Swindon’s sonic indie popsters Atari Pilot are a prolific bunch, and have a new single out called The Rules Never Change….
And, they don’t. There’s a definite uniformed methodology to Atari Pilot which builds with each new single. Yearning vocals, never without a repetitive chorus to hook you, neatly packaged in retrospective new wave electronica. It may not be as commercially viable as, say, Talk in Code, but it’s irresistibly beguiling and universal to be pop you need to hear.
After five years, a new album drops tomorrow (Friday 23rd October) from southwest Welsh reggae outfit, Captain Accident & the Disasters, and it’s worth the…
Well, what else is there to oyez about? Congratulations must go to our Devizes Town Crier, Charlotte Howard-Macdonald, again today, as Brian Mathew MP tabled…
by Ian Diddamsimages by Gill Morrell and Penny Clegg How all the other passions fleet to air,As doubtful thoughts and rash embraceddespair, And shudd’ring fear, and green-eyed jealousy- Merchant of Venice, Act 3 Scene 2, William Shakespeare O, beware, my lord, of…
People power in Devizes! Due to pressure from Devizes retailers and councillors, Wiltshire Council today revised their plans for essential cable works in Devizes, originally…
Kempston joystick! There’s a new single from Swindon’s sonic indie-rock blasters Atari Pilot, and it seems they’re waiting for the summer to fall. Hint, guys, it’s usually, particularly this year, when the kids go back to school….
I’m not wrong, though, am I? Never without that euphoric retrospective tinge, Atari Pilot I liken to Talk in Code, for swinging indie poptastic hooks and unrivalled energy, yet with undertones of sonic soundscapes akin to post-rave dance music, of the Chemical Brothers and Daft Punk et al.
This one certainly doesn’t skip on it,though its theme reminds me of Don Henly, and is equally as passionately delivered. From Jerry Keller to Taylor Swift, summer may be a common topic, but winter songs only hark on about….whoa there, don’t even say the C-word until late November, I thank you! And anyhoo, all the seasons are given a mention in this breezy pay-what-you-like track, save spring. What have you got against spring, Atari Pilot? Don’t make me get all Zebedee on you, I happen to like spring!
Check this out, before it pisses down! Catch them at the Beehive at Swindon Shuffle!
by Ian Diddamsimages by Jim McCauley The power of three. Three men. Three apartments. Three items of furniture. Three snacks bowls. Three types of drink…
There’s a number of ways you can support Wiltshire & Bath Air Ambulance and raise funds for this vital charity, with many entertaining upcoming events;…
Chedworth, Gloucestershire; proud village soloist, songwriter and model Flora Fiora is kicking the tyres and smashing windows in with a new single, and it’s about…
It’s Wednesday night, it’s Song of Week time….and here’s your host…. yeah, sorry, it’s just me, couldn’t afford Stephen Mulhern.
Haven’t heard from them for a while, but they’re far from collecting dust in a loft like a retro game console. Swindon-based Atari Pilot return this week with a new single, Train of Life.
If choo-choos are a common metaphor in blues and reggae, moreso to describe the chugging beat, we’re on another platform from Sister Rosetta Tharpe, or Keith and Tex. Sonic indie rockers Atari Pilot have their joysticks calibrated to this philosophical theme, life’s long train comin’, and it sure is a grower. Especially, I’d fathom, if you’re new to this band’s unique style, I ask you take at least a few listens before passing judgement.
But with lyrics like “rolling on til the track runs out, is it the journey or the destinationyou dream about?” there’s thoughtful prose admist those sonic riffs, and it affirms Atari Pilot firmly on the right track.
It’s up on Bandcamp as a name your price. Linktree HERE, go give them a like on the book of Face too, while you’re standing on the platform waiting for the strikes to end!
Irregularly I share a music video to our Facebook page with the status “song of the day,” or week, or whenever, as if it’s a daily occurrence. When the reality is it’s a big, fat fib on my part, it’s only when I happen to find such a video and can be arsed to share it. What-cha gonna do, sue me?
So, just in case your lawyer says you have a case, I thought I’d streamline this sporadic idea for 2021, make it an actual feature on the site rather than a Facebook post, and show off that I know what long words like “sporadic” mean.
Little more gone into it than this, you should be used to it by now. I’m not going to review them, just embed them here for your own appraisal and entertainment purposes. Potentially, it’ll be a groundbreakingily breif post, a simple but effective phenomenon, and something I can do without missing the Simpsons.
The challenge is consistency; whether I actually stick to the idea or, like others, it’ll be a flash in the pan. Who knows, this could be the start of something beautiful, this could be the thing they’re talking about in decades to come. A holographic Ken Bruce could be asking “what was the very first Devizine Song of the Day” in a Pop Master 200 years from now.
And you can answer it with who I bestow this honour, Atari Pilot. They’ll be revelling in the triumph of the hour if it wasn’t lockdown, I bet.
History in the making then, the only issue I foresee is I over-waffle any old crap, which is, incidentally, not what’s happening now and rarely does here; I had to explain myself, didn’t I?
Okay, I get message; here it is then, enjoy the tune, enjoy the rest of your evening. Good job, carry on.
After five years, a new album drops tomorrow (Friday 23rd October) from southwest Welsh reggae outfit, Captain Accident & the Disasters, and it’s worth the wait….
Using the word “reggae” as a blanket term for pop music of Jamaican origin, rather than a particular subgenre of roots reggae commonly associated with Bob Marley at his peak, as it currently stands for Caucasians, there seems to be two distinct followings in the UK; that of the retrospective scooterist’s adoration of reggae’s original template, ska, which inspired the Two-Tone movement, and the more progressive dub to dancehall counterculturists and punks favour.
I view it as unfortunate that the bridge between them is often overlooked, as it was the most creative period in Jamaican recording history. Yet Captain Accident’s previous album Bad Press relished in the smooth rock steady style which took ska on its journey to reggae in the late nineteen sixties. A particularly hot summer of ‘67 and the government curfew in Jamaica are held responsible for the shift, where it was the tempo mellowed and brass gave way to vocal harmonies.
The relics of rock steady’s ballad concept remains in subgenres such as ‘lover’s rock,’ and there’s as plenty of hints to this in Sayonara Paranoia as there was with Bad Press. But this time around the melting pot is far more welcoming to all of reggae’s subgenres; Sayonara Paranoia not only draws from and encompasses them all, but seemingly creates some new ones on its magical journey. The press release suggests “Sayonara Paranoia is an album of contrasts,” and you’re in for a pleasant surprise from the off.
It opens with a lead single released last February, Slither on the Dashboard, recounting the day a family pet snake escaped into Captain Accident’s car while he was driving it to a new home in the Welsh Valleys! If its subject perfectly illustrates frontman Adam’s pseudonym, a nickname earned through a lifetime of spectacular clumsiness rather than a carefully crafted stage persona, our surprise is the track is decidedly upbeat ska with nods to Two-Tone’s association with punk. If you must look towards Northern Soul for a tune about a snake, forget Al Wilson, because this one skanks almighty and breaks like a real slithering reptile!
So we establish, Captain Accident’s namesake is a self-deprecating streak that occasionally finds its way into the music, but never at the expense of sincerity. Songs immediately following revert back to the uplifting chill of rock steady; wonderful vocal harmonising songs like Rise and Fall are signature Captain Accident, and Baby Slow Down comes in with that cool Jacob Miller feel.
