A favourite moment during ‘Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home’ is when a simple question stumps Spock during a complicated test.

“How do you feel?” befuddles his Vulcan mind, yet begins to draw out his human emotions. A classic Trek moment.

Innocent questions are no problem for Sean McGowan who at first resorts to humour when asked: “Are you angry?”

“I’m angry QPR lost to Fulham, I’m angry I never got to see the Clash, I am furious that I can’t afford a better car than ‘Fiona’ my P reg banger.”

And that’s exactly what you get from his lyrics: the events and problems of daily life, expertly wrapped up in three minutes by Southampton’s folk/punk poet.

“I’m eighteen. I have strong feelings towards everything.” Sean continues, “I am angry, I feel certain things need to change. My views are expressed in my music, I have no intention to have any political influence.“

What he would like to see is debate: “I want people to question and challenge things they disagree with. Everyone has a voice and an opinion, imagine if they could actually have a ’say’ whether it be through music, art or any means necessary!”

His songs are definitely stirring up music lovers with 100 downloads, in 24hrs, propelling him to the top of the Mintsouth charts.

This Saturday, at the Joiners, he launches his début EP ‘McGovernment’ where the audience will hear a slice of what Sean calls: “The People’s Music.”

www.facebook.com/seanmcgowanmusicuk

Having once been in a band that had a combined age of over 200 years I can definitely say it helped, but not for long.

Experience counts but it is far better to have youth on your side.

With Southampton’s latest alternative rock band ‘Fighting Tyler‘ they are lucky to have youth and also years of gigging and theatre experience on their side, rather than life’s cruel twists and turns.

They are fronted by classically trained Vikki-Jo Keens and the talents of Ali Koller (guitar), a strong rhythm section of Sam Towson (Drums), James Wills (Bass) and Christopher Pearce (guitar).

For stage presence Vikki can draw inspiration from her drama education along with her performances in a number of musicals, but like all singers she found rock was the answer: “I decided after a few years that as much as I love musical theatre, I wanted to work on my own original sound and image.”

The result is their first single ‘Alive’ which is full of heavy southern promise and recorded at the Ranch Production House, in Nursling.

As bassist James (formerly HourstilAutumn) told me “It was a great honour to get to work with Neil and the guys down there as they have a great reputation for working with signed and unsigned alternative rock acts.”

You can download the new Fighting Tyler single from iTunes and Amazon, or listen via Facebook and Spotify.

And if you missed Wednesday night’s gig they are back at the Talking Heads on the 24th November.

First published in the Southern Daily Echo, 21st October 2011

http://fightingtyler.com/

@FightingTyler

When a venue changes its name some people find it very hard to use the new moniker.

For example tonight there is an Oxjam event in Guava tonight.

“Where?” you might ask. Well, it used to be Hamptons and is now something fruitier.

I don’t know how long it took to pick that name but I do know that when it comes to a band’s some spend ages trying to think of something special.

So which of these band names grab you enough to see them in Guava tonight without listening to them first?

How about ‘Silver Spirts’ – its their debut! Following them is ‘Antigerone’ – started gigging in January with their punchy post-rock.

After them Wolfe – dual vocals over electronic beats who, according to PopFactory, are “arguably the most underrated local act around.”

And finally the headliners whose changed their name about a year ago:

“I had wanted to call our album ‘Maths and the Moon’,” frontman Andy Fielder explained. “Then Luke suggested we call the band ‘Maths and the Moon‘ instead. We all instantly agreed.”

They’ve also changed musical direction. Before it was high tempo: now it is more thoughtful.

“I guess it was time to write about what happens after the party,” is Andy’s philosophical response to the obvious question.

Musically they are trying something different, something almost conceptual. So maybe it is better to arrive incognito, rather than bringing your memories of their previous incarnation to the stage.

It’s a tale of two cities; a tale of two bands and might leave you wondering: “What the Dickens is going on in the world of music!”

However its all good news and we’ll start with a wedding.

Birdpen front man Dave Pen (right) married his sweetheart Nicola last Friday and a joyous occasion it was.

His best man was Mike Bird the “other half” of that fine Southampton duo.

At the reception I was reliably informed that if the ceremony had been held in France, Dave’s European fans would have been scaling the walls.

Pour quoi?

Dave is also in Archive, an avant-garde British collective, who on Sunday are headlining the last night of “Rock en Seine” in Paris.

With ‘Foo Fighters’ topping the bill on Friday and ‘Arctic Monkeys’ Saturday, you can appreciate the heights Archive have reached.

Side of stage will be Mike Bird. He’s also Archive’s guitar and keyboard tech and, as he points out, “It’s a billing the band will undoubtedly feel the pressure to step up to. The fact they are playing with a 32 piece orchestra will make the show quite a spectacle!”

He’ tech’d from Fleet Foxes to Sophie Ellis-Bextor which means: “I am always surrounded by music and meeting like minded people.”

These experiences are rubbing off on Birdpen and naturally opening bigger doors on the continent.

With a second album written and waiting to be recorded all they need is a British backer to line their nest.

First published in the Southern Daily Echo, 26th August 2011