Image Gallery – Fashion, Gig and Festival photographs – Clash Music

Passion Pit Tour Diary

Robin Murray — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 12:02:41 +0000

American newcomers Passion Pit recently hit the UK - and took some photos exclusively for ClashMusic!

Famously formed after a Valentines Gift spiralled out of control, Passion Pit have a rare gift for connecting with audiences. Taking the dreamy synth pop of MGMT and extending it outwards, debut album 'Manners' arrived with a hefty dollop of hype.

Effortlessly blending electronic elements with lovelorn songwriting the band won rave reviews. Live, Passion Pit are something quite special capable of extending their material out into blistering electronic outbursts.

Returning to the UK recently the band took a camera along for the ride. The results show what life is like in one of the year's most tipped breakthrough acts - rarely glamourous but always entertaining.

Look at the results now...

Chairlift Gallery & Interview

ClashMusic — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 09:52:20 +0000

Brooklyn trio Chairlift operate in the same musical and experimental playground as MGMT and Yeasayer but their mash of sounds is unmistakably their own. Clash talks to the three-piece about haunted houses, garbage and that iPod ad.

“I think our dream is to be the first band to play a concert on Mars,” states Aaron of Brooklyn-based trio Chairlift. “The problem is Patrick won’t go, he’s afraid of space.” Drummer Patrick confirms that any intergalactic gigs would have to be sans-percussion, “I’m afraid of heights and space so I’m going to stay on planet Earth my entire life.”

Though this may sound like an appropriately ‘kooky’ comment from a band that produced the so-sweet-you’ll-get-a-toothache iPod ad track ‘Bruises’ (“I tried to do handstands for you…”) you would be mistaken to judge them by their cover. Debut album, ‘Does You Inspire You’, is an appetising mix of the childlike and the spacey, with an underlying creepiness mixed in. Vocalist and synth-player Caroline’s honeyed vocals fluctuate between hushed naivety and impassioned wails. Some tracks feature space-rock synths, computer game beeps and beats that click and tick. Others have country melodies or thumping bass, all of which melt into an intriguing sound that’s hard to pin down, but at the same time strikingly recognisable.

The band members too are a mixture of timidity and enthusiasm with an undertone of mischief. Both Caroline and Aaron have fresh marker pen chains and initials emblazoned up their arms. Aaron is also sporting a faded design that states ‘Totally True’, the instant answer to the inevitable question: ‘Is it true you used to write music for haunted houses?’

In the band’s early days, Caroline and Aaron’s practice sessions would descend into the realm of the strange and unusual, which inspired plans for a haunted house tour. “We came up with everything,” says Aaron, “except we didn’t actually do it.” These early sessions slipped into their debut, but Caroline cites the source of their underlying creepy vibe as “a juxtaposition between things that are supposed to be comforting but aren’t and things that are very normal.”

Modern life is also part of the mix of influences. ‘Earwig Town’ is a skin crawling exploration of surveillance and the ‘your-call-may-be-recorded’ aspect of everyday life, while ‘Garbage’ is a reflection on the reuse and recycle mantra of the band’s home state, Colorado. Despite their move to Brooklyn, human waste is still an inspiring notion. “The idea of all our garbage sitting in a landfill longer than we’ll even be alive was actually kind of a beautiful idea to me,” says Caroline, “like the real tombstone we leave behind, it’s beautiful in that kind of normal/creepy way that I like.”

‘Bruises’ may have elicited a surge of interest in the band, with some fans attending gigs only for that song, but Chairlift find that reaction humorous and Aaron has even compiled a screenshot collection of online comments referring to it. “Thirteen-year-old girls write, ‘I only like ‘Bruises’ and the rest of the album is like eeeewwwwww’ - I think that’s my favourite one.” Surprised at how much the commercial has worn off, Patrick says he’s happy with how quickly people have gotten into the band’s repertoire as a whole, though. “I thought we’d have a long battle trying to become more than the band that was on the iPod commercial.”

With their popularity on the rise, Chairlift’s thoughts turn to a new album. Tracks are composed and at the ready, and the band is excited about taking on a production role. They’re even thinking about recording in the desert. Before that though, they have a heavy touring schedule to complete. Mars may not be on the tour yet, but Caroline is still looking skywards. “Mars would be fun, but I think I’d rather play a show on the Moon so you can look at Earth. I think we’d have more of a draw there anyway.”

Photography by Pavla Kopecna
Words by Stevie Keen
Styling by Lily Lam
Stylist’s assistant: Sinnie Chong
Hair by Bianca Tuovi
Make-up by Abi Johnsonn
With thanks to Recession Studios, www.recessionstudio.com

The Specials Live

ClashMusic — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 16:08:20 +0000

View a gallery from 29th October as The Specials kicked of Liverpool Music Week at the city's Olympia Theatre.

