Following latest singles highschool and gymnasium,Pizzagirl remains within the blurry borders of his misremembered 80s, filmic universe for the spacious body part.
Perhaps the clearest embodiment of his vision, and the space he’s occupying between 80s teen-film nostalgia, 90s dial-up internet culture and the modern meme age, the tracks owes as much to PhilCollins and JanetJackson as it does to fellow purveyors of wide-eyed bedroom-pop, Clairo, BoyPablo, GusDapperton.
The experience, as Pizzagirl, AKA LiamBrown, puts it, is as follows:
“You’re scrolling on the World Wide Web and you reach mypizzagirl.com, but you click the wrong link and you’re virtually sucked into a dark, smoky, glitchy chatroom, where a badly rendered waitress serves you a beat pie by mistake, now your new CGI ears have accidentally downloaded my freshest tune, BODY PART!”
From the confines of his bedroom studio (AKA The Beatzzeria) in Liverpool, Pizzagirl’s musical mind wanders through the decades and over the Atlantic. Capturing the wistful, romantic nostalgia and coming-of-age sentiment in classic Brat Pack era film it’s as though Pizzagirl has planted himself as a character in a John Hughes screenplay. And body part is the latest set-piece scene, a darker, sadder element to his sound, a plot twist before a triumphant return.
Sophomore EP season 2 is the follow up to acclaimed debut EP An Extended Play, released at the top of the year. This earned Pizzagirl numerous not-so-secret admirers. Champions came in the form of HuwStephens, AnnieMac, LaurenLaverne and more across the airwaves, as well as Noisey, DIY, Highsnobiety, Wonderland plus dozens of others in the blogosphere. With a tour supporting Her’s up and down the land to boot, there are multiple levels to the ever-growing platform from which Pizzagirl can now dive further into the cosmos.
He maintains his flair for channelling through his music and visuals the extroversion of 80s electronica, late 90s internet culture and US East Coast sad-indie introversion, calling to mind the likes of Porches, Frankie Cosmos both in esoteric sound and DIY work ethic.
Overall it’s a small operation. With the help of a thrown together flatpack mini studio, Pizzagirlwrites, records and produces all of his music and visuals from the comfort of his home. His best mate shoots his videos and his mum takes his press shots.
Through December Pizzagirl will be taking his show on the road with a series of UK tour dates, standing solo on stage, accompanied only by his trusty laptop, guitar and sequencer, displaying the lonesome idiosyncrasies of an introvert married with the larger than life extroverted nature implied by his eccentric, zany and often pensive pop tunes.
body part is being released by Heist or Hit on October 23rd, and is taken from Pizzagirl’s season 2 EP, out November 30th.
Live Dates
1st Dec – Sound Basement, Liverpool
3rd Dec – The Louisiana, Bristol
4th Dec – The Chameleon Arts Café, Nottingham
5th Dec – The Hope and Ruin, Brighton
Me and My Girl Chichester Festival Theatre (until 25 August) Tickets: 01243 781312; cft.org.uk
Credit: Johan Persson
Chichester Festival Theatre director Daniel Evans (also at the helm of the show) earned groans of disappointment in response to his on-stage announcement that Matt Lucas was under Doctor’s orders to rest his voice and would not be appearing. But all was not lost, he quickly reassured us. With just two hours’ rehearsal the understudy had gamely agreed to step into the role.
Ryan Pidgen can surely now step into any role he pleases. In a totally self-assured, flawless performance, had we not known that Lucas was the intended leading man then we would have been none the wiser. On note, in step and word perfect, not for a nanosecond were we even remotely short-changed.
Playing the South London cheeky chappie Bill Snibson who suddenly needs to ‘posh up’ in order to take up his birth right as the unlikely heir of Hareford, Pidgen was not merely competent. Giving Bill warmth, exuberance and sweetness, he bounced around the stage like an adorable scamp of a puppy and, as the kids say, performed like a boss.
