Band Profile: Swim into Scarlet

So it's crunch time... The marquee has gone up, our toilets have arrived and it's time for our last Band Profile for this HippyHaze! We can honestly say we've had a fantastic time watching bands, interviewing them and (ahem) drinking with them too and it's been great to learn what the Staffordshire music scene really has to offer. For our last Band Profile, we have Swim into Scarlet who will be playing on the Monday of HippyHaze. These boys were recruited not long ago in order to replace another band who were unable to perform... We can honestly say it was a huge error on our part not to ask them to perform in the first place as they really are one of a kind! Swim into Scarlet is all about talent, fun and most importantly working hard on their music and that's why we love them. Check out what they had to say about themselves...

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Who is Swim into Scarlet? 
Swim into Scarlet is me, Aidan Razzall and I'm on guitar,keys and vocals. Then there's Zachary Thomas on guitar and vocals, Matthew Vaughan on bass, synth and vocals and David Nash on drums and vocals. We also have an occasional live member Sam Robertson, who plays saxophone. 

Wow, you're a very vocal group! And what do you get up to when you're not gigging and practicing? 

We are all college students and have varying degrees of part-time work including everything from bar jobs to working at printing firms in our native Nantwich.

Busy bees. So did you meet at college? How did you get started?
Well, we formed in the autumn of 2009 after spending the summer deliberating over whether our primitive jams from the summer prior to that were worth honing into songs. None of us can actually really remember why we decided to become a band, but it seemed to be natural progression from our experimentation in practise rooms in the latter of half of that year.

Like, fate conspired to make you into a band? Haha, so who writes the lyrics and what are the words inspired by?
I write the lyrics for the most part, but some songs have contributions from other members, the chorus of ‘Trophy’, for example. I suppose my lyrics are inspired by glimpses of moments, observations and thievery from conversation. I try to create lyrics which are cinematic and visual and present a place within a song, as if it’s a snow globe to be peered into. I admire Matt Berninger from The National's lyrics, the simplicity is effortless. I like Keats, too, he chooses such vivid language to create his microcosmic worlds yet conveyed his poetry in a very direct way.

Wow, I'm an English student and even I don't know the meanings of a big bunch of those words! You must be really clever! Who are your biggest influences?
In terms of music our tastes vary in the band from ambient house to 70’s prog and psychadelia, to contemporary alternative music and heavier stuff. We find that when we write, what comes naturally through experimentation is the material that works, rather than consciously deciding on how we can integrate our influences into a song. A lot of the music we listen to also doesn’t actually reflect in our work itself, our latest single ‘The Promised Land’ for example, doesn’t sound like anything we normally enjoy!

That's cool, like you want to be inspired but not a copy-cat. What's been your best gig so far? Or best rock star moment...

Our best gig so far has probably been the Stoke Sounds Festival last year, it was our first time on an outdoor stage and we relished the opportunity. It’s a strange one to choose because we have had some brilliant gigs in Manchester and London, but we played one of our best sets and felt a brilliant connection with the crowd. Our best rock star moment has probably been when our drummer David clambered off the stage to place one of our t shirts in between a wall of death at one of our shows, inducing mass gladiatorial combat. You can see it here...

Oh wow, that looks pretty crazy! So what's been your worst band moment?
Being described as a female fronted pop punk outfit on a gig flyer in Camden.

Ouchey... let's not dwell on that, eh? Who are you excited about seeing at HippyHaze?
We are friends with Sian Matthews and have enjoyed her work with Faux Feet and Heritage, so catching their opening set on the Monday will be great. Unfortunately we’re missing Aaron Mobberley’s performance, but we’ve definitely planned to drink with him after our set.

We like it when the performers are all friends :) What's next for Swim into Scarlet after HippyHaze?
We are playing The Dirty Dozen Festival on April 21st, and continuing recording our new single in Leeds in preparation for its release later on this year!

Sounds great! Well, good luck with it and we can't wait to see you perform!

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We told you they're lovely! And how clever does Aidan sound??? Haha, they're on of our most promising acts so if you want a taster of the excitement to come, head over to youtube to see a couple of Swim into Scarlet's recent gigs. Looks like a lot of fun! They'll be playing on the Monday at HippyHaze so make sure you get yourself in the marquee in time... it should be packed out for these lads.

