We have embarked in collecting together our favourite 100 tracks of 2012 so far - and we reckon the collection is sounding pretty damn good. Taking in the success of big name artists such as Maccabees, Jack White, Hot Chip, Lana Del Rey and many more and mixing in smaller stars including Twin Shadow, Chew Lips, Penguin Prison, Toy and many more, we reckon this makes for a pretty good playlist.

A mix of pop and rock, dance and indie, hip-hop and r&b, check out Gigwise's favourite 100 tracks of 2012 below...

Gigwise: So, 2:54 are named after a specific moment in ‘A History Of Bad Men’ by The Melvins - which moment on your album could inspire a new band to form?

Hannah: Ooh, that’s a tough question. I love all the songs equally so it’s be tough to pinpoint one exact moment. Each song on the album has a different flavour but maybe a song like ‘Sugar’, that definitely kicks in and you can feel it.

Aside from the Melvins, which other bands were key to the forming of 2:54?

We grew up listening to a lot of heavy guitar music so everything from The Deftones and Metallica as well as groups like Mastodon. We like experimenting with sounds and not getting too heavy but exploring different ways to get that across.

You have toured with the likes of The xx, The Maccabees and the Big Pink. Which one of them throws the best after party?

We were so lucky to be on those tours and it was such a great experience, they’re all so supportive. All equally as fun to have a drink with!

How does it feel now that your debut album is out in the world?

Well we definitely took our time with it and waited to put it out but it definitely felt like the right time to release the album. We’re so happy to have it out there for people to listen to.



There’s a big grunge and 1990’s influence on the 2:54 album. We were wondering, who between you and your sister is the most prone to a Courtney Love-style bout of crazy?

Haha, I’m not sure either of us are that bad. I don’t really see us like that, it’s just me and Collette.

You mentioned the heavy-metal influence on your music and it’s certainly evident on some songs. Have you spotted any mosh-pits at your gigs yet?

I would love it if that started to happen, I’d love to see that happening from the stage. I spent so much of my youth at rock gigs and got a few bruises along the way. When you’re younger and you really love a band you just go for it, don’t you?

Speaking of the 90’s, if we could theoretically get one of the following pop culture icons of the time to appear in the next 2:54 video, who would you choose?

a) Jordan Catalano and Angela Chase (My So Called Life)
b) Beavis + Butthead
c) Wayne and Garth (Wayne’s World)
d) Clarissa (Clarissa Explains It All)

I was a big fan of Clarissa Explains It All when I was younger but also My So Called Life so that’s a tough decision. Maybe we can get them all involved, that would be a pretty dreamy flashback!

Finally, what does the rest of 2012 hold for 2:54?

We’re heading to America to play a load of shows over there which is very exciting and then back to the UK for festival season. We’re playing Bestival, Beacons, Reading and Leeds - loads. I can’t wait for Reading, At The Drive In and Mastodon are both playing and I’m really looking forward to seeing them both on the same day.

2:54's self-titled debut album is out now via Fiction.

At the start of their heavy line-up of festivals and tours, we caught up with a very fragile Nikki Shapiro to talk to him about their inspirations, if they would ever alter their originality, how they made the change from colleagues to friends and his best and worst festival experiences…

Gigwise: How are you feeling?

Nikki: Erm, Are you on loud speaker?

No

I can hear you in my ear. I’m not feeling so well. Yeh we played Primavera last night and yeh we didn’t get much sleep.

Oh is it cool to ask you a few questions, up for it?

Yeh

Ok, so it’s almost time for you album to be released, are you all pleased with it?

Errr, pleased with it… er yes I am but I want to move on to the next thing, it feels good to be finished.

There were rumours that Samantha wasn’t quite happy with it, how true is that?

Erm I don’t know, feelings change from day to day.

Are you happy with the album? Are there any changes you would make if you could?

Erm, no changes.

You’re becoming more and more recognised, would mainstream success be you ultimate goal?

Er, no.

How do you see the future for the band?

It would be cool to get some sleep in the future, yeh that’s our aim for the future.

Would you ever alter you image for success?

Alter you image for success…….if I ever do please shoot me.

What are your inspirations for the video for your new single ‘Mind Control?

Er, well old movies, and the eighties those are kind of campy. That’s what we wanted and that’s what we were shooting for. Nothing else, I don’t watch television, it’s terrible.

You are playing and played a range of festivals including Primavera last night and Field Day, what has been best festival experience?

Erm, probably yesterday.

What happened?

Just had a really good time, with people, beside the water.

Did you see any other bands you wanted to see?

I, I kinda just erm listened to the music. I saw Chairlift the night before, that was nice.

So what has your worst festival experience been?

Erm, not sleeping and having to interviews the next day.

I’m sorry.

No, no it’s my fault.

So the band all originally worked together in a vegan restaurant, how was the crossover from colleagues to ‘Friends’?

I feel that we kept the same dynamic that we already had. The only thing that has changed is that we can’t relax at the end of a shift and we can’t go home anymore.

Are there any arguments?

Nah, not really.

How do you feel about the food on the road?

Yeh, it’s really hard. The amount of junk food, all these venues have this snack food, junk food and alcohol. This is not good.

So what are you hoping to achieve by the end of 2012?

Ermmm, I guess finish our shows and then relax, put our feet up and take a few months off before 2013 and re-evaluate who we are.

So where do you see Friends in five year’s time, what are your aspirations?

I want to be rolling in a ball of fire, I don’t know.

Is there anything you would like to add?

Yeh, who is this interview for again?

Gigwise

Oh, yeh you don’t have to write this.

Friends debut album 'Manifest!' is out now.

Most people don't know the band Beach Fossils, the New York lo-fi band who released their debut album in 2011, so it's even more unlikely that anyone was desperate to hear a Beach Fossils side project yet here we are, listening to DIIV and thanking God that we did. Formed by Z. Cole Smith, who previously plied his trade in Beach Fossils, DIIV are a mixture of Cure-esque indie with a keen ear for psychedelia and grunge, combining all these sounds into something which is at once familiar yet curiously unique.

