Price: £1.50 May 2010

FESTIVALS ARE HERE AGAINWe provide you with bite-size Line-ups for Glastonbury, Download and the Reading & Leeds

BREAKING MUSIC NEWS

REVIEWSKate Nash and Bullet For My Valentine

TO SHARE OR NOT TO SHARE?We ask you, the reader, how you download your music.

Welcome to Project Flux, Your number one monthly music magazine for the Greater Manchester area.

For May 2010 we have a number of features for you to sink your teeth into.

Contents

To Share or Not to ShareWe ask you, the reader, to weigh in on the latest legistlation aimed at singling out copyright infringers.

Music NewsLearn who fell victim to the Iceland volcanic ash cloud and which Manchester Instituions are closing.

Festival Line-UpsA quick rundown of popular festival line-ups. Break out the wellies.

Mickey Grundy - ProfileFloormanager Mickey Grundy tells of her time in the music promotion industry.

ReviewsWe review Coheed and Cambria’s latest offering, as well as Kate Nash and Bullet for my Valentine.

Edited by : Danielle Young Photograph by: Danielle Young

Feature | Versus Page 3

TO SHARE OR NOT TO hat, indeed, is the question. Earlier this month, controversial legislation aimed at preventing illegal downloads was rushed through parliament. have been seeing as the upcoming election clouded the issue, and now it is being hotly-contested by industry members and users alike. Bpressed concern that customers could be presumed guilty under the new proposals, allowing content companies to force internet service providers (

ers suspected of online copyright infringement.But what do you, the users, think of the new laws? Will they scare you into changing your torrent binging ways?

Project Flux: How do you download your music? Francesca Bently: “Through a bit-torrent site.”

PF: Do you believe downloading this way supports the artists? FB: “I don’t like to think about it that way. I download illegally because I come from a technologically savvy family, and it is a way of spending the least amount of money possible.”

PF: What do you think of the new laws cracking down on illegal downloading?FB: “They’re unnecessary, and an infringement of our privacy. We should be allowed the freedom to surf the internet as we like.”

Illegal Downloader Francesca Bently

Project Flux: How do you download your music? Leigh Oyebanji: “I use a programme downloaded directly to my computer, it’s a P2P (peer to peer) network.”

PF: Do you believe downloading this way supports the artists? LO: “I don’t think it does, no, but I rather selfishly try not to think about it. They only reason I download is because I don’t have the money to feed my music habit.”

PF: What do you think of the new laws cracking down on illegal downloading?LO: “I think something needs to be done about it, but I’m not sure punishment is the way to go, especially if users are only down-loading for personal use. The industry itself needs to take a look at itself and change.”

Illegal Downloader Leigh Oyebanji

‘I’m not sure punish-ment is the way to go’

T

Artwork & Pictures by Danielle Young

Feature | Versus Danielle YoungPage 4

HARE OR NOT TO SHAREarlier this month, controversial legislation aimed at preventing illegal downloads was rushed through parliament. The legislation wasn’t inspected as it should

have been seeing as the upcoming election clouded the issue, and now it is being hotly-contested by industry members and users alike. BT, the UK’s largest internet service provider, has ex-pressed concern that customers could be presumed guilty under the new proposals, allowing content companies to force internet service providers (ISPs) to block the connections of custom-

ers suspected of online copyright infringement.But what do you, the users, think of the new laws? Will they scare you into changing your torrent binging ways?

Legal Downloader Lisa Carter

Project Flux: How do you download your music? Lisa Carter: “I use i-tunes to download my music. It’s easy to install,

free, and can be used as a multimedia player. They even have a tele-vision option and you can download high definition film trailers.

It’s easy, cheap and fast.”

PF: Do you believe downloading this way supports the artists? LC: “I believe it does. They have taken the time to create something,

why should I steal it?”

PF: What do you think of the new laws cracking down on illegal downloading?

LC: “They’re a step in the right direction.”

Legal Downloader Lauren Ryde

Project Flux: How do you download your music? Lauren Ryde: “I use Play.com, but I also borrow a lot of CDs from my friends and rip them

to my computer.”

PF: Do you believe downloading this way supports the artists? LY: “That doesn’t really enter into my decision. I do what’s cheapest for me.”

PF: What do you think of the new laws cracking down on illegal downloading?LY: “To be honest I think they’re harsh. Downloading illegally would be a great idea, as I’m

a student and usually strapped for cash. The only problem is I don’t know how to do it, the whole process of torrents and stuff confuses me. Plus there is a major risk of viruses.”

‘They (the artist) have taken the time to create something, why should

I steal it?’

Music News | Danielle Young

Gary Newman forced to pull out of Coachella Festival. Picture courtesy of Nuworld; the official website of Gary Newman.