If you haven't grabbed your tickets yet, then you'd better beg, steal and borrow the money to buy one because they're flying out! 

HEAD INTO MUSIC MANIA OR THE HIPPY HIPPY SHAKE COMPANY IN NEWCASTLE OR HANLEY AND GET YOURS NOW. A COUPLE OF THE BANDS ARE STILL FLOGGING TICKETS, BUT THEY'RE RAPIDLY RUNNING OUT NOW SO GET THEM WHILE YOU CAN! £14 FOR A DAY PASS INCLUDING ONE NIGHT CAMPING AND JUST £33 FOR A THREE-NIGHT CAMPING TICKET. See you there :)

Love and milkshakes

The Hippy Hippy Shake Company

The Hippy Hippy Shake Company Sits Down With... Jo-Ee-T!

This time in a couple of days we are likely to be running around like headless chickens, trying hard to put the finishing touches to HippyHaze 2012 in time for the next morning when our gates shall open bright and early. However, this week the pressure isn't on quite as much, so drinks and dinner at Frankie and Benny's with a certain Jo-Ee-T was definitely on the agenda! If you're not yet aware of the talent which is Joey, you're in for a real treat. Specializing in house music, this local DJ offers a breath of fresh air to the Stoke-on-Trent music scene. His laptop and a microphone is all this guy needs to blow our HippyHaze audience away big-time. Drinks ordered, pleasantries and greetings taken care of, and tushes planted firmly on the bar stools, we experienced the down-to-earth Jo-Ee-T for the first time in a none-performance setting. He didn't disappoint...

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It's so nice to finally meet the famous Jo-Ee-T I've heard so much about!

Argghhh don't, I'm just Joey. Haha.

Awhh I'm going to tease you throughout now like you're a huge rock-star because I know it bugs you :) Let's get on shall we? Do you work Joey?

I do have a job in Newcastle but really I spend most of my time mixing tracks. I'm really passionate about it, so nothing really distracts me. Like, I prefer to go mix rather than watch the telly even!

As if! I love the telly. Although it's great that you're so passionate about what you do. So, tell us about Jo-Ee-T as an act...

Well, basically it's just me all on my own! At HippyHaze I'm playing a two and a half hour set, some of it will be DJ-ing and some just me live so it should be good. I make the music myself although sometimes I feature other artists like Sian Matthews (of Heritage and Faux Feet, also playing HippyHaze). I spend lots of time on my mixes and then I just use my laptop and beach balls when I'm performing them!

Beach balls?

Yeah, at Rugfest I brought beach balls for the audience to play with.

Amazing! How did you get into DJ-ing then? It's not really something they teach in school...

No it isn't. Well, my dad and my uncle have been DJ-ing for ages so I've grown up around it really. They're my idols to be honest.

Ok, so do they inspire your music?

Definitely. My dad is my biggest inspiration. He's my hero! But there are so many artists who I love too. In my own genre I think Daft Punk is fantastic. Then I also have a handful of other influences who are completely different. Like, I think Stevie Wonder is awesome and Prince is my ultimate favorite. 

They're legends. Have you ever performed with your dad?

Actually, one of my best experiences was performing with my dad a little while ago at The Basement in Hanley on one of their maGic nights. There were hundreds of people in there and it was amazing to be handing the decks over once I'd done to my hero. My other favorite gig would have to be when I performed at Mark Askew's last gig at The Underground. 

That sounds amazing, bet you were chuffed to get that gig!

Well, yeah it was a huge honour to be invited along. Obviously the room was packed out with about 350 people, then on top of that there were people trying to sneak into the venue from the smoking area. I'll never forget it. The lights were dim so I could set up, then once I was done the lights clicked on and the audience screamed. At the end of the performance I put my hands in the air as if to say, 'That's it... I'm done' and the audience went nuts screaming and shouting. I loved it.

I bet the adrenalin is amazing at a gig like that! Do you ever get nervous?

