September 17 2012, Spindle Magazine
Noah’s Arc trundles past, narrowly avoiding a collision with a man not in an animal onesie. Two by two, looks of withering contempt are aimed his way.
“When I say hash tag, you say prick. Hash tag.”
“Prick!”
“Hash tag!”
“PRICK.”
Hang up the waterproofs, herald the joys of indoor plumbing and find another excuse to start drinking at 10 in the morning (‘Tuesday’ is a popular one with us); it …read more
August 7 2012, Spindle Magazine
Those of you who have been good enough to read my interview with Lemar will be now be aware of a few salient facts: I’m immune to Tom Daley’s Speedos; Lemar and Aiden Grimshaw are ‘battling it out’ (in a competition that exists solely in my head) in the charts come August 12th, with both releasing singles from their upcoming albums; and once you mention Lemar’s name to Aiden Grimshaw, he really won’t stop singing Lemar songs. “He did one track, …read more
August 7 2012, Spindle Magazine
I don’t watch sports. The closest I have come is watching the ball sail pass me, followed by a stampede of roaring team mates urging me to kick/hit/catch it, while being forced to play some form of organised sport. The Olympics? They leave me cold. No, not even the sight of Tom Daley in his Speedos can spark a vestige of interest (much to my colleagues’ consternation). So news of two former reality television contestants set to battle it out in the charts …read more
July 25 2012, Spindle Magazine
“I usually do a crazy legs dance when I play bass on stage. With DJing it’s more of a sway. I have some moves but I consider my dancing outsider art,” Baio tells me with a wink (or- given this interview is conducted over email as he remains residing in Brooklyn- a semi colon and bracket).
I’m not sure what exactly it was that I expected from Chris Baio’s solo debut EP, Sunburn. Well, ok, I do: something that, at the very least, gave a …read more
June 16 2012, Spindle Magazine
Queen of Hoxton, 4th June.
Grab a boob. Go on, grab two. It’s ok. In fact, it’s good. Because this is Festifeel and breasts are the order of the day.
For one day only, Coppafeel!, the charity dedicated to raising awareness about breast cancer in young people, men and women alike, descended on the Queen of Hoxton to spread the word and make sure everyone in attendance copped a feel. Think nippled beanbags, informative posters and a line up that …read more
May 21 2012, Spindle Magazine
I’m curled up in the foetal position. I’m writing this with my pen held in my mouth and imagine that later I’ll type it up with my feet. A can of M&S Mojito and a half pack of paracetemol are staring at me reproachfully and I’m already missing the self-important rush of donning my press pass. Even if they did have to take my photo twice and I still came out looking like I’d recently suffered a stroke and was from ‘Skindle …read more
March 2012, Spindle Magazine Issue 5
When it comes to discussing heritage, Team Ghost have a pretty hefty one of their own making, which is fairly hard to ignore.
Front man, Nicolas Fromageau co-founded M83 with Anthony Gonzalez, before leaving the band in 2003. Moving from his native South of France to Paris, he formed Team Ghost in 2007 with Cristophe Guérin and Jean-Philippe Talaga (M83’s former manager).
“We took a lot of time to find our sound and the right musicians. Now we’re …read more
March 2012, Spindle Magazine Issue 5
Clock Opera do ‘chop pop’.
What the sod is chop pop?
“Our tracks start life as sampled instruments or anything else close to hand. Those samples are then chopped to smithereens and from these tiny parts we construct the basis of our tracks. Chop. I’m not really sure what ‘pop’ is, but in this instance it’s maybe a reference to the songs; that despite all the chopping they might become songs which form an emotional connection.”
Clock Opera are a …read more
March 2012, Spindle Magazine Issue 5
Baxter Dury’s heritage is a well-chronicled affair. Appearing on the album cover of New Boots and Panties!!, having the Sulphate Strangler as a babysitter and ending his first foray into the work force by burning down the building are the kind of nuggets made for a rock n’ roll biography. It would seem pretty inevitable that Ian and Baxter would join the ranks of John and Sean, Bob and Jakob and Elvis and Lisa Marie. It wasn’t always a given though. “I literally tried every …read more
March 2012, Spindle Magazine Issue 5
At What point does ‘not being that Well known’ Cross over to the league of having a ‘Cult following’? Is it quantifiable in gig tickets sold or does it really Come down to having a decent PR on your side to spin it properly?
My point is, I’d like to say Brighton/Falmouth/Brighton trio, Tall Ships, fell into the latter category pretty quickly, without sounding like a complete pretentious wanker about it.
That’s not just to say that their mums …read more
Amy Lavelle is a freelance journalist who writes for the likes of Grazia, Glamour, Red, The Pool, Metro, Telegraph and the Independent, among others.
Amy is represented by Amanda Preston and Hannah Schofield at LBA. Her debut novel, Definitely Fine, published by Orion Fiction, is out now. Her second novel, Home Sweet Home, came out in April 2023.
