This Friday, current WIRE cover-stars The

Ex will be headlining our Hare & Hounds showcase in Kings Heath which will see 7 bands perform across two stages, followed by late night DJ sets that will keep things going well into the night. This is one gig you don’t want to miss and best of all advance tickets are just a tenner! Buy here.

We’ve already given you plenty of good reasons to see The Ex, a band with legendary status established both at home and abroad. But now we turn your attention to the acts on the second stage programmed by our friends at Milque & Muhle. This will be an exciting opportunity to check out several emerging home grown bands that have been creating a buzz over the past year. Here’s a taster on what to expect…

GHOLD

If you like doom, if you like sludge, if you like it heavy, Ghold may very well be for you. Ghold are a drum and bass duo who’ve been getting rave reviews over the past 2 years. It’s rare to hear a band who feel like they’re doing something genuinely new within the genres they manage to effortlessly straddle. Comparisons have been drawn to The Melvins, Karp and even High On Fire, but Ghold are definitely carving out a distinctive path all of their own.

“…there’s a malevolent groove at work, they work a kind of hypno-sludge, trance wizardry around you, vocals shouted and chanted like a part of some ritual in a cavernous hall illuminated by flickering candlelight.” – tighttothenail.com

MOB RULES

Mob Rules are one of the best hardcore bands in the UK right now. Hailing from Leeds, Conor Rickford, who drums for Mob Rules points out that “If you’re living in Leeds you’re not going to make music that says that the world is a wonderful place and the sun is always shining,” he explains. “The anger that you hear in the music stems from what we see every day.”

SUMP

Formed in 2008, Sump is a Yorkshire two-piece consisting of George Proctor (guitar) and Gareth Howells (drums and vocals). In the short time they’ve been together they’ve managed to release numerous 7″ splits and demos as well as cassettes on their own labels, Dead Tapes and Turgid Animal. Sump is a glorious fusion of Black Metal and Punk, this isn’t the first time the two have come together, yet somehow Sump achieve a unique and

exciting sound.

BAYONNEBLEEDER

This will be the second show from local Hardcore outfit Bayonnebleeder, who have spent over a year refining their tight and rapid sound; They take influence from bands such as Rorschach, Septic Death and His Hero Is Gone. Originally one drummer, guitarist, bass and vocalist they’ve recently made the addition of a second guitarist, to reach their heaviest potential. Expect a short and intense set of 10 tracks lasting 20 minutes.

Running Order (subject to change):

Room 1
Rattle 8.30 – 9.15
Health & Efficiency 9.45 – 10.30
The Ex 11.00 – 12.00
DJs 12.00 – 2.00 am

For tickets visit The Ticket Sellers here.

Capsule’s April playlist is now ready for you to enjoy and features artists performing in our fast approaching upcoming shows. Here’s a round-up of what we’ve got coming up prior to our calender biggie, Supersonic Festival. Scroll down for our playlist.

April 18th, Hare & Hounds (1 ticket gains you entry to watch 7 bands across 2 stages):

THE EX plus supports Health & Efficiency and Rattle (Stage 1). Stage 2 curated by Milque + Muhle features Ghold, Mob Rules, Sump and Bayonnebleeder. The Ex may have started as a punk band but their numerous collaborations and sonic explorations over a 30+ year career has seen them experiment with the exotic and unexpected, making their hefty musical back catalogue now difficult to confine to any one genre.

May 27th, Rainbow Warehouse:

Melt Banana plus supports Glatze and Thrilling Headgear. Melt Banana are a well respected Japanese noise rock band championed by the likes of John Peel who was an avid fan. The band incorporate elements of punk and psycho-pop into their fast and furious performances.

Tickets for both these events can be purchased at advance pricing here.

Liked that? For more tunes listen to our previous playlist. Tickets to either of these shows go here.

Image: Caffaknitted, Flikr

MELT BANANA return to Birmingham’s Rainbow Warehouse on May 27th. Don’t forget to pick up your advance price tickets from here, tickets will be more on the door.

Now those of you unfamiliar with Melt Banana might want to peruse the highly entertaining FAQ section of the band’s website here. We picked out a few Qs for the newly initiated:

Q. Who is MELT BANANA?

“Answer: Main factors of MELT-BANANA are YAKO, who is a singer of the band and write all lyrics and write some of the songs, and AGATA who plays the guitar and write most of the backtracks of the songs.”

Q. What type of music?

Q. Is Yako singing in Japanese?

Q: What is your motto/philosophy?

 
For tickets to see Melt Banana supported by Glatze & Thrilling Headgear go here. To learn more about the band visit Melt Banana Official

Later this month The Ex rock up on our shores bringing with them a sound which continues look forward and embrace DIY experimentation across multiple genres whilst steering clear of ever being pretentious. To describe The Ex as just a punk band would be “obsolete” by their own admission. Their guitarist Andy Moor recently spoke to Brum Notes about the band’s adventurous 30+ year career which has seen them rub shoulders

with artists like Thurston Moore (Sonic Youth) and Shellac through to Ethiopean and Iraqi-Kurdish musicians. See them play Friday April 18th alongside another 6 bands: Health & Efficiency, Rattle, Ghold, Mob Rules, Sump and Bayonnebleeder. Tickets are available for this show here.

