I don’t want to sound like a broken vinyl record that is stuck on the most depressive part of a really lonesome blues track, but the last couple of years in the music business have been rotten. And toxic. And really bad for the young, unsigned artists. With the very recent passing of Tina Turner, a giant of rock and soul, we have lost another icon, who despite massive hardships, somehow made it to the top. Journalists penning beautiful obituaries, sombrely reached the sad conclusion, that if she was starting out today, and in the UK, she would have never made it out of the lowest levels of the music biz. Not because of lack of talent or media outlets that could shine a light on her music, but because of nepotism, glass ceiling and absolute lack of opportunities. Believe me, residents of Nutbush, an unincorporated hamlet in Haywood County in the state of Tennessee, have more chances for musical education than young kids in London. Welcome to Tory Britain Anno Domini 2023.
Yes, this is a rather sombre beginning of a new single review, but there is almost nothing to be happy about. Just this week, we have heard that nearly 70% of musicians are thinking of leaving the business altogether, that’s up 5% since the same survey was taken in 2020. Brexit is wreaking havoc on European touring and deliberating cuts to arts and culture have been proposed as far as Scotland and Wales. Of course, it’s the festival season now so more jolly news – UK artists’ bookings for EU held festivals dropped significantly due to Brexit, only 18% of all festival headliners are women this year and there is a sharp drop in the working class representation in music and film. In short, music is now only for those who have money. I’m tempted to stop reading the news but then hiding one’s head in the sand is an easy way out.
This is why I will not and no amount of articles in the Clash magazine glorifying the musical equivalent of a pot noodle (no offence to the noodles) will convince me not to call out the fakes in this business. We have so many talented bands, so many excellent song writers, skilled musicians all around us that we definitely do not need to hype a product placement. And if anybody is too lazy to go on a discovery trip themselves, Indieterria will always serve as a guiding light to good music. The tip for today is – go and check out Gaylips.
I absolutely fell in love with them last year and we have solidly covered their every release. They are bloody good at what they do, they hold a mirror to the society and deal with our common issues with a charming mixture of punk rock, post punk, indie rock and cynical humour. Their music is eclectic, amazingly produced (at home and by themselves), kick ass and radio friendly at the same time. Rave reviews come from legendary DJs from left and right – Steve Lamacq plays them every time they have a new song out, BBC Introducing calls them a “true discovery” and Tom Robinson’s Fresh On The Net features them among the hottest bands of the week. Such compliments are rarely bestowed upon political and outspoken working-class bands, but in the case of Gaylips, every good word is well deserved and true.
Their newest single is called “TABS.” and it has just been called “The Song OF The Week” by BBC Northampton, their closest Beeb chapter. The song is very loud, angry with fantastic guitars and synth parts. The band describes themselves as a “grenade chucked into the room – a last hoorah before music is finally sacrificed at the altar of an AI algorithm” and if that was to turn out to be correct (I truly hope not), at least I’m happy to report we are going out in style and with a bang.
Two minutes and 18 seconds of a glorious riot, fuzzy guitar mayhem, manic drumming and Carl O’Dell’s instantly recognizable vocals make “TABS.” something of a pocket rocket. It’s short, sweet, to the point but it kicks like a mule. Or explodes like Boris Johnson’s temper tantrum – quite spectacularly and you will never be able to forget it. I seriously need to watch the duo live; it’s been a while since I saw a good post punk band that doesn’t sound like they are a Joy Division cover band. I’m tired of seeing and hearing the same – Gaylips are like a breeze of fresh air to me.
Think Benefits, Snyax, Soft Play with the rage of Slayer. Amazing.
Gaylips have been recently told that there are “100,000 tracks released every day of the week, with nearly 4000 of those from major record labels” and you know what, I don’t give a hoot. As long as we have honest, raw, engaged bands like Gaylips, we will, sort of, be ok. What truly angers me is that the opportunities industry plants are offered in abundance, are the chances actually stolen from artists who need them the most: the working class, minority artists, AOC, disabled or queer. And it’s all about money and the need to control what people are listening to. AI or Spotify, it’s just the same method but a different name.
If we don’t fight now, we will lose the music markets to clones of a clone of a clone and we will be at the mercy of few conservative minded, socially disengaged, old dinosaurs with large bank accounts. But let’s not think only gloomy thoughts. I have been on this rock for a long while now and I saw different trends going to the bin of history where they rot in their eternal shame. If we stick to our guns, protect the independent and small artists, then we will see a day when industry plants are the things of the past.
Good music will always survive. We have to remember that.
Long live Gaylips.
“TABS.” is out today, independently
TABS artwork by Carl O’Dell
Picture by Gaylips
Follow Gaylips on social media at:
https://www.facebook.com/Touchedbygaylips
https://www.instagram.com/gaylips75/
https://www.youtube.com/user/moog891
https://gaylips1.bandcamp.com/music
https://soundcloud.com/gaylips
https://open.spotify.com/artist/2qU1Eks8TBIi9C5I78JsJX
Rita Dabrowicz
Indieterria 