What a coup , the fantastic poet #PieEaterKev kindly allowed his bio, photo and even a brief recital to be uploaded on our site .Go check him out on the Music Poets page in the site menu above , where you find details of his books on Amazon as well . Thank you so much Kevin , we are delighted !
Following a successful set on the bill at Woodfest on the 22nd July it was time to catch up with the lads for a quick chat in a wet tent off-stage ,and what a nice bunch they are.
The band line-up consists of frontman Finn Richards on lead vocals and rhythm guitar, Max Morrow on lead guitar, Evan O’Toole on bass guitar and Alex on drums, and with an average age of just 19-20 years old don’t let that fact mislead you as the band have matured considerably over the past 12 months. Hailing from the Warrington area it is hardly surprising that the feel-good vibes of songsters Viola Beach had a positive effect on their young lives, but apart from occasional guitar riffs in their own music there is no direct comparison. Moreover, there is a definite leaning towards Funk, and with vocalist Finn mentioning that their genre is probably more Funk/Pop, their collaborative approach to songwriting is clearly influenced by the likes of Prince, Earth Wind & Fire and Jamiroquai.
The band’s first single ‘Nights with You’ was released in July 2022 and with (what sounds like) Nile Rogers-type chords it is a very accomplished piece of work indeed and could have easily slotted in with the funk era of the late 70’s. In fact this is clearly the image that the band projects and garbed in flares,stacked shoes and short denim jackets they certainly look the part ( the author knows, he was playing in the 70’s!!). Their second single ‘Follow Your Nose ‘ was released in January 2023 and was recorded at the famous Motor Museum studios in Liverpool, also home to recording artists Oasis,The La’s and The Coral to name a few, and with Ben Harper producing they were in very good company. Lead guitarist Max mentioned this latest single was an ode to family holidays when he often inquired of his dad “where are we going?” to which he replied ” follow your nose and go” – it’s fascinating how lyrics can arise and this jaunty, summery tune is the type you would hear in a beach bar abroad and bring home with you. It really is a clever, catchy tune and quite unforgettable.
‘Follow your Nose’ was their opening song at Woodfest and people who were not familiar with the band were clearly lifted by it as another downpour threatened to spoil the day. However, the band were an absolute pleasure to watch as frontman Finn gyrated his way across the stage in true Jay-Kay/Prince style.with supreme confidence that belied his youth and was accompanied by a superb lead guitar from Max and a rock-solid funky rhythm section of Evan and Alex. Guitarist Max hinted at another single some time this year but if you want to hear more of the band again you can find them by logging on to their website www.theraymondsband.co.uk and selecting the Spotify icon or by entering The Raymonds directly on Spotify but ensure you select the right band or you could end up with a bit of punk rock!
Keep an eye on these hard working lads and catch them now is the authors advice, before the corporates snap them up and are given a chance to sanitize their music as they deserve every success in their own right in this fickle business.
If you are searching for a break from the ‘get rich quick – talent show’ saturated music scene , then you could no better than checking out Indie/Rock band @Balancing Act .
With 5 tracks on Spotify ranging from the high energy (and very well produced) ‘Before I Shoot ‘ , to the slower and more melodic ‘Rabbit Hole ‘ , think of a blend between Longview/Arctic Monkeys/Prefab Sprout and The Eels and you won’t be far off course!
Listen on headphones to hear the masterful effects , superb vocals and often angelic harmonies and you will be hooked. I can’t recall such an effective use of instruments and vocals since 10cc. I will be in the audience at #thedeafinstitute on the 7th Sept if I can get a ticket!
Discounting the 1 week when the site was down , unsignedhub.com is now 4 weeks old and what a busy time it’s been. I have met some lovely people , had some very nice e-mails , been on a radio show twice and even landed a post as a music correspondant on #warringtonworldwidemagazine !
Ok, admittedly I submit articles for approval and subsequent posting at the moment, but who knows where it will lead and for me it’s a dream hobby. The show on #RadioWarrington1332AM and on-line via the app is a blast!! Hosted by the self-titled ‘Rock God’ DJ Gary Skentlebery, I am given the task of selecting 24 Classic Rock tracks for discussion /banter and there is plenty of it! Why not tune in and judge for yourself, the show is aired every Saturday night from 10-12pm GMT and repeated on Sundays at the same time.
In the first 4 weeks it’s been my pleasure to interview Gordon Shaw aka #Gigthepoet , Artist #allsortsbyBen , Sam Heathcote of EVENTIVE and I have the lads of popular bands #MuddyElephant and #TheRaymonds lined up.
Along with other festival organisers to schedule and interview , plus some ideas I have on the ‘back burner’ it’s brilliant to do something I am.passionate about for a change and I hope people keep checking in. Come back soon and spread the word for the arts.
Eventive North West are counting down the days to their inaugural music festival on the 22nd July at the Woodlands Pub in Great Sankey , Warrington .
This 1 day event features live music from 5 acts, including the electro-acoustic sound of soloists Lee Egerton and Kerry Sheree , 5 piece local covers band ‘Jonny Foreigner’ , Warrington’s very own ‘The Raymonds’ and closes with the tribute band ‘No Gallaghers High Flying Birds’ .
It promises to be an excellent day of entertainment from 1 till 9pm with food and drink on offer from the pub and all are welcome at this family friendly event.
Tickets, with a number of options are selling well and are available from Skiddle by scanning the QR code on the poster or by visiting www.skiddle.com and entering Woodfest 2023 in the search field.
Let’s hope the weather is kind!
Unsurprisingly this brand new acoustic / electro-acoustic showcase of musicians on the 29th July at #TheCheshireCheesePub in Latchford , Warrington has sold out already! Alex and the team have done a magnificent job at this pub and the hard work continues. Lets hope the weather is kind to them , but if you are not ‘Glastonbury prepared’ you can always pop inside for #NitsThaiFood . Have a great day folks and check back in here for a new post when it’s all over.
Start time is 2pm.
Delighted to welcome the first artist on the site today and I really hope more follow ,take a look at the Artists page and the work of instagrammar @AllsortsByBen.
Now , I’m bound to say it is because I live here but here’s the thing .
1. #Warrington hosts a major festival – The Neighbourhood Weekender . Ok , so there is no camping but that’s only because it lies in a heavily built up area. 2. #Warrington hosts #Creamfields , another big event for the ravers and they come far and wide! 3. Warrington hosts #Glastonferry – a well attended event with some excellent tribute bands on show. 4. A Warrington local pub #TheCheshireCheese has now launched it’s own mini acoustic/electro acoustic festival for original music! Fantastic … 5. The town and surrounding villages host several open mic nights throughout the week and the pubs and social clubs have plenty of live music on offer every weekend , not forgetting the prestigious Parr Hall which has seen many headliners perform there.
With access to the town from all directions and 2 train stations , plenty of eateries and bars in the town of various types , is #Warrington experiencing ,and perhaps leading , a live music revival after the heady days of Mr Smiths and Hit Man and Her?
Come along and find out folks!