Oh God, once my nerves were so bad. It was a gig at The Full Moon in Newcastle and for some bizarre reason my confidence just plummeted when I was on stage. It was weird. I started panicking and doing everything wrong. I mean, after the gig different people in the audience came and told me they'd enjoyed the set but I was just in shock. It was a very weird experience...

No way! Well, there'll be no need for that at HippyHaze as you'll be performing for friends :) That's how we like to look at it as we'll be cheering you on the whole time. Who will you be cheering of at the festival?

Oh I can't wait to see Sea-Based Turtles and The Get Alongs. Also, it will be nice to see Heritage and Faux Feet because I've worked with their singer, Sian, on quite a few different projects. 

Just to round off the interview, I want to know, what's next for Jo-Ee-T?

Dancing and cuddles. Plus me and my dad are hoping to do some more gigs at The Basement like maGic because it was just the best. And then I'm working on a very exciting project with The Sugarmill at the moment although it may be a secret, so I can't tell you anymore... You'll just have to wait and see! All will be revealed this summer...

Oh Jo-Ee-T, you are a man of many mysteries and I love it. I speak on behalf of HippyHaze and we couldn't be happier to have you on board :)

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If a more genuine guy than Joey exists, we'd love to meet him. We probably never will though, because it's physically impossible to be more laid-back, down-to-earth and lovely than him. If you like throwing your body around pulling wild-dance shapes then you're not going to want to miss his set. In the meantime, if you'd like to treat your ears to some real musical candy, head over to his facebook page and have a wee listen. You won't be disappointed. Jo-Ee-T will be playing on the evening of Easter Sunday just after The Get Alongs, yet another must-see act at HippyHaze. 

If you haven't grabbed your tickets yet, then you'd better beg, steal and borrow the money to buy one because they're flying out! 

HEAD INTO MUSIC MANIA OR THE HIPPY HIPPY SHAKE COMPANY IN NEWCASTLE OR HANLEY AND GET YOURS NOW. A COUPLE OF THE BANDS ARE STILL FLOGGING TICKETS, BUT THEY'RE RAPIDLY RUNNING OUT NOW SO GET THEM WHILE YOU CAN! £14 FOR A DAY PASS INCLUDING ONE NIGHT CAMPING AND JUST £33 FOR A THREE-NIGHT CAMPING TICKET. See you there :)

Love and milkshakes

The Hippy Hippy Shake Company

The Silent Disco, Weather Warnings and Open-Mic Busking...

Hey HippyHazers!

With less than a week to go, the adrenalin is pumping and we're just working on putting the finishing touches to what is sure to be one of the best Easter weekends ever. This is just a quick blog-post to give you an update as to what we've been up to over the past week or so, and give you a couple of bits of insider info :)

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The Silent Disco

There are a lot of people out there who don't quite understand the idea of a silent disco, so we're going to break it down for you... Once upon a time in a land far far away, a certain gentleman decided to start a local music festival and call it HippyHaze. He had big plans of playing loud music on into the early hours of the mornings for each night. However, the evil Law got involved and decided to impose a rule which said that loud music could only be played until 12am. The kind gentleman pondered for hours and hours over how he could make sure that each guest who attended the festival would be able to continue dancing until 3am. Eventually, his lovely princess daughter suggested a Silent Disco. Soon after, the headphones were ordered, the DJ's were hired and the venue was built. And they all lived happily ever after.

Nice story huh? So basically, once the bands have finished performing on the Saturday night and maybe the next two nights also if you guys are up for it, our guests will have the opportunity to join us in our VIP Silent Disco Party! Upon arrival, each VIP will be handed a set of headphones, and then for the next couple of hours they'll be able to choose one of our live Sub Faction DJ's to tune into and dance the night away! Entry to the VIP party costs just £3 per person and all of the proceeds will be donated to a cause close to our hearts, The Joe Gilligan Trust, which supports youngsters fighting cancer and young musicians. Our DJ's are top-notch and the Silent Disco should be a really cool and exclusive event at HippyHaze as there will only be 150 headsets. Make sure you sign up for your headset as early in the day as you can to avoid disappointment. You can sign up in the Band Merch, Joe Gilligan Trust and The Hippy Hippy Shake Giftwares tent.