The band's debut album 'Oshin', released later this month via the ever brilliant Captured Tracks, is the result of Smith holing himself up in a studio that didn't even have running water during last Summer and just recording and writing until something great came along. And that it did, with an album inspired by influences as disparate as Lucinda Williams, Arthur Russell, Faust, Nirvana, and Jandek all feeding into the scuzzy squall of songs such as 'Doused' and 'Past Lives'.

Listen: DIIV - 'Doused'

In fact, DIIV have shown their love for Nirvana with a fantastic cover of the lost Kurt Cobain song 'Bambi Slaughter' which you can hear here.

Like much of what DIIV do, it is not perfct but boasts a scuzzy charm and one immeasurably aided by existing in the world. Years previously Z. Cole Smith would have recorded this album and maybe played it to his friends one evening. Now, we're streaming it, chatting to anyone who will listen about the band and getting excited to see the band live. A pretty sweet progression we think you'll agree.

DIIV are in the UK this June, with tour dates available below. 'Oshin' is released on June 26th.

August
19 London Radfest
20 London Shacklewell Arms

We spoke to lead singer Paul Smith about his feelings on being in a band in Britian in 2012 and all the issues that have informed 'The National Health'.

How does it feel to be coming back with the fourth Maximo Park album?
Paul Smith: It feels good. A lot of bands don’t make it this far and we feel galvanised by making an album that we’re excited by. We took an extra year with this one and that album has benefited from it. You don’t want to feel like you’re going through the motions.

Is it harder to write a fourth album than it is to write your first one?
You can look at it two ways really. Having made three albums, in theory, you should be good at making albums. It’s harder for us to be in the same room these days though as Maximo Park have moved apart in terms of where we live. In the early days Tom (English, drums) and Duncan (Lloyd, guitar) lived together and I’d get the bus there to rehearse in a little room between the bathroom and the hallway. That has slowed us down a bit and put pressure on to perform when we’re together when it was not like that before. That extra effort has paid off though with that I think sounds like a fairly effortless album.

Would you describe ‘The National Health’ as a political album?
That’s a loaded question but I’d say there are definitely elements of the album that display my political leanings, however, a lot of the lyrics also deal with my own personal politics. How you treat someone in the street can often indicate which way you might vote and whether you call yourself a liberal character. A lot of the record is about taking control of your own life and saying 'let’s work together and pull through these troubled times'.

As an artist do you worry about the current government’s attitude towards creative industries?
You only have to look at the cabinet to see that. the language that comes from the government is very dangerous. Look at what David Cameron said about British film makers needing to make more commercially geared films in order to secure government funding. The thing is, film making is an art form, did nobody tell him that? Shouldn't that be obvious to an intelligent, educated man? I have nothing against the man's background but I find statements like that antithetical to my way of thinking.

You end up feeling marginalised. Obviously, a lot of arts stuff is not seen as important as getting the country back on track economically but if we live in a country without brave pop music and films then we'll be in a society that is poorer and squeezed in the most fundamental way. Without art I think society is impoverished.

With that in mind does it surprise you that more bands are not making their frustration known through their music?
Not really because the easiest thing is to say nothing. The guy in the corner looking cool in his shades is playing a good game really. Our music has always been emotionally driven, not in an emo way, but just being honest and quite funny. I think we’ve always felt that, if nothing else, we’ll always be honest and sing about the things that matter to us. If that doesn’t leave us in the cool bracket then fine, things like that always come in and out. A lot of people are just trying to sell records. We all want to survive but I feel some musicians take the lowest common denominator approach.

You would expect to hear more protest in alternative music at the moment though, wouldn’t you?
It’s very difficult to balance statements about the world with making good music. A lot of political music is plain boring, just too dry and statistical. Being told how to feel is the worst thing of all, everyone has their own mind to make up. ‘The National Health’ doesn’t do that, it asks a lot of questions and is a modern record that speaks of the time that we live in at the moment.

What does ‘The National Health’ say about Maximo Park as a band in 2012?
We made three records that were very much linked together and each with their own distinct flavour. Our first album (A Certain Trigger, 2005) was very spiky and pop whereas the second album (Our Earthly Pleasures, 2007) saw us extend ourselves and become heavier and then the third one (Quicken The Heart, 2009) was made quite quickly and stripped back with more of a groove to it. After making three records with three different producers we wanted a break and decide what to do next. One of the questions we asked ourselves was ‘What is it about Maximo Park that is different, why is it special when we’re together making music?’ and one of the things that came out is that we’re a pop band. We love hooks and always described our style as ‘popular music that isn’t popular yet’ so we wanted to make a sort of hyper version of what we’ve done before. It’s certainly our most diverse album to date but it has the emotional, melodic sensibility that is Maximo Park.

We love the obsessive fan that stars in the video for ‘Hips and Lips’ Can you tell us where the idea came from and if you have had any experience of that kind of thing in real life?
From day to day there are always strange elements to people adulation. We wanted to do something humorous because it seemed like a lot of our videos were more serious than we intended. It couldn’t be all out funny though as it’s quite a serious song. We heard that Thomas Turgoose from This Is England is a fan of our music and we approached him to make an appearance. He explained that he can’t dance but we explained that he is going to be a crazy fan and he was really up for it. It has a dark edge to it with an element of Alan Partridge in there too.

Yes, it reminded us of that great episode of Alan Partridge with his stalker Ged.
Haha, yes. “You’re scaring me now Ged.”

Alongside yourselves, 2012 will also see the return of Bloc Party, Franz Ferdinand, The Futureheads and more. Did you all meet up to arrange this or something?
Sadly no, I don’t have anyone else’s phone number. It’s nice but it’s pure coincidence unfortunately. I think all of those bands, and ourselves, could have released stuff last year but it shows our level of perfectionism that we’ve all kept at it and tried to make things as good as they can. We’ve all got a sense of purpose and determination.

Maximo Park's The National Health is released on June 11th.

"Ahead of the book's release, and a summer packed with Roses-related excitement, we have a extract from the book, recalling the band's early days and their first ever show in London. Read the extract below.

The band was so determined to impress at their debut gig they even rehearsed stage moves. ‘We were all young, energetic lads so we’d enjoy ourselves,’ said Couzens. ‘Leading up to London we were all excited.’