It’s a ten song long flow which you don’t want to stop, as influences into a collection of songs exploring resilience, love, heartbreak, anxiety and hope ripple through the eardrums blissfully. Yet, I have to take hold during the fourth song, because if this album stretches into ska, rock and punk territory while maintaining the Captain’s classic and loved fashion, where does To The Sun fit?! It has the kind of completely unique riff I cannot define; elements of dancehall blend into a punky reggae which reminds me of the sleng teng riddim of Prince Jammy’s electronic takeover of reggae, but still this song is refreshingly experimental, completely original, and that riff, oh that riff is so addictive it sticks!
From this point I accept I’m in for an adventure, with the Captain leading the mission; where are we going Capt?! The gorgeousness of sunshine love songs follows for a further two tracks, and then he confirms the destination; we’re upbeat ska again with Mission to Mars.
But if instrumentation and vocals are only the physical aspects, the conscious theme of Me & My Friends proves a spiritual skill in songwriting, and could be compared with Marely’s So Much Trouble in the World. “Life gives you plenty to write about if you’re paying attention,” Captain Accident said of the album. “Sometimes those stories are about love, heartbreak or the things that weigh on your mind, and every now and then something completely ridiculous happens—like accidentally letting a snake loose in your car. Reggae will always be at the heart of what I do, but I’ve never wanted to put boundaries around the music. The rock and punk records I grew up with are just as important to me, and I think this album reflects that. I can’t wait to get back out on the road with the band and share these songs with everyone.”
Sayonara Paranoia was written, recorded and produced entirely by Captain Accident, reflecting a deeply personal and independent approach to making music. Yet this song is followed again by Pick up the Slack, which, as it might sound, is full steam train chugging ska again to appease the boots and braces crews!
The moment Suggs of Madness joined the band on stage should be an indicator to, not only Captain Accident & The Disasters’ steadily built reputation as an energetic live act, but also the sense of spontaneity and musical community within the UK reggae and ska scenes. They appeared at Boomtown Fair, Isle of Wight Festival, Wilderness Festival, Bestival, Cornbury Festival, Mucky Weekender and Rototom Sunsplash, one of the world’s largest reggae festivals. They shared stages with the likes of Aswad, Steel Pulse, The Abyssinians, Alborosie, The Selecter, Julian Marley, and The Beat.
Until we meet, the treasure of this new album is that no matter the diversity and experimentation, the Captain and his band invites the listener to his table and entertains them with the same divine quality no matter which direction their distinctive ship faces. And this is accomplished with a defining recognisable overall style whereby soaring twin-guitar harmonies warm the cockles, rather than the traditional horn section, the riffs drift across reggae like it’s given, and the vocal’s smooth like John Holt suddenly fell deeply in love.
If this is about as high an accolade as one could get within reggae circles, don’t assume I flatter; Captain Accident & The Disasters supported Toots and the Maytals at a gig in Wales, and the late Toots Hibbert took them on tour. They completed three full UK tours supporting the reggae pioneers; when you hear this album, you realise why that happened.
A UK tour follows the release of the album, details HERE. Socials below.
Well, what else is there to oyez about? Congratulations must go to our Devizes Town Crier, Charlotte Howard-Macdonald, again today, as Brian Mathew MP tabled a motion in the House of Commons celebrating her achievement of winning the 73rd National Town Crier Championship in Rye, only two months after taking up the role…
Recognised as our first woman to serve as Town Crier for Devizes, Charlotte said, “this is a first; a speechless Town Crier! Thank you so much, Brian, for this wonderful and completely unexpected recognition, and to the MPs who have added their support. Seeing my name in a parliamentary motion is quite surreal!”
But whoa there, all this talk of female town criers, isn’t there any room to celebrate the guys too?! Charlotte’s husband Moray MacDonald is an outstanding producer of electronic music who creates the most wonderful soundscapes under the pseudonym Cephid. I first met the Lavington-based couple upon reviewing Cephid’s album Sparks in the Darknessthree years ago.
Moray cut his teeth touring with progressive rock and metal artists such as That Joe Payne, Godsticks, Kim Seviour and Ghost Community, more recently he remixed for OMD. Of Sparks in the Darkness I said at the time, “gorgeous complex structures and intense electronic textures,” making comparisons to everything from the Doctor Who theme, through to Kraftwerk, The Art of Noise, Yello and American electro outfit Newcleus, explaining “Cephid encompasses these, yet is ultra-modern, uses tech as orchestral, and is as fresh as the Buxton spring; like Jean Michel Jarre came after dubstep, as if 808 State created Tubular Bells!”
Forward wind to February last year, Moray finally staged the album at Bath’s Rondo Theatre, and I had to make a beeline. It was a breathtaking show, to see the album played out live added to the magnificence of this achievement and made it all seem real. The added bonus was to see the laser harp Moray created at seventeen, but had never used publicly until that gig. And after this monumental occasion, the audience were invited to try the homemade electronic instrument themselves.
The gig caused me to contemplate the progression of electronics in music, and how we take it for granted. Though Devizes is a blues town, of conventional analogue instruments, Moray informed me of the town’s little known influence on the development of electronic music by the way of Daphne Oram, a pioneer of electronic sound who was born in the town. On her centenary I ran a series of articles about Daphne’s life, focusing on her largely unrecorded early years in Devizes.
Why am I reminding you of all this now, you might ask?! Well, there’s the thing. Tickets have just gone on sale, for Cephid is coming to St Mary’s Devizes, for a one off electronic concert on 28th November, and yes, he will bring his laser harp. Moray is supported by Richard Anthony Bean, an electronic music composer and producer from Exeter; be there!
With Devizes’ historic connection and affliction to the blues, it can be a challenge to introduce other genres of music to our town, although there is an audience here accepting diversity, of people who worship the eighties electronic scenes from hip hop to synth-based new romantic and new wave to gothic, and the ravers which followed, and from here stems the concept that technology is so commonplace in music we no longer see the seams.
These are the people I need to entice, because please, oh hear ye! Believe me when I tell you this show is incredible, and unlike anything else you’ve seen in Devizes before!
On the Festival of Discovery, other political discoveries, and is the Crammer full yet?! No to the latter, but local Facebook groups are full ….of negativity!
I’m in no place to review the Festival of Discovery which happened last weekend in Devizes, being Devizine was asked to contribute, and because of that contribution, I didn’t catch the amazing variety of goings on, being sentry at my post, save for a pasty break. But I think there’s positive and negative things to be said about it, plus a few points which require a degree of balanced clarification.…
Oh, for the forked tongues of keyboard warriors; those vocal minorities disgruntled by attempts to bring free community-driven festivities to town, when a majority braved the minor drop in temperature, just as everyone does for the far more inclement Christmas festival. While we still live in a democracy, sorry killjoys, but we’re duty bound to go with those who made the effort and thoroughly enjoyed it.
Starter for ten thousand, let’s clear this one up immediately. Yeah, you’re bang on the money, it would’ve been lovely to have had this happen during summer. One comment read, “Why have it in October with all the beautiful weather we have had this summer!!” I’ll take it as a question easily answered, even if there was no question mark.
For those stating the bleeding obvious, in order to slam DOCA, and largely from a Conservative twonktank, please note, it is all about the money. The Street Festival doesn’t come cheap, and was cancelled in May 2024, during the final and brutal Conservative cut of Arts Council funding, on which DOCA relied on.
Fortunately, since the political party which, let’s not forget, were hosting cocaine orgies at 10 Downing Street, and fornicating like Emperor Caligula on a stag do in Thailand, while forty thousand of our most vulnerable perished in care homes, was obliterated, Labour has been a smidgen more generous towards the arts. Creative director Loz made a triumphant return to Devizes, got me on the blower only a month ago, to ask if I’d like to host an area dedicated to young talented musicians, for this festival she was rushing to announce.