The plot may be lightweight, but elsewhere performances are also rock-solid. Clive Rowe as Sir John twinkles in tweed, later revealing a shy and long-nurtured love for Caroline Quentin’s splendidly redoubtable Duchess. A feisty old matriarch with a good heart, by golly she can’t half hoof, too!
Alex Young as Bill’s ‘girl’ Sally is in sweetly soaring voice and balances cockney chirpiness with a touching vulnerability.
When it comes to musical numbers it is fair to say that the majority (give or take The Lambeth Walk and The Sun Has Got His Hat On) are not especially memorable, but the dazzling choreography (nice work, Alistair David) and superb singing (and you, Gareth Valentine, Doug Besterman and Mark Cumberland) make the very best of the raw material.
Lez Brotherston’s stunning set manages to be both traditional and fairy tale – Downton meets Hogwarts, interspersed with the London skyline and beautifully lit by Tim Mitchell.
The night, however, belonged to the heroic Mr Pidgen. As an understudy who endured several ‘thrust-into-the-limelight’ moments (albeit without anything like such professionalism and sheer talent) I absolutely salute you, sir.
The perfect shot-in-the-arm antidote to all things Brexit and Trump, Me and My Girl teems with Pearly kings and queens and exudes triple espresso energy. An unashamedly frothy and feel-good extravaganza, cor blimey you’ll miss out if you don’t nab a Wilson Pickett!
This week is half term so I take a break from my usual Monday – Thursday evenings running Rock Choir rehearsals. Today is going to be a busy one and in a way I realise it captures so much of what makes up my work as a musician – both as choir leader, singer and performer.
Credit: Pierre LeMond Photography Studio
I’m up and out by 9am. I’m en route to meet my friend, Darren, who has asked if I can arrange a choir flashmob performance for his colleagues at the Home Office. Instead of an open plan set up (having referred to the event as their ‘town hall meeting with 200 staff’) I instead find myself in an office with work units, chairs, photocopiers and computers. Oh dear Darren never mentioned all the ‘stuff’. We talk through how (on earth) I am going to fit in 45 choir members.
I leave a little behind schedule to attend a rehearsal with Bassistry at a studio space near Elephant and Castle. It’s miserably cold day so its not ideal that the space only has one heater. Hot tea will have to suffice. I’ve been a vocalist for the group for almost 10 years but our live performances have been very occasional. Made up of a variety of top players, the band is lead by Marcel Pusey. I describe Marcel as a music entrepreneur – working internationally running workshops in composing, designing educational music software that’s sold around the world as well as making albums and collaborating with other musicians/singers (like me!).
Some of Bassistry players. Left to Right. Katy Seath, Nicola Bull, Marcel Pusey, Sam Agard.
I love his music and am excited the new album is ready to launch. Today’s rehearsal is to prepare for the show case in a few weeks. It also allows us to ascertain how the electronic sounds can be recreated on stage. It’s the first time we’ve included this element and it becomes a little stressful. While Marcel talks with Sam on drums, I check my emails. Two more choir members wanting to do the flashmob (that’s 47 now!) Another message asks if I can do a piano/vocal gig at my usual hotel near Russell Square. Having emails on your phone can mean you’re always switched on for work and being self employed it feels like you have to.
Credit: Pierre LeMond Photography Studio
Back to the rehearsal. Cues and count ins get slightly confusing and it takes some time to put things right. But once under way, it feels so wonderful to sing with the guys. There is nothing better to experience performing with such superb instrumentalists – I’m much more in my element singing live in this way than in the recording studio.
The rehearsal ends and it’s a quick au revoir as I head into central London. It’s still cold and miserable, so this time it will be wine to warm me up.
The evening is purely for pleasure as I meet with five friends at a restaurant near the Aldwych Theatre. It’s no coincidence that we’re meeting here. Afterwards we are going to watch our amazing friend, Katie Brayben, perform as Carole King in the musical ‘Beautiful’.