The Roses were an instant hit in London. They soundchecked by playing ‘Open My Eyes’, and on the strength of that Caroline Reed offered to manage them. There was also a surprise guest that night: The Who’s Pete Townshend. He was equally impressed. ‘We didn’t know when we set out to do our first gig that we were going to be supporting Pete Townshend,’ said Garner. ‘That was pretty surreal. I believe the previous gig Townshend had done was some massive stadium on The Who’s farewell tour.’

‘We came off stage and Townshend was, like, You look really good up on stage and your drummer’s great,’ said Brown. ‘Then he said, as an end of the night thing, I want to play a couple of tunes, and he asked Reni, Do you want to do it? Reni’s like, Yeah! He ended up playing three or four The Who tunes with Townshend.’

‘One of them Reni didn’t know,’ said Garner. ‘I was on the side of the stage and Reni mouthed to me, How does it go? . . . What an experience. But I was thinking, Shit, man, our secret weapon is out of the bag. My worst fear had come true. Reni was going to get poached – oh fuck, he’s going to join The Who now. First gig and we’ve lost him.’

Squire shared the same fear. ‘We were told he’d said he really wanted to use Reni on his next LP. We were like, Shit, Reni’s going to leave. Townshend’s nicking Reni.’

‘At that time Reni was awe-inspiring,’ said Couzens. ‘To play with him made us sound phenomenal; he was just this force. Just to watch him play was inspirational. That’s what got Pete Townshend that night. He was inspired by what he’d seen.’

‘We were buzzing on the way back to Manchester,’ said Garner. ‘Can you imagine? We came back thinking, Fucking hell, we’ve made it.’"

Extract taken from The Stone Roses: War and Peace by Simon Spence, published by Viking on 7 th June, £20.

Whether headlining Glastonbury or flogging your new single at 6am on GM:TV, the live TV performance is part of the music world. And some of the world's biggest stars of rock and pop have fallen foul in front of the cameras. Praise be to YouTube.

So, from astoundingly bad gig performances by the likes of Oasis and Franz Ferdinand to tuneless warbling from pop stars such as Girls Aloud and Katy Perry, check out some of most amazingly dreadful performances of all time...

As frontman and general brain behind Glass Animals, Bayley has created one of the most affecting and intriguing debut releases of the year so far in the shape of the 'Leaflings EP' which combines a mixture of The xx's late-night tales with a dash of Wild Beasts dashing eccentricity and the soul lifting swell of Four Tet.

Bayley is said to draw influence from his involvement in the world of medicine and neuroscience and there is clearly intelligence and thought behind every last beat and melody created by Glass Animals. Take a listen to 'Cocoa Hooves' below to sample just what it is the band are all about. Sounding great through a big soundsystem, there are yet more intricacies to discover when sampled alone via headphones.



Released through the burgeoning Kaya Kaya Records, Glass Animals will be performing live in London on June 19th at Dalston venue Birthdays. As well as one of the first live performances by Glass Animals, there will be also be a DJ set from Rough Trade’s very own ‘Record Store Guy’ Sean Forbes - who you may just know from the internet.

Glass Animals links

Soundcloud
Tumblr
Facebook

Any regrets at working so hard on something and then giving it away for free?
James: No. If you come to our shows after listening to it for free, we get something out of it.

Is mainstream success something you crave?
Tigs: I suppose I would like as many people to like it and to get it.
James: I think we would like to be successful if we don’t have to change anything, I think if we could be successful without doing that, then yes.
Tigs: It’s the essence of selling out, isn’t it! Changing who you are, to please others.

If a major pop producer was to call you up to guest on their album, would you be willing to collaborate and alter your sound?
Tigs: It totally depends on the collaboration.
James: We’ve done a few things recently.
Tigs: If we bring our thing to the table, it’s not changing who we are. I think you have to have some sense of what you are, who you are and what you’re doing and the music that you’re into. The whole thing about credibility and being true to yourself, when you look at someone and there are not being themselves, nobody believes in it. I saw a band live the other day and they were just so affected. They are a credible band and really wanted to see them live. It was obviously not who he was...

Which band was that?
Tigs: Haha I can’t tell you that. It just not real life, like in between songs his was like, ‘I’m from New York, I’m from Brooklyn and I’m totally happy to be here’, it’s very unnatural.
James: Are people from Brooklyn not usually happy to be there?
Tigs: No, shut up! There was just something that felt very contrived. I just think people can see, and when they can see it, it puts them off somehow.
James: Yeah we want to be 100% ourselves all the time. Sometimes you’re in a video, which may not be 100% you, but that’s for a video, it’s a heightened version of you.
Tigs: As long as we like the music, we have quite a broad type of music that we like, its eclectic. As long as we like it, it wouldn’t feel like selling out.

You have a lot of festival followers. Are they important to you?
Tigs: yeah, they’re wicked.
James: Festivals are great!
Tigs: It’s a weird opportunity at a festival. You never quite know what the chemistry of the audience will be. It can be so magic sometimes.
James: It’s like Camden Crawl, where people have chosen to come. We played at Great Escape the other day. At the same time as us it was like Grimes and loads of amazing stuff that I would have chosen rather than us but people still turned up and we appreciate it a lot when people have chosen to come see us. Festivals are good because you don’t have to sound check as well, which saves loads of boredom.

What’s your best experience at a festival?
James: I was ejected out of Madness’ dressing room; I was telling Suggs that he let himself down my doing the fish finger advert! I got carried out by these huge men. That was my proudest festival moment!
Tigs: What else, you missed the plane and had to buy new ones to get to Jersey live and then get a £200 taxi ride across London. We still made the festival and that show was great!
James: It’s just electric picnic, I get too drunk. I don’t get that pissed anywhere else! I’ve stopped a cab to be sick. The cab driver was trying to quiz me about being in a band. He asked ‘so what’s the best way to get into the music industry?’ and I was like ‘sorry mate I’m just going to be sick!’ and he stopped the car.
Tigs: Not all of our festival stories are drunk.
James: Playing wise they have been good.
Tigs: Jersey Live was good. I was having this conversation yesterday, there’s something strange that happens to you, when you’re at the end of your tether, totally knackered and been up for days.
James: Tigs once used a hell of a lot of inappropriate language to a 4 o’clock family audience.
Tigs: I was literally the Paul Danan of that day.
James: You said f**k 13 times
Tigs: I think it was eight times but one of them was 'mother f***er'. 4pm in Hyde Park with 20 thousand people, I was absolutely hammered and hadn’t slept the night before and Michael Jackson died. I was very upset about that.
James: I still miss Michael. We’ve made our experiences sound terrible...