Naturally, despite not being able to tick neither “young” nor “talented” boxes, I jumped at the opportunity. It took a lot of last minute organisation, as it did for the other dedicated volunteers of DOCA, who worked tirelessly to put this event on; shame on you if you favoured nitpicking on Facebook instead of attending it.
I wasn’t on traffic duty. I did my bit, with Simon, the best grand prix pit stop sound engineer, and Mr Ian James powering us up, and it was flipping amazing! Every singer-songwriter I could think of in the right age bracket turned up, seemingly not stuck in traffic neither flown in by helicopter Shirley Bassey style, gave it their 120%, and showed the few who bothered to turn out that local music is safe in gen z hands.
Having already lavished on the popular Confetti Battle and Colour Rush, I reasoned with Loz that what’s left in the kitty could’ve been put into bringing a spectacular Winter Festival and Lantern Parade. To which Loz shrugged and replied, “yeah, you’d think so, wouldn’t you?” Such it was revealed to me, the grant given has an expiry date prior to Christmas, and if it wasn’t spent it would be lost. So, it really was a case of, does DOCA put in the overtime and seriously get on the case of a celebration with an extremely short window of organisation schedule, or would Devizes have an ordinary weekend of shopping and dog walking?
So, rather than sitting picking their noses, we had the Festival of Discovery, and what did we discover?! Who’d have flunked bringing such a wonderful festival to Devizes would result in a plethora of harsh online criticism?! Did we even know of their existence before this weekend, or were they discouraging “bots?” Devizes used to be such a…Matter of factually, Mr Grumpy lived in Crosspatch Cottage, actually located in Happyland, and I’ll leave this there.
Could’ve caused less of a stir if traffic was delayed due to a woman-beating Reform conference. The result of a family of ducks crossing a road in Devizes is traffic chaos; do we shoot the duck?! Actually, with the bitterness posted on the usual suspect Facebook groups, don’t answer that.
Congestion was a suggestion, and a valid point, it was slightly more chaotic than normal and that was unfortunate, for which DOCA apologised and took action, reopening the Market Place on Sunday. There may have been overlookings in signage of road closures, if so it could’ve been because of the lack of time to get this festival organised; a lesson learned, but which didn’t deserve the verbal punishment it received, from those unwilling to volunteer their help, I should add.
But, please save me the spiel about not knowing this well-advertised event was occurring, for I’ll only retort like a Specsavers advert and say, “you should’ve gone to Devizine!” I wouldn’t rely on the Gazelle & Herod telling you about an event, unless Martin Kemp, the Queen Consort, or Nigel Farage is attending it.
Oh, and by the way, it was DOCA who addressed the traffic issue and acted accordingly, not councillors, despite what one certain Mr Wallis might tell you. Though the same Conservative councillor waffled on his Facebook page speaking highly of the event for the illusion of balanced popular opinion, but trundled past the festival looking like his shoes were more important. This was the very same killjoy Devizes Conservative town councillor who once suggested the street festival wasn’t “diverse” enough, despite it was so obviously the most diverse event Devizes has ever seen!
Whereas two councillors, one independent and another a Guardian, stopped by to praise my attempt to engage and stage young people. A third was the hopeful and right choice, Guardian candidate for Devizes East, Rosemary McDonald, who did likewise, and when she did, those Masters of the Tory Universe shamefully laid in waiting for her, like snipers at the gate.
Today the same councillor, Wallis, one which others earmark as some kind of arch- nemesis of Devizine, whereas I’d rather it be simply that whenever there’s trouble at mill, he’s grinding it, is showcasing their Devizes East candidate for the by-election, Laura Ayling. Apparently Laura is single handedly going to tackle antisocial behaviour in the Market Place, and is seen shaking the firm militant hand of none other than Dirty Harry PCC Wilko, right there, on the spot.
You have to chuckle if this is the spinning point for the desperate Conservatives, being the Devizes Guardians have already written to Wilko on the subject, requesting a larger police presence. Odd how, hey presto, as soon as the prospective Conservative candidate steps in, the apparently apolitical PCC too busy to reply to Guardians, who boasts of shooting people on his Faceache page, around the same time Wallis tried to encourage me to interview him because I’d find he’s actually a ‘reasonable guy,’ manages to suddenly find the time to majestically ride into town like Clint Eastwood for a photo opportunity.
The antisocial behaviour in the Market Place isn’t a political matter, it’s as it says, a social one, directed at Devizes police to keep the peace. It is unfortunately going to occur whoever sits in the seats, and however many officers they can throw at it. Therefore no political party is to blame, and no party can resolve it any better than another, in my honest opinion. But, it’s clear from this outrageous Facebook post, those trusty Tories will make it a core of their battleground, and play is going to get dirty. Their hypocrisy reaches its peak today, when I will thoughtfully let you in on a secret; Mr Wallis made an official complaint to the town council, because Rosemary was photographed in Sidmouth Street! Oh the outrage!!
Rosemary came to Sidmouth Street partially because I invited her to, begging your pardon sir, being that rightfully addressing youth issues in Devizes is part of her campaign, and core to one of our objectives, of which you saw the results of in the very street this weekend; thank you for coming, and I hope you missed the part where I sang with the legend who is Ruby! Devizes Market Place, Devizes in general, isn’t a battleground, and Sidmouth Street isn’t the trenchline, Rosemary does, surprisingly, have a right to walk down it, just as we have the right to throw a party there.
Ha! And others even rallied in the comments sections to try and blame DOCA for this rise in anti-social behaviour, without any reason or logic, because once you publish your rant, no matter how valid your point, these threads of negativity spiral out of control. Here’s two classic quotes, for example: “And a woman outside Boots openly peed on the pavement!!!” And “Trump could of organised better and it would of been the best best ever event!”
It’s a shame the original comments made from traders who directly benefited from the Festival of Discovery at the weekend were overshadowed by those who claimed they unfortunately didn’t, but it is the negative which pushes the circus into the big-top. The ignoramus absurdity that Trump should work for DOCA, and then he’d put a stop to people peeing outside Boots, is why we’re in the shit we are in, surely?! Brittox of Trump, let’s rename it now, save him the bother when he arrives.
Yes, there were huge gaps in happenings in the Market Place, space is required for safety of some of those acrobatic and circus shows, but the remaining gaps were supposed to be filled…. by you! You! The ones, it seems, who opted to cry on Facebook instead. Is this the way of things now, or was this just an unfortunate isolated incident? Because I’m concerned.
This event was so well-organised and staged so many amazing features it should have attracted thousands. The fact it didn’t left me wondering why, and wobbled my head with many thoughts.
I thought about the Reclaim The Streets parties in the nineties, where anarchist eco campaigners took dumpsters and blocked streets, resulting in one giant rave, and no disgruntled whingers. I tried to imagine it happening in Devizes, and what the result would have been. We had no Facebook to bark at then, but even if Devizes was a Conservative safe-seat, still, I refuse to believe its population were ever party poopers, before this terrible today where the flag flies half mast.
Even in this modern era of Trumpconomics, Bristol sound systems simply hang speakers out of a window, and the community outside gathers to party like there’s no tomorrow, likely because there isn’t. There’s often even an elderly lady rocking with her zimmer-frame. Why are we so stuck in mud here in Devizes? It’s a brilliant little town, where they ironically hashtag #nothingeverhappensindevizes – I hope the users of this gag-tag aren’t the same ones crying like spoiled babies, because some people here thought it’d be nice to throw a random bash in October. Oktoberfest, anyone? It’s a thing elsewhere!
