Chinese New Year Celebrations

As you all may now, today is the beginning of the Chinese New Year, which gives way to the Year of the Snake. That means that today thousands of the Chinese and non-Chinese citizens in the UK have taken on the streets to celebrate the Lunar New Year. Manchester, with the second largest Chinatown in the UK, has had an Oriental blast today, hosting its popular Dragon Parade and Lion Dances, as well as a variety of Chinese street markets and a firework display. All in all, the Chinese can’t say that they haven’t started the year on the right foot!

 

 

 

 

A very talented (sleeping) giant

Made up of singer/songwriter Greg Matthews, producer/musician Neil Treppas, session drummer Lee Bradbury and guitar player Michael Reed from Mutineers, Manchester band Bauer have recently released their first album, Sleeping Giant. It is a delicate album full of tasty melodies and warm lyrics that are soaked with emotions. Bauer’s songs transport you to a peaceful state of mind and let the imagination soar. The following interview with Bauer’s guitarist Michael Reed reveals more about this unique band and the long gestation of their amazing debut album.

1. I ask this question in most of my interviews as I am always very curious about the origin of bands’ and albums’ names. Why Bauer and what are the connotations of your album’s name, Sleeping Giant?

We were originally called Barfly but had legal problems with the chain of music venues that had the same name so had to change the name fairly swiftly. More than anything "Bauer" is just a cool word and looks good in print... Also it's not a million miles away from "Barfly" in sound and look so it was a pretty easy changeover in terms of both fanbase and artwork. I think the sleeping giant thing comes from the fact that the album has taken such a long time to get out and probably should have been out there making hay quite a while ago. It's major label music made on an indie budget but musically, soundwise and melodically it's as good as, if not better, than anything out there.

2. I find your songs very cinematic. To me, Sleeping Giant could easily be part of an indie film’s soundtrack, and definitely is the kind of music I would listen to while contemplating the landscape on a train journey. What is most characteristic of any Bauer song is that they seem to be made of a contrast between the electronic and the melodic, and no matter how strong and powerful the sound may become in some of the tracks, the singer’s voice always remains calm and peaceful. Is that the kind of atmosphere you were pursuing when you created this album and what would you say are your musical, lyrical and vocal influences in that respect?

I think it's just the sound that we make when we get together and thrash it out in a room. There's a wide range of influences but the main thing is that there's always got to be a memorable riff or hook. Of course we love stuff like the Lost in Translation music that Kevin Shields did and more recently the film stuff that Trent Reznor did for The Social Network soundtrack and we've actually written quite a bit of unreleased film type music over the past couple of years. The next album is of course going to have a lot of melodic songs and poppy anthem stuff that so many people love about the band, but I think that soundtrack-ish sort of sound and feel is a direction that we're probably heading towards.

3. You have already recorded the music videos for “Feels like Heaven”, “Connected” and “Starting Again”, which is something that many indie music bands choose not to do or can’t afford to do. To what extent do you think music videos are a good way to engage a potential audience and create a fanbase?

It's just cool for people to have that option to see what the band is about in a visual sense, as to whether it gives us any more kudos in a commercial sense or even helps us sell more albums I'm so so sure.... We're into the stuff that Anton Corbijn has done for Depeche Mode and some of the Joy Division and Factory Records visuals, so it's just another side to things for us. In the future if we make more music videos I think they’ll be less of a band performance thing and more of a mood and visual thing, mainly because we're not all 21 and in our first flushes of youth... and also because the music lends itself to that sort of thing to a degree. 

4. Speaking of the videos, I was checking them out on your YouTube channel when I noticed they have been there for a good while already, so I assume that the making of Sleeping Giant has been a long road. What kind of constraints did you face in terms of song composition and the recording process?

Well, as we sort of touched on earlier, the album had a long gestation period so you'll notice that the videos and the early EP’s and singles came out a while ago. If anything, it gives it a little more interest for somebody new that gets into the band; if you work hard enough you'll find a whole wealth of material and cool stuff about the band to divulge.

