It's been a great year for music, as you've seen documented on this very website. Now, though, you can hear it from some of the bands we've covered over the past twelve months, as they take us through their year....
Barney Boom from Sonic Boom 6
What were the high point(s) of 2014?
I'd have to say the Christmas show we did at The Stillery in Camden, for people who have Pledged on our new album on PledgeMusic, (hint hint!) springs immediately to mind. Great fun and a much-needed reminder of the support and love we still have for the band. Humbling really! I've had a turbulent 2014 in terms of moving city and new jobs and making the album so it was certainly a wonderful way to end it. And we ended the set with It's Always Christmas When I Think of You which I love so that was tremendously fulfilling to play it live.
Were there any low point(s) of 2014? If so, what were they?
Whenever you're recording an album and already over the album cycle of the last one and playing old material at festivals and such it's a struggle. Especially when there are hot young bands there, with new records out, and we're now the old guard. It feels odd and it feels like time has left you behind a bit. Getting the album sorted and recorded with all the other things going on in life was hard, especially getting the mixtape out for the PledgeMusic campaign, and there are changes in mine and other band members' lives and commitments that are shifting and that's been difficult. So there were small low points, but positivity has always been the bedrock on which SB6 was built so it''s nothing that's going to hold us down.
Best gig in 2014 and why?
We watched Dizzee Rascal at the Y Not Festival and that was great fun. It's amazing to play a gig in the late afternoon, have a few beers, then go and watch the headliners together as a band and Dizzee completely smashed it so that stuck in my mind.
What have you been listening to in 2014?
My tastes are fairly mainstream really... I have 6 Music on constantly so that gets me into a lot of stuff. I listen to a lot of Sly & Robbie dub stuff when I'm writing, so their new album's great, but I've been digging the Run The Jewels 2 album. That's been my favourite this year. And Royal Blood of course. Jamie T's new one. Sleaford Mods was devastatingly good. Also loved The War on Drugs, Damon Albarn, Paulo Nutini, Kate Tempest and Gnarwolves albums. And Hacktivist if I want to get my mosh on.
What's exciting you about 2015?
Getting the new SB6 record out in the first half of the year and playing it live when people know the songs. It's bouncy!
COLT 45
2014 has been without doubt the best year yet for COLT 45. We've been lucky to enough to do things that not so long ago seemed a world away from our daily lives and routines. I think we're a lot more confident from playing bigger shows and venues and reaching new audiences every week, and the response from press and radio to our debut album has been overwhelming. We can't wait to build on all our experience from this year, and use it to make 2015 even better!
The year started off in the best way possible, with our first spin on Radio 1 in January. We then spent two weeks in the studio in February with Romesh Dodangoda working on our debut album, The Tide Is Turning. The title of the album refers to our mutual feeling of positive change and progress within the COLT 45 camp. The experience of working with Romesh, who has worked on some of our favourite records over the past few years was awesome: he really knows how to get the best out of us and it really helped us to focus on our song-writing and playing to our strengths.
After we had tracked the album we started touring pretty relentlessly throughout the Spring and Summer, a particular highlight being our first ever performance at Download Festival. It was such a buzz to walk on stage to a packed-out tent and to see people singing along to our tunes. It was just one of those 'is this actually happening' moments and I think all three of us would agree that it was one of our proudest moments for the band so far.
The Tide Is Turning came out at the end of July and we played some amazing shows to promote the release, including an in-store unplugged and signing session at our local HMV in Carlisle, and a sold-out show at The Brickyard venue, which again was one of our biggest achievements and proudest moments to date. The critical response and feedback from fans has really taken us by surprise: we wanted to make a record that we loved listening to and performing, and for so many others to feel so positive about what we have created is just brilliant; it made us feel like we had achieved what we set out to do, and now we just want to keep writing, performing and recording the music we love. The whole year has given us a proper taste of what it would be like to make COLT 45 a full time beast! Fingers crossed…
Towards the end of the year we joined our good friends The Computers for a few supports on their UK tour which was great. They’re such a pleasure to share the stage with and we learned a lot from them too. We were looking forward to Christmas, and then releasing our new single and video early in 2015, and making plans for a LOT of touring throughout the new year! Thanks so much to our wonderful management and label at Visible Noise and Wiseblood, all our fantastic fans new and old for coming to our shows, buying our albums and merch and all our friends and family for their continued support and belief in what we do!
Here's to another awesome year in 2015!
Class of 86
What were the high point(s) of 2014?
Well, before this year, there probably weren't too many people who even knew who the hell we were, so the fact that we've been asked to contribute to this article suggests that 2014 was a big year for us. We've been around Minneapolis/St. Paul for a long time, put out a few records, and played a lot of shows, but because of school, work, and kids we were never able to put as much effort into the band or be on the road as much as we would've liked. Last Spring, though, we decided that the songs on our latest album, Future on Fire, were worth a college try, so once they were recorded, we made an effort to get the album out there as best we could. We successfully pre-sold and financed the record through Indiegogo (thanks to everyone who contributed!), did our first run of vinyl, and connected with a lot of new people who appreciated what we had done. Releasing Future on Fire defines 2014 for us more than anything else.
We also sent the album to as many people as we could think of, and eventually, Vinnie from Paper + Plastick reached out to us, and we were fortunate enough to have them help us out with releasing the album on a global scale. We're all total fan-boys, so to be associated with Vinnie, his label, and all the bands who have put out records on P+P is pretty mind blowing. Our relationship with the label has done a lot for us in terms of getting our name out there. Now, people all over the world have our record, something we really didn't expect to happen.
Any low points?
2014 was an awesome year, so there weren't really any low points. There are things we wish we could have done like go on a big tour and play Fest, but we're working on making those things happen in 2015, so it's all good.
Best Gig?
Our biggest show this year was definitely our record release show at the Triple Rock on August 1st. The turnout and energy were beyond our expectations. All the bands ripped, everyone partied, and the fun continued long into the night. Hooray for the Twin Cities’ scene!
What've you been listening to in 2014?
In terms of punk rock, the five of us listen to a lot of the same stuff, but our tastes are also all over the place individually, so we'll just throw some records out there. Pears are amazing live, and their Go To Prison record is definitely worth the hype. Braver is a Minneapolis band that rules. They have actually been making/releasing a TV show that's on YouTube. It's really fucking funny. Look it up. Propagandhi and A Wilhelm Scream are eternal favourites, so even though they didn't have releases this year, they were still on heavy rotation. Other favourites this year include Inter Arma, Lagwagon, PUP, Pallbearer, Against Me!, and The Shell Corporation.
What's exciting you for 2015?
2015 is going to be awesome. We've already got a bunch of new songs to work on and record. Barring any unforeseen circumstances we should have a new release before the year is over. Our first music video will be premiering in January. Also, we'll be going on a number of short tours, the first of which starts at the end of March. Spring Break! Spring Break! Spring Break!
And We Danced
What were the high point(s) of 2014?
I'd have to say there were a few this year. Finally getting our debut EP out on Paper + Plastick felt good, and the reception and reviews have all been very kind. We started the year by playing a sold out show with Motion City Soundtrack in Chicago on New Years' Eve, and ended the year touring with Less Than Jake and the Interrupters and three sets at Fest. Hard to complain.
Were there any low point(s) of 2014? If so, what were they?
I wouldn't say there were any real low points, just new challenges. Blowing $700 on a fuel pump repair on tour in the middle of South Carolina was lame, otherwise we were pretty lucky to have a great year.
Best gig in 2014 and why?
I think the best show we played all year was the first with LTJ and The Interrupters in Upstate New York. The crowd was amazing and the response was fantastic right from the get go. We got to try out some new songs we had been working on for the first time, and hanging with Vinnie (The Boss) was great. That whole tour was fun, but that show stood out for me. Here's a short video link to some footage shot of a new track we played called Something Blue:
What have you been listening to in 2014?
It's funny, this year I made a real effort to try to listen to as many new bands as I could, and abandon my normal "comfort records", which was fun. Like a lot of people, bands like The Hotelier and Beach Slang are new favourites. Saves End from Boston, Red City Radio and Pentimento were all in regular rotation as well. There's a lot of great new stuff happening in our scene right now, but as always, its becoming saturated and hard to navigate at times. Bands are starting to sound the same.
What's exciting you about 2015?
Right now we're recording our first full length, which we hope will see the light next year. As I kind of touched on in the last question, while it will still have touches of our EP, our sound is definitely evolving a bit, and maturing. Don't get me wrong, it'll still sound like a AWD record, but we're letting our "local legend" influences like The Replacements, early Soul Asylum and Husker Du show through a bit more. A little more midwest rock'n'roll. We're really excited about what we've tracked so far, so stay tuned.
The Jury and The Saints
The past year has possibly been the strangest in our band's history, but also the most exciting.
Strange because we have spent the last 12 months doing pretty much the exact opposite of what punk bands do: getting organized! After signing to SPV Records in 2013 and touring Germany, Austria and Switzerland we recorded what is to be our second album with Alex Lysjakow. Since then we have been mixing, mastering, finalising artwork, picking singles, making music videos, rehearsing a new live show and as we say in New Zealand “getting it together bro!” A pretty major challenge for four guys who prefer playing music than hitting the books.
