NoNewWaveNoFun

                                        📷 Samantha Ruby Blieden   To the human psyche, being deprived of nostalgia is much like how the deserts miss the rain.  I'm not going to explain that sentence, just like a comedian should never explain a joke. Also, because it's absolute tosh that I nearly deleted as soon as I typed it. It is however steeped in nostalgia itself, with the last five words being lyrics from seminal 90s' single ' Missing' by Everything But The Girl.  I ADORE that song.  The influence of New York House DJ Todd Terry on it's crossover success - His remix of  'Missing' went to number 3 in the U.K singles chart and number 2 in the U.S -   was no doubt, a big factor in elevating the song to new levels.  This was the era when club culture was at it's most prominent and DJs were arguably amongst the most powerful players in the industry. Every few years since, the DJs seem to collectively retreat from the mainstream; the influence wanin

  I'm not the biggest of drinkers; never have been never will be. Some of you who know me personally may well question that synopsis based on past behaviour, but it's actually true. I'm a frequent drinker without a doubt, but not a heavy one.  I'd like to think that it was something to do with an enlightenment of the soul, an increasing wisdom in my advancing years. In reality, it's probably more to do with how hangovers intensify the existential crisis of middle age.  THE PAIN MAN.  I also have enough bad habits for one lifetime thank you very much.  There's a drink that at this age that seems like the perfect antidote. I'm not going to name it, because I listen to Post Punk and that makes me an Anti Capitalist bruvvv. It has enough press anyway. You'll know the one - 'The Black Stuff', one pint feels like you've had a three course meal and it's THE quintessential Irish drink. Most people who drink it this side of the Irish Sea have one

  Beginning their musical journey under the name CaStLeS before changing their name , North Walian's Worldcub are back   with a brand new album in May. The lead single from the album is the mesmerising title track 'Back To The Beginning'. We took a listen to this enticing new single in advance of it's release on March 15th. --------------------------------------- There's no doubt about it in my mind, North Wales is a magical place. It's history is sometimes so overwhelming that it overshadows any possible semblance of thinking about the future. That's not a insult or criticism of the place, in fact it's far away from such a pointless and reductive angle. I grew up in what I would call 'Anglicised' North Wales; an area near the border that lost much of it's identity from English migration. Let's not get into holiday home culture shall we? My home town of Buckley is a historic brick-making town, that was overwhelmed by clay pits for mining

                                           Nature and nuture is a debate as old as time itself, yet it still rumbles on without any sign of stopping. Is everything we do - either good or bad - a result of our upbringing or the places we live and the things we learn along the way? It's a debate for a reason, both will inevitably have their say. There's no doubt however that environment has an influence.  One of the best-selling novels of all time is Charles Dickens Tale of Two Cities. The intro to the book is often cited as one of best ever written, certainly in Western fiction: It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to Heaven, we were all going direct the

------------------------------------------ FOCUS Wales have announced their latest draft of artist to join the line-up for their 2024 event. 65 new names have been added to the bill for the multi-venue event that is held around Wrexham City centre between 9th - 11th May. Amongst the new bands and artist added to the bill that instantly leap out are NNWNF favourites like   Dactyl Terra, Joyce, Dirty Freud, Tara Bandito and  The Red  Stains.  We went along to FOCUS Wales in 2023 and had a lovely time. Our review is  HERE . The festival has also announced a very special showcase to take place on Saturday 11th May . In tribute to the late BBC Radio broadcaster Janice Long - who famously worked for Radio 1 and was a regular host of Top Of The Pops in the 80s' - several artists she was a fan of in her later years will play at the arts space Ty Pawb. Hosted by former colleague and good friend Adam Walton, the shows will be recorded for use on BBC Radio Wales.  Those set to perform on the

  There's a side to life that we should be starting to embrace more. We should be laughing at the absurdity of the nuances of existence; the sheer fact we're wandering aimlessly on a spinning rock wandering aimlessly in an infinite universe that one day will consume us all should make us a bit more willing to live in the moment. Of course, it's never THAT straight forward. The stress of everyday endeavours can consume our every waking thought and several of the subconsious ones for that matter.  Pop music can certainly help with that, and doing his bit to lighten the mood of such an anxious age is Blokeacola. Born and raised in Wales, but now living in China, Blokeacola makes the kind of surreal psychedelic pop that could only come from an upbringing in Wales; I swear there's something in the water. His music is cramed full of idiosyncrasies that poke fun at the human experience without ever wanting to - to paraphrase Orange Juice here - rip it up and start again. In Au

FOCUS Wales have announced another 100 new bands and artists for it's 2024 edition of the showcase festival. Taking place in multiple venues around Wrexham City Centre, the event has become one of the highlights of the musical calander and this year's festival takes place from May 9 - 11th. Acts primarily come from Wales and the UK, but as the event has grown over the years, more artists have been descending on North Wales from all over the world. This year acts will be coming from as far afield as New Zealand, Mexico, Canada and Ghana.  Read more about adventures at FOCUS Wales 2023  HERE Headliners include Wrexham local heroes The Royston Club, Space Rock legends Spirtulized and Retro Scouse Rockers The Mysterines with supporting cast on NNWNF favourites like Benefits, Snapped Ankles, Deerhof and The Bug Club. Some of the new names to get excited about include Captain Accident, Dartz, Eyre Llew, Igloo Hearts, Mangtout, Mowbird, Paperhouse, Sustinere, Travo, Winona

   Let's take a little time to consider the humble concept album. We won't take that much time though, not 41 minutes for example, which is the average length of a guitar solo on the archetypal Rock concept album track. I may have made that up. The concept album has had much to deal with since it's heyday and the digital realm has arguably been it's biggest hurdle to jump. Listening habits change, but ever since the invention of a skip button on a CD player, it's got increasingly easier to avoid the full extent of the concept. Having a huge chunk of recorded history available to stream is not going to help either.  There are anomalies that have connected thematically-linked bodies of work in the digital age of course, but not with the regularity they once did. In a list of  Rolling Stone's Top 50 Concept Albums  only six of those named were from the last ten years. Most were from artists at stages of their career where they felt like they needed to make a bolder

                                                                                                                                           It's been a slow start here at NNWNF  in 2024, in many ways it mirrors how slow the industry is this time of year. That doesn't mean that releases aren't coming out thick and fast, but often that the malaise is difficult to get out of.   I feel like we should be hibernating or something, not trying to fight the elements but actively avoiding them. So like a bear after a long sleep, it's time to get motivated and start work. One release that certainly has raised our collective eyebrows here is from Bridlington antagonists Feral Family  and we got Niamh Rowley to tell us more.       ---------------------------------------- As we closed the door on 2023 and waltzed on into 2024, we allowed ourselves a fresh start. Maybe a new year’s resolution is in order. Perhaps it's the gym or a new hobby, Veganuary or maybe even Dry January? O

So here it is, Merry Christmas! Everybody's having fun (Apart from those working in the retail and service sectors). I thought I might as well try and join in with the season of goodwill and embrace what little human warmth there seems to be left in the world - so here is my final ill-thought-out gift of the year to you*.  *Unlike stockists of an unwanted Air Fryer, we don't take returns. In the most calculated and protracted countdown of 100 of the best things of a thing committed to a blog, this one takes the mince pies. We're finally down to our top 20 tracks of the year. So take a read of why we chose them, have a listen to each track and and then you can go and crack open a beer with a Chocolate Orange and forget that this sorry rigamarole ever began.  Merry Christmas everyone!** **Apart from the panel that docked Everton Football Club 10 points.  They can do one.  --------------------------------------- 20) Wombo - Slab Hailing from Louisville in Kentucky,