We all know each other through singing as part of The Rockabellas – a vintage vocal group. My experiences with The Rockabellas have been some of the most enjoyable – dressing up in ultra feminine styles, 1940’s hair, pillar box red lipstick and glamorous venues. But by far the best thing has been to make friendships and professional links with these incredibly talented vocalists. Their backgrounds range from West End to Ronnie Scotts and beyond. I have had ‘fan’ moments with all of them. Tonight is no different. Having just laughed and cried our way through the show, we stand in the rain by the stage door waiting for Katie. I’m in heaven. Not just because I am a huge Carole King fan and would say she inspired me to be a singer pianist, but also because I get to see a friend do what she loves best on stage.
To hear some examples of Katy’s work, visit katyseath.com
Bassistry’s Album ‘What The Hell Do You Call This’ can be ordered through www.bassistry.com. Their album launch is at The Hoxton Bar and Kitchen on Tuesday, 10th March, 8pm . Tickets can be purchased through ticketweb.co.uk or on the door.
Learn more about The Rockabellas and look out for their new album through www.theRockabellas.com
TAYLOR SWIFT’S REPUTATION STADIUM TOUR
U.K. & IRELAND DATES ANNOUNCED
TICKETS ON SALE ON FRIDAY 1 DECEMBER
Following the release of Taylor Swift’s unanimously critically-acclaimed U.K. #1 album, reputation, the ten-time GRAMMY award winner has today announced the U.K. & Ireland dates for Taylor Swift’s reputation Stadium Tour.
Taylor Swift’s reputation Stadium Tour is set to arrive in Dublin, Manchester and London. Tickets go on-sale to the general-public Friday 1 December 2017. Subscribers of TaylorSwift.com will have access to purchase tickets in advance.
Taylor Swift’s reputation Stadium Tour is produced and promoted by Live Nation and S.J.M. Concerts in the UK, MCD in Ireland, and the Messina Touring Group (MTG) and AEG Presents in North America. General ticketing and on-sale information is currently available at TaylorSwift.com.
TAYLOR SWIFT’S REPUTATION STADIUM TOUR
U.K. & IRELAND DATES
DATE MARKET BUILDING
8 June 2018 Manchester Etihad Stadium
15 June 2018 Dublin Croke Park
22 June 2018 London Wembley Stadium Connected by EE
Taylor Swift’s critically acclaimed sixth studio album, reputation, topped iTunes album charts in 111 countries and debuted at no.1 on the both the Official UK Albums Charts and the Billboard 200 album chart. Selling over 1.29 million copies in the U.S. week of release, it is the highest selling album there this year. Taylor is the only artist in history to have four albums selling over one million copies in their first week of release in the U.S. (2010’s Speak Now, 2012’s RED, 2014’s 1989 and 2017’s reputation).
Taylor Swift’s chart-topping first single, “Look What You Made Me Do,” from her sixth album, reputation, broke multiple records within hours of its release. With over 10 million streams, it is the most-streamed song in a one-day period ever, the lyric video for “Look What You Made Me Do” broke the standing record with over 19 million views, while the music video shattered the original most viewed video (28 million) record with 43.2 million views in only 24 hours.
Taylor is a ten-time GRAMMY winner, a singer, songwriter, musician and producer. She is the youngest person in history to win the music industry’s highest honour, The GRAMMY Award for Album of the Year and she is the first female solo artist to win this prestigious award twice. Rolling Stone listed Taylor as one of the 100 Greatest Songwriters of All Time. Time magazine has named her one the of the 100 Most Influential People in the world and one of only eight candidates for their most prestigious honour, 2014 Person of the Year. A Brit and Emmy award winner, Taylor is Billboard’s youngest-ever Woman of the Year and the only artist to have been awarded this honour twice.