What are your goals for 2012?
Tigs: It depends, because at the moment our album is scheduled for September but I think it’s going to go back.
James: I think I would like to achieve an album coming out by the end of the year.
Tigs: I’d like it to chart and maybe have a load of money!
James: I want it to be played in the café on Eastenders, I don’t watch Eastenders but I do want that. Oh, can we be in the Queen Vic?
Tigs: We’d never get played in there, who would put us on? I think that is how you know. I’d like a room where I can dive in my money - like Scrooge McDuck in duck tails did into a pile of money, but that would hurt so much!
James: Paper cuts. Chocolate coins
Tigs: Yeah, messy.

Thank you very much, Tig and James of Chew Lips. 'Do You Chew' is released on 11 June, 2012.

Hello Travis Clark of We The Kings. Is the sun shining where you are?
It is. I'm in Florida right now. I went to the beach yesterday, and now i'm putting on more suntan lotion so I don't get even more burned and later i'm going to a place called Bush Gardens which is a theme park, and it's pretty amazing.

What are the key facts people need to know about We The Kings?
One of the most important things is that we are always touring. A lot of people find a band they like and they never get to see because they never tour or they never travel. One thing I love about our band is that we're constantly on tour. We play over 350 shows a year and it's not only in the states. We've been to 28 different countries. People can enjoy our band, they can like our band and know that sooner or later they will be able to see us live.

Where is there still left that you want to play?
We haven't been to Africa yet. I really want to go to Johannasberg or somewhere like that. Ever since the world cup was there, i've fallen in love with the place.

You recently toured the UK with Simple Plan. How was that?
It was incredible. That was our first time back in the UK in over a year and a half. It was good to be back and see all our friends and our fans. It was one of those things that, when we do these support tours we only get to play a certain length of time, so with Simple Plan we only got to perform for 35-40 minutes depending where we were and some of the fans were kinded bummed because we couldn't play all the songs they wanted to hear. It was a tough situation for us because it wasn't our tour and there's only so much we can do. We really want to be able to come back and do our own headline tour over there as soon as possible.

Touring as a support band can be tough. Have you had any particularly tricky experiences in a support slot?
We did Soundwave in Australia, and it's a big festival tour, and Iron Maiden were one of the headliners and we had a really great time slot. Problem was, where we were playing was on the way to the stage to see Iron Maiden, so people going to see Iron Maiden were passing our stage - all these metal-heads and they stopped and got unruly. Luckily there were enough We The Kings fans that they outnumbered all of the Iron Maiden fans. That could have turned out really bad, but luckily we prevailed.

Do you have any 'in case of emergency' tracks for situations like that?
Sometimes, even when we play in the states, if we play at a college or university where many people aren't really into the music, we'll pull out a cover. We've been known to cover Jimmy Eat World 'The Middle', no matter what kind of music you like, it's a song that everyone can enjoy. A lot of the time we like to bring out that song.

Your single 'Say You Like Me' has a reggae vibe (good for the summer), but rock has traditionally not played well with other genres of music. Do you think things are starting to change?
I think so. You look at some of the biggest artists outside of the rock world and you have Lil' Wayne, who's one of the biggest hip-hop artists, and even he started a rock group. You have Shaun White, the professional snowboarder, who I always get mistaken as, and he has started a rock band, all these people are coming together to start making music that has guitars in it. I think a lot of it is becuase people are so sick of the songs they are hearing on the radio, the non-stop dance music and all that stuff.

So are you a believer that rock is due to make a comeback?
When you look at the past five years of music, ever since American Idol started you have this new crop of pop music, of artists who don't write their songs. But now you have bands like Train scoring huge hits, or Fun. getting a No.1 single, all this music that has guitars, and has real music behind it, so I think people are starting to get sick of everything sounding the same in everything and being written by the same person and just given to different artists. It's a good thing for a band like us who work our asses off to try to stay relevant so people continue to listen to our music so we can continue to be a band and continue to travel. Hopefully the same goes for the rest of the world. I know the radio fatigue in the states is at an all time high and hopefully it is the same in the UK as well. It's really good business for bands like us who want to tour and want to get into the radio world of things.

Is there a whole new wave of rock bands in the US poised and waiting for the bubble to burst in the US so they can take over?
There are almost an overload of those bands at the moment! When Death Cab For Cutie, Brand New and Taking Back Sunday were really popular, everyone started an indie band, and now there's hundreds and hundreds of them throughout the US and the bands that actually make it are the ones that can stay around long enough to see themselves make it. For example, The Black Keys. A lot of people think 'Camino' was their first record but that's their sixth or seventh record, they've been around forever. Kings of Leon are another great example. These bands have been so persistant and developed a fanbase even if they haven't had the radio success. I think there are a tonne of bands just like that, who are just waiting for that one special song to take them to the next level and ultimately that's what a band like us is doing too.

We're doing really well in the states but in the UK we're just starting to grow and just starting to become a real band but we're waiting for that one song. 'Check Yes Juliet' did really well in the UK, and maybe 'Say You Like Me' will do it and once people check us out they'll find out that we've been around for a while, and we're not just an overnight success or a one-hit wonder. That's what makes a band a real band - it's one that can have more than one single. We're not one that's been around for just a couple of months and they let the fame go to their heads and now they're egotistical and their band broke up. It happens so much that it makes it easy for bands like us, who really aren't that way, to prosper and continue staying in the band.

Watch 'Say You Like Me'

Do you think a lot of bands are unprepared for the amount of work it takes to make a success of themselves?
I can't pretend that I didn't get into music thinking it was a huge party. When we started working I was doing interviews for 4-5 hours a day, then I would do a meet and greet, then I would do a soundcheck, then I would play a show, then i'd do another meet and greet or have to be at a radio station first thing the next morning. There is still a tonne of fun and a tonne of things that happen to you as a band, but a lot of people ignore how much work it takes to get to this point and when you get to this point, there's even more work.