The ash cloud that is wreaking havoc across Europe forced some UK acts to pull out of the Coachella music festival in the US. Indie rock 4-piece the Cribs had to cancel their appear-ance at the Coachella festival in California, and Electro-pop idol Gary Numan was also due to perform, but was detained after his British Airways flight was cancelled. He wrote: “We have called every transatlantic airline that operates from the UK and not only are they not flying, they are not currently accepting any new bookings, not until Tuesday for many of them. “Even I have to admit that it’s not looking good.” Other UK acts including Echo and the Bunnymen, Gorillaz and Florence and the Machine were already in the US and were able to perform.

Volcanic Ash cloud forces UK acts to miss Coachella

Robert Pattinson as Kurt Cobain? Tabloid newspaper The Sun is reporting that British Actor and Twilight heartthrob Rob-ert Pattinson is in line to play Kurt Cobain. Pattinson is said to have been picked for the role portraying the troubled Nirvana front man by Courtney Love, who reportedly has a “key role” in the movie’s production. The Sun’s source said, “Robert has been calling and emailing her non-stop. She has been a bit wound up by his manners, but he is her number one choice to play Kurt”. Daviid Fincher, the man behind Fight Club and The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button, is being considered as the film’s director.

Jilly’s Rockworld and The Music Box close

Two of Manchester’s best-loved clubs closed earlier this month after their parent company went into liquidation. Jilly’s Rockworld and The Music Box, both of Oxford Road, officially closed down on Wednesday April 14, leaving partygoers dismayed.In a statement via their website the owners said: “The club that has brought Manchester the best rock nights ever finally closed its doors. We know we will be sorely missed.” Rock World originally opened back in1970 as Fagin’s, with The Music Box opening a year later. It is probably best known in its incarnation as Rafters, which played host to early perfor-mances by acts such as Depeche Mode. The late Rob Gretton was Rafters’ resident DJ and it was at a battle of the bands evening at the venue in 1978 that he first saw the embryonic Joy Division play. He went on to manage the band through their independent success and subsequent trans-formation into New Order. “It’s one of the saddest things in the world when these institutions close,” former Joy Division and New Order bassist Peter Hook told the BBC. “I always think that corridor in Oxford Road played a great part in giving Manchester its identity and its vibrancy.” Madina Mohammedzade, a regular at Jilly’s Rockworld, said: ‘I spent most of my youth in Jilly’s. I think it’s very sad to see such places go, and I will definitely miss it. The place has so many memories attached for me.’

Page 5

Festival Line-Ups | Danielle Young

It seems the sun is out (for now), and that can only mean one thing – it’s festival time, and don’t you just love it?

Below is a quick breakdown of the kinds of acts playing this summer and when.

Download: June 11 - 13Aerosmith

Rage Against the MnachineSlash

The UsedThe Damned Things

AtreyuCancer Bats

BREED77Sweethead

Porcupine TreeNo Americana

SenserHalestorm Nonpoint

As I Lay DyingFlyleaf

White WizzardZebrahead

Rock SugarMichael Monroe

Holy GrailStraight Lines

Tiger PleaseRevoker

Young GunsTyketto

Year Long DisasterDie Apokalyptischen

ReiterEnuff Z’Nuff

Panic Cell

And more yet to be announced.

Glastonbury: June 25 - 27Dizzee Rascal

Vampire WeekendSnoop Dogg

Hot ChipFlorence and the Machine

La RouxThe CourteenersMumford & Sons

Ellie GouldingThe Big Pink

Newton FaulknerMuse

Lightning SeedsPet Shop Boys

EditorsImogen Heap

DelphicFoals

The xxCoheed and Cambria

To name but a few.

Reading & Leeds: August 27 - 29Paramore

Guns n RosesPendulum

Enter ShikariLimp Bizkit

All Time LowFoals

Queens of the Stone AgeModest MouseFrank Turner

Frankie and the Heart StringsThe Futureheads

Band of HorsesThriceMotion City Soundtrack

WeezerCypres Hill

The Gaslight AnthemKele

The DrumsMystery JetsBilly Talent

NOFXLCD Sound System

Klaxons

To name but a few.

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Profile | Danielle Young

inding Micky in a busy coffee shop early one Saturday morning is no easy feat. She sits nes-tled at the back in a huge leather chair, fresh from work with a cappuccino in her hands. Joining her, I see she looks stressed, and Micky soon reveals to me she has had an intense day at work. “I have an epic love/hate thing with my job,’ she says with a laugh. “I love the peo-ple, the place, even the customers at times. It’s just that my body hates it. It tires it out.”Micky is eager to spill her stories, and so we begin the interview with the most obvious ques-tion.

Michaela Grundy, 25, spent most of her early twenties as a floor manager/events manager for a large Manchester club. She began the job at the age of twenty and was thrown immediately in at the deep end. Here, Michaela, who prefers the moni-ker Micky, sits down with Danielle Young to discuss the craziness of those years,

and the celebrities she rubbed elbows with.

The editors were among the bands Micky helped book.

PROJECT FLUX: How old were you when you got into the busi-ness of events management?MICKY: Well I never planned on going into that area, and for a while my job title never offi-cially reflected that. I wasn’t an events manager or floor manager, I felt like a roadie, or a glorified barmaid at times. I got into bar work at seventeen when I was in college. I spent ages clearing up glasses (laughs). I truly hated it, mostly because I wanted to be be-hind the bar with all the alcohol. I soon graduated to bar work.