5. It is still unbelievable to me that many great bands will never be in the limelight, even if that may not be the goal for some of you. The lack of financial support sometimes means the end of a band and, subsequently, the creation of more good music. Do you also feel any lack of support on the part of the audience, most of whom tend to follow the mainstream bands? And that leads me to the following question: Are people brainwashed by commercial music radio stations or are they just losing their taste in music?

A lot of it is obviously based around money and also there's still a ridiculous stigma attached to bands if they've been around a while and haven't had that hit record or bit of commercial exposure. I think if you look at the history of a lot of bands that are so-called “box fresh”, you'll find that the main players most of them had been around in previous incarnations or projects in the past. Certainly with the likes of Kaiser Chiefs and Franz Ferdinand. The good thing for us is that the internet and social networking has opened things up a little for us and put us on almost a level playing field like some of the major label or larger indie label bands. If you work hard and have excellent music, you'll find your audience even if it isn't on the scale of the likes of Coldplay.

6. Almost any musician will agree that their favourite thing about being in a band is playing live. What are your expectations in terms of touring and future gigs? Is touring abroad a possibility?

We've already played in Denmark, where we had a bit of National Radio airplay a while back but that's certainly an aim. We'll probably concentrate on the UK in 2013 but if any opportunities present themselves then obviously we'll be up for it.

You can purchase Sleeping Giant on iTunes and listen to the album on Soundcloud. Check out Bauer’s YouTube channel to see their videos and follow them on Facebook and Twitter!

An excuse to celebrate!

Last week Manchester was bombarded with fireworks. Bonfire Night and the Christmas Lights Switch-On ruled the city on the 5th and the 9th November, respectively. For those of you who don't live in the UK and don't know what Bonfire Night is, it is an annual celebration that commemorates King James I’s survival from the attempt on his life by Guy Fawkes. You can find some more information on its historical origins here. The Lights Switch-On, however, is a more Christmassy event that includes performances by some top music bands and theatre companies, as well as an amazing fireworks display (see the video below!).

To be honest, I’m not the biggest fan of celebrations of this kind (although, as I already commented on a previous post, I'll make an exception for the fireworks at the Manchester Christmas Lights Switch-On!), but I do love dropping by to an event as an excuse to meet up with friends and have a nice time with them! What I mean is that sometimes it doesn't matter what you are celebrating if that makes it possible for you and your loved ones to see each other after a long time or just share one more of those lovely moments together. I have always thought that there is a halo of hypocrisy surrounding Christmas, with people becoming more and more materialistic during those dates and celebrating something that very often they don't have religious beliefs about (I must admit I am one of the latter), but I’ve finally come to realise what Christmas means for many of us. Cheesy as it may sound, it is a special time of the year to celebrate family, friends and everything that makes us happy, go through the past year and plan our new year ahead, be thankful for what we have, and maybe reconcile with ourselves. It’s just an excuse... An excuse to celebrate all good things.

That being so, let Christmas 2012 roll!

Manchester Food & Drink Festival 2012

The last couple of weeks in Manchester have been delicious. The Manchester Food & Drink Festival celebrated its 15th year with a series of food and drink events which lasted no fewer than 17 days. Albert Square, the festival hub, hosted a number of stalls, bars and cookery shows, and offered the opportunity to taste the creations of the best brewers and artisan chefs in the UK. Beer, cider and whisky festivals, live music, eating contests and even an exotic Tiki Shack cocktail were organised in different spots and restaurants throughout the city to celebrate all things foodie!

Manchester Pride 2012

This year’s Manchester Pride took place on 17-27 August. The city had been waiting for a whole year to live the most fun and quirkiest of festivals. However, it wasn’t until last Saturday that the local LGBT communities took on the streets and transformed them into a loud, crazy, colourful carnival. The Manchester Pride Parade has the power to cheer up every single one of its spectators, filling the air with respect and party madness in equal parts. You could see rainbow flags and whistles everywhere – a symbol of diversity, equality and pride. Here are some of this year's highlights!