When there was 'a rock star', when that existed, there was so much money in the music industry. Before, people would get signed to a record deal and each member would earn $2million just from the deal, and now, you're getting signed to 360 deals and there's no money being put out. When there was a rock star, i'm sure they worked hard when it came to recording but if they wanted a hot coffee, they could send someone to get it - and that's the difference between now and just five years ago. There was so much more money in the music industry then that there is today and unfortunately it looks like in another five years, there's going to be even less money.

You look at sports stars - they are the new rock stars, they're the ones who are sitting on the bench making millions and millions of dollars. It's crazy. You see footballers, baseballers and basketball stars in the US who will say no to contract that's $10million dollars. I wish that's how it was in the music world because music is just as relevant if not more so. It's just not that way.

So if there's no money in music, what's the ultimate reward?
My dad gave me the best advice ever since I started making music. He told me to figure out whatever my idea was success and strive to get that, because when you get to the real world and you find out that your idea of success doesn't exist, you're going to be disappointed. All I wanted to do was this project, We The Kings. I just want to be able to tour the world and play music. Money will come and go but ultimately the only thing I want is to be able to tour the world and visit our fans who have supported us for so long and that only takes a little bit of money to do. If money comes, that's amazing, that's incredible, but if not then i'm OK. A lot of people's idea of success is fame and money and when they don't get it, they feel like they failed. That's never been how it was for me or for the band. I think that's one of the reaons our band has been able to stick around for so long.

Thank you very much, Travis from We The Kings. 'Say You Like Me' is out now.

Watch Kasabian Live! Live At The O2 trailer

What's the best performance from another band that you've ever seen?
Probably the Bootleg Beatles - honestly no sh*t, they are amazing. They're like the real thing. I was blown away by them, they were outstanding. It's like actually seeing John Lennon, Paul, Ringo and George. It's got to be them.

You've spoken recently about reinventing the band's sound. How far would you go with a reinvention?
We're always trying to reinvent ourselves and trying to push it as far as we can as a band. The last record we made, we had a load of pop songs on there, we'd never really touched on that before. On the first album it was proper underground electro record and 'Empire' was a pure rock record. We just made simple songs really. We're always trying to push the boundaries or come up with something new. The next album might just be nine songs with no guitars and electronic drums. Imagine that. We'll be experimenting, that's for sure. It depends on your band as to how far you push things, what you do, what you listen to, what you think. We'll always keep on going forwards.

What steps have been made towards the next Kasabian album?
Sergio is always writing. He's a workaholic. He never stops. He's the leader. I definitely know he's got loads of songs written for the next album. I've heard a few glimpses of tracks, but nothing full. I reckon he's got 8-10 tracks written. It's a bit early for him to show me though.

8-10 songs? That's an album right there.
He might have 30, that's just how it is.

You've also spoken about still wanting to crack America. What do you think it says about music that artists like The Wanted or One Direction have succeeded so easily?
It's frustrating but that's just the way it is. We're a rock band and we get by on playing live and that's how we get our kicks. We go into the studio, experiment on a record, and then go out and play it. That's how we thrive. Playing live is our religion, it's what we live for. Of course it's frustrating when you see five little d*cks like that take over America, it's horrific but you've just got to get on with it, but they're a boyband for God's sake and there will always be room for boybands and that is the way it will always be. We went to America and it was a harsh f**king tour we did. We did nearly eight weeks out there and it was f**king gruelling. It was the hardest we've ever been pushed. We did well, we won the war on terror on that one. We've got to keep going back and back. Most gigs were brilliant, we had a lot of people in. Middle America is so big. It was emotional and tiring - but it was a great tour.

We imagine One Direction's experience would have been a lot different to yours.
Of course. They're kids. Let them eat the candy.

A lot of bands are struggling in today's pop-orientated market. Do you think Kasabian would have struggled to make it big if you were starting today?
Probably. We weren't meant to be starting now though, it's a timeline thing. We were meant to be around, and still be around now. There are a lot of amazing bands coming out now thought but it is so difficult. You have to be able to sell records to establish yourself so it's a weird one. It's not like the nineties. How do you sell records these days? Rock and roll is resting in peace at the moment. I will definitely come around again, but this is what happens. Record companies go bust, bands go bust, people don't buy albums. Back in the nineties, we probably sold ninety million albums because everyone bought an album. I dunno man, that's just the way it is. We were signed in 2002 when all the garage bands were coming through, bands like Franz Ferdinand, Keane, Razorlight and The Libertines and we were the crop of that. That was the crop of rock and roll in Britain.

You've been headlining festivals for several years. Who do you think are your successors?
Bloody hell. I got the Alabama Shakes record, that's a great record. A good soul album. But apart from that, I don't really know. I'd like to see the Horrors headline. They're great.

Without Glastonbury on the festival scene this year, what would you say was this summer's must-see festival?
Reading and Leeds. It's dirtier than the rest of the festivals. It's more urban, a bit more grimy than the rest of the festivals. It's not so polished.

Thank you very much, Tom from Kasabian.

Altive Media and Eagle Rock Entertainment Present Kasabian Live! Live At The 02 at selected cinemas nationwide for one night only, Wednesday 30th May 2012. For screening times and tickets, visit http://www.altivemedia.com/kasabian

You're very open about how much you like good looking men. Should women be more open about men they fancy?
Aino: I think we are very frustrated because the only thing we make love to right now is music. We've been working so hard that when we notice someone gorgeous we can't help but react. We don't meet these people we're just like...
Both: WHOAH!
Caroline: Sometimes we just do it for ourselves. I can be very shy if I have to go and talk to someone but it depends. It's good to tell someone you like them. If you think someone looks good, go and tell them. I'm sure they would be very happy to hear it.
Aino: I've only done that once. He was really glad to hear it, but then I was happy after that. I felt there had been a stone in my heart. I just went up to him and said: 'I just have to say you're really cute'. And then I ran away.
Caroline: Yeah, but you did it and that's the important thing. Otherwise you'll just go home and think that you should have.
Aino: I would be so happy if someone said that to me. When we're together we're popular.
Caroline: But when we're on our own we're just really scared.