Open-Mic Busking

This is an idea which the organizer came up with since there is quite clearly more local musical talent than performance spaces at HippyHaze. Basically we'd like to encourage anyone who can perform acoustically to bring along their instruments and voices and get involved. This is one of the only elements of the festival which will be 'weather permitting' as the Open-Mic Busking will be taking place outdoors in the Market area where food, drinks, clothes and jewelry will be sold, in order to ensure that the buskers get the 'in-between bands' crowd. If you're interested in playing, each morning of HippyHaze just head over to the Band Merch, Joe Gilligan Trust and The Hippy Hippy Shake Giftwares tent and let them know that you'd like to perform. They'll soon find you a slot in between the other bands. Who knows, HippyHaze 2012 may be where we scout new talent for HippyHaze 2013 so bring your best game!

Weather Warnings

Finally, as expected, the Great British weather is proving to be as unpredictable as we expected it might... With snow warnings, heat-waves, heavy winds and drizzles all gracing the Stoke area in the past week or so, it really is very important to make sure you pack for all occasions! Luckily, we have organized for the performances and Silent Disco to take place in a marquee, so when we're watching the bands and boogie-ing away we will be plenty warm and protected from winds, rains and snow. However, you will need to wrap up nice and warm for the nights inside your tents! Don't forget hoodies, thick joggers, cosy socks, all-weather sleeping bags and warm duvets. By the same token, make sure you remember your sun-tan lotion because when you're grabbing a bite to eat you don't want to be caught in the baking sun.

  

Just to confirm, HippyHaze will not be cancelled due to weather. Unless there's a hurricane or an avalanche. Which is highly unlikely.

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As usual we'll keep you updated on all things Hippy and we definitely have at least another couple of band profiles and interviews scheduled too so be sure to keep an eye out!

TICKETS ARE SELLING OUT RAPIDLY NOW. MAKE SURE YOU HEAD INTO MUSIC MANIA OR THE HIPPY HIPPY SHAKE COMPANY IN NEWCASTLE OR HANLEY AND GET YOURS NOW. A COUPLE OF THE BANDS ARE STILL FLOGGING TICKETS, BUT THEY'RE RAPIDLY RUNNING OUT NOW SO GET THEM WHILE YOU CAN! THERE WILL BE A HANDFUL OF TICKETS KEPT ON THE GATE BUT WE CAN'T CONFIRM JUST HOW MANY, SO BUY YOUR TICKETS BEFORE IF YOU CAN. £14 FOR A DAY PASS INCLUDING ONE NIGHT CAMPING AND JUST £33 FOR A THREE-NIGHT CAMPING TICKET. See you there :)

Love and milkshakes

The Hippy Hippy Shake Company

Band Profile: Blue Origin

So we're on a bit of a roll with these interviews and band profiles at the moment, aren't we? We just figured it would be a nice way for all HippyHazers to get to know the bands a bit better and create a friendly relationship between our rock-stars and festival goers :) Speaking of friendliness, we really must let you know what happened when we sat down with Blue Origin as Tom and Nick are a couple of the most genuine lads we've had the pleasure of meeting...

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Tell me all about Blue Origin... 
Tom: Blue Origin is a five piece rock and metal act from the glorious town of Stoke-on-Trent! The band consists of Nick on Vocals, Mike on Guitar, Jim on Guitar, Danny on Bass, and me on Drums. We do have day jobs but the main focus has been and always will be our music and this band. 

 

Good stuff, and how did you guys get started?
Nick: Blue Origin started about seven years ago when I met Tom. He was air drumming to Puddle of Mudd's She Hates Me at a party…

Tom: Blue Origin has been through a number of small line-up changes but the line up we have now is the strongest we've ever had!

Onwards and upwards :) Who writes the lyrics?
Nick: I write the lyrics for all of our songs. All of my writing starts off as short poems usually which I later bash into a song structure. This is kind of where my background as a writer comes in useful! I’ve been writing from such an early age I think I started around 12. I wasn't all that cool in high school!

Haha, well now you’re in an awesome rock-band... you don’t get much cooler than that! What do you base your lyrics on?