We released our first single Focus from the album worldwide in November. We are psyched with the feedback from the song, with strong plays of the music video and all positive feedback from radio and clubs. I guess we chose this as the first single because it has a lot of raw energy, which is what we are all about but also, has the melodic singalong parts that we draw on in our live shows so it's great to hear that people are connecting with it.
We have also spent the last few months growing our hair. This has been a very strenuous task for each of us although it seems as if Jesse didn't get the memo and so he has been lazy and not really grown much...
We are just in the editing stage for the video of our next single Monday Morning, which is due to be released on 20th February 2015. This song is a real special song for the band, and if we only had once chance to play someone a song that had never heard of our band before…we would choose this one. I know its always weird when bands talk about their own songs but we're pretty sure that this one is gonna blow your hair back in all the right places.
As mentioned earlier, a strange but exciting year: if we were to be honest we are majorly missing performing live and just playing music, but we are super excited because we know that we have spent a year putting in the hard yards, getting everything ready for an album that we genuinely love. Now we are ready to release it to people's ears and get on the road to do what we are big time passionate about! Thanks for reading and we hope we will see you real soon!
Tree House Fire
What were the high point(s) of 2014?
There's been a sweet wave of high points all this year! We've written, recorded and released our second album which has had an absolutely insane response! A jam packed summer of awesome festivals, a European tour taking in the UK, France, Austria, Slovenia, Czech Republic, Germany, Belgium and Holland, and then topped off the year with a BBC Introducing live session!
Were there any low point(s) of 2014? If so, what were they?
We haven't come across any just yet! Fingers crossed!
Best gig in 2014 and why?
We've been lucky enough to play some lovely shows this year, Boomtown Fair as always was absolutely insane, but then we played some small venues in Europe that were filled with people singing every word back at us. That was nuts!
What have you been listening to in 2014?
There's been a large amount of Gentleman's Dub Club blasting through the THF speakers this year, such a solid band!
What's exciting you about 2015?
We've got plans for a new EP to be out by summer as well as bringing our vibes up to the north of England! We're booked for a few festivals already and looking forward to getting back out on the continent!
Viktor from Tear Them Down
What were the high point(s) of 2014?
2014 has been a great year for Tear Them Down. We released our first full length and judging by reviews and feedback the people who take the time to listen to it really enjoyed it. We also booked two tours, true DIY style in Europe, meeting a lot of great people as always. We are grateful for all the nice guys out there that keep the scene alive!
Were there any low point(s) of 2014? If so, what were they?
We would have liked to do more shows in Sweden because it takes a really long time to get down to Germany. Our style of punk rock is a bit overseen here. The future seem good though and with the born again Burning Heart Records and a new releases by Bombshell Rocks I think Sweden will get more eyes opened with some sweet punk rock'n'roll music!
Best gig in 2014 and why?
We had a great release party show playing with our friends in the great up-and-coming band Saturday's Heroes but aside from that we had a really great time playing at a friend's birthday party in Lübeck. Old geezer turned 30 and it was a blast.
What have you been listening to in 2014?
So many good bands released records this year it's hard to pinpoint. I think I have listened the most to the new Against Me!, Chuck Regan, The Menzingers and The Lawrence Arms records. Really excited about the new Dead To Me next year with Jack back in the band!
What's exciting you about 2015?
That we are trying to write new songs, evolving and improving our sound to make an even better album. We have a few songs in Swedish that we are considering recording early next year. A big thank you once again to everyone that booked us for shows and all of you that are spreading the word about Tear Them Down.
Straight Jacket Legends
High points of 2014 for us were the festivals. It is so much fun playing festivals and this year we played a few good ones!
At the beginning of the year we were unsure of the release of our forthcoming album and that was pretty low I guess!
Best gig has to be the show we did at The Compass in Chester with our good friend Thomas Nicholas (Kevin from American Pie). It was such a good show to play at, and we had a good time with the crowd!
We have been listening to a lot of the new pop-punk records coming out like New Found Glory and a few old ones like Lagwagon and Rancid!
Next year, we're super excited to release our first debut full length album, and get out on the road promoting it...
Under The Influence
What were the high point(s) of 2014?
The high points of 2014 were definitely playing to 12,000 people at Festival Too in King's Lynn and supporting Chunk! No, Captain Chunk! and Bury Tomorrow in Paris! Also, our guitarist George getting through to the live shows of Britain's Got Talent for his break dancing. I'm definitely not joking…. Proud of you man. Finally, also touring with our French bros Our Theory, those guys know how to party!
Were there any low point(s) of 2014? If so, what were they?
Having to come home from playing shows to work a day job is probably the only low point, coming from such a high to normality can really suck sometimes!
Best gig in 2014 and why?
The show we played with Chunk! and Bury Tomorrow in Paris. It was on a boat and when the crowd moved it made the venue move, which was brilliant. The fans in Paris sure know how to make you feel welcome and if you tell them to move, they do! Also getting drunk with the bands afterwards at a party on another boat was rad, never been so hungover!
What have you been listening to in 2014?
Slaves (UK), Lower Than Atlantis, Hopsin, Iggy Azalea, Wonk Unit, Yelawolf, Architects, and lots of pop jams!
What's exciting you about 2015?
Our debut album The Struggle. It's been a long time in the making and we have never been more excited to release this, it's a game changer for us and we can't wait to hear what the fans think! Also looking forward to relentless touring which we have planned for next year!
Maz from Ghouls
Wow.... where to start? We had a LOT of high points this year. Releasing our debut album with a crazy launch party in Camden Monarch, playing our first 'big league' festivals, like Hit The Deck and The Secret Garden Party, going on our very first European tour, and finishing off the year by releasing an EP that contains some of the finest tunes we've ever produced as a band, alongside a headline tour that saw us hit up some crazy venues like Nottingham's Rock City. Basically, it's been a massive year for us!
What were the low points of 2014?
Well, as with anything, you've gotta take the rough with the smooth. This summer we were down at Boardmasters Festival in Newquay. We were due to play twice on the Sunday, one set on one of the biggest stages we've played at a festy. We got down there on the Friday night, and spent the next couple of days surfing, partying with our mate Beans On Toast, watching Snoop Dogg's set, and generally having a bit of a party, getting fired up for our two sets. Then we woke up Sunday morning in the middle of Hurricane Bertha, with tents actually flying through the air. We even watched our beautiful huge stage collapse in the face of the storm! Still, on the flip side, we did have a pretty awesome party, so it's not all bad!
Best gig of 2014?
Well for me, it has to be the aforementioned album launch. So much blood, sweat and tears went into that show, and for it to succeed like it did was a thing of beauty. As an added bonus, Frank Turner showed up to watch, and was really complimentary about us, both then and later via social media. He's a top gent!
What have you been listening to in 2014?
It's gonna be a long list..... Riskee and The Ridicule, Will Varley, Beans On Toast, Gnarwolves, Die Antwoord, The Story So Far, The Front Bottoms, The Skints, Modern Baseball, Frank Turner, Don Broco, River Jumpers, Trophy Eyes, I could go on all day...
What's exciting you about 2015?
There's a few things to look forward to. Right now we're finalising some UK and European dates for early 2015, planning getting back in the studio, and seeing what festivals come a'knocking! It'll be difficult to top 2014, but I'm sure we'll manage it!
Streetfight Silence
What were the high point(s) of 2014?
Getting back on the road and touring in November was probably best high point for us in 2014. We spent most of the year recording our second album Dream On, Dreamer, as well as getting everything ready for its release so it was great to get back to doing what we love, playing live! Getting the album out was another high point in our year, and the media attention that we managed to get, including getting in Kerrang! magazine.
Were there any low point(s) of 2014? If so, what were they?
Every band has low points, this year for us was a bit of a biggie. We started working with management, this turned out to be something completely wrong and a massive mistake for us.
Best gig in 2014 and why?
In August, we announced the name of our new album, as well as the artwork. This got a huge response so we decided to put on a gig for our local fans to showcase the new record. We played all fourteen tracks. The response from the crowd was phenomenal.
What have you been listening to in 2014?
One stand out album for us was the new self titled Lower Than Atlantis album. Been fans of LTA since seeing them a few years back at Reading's Face Bar when they were touring Far Q. Very glad they've made such a standout fourth album.
What's exciting you about 2015?
Touring, touring and more touring! With our new album out we are aiming to play live as much as we can all over the UK. And hopefully try and get some EU dates!
We Fight Like Kids
What were the high point(s) of 2014?
Our high points of 2014 have been the great responses we've had to our first EP release Superficial Behaviour and recruiting two great new members.
Were there any low point(s) of 2014? If so, what were they?
The low point of 2014 was losing two members and not doing as many gigs as we wanted.
Best gig in 2014 and why?
Our best gig was at The Vic supporting Violet for their last hometown show.
What have you been listening to in 2014?
Bands and artists we've been listened to this year have been Issues, Gideon, Volumes, Of Mice & Men, Sylar, The Amity Affliction, BMTH, ADTR, Northlane, Tove Lo, Blink 182, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Tonight Alive, Yelawolf, Neck Deep, Dayseeker, Mallory Knox, Being as an Ocean and many more.
