Continuing our underlying theme that there is a great song writing scene on the UK’s south coast, the second edition of ‘Xan Phillips presents…‘ features south coast singer and songwriter Dave Pen.

He first came to my attention in the duo Birdpen, an act that is dark and inventive in the studio while on stage they stand out as totally professional unit, that produces a sound so large it fills every inch of available space in the venue.

Occasionally Dave would mention he was in a collective called ‘Archive‘ who were doing quite well in Europe. As my brief at the time focused on the south coast it took a while to investigate this strand of his career, especially as the albums were just available on the continent.

It was only when I bought Bridpen’s debut album from Amazon France did I realise how modest Dave had been as, on the cover, was a sticker proclaiming ‘On, Off, Safety, Danger’ featured ‘Dave Pen from Archive’

This success abroad was on the back of Archive’s albums ‘Lights’ & ‘Live at the Zenith’ just before Archive’s 2009 release ‘Controlling Crowds parts I-IV’ which is a double album of rare beauty.

Ironically it’s also the last recording they made under their deal with Warners who, for some inexplicable reason, have dropped the band just at the wrong time. It’s a bit like the Beatles being ditched after Sgt. Peppers.

Controlling Crowds will feature in later editions of ‘Xan Phillips presents…‘, however for this episode we concentrate on Birdpen’s debut album ‘On, Off, Safety, Danger’ and Archive’s ‘Live at the Zenith’ which the French Rolling Stone magazine stated was one of the best live recordings around.

We’ve also got more music from the UK’s south coast including our hottest export to Europe and America: Band of Skulls. Along with them you can investigate Betika, Boe Weaver, The Shanklin Freak Show, Big Num, Scarlett Soho and The Moulettes.

Xan Phillips presents is brought to you by Playdio.com and is currently available on Spotify.

While shooting an avant-garde rock video, a south-coast production company that mixes art with business has unearthed an ironic difference between Southampton and Portsmouth.

Southampton based Still Moving has recently started employing painters and artists to create images and navigation for company web sites.

“It is very important for us to be ethical in our approach to business and using an illustrator not only gives websites a unique look and feel but also helps support an artist,” explained Still Moving’s co-founder Martin Davis. “Following the reaction of our clients we’re convinced the paintbrush is mightier than the mouse.”

Their latest collaboration is an entry to a competition to make the video for ‘Fires’ the next single by Southampton rock group Band of Skulls: the most recent south-coast act to gain major recognition in Europe and America.

vist and vote at: http://genero.tv/watch-video/10194/

“This challenge is an ideal way of introducing art into the ‘Moving’ aspect of our plan,” confirmed the other half of Still Moving, Isabel Amber Ewen,  “and although there are many great street artists in Southampton, once we saw Nova’s skull designs we knew who we wanted.”

Southampton street artist Nova uses stencils to spray multi-layered images on walls. Recently he was invited by the Portsmouth art collective P.A.M to add his creations to the alley-ways around Fratton Park.

“They have a much freer attitude towards street art in Portsmouth and they’ve opened up many walls,” he said “but the artists have to responsible and professional or this opportunity will disappear.”

The designs around the stadium have become so respected that Portsmouth football club is planning to invite P.A.M to create murals inside the ground.

With every creative aspect of this production based in and around Southampton the irony of shooting in Portsmouth is not lost on the video’s co-director Xan Phillips. “Although Southampton is famous for it’s walls, the city’s street artists have no where so public to express themselves.

Everyone who walked past Nova told him how good the art he and P.A.M have created. It definitely inspires rather than repels.”

Although the ‘Band of Skulls’ video competition has a £3000 cash prize and global exposure Isabel, who shot and edited the whole promo, is ambivalent about winning: “Every element of the project slotted into place so well that we’re already delighted with our achievement. The win would be very helpful but this video is already a great demonstration of how local art can work as a promotional device.”

NOTES

The video can be seen here http://genero.tv/watch-video/10194/

Closing date for public voting on the video – 11.59pm GMT, July 21

Winner announced: July 26, 2010

Example of a web site with local artist illustration: www.magpie-shop.co.uk

Nova can be found here: http://www.novaindustries.co.uk/

Still Moving: http://www.still-moving.co.uk/

Showcase UK: http://www.showcaseuk.tv/

P.A.M – the meaning of the acronym has not been released.

Band of Skulls www.bandofskulls.com

The single Fires will be released September 13th 2010 see http://www.nme.com/news/band-of-skulls/51147

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An Irish book has been causing marital divisions across the UK leading some wives to ban it from the bedroom.

Belfast born Eamon Nancarrow didn’t expect his autobiography ‘Holywood Star to cause such ructions seeing as the climax of his rock career was a disastrous tour of Scotland during a bleak winter.

But the singer’s tales of rock and roll misadventure have sent beds rocking with uncontrollable laughter leaving many partners irritated and awake.

‘It would start with Michael’s shoulders shaking,’ said bank manager Angela O’Sullivan (49) of her husband’s reaction to certain passages, “and then turn into a belly laugh.”

As a resident of Holywood, County Down, her irritation was needing to know what, and more importantly who, in Eamon’s adventure was making Michael laugh so much.

‘ “Eventually I told him: “anywhere but the bedroom!” But even when he was in the en suite I could still hear suppressed giggling.”

This reaction has spread to the mainland with Rhian French (37), a copy writer from Andover, Hampshire, suffering the same fate. Although her wound was self inflicted as she bought the book as a Christmas present for her husband Alan (right), another struggling musician.

“I had to ask him to stop making so much noise. Every night he was having a bit of a snort and if it wasn’t an outright guffaw there would be a lot of giggling and more snorting. It’s a bit worrying when someone is having so much fun on their own in the same bed.”

Her solution was simple: “He had to read it downstairs before he came up to sleep.”

Eamon’s Irish eyes might be smiling at the thought of bringing laughter into some people’s lives but the negative aspect is beginning to concern him:

“It is never great to cause friction in the boudoir, especially when there are nylon sheets involved, and it was never my intention to set marital sparks flying. The book was only supposed to make people laugh and that seems to be the crux of the problem.”

If this is another calamity to befall Eamon Nancarrow at least he’s used to it. From the horrors of his first perm in the early 80’s to the moment a misplaced stage pyrotechnic almost curtailed his parenting capabilities, he has still been able to see the funny side of life.

However, in some bedrooms around the country, there is only one side of the bed laughing.

Holywood Star is available in paperback priced £9.99 (Showcase UK) from Amazon, WH Smith and www.showcaseuk.tv