Nick: In terms of inspiration, I'm quite an introvert writer, usually writing about a lot of the things going on in my life when we wrote the song, though I'm trying to push towards a wider, more outward style at the moment. I never stop learning and changing how I write, nor should any writer. If you think you've got nothing to learn then you need a reality check!

That’s really cool to have a constantly evolving style. So who are your biggest influences?
Tom: Every single member of this band has different influences that they bring to the music we write, BUT if we were to say overall, we are greatly influenced by bands such as Shinedown, Black Stone Cherry, Alter Bridge and so many more. 

And what's been your best gig so far? Or best rock star moment?
Tom: I don't really know what Nick thinks but for me I would say it was our big headliner at the Sugarmill at the beginning of 2011. The place was just rammed and the crowd was insane. We had an intro video shown through a load of broken TV's scattered around the stage. The crowd was insane and the energy on stage was absolutely immense! 

Yes, I’d have to agree that sounds pretty cool. However, things don’t always go so good do they? What's been your worst moment as a band so far?
Tom: For me it was our slot supporting another band in a popular Stoke venue... The headliners were a great bunch of guys and they play what they play very well. The only issue was the crowd did not like us at all! The place was full of skinheads dressed in Doc martins and dungarees, like a scene from 'This is England' it was mental.

That sounds quite nerve-wracking. Onto more positive things, who are you excited about seeing at HippyHaze?
Tom: I am excited about seeing our good friends in Nameless, they put on a great show and are a fantastic bunch of guys. As well as them I am looking forward to seeing Sworn To Oath as I haven't been to a show of theirs in a while but the last one I went to was mental and I’m sure this one will be just as great. 
Nick: Yeah, for me Nameless are going to be fantastic! Those guys always put on a great show, and everyone thinks Josh (the singer) is Tom's son… It's a bit of a running joke really!

Haha, I see the resemblance with the lovely locks of long hair! Finally, just to wrap things up what's next for Blue Origin after HippyHaze?

Nick: Well HippyHaze will be the 5th gig on our 2K12 Spring Smashup UK Tour so it’s all busy, busy for us currently. Aside from that it's all about our Debut Album due for release later this year! We currently have a crowd funding campaign going on through pleasefund.us and we're offering all sorts of cool rewards for people helping us out with this. For example, do you want us playing a gig in your living room? Yeah, we can arrange that! Things are becoming very exciting for us here in Blue Origin and this is just the beginning... watch this space!

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Getting to know all the great musical talent Staffordshire has to offer has been one of our favorite things about organizing HippyHaze, and Blue Origin are some lads we're hoping to stay in touch with long after the festival. If you'd like to give your ears a sweet sweet preview of their music then go check out their Myspace page. Then if you're feeling generous, go donate a bit of your spare dollar to their band at pleasefund.us. We're sure they'd greatly appreciate it, and if you're looking for a band to play in your living room hold them to Nick's promise! Blue Origin will be supporting Sworn To Oath at HippyHaze on the Saturday, so make sure you head over to their marquee during their set, because this is one band you don't want to miss.

TICKETS ARE SELLING OUT RAPIDLY NOW. MAKE SURE YOU HEAD INTO MUSIC MANIA OR THE HIPPY HIPPY SHAKE COMPANY IN NEWCASTLE OR HANLEY AND GET YOURS NOW. A COUPLE OF THE BANDS ARE STILL FLOGGING TICKETS, BUT THEY'RE RAPIDLY RUNNING OUT NOW SO GET THEM WHILE YOU CAN! £14 FOR A DAY PASS INCLUDING ONE NIGHT CAMPING AND JUST £33 FOR A THREE-NIGHT CAMPING TICKET. See you there :)

Love and milkshakes

The Hippy Hippy Shake Company

Band Profile: Sworn To Oath

Last Friday, two HippyHaze representatives moseyed along to The Sugarmill to see one of our headliners perform and we were absolutely blown away! Sworn To Oath will be headlining HippyHaze on the first night of the festival (the Saturday) and we can't think of a better way to start our Easter weekend. These lovely guys are sure to make your heads explode with their talent, so make sure you bring a mop to clean up the mess. Only joking, but they are super-duper cool. We managed to grab a couple of minutes with their guitarist, Dave Leese, and this is what he said...