What's exciting you about 2015?
New music, videos and hopefully a lot of gigging and touring.
The Effect
What were the high point(s) of 2014?
Releasing our EP Running With The Wolves in January was a special moment for our band, we are so proud of this release and what we achieved in the studio. We've been lucky to tour with some awesome bands this year also and it's such a great experience on the road in a different city each night. The launch show of our EP was also one of the highest points of the year, watching people jumping around and singing your songs back to you is an amazing experience and one we definitely won’t forget.
Were there any low point(s) of 2014? If so, what were they?
I wouldn't say we have had a memorable low point throughout the year as it's not something you focus on so much. It's sometimes hard when playing new cities for the first time and can be quite a challenge getting people down to a show if they aren't familiar with the band. Everyone has played those shows where you wish more people would show up but it's all part of the experience of growing as a band.
Best gig in 2014 and why?
Again, probably our EP launch in January, we were surprisingly nervous for that show because we had a lot of new songs we had never played before and the venue was sold out. We played our hearts out and it was a night we will never forget.
What have you been listening to in 2014?
Our music taste varies loads within the band, when we are on tour we could be listening to anything from pop to metal to film soundtracks. If we had to name a few bands that pop up quite a lot for us at the moment, we'd go with: Bring Me The Horizon, Don Broco, Foals and PVRIS.
What's exciting you about 2015?
We are currently writing and demoing for our debut album set for release in 2015, these are some of the strongest songs we have written and is a progression in sound to our previous releases. We are also looking forward to touring the UK again as well as heading out to Europe. It's always exciting to go to new places, especially overseas as it isn't something we have done before.
Owls By Nature
What were the high point(s) of 2014?
The high points you say.....we had two successful European tours in 2014, my first time in Europe so it was truly incredible to be able to travel and see so many amazing places playing music. We also recorded and released our album The Forgotten And The Brave on Gunner Records. Had the incredible experience of recording our latest album (yet to be released) at the beginning of the last tour at an amazing studio in the French countryside. The studio is owned and operated by Grammy Award winning engineer David Odlum and working with him was really inspirational. I was lucky enough to hang out for a bit with him in his home and saw the Grammy on his shelf, he warned me not to touch it though! Bad luck I guess!
Were there any low point(s) of 2014? If so, what were they?
We made some difficult line up changes, lost a founding member of the band and got sued..... sort of.
Best gig in 2014 and why?
Would have to be between our CD release in our hometown of Edmonton AB Canada, or our gig at the Rollingstone Weekender. For the home town show it is always so great to have big shows in front of all the incredible people who support us so much in Edmonton where we played our first gigs. The Rollingstone cause it was our first major festival and really felt like we had accomplished a lot. We played to a packed room with hundreds of people who couldn't get in listening outside (or so I was told by the people outside). After a show like that you cant help but feel high.
What have you been listening to in 2014?
We are on pace for an album a year for the past three so it doesn't leave me much time for listening I'm writing so much. But downtown in the van brings out The Band, The Black Crowes, Bruce Springsteen and the Dixie Chicks!
What's exciting you about 2015?
I'm gonna do a solo Canadian and European tour, the band will tour again as well which will kill! Putting out our new record we did in France and wrapping up the documentary we shot about the making of it. That's the plan anyways, fingers crossed!
Patrons
What were the high point(s) of 2014?
2014 was our first full year as a band, and what a great year it's been for us. We started the year not having released any music and just seeing what comes our way. We end the year having released our debut EP in the UK and Europe, playing some amazing festivals including The Great Escape and Leopalloza. We've been played on BBC Introducing and were Alex Baker's record of the week on his Kerrang! show. AND we got to play some amazing shows with some great bands, including our idols Every Time I Die. It's been mental, highlight after highlight, and the best part is it's only the beginning!
Were there any low point(s) of 2014? If so, what were they?
The only low point of the year for us, comes from that rascal, the weather. We were invited to play Boardmasters Festival in August and we were so excited to play it. We arrived at the site in the morning, and just walking to the artist liaison office we felt like Helen Hunt and Bill Paxton from the 90's classic Twister. Because of the wind that is. Unfortunately the whole day was called off as the wind was getting a bit too lairy and the tent in which we were playing refused to stay put. The good news is no one was hurt, just sucked as we were looking forward it it. Ah well, always next year.
Best gig in 2014 and why?
We have had some corkers in 2014, playing all over the country to loads of new people has been a dream come true for us. But, I think if we had to pick one gig that was special for all of us it would be the last ever gig at The White Rabbit in Plymouth. The White Rabbit is where we all grew up playing music, meeting bands and people who loved music as much as we did. Some of us worked there at points, and not only did we get to see some amazing bands there, we also got to support some too. The last ever gig their was one huge party that started at 8pm and didn't stop for 24 hours. The atmosphere was so great, and we got to say goodbye to a venue that gave not only us, but the town from which we're from a lot to be thankful for. Long live White Rabbit.
What have you been listening to in 2014?
Music-wise we all love a lot of different music, but there are some bands we'll put on in the van on the way to shows that'll get us all going. Bands like Arcane Roots have been smashing it this year, we got to see them at a festival we played at in August and they blew us away. Local bands like Black Foxxes and Moriaty have been playlist favourites of ours too. And then of course classics like Thrice and the mighty mighty Reuben will always have a place in our hearts.
What's exciting you about 2015?
We've got a lot of big plans in 2015. We're releasing our second EP which we're very excited about and then TOUR TOUR TOUR is the plan. We want to play as many shows as possible next year, to as many different people as possible. We plan on getting over to mainland Europe and around the UK as much as possible. So, fingers crossed we'll be in the back of a van on the way to a city near you soon.
The Future Dub Project
What were the high point(s) of 2014?
Playing at Secret Garden Party on the Rhumba Rum Bar was definitely our highlight of the summer, it was humbling to play to so many people at our first show and also a pleasure to return to our favourite festival, having played there on several occasions with our former band, Strobe Circus. The BBC Introducing live show was also a great moment, getting our first airplay and then having the opportunity to play live on the radio was really fun! Thanks also to Craig Charles for playing the DJ Smoove remix of our debut release Captain Hook on 6 Music.
Were there any low point(s) of 2014? If so, what were they?
2014 was such an exciting year for us the only real low point was when Kyle's Mac decided it'd had enough and wouldn't turn on one day. We waited with baited breath as the man at the Apple shop tried his best to fix it, mainly as we didn't have the album fully backed up and we nearly lost three months solid work in the studio! Luckily against all odds he managed to recover our work from the corrupted hard drive so a celebratory beer was in order.
Best gig in 2014 and why?
Secret Garden was definitely our favourite gig as it always has such a positive crowd; we also had a great show at The Magic Garden pub in Battersea: the crowd went off and everyone stayed to party to our DJ set after the show.
What have you been listening to in 2014?
We've mostly been listening to Phaeleh, Mungo's Hi-fi and Fat Freddy's Drop this year, plus loads of awesome world music and everything in between. Our friends Nubiyan Twist have just released an awesome live video to one of their tracks and they'll definitely be one to watch for next year.
What's exciting you about 2015?
Next year is looking really promising for us, we've got a great festival tour planned for the summer and a European tour in the pipeline. We're playing at the Fruit Palace show at Hootenanny's in Brixton on the 6th March, supporting MC Xander to promote our remix of his track Sick of the Lies and planning more great collaborations and remixes throughout the year. Our debut album should be with you by the end of the summer.
The Hiding Place
What were the high point(s) of 2014?
For the first half of this year we had the agonising wait of getting everything ready for the release of our EP So This Is Home. When it finally came out at the beginning of September, and we went on tour around the UK in support of it, it felt like the whole wait had been worthwhile!
Were there any low point(s) of 2014? If so, what were they?
Not really low points, but we had hiccups around the tour: having the van we were hiring cancelled on us at the last minute and having the replacement van broken into whilst we were away(don't worry, nothing was stolen!), but it all added to the experience really!
Best gig in 2014 and why?
We did a big hometown show to celebrate the release of So This Is Home, playing with some cool bands, and the gig was rammed full of people who turned out to support us. It was really satisfying.
What have you been listening to in 2014?
There's been loads of awesome albums come out this year! Some of our favourites have been Against Me!, Marmozets, He Is Legend, and the new Circa Survive album that just came out.
What's exciting you about 2015?
We've started writing new music that we are hoping will eventually go on to form part of our first full-length album! Apart from that, we're basically just planning to try tour as much as possible.
City of Ashes
What were the high point(s) of 2014?
It's been a really crazy year for us! We've seen our debut record begin to get more and more recognition and have managed to stay on the road for most of the year. We've just come off the road from a few shows with Trapt which was really a dream we had a wonderful time with those guys. We also played our first overseas date in Dublin whilst we were out shooting a video for Waves. Also, I produced my first video for us which we shot out on a military base in Wales for the song Masks. It's been a dream year for us for a band without a label to get the level of recognition we've had.
Were there any low point(s) of 2014? If so, what were they?
You know, there really were before this record came out. I've talked about it before but the level of tragedy during the writing and recording process was pretty awful. This year we've been fortunate to enjoy the start of some real success. I guess we we're due a little good luck! haha.