Then I gave consideration to Street Festivals of yore, how we all gathered to enjoy ourselves, and worry last weekend illustrates how times are unfortunately changing; you can’t give away a festival in Devizes. I remember with fondness how I got up on stage at the last one, to introduce Nothing Rythmes with Orange, to a sea of people covering the entire Market Place and cramming down the Little Brittox to get in; what an incredible effort from the good people of Devizes. There’s a photo I’ll drop below; ask yourself, are you there, and if so, did you attend this weekend, and if not, why not? Genuine inquiry.
I’m aware and appreciate the sterling efforts made by so many, including Councillor Ian Hopkins, who freely created the Street Festival, and remember what Loz brought to the table. A blaze of colour and curiosity, a natural development of the unusual, especially here in Devizes. I gave consideration to the Ceres/Ruth Pierce display, her parting gift to Devizes, which held everyone spellbound, even the drinkers who took the day as the piss-up they dubbed Black Rat Monday, stopped and watched in awe! Where was Lucy and Wilko to save us from those black rats back then, eh?! Back then, we coped with the extra traffic, we didn’t require ten kazillion Facebook posts to remind us it was happening, we just made our way there, and celebrated all that is good about living and loving our town.
Loz and everyone contributing their time to DOCA, deserve the key to Devizes city, for the wonderful events they have driven, not the verbal criticism they so poorly often receive. It really makes me worry about the bigger picture, the terrifying thought that this rise of the far right will see the demonisation and degradation of arts throughout the country, not just Devizes. They seem to hate anything which challenges their regressive social restrictions or questions the insular society in which they wish to live under, and that just happens to be pretty much all interesting art and creativity.
Someone even had the audacity to redden about those brilliant Hydropunk neighbours of ours, pointing to the defunct hosepipe ban as a source of their anger, like a hundred litres of water is going impact the global water shortage; did they fail to observe the absolute thrills on the faces of our youngest residents as they flocked to play with the hydro apparatus, or did they simply not care for want of ranting?
Two other horrifying comments on the thread, abhorrent about this weekend’s festival, suggests the struggle is real: “Stop public funding for “Arts” there are much more important things to spend public money on!” where I wonder what else this person thinks the Arts Council funding should grant other than arts, or are they more simply seriously misinformed about how DOCA is funded, (through this grant and public donations,) and one other which puts an opinion quite bluntly; “This crap has to stop!” Find that guy sulking in the kitchen at parties!
But to assume misinformation is root to the outcry doesn’t excuse an ex-town-councillor exiled to Rowde Parish Council, Chris Greenwood, for he knows precisely what he means, and it was this monstrosity of evil: “I have always been concerned by the wholesale lack of transparency and accountability from DOCA. They appear to be the one organisation that has the ability to close down roads in the Town Centre almost at random. I’m led to believe that DOCA is considering a rebranding exercise, as the Arts Council have apparently indicated that Devizes doesn’t possess a broad enough spectrum, from which to extract an audience – either pedestrian or vehicular. One of the new names having been considered is “Raking In The Money” which does seem rather apt, as the Arts Council have stumped up a few hundred thousand over the years, until tightening the screws after the Flying Fiasco a few years ago! A significant chunk of the proceeds also have a history of being distributed well outside our Borough, rather than supporting local performers.”
Oh hi there Chris, your stab at humour is hardly on a Billy Connolly level. Did you come and see the eighteen local young performers I staged on behalf of DOCA this weekend? Because I certainly didn’t see you wobble past in your Crocs at all. Did you notice local musicians John E Wright, Del-Boy Jepson and Sarah Tarry in the Brittox? And given that, who made you Judge Judy on such matters?! You misinformed Professor of Penistry!
I trust I can go out on a limb here, as he’s unlikely to have read this far, and remind our readers that this is the despicable Mr Toad and Wallis bumchum who falsely claimed bird flu killed the freezing cold malnourished swan on the Crammer, so they could cull all the pigeons and gulls, and who banned me from his petty Facebook page for suggesting a police officer who was an active member of a hunting criminal ring who stupidly filmed themselves actually killing a fox, was a conflict of interest!
Are you therefore going to believe the absolute filthy pig swill which spews from these vermin’s mouths?! Or are you going to say, you know what, I might forget the petty nonsense from grandstanders and political pointscorers, and enjoy the time I have left on this godforsaken planet?! The Festival of Discovery was brilliant, with the potential to thrill the whole town, if they bothered to show their disgruntled mugs!
by Ian Diddams images by Gill Morrell and Penny Clegg
How all the other passions fleet to air, As doubtful thoughts and rash embraced despair, And shudd’ring fear, and green-eyed jealousy – Merchant of Venice, Act 3 Scene 2, William Shakespeare
O, beware, my lord, of jealousy; It is the green-eyed monster which doth mock The meat it feeds on; that cuckold lives in bliss Who, certain of his fate, loves not his wronger; But, O, what damned minutes tells he o’er Who dotes, yet doubts, suspects, yet strongly loves! – Othello, Act 3 Scene 3, William Shakespeare
Thus says firstly Portia, but more specifically Iago to Othello, in the eponymous play, ostensibly to warn against jealousy, but in fact manipulating Othello’s insecurities in his Machiavellian scheming. And thus this “Shakespeare Live” autumn touring production gains its show name, as director and deviser Gill Morrell has creatively and carefully curated a number of Shakespeare scene, with the common theme of jealousy. Most Shakespearian plays performed by community theatre groups typically have a few actors multi-roling in generally supporting character roles, but here Gill has taken a cast of nine all multi-roling performers across twenty-three pieces, taken from from a mixture of twenty-six plays from Shakespeare’s tally of thirty-eight!
The focus on “jealousy” understandably means the tragedies and historical plays are well represented, but even so ten comedies are included in this collection. As Gill says herself “Jealousy turns out to be a prime motivation for conflict in love, families and politics”. And how we see these examples from “Othello”, “King Lear” and “Hamlet” segue smoothly with “A Midsummer Night’s Dream”, “Twelfth Night” and “Much Ado about Nothing”.
It would become a litany of names and characters to list everybody and each of their roles which would bore everybody, so I shall desist here other to say the cast of Hero Fancett, Penny Clegg, Sarah Horrex, Liz Hollis, Jeremy Reece Iain Lowe, Roger Hames, Jim McCauley and Charmian Norman Taylor between them portray two full ensembles and a mind boggling sixty-seven characters, with not a little panache, style and vigour.
All of the above were more than excellently supported by stage management of Connor Palmer, James Dennis, Graham Paton and Ellen Read; tech by – who else?! – Alex Latham; music by – who else ?! – Laurie Parnell; costumes by Hermione Skrine.
Of course, to learn who plays which parts, in which extracts from which plays there is a very simple solution… to get yourself to a show during this Wiltshire tour
Marden House Centre, Calne – Weds 21 Oct The Town Hall , Corsham -Thurs 22 Oct The Merlin Theatre, Frome -Fri 23 Oct The Cause, Chippenham – Sat 24 Oct
“What are you doing in my swamp?!” Shrek asked a horde of fairytale creatures, exiled to his wood by Lord Farquaad in his namesake Dreamworks 2001 award winning film. Everyone loves that ogre, which began as a fairytale parody, but, even if as banter, his name has become an eponym embedded into popular culture….