 

 

  

  

 

  

 

Dig the City Manchester 2012

This week the city of Manchester has welcomed the Dig the City event with open arms and delicious summertime weather. Dig the City is a brand new festival whose aim is to transform Manchester into an urban garden with floral, horticultural and gardening displays of all shapes. Delighted Mancunians strolled around or lay down on the grass chatting with friends and contemplating the flowery surroundings, as they made the most of the British sunshine.

Bushes shaped as Olympic athletes or a floral display of the Mad Hatter's Tea Party are just some of the exhibits that Dig the City 2012 offered. Here are a few piccies of what Manchester city centre looked like during the week!

 

 

 

  

Good things come to those who wait

I have yet another really interesting music interview for all of you! Guess who’s back in the music scene? It’s a creative and talented mind that has been ‘hiding’ for a while, getting ready to come back and eat us alive.

Uppacut is a recognised and ridiculously good turntablist and producer who was also part of the critically-acclaimed hip-hop band Fleapit. He has successfully worked with a number of artists over the years and is currently preparing his debut solo album, as well as a joint EP with rapper Frid.

In this interview, Uppacut talks about his new project, his collaboration with Frid and Wenlock Music and his musical beginnings, and makes a strong statement about today’s hip-hop.

1. Your Twitter page reads "Producer, Turntablist, was in Fleapit, now reppin wenlockmusic to the nuts." Speaking of the first, you have an extensive career as a producer, and recently produced Frid’s Serving Time EP. Besides, your work as a turntablist was highly recognised in the past. What is the necessary experience you had to gain before getting to this point, musically speaking? Do you have an academic background or did you do your own research? And what sort of advice would you give to the young people who want to become turntablists and/or music producers?

Firstly thank you for this interview.

I have no musical academic background at all. In a way, I wish that I had paid more attention in my music lessons at school, but it all started as a huge love of HipHop in the late 1980's. The sound of a record being scratched just grabbed me, I heard the rappers rapping but I was always waiting for the chorus to hear the sounds that the DJ’s were scratching, and from there I was hooked. I knew that I wanted to play HipHop in pubs and clubs but my mind drifted into battle mode and I started to think that I could stand up against the best turntablists in the country, but with this came practice; a lot of practice. I hardly saw any of my friends for around 2 years, I became a bit of a hermit and I split up with my girlfriend at the time to concentrate on turntablism. Obviously it’s not just the scratches or juggles that make a DJ good, it's also the choice of records you use, so I spent a lot of time at record fairs and markets digging through records to get the sound that I wanted in my routines. I'm not saying that this is the way to learn, this is just the way I learned. If I was to give advice to any budding DJ’s/turntablists, it would be this: Firstly, buy the correct equipment. There are some fantastic deals on turntables and mixers nowadays, cheaper inferior products will only hinder you. Secondly, use other turntablists/DJ’s as inspiration, don’t hate them and see them as competition, build your skills by studying your influences closely, practice, practice and more practice, and when you learn the scratch patterns you can build them and adapt them into your own patterns using your own choice of records, putting in your own twists. Thirdly, don't get frustrated, persevere. These skills are not going to appear overnight, it takes time; it will come with practice. As for advice for anyone getting into producing beats, I guess it would be that in ways it’s the opposite of turntablism as it doesn’t matter what programmes or equipment you use, you could use all live instruments or use nothing but samples, but if you have the aptitude, capacity and creativity to make good music then it will shine through regardless of how it was done. 

2. Let’s go back to the beginnings. You were part of the critically acclaimed hip-hop band Fleapit. Your debut album Music from the Ditch even reached the No. 1 position in the French hip-hop charts and it is still considered as the 12th best British hip-hop album ever made. What have you learnt on the road since those years, particularly in musical and business terms?

