone to look after her gravely ill father. She implored online that her only wish was to get her mother back and to finally feel listened to. Just hearing about the amount of grief and suffering on this young girls shoulders is simply unimaginable. Thankfully people took notice of her desperate plea.

So much so that Emily Barker created this song in Lillian's honour to raise awareness of her story and to encourage others to support similar protests to highlight the issues faced by families of people detained in this way. We caught up with Emily herself to talk about bringing light to such important issues and how you can help the change.

How did you discover Lillian’s story?

I found Lillian's story via an article in the Guardian about the UK's detention centres and then clicked on the link to her change.org petition and was so moved by what I read, I decided to write a song about it. 

What affected you the most about her story?

I think it was her openness about her troubles and the fact that it was written in the words of a 12 year old. Her plea is so desperate. She is begging anyone out there to help her and to listen. 

Was there a specific direction you wanted “Doing the best I can” to go in?

I wanted to tell her story as close to how she describes it herself and therefore chose to use the first person and place myself as the songwriter in her shoes. I also believe country/folk music can be a great genre for effective story telling so I used that style to convey her message. 

What did you want the song to say to your listeners?

I wanted it to move listeners to the point of them asking themselves if they're listening to those around them who are having a hard time both in their immediate network and society at large. And then, is there anything they can we do to help? 

What was it like collaborating with Rob and Lachlan from Hot Feet and Misha Law?

It was fantastic. I've been wanting to collaborate with them for ages and it was a great opportunity to do that. I think Hot Feet are outstanding. Misha is a very dear friend of mine and she's an incredible violin player (Truffleshack, Other Mother) but she has also done lots of harmony work so it was great to have her voice on it. 

What was the recording process like?

It was straightforward and fun. Ragged Moon have a great space and some great equipment too with lovely and talented engineers. 

Are there any updates about Lillian?

No, not yet. I'm looking into her situation still. She is currently registered as a missing person since 12th December 2014.

What can people do to help?

It's such a sensitive issue and I'm still not sure how or even if to help beyond sharing her story. It may be that she has decided to go underground in order to avoid deportation, which is completely understandable. I think being informed is key and also focussing on small actions we all take as a part of our day to day existence. Paul Kelly, an Australian songwriter, wrote a song with a chorus that sings "From little things, big things grow". And I believe that. 

To see Lillian’s story for yourself click here. Emily Barker’s song “Doing the best I can” will be featured on the upcoming compilation album entitled “Land of Hope & Fury” and is available now for pre-order.

By Melissa Tucker

Hellen's Garden Festival

                 

Out in the beautiful Hellen Manor the atmosphere was buzzing with excitement and anticipation. With exhibitors and speakers aplenty there was so much to see and experience; Not to mention a wide variety of performers over the weekend that provided some much needed summer time vibes. 

The first was Lila J, a great friend of ours here at Ragged Moon. She had the rather daunting task of waking everyone up with her music at 11:30 in the morning! We loved her sound which was a fabulous mix of sultry and smokey vocals that really showcased a variety of her album tracks. 

Following on from such a solid performance was the winner of Ecotricity’s Got Talent competition, Archie Scott. He was a very down-to-earth performer who had the crowd in the palm of his hand with his engaging stage talk and even more captivating array of covers and self penned numbers.

After playing Hellen’s Garden Festival last year and hot off her latest performance at Wychwood, Sophronie returned to entertain the crowds. This time however she had a band, an EP and a debut album all under her belt. It was awesome to see how far she had progressed as an artist in the past year. Especially good was hearing her recently re- released single “Eyes Wide” being played live. Make sure you look out for her next release coming this Autumn entitled “Last Day Of Summer."

Clyde Jefferson was the penultimate artist of the day and he brought out all the prog-rock stops to keep the summer vibes going strong.  With twenty years of performing behind him he knew how to get everyone fully involved for the entirety of his act. His laid-back set provided the perfect backdrop for the glorious weather.

Thee Ones rounded off the day with a high-octane set that literally left the audience wanting more. Seriously they had to be dragged off stage at five despite the pleas and demands of the crowd. Loved their entertainment value and exhilarating up-tempo style, what a way to end the day!

Sunday

To kick off the Sunday morning, David Ireland reprised his appearance at the festival. This time around he played under his new alias, Casimir Greenfield alongside our very own Mike Cooling. Casimir certainly got the crowd warmed up with a wonderful selection of tracks including some exclusive songs from his upcoming album. Look at for his newest single “Immortals” to be released on June 12th.

To contrast Casimir's diverse range of ambient psychedelia Peeky Blinders brought their pop-grass style to switch up the ambience. Its clear to see they have an incredible dynamic between them both, most noticeably through their hauntingly beautiful melodies. With an extensive repertoire of covers played throughout it made for an entrancing listen.

Between sets of Peeky Blinders and Alchemists Wardrobe there was a rather impromptu but all the while riveting performance courtesy of Oogoo Maia, Joe Carey and Paul Boniface. Teaming the bossanova with Oogoo's native Portuguese created such an authentic and inviting feel to their sound. It just goes to show that the unexpected can prove to be just as impactful as the planned.

Alchemist Wardrobe had quite the trouble making it to the festival. After playing festivals throughout the weekend they encountered a calamitous traffic jam on the M5. But when they did make it they threw themselves into the music with gusto.  One stand out track in particular was the "Wicked Women", Lara's stunning vocals took center stage and made for an incredibly memorable moment. 

Speaking of busy bands, Ragged Edge had certainly been doing the rounds over the weekend. You wouldn’t have guessed they’d travelled 26 hours by car all the way back from Italy by their exuberant stage presence. Supplying the crowd with cover after cover Ragged Edge certainly lived up to their reputation of being a good-time, funky soul band.

All in all we had a weekend jam-packed with great people, exceptional music and surprisingly beautiful weather. Thoroughly entertaining and we hope the festival raised lots of money for charity. Thanks for having us Hellen’s Garden festival! 

By Melissa Tucker