Best gig in 2014 and why?
Man, there's been a couple... I'm going to say last week's sold out show with Trapt and Death Valley High at The Borderline in London. It was just so very unexpected. We were out partying with the Trapt and DVH guys until 3am in Wales the night before until they said "Hey, you guys want to come play with us in London tomorrow?" It was a huge accolade for us and we're very grateful to both of those bands.
What have you been listening to in 2014?
All sorts of things! Haha we don't really give a shit about being overly cool and following the trend of the week. We certainly try to keep tabs on that but once we're in the tour van everything from Bring Me The Horizon to Ludovico Einaudi has been on this year. Len, Tears for Fears, Slipknot, we like what we like and keep it varied.
What's exciting you about 2015?
Man, so many things!! We have a tour that's selling so well for February right now with London nearly sold out. If you guys want to come then head over to cityofashes.bigcartel.com
Six Time Champion
2014 has been an overall really good year for STC. It's basically our first year as a band and to be honest aside from a few minor setbacks, its been a banger. We've been fortunate enough to receive a lot of support since day one and also play some killer shows with some awesome bands.
Highlights? There's a few things that really stand out to all of us, I think the main one being our first run of shows with Trash Boat and Homebound (awesome bands, go check them out!). Up until that point we'd only played one off shows, so hitting the road for a short tour with those guys was an amazing experience and we can't wait to get back out there. We've also been lucky enough to play some decent sized hometown shows with bands such as Roam, Light You Up, As It Is and Bayside as well which has been awesome.
We haven't had much in the way of low points really. We've had a couple of tours fall through and a few delays with recording and stuff, but nothing that's been of any significance really. Just the normal things that come of being in a band.
Aside from the shows another highlight would definitely have to be the recording of Expecting Honesty. We spent a week at The Ranch in Southampton recording it over the summer and had a lot of fun doing so. We'd learned a lot since the recording of our first EP so it was cool to go back to the studio with a lot more experience and record these new songs.
In terms of the best show we've played, it has to be our headline show in Worthing on our tour with Trash Boat and Homebound. It's by far the rowdiest show we've played; it was packed out and everyone there was really into it. We filmed that set for a video which should be out soon, so it's cool to have a proper memento of such a hectic and memorable show.
This year has been an awesome year for music, especially within the UK pop-punk scene. Bands like Boston Manor and Nathan Detroit, as well as our friends in Roam, Trash Boat and Homebound have all put out sick records. For me personally, the new Trophy Eyes, Bane and Capsize records have been all been on heavy rotation since they were released as well.
Hopefully 2015 is going to be another good year for us and we can build on what we've done so far. With the new EP being out, we're pretty much going to try and play as many shows and tours as we can and try to get out to see all the people that have supported our band. We've very recently started working on some new material but we're not really too sure what we'll be doing with any of that just yet. It's safe to say that we're all excited to see what next year has in store for us.
Kill the Ideal
What were the high point(s) of 2014?
High points of 2014 include completing the writing and recording of our first EP which is to be released early 2015. The EP was recorded at Regal House Studios in Cambridgeshire by Lee Batiuk who has also worked with the likes of Deaf Havana and The First. We shot a music video for the first single of this record called Higher which is now available to view online and has received a great response so far. We also embarked on our first full length UK tour which went down incredibly well and have played support to a number of our favourite bands including Lonely the Brave, Empire, Natives, Lost Alone and Hawthorne Heights.
Were there any low point(s) of 2014? If so, what were they?
While 2014 has proven to be a busy and productive year for us we did receive a few setbacks along the way. At the start of the year we started working with a few different companies and agencies but things just weren't working. We played a lot of shows in 2014 with bands that we would classify as much heavier than us which made it harder for us to win over new fans as we didn't suit the line ups, but this made for a good challenge and made our band more versatile to perform to different types of audience. Right now we are in a far better place and have an amazing team working around us and couldn't be happier for the future.
Best gig in 2014 and why?
There's a few… One of these to stick out would be when we supported Taking Hayley in Nottingham at Rescue Rooms which ended up being our first sell out show. Another would be supporting LostAlone in Rugby and considering it's a small town these guys knew how to rock! The main one that sticks out very close to us is our recent home town show in Boston, Lincolnshire. Absolutely nothing musically happens here these days, so for us to pack out a venue to people actually wanting to see our band was mind-blowing. The gig ended up completely upside down and we all had our instruments in the crowd while a lot of the audience were onstage. It was mental!
What have you been listening to in 2014?
2014 has been great for the UK music scene! We have been listening to the likes of Lower Than Atlantis, Marmozets, Royal Blood, Mallory Knox and Lonely The Brave. All of these bands have released incredible records this year!
What's exciting you about 2015?
We can't wait for 2015 as our new EP will be released. We also plan to release another music video for the second single of the EP. Once the EP is out we should be out on the road; quite a lot as plans for touring are already taking shape and should be announced very soon! We are hoping that this release will then set us up nicely as we continue to write for our first album and a buzz will continue to grow for Kill The Ideal.
Antoinette
What were the high point(s) of 2014?
Gotta be recording Renaissance with Justin Hill (SikTh), it was a really fun week and the result was insane! Also shooting the video for Avalanche was really fun, hanging out in a park pretending to be homeless crackheads is how I like to unwind.
Were there any low point(s) of 2014? If so, what were they?
I think for me it was probably when I blew my voice before playing a show in London, the guys carried on but it was shitty that I had to sit out.
Best gig in 2014 and why?
Has to be the hometown show we did with Idols Of Apathy, that was a cool show.
What have you been listening to in 2014?
There's a bunch of bands I need to catch up on but recently it's been Issues, XTRMST, LetLive and lots of Johnny Cash.
What's exciting you about 2015?
Hopefully the chance to be playing this EP to people, dying to get on the road!
Calling All Heroes
What were the high point(s) of 2014?
The high point of 2014 has been getting back on track again. We took a short hiatus over 2013; our drummer was in university and our bassist sadly left mid-2014. When we all got back together again, we found a new bassist, started writing some new material and it was good to get back to what felt like the good old days! The band is like a family to me, and I got homesick without them in my life. As difficult as the hiatus was, I think it was definitely beneficial for us to take five, to sort out our priorities and we were able to come back, fresh from a break, and knuckle down to get writing and gigging again.
Were there any low point(s) of 2014? If so, what were they?
The biggest low was our bassist, Tom Owen, leaving the band. He had been with us since the start back in 2010 and is one of the most amazing musicians we've met. We're all still good friends thankfully! It was more to do with the fact that we were starting to travel with our music. We got a PR agent and started doing gigs in other cities, which with his work, was difficult to get time off, so he decided it was time to step down so as not to hold us back. It's been very difficult for us all being so young, trying to juggle band, work and education all at the same time, especially when only two of you can drive! We seem to have found a happy medium at the moment though.
Best gig in 2014 and why?
Trying to think of the best gig of 2014 would be difficult. We've played so many brilliant places, it would be rude to single one out over any other. One of the most memorable gigs of the year was when we played in a place called The Garage in Islington, London. It was our first time there and we didn't really know what to expect. Travelling from Cardiff, the satnav told us it would be a 3 hour drive, when in reality it was more like 4 and a half... The gig itself was good fun, we'd never played there before, it was a good crowd and we made some friends who we're now on tour with. We didn't leave the venue until around midnight, the boys all helped the other bands load their gear out the venue as a thank you for sticking around so late on a Thursday night. We then hit the road once more heading to Swindon. What we did not realise is that the M4 was shut. We were supposed to be in Swindon by 1am, but didn't get there until 3:30am because of crawling traffic at 2am through the outskirts of London. We had to drive from Camden to Heathrow just to get onto the motorway! When we finally did get to Swindon, the hotel is run by our drummer's mother, so she had kindly made us all food and offered free entry behind that bar. We're a band, of course we're not going to turn down free food and drink! I finally managed to nod off to sleep about 5, but was up then again at quarter to 10, left the hotel at 10, drove back to Cardiff, went straight to work for 12 and was there until 8 in the night. It would be an understatement to say we were a little sleepy the following day, but apparently, it's rock and roll? At the time is seemed pretty horrific, but looking back, it was actually quite funny. If we were in London for any other reason apart from the gig, it wouldn't have made up for the long night.
What have you been listening to in 2014?
To be honest, this year has been all over the shop! I'm still into the heavy music at heart, like Parkway Drive and Bring Me The Horizon. I know their Sempiternal album came out in 2013, but I just can't stop listening to it. I've also been looking at some slightly calmer music, along the lines of Daughter and Nick Mulvey, I find it a lot easier to sing along to. I've come across a strange liking for psychedelic and hip-hop this year too. The Jimi Hendrix Experience and Flying Lotus have been recent additions to the playlists. I follow a lot of Introducing websites too, so it will be interesting to see which of those will make something of themselves next year too.
What's exciting you about 2015?
The possibilities. This is only our first year back properly and it's been a bit of a whirlwind! We've been to London, played our first tour in November and now we're looking forward to getting some more music down and hopefully to record again in the first half of 2015. For the second half, I'd like to see us doing a lot more gigs and festivals, and then who knows what can happen from there!? I know it's cliché, but you really ain't seen nothing yet!