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Thanks for your time! So could you please break down for us exactly who is Sworn To Oath?

Well we have Tom Shaw, 23, on bass guitar & lead vocals, me, 26, on guitar & vocals and then Al Junior, 23, on drums & vocals. 

Nice. And what do you do for a living?
Well, the band is our main focus and takes up most of our time, but we all have different part time jobs that we do when we're not on tour.

That's what we like to hear, a band committed to their music! So when did you guys get started?
Sworn to Oath has been going for just over three years but we've all known each other for a while and played in different bands together over the years so that's how we met. When we realised we all shared the same desire and work ethic as one another we got together to start a new project from scratch. There was a definite chemistry when the three of us jammed together for the first time, so we decided to make a go of it and take it seriously. We've never looked back!

Awh so sweet! Music is such an emotional thing... Who writes the lyrics and what inspires them?

We all write together, but lyrics-wise most of the themes in our songs could be inspired by any number of experiences or emotions: the loss of a loved one; past relationships; wanting to make a better life for yourself; not letting the different bulls**t that life constantly throws at you grind you down and more. 

You probably get asked this all the time, but who are your biggest influences?
We're all into so many different bands that we take influence from on a daily basis. If I had to name our 'main' influences they'd have to be Pantera, Black Sabbath, AC/DC. Then we also love some newer bands like Cancer Bats, Everytime I Die, As I Lay Dying and Architects.

Nice mix! I'm a huge AC/DC fan. Anyway, enough about me, more about your best band moment so far...

It would be tough to pick out one gig as our best so far, we've got some favourite places to play such as the Vault in Rugby, The Gasworks in Bradford, the Duchess in York, and obviously the Sugarmill in Stoke. They are all places where we have big, awesome audiences and crazy crowds of people that turn up to support us. Actually, our biggest 'rock-star' moment may have been when we supported Periphery at Academy 2 in Birmingham. We walked out on stage to a packed-out room and it was definitly the biggest crowd we've ever played to. Seeing that many people react to our songs all at once is the kind of thing you dream about as a kid and the reason why we get on stage time after time!

Sounds pretty awesome. On the flip side, what's the worst thing that can happen to a band like Sworn To Oat?

I'd say our worst moments have been when things go wrong with gear on stage. Its just the three of us up there and we all sing and play so when something breaks or doesnt work its tough to cover it up. We always find a way to get through it, but the reality is, when you play as often as we do and you're constantly using your gear it suffers from wear and tare. You can always guarantee that it will break on stage in front of an audience rather than in the rehearsal room!

That's rotten luck! What are you most looking forward to about HippyHaze?

I'm personally excited to see a field full of crazy people who are well up for having a great weekend watching some truely awesome and talented bands. 

I love how you guys thrive off your audiences and the atmosphere so much! So what's next for Sworth to Oath?

Well, HippyHaze is during a run of shows that we're playing around the country at the minute to promote our new single 'Stand Alone', so our next stop will be Manchester at Satans Hollow on April 8th. All other dates for our up coming shows can be found over at our Facebook page.

Nice little plug you got in there Dave, can never beat a bit of shameless self PR :) Thanks for your time, we can't wait to see you rocking HippyHaze!

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Sworn To Oath are one of the hardest working bands to come out of Stoke, and they've racked up hundreds of gigs since they first formed. We like to think of them as a well-oiled machine which will make for a fantastic performance at HippyHaze. Specializing in metal music, they're sure to blow you away so make sure you don't miss them! 

TICKETS ARE SELLING OUT RAPIDLY NOW. MAKE SURE YOU HEAD INTO MUSIC MANIA OR THE HIPPY HIPPY SHAKE COMPANY IN NEWCASTLE OR HANLEY AND GET YOURS NOW. A COUPLE OF THE BANDS ARE STILL FLOGGING TICKETS, BUT THEY'RE RAPIDLY RUNNING OUT NOW SO GET THEM WHILE YOU CAN! £14 FOR A DAY PASS INCLUDING ONE NIGHT CAMPING AND JUST £33 FOR A THREE-NIGHT CAMPING TICKET. See you there :)

Love and milkshakes

The Hippy Hippy Shake Company