I would say that the thing that I've learnt the most is that no matter how successful I thought I was, it can all be taken away so quickly, so work hard, have pride in my own work, enjoy myself, and if the haters hate, fuck it, let them hate. This is MY experience and I intend to do the best that I can and have a fantastic time while doing it. I mean, being part of Fleapit was a fantastic experience and I'm so happy to have lived it, along with the secondson&task force project, and doing the cuts for Goldie Lookin Chain's “Guns Don’t Kill People, Rappers Do”, but that was then and this is now. I can't dwell on the past, I need to keep building and working towards new goals, and this is where Wenlock Music comes in. I personally see the future of this label being big, and it all starts for me with this next project. I just hope you all enjoy it!

3. You have recently signed with Frid’s label Wenlock Music. In your own words, “this label is what the UK scene is in dire need of.” In what aspects does Wenlock Music differ from other music labels?

Wenlock Music is a label that smashes down doors that are leading to things other than just UK HipHop. I can’t think of another UK HipHop label that is trying to appeal to more fans of music in general than just HipHop heads. Most UK HipHop labels are created in the underground and they stagnate there because there is zero drive. I mean, if I'm being honest, the majority of people listening to UK rap at the moment are HipHop artists themselves, so why should we limit ourselves and try to sell material to other artists only? We need to sell to fans of music in general who are into a bit of boom bap - it's the only way the scene can expand and create more interest in what we're doing. The population of this country is ever expanding so why can’t the interest in our music expand with it? If nobody has the courage to poke their head above the ground, nobody will ever know we're down here. There is a false image that portrays UK rap and it's so bogus it's unreal! If the surface is scratched by Wenlock Music and fans of good music can see what REAL UK HipHop is about, then it will make the massive effort that myself and Frid in particular have put in all worthwhile.

4. Your collaboration with Frid has even gone further and you two are currently working on the joint EP Not Tonight Lads. Besides, you are also preparing your debut solo album. As far as I know, the joint EP will be released first though. What can we find in this album?

Not Tonight Lads is a mild-mannered and often humourous attack on the image that Frid and myself don’t fit into. In the UK, if we want to go for a few casual beers in a commercial city centre, but we want to go dressed as we usually dress (jeans, trainers, t-shirt), the doormen/security will stop us from getting into the pub and usually say: “Not tonight lads.” So this is a bit of a 'FUCK YOU' to the rules that have encompassed our genre/style. Apart from that, we've got a fair amount of tracks recorded for this project, and a few still in the pipeline. Frid is writing the best material he has ever written and my beats are off the hook! The irony of this project is that we do think these pubs that won’t let us in for a beer will be playing some of our tracks to their clientele, and they'll love it too!

5. To what extent do you think that hip-hop has an impact on young people? And have you noticed a decrease in the hip-hop audience in the last decade? If so, what do you think are the reasons for this?

I think HipHop has a massive influence on today’s young people. The way people talk, dress, the whole way of life, and especially now that the people that grew up with HipHop as kids have children themselves, this is officially the second generation of world wide rap. But I do indeed feel like the audience has changed, mainly because music has changed so much. I don't want to say HipHop has changed because I feel that REAL HipHop has remained true to itself. I personally think that a new sub-genre has emerged and adopted the name of HipHop. So, nowadays, when the young heads say they're into HipHop, they mean Chipmunk, N-Dubz and Drake. If you ask someone of the first generation of HipHop: “What is HipHop?,” they will give you a hundred names of true HipHop acts that today seem no longer credible to the youngsters. It's almost gone full circle. Way back in the early 1990's you would get a HipHop crew who would put out a track with an R&B singer on the chorus to edge towards the mainstream; nowadays it's the R&B artist who has a token rapped verse on a track to make it more 'underground'. So to answer your question in brief, I think the audience has GROWN but in sub-genres collectively labelled - rightly or wrongly - as 'HipHop'.