In this case, though, Shrek is either Mac’s Theatre School students Harry Yandall or Cameron Nash, Lord Farquard is Amelia Mascall or Zoe Miller, and the swamp is Devizes School! Yes, Mac’s is bringing Shrek The Musical to Devizes from 28th to 31st October…I’m a donkey on the edge!!
In its tenth year, the troupe at Mac’s Theatre School has achieved notable success, winning Eisteddfod medals and taking home glowing reviews for their ambitious musicals like The Addams Family and Our House; and not just from us!
They auditioned and performed on the main stages of Disneyland Paris, but it’s the audience who also benefit from their specialised workshops hosted by West End professionals, and high production standards, utilising professional sound technicians, lighting designers, and a live backing band. Mac’s provides inclusive, affordable weekly training in acting, singing, and dancing for children aged 4 to 16, but the standard of their performances will amaze you!
The other main roles go to Lily Ancrum or Isla Poirot as Fiona, Jacob Marsh, or Immy Foster as the unforgettable Donkey. We wish the whole cast the very best of luck!
Shrek the Musical is a Tony Award-winning stage adaptation of the original 2001 DreamWorks animated film, featuring music by Jeanine Tesori and a book and lyrics by David Lindsay-Abaire. It expands the beloved movie into a full two-act theatrical production with 17 original songs, diving deeper into the backstories of Shrek and Fiona.
Tickets for the shows are available HERE, or at Devizes Books. While it’s unconfirmed if they’ll have parfaits, I guarantee you, those Mac’s kids are amazing, and you’re in for an entertaining evening!
Okay you lovely lot, who are deffo coming The Festival of Discovery this weekend across Devizes, and who, deffo, going to pay us a visit at Albion Place, yesterday I highlighted all the wonderful acts we have performing on Saturday, but we do it all again on Sunday too…..
So here’s what we have lined up on Sunday, and it is equally as amazing as Saturday, so don’t over do it the day the before, and find us, same time, from 11:30 until 5:30pm at Albion Place in Sidmouth Street. Here’s who we have playing for us; ooh, I’m so excited and couldn’t hide it even if I wanted too!
From Devizes and performing as Tamsin Rose, at fifteen Tamsin already has built an impressive portfolio both as a singer-songwriter and guitarist, and acting. Tamsin attends Stagecoach, and has performed in numerous stage shows and musicals, including the poignant lead as Anne Frank for the Wharf Theatre.
Lois is from Devizes, currently studying at Sixth Form near Winchester. Lois is our youngest writer for Devizine, ever! She also performs at open mics.
12:40: Indigo Avenue
Indigo Avenue is a duo consisting of Rufus Townsend and …….. Rufus is Trowbridge based, and the guitarist for Devizes-own riot grrrl band Steatopygous, who have recently toured with The Pump’s Sketchbook Records.
Alife is sixteen, and a singer-songwriter from Warminster who has already taken on stages in Warminster, Frome and Trowbridge. He busks in Bath regularly, sharing his original music and covers with the world. His original music follows a blend of indie rock, with RnB and chill guitar music.
This summer Alfie was invited on stage by frontman of the Kooks, Luke Pritchard, to play guitar with the band in front of thousands of people during their set at the Boardmasters Festival in Cornwall.
Orla is a singer-songwriter from Bath, and she brings with her Jack Hughes, as an acoustic duo who have been performing together for a few years in various bands. Orla played Womad’s launchpod stage, and I met her first at Courting Ghost’s Three Trees Festival at Trowbridge Town Hall.
In our review of this brilliant festival I called her performance “clearly one to watch. With crystal vocals she gave us some divine originals, including a particularly poignant one called Mouthwash, and made Crowded House’s principal her own.”
Seren is a folk singer-songwriter from Warminster with a voice you won’t forget.
Seren performs a mixture of original songs and covers. “My favourite covers to perform are Fast Car by Tracy Chapman, Unwritten by Natasha Bedingfield, and Black Star by Radiohead,” she tells me. “I first started performing in May 2024, and since then I have performed at CorFest 2025, Swinterfest, and have supported Irish folk musicians in Salisbury including The Henry Girls, Daoirí Farrell, and Tim Eady and Mike McGoldrick. I am inspired by a mix of artists/musicians and genres such as folk, indie, pop, indie rock, and jazz.”
Seren regularly performs with Meg Hoy, who performed as our headliner on Saturday.
Poppy Rose is a singer-songwriter, guitarist, and vocal coach from Bath, known for original acoustic pop. We’ve been reviewing her recordings for a few years now, but I’ve not had the pleasure of meeting her in person, until now. James of BBC Introducing in the West played her newly released and completely unique EP, Let’s Go Swimming.
Ruby is a Scottish born singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist currently residing in Bradford on Avon. Ruby is likely no stranger to Devizes, regularly playing our venues and festivals here, as well as busking with bagpipes.
Ruby grew up playing music anywhere she could. From her first performance at the Edinburgh fringe festival, to Celtic connections and many folk festivals around Scotland, Ruby’s background created the best foundation for her ongoing career in music.
Her second EP released in August 2025 has created a stir. Her debut single Caller Unknown, with help from Tim Burgess of the Charlatans and produced by Freddie Cowan of The Vaccines, was first played on BBC6. Ruby’s other music has found its way into Celtic music radio, Radio X, BBC introducing South West, BBC Bristol, Cornwall and Devon as well as Bath Radio and Radio Wilts and many local radio live lounge sessions. Awarded the Best Female Solo Artists at the 2025 Wiltshire Music Awards and Second Place Instrumentalist as a Highland Piper, opening the awards event as the special guest.
So, you’re joining us at Albion Place on Sidmouth Street in Devizes this weekend, right?! Don’t say I’ve not told you about it once it’s over!! There’s so much going on for this Festival of Discovery and DOCA have worked tirelessly to provide an amazing FREE weekend, but I’m here to tell you a little bit more about who we have playing in the Devizine Launchpad area….
You can download the program HERE and find some amazing things going on throughout all three zones; amazing things I’ll likely miss because I’ll be with sound engineer Simon Stockley, Ian James of Light & Sound, and these amazing young and talented singers, songwriters and musicians:
I’ll start with Saturday and bring you news of Sunday tomorrow…..
Saturday 17th October
11:30: Stan Jenkins
Stan is a thirteen year old singer-songwriter and guitarist from Trowbrigde. A student of Bath & Wiltshire branch of The Rock Project, Stan joined the Trowbridge Town Hall Youth Board and with friend Oliver Clark recently sold out Trowbrige’s Old Town Hall organising a teen open mic evening.
I’ve not seen Stan perform myself yet, so get here early and let’s kick this off together in style!
Sienna is a singer-songwriter and actor from Swindon. She began writing and performing aged ten, and released her debut single Petals in 2022 at fourteen. Her style is dark folk-rock to pop, with progressive accompaniments. Sienna vocalised for AuralCandy, and is inspired by her father, Richard Wileman of Karda Estra. Sienna is currently studying at BA Musical Theatre in Winchester.
Though I’ve not yet met Sienna in person, we’ve been covering her singles for a few years, and she contributed to the second 4 Julia’s House compilation album with Petals.
Braydon Lee Jones is a fifteen year old solo acoustic singer-songwriter from Calne, and is rapidly becoming one of the South West’s most exciting young artists. Despite performing live for just over a year, his incredible stage presence has already landed him on major stages like the Bristol Harbour Festival and the Phoenix Festival in Cirencester. Blending a diverse mix of well-loved covers with a growing catalogue of country-infused original material, Braydon-Lee brings a fresh, high-energy performance that appeals to music lovers of all ages.