“We’re not so interested in giving something a name. If you name something you limit it.”

You can read this article from Brum Notes here.

And listen to a little something to get you in the mood whilst you are at it…

The stars have aligned once again to bring back a pairing we last saw together in 2009. Yes that’s right folks, GLATZE return to support the one and only MELT BANANA this May 27th at the Rainbow Warehouse, in what can only be described as sweet, sweet déjà vu. Back then this was the first time Sam Underwood (the musical man/loon behind Glatze) had performed at a Capsule event. Since then Sam’s been involved with numerous other Capsule events through his other projects which include Ore, MortonUnderwood &

also If Wet which will be brought along to Supersonic Festival this May.

We caught up with Sam to talk about his upcoming performance with Glatze. See our mini Q & A below. Tickets for this event can be purchased here.

5 years on, what’s it like knowing you’ll be back sharing the stage at a Capsule gig with Melt Banana all over again?

It means a lot to me. I have warm memories of my first encounter as an artist with Capsule and I have been a Melt Banana fan for many moons. Capsule have continued to support me since that day and I can’t wait to dust Glatze off for another outing alongside Melt Banana; for old times’ sake.

Sam, you’re a busy man…you build instruments (MortonUnderwood), play in Ore and also run your own monthly event, If Wet, which will be transported to Supersonic Festival later this May. How do you balance all of these different projects and where does Glatze fit in?

Off the back of my sabbatical I had all these amazing strands I could pursue. For a while I did just that; I just kept throwing them against the wall to see what stuck. That’s hard work though, as I was essentially saying YES to everything. Now I have a clearer idea of what aspects really appeal to me I have started saying NO to some stuff, in order to concentrate my efforts. This makes my life easier and my output more focussed. Glatze is quite distinct in all this, he just lurks on the side-lines waiting for fun opportunities to

play. He’s my light relief.

Image courtesy of Pete Ashton: Taken in 2009 during Glatze’s last performance alongside Melt Banana.

Who are some of your musical (or otherwise) influences?

Glatze is all about attention grabbing, energetic live performances so draws influences from the likes of Henry Rollins, Afrirampo, rave DJs such as Sy and Slipmatt, and of course Melt Banana!

How do you go about writing a song? Do you jam and figure stuff out that way or is the writing process much more structured?

As Glatze, my music always has half an eye on what the live aspects of it will be. It mainly starts with studio production, although tunes range from fully improvised pieces that are constructed entirely live to heavily produced dancefloor vibes with me just twatting about over the top!

What can people expect from Glatze live?

Glatze is older and wiser now so expect more madcap inventions and theatricalities than ever before, and the usual fun-at-all-costs mentality!

For tickets to see MELT BANANA plus GLATZE and THRILLING HEADGEAR go here.

The Ex are the cover stars of the latest issue of The Wire (April, 2014).

Pick up a copy and read about Daniel Spicer travels to Amsterdam to talk DIY survival strategies with the Dutch ethno-improv-punk collective.

Don’t forget you can catch The Ex right here in Birmingham at Hare & Hounds on April 18th for just £10 (adv.). That’s a bargain all by itself, but we’ve teamed up with Milque & Muhle to put on 6 more up and coming bands for you to check out too. That’s right, two stages, 7 bands, all for a tenner. Investigate the full line-up below. Tickets here.

THE EX

Formed back in 1979, Terrie (guitar), Sok (vocals), Geurt (drums), and René (bass) choose their instruments by drawing straws to decide who would play what, starting from scratch. The name was chosen based on the fact that it could be sprayed on a wall in two seconds flat! Since those early days the band have worked across so many musical styles and with so many artists that categorizing their sound to any one genre seems almost unfair . For more band history read here.

“They are the most interesting musical unit in the world today…Go and see the Ex and you will hear rhythms you have never heard before…a sweaty seething party, an uplifting, joyful celebration.” – The Quietus

RATTLE

If the idea of a band consisting of just 2 drummers brings to mind a hippy bongo nightmare then you’ve obviously never heard RATTLE. Comprising of 2 of Nottingham’s most unique and recognisable drummers (Theresa Wrigley of Fists and Katharine Brown of KOGUMAZA) and aided by Kogumaza’s Mark Spivey they create a hypnotic and danceable music form that recalls This Heat or ESG even whilst remaining completely their own.

HEALTH & EFFICIENCY

H&E thrive on an instinctive and experimental approach to the creation and composition of their music. Eschewing traditional songwriting and structural techniques in favour of a process of improvisation, editing, refinement and distillation of their sound working together as a democratic unit. Proponents of self-sufficiency and independence, their recordings to this point have been engineered and mixed by friends and more recently by the band themselves at their practice space, then released via the internet. Unhindered by a desire, or need, to be restricted to a specific genre, HEALTH & EFFICIENCY create a sound of unrestrained eclecticism.