Trails
What were the high point(s) of 2014?
Completing our first ever full length release. I'd also say completing the album would probably be up there too.
Were there any low point(s) of 2014? If so, what were they?
The clean up after said release.
Best gig in 2014 and why?
A café in Metelkova which is in the capital of Slovenia, Ljubljana. It’s a crazy place so definitely worth a visit whether you’re gigging or just holidaying.
What have you been listening to in 2014?
S Club 7: let's hope we can get on that reunion tour.
What's exciting you about 2015?
That it will only ever happen once and once only. Let's make some history, yeah!
Soldiers Of A Wrong War
What were the high point(s) of 2014?
The highest point of 2014 was definitely the releasing of our new EP Slow. Finally we had the chance to share some new music with our fans and their feedback has been amazing amazing so far.
Were there any low point(s) of 2014? If so, what were they?
Our guitarist Luca broke his hip first and then, after some months, he broke his wrist so those were definitely some low points of 2014.
Best gig in 2014 and why?
This year we didn't have the chance to tour a lot cause we were focused on writing our new songs. We've released the new EP now (on December 15th), and so we'll have a UK tour in Jauary.
What have you been listening to in 2014?
We've been listening to so many great new albums from some of our favourite bands. We definitely recommend you The Glitch Mob's new album, Love, Death, Immortality, and the new albums of Biffy Clyro, Don Broco, Lower Than Atlantis, Young Guns, Mallory Knox, Bring Me The Horizon.
What's exciting you about 2015?
We're super excited cause this 2015 we'll have the chance to tour the UK for the first time, we can't wait do that, to get back on the road and hit some stages to promote Slow.
Hellwinners
What were the high point(s) of 2014?
The highest point of 2014 for us was heading out to Germany with a band called We Never Learned To Live. This was booked by the guys at Through Love Records, in particular our now-great friend Paul Schu! It was a great experience for us as this was literally our first time playing outside of Brighton. It was an extremely fun tour and the WNLTL boys were great to watch every night. We're also getting our EP pressed on 7" which is extremely sweet! They should be around by Christmas.
Were there any low point(s) of 2014? If so, what were they?
As it stands we haven't really hit any real lows...given our life span of five or so months! I guess one is our bass player Ant is moving to Japan next year which is awesome but a bit of a low for us as he's a close friend, but we're really happy for him too.
Best gig in 2014 and why?
Best show has to be our first Germany show in Mainz, as mentioned before this was our first time out of Brighton so it was really exciting for us, the show was great and the guys from Snakes And Lions really put on a sweet show for us.
What have you been listening to in 2014?
I've been listening to mix of things, stand out record for me I think is the Gnarwolves debut album, it's on a lot of peoples lips at the mo, and it's justified. Great record, really happy for those boys! The new Mariachi El Bronx record is sick too, one of the best live bands I've ever seen. The new Harker and Bad Ideas records are also really worth checking out. There is a lot of good music coming out of the UK punk scene at the moment, it's awesome.
What's exciting you about 2015?
We're heading back into the studio in Jan to record a new EP: four or five songs if all goes to plan! I'm really excited about the new stuff we've been writing. We have plans to head back out to Germany in March and hit Sweden too which will be amazing. We also plan to tour the UK shortly after that with a few weekenders before! People are starting to actually like us so I'm excited about the future!
Speaking in Shadows
What were the high point(s) of 2014?
2014 has held a lot for us! We really enjoyed recording our EP in June. We recorded it with Lee Batiuk at Regal House studios in Wisbech, it was a creative ten days. We stopped at a smallholding owned by two lovely hippies who made us cake, and had us round their house to eat dinner. In between working on the EP in Lee's charming company, we fed goats and climbed trees. Good times!
Were there any low point(s) of 2014? If so, what were they?
Touchy subject! We boought what seemed like an excellent, touring-ready van for not a huge amount of money. We took the van to get MOT'd, only to find that it was more rust than Transit. In short, we took a grand and set it on fire.
Best gig in 2014 and why?
I think I can speak for all of us when I say that our favourite show was the EP release show on July 18th. The whole evening was awesome! It was at our local venue and absolutely rammed with friends and fans alike. Some of our favourite unsigned bands played, and the night was a great success. Stage invasions and dancing competitions galore!
What have you been listening to in 2014?
We all have pretty diverse music tastes! I couldn't stop listening to Priorities at the start of this year, and now towards the end I find myself with Part & Parcel by The Skints on repeat. We're also fans of A Day to Remember's latest, Common Courtesy, and Mallory Knox's newest, Asymmetry.
What's exciting you about 2015?
We are heading into 2015 with a tour in December 2014, and we also have plans for more shows mid 2015. We are also hoping to get on tour with bigger bands in the UK, get some shows in the EU and join the UK festival scene. So I suppose a lot of things to get excited about! On top of this, we also can't wait to get writing some new music again.
Giants
What were the high point(s) of 2014?
Celebrating our fifth anniversary back in July at a sold out show at The Black Heart in London.
Were there any low point(s) of 2014? If so, what were they?
The departure of our drummer in October.
Best gig in 2014 and why?
Our five-year show!
What have you been listening to in 2014?
Bad Religion, the new Comeback Kid album, Angel Du$t, Champion, Go It Alone, Green Day.
What's exciting you about 2015?
The release of our debut album!
My Extraordinary
For us our high points would definitely be the recent UK tour and Groezrock Festival in the summer! Amazing to get to Europe and get back on the road to play the new stuff.
Obviously being an independent band were faced with the daily burden of having to go to work... Heading back from tour straight to work definitely sucked the most.
My personal favourite show was our hometown Newcastle show in September. We hadn't played there in almost two years and we were unsure whether people were going to give a shit... But, to see so many people come along and have a seriously good time literally made me feel like the whole thing was worth it! So yeah, thanks for that Newcastle.
I've been listening to the new LTA album which is cool... Apart from that a lot of different stuff, Ed Sheeran's album is undeniably brilliant... Then the old stuff... Fleetwood Mac, MJ...
2015 is looming incredibly for us. We have big plans and it's all systems go getting everything ready for the new year. Hopefully we'll be at a bunch of festivals over the summer! We'll see!
The Roughneck Riot
What were the high point(s) of 2014?
Writing and recording our stuff with our new drummer and accordion player and touring more than ever.
Were there any low point(s) of 2014? If so, what were they?
Saying goodbye to our original drummer and accordion player, Simon and Jade. It's a massive change when the people you've been around for nearly nine years decide that it's enough. As long as they're happy, we're happy!
Saying goodbye to our original drummer and accordion player, Simon and Jade. It's a massive change when the people you've been around for nearly nine years decide that it's enough. As long as they're happy, we're happy!
Best gig in 2014 and why?
It's a hard question to answer since there have been so many. We recently played a Monday night show in Aachen which turned out to be really cool. There were a lot of people there that had seen us the week before and travelled a couple of hours to see us again on a Monday and it went pretty crazy. On the other end of the scale we played some festivals to crowds bigger than we ever have before this year such as Couvre Feu in France, Boomtown Fair, and a handful in Germany and had really good responses so it's really hard to pick. We also got to play with Me First and The Gimme Gimmes in Liverpool this year so there's been quite a few highlights!What have you been listening to in 2014?
I Listened to The Autonomads new album a lot this year. We've had a lot of NoFX on in the van, a lot of Streetlight Manifesto, and a lot of the bands we meet on the road and exchange music with. There's a shit load of amazing bands out there. Ryan and Tez have been blasting some Red City Radio and Red Fang. I'm currently listening to Swingin Utters' new album.
What's exciting you about 2015?
The possibility of an Australian tour. The plans for longer European tours including the February tour with Faintest Idea. And whatever surprises 2015 has to offer. I have a good feeling though!
Sworn To Oath
What were the high point(s) of 2014?
Finally releasing our debut album was definitely a high point of this year!
Were there any low point(s) of 2014? If so, what were they?
I really can't think of any low points we've had this, it's been a great year for us!
Best gig in 2014 and why?
Our album release show, it was off the chain.
What have you been listening to in 2014?
New records from Slipknot, Architects and Every Time I Die.
What's exciting you about 2015?
More touring, festival season and maybe another album!?
Red Seas Fire
What were the high point(s) of 2014?
Waking up in a wooden cabin in the far north of Norway in January and getting to experience glaciers, herds of wild reindeer, ten kilometre road tunnels under skyscraper high mountains, deep, DEEP snow, throwing stones to break man-sized icicles off of frozen waterwalls, and scandinavian brown cheese and salami sandwiches, all before playing some of the best shows we have ever played in a country we've not played before.
Were there any low point(s) of 2014? If so, what were they?
We had quite a lot of downtime in the early part of the year due to parting ways with our original bassist Leo last year, and we had a lot of show offers we had to turn down due to not having anyone to fill in on bass. That sucked. But now we have Jon Worgan on bass, who is bringing new life to the band, and bringing a talent which means we can step up the technicality on future records!
Best gig in 2014 and why?