6. How does the comeback feel? Is there an old Uppacut sound and a new Uppacut sound? Any big changes in style and/or inspirational motifs? I am sure that all Fleapit fans will be looking forward to listening to your new material – is there anything that you would like to tell them about the new Uppacut?

Awww it feels fantastic to be out there again! I don’t really have an old sound or a new sound, but my way of producing has progressed through the last 10 years having learned to play a few instruments, using new programmes and m-audio midi keys, but the biggest thing is, having been digging for years for records, I have discovered a whole world of music that has influenced me to keep my production fresh. My scratches and live performances are technical but simple enough for people to relate to. In a way I feel that a lot of juggling and scratching has lost its soul so I'm remaining old school enough to relate to the music I produce, so there is no contrast between what you hear on our records and what you see and hear when you come to see our show. I do feel that working with Frid has found a new drive in my production though; I've never been so busy on different tracks all at once. This EP is so much of a fun project and I'm so happy to be involved in it.

You can follow Uppacut on Twitter. Also check out www.wenlockmusic.com and www.youtube.com/wenlockTV for more news about his upcoming album.

Serving time, serving music, serving life...

Frid makes a strong statement in every single line he writes. He is an artist that uses his songs as weapons that need to explode before conveying their message. His words shoot to kill. His lyrics are straightforward and sentimental in equal parts. The musical style of his tracks is meaningful and eclectic. In one word, when you listen to Frid’s creations you are shocked that this Manchester-based rapper is not more widely known in the UK hip-hop scene yet.

It is not only his tracks, but this hard-working hip-hop artist has already shown his multi-talented personality by establishing his own record label. The road has been hard and long but now he can proudly claim that every little piece of success has been achieved with his own sweat and blood, and very little help indeed.

Thankfully, all his efforts eventually paid off last November with the release of his first EP Serving Time, a concept album that evolves around previous key episodes in his life and that will just not disappoint any true hip-hop fans. It just cannot.

1. When did you start writing and what was it that made you do it? Was it more a question of fun and love for music or maybe it was some sort of creative therapy?

It was a question of both to be honest. It started around the end of high school around 1998 or 1999. I was heavy into writing poetry because the only subject at school I was any good at was English. Then, as I got older and deeper into Hip Hop they naturally started becoming raps. I didn't even realise it was happening in many ways! My music has always been quite introverted up to this point, so naturally I talk about troubles and issues that are quite emotive to me, so certainly it's a form of therapy. You only have to listen to my last release and that becomes very evident very quickly.

2. In one of your past interviews you revealed that the tracks on your EP Serving Time are in reverse-chronological order of your life, which I guess transforms the EP into some ‘time capsule’ containing your life experiences so far. Can you elaborate more on that? Can you relate each of the tracks to a period/moment in your life?

Each track represents a period of my life. I wanted to go backwards because I knew that the start of my journey is the most difficult demon that I deal with and I'm one of those artists that can't help but let the problem into the real world when writing about it, which is why I also wrote the whole story backwards. I literally wrote track one first, track two second and so on. I just knew what I wanted to say about each life period. For example, I know that “Set it Off” was how I felt when I first started working on the EP. “Inside Rhymes” would be around the same time I had that more jokey, rebellious attitude in life around 16 or 17 years old. “Dear Daddy” is the point it all started around 2 years old. I know that instantly, and the hope was that, although it depicts my personal journey, that the listener would be able to pick one or two tracks and be like “yeah, I've been through that same thing!”. It was also going to get intense in terms of feeling, I knew that, and I know that a lot of people can be put off by that, and I didn't want to bombard them and let them in to everything straight away. If they stick around to the end of the EP, they deserve to hear the whole story!

3. How has your writing style evolved since you penned your first lyrics? Have you noticed any major changes in relation to that and, if so, do you think they may have been influenced by what you were going through at the time?