It has been a massive breakthrough year for the young artist, who was recently featured on BBC Introducing in the West and is currently shortlisted in the Top 5 for three separate awards, including Best Male Artist, Best Newcomer, and Best Original Track for his hit single, Endless Summer.
Unfortunately I missed Braydon at CrownFest this summer, but I did catch him for the first time at FullTone Festival a couple of years ago!
Jodie is twenty-three, a Cheltenham UGC travel creator, musician and vlogger.
With over 103k followers on Tiktok, Jodie creates aesthetic content to showcase hotels/airbnb brands in a natural and relatable light. She’s worked for Tiktok Live, and has experience in social media marketing. Jodie also regularly busks and brings her own spin to popular covers.
That’s where I first saw Jodie, busking in the Devizes Brittox!
Ed Dowdeswell, a level 3 music student, is an emerging grassroots singer-songwriter and musician based in Devizes. The stepson of Jamie R Hawkins of The Lost Trades, he’s learned from one of the best. Ed also fronts Chippenham band Olympiad.
Ed is often found at open mics, I first saw him at The Fold’s open mic in Devizes.
Rosie Jay is an indie folk-rock-alternative professional singer-songwriter from Salisbury, currently studying music at Bath Uni. Rosie writes her original music and creates haunting and memorable lyrics and riffs that capture the world around her, creating a captivating experience for the audience an evening of walking in her shoes. She won two Wiltshire Music Awards last year, runner-up in a third!
So impressed with Rosie’s singles, we become friends a few years ago, and I first saw her performing at The Crown in Bishop’s Cannings.
Emelia is a singer-songwriter from Marlborough, currently studying for GCSE’s. With a passion for storytelling through song and performance, Emelia’s last performance at MantonFest blew me away, along with everyone else watching!
Emelia is a regular at MantonFest and RamsFest and also enjoys musical theatre, performing in school performances, and has previously performed professionally at the Watermill Theatre in Newbury.
Meg Hoy, or M3g, is an original singer-songwriter of indie-folk from Chippenham. With numerous local appearances from The Pump to Swindon Shuffle to Minety and Chippenham Folk Festival, her self-penned songs are uniquely poignant experiences. Influenced by artists like Florence Welch and AURORA, she has been performing live since age 14 and has built a notable local presence, including winning The Neeld’s battle of the bands, and opening for Frank Turner at the Bristol O2 Academy. Her music is celebrated for its emotionally transparent, unique lyrics, which she roots deeply in her personal experiences and her autism.
I first met Meg when my daughter Jess was doing work experience with Devizine, and she interviewed Meg. We’ve been friends since, and no matter how many times I’ve seen her perform, she always takes my breath away.
I’m so pleased Meg is headlining our Saturday, and everyone else who is playing; I’m more excited then they are! But, we’ve another day on Sunday, same time same place, and don’t think for a second I’ve put all my eggs in one basket, because Sunday is going to blow your mind; I’ll be back tomorrow to highlight who’s coming on Sunday!
Wowzers, it was four years ago since we last mentioned local singer-songwriter and musician Lou Trigg, when we reviewed her single to come out of Potterne’s Badger Set studio, Flowers. It’s a good time to catch up, because Lou is releasing a three track EP called Delaying the Inevitable, this Friday (16th October,) where the finale is a second part to Flowers….
At the time I called Flowers, “a chorale delicacy,” which “trickles along sublimely,” and there’s been no change of style since, only a huge development in the narratives, and Lou’s ability to express them. All these songs are equally angelic and orchestrally ambient anti-ballads, which, with subtle piano, angelic backing chants, acoustic guitar and the occasional moody drum, perfectly balances the distinctive and euphoric desperation in Lou’s voice.
This time around Lou recorded them herself at Mudlark Sound Studios outside Bath, and Martin Spencer mastered them at The Badger Set. There’s three tunes, subtle folktronica, complete, quite short, yet songs with that kind of ambience which leaves me wondering what magic someone like William Orbit would make of them.
You (Her) has a slight electronic buzz but is deeply poignant. It takes the ‘talking to the other woman’ narrative of Jolene to the next level. I mean, we never know if Jolene acts on the obsessions of the storyteller’s partner, it’s all in the assumption, but here, the broken-hearted narrator sends the cheater directly to the third party, dejected but with a warning of his negative characteristics. It’s a moody break-up song where, even when there’s sadness, there’s something magically and satisfyingly uplifting in this beautiful song. This tenet flows through the three tunes.
Home has the hook and commercial viability, and drifts so wonderfully you’ll believe you’ve known this song all your life. The differences here being it seems more communal, and any doubts in the relationship seem subjective, that the object of her desires is metaphorically as comforting as home, when they choose to be. “It’s a song about your birthday wish,” Lou described, “that every birthday, you wish for the same thing and will, until you get it, what you once had.”
The second part of Flowers is a melodic conclusion to the past ballad, and slightly more folk-inspired, with only a delicate and perfectly placed electronic click. It ventures to a dark denouement, capturing the mood of a victim of an emotionally abusive relationship and impels the listener to mourn, or at least take sorrowful heed. “It ends the story I began to tell,” Lou explained, “unfortunately, it didn’t have the best ending, but I decided to share my story, as many women will have gone through similar. I thought it was an important story to finish.”
There’s an honest melancholic passion driving these songs, reaching out to the spellbound listener. Lou stresses this closure of Flowers“relays a dark time in my life,” and every sublime beat is a tear the listener feels on their own cheek. It really is on an Adele level of emotional expression. But the magic here is also lying heavily on the distinction of Lou’s powerfully unique vocal range, and the musical compositions reflecting them. And for these elements included, and so cleverly combined, these three beautifully poignant songs match what Adele left the world.
Now I know at this exceptionally high accolade of a comparison you’ll cry, ‘oh you, with your saccharine flattery,’ and assume that Lou must have some really posh biscuits in her biscuit barrel I’ve got my eye on! But I’ll tell you now, that bloke with the lovely smile, Mr Threlfall, has been spinning Home on BBC Introducing in the West last week, and Lou knocked these songs for a six at Komedia’s Electric Bar last night. So, just you wait until Friday, check them out for yourself, and you’ll realise there’s more than a packet of M&S All Butter Scottish Shortbread at stake here!
Delaying the Inevitable, is out this Friday (16th October.)Here’s Lou’s Spotify, follow and pre-save!
The Wharf Theatre in Devizes is thrilled to announce a major new chapter in its artistic programme: the theatre has officially become a registered screening…
A ladies-only club, four gloriously eccentric rooms and a barista in a bowler hat: The Dressing House is anything but ordinary. Devizine contributor Charlotte Howard…
Witnessed amazing fireworks for Confetti Battle in Devizes, and I hopped eastwards to that sacred hippy haven in the Pewsey Vale, The Barge at HoneyStreet;…
As you’re probably aware, because there’s been lots of people kicking up a scene, Wiltshire Council’s recycling centre booking system being trialled at Devizes, Lower…
Immediately after the weekend which saw press photographers ejected, so they could savagely beat women at the Birmingham Reform conference, as if someone threw a…
What’s that? What have we been missing? Well, it’s been a while since the last Talk in Code single, and there’s one coming our way on Friday (16th October,) so that’s a good start….
