Pirate Studios. Musical mutiny.
Mutineering on behalf of grass roots musicians, Pirate Studios are a vital component of the exciting new music industry which has been visibly falling into place.
A viable addition to the mainstream music world, it is soaked in technological advancement as well excitement from festy fresh nameswith galactic ambition and broad-minded acceptance of new ways to do things from higher profile artists.
Mutiny of the best kind and kindness. The kind of unity that comes from old school rock n roll daydreams. Uncynical hope in a cruel, arguing, war, hate and greed filled old (and apparetly now, flat) surreal dystopia, TheZineUK's stars forge brave new worlds. Stay tuned for your regular escapisms to love and funshine.
Our story of music movement in action continues;
A quick interview with the Pirate Studios captain, David Borrie and with musician, Connor Brooks (pictured) whose band, The Surrenders, won a competion to join one of the hot, #PirateLive events during a fortnight of This Feeling associated events. More from Connor, in his own words, further on.
Last month, TheZineUK's article previewed these live sessions. Sounding like such an awesome and inviting prospect that it was almost too good to be true.
We had to investigate a little bit deeper for ourselves, and can report, with hand on collective heart, that expectations were exceedingly exceeded! Stunning and affordable new rehearsal spaces open 24/7, whats not to love?
We rocked up at the London event on Thursday 30th March where we caught , Carl Barât, with two of our #futurepicks Blackwaters and Dead! (click here for the article on the latter) and The Surrenders.
Before the live sets we took in a guided tour of the super, and affordable, great Pirate Studios facilities. It was an honour to be part of the invited audience, all here due to the spirit of sharing. We gravitate towards fellow non-greedy music world people; This Feeling (£5 to see multiple major potential bands, then rock out on the dance floor) natural allies of the reasonably priced Pirate Studios band/DJs rehearsal rates.
That evening, during his live set, Carl Barât called Mikey Jonns of This Feeling a folk hero. A sentiment widely acknowledged by this new, parallel dimension, blatantly obvious music industry escapiism in the age of austerity.
There is a distinct feeling that Captain Pirate, David Borrie, is cut from the same cloth and in the spirit of The Zone, tonight there is no whiff of "clique".
So why are David, and Pirate Studios in general, were being so cool?
It transpires that he is part of the Bristol music scene, and a musician. Things started falling into place as you provide the service you’d wish for yourself.
As he points out; “Pirate Studios are typically at the pricing point where we pick up young, hungry and probably less well off bands, looking for a place to learn their trade. Having played in bands myself, since the age of 15, its nice to be giving something back.”
It’s a highly effective and essential thread of the new music industry. The recording of rehearsals is a bonus, arming artists with additional promo material, much to David’s satisfaction; “Its amazing seeing all these bands coming up through the studios.”
Bands are using the recordings made at Pirate Studios (who have a stage at Sound City) as submissions for festivals. “It’s exacly what we want. People can get them out, start earning a wage, progressing as a band”. Image above: Dead! 30 March 2017, PirateLive, London. 70k views at time of writing.
The gig sessions themselves are fifty shades of "the new grey whistle test". Streamed live performance music TV to an international audience.
These are raw, intimate gigs - with results. It is telling that the spirit of sharing crosses over between Pirate Studios, This Feeling, their artists, audiences and allies.
Paves, who support TF events by coming to catch other bands in London, when they are not, themselves, playing that show, are in the partying crowd tonight.
David Borrie cites the Paves Facebook Live set as an example (over 62,000 views, so far, at time of writing) of artists connecting with fans. You can see an array of artists perform virtual gigs at the "Videos" tab of facebook.com/PirateStudiosUK/
When he says “I think this is the future, a new platform for bands to connect with an audience, just as live venues are closing down”, who could disagree?
So many new avenues are just starting to be explored by innovators like Pirate Studios.
“The Facebook Live shows revolutionise the way that music is seen and heard, and offers the ability for bands to broadcast from their own studios in the Pirate spaces, to their own audiences. Everything we’re doing now is building towards towards colleges and schools.” An educational mutiny. Yes please. The parallel dimension Arts And Entertainment Economy is forging ahead by including anybody that wants in to shape it, and letting them create. David acknowledges; “People are moving away from being controlled, they’re DIY distributing and self empowered, creating their own brand and identity, away from corporate labels, it’s a wave of independence.”
Pirate Studios time share based affordability is key for musicians and DJs to become professional at what they do, record their compositions for multiple use, and perform personally to virtually anybody on the globe.
TheZineUK really wanted to be involved in this empowered independence, so were really excited to to roll up to the welcoming outdoor art of the premises, and step into a new complex furnished with state of the (he)art rehearsal rooms.
Courteousy abounded. Warm welcome, deliciious food (thank you Soul Street Kitchen - that was amazing) and drink hospitality (thank you Jack Daniels UK, it's true, Jack ROCKS) greeted all the artists and guests that were lucky enough to get a ticket for the #PirateLive Sessions event on 30th March in London.
First on stage were The Surrenders, a Dudley (West Midlands) bluesy five piece rock band, who had won a nationwide competition to open this evening's show.
They played to a room full of new friends, while being broadcast world wide, and really got an intensely warm reaction to their bold and ballsy blast.
PirateLive! Introducing : Definitely made an impression.
Cheers for making us move, and additionally thanks to singer, Connor, for telling us more about the experience.
TheZineUK : “How did The Surrenders hear about the Pirate Studios competition?” Connor : “We first heard about the competition through social media and completely forgot about the whole thing until it was announced we had won!”
How’s that for a piece of luck? Talk about (very) right place, right time.