On your travels, where have you found the most attractive men?
Aino: I like London because there are people from everywhere and a lot of different people with a lot of different styles, different colours - a lot of every kind of man. And New York. And French people - I love the accent 'when zey talk like ziss'.
Caroline: I'm melting. Totally.

How has your material changed since moving from Sweden to London?
Caroline: Not that much actually. It has changed, but not because we moved to London. We've been DJing a lot and play a lot of hard music.
Aino: When we DJ in Sweden it's difficult to find places where you can play hard music. I remember the first DJ set we played in London we brought the hardest music we had - and it was still too soft.
Caroline: We love hard electro music and even listen to some techno and house music. Maybe three years ago we didn't do that, and now we're getting into that scene - and maybe you can hear that a bit more in our music. There's definitely more bass in our tracks - and we like that.

What's your favourite thing about living in London?
Aino: We love the beer.
Caroline: We love the pub culture, we love that you can just go and have a beer anywhere. You can have a beer on the street if you want to do that. The main thing is the music scene, but pop is very good in Sweden. We always try to tell our friends what we're listening to in the UK.

Do you have any festival shows lined up?
Aino: We are doing a lot of festivals across Scandinavia and Europe but none in the UK. We went to Glastonbury last year, and had so much fun. We saw a lot of good bands.  We were supposed to DJ there. We were meant to open the entire festival but something happened.
Caroline: The stage had security problems and with the speakers. We waited for three hours only to be told: 'I'm sorry girls, but you're not going to be able to play'. We were like 'Are you f**king kidding?' because we'd come all the way from Sweden. He said we could play next year.
Aino: But then they took a year off!
Caroline: So maybe next year.

How do you cope with the mud and the filth?
Aino: We are old festival people so it takes one day and then you're used to it. Glastonbury was really bad, it was pouring with rain for the first two days. Once you're in it and haven't showered for a week, you just don't care. That's the best feeling. That's why I want to go to festivals - so I can be a pig. Everybody just wants to have fun. Still, it was a very clean festival compared to Swedish ones. In Sweden you can see puke all over the floor, people pooing outside. It's terrible. But I love it clean.
Caroline: The Swedish are like vikings. And they drink too much beer.
Aino: They only drink on Friday and Saturday. They don't go for one beer in the week.

What's next after 'I Love It'?
Caroline: We're going to release our album after the summer, so that's exciting. And we'll have another single before that.
Aino: We don't know what that will be yet but we have a lot favourites, we love one we made with Style Of Eye called 'Rocket Science'. It's a bit slow, but that's a good thing.

Thank you very much, Icona Pop. 'I Love It' is released 'summer' 2012.

Azealia Banks - Jumanji

With 'Jumanji' Azealia reminds us that away from the management changes and Twitter wars she is also a pretty great rapper. Backed by a suitably huge beat courtesy of Hudson Mohawke, Banks runs the track with the same swagger and style that got us all so excited just a few months ago. Now is the time for her to pull focus back on to the music and push things forward.



Gold Panda - Mountain

Gold Panda launched his new record label Notown with the release of his first new music since his stunning debut album. 'Mountain' is a typically fresh and inventive slice of brilliance from one of the best producers around.

Health - Tears

Health returned this week with the first taste of their upcoming Max Payne 3 video game soundtrack. Proof, if ever it was needed, that gaming has come a long, long way from the bleeps and blips of Tetris - this sounds terrifying.

Yeasayer - Henrietta

You can see what Yeasayer were thinking in sending a CD to each member of their fanclub featuring this new song. This being 2012 however, the song ended up online within hours and we got our first glimpse of what the follow up to 2009's 'Odd Blood' is set to sound like. In a word? Funky.

Summer Camp - Life

Summer Camp's charming pop romance is given a Moroder style disco makeover in this first song from the duos forthcoming EP. Standing beneath the disco ball suits Elizabeth and Jeremy, sparkling as they do over one of their best songs to date.

Fun feat. Hayley Williams - Somebody That I Used To Know

Someone get Hayley Williams a medal. Not only did she have to endure a chat with Fearne Cotton on Radio 1 this week, she did it at 3am in LA with no music of her own to promote. The Paramore frontwoman helped out her pals in Fun. as they took part in the Live Lounge, sending her vocals on this Gotye cover across the Atlantic to the band in London.

Julio Bashmore - Au Seve

Radio 1 DJ, producer extraordinaire and now record label boss - Julio Bashmore is certainly a busy man. He's makes multi-tasking sound easy though as this huge new tunes goes to prove.

Blawan - Why They Hide Their Bodies Under My Garage

With new music coming this week from Julio Bashmore (see above) as well as Pariah, Fantastic Mr Fox and this absolute monster from Blawan we think the gods are smiling on the pasty faced bedroom producers of the world.

Childish Gambino feat. Scoolboy Q - Unnecessary

Childish Gambino went on an epic Twitter rant this week, addressing his haters and outlining why he does what he does. Much more interesting, however, was this track with the superlative Schoolboy Q released earlier in the week. Heads up Donald, let the music do the talking.

Donna Summer - Love To You Love You Baby

This week we lost a legend, RIP.

Fast forward a couple of years and Aiden Grimshaw is premiering his debut single 'Is This Love' to huge critical acclaim (and surprise). An unexpectedly brilliant indie-pop track, mixing drum'n'bass influences with a touch of trip-hop, his debut album is similarly packed with excellent tracks which prove that credibility is not out of the question for a reality TV contestant. Ahead of the release of 'Is This Love', we spoke to Aiden Grimshaw about his time on X Factor, appealing to a credible audience, why he keeps his face hidden from fans and how he ruined Christmas for an entire shopping centre...

Hello there Aiden Grimshaw. How has it felt to get such a positive reaction to your music?
It's been good. I suppose you try not to follow it too much, so I just take everything as it comes, especially having been on the X Factor you know that as quickly as you can rise you can fall again. I'm enjoying it. I was nervous at first - I felt like a dad who had a schoolgirl who was just about to start secondary school and over the summer she'd just grown massive boobs, and you're not sure you want to let it go. But it's been good. I don't think we could have asked for any more.