Ah, those gorgeous guys could turn a straight man’s head, with their bridging the gap between eighties new wave electronica and nineties indie pop, dancing around it clad in Adidas, and generally creating timeless anthems; and this one is another high impact tune, with upbeat euphoric ambience, racing choruses and rousing hooks.
What I’ve Been Missing fits their lovable trademark style, and is particularly reminiscent of the memorable eighties power pop of Go West, Duran Duran, or Deacon Blue. In equal measure it corresponds to contemporary indie trends from the likes of the 1975, The Killers, Two Door Cinema Club, Fickle Friends, Years & Years, and Keane. Unarguably another earworm their fans will be singing straight back to them.
What I’ve Been Missing, is to be released on Friday 16th October 2026 via Regent Street Records. Aligned to their discography, this substantive and dynamic track also has thoughtful prose of romantic circumstance. With a narrative of conflict between approach and avoidance, and its denouement, frontman Chris Stevens uses the hyperbolic idiom, “Where have you been all my life?!” to define it. In the final discovery of a soulmate, he expresses, “we’ve all got that little something or someone, that missing piece in our lives. Or is it that we just crave more, all too often?”
“Imagine finding a person who you really click with,” guitarist Alastair Sneddon furthers, “all the anxieties about getting into a new relationship are there, close to the surface, waiting to burst out. It’s exciting, you know the person is going to fill that space that you have been feeling is empty, but it’s just difficult to say out loud; this is that internal monologue.”
If the theme is a sentimental catharsis, the release of emotion rests, and is delivered by the infectious soundscape their devoted fanbase adore them for. Chris expresses it as a “retro-infused, euphoric indiepop banger which will have you dancing round the house in no time!”
What I’ve Been Missing was recorded at The Pines Studio, Berkshire.
Talk in Code took home six awards at the 2025 Wiltshire Music Awards, including Best Original Band, and Best Original Song. They have 1 million+ streams, 3 million views, and 35 radio ‘A’-list adds. They signed to London’s Regent Street Records, with active sync representation via Big Hug Music Group and Play Equals Sync.
Their recording and performing history details three albums, and a constant variety of gigs, festival appearances, and tours, where they appropriate their surroundings and thrill audiences. Talk in Code’s momentum progresses, sharing stages with Ash, Sleeper, Years & Years, The Feeling and Scouting for Girls across Victorious Festival, The Great Escape, Godney Gathering, Jurassic Fields, and performing at iconic venues such as The Cheese & Grain, Frome, The Horn, St Albans and The Fleece, Bristol.
Despite substantial growth, their loyalty to their supporters, dubbed “talkers,” remains paramount in all their activities. Putting “fan community first,” Talk in Code has acquired an unparalleled fanbase and ingenious merchandising, through an active WhatsApp fan group to a unique Lego-inspired loyalty reward scheme.
What I’ve Been Missing is released on Friday 16th October, across all streaming platforms. Talk in Code have an instore session planned with HMV Swindon and later that evening of Saturday October 17th, they will be playing a hometown single release show at The Victoria, Swindon.
And believe me, you may have seen Talk in Code before, they get around a bit, but the best place to see Talk in Code, Talkers will tell you, is at their home-ground in The Vic, Swindon. With support From Bluebeard and the Desperate Hours, it’ll be a great night!
People power in Devizes! Due to pressure from Devizes retailers and councillors, Wiltshire Council today revised their plans for essential cable works in Devizes, originally set to commence during the busiest Christmas period….
Retailers were informed the works were planned from 12th October until 18th December, covering The Brittox, Little Brittox, Wine Street, Long Street, Morris Lane and The Shambles. Making it clear they were not against the works happening, just the poor timing, which, with stop-go traffic controls, threatened to lessen footfall during the crucial Christmas shopping period, Ida McConnell of Devizes Retail & Independents rallied local retailers and councillors to ask Wiltshire Council to consider postponing the work. And it was successful.
Wiltshire Council posted an update, stating they’ve “worked closely with Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks, to agree a revised programme of works in Devizes that significantly reduces disruption and protects the town’s important festive trading period.”
This included a promise the current works would be completed by 21st November, that any remaining work has been pushed back until January, and access to shops and businesses will be maintained throughout. They also stated work on Little Brittox will take place between 5pm and 11pm to avoid normal trading hours, and activity on Thursday market days will be reduced between 9am and 3pm.
After an initial “whoohoo!” Ida said,“The original letter was initiated by us at the request of Justina from The Healthy Life Company, and Faye from Faye’s, with support from Jodie at The Gourmet Brownie Kitchen, three local retailers,” and she thanked them. Ida also thanked all town and county councillors who “worked together to get the issues addressed.”
And herein lies the secret as to how this happened so effectively. Ida said, “this was a team effort from local councillors from different political persuasions,” giving special praise to Devizes South Cllr Maria Hoult, Devizes North Cllr Ian Hopkins, and Devizes East Cllr Jonathan Hunter, as well as the two hundred people who signed the letter to the council.
In a time where local Conservatives are abusing the Government-enforced waste food recycling and three weekly bin collections change to fiercely rally their candidate for the Milford by-election, Laura Jones, hoping it will topple the Lib Dem led county council, this joint effort should illustrate exactly why any need to topple them should be taken with a pinch of salt. On this issue, as with many others to date, the newly led Wiltshire Council clearly listened, and responded positively.
Yet Devizes town councillor Iain Wallis is seemingly expanding his ‘local’ boundary to include campaigning in Salisbury, and said, “vote Conservative in Salisbury Milford and they will no longer be running the council. A vote for anyone else will allow them to continue.” But we could only speculate how the outcome on this issue might have differed coming from a Conservative led Wiltshire Council, and, more worryingly, what lengths they would be prepared to go to in order to secure this win; would they jump in bed with Reform?!
In their desperation to regain control, this nightmare scenario is more likely than we might imagine, and then they’d be too busy singing the National Anthem, like every council meeting is the World Cup Final, to have sorted this so quickly!
Local issues are more effectively resolved when councillors disregard any national party affiliation and work together with the public; this success story proves it. Compared to the previous Conservative led Wiltshire Council, the Lib Dem new guys have only just got their foot in the door, and things are already looking better. They deserve to be given a chance in my opinion.
Meanwhile, not to overly poison this good news story, the success of our local indie shops during the Christmas build up no longer can be governed by, or blamed, on roadworks; only on and by you, shopper! This ballyhoo would be a completely and utterly pointless waste of time if you then go and shop online anyway! We must support our local businesses and do a Christmas shop here, in Devizes.
This extensive belter of eighties-fashioned high-fidelity pop waits for no man, a sonic blast opens it, and the riff wouldn’t sound alien appearing in a John Hughes coming-of-age eighties movie. Visualise Jud, Molly, Emilio et all, dancing around a school library to this latest track from Swindon’s Atari Pilot.
After our glorious appraisal of their previous single Right Crew, Wrong Captain in July, they reckon I’m going to be fair on them again, but really, there’s nothing to dislike about Blank Pages. A review in which they quoted me suggesting, “this sound is fresh, kind of straddling a bridge between space-rock and danceable indie.” Here though, save the strong bassline, the space-rock element is lessened and retrospective synth-pop chimes in a racing beat, twisting this into a real grower on the ears.
Press release aptly cites “everything from Springsteen to Daft punk, Kathleen Edwards to Love,” as influences. As if Daft Punk would work with Springsteen, but if they did, I’d imagine something rather like this. And that alone, makes for an interesting sound, again akin to what Talk in Code are putting out locally, perhaps more so for this single. While we could hinge on an inglorious comeback from an eighties pop star and be thoroughly disappointed by their timeworn platitude and fame induced narcissistic attitude, nostalgia has never been so energetic and fresh when it’s channelled as an influence rather than comeback or tacky tribute act.