TheZineUK : “We are biased and think the rock n roll rebellion under radar is more exciting than the mainstream. Can you feel a vibe pulsing with guitar bands at the moment?” Connor : “Definitely. People seem to want something more real, more tangible than the manufactured pop stars we have at the moment. It's a very exciting time to be in a band we think.”
It certainly is an exciting time to be in a band when "The Zone" is in effect, like that night, which turned into another wild and exciting one. The Surrenders also getting to support The Paves at a later date too.
With Dead!, then Blackwaters, then Carl Barât and an increasingly partied up crowd in the packed out bar from the first note.
Courtesy of Mikey from This Feeling, we had an interview up set with Mr Barât. Cheers to Jack Daniels from Tenessee, we were all far to merry for that to happen.
No worries. We spent the whole night laughing, sipping, dancing, nibbling, rocking, loved every moment from start to finish. A superb night that created follow up tales that are still weaving from that night. Some before the end of this article! Thrillers; Dead!’s latest release, the high blood pressure inducing ‘Enough Enough Enough’ has been played on Radio 1 by Phil Taggart and the eye movement test of a video is heading for 50,000 views at time of writing, and they are supporting Blondie at their sold out show at London Roundhouse on May 3rd.
Blackwaters shows always feel like a smack in the face with a giant punk shark. They did not disappoint.
Neither did headliner, Carl Barât, who induced an affection overload that invaded the stage for a sing-along.
There was a #PirateLive magic moment when Blackwaters joined him on stage, as his band, for a joyously rollicking 'Don't Look Back Into The Sun' by The Libertines, and the situationist magic of this parallel dimension keeps on coming.
A few days later, Blackwaters got a last minute slot at 2Q Festival in Derby, before starting their tour with This Feeling in Manchester that same night.
They have also been grabbed for big summer festivals (The Great Escape, Camden Rocks, Download, Kendal Calling etc) and having just been special guests at The Amazons sold out London Dingwalls show, will also support Carl Barat and The Jackals on tour, and The Libertines and Maximo Park in August.
It is far from fake news to point out that over the last couple of years, especially, This Feeling is one of the key first points of call for discovering the the biggest potential of the new rock n roll. Replacing the support that would have once come from having a plethora of music magazines hungry for the next big thrill, and enjoying them in small venues. No point missing being able to recognise music journalists at shows. New days, new ways. The Zone, being backed up with these on line sessions is as good a way as any. End Of Part One.
Part Two: A few days later, attended the Pirate Live Sessions in Sheffield, but first a few more pix from London.
So, where was I? Oh yeah. A few days later, having another adventure in what excellent, Derby city-wide, 2Q Festival rightly calls “Derbados”. Totally festive vibe. I saw two of This Feeling's #BigIn2017 bands explode on stage at The Silk Mill Museum, which was actually what it said, with some of the exhibits around the venue which was originally a birthplace of crapitalism, located right in the exact centre point of England. It's in parkland next to a river. Serene n sunny postcard scene outside. Ferociously punked up industrial location inside, today.
The Blinders packed the venue earlier in the afternoon and were then heading up to Sheffield for the Pirate Launch sessions finale. Hitching a lift up the M1 (mate, Bang Bang Romeo were also playing, how could I resist?) I had to miss the end of Blackwaters (who it was a brill surprise to see, been a fan since first catching them in Autumn) slaying it on stage.
I have this enduring fond memory of Derby where The Blinders have been into the town centre, met up with The Wytches etc, and are running down the verdantly green hill towards the van, in the blue sky sunshine, with big grins on their faces, for a piss before we set off, and as they are running, I can still hear Blackwaters' tribal chant of “Fuck Yeah, Fuck YEAH” soundtracking the postcard scene moment.
Sheafs had already made their #PirateLive appearance earlier that afternoon and have racked up an impressive viewership for their racing tempo, classic rock sound laced with moshable, sing-along sky-punching hooks and guitary groove outs. Will get to catch them in London on Record Store Day (22nd April - take a wild guess which club?) but they are making a massive impression everywhere they go, and, at time of writing, just headlined a sold out This Feeling show in Sheffield over the Easter weekend. Me? I'd love to see them play with another of the bands in our story, MOSES. (Bloody hell, HOW many ace gigs do we experience these days? Feeling blessed)
So on this, 1st April, All Cools Day, was the perfect end to a series of prestigious music performances for Britain’s cultural (and technical) posterity.
There is definitely something in the Yorkshire water, as the Launch Tour ended with Bang Bang Romeo (image, another intimate and awed audience greet their Pirate Studios Sheffield appearance) and The Blinders.
Both bands delivered sets from which you could have picked out a song or two and the performances would not be out of place on Later With Jools Holland.
Sod that though, this is Earlier (TheZineUK’s TV show name of choice) with Pirate Studios. Instant time travel to the NOW of BBC 4 TV archive shows. Why wait? See them now.
As per all the above mentioned a few days later, the last two bands to play this fortnight of Pirate Live Launch sessions were announced as part of the #JackRocks7
A 21st century style "festival express" of seven UK guitar bands, of varying but complementary styles, chosen by Jack Daniels UK to tour four of their major festival stages over the summer, in association with This Feeling, source of the sauciest sounds.
And that's not the end of the live sessions broadcasts.
Get involved with Pirate Studios and maybe it could be your band playing the next time round and reaching a new audience. piratestudios.co.uk/
thezineuk disclaimer ; Yes, we do mention quite a few of the same people quite a few times in this story. It’s a (stage style) situationist story. It started with a crate of Red Stripe in a back room bar, a very DIY fashion shoot, punk and poetry on Tin Pan Alley, and heart on sleeve professed love of sounds n visions weaving into music's austerity age melting pot. Making friends in a world telling you to make enemies could be considered mutineers or sabatouers in some minds. On to the next chapters, then...
"ahoy maties", says a career love pirate