Do you think you've taken people by surprise with your music?
I think so - I hope so. I think the stereotype is that I was on X Factor, didn't come in the top three, people have forgotten me a little bit, then they hear this song and I reckon at least 50% of radios would be turned off, with people saying 'screw this'. At the time I had written loads of songs that I thought were really good but i'd go home and show my friends and i'd be cringing at the bit that was coming up that sounded a bit crap or whatever but with this I feel like everything is cool.

Who's idea was it to get the 'diva' in on 'Curtain Call'?
When I wrote it, it was just me on a distorted mic and I had to do mental things to be able to hit that note. My producer went to see Wretch 32 and she was his backing singer. He called me up at the end of the gig saying, 'I've found her man, i've found her, we've gotta get this girl!' She came down to the studio and smashed it - which is pretty good.

Who is she?
She's actually Labrinth's sister, ShezAr. We found her at a gig smashing it. I think they've got a pretty huge, talented family.

What of your own music tastes are reflected in the album?
I didn't think about that as much. I went through a weird stage of not wanting to listen to any music, and I was thinking that if I listened to music i'd steal other people's ideas - I don't know why. I listened to Eva Cassidy a little bit, that's all I listened to. After i'd written it and showed it to my friends, the influences become clear and when I listen to it back I can hear a lot of my dad's indie-punk he'd have on after a night out that i'd have to listen to from my bedroom because he'd have it on at full blast. I listen to a lot of Moby - and you can definitely hear a Moby influence on there.

The album is great - but there's not much 'fun' to be found. Where's your joy Aiden Grimshaw?
It's not fun, but some 'fun' music isn't fun either! I'm only 20 so I haven't done much yet. I was on the X Factor but you can't really write a whole album about that. The one thing that I have done is be in love and then break up with somebody. It's not a fun album, but it is supposed to be feelgood. If you listen to the whole album all the way through it's kinda the same theme of 'if this is real love then all your problems are irrelevant'. Life is worth living but love is worth everything - quote from me there. So as you can see, i'm quite an easygoing person, don't think too much, I like bright colours and Playdough.

How do you feel about discussing something as personal as a break up on your album?
I was thinking last night, maybe this is too moody. I was watching a video of myself last night from the Great Escape, checking if I was alright or cringeworthy, and that was the first time I realised it's not a first hand scenario of how I feel right now, it's just what I was thinking about at the time and I think that everyone goes through something like this.

Does having been on X Factor make you more comfortable watching yourself perform?
No. No no no no no. I didn't used to like watching myself back on the X Factor, especially because you had that whole bit of talking afterwards where i'd turn into a weirdo who couldn't say anything. I've never been a massive fan of watching myself perform. I'm my biggest critic. If I ever do anything that's even a little bit out i'm devastated for the rest of the night.

Whose opinion do you get when it comes to your new tracks?
My friends and my dad. They're all pretty blunt really. Over two years i've gone back to play them tracks and they've just said 'NO' to some of them. With the album, they all seem to like it, all support it. I brought my dad up to London to see my flat for the first time after i'd finished the album. I got him a bit pissed and put it on. I was in my own world dancing about, I was smashed, and I turned around and my uncle and dad were in it, they were 'in the vibe'. It was amazing.

Is your music geared towards the fans you have, and brought from your time on X Factor, or do you have a whole new audience in mind?
I think to still have support from X Factor is massive, but the people who do follow me most on Twitter wouldn't want to be known as X Factor fans. I think I was quite lucky on the show, being the weird rebel one, maybe the guy who shouldn't have been on there. I think the people who follow me and show support are just cool people who like music and the only thing i've tried to do with the album is make good, honest music. Hopefully they'll like it - and I don't think they'll be the same people as they were two years ago. All the ones who were a bit young will be a bit older now anyway.

Do you think it's a benefit having a huge army of fans who want to have sex with you?
I suppose it's good! It means you can't post many pictures of yourself online though because they'll catch on to the truth. We're just talking pictures of my face here by the way. They'll see the truth and think 'I don't really like him any more'. And don't be in your video - because all your fans will still think you're hot.

Are you prepared for inevitable criticism of your attempt to be a 'credible' artist?
I think you'll always get that. Already i've had a few comments 'Aiden's trying to do drum'n'bass - what does he think he's doing' but people just need to get past the whole X Factor thing. We haven't tried to do anything here, just taken our time and done something that feels comfortable. The songs didn't have 12 people sat in a room writing it, i'd just turn up to the studio after having scrambled eggs on toast, take a pack of mints. I'd say 'i've got this idea' and we'd take it from there. It doesn't feel like we've pushed for anything, I haven't sat in a room saying 'I was on X Factor - so now I should make some bad-man drum'n'bass so everyone thinks i'm a bad-man'. We just wrote some songs.

Have you had any negative stuff yet?
I do try to keep away from it to be honest, but there's been a bit. I had a Tweet saying: 'Just listened to Aiden Grimshaw's song - it sounds nothing like Aiden Grimshaw'. There's been talk about me sounding nothing like X Factor, but I think if people hold on for the album, there'll be songs they like.

What's been the worst or least professionally appropriate offer that's been put your way?
To be honest, it was more a case of me running around trying to find people to work with. I did only come ninth on the X Factor after all. People are wary of it. I didn't have many offers at all. It was more about doing the nitty gritty and finding people who were willing to get rid of a few points of street cred and work with the guy who sang 'Mad World' on TV. We did a few racecourses and gigs, earned a bit of money here and there but I didn't get any requests. I did do a Christmas thing straight after the X Factor where I had to sing carols, I got there and was like 'what kind of carols?' and they gave me the sheets of paper with lyrics on. When I went to sing them I had to do it with jazz backing tracks in the middle of a shopping centre. Aiden Grimshaw ruins Christmas with light-jazz carols...