Frost loves The Beatles Vinyl Collection: a 23-part series from DeAgostini. Single album copies retail at £16.99; double and triple albums will sell for £24.99. Issues are available fortnightly in shops, with subscribers receiving two issues in one delivery every four weeks. Subscriptions can be purchased online at www.deagostini.co.uk/beatlesvinyl
Issue by issue, the #BeatlesVinylCollection of single, double and triple albums builds into a comprehensive library of the momentous music made by The Beatles. Presented in exact replicas of the original sleeves, the specially pressed 180-gram vinyl LPs ensure the music will be heard in the best quality sound. Remastered at Abbey Road Studios in London, The Beatles’ reissued LPs have been universally acclaimed by sound experts and the group’s fans. Produced by George Martin in the 1960s, the albums contain some of the most celebrated recordings ever made. Collect them all we say.
Review Fiddler on the Roof (until 2 September) Chichester Festival Theatre Box Office: 01243 781312 www.cft.org.uk
Photo credit: Johan Persson
Heart, humour and world-class performances are just some of the elements that make Daniel Evans’s big summer musical an absolute belter. Add to that terrific musicians, Alistair David’s thrilling choreography and Lez Brotherston’s cleverly conceived set, which makes the very best use of Chichester’s unique stage, and you have a show that has all the hallmarks of a West End transfer.
The story of Tevye, a poor dairyman with five daughters, it is 1905 and in Russia an uneasy sense of impending change is in the air. But on a poor shtetl Tevye is more immediately concerned with finding husbands for the three eldest of his girls. Alas, despite his best efforts to keep with tradition, it seems that they are determined to follow their hearts rather than their heads, or indeed the advice of Matchmaker Yente (gloriously played by Liza Sadovy).
Omid Djalili is superb as Tevye. Radiating warmth sufficient to melt a Moscow frost in January, he convinces absolutely as the ordinary family man who is not without his shortcomings. In his regular exchanges with God (Dajalili’s stand-up career is much in evidence here), and later as he sings the touching Do You Love Me? to his wife, he reveals a touching vulnerability.
Tracy-Ann Oberman as his wife Golde is equally impressive. A feisty lioness who knows her old man better than he knows himself, it is an inspired pairing.
The singing overall is outstanding. From sweet and soaring to joyous and rousing, Tradition, the opening number, is nothing short of an emotional musical wallop to the gut.
A stupendous ensemble effort, this is a revival that feels both fresh and relevant. Delivering the theatrical triple of laughter (the dream scene is as clever as it is riotous), tears, and food for thought, it is the latter of the whole shebang that is the production’s ultimate strength.
A sharp reminder of how political and social unrest continues to throw lives into disarray, the final moments are heartbreakingly poignant.
At Frost Magazine we get sent a lot of stuff. Not all of it floats our boat to be honest, but when two albums from the new Beatles Vinyl Collection, Abbey Road and Sgt Peppers Lonely Heart Club in 180g Vinyl came we were absolutely delighted. They are something to behold. Beautiful and unique. We are a huge fan and will be procuring the entire collection. We suggest you do too.
Global partwork publisher DeAgostini launched, in association with Apple Corps and Universal Music Group, The Beatles Vinyl Collection. Featuring 23 albums, it will be available to purchase online and in newsagents all across the UK.
Issue by issue, the #BeatlesVinylCollection of single, double and triple albums builds into a comprehensive library of the momentous music made by The Beatles. Presented in exact replicas of the original sleeves, the specially pressed 180-gram vinyl LPs ensure the music will be heard in the best quality sound. Remastered at Abbey Road Studios in London, The Beatles’ reissued LPs have been universally acclaimed by sound experts and the group’s fans. Produced by George Martin in the 1960s, the albums contain some of the most celebrated recordings ever made.
The Beatles Vinyl Collection includes such groundbreaking albums as Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band,Abbey Road, Revolver and Rubber Soul, as well as intriguing compilations like the three volumes of The Beatles Anthology and two Live At The BBC collections.
Amanda Honeybun, Marketing Director at DeAgostini, said: “We are so excited to launch The Beatles Vinyl Collection, which will give people of all ages the opportunity to collect on vinyl the greatest albums in the history of music. Our Beatles Vinyl Collection makes it possible to buy these wonderful records from the comfort of your own home or at your local newsagent. Then all you have to do is put the needle on the record to enjoy the best recordings ever made by the best group of all-time!”