GHOLD

Drums and bass sludge rock duo, GHOLD, have already gained recognition in their short time together, starting in 2012 in Brixton. With a heavy bass line and percussive drums, they pay homage to the early days of Sludge with bands like the Melvins, Karp and Godheadsilo. They’ve already got a

string of releases under their belt, which considering their 2 years together, is pretty impressive.

MOB RULES

‘Cesstone music to try the patience of the Hardcore’, MOB RULES are arguably one of best bands on the UK Hardcore scene at the moment, Leeds anger-fuelled Powerviolence at its best. Formed in 2008, this four-piece are practically Leeds’ answer to Black Flag; Largely influenced by the band, vocalist Thomas Campbell come up with MOB RULES as its said to be ‘Gregg Ginn’s seventh favourite Black Sabbath record’. Sticking to their guns for the last six years, these guys have very little internet presence, nevertheless they’ve gained a prominent presence on the scene in the UK, with an acclaimed reputation

SUMP

Formed in 2008, SUMP is a Yorkshire two-piece consisting of George Proctor (guitar) and Gareth Howells (drums and vocals). In the short time they’ve been together they’ve managed to release numerous 7″ splits and demos as well as cassettes on their own labels, Dead Tapes and Turgid Animal. SUMP is a glorious fusion of Black Metal and Punk, this isn’t the first time the two have come together, yet somehow SUMP achieve a unique and exciting sound.

BAYONNEBLEEDER

This will be the second show from local Hardcore outfit BAYONNEBLEEDER, who have spent over a year

refining their tight and rapid sound; They take influence from bands such as Rorschach, Septic Death and His Hero Is Gone. Originally one drummer, guitarist, bass and vocalist they’ve recently made the addition of a second guitarist, to reach their heaviest potential. Expect a short and intense set of 10 tracks lasting 20 minutes.

+ DJ SETS FROM LUKE YOUNGER & CHRIS BRESS

For tickets go here, you know you want to.

The Ex have just finished a 5 day festival in their native land (The Netherlands) to celebrate their 30+ years as a band. The Ex Festival was designed not as a retrospective, but was instead a forward-looking and adventurous celebration with friends and like-minded artists. Reviews have been coming in thick and fast for the Ex’s performance at their headline festival and we think you’ll agree they went down pretty well. You can read a few quotes from reviews of the The Ex’s recent performances below as well as take a peek

at a recent radio performance.

For your own chance to catch the band live, get your ticket to their Birmingham show on April 18th. Tickets cost just £10 and include a line-up of 7 bands across two stages. An absolute deal! Tickets here.

“The Ex, laying down the law; righting the rule book. People groove; or gawp at the way Kat, Terrie, Andy and Arnold construct their sound. The Ex are like some weird machine, constantly being deconstructed and reassembled; a vehicle that never breaks, one that travels vast distances to create its own hinterland…” – The Quietus (Read more here)

“My word, the energy of the band is quite remarkable – and for a group some 25 albums into a career, that’s a badge to be proud of. They were, at times, quite exhilarating here and when they weren’t they were still bloody good. The Ex are one of the most honest, down-to-earth bands I’ve ever come across because you can tell there’s no bullshit with them. They just get up there and play and when they do, you’d better stand back if you’re not prepared to go with them because they kick up quite a fuss when they get going. They are, in the truest sense of the word, exceptional.” – Incendiary Magazine (Read more here)

“Frankly they were unstoppable on this night; a mad charge into the valley, clanking and rattling around like a washing machine that’s suddenly torn up its ASBO, escaped from the local electrics shop and chuntered down the road in search of a suitable mate. Tonight the slow burners were extra good; their cosmic, baked-earth rumble somehow allowing serene, zen-like moments in the heady atmosphere, allowing people breathing space.” – Louderthanwar.com (Read more here)

Tickets for April 18th are available here. For full info on the line-up go here.

THRILLING HEADGEAR will support the mighty MELT BANANA this May 27th at the Rainbow Warehouse in Digbeth. We caught up with guitarist and local Brum resident Neil Bailey (Opium Lord, Stinky Wizzleteat) to talk about his new band and what the audience can expect from their upcoming performance. Tickets for the show can be purchased HERE.

THRILLING HEADGEAR are:

Neil Bailey – guitars

John Dixon – drums

Bruce Goodenough – bass

Nathan Coyle – vocals

First up, what’s with the name? We dig it, but we’re curious.
Thrilling Headgear is another Ren and Stimpy-ism. Wizzleteat was a big dumb name because we never wanted to take it too seriously, but we ended up getting all super cereal, so I reckon this is still not super cereal but it’s the attitude you bring that really decides it. So it’s not so big and dumb but still a bit dumb and big.