Do you think you would have stood a better chance on X Factor if you'd been in a different year?
Not so much. I think any other year I wouldn't have even got through. I felt odd in the competition, I didn't feel like I fit. It was such a high year for talent I think they were looking for someone who was just a great singer. There were some really cool people on that year, like Matt Cardle. I don't think I could have picked someone better than him to share a beer with and just say 'this is f***ing mental, isn't it?'

Do you still see much of Matt?
Yeah, we did share the same local pub. I just found out today that it's been closed down. I'm going to have to find a new place to go drinking now.

Who do you think is the best ever X Factor contestant?
I'm going back over every year now in my mind - because i've watched it forever. I'm going to go for... My favourite ever? I must have one. I quite liked Wagner to be honest. He was cool. I'd probably go for Danyl Johnson for a little bit but everyone started hating him. Actually - new favourite one - was the woman who got to bootcamp in my year, I forget her name she was Chinese. I remember being sat there and she was just rolling around on the floor and I saw her whole vaginal area. I think I was sat next to Zayn from One Direction at the time.

Are we right to assume that you have not yet tired of talking about the X Factor yet?
No. I love it. I think it's the best thing i've ever done. I was a bit of a cynic before I went on it and now I realise, to anyone who goes on it and gets on it, it is a huge opportunity. You can say it ruins the industry or whatever but I don't think you do. One Direction have smashed the whole world. Rebecca's doing well, Matt did well. It's just a massive opportunity. I used to serve pizza and get £10 tips a night and thought I was a millionaire and that was it for the rest of my life. I'd be a pizza server who occasionally did extra jobs. Now, i've got to do what I wanted to do thanks to being on the telly.

Thank you very much. Aiden Grimshaw releases 'Is This Love' on 3 June, 2012.

Masters of that classic Britpop London sound, the band consists of Freddie Murray, Matt Gwyer, Sam Cook and Gaz Southwell, and their new release 'Ride' is heavily inspired by the guitar riffs of bands such as The Libertines and Supergrass. Blending grown up rock influences with a sense of youthful rebellion and disillusionment in their lyrics and melodies.

Creating a stirringly vivid soundscape, ‘Ride’ is a measured, restrained rock epic, which keeps its feet on the ground as it soars on an incredible catchy chorus, never sacrificing their ownership of the track for the sake of pushing the track too far. It's a mini masterpiece.

‘Ride’ is produced by Dave Eringa (Manics/Idlewild) and is released on May 28, through Distiller Records. Having just played Brighton’s The Great Escape Festival and supported former Supergrass member Gaz Coombes at Barfly, London, the band are set to perform at Aces & Eights in Camden on May 30. For more details, visit Gigwise Gig Tickets.

Could Fractures be leading a Britpop revival? Check out 'Ride' below and let us know what you think.

How does lead singer Nanna cope on tour with five hairy Icelandic men?
Erm it is fun! We are really, really girly! Look, just see my pink watch. We are really girly guys so it’s ok – and we are becoming more girly all the time.

At home are people proud of your success getting across to Europe and America?
Yes, I think people are really proud – families, friends and especially the old ladies in Garður, Iceland. They are all so pleased that we are doing really, really well. It is a small town.

How does the nightlife in the UK and the US compare to Iceland?
We don’t go out. We are very bad at going out and getting drunk, we are always touring and leaving straight after the gig but when we’ve gone out it’s been fun, it’s been cool.

Of Monsters And Men play three headline dates in July. Full dates are below. For more information visit Gigwise Gig Tickets.

10th July 2012 - Oran Mor - Glasgow, Scotland
11th July 2012 - Manchester Academy 3 - Manchester, UK
12th July 2012 - Scala - London, UK

Instinct packs in a host of fan favourites from the Swedish duo ('The Fox, 'DJ, Ease My Mind') as well as plenty of unheard material too in what is shaping up to be one of the albums of the year. With that in mind we simply had to hear from the band themselves about their work.

To hear precisely what Malin Dahlström (vocals) and Gustaf Karlöf (keyboards) have to say about their stunning debut simply flick through the track by track video descriptions below, now.

The band recorded 'Summer Of Lust' in just ten days in the darkest depths of the Candian winter, and have been hailed 'the coolest geek-chic band around' by ultra-trendy Nylon magazine. Geek-chic or not, 'Summer Of Lust' is a brilliant blast of fun US indie, packed with smart cultural references and blending classic guitar band trademarks with an experimental, adventurous sound.

Sadly, the band members of Library Voices are not seen naked on the front cover of their new album, 'Summer Of Lust' and the pair you see are, in fact, models.

The band instead look like this:

Semi-naked album artwork aside, Library Voices new album 'Summer Of Lust' is quite brilliant. An uptempo blast of surf-guitar indie-pop that will make a perfect soundtrack for the summer that seems certain never to arrive. Listen to the album below exclusively on Gigwise.

Listen to 'Summer Of Lust':

The band are also on tour across the UK throughout May. Full dates are below. For more information visit Gigwise Gig Tickets.

May 15 - Manchester @ Night & Day
May 16 - Glasgow @ Milk
May 17 - London @ Old Queen's Head
May 18 - London @ Underbelly
May 19 - Liverpool Sound City
May 20 - Cardiff @ Buffalo Bar

Call us premature but, after a weekend of spinning the track non-stop we've lost no feeling for its sugar rush of emotion, energy and pure pop romance. They might be newer than new but we're very excited about the future for this Scottish band.

Before the future though, a little history. Churches are a sort-of Scottish super group comprising members of The Twilight Sad (Martin Doherty), Aereogramme (Iain Cook) and Lauren Mayberry of Blue Sky Archives (we did say 'sort-of') with the bright, clean electro-pop coming as something of a sea change for a set of musicians more used to plying their trade somewhere between beardy rock and twee indie.

'Lies' reminds us of all our favourite Swedes (Robyn, Annie, Niki) with one of the biggest, floor-filling beats we have heard in an age. Lead singer Lauren Mayberry's vocals come coated in a thick Glasgow accent, adding a regional personality to a song that sounds like an international smash.

The band don't currently have any other songs available nor any gigs booked so it is very early days indeed but we await their next step with much anticipation.

You can stream 'Lies' below and hear just what has got us this excited for youselves.

Churches - links

Facebook
Soundcloud
Twitter
Tumblr