Each album also includes an illustrated magazine containing the stories behind the group’s renowned recordings. Written by Beatles historian and award-winning radio producer Kevin Howlett, each issue reveals details about the creation of an album and an assessment of its significance within not only The Beatles’ legacy, but also the history of music.
Kevin Howlett said: “It was such a privilege to write about this joyous music. The Beatles have inspired generation after generation of music fans, songwriters, artists and producers. I’m also delighted that there is a resurgence of interest in collecting records. For music lovers, nothing can beat the look of a stylish LP cover and the authentic experience of listening to a classic album on vinyl.”
The global vinyl market is booming. Sales of records in 2016 reached a 25-year high as music buyers embraced this attractive physical format. More than 3.2m LPs were sold in 2016, an annual rise of 53% and the ninth consecutive year of growth1.
The Beatles Vinyl Collection is DeAgostini’s fourth vinyl collection. The company’s previous collections of Jazz, Blues and Classical Music proved very popular. This new collection establishes DeAgostini Publishing as one of the leading vinyl album market producers and distributors.
The Beatles Vinyl Collection is a 23-part series. Issue one will be priced at £9.99 for a limited time only, with subsequent single album copies retailing at £16.99; double and triple albums will sell for £24.99. Issues are available fortnightly in shops, with subscribers receiving two issues in one delivery every four weeks. Subscriptions can be purchased online at www.deagostini.co.uk/beatlesvinyl
Band/Artist: Sterile Jets Location: Long Beach, California Styles: Noise Rock, Old School Metal, Punk, Post Hardcore Similar to/RIYL: Melvins, Sonic Youth, Fugazi, Butthole Surfers, Shellac CD: No Gods No Loss Release date: May 4 2017
The Arsonist
Rehabilitated Truth
Go Out And Bleed
Piss On Your God
Soliloquy Of A Heartbroken Loner
Fireside Drive (first single/video)
White Satan
A Sterile Existence
Free Pork Bougie
Olive Spoil
Sterile Jets make music that doesn’t conform to a single style or genre, with lyrics that mirror the struggles the band, and their fans, confront on a daily basis. The band – singer/guitarist Robert Bly Moore, singer/bass player Wm. Partnoff and drummer GS Bean – is a true democracy. They compose and arrange every song to bring out its best elements, delving deeply into punk, post rock, jazz and metal, with stimulating side trips into rockabilly, grunge and even pop. The result is a winning combination of noise and melody, romanticism and irony, love and anger that captures the complexities of everyday American life. Those looking for music steeped in the courage, honesty and energy of punk’s primal explosion will find it in the uncompromising sounds of the Sterile Jets.
Stoner Punk, Art Punk, “Rebel Noise Rock,” call it what you will, but there is no denying that the brand of caterwauling that STERILE JETS (SJs) produces is absolutely FUCK YEAH! Formed in year nine, after the break-up of Bass’r B. ILL’s former band Dynamic Ribbon Device, B. ILL set forth to start a band that would ultimately satisfy his artistic needs. He went straight to the to the Internet (Craig’s List to be more specific), to complete his conquest. After a few revolving members, the band became the complete trio, it is now, in 2012. The lineup includes: Robert “Bly” Moore (Lead Guitar/Vocals), Wm. “B. ILL” Partnoff (Electric Bass/Vocals) and Matthew Bean… “Bean” (Trap Set). SJs self describes their unsettling sound as if Sonic Youth fucked the Velvet Underground and had an unruly Black Flag baby. Other influences for the band are Rudimentary Peni, McLusky, Ponys, Husker Du and Dead C. Also, the band has covered songs from Fang and Flipper. SJs also take influences from the literature and art scene, such as Charles Bukowski, William S Burroughs and Raymond Pettibon. Drawing from life experiences, dive bars, drug abuse and the absurd hypocrisies of civilization, SJs music has been described as original, jarring, loud, noisy and weird. The current incarnation of SJs have been gigging in Southern California for nearly a year, focusing on the Long Beach and Orange County areas. Venues the SJs rocked include Fern’s Cocktails (Long Beach), Harold’s Place (San Pedro), the defunct Puka Bar (Long Beach) and The 2010 OC Punk Rock Picnic (Irvine).