The band originally found fame in the late 70s and early 80s before reforming recently, without founding member Jerry Dammers. ClashMusic spoke to the band's opposing factions, Terry Hall and others, and Jerry Dammers. Read both sides of their story over the band's division HERE.

You can also read a potted history of the band HERE.

Photos by Anthony Mooney

Two Door Cinema Club UK Tour

Robin Murray — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 15:48:03 +0000

Kitsune is one of the coolest labels on the planet.

Mixing dance with rock, Britain with Europe, the United States and everywhere else the label has broken new ground with each release.

Currently, two British groups are making waves on the label. Two Door Cinema Club have only released a handful of singles yet already their danceable electro pop is turning heads across the continent.

Manchester band Delphic, meanwhile, do what Manchester bands seem to do best. Effortlessly blending dance with rock they recall New Order at their ground breaking height without losing their own distinct voice.

Joining up for a recent high profile tour, Two Door Cinema Club and Delphic learned to live out each other's pockets for weeks at a time. ClashMusic gave Two Door Cinema Club a camera and prepared ourselves for the shocking truth of life on the road with Kitsune...

12 Things You Didn't Know About... P. Diddy

Nick Annan — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 12:08:27 +0000

First we tried to dig up some dirt on Sean Combs, then we tried with Puff Daddy, then Diddy...Too many bloody names, and what for? To make our life difficult, that's what!

View the above gallery and discover twelve things you didn't know about the rap mogul.

Juliette Lewis

ClashMusic — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 09:08:13 +0000

View a gallery of photos from Hollywood star turned committed rocker Juliette Lewis as she played the Glasgow Garage on 21st October 2009 with her band, The New Romantiques, promoying their album, 'Terra Incognita'.

Photos by Derek M Chapman

SWN Festival

ClashMusic — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 11:50:06 +0000

View a selection of photos from this year's SWN Festival with Wild Beasts, The Drums, Marina and the Diamonds, Slow Club, Johnny Foreigner, Dananananykoyd, Beth Jeans Houghton and Girls.

Set up by BBC Radio One Dj Huw Stevens in 2007 in his Cardiff hometown to showcase new bands and music. The title of the three day festival, 'SWN', means 'sound' in Welsh and is pronounced 'soon'.

Photos by DPG - http://photos.swnfest.co.uk

The Raveonettes

ClashMusic — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 09:35:35 +0000

The Raveonettes

“In a way we’re sort of an awful live band,” starts Sharin Foo, the girl half of The Raveonettes. “I think the music sounds great but…”

“It’s probably boring to watch us play,” finishes off her bandmate Sune Rose Wanger - owner of not just the boy-shaped side of proceedings, but also of possibly the greatest name in modern music.

With their new ‘pop’ album ‘In And Out Of Control’, the Danish duo have been drastically rethinking their shtick, revamping their fuzzed-up trashy-chic sonics and their stage show. “We came to terms with [the fact] that we’re now officially entertainers,” explains Wagner. “We always thought that we were just artists.” Foo giggles.

Their fourth album sees them handing over the reigns to a producer for the first time, fellow Dane and Junior Senior knob twiddler Thomas Troelson. “We wanted someone to be really different from us, which he is,” says Foo. Their last album, ‘Lust Lust Lust’, might have been, in Foo’s words “very dark and introvert”, but they’ve perked up thanks to Troelson, to whom ‘upbeat’ is far from a dirty word. So, that explains the ‘Out Of Control’ bit of the record title - how about the ‘In Control’ part? Well, that’s simple. After eight years in the industry, The Raveonettes are clearer than they’ve ever been about what they want and what they need. “We were a little burned out at one point just from touring too much and partying too much and now we’re in a good healthy place, we’re very focused on the music,” admits Foo. So, there’s no partying any more? “There’s still parties, but for me, not so much, I have a little daughter. She’s eleven months old.”

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The Raveonettes - 'Last Dance'

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Partying is also made harder by the fact that The Raveonettes are a bicoastal band. Sharin lives in Los Angeles, while Sune is in New York City. How does that work? “It doesn’t,” laughs Wagner. “We meet each other like this,” he says putting his hands up, “it’s crazy!” Foo is LA based for reasons of romance, and it seems Wanger is having a love affair too, not with a person, but a city. “When I lived in Copenhagen I was extremely restless, I would go out every night and I just couldn’t find peace because I was afraid that I was gonna miss something.” Then, when he moved to his beloved NYC that restless feeling vanished. “All of a sudden I had the feeling that I wasn’t going to miss out on anything because if I didn’t go out tonight it would be the same, or twice as much tomorrow or the day after.”