There’s a backstory about Atari Pilot, I may have mentioned before but worth reminding. After their debut album “Navigation of The World by Sound” in 2011, a long hiatus took in a serious cancer battle for Onze. But getting a second chance at life gave him the inspiration to get back to writing, and Atari Pilot reformed in 2018 with an acoustic set at the Swindon Shuffle. Reforming the band was actually planned from his hospital bed.
With this in mind, Onze describes the thinking behind this great song, “Blank Pages, like the other songs for the struggle, were inspired by being diagnosed with and recovering from cancer. The songs reflect the highs and lows of life and the struggles we are faced with and have to overcome to reach where we want to be.”
There’s a heartening theme of struggle in the face of change, “it’s also about trying to recognise that we can’t escape ourselves, and asks whether we can use our history and baggage to fire a brighter future,” Onze explains.
It’s a DIY production, recorded and mixed in Onze’s home studio by using Logic Pro X, but sounds stunningly professional. Atari Pilot are Onze (vox,) Paj (bass,) Frosty (guitar) and drummer Andy, and we look forward to hearing more from them. I even managed to review this one without mentioning retro-gaming:
Only gamers of a certain age will know of The Attic Bug. Hedonistic socialiser, Miner Willy had a party in his manor and wanted to retire for the evening. Just how a miner in the eighties could’ve afforded a manor remains a mystery; but that erroneous flaw was the tip of the iceberg. In this ground-breaking ZX Spectrum platform game, the Ribena Kid’s mum appeared to guard Willy’s bedroom, tapping her foot impatiently. Touch this mean rotund mama and she’d kill you, unless you’d tided every bit of leftovers from the bash. Turned out, months after the game’s release, one piece, in the Attic, was impossible to collect. Until this glitch became public knowledge, players were fuming as an intolerable bleeping version of “If I was a Rich Man,” perpetually looped them to insanity.
I swear, if I hear that tune, even some forty years on I cringe; the haunting memory of my perseverance with the impossible Jetset Willy. Music in videogames has come a long way, thank your chosen deity. Yet in this trend of retrospection I terror at musical artists influenced by these cringeworthy clunky, bleeping melodies of early Mario, or Sonic soundtracks; like techno never happened, what are they thinking of? It was with caution, then, when I pressed play on the new single from Swindon band “Atari Pilot.” I had heard of them, but not heard them. I was pleasantly surprised.
For starters, this is rock, rather than, taken from the band’s name, my preconceived suspicion I would be subject to a lo-fi electronica computer geek’s wet dream. While there is something undeniably retrospective gamer about the sonic synth blasts in Right Crew, Wrong Captain, it is done well, with taste and this track drives on a slight, space-rock tip. Though comparisons are tricky, Atari Pilot has a unique pop sound. No stranger to retrospection, with echoey vocals and a cover akin to an illustration from Captain Pugwash, still this sound is fresh, kind of straddling a bridge between space-rock and danceable indie. Oh, and it’s certainly loud and proud.
A grower, takes a few listens and I’m hooked. Their Facebook blurb claims to “change the rules of the game, take the face from the name, trade the soul for the fame…I’m an Atari Pilot.” After their debut album “Navigation of The World by Sound” in 2011, a long hiatus took in a serious cancer battle. But Atari Pilot returned in 2018 with an acoustic set at the Swindon Shuffle. The full band gathered once again the following year with live shows and a new set of “Songs for the Struggle.” This will be the title of their forthcoming follow-up album, “When we were Children” being the first single from it, and now this one, “Right Crew, Wrong Captain,” is available from the end of July.
Its theme is of isolation, “and defiance, after the ship has gone down,” frontman Onze informs me. There’s a haunting metaphor within the intelligent lyrics, “you nail yourself to the mast and you pray that everything lasts, you just want to know hope floats, when the water rises, coz it’s gonna rise, take a deep breath and count to ten, sink to the bottom and start again.”
There’s a bracing movement which dispels predefined ideas of indie and progresses towards something encompassing a general pop feel, of bands I’ve highlighted previously, Talk in Code and Daydream Runaways, Atari Pilot would not look out of place billed in a festival line-up with these acts, and would add that clever cross between space-rock with shards of the videogames of yore, yet, not enough to warrant my aforementioned fears of cringeworthy bleeps. Here’s hoping it’s “game over” for that genre. That said, thinking back, when you bought your Atari 2600, if you recall, oldie, you got the entire package of two joysticks and those circler controllers too, as standard; could you imagine that much hardware included with a modern console? Na, mate, one controller, you’ve got to buy others separately.
So, if decades to come we have a band called X-Box or PlayStation Pilot, I’d be dubious, but Atari gave us quality, a complete package; likewise, with Atari Pilot!
If you rarely venture into Swindon, July is the month in which to make the journey. Swindon Shuffle celebrates and backs local music, since 2007 hosting a weeklong town music festival at its hottest venues; namely The Victoria, The Beehive, The Hop, The Tuppenny and Baila Coffee & Vinyl. In association with Swindon Link and the West Berkshire Brewery, last year they presented forty-four bands over the weekend, all free, and supported mental health charity MIND.
I was forgiven in thinking this year would be virtual, saving some petrol money at least, but the organisers inform me this weekend’s Virtual Shuffle is only to breeze over this gloomy, Groundhog Day isolation period, and they cross their fingers for the real thing on the 16th-19th July; crossing my toes too!
So, yeah, but yeah, whoop-whoop, Swindon Shuffle will indeed fill this gap with plentiful live streams this Saturday 11th April, kicking off at 3:15pm. Streamed direct from their Facebook page, expect to catch all local acts; Jim Blair of Hip Route, the bearer of Devizine’s heart Miss Tamsin Quin, Mr Love & Justice himself, Steve Cox, jazz pianist, singer-songwriter Will Lawton, Harry Leigh, frontman of indie-pop outfit Stay Lunar, experimental Karda Estra project runner Richard Wileman, Onze from Atari Pilot, Joe Rose and Nash.
Mr Love & Justice, Steve Cox
Our favourite Swindonian music journalist, the one and only Dave Franklin, if there’s another he’s a phoney, is all over helping organise this sofa bash. He states “obviously there’s more important things going on in the world right now than worrying about a local music festival, but it is also at times like these that music, art, creativity in general, helps get us through or at least offers an oasis of calm where we can retreat to and forget the day-to-day worries for a bit.”
Karda Estra
For me personally, I’m continuing to toil with the worth of the live stream against a real gig, ponder it’s currently all we have, worry either punter or musician are forced onto the ropes when it comes to how they should be arranged and financed and have even encountered and engaged in heated debates as we scramble in the dark trying to make this work best for everyone. This said, if anyone can I’m reckoning the Shuffle team will make an amazing job of it. If there is an upside to it, it is that one can check these artists out for when the gig scene does take off, and boy, I’m predicting it’ll go off like an atomic blast, and it will encourage many to take the journey to festivals such as Swindon Shuffle, in this example.
Will Lawton
In the meantime, enjoy the streams and not let it miff us too much at missing the real thing. I tell myself the scene is dormant; it will erupt again. It should go without saying, but I’m going to spell it out; B, for BUY, U for Yourself (sort of,) Y for some local music, (okay, that didn’t work) Look, just support the artists and buy their music from their websites and Bandcamp sites!