Euroblast Festival in Cologne, Germany was by far the most astounding show. It was amazing to be at such a festival with loads of old friends, and we got to make tonnes of new ones too. We'd never played in Germany before so had no idea what sort of turn out or atmosphere to expect, for all we know we could have played to three people while The Safety Fire were doing their usual amazing job upstairs in the main room, but to all of our surprise we finished setting up and turned round to face a packed house, and good God it went off. Amazing show.
What have you been listening to in 2014?
This year has been great for my hometown pride, with Wrexham boys Neck Deep's amazing album Wishful Thinking and my old bandmate Michael McGough who joined the ever awesome Being As An Ocean on guitar and vocals for their new album How We Both Wondrously Perish. Also notable mentions go to Every Time I Die's From Parts Unknown and the new Architects album Lost Forever // Lost Together have been bringing the fury, and while it's not rock the album Tremors by SOHN is breathtakingly good.
What's exciting you about 2015?
The release of our new record Resolution, which is the last in a series of three intricately interwoven and concept based EP's. It's a real end of an era moment for me and a nice rounding off of over two years hard work making these songs work and flow effectively. Also really exciting are the tours we're booking up now to take us farther afield than we have already reached with our live show, and getting to work writing the next record in a more traditional manner. Bring it on!
Tom from UGLY LOVE
What were the high point(s) of 2014?
Most of the band's biggest achievements happened in the first few months of 2014. That was exciting. We released a single, made a video and toured the UK twice. A particular highlight was Takedown Festival though. That day was a bit mad.
Were there any low point(s) of 2014? If so, what were they?
Well...we lost our former bass player about 3 minutes into 2014. Literally. That sucked. Luckily, Josh was at the same New Years' Eve party and he was standing closest to us at the time so we made him learn bass and join the band. Weirdly, that's actually kind of true...
Best gig in 2014 and why?
Packing out The Forum in Tunbridge Wells was pretty special. Not only is it our hometown but we all grew up at the venue and formed the band there. Having a big room like that full of people wearing our t-shirts and singing along was the BEST. Again, Takedown Festival was amazing because there was a LOT of people there...and they all seemed to know who we were. Well done everyone!
What have you been listening to in 2014?
Jim Jefferies audiobooks. The Hell are quite good too.
What's exciting you about 2015?
I'm still hoping to get a band pet. A puppy would be nice. Fingers crossed, eh lads. This year is going to be our year. Eee!
Hey Vanity
We've had a pretty sweet year on the whole. I'd say the high points of 2014 have been releasing our mini album Blindfolds and touring the new material with Straight Lines, The Swellers, Decade and currently Lit. We recently parted ways with our drummer for various reasons, and that's been difficult, but other than that there haven't really been too many low points.
We're still on the road at the moment but I reckon my favourite show of the year so far was London Borderline with The Swellers, just because the vibe was great with those guys: we all invaded the stage to sing with them and stage dive, it was fun!
The Hey Vanity travel playlist has been pretty sweet this year. We've been listening to tonnes of different bands: Paws, Dinosaur Pile Up, Fidlar, Weezer, Mike Love, Damien Rice, King Tuff, Surfer Blood, The Bronx and quite often The Dumb and Dumber soundtrack! We've been writing new material for a full length album recently and it's sounding kind of different but exciting, so we're really looking forward to putting that out in 2015 and touring our arses off!
Steel Trees
A high point of 2014 were being asked by Holy Mountain and Amazing Snakeheads to support them in Leeds and Sheffield to packed rooms of heavy tuned-in fans, eager for some alternative rip-bollocking noise and dirge. We like it a lot.
We also put on our own DIY punk as fuck outdoor event for Tramlines Festival at University Arms asking friends, Dinosaur Pile Up and Baby Godzilla to come join the party. Every band ripped that place to shreds, expect an even bigger event from us for Tramlines 2015.
There were no low points in 2014 apart from setting our release back six months and scrapping a full album! We'd lived with the follow up to our debut LP Attack Of The Stoner Zombie Killer Kids for a while and it wasn't where we were at musically, mentally or erotically. Scrapping those tunes was the best thing we could have done as it lead to us focusing on stripped back straight to the point punk-fuelled-rock in the style of our new single Loggerhead from forthcoming E.P Ouch out January 2015. Loggerhead is out now as a free download over at www.steeltrees.co.uk
We've been listening to loads of our mate's local bands this year and try to keep away from any trendy/hip/bollocks. Some of our favourites are Unicorn Hunters, Goat Leaf, Girl Spit and Black Spiders.
We've got loads planned for 2015! Lots and lots of gigs and house parties in the works, every dive bar in the UK along with our first European dates too! We're also leaving a lot of stuff to run it's course ya know?! 'Cos the best parties are always the spontaneous ones.
Allusondrugs
What were the high point(s) of 2014?
Definitely Leeds and Reading Festivals and the Big Cheese Tour with Marmozets and Lonely The Brave! The Leeds and Reading slots were really surprising to us; we had a massive crowd at Leeds, and at Reading people had made their own Allusondrugs signs and painted Allusondrugs on their chests, very weird and very cool! The Marmozets tour was incredible, we played to a packed room every night and got a really great response. All the people in Marmozets and Lonely The Brave are so nice and fun, we'd love to do something with them again.
Were there any low point(s) of 2014? If so, what were they?
Not really, it's all been pretty smooth sailing to be honest. Obviously there's the rigours of touring and the little accidents you have along the way. We did a tour with a band called Scouts in September which had a handful of booboos, we played a show in Aberdeen and then had to immediately drive eight hours to Wakefield to play a festival at noon, then an acoustic set, then on to Liverpool to play a gig that night; that made four gigs in 24 hours which was tiring! Also we managed to lock our van keys inside the van in Brighton. It all adds to the fun though, rock'n'roll right?
Best gig in 2014 and why?
Probably Scala in London on the Big Cheese Tour. Other than festivals that's probably the biggest gig we've played so far. We had such a great time at that gig.
What have you been listening to in 2014?
Tunes, tunes and tunes. We're into a lot of smaller up and coming bands right now. Bands you should definitely check out are Forever Cult, Narcs, All The Best Tapes, Vukovi, Bi:Lingual, Scouts, Fizzy Blood, Inlaze, Lyger, Brawlers, and a load of other than I can't think of from the top of my head. Also Jemal has been on a bit of an 80's revival trip recently.
What's exciting you about 2015?
We're mega excited about all the shows we've got coming up! Hopefully we'll be playing a lot of festivals and doing some more touring! Also, we're constantly making new music so we're all excited to hear what that will end up sounding like.
We Are Carnovires
What were the high point(s) of 2014?
2014 has been pretty consistently exceptional on our behalf so it's quite difficult to pick out any high points. We're pretty much riding a plateau of excellence all the way to the top, from the top.
Were there any low point(s) of 2014? If so, what were they?
As we've mentioned, there weren't really any contours in 2014 for us, although at one point Beu got so low to the ground that his elbow cracked. But have you seen Doctor Who? So when the Doctor regenerates: it was kind of like that, except he mega-morphed into Rick Allen but also with a pinch of Alan Rickman.
Best gig in 2014 and why?
Probs would have to be Nightmare Festival in Camden or our show with Flood of Red in Hull. Nightmare Fest was terrifyingly awesome and we saw some tip top tasty bands; The Hell were heavier than the weight of the world on an emo's shoulder and our buds in ACODA were on scarily steamy top form. It was one hell of a shriekend. We haven't played the Flood of Red show yet, but we know we're gonna be so ripped and sweet.
What have you been listening to in 2014?
Mostly our burglar alarm going off at 9am because we have one of these scammy pre-payment electricity meters and Scottish Power are too shit to send someone out to give us a normal, slightly less scammy one. When we have power we like that grooving new Animals as Leader album, Marmozets, Aphex Twin and loooooads of Blakfish.
What's exciting you about 2015?
Us. We're gonna be sick. Like so sick. We've got all these sweet plans and we're gonna do stuff and it's all gonna be consistently awesome. Kind of like a plateau of excellence. Look out for the video of our next single early next year!
Cambion
What were the high point(s) of 2014?
2014 has been a great year for us, we've had the pleasure of playing at some of the best UK festivals, while it's great taking a break from writing, going out and making people's day one to go nuts with! We've also had some brilliant tours which we'll remember for some time.
Were there any low point(s) of 2014? If so, what were they?
Probably the week after we've done a tour, as we've gotten so used to playing every night, it's almost disappointing not to be!
Best gig in 2014 and why?
Without a doubt it would be Bloodstock this year. Amazing experience, we got to play the Sophie Lancaster Stage and we truly enjoyed every second of it. We specially have to thank everyone who came to see us on that one!
What have you been listening to in 2014?
It can be quite a mixture between all of us... however we've all been enjoying a lot of Monuments, Xerath, Sikth, and Toto.
What's exciting you about 2015?
More than anything at the moment, it's the completion of our album, which should be released later that year. We're also excited about the re-release of our EP, Virus which features some new tracks and a video. We think it's going to be quite an eventful and landmark year for us!
Canvas
What were the high point(s) of 2014?
Finally releasing our debut album! And getting to tour Europe and the UK.
Were there any low point(s) of 2014?
The time waiting to release our album. It felt like years.
Best gig in 2014 and why?
Verona, Italy: it was a room full of Italians that knew our words and were going mental!