I'm not sure that they were influenced at the time of what I was going through, but certainly now the moments in the past feed into what I write, I know that for sure. It's only natural that you learn from your past; we all do. My writing style and ability have changed dramatically since I started this. I was just a kid, so there was an uneducated, immature element to it all. I didn't know how to structure a track, didn't know how to stick to a beat properly, didn't know how to vary a flow. I also didn't even have any recording experience so I didn't know that writing something one way wouldn't sound right or wasn't really possible to follow another thing, if you know what I mean? It's been pushing 15 years since it was poetry in its rawest form, and anyone who might have heard my music then and now would think it was a different person. Mind you, in many respects I guess it is. Life experiences change people whether for the good or the bad and that definitely reflects with me. Just the other day Leon said to me "you've improved a million times and changed so much since then" about something we were talking about from a couple of years ago, which says it all I guess.

4. There is this cliché that some very obsessive songwriters have a love-hate relationship with their songs and can even suffer from insomnia until the lyrics are finished. This idea may be of great relevance in hip-hop, where the message plays the most important part of the song. Can you relate to this?

Yes. This is kind of the same as we talked about just then, because, when you dig up feelings, sometimes you can't help but let the demon back in, otherwise you miss bits of the story. You almost need that element of fear to operate. I have more than a small touch of OCD with my work though, and couple the two together and sometimes I'm up writing through the night on one line, just because I know it's got to be nailed. Music is very in the moment too, so sometimes to walk away from writing a song is not even a possibility or you lose that moment and you might never get it back. There is certainly a love hate relationship between every artist and their music in my opinion. Even on a small scale, I mean, I released Serving Time EP and had fans saying "ooh, such and such is awesome, it's the best thing Frid's done". I hear that and I'm like "yeah, but I could have said that word a little better". That's the problem, music is subjective, so the first listener will love and relate to what the second can't stand and wishes I'd never made, but an artist will never be fully happy with their lot, because if they are, there's no point and they're probably doing it wrong.

5. Musically speaking, do you compose or in any way contribute to the music composition of your tracks? What importance do you give to the music compared to the lyrics?

 

I don't produce yet, that's something I'm still learning, though I do work closely with Uppacut, my main producer, to make sure beats are correct. I can go to him and be like "this one needs to say this through the track and I think that would better if x did y and a and b were altered"... I have a much heavier hand in the arrangement of the instrumental, though. Thing is, Uppacut is an absolute genius and clearly the real talent behind our operation. Feels sometimes like someone has put Dr Dre with Vanilla Ice [laughs]... But seriously he's an unreal talent so I know he'll nail anything that needs nailing, which allows me to focus more on making the song speak which really works for us at this point. But I never, ever underestimate the importance of Uppacut and the instrumental. Without him, my message can't happen.

6. It seems to me that nowadays there is not a great deal of hip-hop in the charts, or at least hip-hop as it was originally conceived. What I see mostly is just catchy tunes and no deep lyrics. Do you think there will ever come the time when ‘real’ hip-hop like yours will stop being called alternative and become more commercial?

No, I don't think it ever will sadly. The problem with this country is we have a 'celebrate failure' mentality, especially in the Hip Hop scene. I look around and see artists that are incredible, but they'll never break through because the people in and around the scene won’t allow it. No one helps anyone. You can ask a studio engineer in the UK the simplest of questions about the most simplistic thing and they're instantly like "I'm not telling you" because they worry you’re going to run away with their ideas. Same with producers, "hi such and such, those drums are really good"... Before you even finish that thought the response is "yeah, and they’re mine... Nothing to do with you". Couple that with the fact that a lot of our rappers and DJs and producers in the UK are just plain lazy, and it's a problem. If this scene stopped being backstabbing, lazy and stubborn, maybe our messages could go further and the charts wouldn't be saturated with this watered down version of the genre guided by people like Tinie Tempah and Dappy. I spoke about this on “Learning the Trade” on the EP, “Rap used to be a conquest, now it's just a contest, on whose dick's the longest, bragging about your conquests” and I genuinely believe that this thing has become, in a small way, the exact opposite of what it was conceived to be. All it takes is a little help and to help others and we could all benefit together, but we never will, because we never will.