You’ll never find The Raveonettes living in Las Vegas though, where they recently played a one-off show. One day there, confesses Wagner, is more than enough, recalling the time he spent two weeks in the city, not leaving his hotel once. “That was good inspiration for some evil songs. I really thought I had found Hell on Earth.”

Sonically - if not lyrically - that evil has abated on the new album. Gone are the lurid pulp fiction and monochrome film noir influences. “This is not a cinematic album for us,” laughs Wagner. So, what was the inspiration? “Real life. A lot of stuff that we experience in our personal lives, and, unfortunately, I guess it’s like that when you, er... I don’t like the term ‘get older’, so I’ll say when you ‘progress in life’, you experience more and more tragic things. Life is painful, misery… I guess we have to one day maybe sit down and write a really happy pop song. One day we’ll do it, why not?” Remember to give us a call when you do guys - we’d love to hear it.

Words by Leonie Cooper

Photography by Chris Cowan
Digital operator: Nico Mitronen
Styling by Lily Lam
Stylist’s assistants: Hugo Edwards and Laura Yiannakou
Make-up by Dorita Nissen using Mac Cosmetics
Hair by Naoki Komiya using TIGI
Hair stylist’s assistant: Takanori Yamaguchi
Nails by Chisato Yamamoto using Mary Ann Newman

Maximo Park - Tour Diary

Robin Murray — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 13:50:22 +0000

When you ask Paul Smith to compose a tour diary, you don't expect the Maximo Park to return with the usual snaps of sweating roadies.

Putting the same taste for observation into his photographs as he does with lyrics the singer has crafted a unique memento of the band's recent UK tour.

Finishing a spectacular year Maximo Park played a final trio of shows across the UK. Taking in dates at London's Royal Albert Hall as well as jaunts to Manchester and Glasgow, the shows found the band on terrific form.

Taking time out to record some special moments for ClashMusic, Paul Smith managed to show us just what it feels like to head out on tour with Maximo Park.

"On tour, I try to pick up on the smaller details. Here are a few of the sights that caught my eye on our latest three UK dates, from derelict buildings to delicate decorations" - Paul Smith.

Mando Diao On The Road

Nick Annan — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 12:05:19 +0000

View a gallery of photos from Sweden's Mando Diao, returning with new album 'Give Me Fire!'.

The band were kind enough to add captions to the photos, move you mouse over the images to read their notes.

You can listen to 'Give Me Fire!' on ClashMusic now HERE

Photos by Nina Stiller

CMJ 09 - The Antlers & Fanfarlo

ClashMusic — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 08:32:19 +0000

Clash is in New York attending this year's CMJ event in New York.

Day one saw appearances from The Antlers and Fanfarlo. Read a full review of the bands HERE and check out a gallery from the shows above.

Photos by Rachael Wright

Casiokids Tour Diary

Robin Murray — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 14:11:30 +0000

Using a handful of bashed up keyboards to craft their early demos, Casiokids took their name literally.

Since then, the band have evolved into something approaching a professional outfit. Recording in their home studio Casiokids have released a handful of singles that have set ears a-blazing across the nation.

Snapped up by Moshi Moshi, the band recently hit the road for a lengthy British tour. Taking a camera along with them, Casiokids recorded all the mayhem of touring with these mental Norwegians...

'Raving 89' by Gavin Watson

ClashMusic — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 10:14:08 +0000

Acclaimed photographer Gavin Watson, has a new book out, ‘Raving ’89,’ marking 20 years since the original summer of love, and to celebrate ClashMusic has a gallery of images from the book.

If you lived through acid house, Watson’s book will give you goosebumps; if you weren’t, they’re the closest you’ll get. Watson's last book ‘Skins & Punks’ inspired the look and feel of Shane Meadow’s ‘This is England.’

A great Christmas present, the book is on sale for £19.95, through djhistory.com, here: http://www.djhistory.com//books/raving

Peter Hook, Factory Records & The Hacienda

ClashMusic — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 09:50:48 +0000

To celebrate Peter Hook's new book, 'The Hacienda: How Not to Run A Club', ClashMusic has a gallery of images covering the club's life and capturing some of the main players at work including Peter Hook, Peter Saville, Rob Gretton, Tony Wilson, Bernard Sumner, Steven Morris and Gillian Gilbert.

ClashMusic is running extracts from Hooky's new book all this week, read part one HERE and enter a competition to win a signed copy HERE .