No Gods No Loss was co-produced by Sterile Jets and audio engineer Bil Lane, a close friend of the band. “We wanted the raw sound of a live show,” Moore continues. “Except for the vocals, the album was recorded over a long weekend, with everything stripped down to the basics. We spent more time writing, arranging and refining the songs this time. Bil has a ton of expertise and a laid back attitude. He gave us the freedom to make the music sound how we wanted it to sound.”
“Fireside Drive,” the album’s first single, contrasts the band’s quieter, more melodic side with their love of distortion. Melodic bass and guitar introduce Moore’s playful, seductive vocal before flipping the switch into an interlude of grinding distortion. By alternating between quiet passages and jolts of noise, the band amplifies the passionate yearning of the lyric. The song builds to a beautifully chaotic climax, complete with a few random quotes from Voltaire about the exploitation of the working class.
“Rehabilitated Truth” opens and closes with screeching feedback from Moore’s guitar. Bean’s galloping drums play variations on a fractured samba rhythm that pushes the guitar and bass in all kinds of twitchy directions. Moore’s growling half spoken vocal plunges into a maelstrom of hopelessness that reflects the agony of a dying relationship.
“Olive Spoil” is a sonic assault drenched in grimy guitar overtones, free form bass lines and out of control drumming. Its random tempo changes, unexpected bursts of silence and rapid shifts between noise and melody suggests some unholy combination of Hendrix and Motörhead. Partnoff’s rolling, bluesy bass and Bean’s rock steady drumming support Moore’s mixed down vocals on “Free Pork Bougie” before the tone shifts with a slow, roaring avalanche of earsplitting distortion. The mood swings of the music hint at the tension between the 1% and the country’s working class. “We’re dealing with job loss, expensive or non-existent education and not knowing how we’re going to pay rent,” Moore says. “The rich and powerful are just playing a game.” Beat writer Charles Bukowski inspired “Go Out and Bleed,” a slow, straight-forward, metallic rocker with grim, surrealistic lyrics and an impressive display of Moore’s guitar pyrotechnics. Partnoff’s noisy bass opens “White Satan” as Moore’s guitar provides a shower of quiet, playful arpeggios before moving into sinister, doom rock territory. With the help of Partnoff’s descending bass, Bean’s ponderous backbeat, Moore’s massive power chords and Partnoff’s harsh, snarling vocal, the song shatters the tenets of the conservative agenda.
“Our inspiration comes from what’s going on around us,” Moore says. “This record was written during a point of collective turmoil. We were grappling with chaos, the death of close friends and toxic relationships. That uncertainty comes out on the record. The songs have more anger and darkness this time around, but we don’t write with preconceived notions of what it’s going to sound like. We just do our best to give you something that’s truly us at that moment.”
Wm. Partnoff was born in the LA suburb of Whittier. He was inspired to pick up the bass by Iron Maiden’s Steve Harris. After spending years playing in bands in the San Francisco Bay Area, he moved to Long Beach in 2008. GS Bean started drumming to combat his extreme ADHD, but didn’t get serious about music until he was 19. His love for politically and socially progressive bands like England’s Subhumans profoundly influenced his life and taste in music. After finding Partnoff through Craig’s List, the duo searched for a guitar player and found Robert Moore, who’d just moved out from Indianapolis. His desire to blur boundaries and play whatever he felt, as loud as he could, clicked with the newly formed band’s vociferous, anything goes outlook.
“If you listen to our last record, and compare it to No Gods, you can hear our evolution,” Moore says. “We’ve found our voice and gelled into a tight band. We’re always working to stretch ourselves, and do something different and No God sees us exploring new time signatures, new rhythms, new lyrical ideas. We’re constantly challenging ourselves to be better.”
Photo credit: PizzaMum. 