What have you been listening to in 2014?
Our friends in Acres released a really good EP and I have listened to that quite a bit. We were lucky enough to tour with them as well!
What's exciting you about 2015?
The thought of starting to write new material! I love that process so much.
Villains
What were the high point(s) of 2014?
Having our album chart on iTunes and Edith Bowman play our songs on Radio 1 were a huge achievement for us, bearing in mind we are totally independant and are just five dudes that have a laugh playing music.
Were there any low point(s) of 2014? If so, what were they?
Real life is becoming 'a thing'. We've had to turn down a bunch of opportunities due to members just not bring able to commit to things, it's a shame but it's sadly a reality, we just have to do what we can with what we get.
Best gig in 2014 and why?
Best gig we've played was probably our album release show. That was the last time it was fun to play music.
What have you been listening to in 2014?
Personally it's been Taking Back Sunday but Fearless Vampire Killers new album has blown me away, other than that I've gotta be honest, I'm crazy into Rihanna and Beyoncé these days. Sue me.
Lancaster
What were the high point(s) of 2014?
Everything! It has been a fantastic year, mostly working hard behind the scenes but exciting, anyways, I would say the day we received the final master of Journeys and the day we opened a new era with the release of the music video for As Wild As Tigers.
Were there any low point(s) of 2014? If so, what were they?
Unfortunately, we are a band who wants to get everything, but our confidence is weak at the same time. So we have lived through many deceptions; people who seemed to trust in us but actually they just wanted money, friends who aren't friends, people who appear and disappear easily. During some weeks we were about to sign something amazing and then nothing, and it was the biggest letdown we had as a band. Anyway, with time, we moved past it because we like to do this and nothing will stop five guys with such an honest ambition!
Best gig in 2014 and why?
Barcelona, 17th October. Amazing, I remember being very surprised when I joined the stage in the first song, it was like, really? Can we seriously have almost sold out? We were flipping out, people's response was absolutely mind blowing and we made thousands of mistakes because we couldn't imagine something like this! From there on, though, we just started to enjoy the show and it was really, really cool!
What have you been listening to in 2014?
I listen to a lot of different kinds of music but when we were writing the album I remember we were listening a lot of You Me At Six, the last album, Young Cavalier; Sempiternal by Bring Me The Horizon, but Justin Timberlake I'd say is the artist I have listened to more during 2014, I admire him. But also Young Guns, Mallory Knox, Don Broco, Francesca, Lower Than Atlantis, The Blackout, We Are The Ocean, Kids In Glass Houses, Deaf Havana...
What's exciting you about 2015?
It's going to be a hard year for sure but very exciting, we will start touring with Journeys to places we have never been, we are going to get to know new people, new friends but also more frustrations and more deceptions, c'est la vie, we are ready for everything. It's a year to show what we can do.
Exist Immortal
What were the high point(s) of 2014?
The highlight for this year is a tie between us finally putting out our debut album Darkness of an Age and our finding our new drummer Charlie. Both are obviously massive steps forward for the band. The reaction to the album was immense and finding Charlie has been an enormous boost to us in pretty much every way, from how we gel on stage to how to we write in the studio. It's been a very good year for Exist Immortal!
Were there any low point(s) of 2014? If so, what were they?
The one major setback this year was losing our previous drummer Fergus who left us due to a change in personal circumstances. This was sad for us, but such is the reality of trying to juggle music and earning the money to pay for it. However, we came back swinging with our new drummer Charlie and we're happy to be moving on to bigger and better things.
Best gig in 2014 and why?
This is an extremely difficult question, as I'm sure it is for many bands. Two that immediately spring to mind are a hometown headline show at the Barfly in London back at the start of this year when we were touring in support of the release of Darkness of an Age. The show was damn near sold out, and the response was just incredible. It's a hugely gratifying feeling to headline a show like that in your own town and to blow the roof off the place. The other contender is a recent show in Liège, Belgium with Dying Fetus and Fallujah among others. It was our first trip to Belgium and we were shown a really good time.
What have you been listening to in 2014?
We listen to an awful lot of bizarre stuff. Some albums that have kept cropping up in the car between shows have been Xerath's III, Bishop Nehru's Nehruvia, Black Crown Initiate's The Wreckage of Stars and a few old favourites of ours like Kendrick Lamar's Good Kid, M.A.A.D City and Juicy J's Stay Trippy. Fallujah's The Flesh Prevails has been a recent addition that we've been seriously loving too.
What's exciting you about 2015?
2015 should be a good one for us. The main thing for us will be the release of the deluxe edition of our debut album. It's got two brand new tracks on it, an extended version of a track from our first EP, Dream Sequence, and a reimagined version of the opening track on Darkness of an Age. It's also the first opportunity for people to hear what Charlie can really do with us on record. Besides that, we've got some tours planned, including another jaunt into mainland Europe, which we're always incredibly excited about.
Counterpunch
What were the high point(s) of 2014?
2014 has been an exciting year for us as a band. To start the year, we teamed up with Cyber Tracks (owned and operated by El Hefe of NoFX and his wife Jen) and on August 5th, released our full-length Bruises. Over the course of the year, we played a string of US dates with A Wilhelm Scream, did our first Mexico tour, played The Fest in Gainesville, toured Europe and UK for our third time with spots on Punk Rock Holiday and a number of other festivals, and played a number of club shows overseas with Implants, Authority Zero, A Wilhelm Scream, The Flatliners, and NoFX. On November 21st, we did our official Chicago record release show with our good friends The Swellers, which was their final Chicago show on their farewell tour. And starting this month, we are working with Ramona and Atomic Music Group for all of our US and Canada booking. All in all, an eventful year.
Were there any low point(s) of 2014? If so, what were they?
If I had to pick any low points, the one would be our van breaking down on the A Wilhelm Scream tour. In fact, the van broke down on the way to the first show. Luckily, we left a day in advance so we were able to make things work and not miss any shows on that tour. A big thank you to our good buddy Alex Balmer for helping us out big time with that ordeal. Without him, that tour would not have happened. Thanks Alex.
Best gig in 2014 and why?
Honestly, there were so many great shows and bands we played with, it's almost unjust for us to pick just one. I do know that the Punk Rock Holiday beach stage pre-party show that we played, was one of our favourites. We were already scheduled to open the Punk Rock Holiday main stage the day Implants, Lagwagon, NoFX, and Authority Zero would play. But, two days before, we were offered to play the pre-party on the beach stage. It ended up as us playing at midnight right before label mates Implants, who closed out the stage. The festival expected 500-750 kids for the show, as last year there were just around 500. By 8pm, there were over 2000 kids and they were ready to party...and kick off the week with some live music. The energy was high and we were stoked to be kicking off the festival this way. Not to mention, it was our good friend and driver ROCH's birthday.
What have you been listening to in 2014?
For me, music is a mood thing. I never completely just 'dispose' of a band or record. Every song will forever have a place in my heart and is the reason I dedicate so much of my time to playing and writing music. Some records I have consistently been jamming: Dead Language by The Flatliners, Partycrasher by A Wilhelm Scream, Chaos to Order by Implants, and anything No Use For A Name. I recently got the new Lagwagon album which completely brings me back to the mid 90's...which I dig. And, I will always find time to listen to Pantera, Motley Crue, and almost anything else 80's/90's hair metal.
What's exciting you about 2015?
With a new record, a more than solid record label, and a great booking agent in Ramona and Atomic Music Group, look for Counterpunch to be on the road as much as possible. There is a good chance we will get our butts to Canada and we will most likely be back in Europe in the late spring. Other than that, we are open to any opportunity that comes our way. We appreciate each and every fan and could not do it without their continued support. A big thank you to The Punk Archive for your support in spreading our music and our story.
Enter The Lexicon
What were the high point(s) of 2014?
There's been many worth a mention. June saw the release of our debut single Do You Feel The Same from our EP. The reception was fantastic. The press coverage was overwhelming and having the video for the single aired on both Scuzz and Kerrang! TV was the completely unexpected, but unbelievable. Being back on the road in October was a huge relief to us all. It was great to be back out there playing our music around the UK. Our secret gig at the Off Quay building is also worthy of a mention, despite a broken roof and several hours of cleaning up left over beer!
Were there any low point(s) of 2014? If so, what were they?
Not many at all, no. However our tour didn't quite go to plan at the time. Unfortunately our singer Mykl caught laryngitis, resulting in us pulling out of the Manchester show which sucked. Thankfully we were back the next day to play Edinburgh though.
Best gig in 2014 and why?
Our (slightly illegal shhh) secret gig at the Off Quay building was absolutely insane! We filled a rather small room in an old building with a bunch of our friends and fans and essentially threw a bedroom gig. It was punk rock, we played in the corner of the room while everyone drank and got crazy. Despite a broken roof and several hours of cleaning up left over beer, it is well up there with the best. We will be releasing a video of all the carnage later this year, make sure to check it out. I would also have to mention the home date on our tour, it was mental!
What have you been listening to in 2014?
There has been plenty this year. I would say the best include Royal Blood and Single Mothers.
What's exciting you about 2015?
There's plenty in the pipeline for 2015 and we are all really excited for it! There will be plenty of announcements coming very soon!