Photos by Ben Kelly, Andrew Liddle, Peter J Walsh, Andi Gibson and Peter Hook.

On The Road With... U2

ClashMusic — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 08:03:37 +0000

In a potent clash of might, the world’s biggest band descended upon England’s grandest stadium to unveil their remarkable new tour, and Clash had total access to the best view in the house.

It looked like a spaceship had landed in the middle of Wembley Stadium, but U2’s video screen, suspended over them like an alien probe, was the latest in the band’s multi-million pound touring set, which was highly impressive, but never detracting from the performance. The circular rotating stage mean that drummer Larry Mullen Jr. would see the whole arena, while his bandmates traversed the bridges and outer stage that made up their extraordinary podium. This was their 360° tour, an experiment in absolute exposure, and it was a sensory sensation.

As Bono led the band through hits old and new, The Edge and Adam Clayton made the most of their freedom, and often ventured off stage to get closer to their public - all eighty thousand of them.

While London exploded to almost thirty years worth of anthems, Clash dashed around the side of the stage to capture what was happening.

Photos by Jesse Jenkins

Diesel:U:Music Hits London

Robin Murray — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 15:36:52 +0000

The 2009 Diesel:U:Music World Tour touched down in London on October 1st at P3, a three story concrete bunker under the University of Westminster and ClashMusic came along for the ride.

The London leg of Diesel:U:Music hosted performances of the D:U:M 2009 international selection, which were chosen by a panel of music industry bods and has played on the full world tour.

Some of the highlights included The Big Pink, Young Fathers, Heart Revolution and more. Rounding off the entertainment for the evening were some of the best DJs of the moment; including UK dubstep giants Joker and MC Nomad, funky pioneers Crazy Cousinz, London based DJ Captain Magic, better known for her kick ass club nights, Peanut Butter Jelly Time, and unpredictable cross-genre DJ Nadia Ksaiba.

We captured the madness in a series of images - now watch the madness unfold!

Photos by Ben Meadows

Temper Trap Tour Diary

Robin Murray — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 12:24:12 +0000

It's a hell of a long way from Australia to the UK.

Just ask The Temper Trap. The band may have formed in Australia but in order to pursue their career in the music the group took the ambitious step of leaving behind their family and friends and moving to the UK.

After adjusting to plummeting temperature The Temper Trap set about winning fans with their stunning sound. Backed by lead singer Dougy Mandagi's stunning soulful voice the group's epic pop is tailor made for vast arenas.

But right now The Temper Trap have to make do with rather smaller shows. Beginning their recent UK tour as relative unknowns the band recently finished the dates by celebrating their new single 'Sweet Disposition' reaching number 12 in the UK charts - and it's still climbing.

ClashMusic hops aboard one of the year's hottest tours, and puts The Temper Trap firmly in control...

Editors In Rehearsal

ClashMusic — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 12:00:05 +0000

Editors are interviewed in the forthcoming issue of Clash magazine as they release their new album, 'In This Light And On This Evening'.

Their third long player, it sees the band embrace more electronic textures and has been warmly received. Read ClashMusic's review of it HERE.

View this Editors photo gallery, snapped when we visited the band at their rehearsal studios.

Photos by Emilie Fjola Sandy

Fink - Tour Diary

Robin Murray — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 16:14:28 +0000

Fin Greenall began life as a tough electronic producer before swapping his synthesiser for a trusty acoustic guitar.

Working with his old label Ninja Tunes the new acoustic songwriter began working from an entirely new musical palette. With his deft finger picking and soft as honey voice Fink soon picked up fans unfamiliar with his past.

2007's 'Distance And Time' was to prove a watershed of sorts, picking up rave reviews and winning Fink a number of new fans. Returning this year with the sublime 'Sort Of Revolution' the guitarist recently hit the road for a short series of tour dates.

ClashMusic gave Fink a camera and told him to reveal just what life is like on the road. Armed with his acoustic guitar the singer often appears fragile, but his photos reveal a perfectionist eager to showcase his talent before an audience.

Watch the action unfold...

Photos copyright - Fabrice, Brighton

Ten Things You Didn't Know about... Kraftwerk

ClashMusic — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 09:14:24 +0000

In the forthcoming issue of Clash magazine, we pay tribute to the seminal German electronic pioneers Kraftwerk as they reissue their impressive back catalogue.

Enjoy photos from their recent Bestival appearance in this gallery and read a review of their appearance on ClashMusic HERE. Mouse over each of the photos above for a bonus accompanying interesting fact about the group.

Words by Kris Needs
Photos by Brian Murnin