7. Serving Time takes us to an emotional journey that feeds from different crucial experiences in your life. I bet that, at present, new positive experiences like having a child or growing as an artist and as a person will constitute an invaluable source of inspiration for writing new lyrics...

No, I'm still a miserable motherlover [laughs]. It does but not in the way I think you're getting at. My daughter is my whole world, so I can't help but be inspired by her. Every time I step into a studio I know she's going to eventually hear what comes out of it, so she keeps me focused, definitely.

 

8. Not only are you a rapper and a lyricist, but you have also established your own label Wenlock Music and are in the process of launching Wenlock TV. We want to know more about all that!

It's early days. I was never trying to secure a record deal with a major label like other rappers, I started out doing this because I love the music, and still do. The main aim is to 'do it' but on my terms. I started building this up properly in 2009 and we've started to snowball that little bit more. Originally, Wenlock Music was just me, but now we have signed Uppacut as well as a few behind the scenes staff who are there to help keep things moving. I also have my eye on a couple of other artists, one in particular, and I work as hard with them and their own projects as I do with mine. WenlockTV was a natural progression and offshoot of the label to be honest. I realised that we now have people on board who can contribute to making good things visually as well as within the music, so we will soon have our own presence and projects on the official channel. Wenlockmusic.com will be the place to be for it all!

9. You have recently shot the videoclip for your first single “Serving Time”. What is the storyline in the video and how is it related to the message behind this track? When will it be released?

The video will be ready for release - hopefully - in the next month and will be the starter project for the channel. The story is basically the story of the feelings behind the track and follows my storyboard for it quite tightly. It was a challenge that I've not had before because there are a host of locations and extras involved and coordinating that was a challenge, plus I've never been in front of a camera, so it was a new challenge for me personally.

10. Are you already involved in preparing a new album? If so, can you tell us a little about it and when it is planned to be released? Also, will we see you live anytime soon?

I started work on a joint release with Uppacut last month and that's coming along quite nicely. It's still in a very early stage at this point but it's hopefully going to be ready towards the middle of the summer or early autumn. Obviously with the video will come the single package and we have a few treats lined up for that too. At the moment though a lot of effort is going into getting Uppacut's debut project in the bag, and hopefully we can have that in a position for release soon, but the main aim is to bring quality and not rush things, so we are taking our time where needed, but we have lots to come so people need to stay tuned!

You can follow Frid on Twitter and Facebook. Go to www.wenlockmusic.com to listen to and download Serving Time – be prepared to enjoy a five-star hip-hop album!

Farewell to the Big Wheel

A few days ago I was walking past the lovely Exchange Square when I noticed something different – the Big Wheel had vanished!

I stood there for a few seconds, looking at the vast empty space as if it were an illusion. No, sadly the wheel was not there. Where there used to be movement and liveliness, the sight was now dull and boring.

Apparently, the Big Wheel has been forced to say goodbye to Manchester and travel to Edinburgh, and will involuntarily cede its home to a giant screen for the Olympic Games.

The Big Wheel’s life in Manchester has not been a long one, as its permanent presence in the city only dates back to 2006 (after a short Christmas visit in 2004). However, for a person like me, who have only lived in Manchester since 2008, it was part of the city as much as any other main landmarks. It was an iconic site indeed and a meeting point with friends too!

I feel relieved to know that I am not the only one who had secretly fallen in love with this enchanting, white spinning circle and the dynamic atmosphere it created in the city centre, since conversations are already taking place to prepare its comeback. Still, the bad news is that Exchange Square will not have the pleasure to welcome its friend any more, but a new home will have to be found for it. And, to be honest, I do not think that the Big Wheel will feel at home in any other place in the city or that Exchange Square will feel too comfortable hosting a giant, cold, lifeless screen...