Lost Atlanta
The high point of 2014 for us was hitting the road with Scottish based bands Swallows and Hayworth recently, for the RKO weekender. All be it a short tour, we had an amazing time hanging out and playing shows with them.
Fortunately we've had a good year so far; we've played more shows than ever and have been getting our name out there. However, being single-handedly annihilated by Barry, the drummer of Swallows, at beer pong was pretty shameful.
Our best show of 2014 so far was in Glasgow. It was a small basement venue packed to the rafters, the crowd were on top form and so were the other bands, which made for an epic night. We still have one show left for this year with The Hell, in Manchester. We intend to end 2014 with a bang.
There have been so many good releases of 2014. Some of the standouts for us have been Architects, Neck Deep and Lorna Shore.
Heading into 2015 we're very much looking forward to getting back into the studio to complete our next EP. We've been working on new songs for the last few months and we can’t wait to get them finished off and released, for you guys to hear.
Road To Horizon
What were the high point(s) of 2014?
We've had plenty of high points this year! One of the main highlights was getting our first video on Kerrang! TV along with extended press from them. It's really cool and surreal to see all your hard work paying off and getting press exposure.
Were there any low point(s) of 2014? If so, what were they?
A few. Our original guitarist and one of the founding members decided that it was time to move on from the band. We had points where we weren't sure whether to continue but we've come out the other end stronger than ever as a band.
Best gig in 2014 and why?
Got to be our hometown E.P release show! Our local following is incredible and this show was just amazing!
What have you been listening to in 2014?
The new MMF album, Architects, Hands like Houses and Britney Spears...
What's exciting you about 2015?
Touring new places, opening new doors
Chasing Cadence
What were the high point(s) of 2014?
We started 2014 off with a fantastic opportunity where we were lucky enough to support our biggest inspirations Taking Back Sunday which was amazing; catching up with them after the show and drinking tea in their dressing room was definitely a surreal moment but they're lovely guys! We've also been lucky enough to play five amazing festivals this year and take part in Red Bull Studios’ Live At Download opportunity which was an amazing experience: we'd recommend it to everyone!
Were there any low point(s) of 2014?
If so, what were they? No real low points as such but our last three months have been spent writing and demoing new tracks to put out next year. We love making music but we love playing it live more so to be taking time away from the live scene always grinds on us a bit but that just makes it even more special when we come back.
Best gig in 2014 and why?
I'm a huge Shikari fan so their show at the Hatfield Forum was just great. The best I've played has to be Download Festival: the best rock festival, the best front of house and stage sound we've had and the best fans filling up the Red Bull tent to sing our lyrics back at us.
What have you been listening to in 2014?
For me, it's all been about Architects, Marmozets and Mallory. Three HUGE albums and all three bands are only going to get bigger.
What's exciting you about 2015?
We have so much going on that’s planned for 2015, it's going to be insane. All I can say at the moment is we've already got a tour booked (which we'll be announcing very shortly..!) and new merch ideas as well as heading into the studio so we can show everyone the fruits of our labour from the past few months.
Calgary
What were the high point(s) of 2014?
The high point of this year is such a big one and a relief for us and that was when we finally completed our line-up. Most people don't know this but we started this band incomplete... with the hope to quickly find a drummer. In actual fact to find a drummer nearly took a year so it was a frustrating long process but now that we have found a perfect member for us, it makes it all worth it!
Were there any low point(s) of 2014? If so, what were they?
The low point was actually the fact that we couldn't play shows, we were offered some cool slots but obviously due to having no man behind the kit we had to regretfully decline...and that is always a low for any band.
Best gig in 2014 and why?
Proud Camden all day festival in August. This was only our third show but we had such an amazing response and turnout. At the end of our set Deist had already left the stage, he somehow ended up rocking out whilst standing on a couch in the midst of all the people! It was great to be in that moment! Hopefully that is a glimpse into the kind of shows and atmosphere that lie ahead in 2015!
What have you been listening to in 2014?
Foo Fighters, Sonic Highways
QOTSA, Like Clockwork
BomBay Bicycle Club, So Long, See You Tomorrow
...and a few older releases that you always end up listening to...
The Black Keys, El Camino
Thrice, Major/Minor
What's exciting you about 2015?
Playing more shows, releasing music and fingers crossed some really fun times out on tour!! We have some new music that we are excited to share so can't wait to hear the response to our new sounds.
Seething Akira
What were the high point(s) of 2014?
That's an easy one! Our first (all be it small) UK tour with Black Futures, and also our first gig in Europe headlining 6Kfest in Belgium. Also, a personal favourite for me was watching Kit fall on his ass in front of hundreds of people at 6kfest.
Were there any low point(s) of 2014? If so, what were they?
All in all it was pretty successful year for Seething Akira. We would have liked to have got on a few more festivals, but we have high hopes for 2015.
Best gig in 2014 and why?
It's going to have to be 6kfest in Belgium. We were received very well, everyone in the crowd really let go and partied with us which is always a great feeling! Europe haven't seen the last of us.
What have you been listening to in 2014?
I'm all about Arcane Roots, and a good bit of Heart of a Coward. Also, what with Sikth making a comeback I've been loving them too!
What's exciting you about 2015?
Plans.... sooo many plans. We have a whopping two week UK tour over March/April with the stunners that are Collisions, another trip or two to Europe, and we're very excited to be releasing a new EP too, of which we're writing now. I'm excited like a puppy on heat!
I, The Lion
What were the high point(s) of 2014?
High point for us is an easy one, 2000 Trees Festival. We got to play one of our favourite festivals in front of hundreds of people as well as meet some amazing people and bands, and to top it off they had Pieminister.
Were there any low point(s) of 2014? If so, what were they?
There have been a couple of shows we've had where we've driven hours to find out it's cancelled, pretty tough at times. But on the whole everything is awesome, everything is cool when you work as a team. Everything is awesome when you work as a team.
Best gig in 2014 and why?
Every year we always choose different gigs, but for me personally it was a show we played in Dartford with Rebel Rebel Music Club. The people and promoter there are class, they always make us feel welcome and keep us wanting to come back. My highlight has to be standing above the crowd with them all singing our lyrics back at us. Amazing feeling!
What have you been listening to in 2014?
It's been a mixture of new discoveries and old favourites. I caught Canterbury earlier in the year and their new album is great. Nath's mainly had Mastodon and Counterparts playing, but we've all had Reuben’s Racecar album on with its 10 year anniversary. They recorded that album with the same guy we recorded our new EP Run with!
What's exciting you about 2015?
It's a big year for us. We've got our brand new EP out in February, along with a UK and European tour. Of course there's the festival season which is always a highlight, then we'll be heading back in to the studio to record our debut album.
The Lion And The Wolf
What were the high point(s) of 2014?
I have had a ridiculous amount of high points this year, from handing in my notice at work to playing Slam Dunk Festival and Hevy Fest. I've spent most of the year on the road or back at home recording so the whole year as a whole has been amazing. My album is a week away from being released; and it's been streamed exclusively through Rock Sound which is a magazine I used to read a lot when I was younger so I'm pretty stoked on that. Also funding and pressing my record to vinyl myself is a high point. A very expensive, and complicated high point! It's been the best year of my life so far.
Were there any low point(s) of 2014? If so, what were they?
There have been a couple sure, probably the main ones I am now a lot more distant from my close friends as I don't see them as much. I've temporarily moved back to the Isle of Wight so I can be based there and avoid London living costs for a while. I am pretty bad at keeping in touch at the best of times so the fact that I'm away 90% of the time probably doesn't help things. In fact, I get to meet up with some of them tomorrow and I am properly excited. Also not getting a regular monthly pay check was quite a shock to begin with but the highs are without a doubt outweighing the lows right now.
Best gig in 2014 and why?
It's down to two. It's either when I played in Dusseldorf and five of my friends flew out to Germany to watch me play, twice. It was fucking great to have them there and that show was packed. A real treat! I also loved playing Southsea Fest this year, I was first on in a small pub along Albert Road thinking "if there's twenty people that would be cool" and the room was packed. Literally couldn’t fit any more people in. Plus I was on two hours sleep from the night before and played the best I'd played in days. Was so stoked.
What have you been listening to in 2014?
This year I've made a point of actually listening to as much live music as possible. I'm surrounded by it on the road and I've seen far too many times the bands supporting or headlining either not bothering to watch or leaving once they've played. Even if I'm fucking exhausted, hungover or wanting some time to myself for a bit I'll always go and watch the other bands. It's what makes the whole thing go around man. Plus I've made some sweet ass purchases from doing just that. My record collection is far less feeble than it used to be. I've also been listening to a shed load of Death Cab For Cutie recently, I missed the boat with it back in the mid 2000s and I'm gutted because it's wonderful songwriting.
What's exciting you about 2015?
Summer. Without a doubt, I've got some pretty great things in the pipeline but summer on the IOW is just magical. Ventnor, where I live, has it's own micro-climate and is one of the warmest places to be in the UK. It's the perfect place to come back to and relax after a gruelling run. I grew up here and it’s fucking great. I'm also going to be touring a lot like I did this year. I played 120 shows this year and want to either play more than that or play in countries I've never been to before.
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