PF: Was the bar especially diffi-cult?M: It was like an alien world at times. The staff moved so fast, threw drinks and cocktails to-gether quickly. I was out of my depth for a good long while, until one day everything clicked. I was as fast as everyone else and could deal with the irate custom-ers without bursting into tears. It was definitely confidence-building for the young me. My

‘I felt like a roadie, or a glorified bar-

maid’‘The staff moved so fast, threw drinks and cocktails to-gether quickly. I was out of my depth’

PF: Was music important in the bars you worked?M: Certainly. I have only worked in a genuine, hardcore nightclub once, and I hated it. I like the idea of being behind the bar and watching a band perform live, of being there and seeing it like any other customer would. At twenty, I was obsessed with mu-sic, it played a major role in my life and working in that environ-ment was ideal for me.

PF: How did your promotion come about?M: Kind of by accident. I was talk-ing to my boss and he happened to mention his floor manager was going on maternity leave. I stepped in and he gave me a crash course on booking talent. I learned fast, thrown right in with the sharks. It was the most insane but enjoyable periods of my life so far.

PF: What bands did you book?M: The Editors, Enter Shikari, Reverand and the Makers, The Fratelli’s, Ash, Lost Prophets, Funeral for a Friend, who were a bit snobby by the way (laughs).

F

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Acoustic Chester | Danielle Young

PF: Snobby?M: Yeah. I brought them up crates of bottled water and expensive hand towels, as they had asked me for, and apparently my efforts weren’t good enough. I’m sure they’re nice enough day-to-day but when I met them they irritated me.

PF: Any special requests?M: Drugs were prevalent. Weed, cocaine, the usual really. But to-wards the end of my time as a manager I started seeing the party drug, MCAT. It has only recently been banned, but it’s been around a while. I saw a lot of that, not nec-essarily with the bands but with customers. That was a rather dis-turbing trend.

PF: Were there any perks to your job besides the free gigs?M: Yes! I got free entry and a few free drinks in the bars I worked, plus I got paid extra for using so-cial networking sites to promote the gigs and the club. I used face-book, twitter and myspace to get more punters in and spread aware-ness of the bands we had on offer.

PF: What’s next for you?M: At the moment I’m taking a break. I’m currently working my notice and want to take a bit of time to decide my next move. It may be away from the music in-dustry, it may not. Who knows?

PF: Any advice for someone looking to break into the music industry?M: Love music. Be confident. Have faith in your talents, because if you don’t you’ll fail.

PF: And finally, name some of your favourite bands.M: Elbow, Editors, Kasabian, Oasis, Muse, Ash... I could go on forever, you know. How much space have you got exactly?

.

Micky has worked in the Manchester Bar/Club scene for

years.

Profile | Danielle Young

Muse are a favourite of Micky’s - photograph courtesy of Andrew Herrold via Spin Music News

‘I got paid extra for using social

networking sites to promote the gigs and

the club’

‘Drugs were prevalent. Weed,

cocaine, the usual. But towards the end of my

time as a manager I started

seeing the party drug, MCAT’

Page 8

Pictures by Danielle Young, unless otherwise stated.

Reviews| Danielle Young

BULLET FOR MY VALENTINE - FEVERIf you’re already a fan of Bullet for my Valentine, this album will not disappoint. Including the massive choruses and catchy riffs that made this band a force from the outset, ‘Fever’ pro-vides fans with all they have grown used to from the Welsh four-piece. Although it lacks the real hard-rock content of the previous album ‘Scream Aim Fire’, the band retains their ag-gression and meshes it with easy-to-digest epics. Tracks to look out for: ‘Your Betrayal’ and ‘The Last Fight’: both fast-paced with up-roarious melodies.

If you like this artist, you may like: Avenged Sevenfold, Atreyu, Killswitch EngageRating: 4 out of 5

COHEED AND CAMBRIA - YEAR OF THE BLACK RAINBOW Coheed and Cambria have created their best record yet, and fans will devour it. ‘Year of the Black Rainbow’ is most definitely dramatic, though it’s definitely a prog-rock record, which is an impor-tant distinction to make as the band has previously only flirt-ed with the genre. Tracks to look out for:‘Here We Are Juggernaut’: one of the finest songs they’ve re-corded. Hugely anthemic.

If you like this artist, you may like: Muse, ThriceRating: 4 out of 5

KATE NASH - MY BEST FRIEND IS YOUNot quite the musical makeover we all expected, but in exper-imenting Nash has found her own sound.‘My best friend is you’ is bursting with melodies, relying far more heavily on the power of a good chorus than her previous album, ‘Foundations’. This album is an example of good pop and appears to be the natural progression of a young lady slowly uncovering her talent.Tracks to look out for:‘Do Wah Do’: the lead single is vibrant and catchy.

If you like this artist, you may like: Lilly Allen, Regina Spek-tor, Cat PowerRating: 3 out of 5

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