Cityscape Presents

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Hi Alex, how are you?
I’m very well thanks, a tad worn out from too much gigging but that’s hardly a complaint.

Which instruments do you play?
I play acoustic guitar, vocals and piano as my main instruments but I dabble in mandolin, cajon and bass.

What made you decide to be a solo artist and not want to be in a band?
I’m not really to sure, I was originally in a couple of bands before I started doing things on my own. I still think that nothing beats the feeling of playing in a band and having a great time with your mates, but I just seemed to get more done on my own and the quality of what I was producing was much higher so I kind of stuck to it. I still have a band back at home but we spend far more time writing than actually playing.

Do you work with the same musicians when recording as you do when performing live?
I’m still a solo act live although I am thinking of getting some musicians to play with me for my next release, not too sure yet though.

How would you describe your music to someone who hasn’t yet heard you?
Pop/Folk/Indie music. Heavilly picked guitar with catchy pop vocals but with an underlying feeling of alternative folk giving taking it away from being as main stream as say… Paulo Nutini.

What have you been up to recently?
Gigs, gigs and licking stamps to put on envelopes actually! My Debut E.P. (Which you can listen to on Somojo) is being released on July 12th (Digitally) and 19th (physically) so I’ve been working hard getting the press and promotion ready for  that, hence the large amount of sticking stamps on envelopes. As well as that I’ve just come back from my first year at LIPA (Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts) and so I’m busy getting my calendar chock full of local gigs now that I’m back home.

What can your fans look forward to in the next 12 months?
Firstly the release of ‘The Wood’ which I can’t wait for but also the release of another single ‘Dare’ which I should be getting back from mastering any day now as well as some big gigs that are coming up across the UK.

Photography by Gemma Harrison

Are you self-taught or did you have lessons?
Half and half, I’ve had electric guitar lessons since I was about 9 years old but my picking technique is self taught so my left hand has had lessons and my right one does what it wants!

Do you use the same equipment live as you do when in a studio?
Live, I use a small quantity pedals the main feature being a Boss RC-50 Loop Station. I’ve seen a lot of artists use these but I don’t use them as a gimmick or a drum machine, I record all my loops live both guitar, vocals and vocal harmonies as I play as well as percussion and a few other things to build the sound but within the song rather than taking ten minutes to set up the loop before launching into the track. For example Keep Chasing (Track 2 on The Wood) sounds almost exactly the same live as it does on the CD, minus the cajon percussion. It’s hard work and when it goes wrong it really goes wrong.

Would you sign with a major record company?
It’s the dream i guess, but I’m very happy with Cityscape Records who are doing a sterling job, check out the website www.cityscaperecords.co.uk

Do you have any new recordings planned?
Loads, got my next E.P. to get under way which will take up the majority of my summer… can’t wait .

Do you write songs/tracks only about personal experiences?
Yes and no. Some songs are derived entirely from personal experience. Drifting (Track 3 on The Wood) is about the effects of dementia happening to my Nana and about her literally drifting away from us on a mental level. Other songs like The Wood (track 1 on The Wood) aren’t really about anything in particular, they just capture a mood or a feeling that I’m experiencing at the time.
Do you find song writing easy or difficult?
As with anyone who writes, the best songs come in a matter of minutes. Some songs take longer at the moment I can’t seem piece one together I’ve got about 9 different ideas all of which I like but I can’t get a whole song out of them.

Is there anyone who you would like to collaborate with on writing songs or performing?
A superb local artist who’s making a name for herself everywhere she goes especially in Canada -Steph Fraser. I’ve been gigging with her nearly my whole solo career but we’ve never collaborated, something for the future I guess.

Do you use any websites like ‘Reverbnation’ or ‘Soundclick’?
I do have a Reverb Nation account but I more frequently use myspace and Twitter.
Here are the links.
www.myspace.com/alexhulmeacoustic
www.twitter.com/alexhulmemusic

Do you think such sites and the internet are good tools for independent and unsigned artists?
I like them but they suffer from over subscription, Myspace is going down hill a lot lately, but with places like Somojo, the future’s definitely bright.

Is there anything you’d like to add?
Thanks a lot for having me on and check out ‘The Wood’ at www.somojo.net/alexhulme

Bandcamp is basically another way of us uploading and selling our music quickly and easily. Getting things on itunes and the like takes a little while to sort but with Bandcamp we can have things up and moving really quickly. Here’s a screen shot/ link to our Bandcamp page which we’re using to initially release our new single Listen Up! (Sam Flanagan Rework). We keep trying these things to see what we like to use best but this one seems pretty simple to use – give it a go and let us know how you get on :0)

This is a remix/ rework of Listen Up! by Merchandise, the first track on our new album For the Masses. This rework was produced by Sam Flanagan who me and Con met on a packed train over a conversation about Northern Soul classic “Ghost in my House” by R Dean Taylor. Sam then made this great rework of this song. Enjoy!

Brad

I’ve included both the Bandcamp and Soundcloud players depending on which you like – the buy buttons both take you to the bandcamp page.

Merchandise-listen-Up!-Sam-Flanagan-Rework by brad-cityscape

Alex Hulme – The Wood by brad-cityscape

Here for you to listen to, The Wood will be available digitally on 12th July and physically on the 19th July 2010 – unless you attend one of Alex’s gigs where you can pick it up now :0)

Click the logo for the original review.

:: Merchandise ::
30 June 2010 / Cityscape / 13 Trk CD
By JA

Local stars and stalwarts of the ever present Bolton scene, Merchandise are back with a much welcome long player. Bolton is a place that deserves a bigger footnote for its recent contributions to great northern music and it’s bands like this that ensure that its reputation lives on. Brad B Wood and Conrad Astley certainly stir in various moods on this extensive collection of bright, melodic set pieces. Openers “Listen Up!” and “Sometimes” are pleasantly brisk, but respectably bustle and shuffle about their business. The slightly tougher “Enemy” remains laced in soft vocals, but has some infectious guitar loops to accompany the bouncy, almost ska tinged bass line – albums are worth the patience when they deliver up tracks like this. “Lonesome Beauty” serves up its own sublime mix of acoustica and pretty jungles, whilst “Lies Like These” thrives on smartly delivered American lo-fi pop footnotes. From here the album begins to slow down, picking up its heels only on “Travelling, Unravelling” before ebbing gently to its departure. “For The Masses” is an album of varying styles, somehow joined together with an intricate sensitivity and an underlying sense of fun.

MMM ½

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:: Alex Hulme ::
30 June 2010 / Cityscape / 4 Trk CD
By Manuel Ecostos

Alex Hulme was born in Garstang but now resides in Liverpool, as a result of a placement at LIPA. On this solo LP there are plenty of multi-tracked elements at play, but the songs are derived from simple acoustic riffs. “The Wood” is maybe the most obvious cut, but just a little further on in the EP, “Keep Chasing” combines EMO twists and melodics with some un-missable whoops and well spun dynamics (check the alternative version which places all of this over some simple sequencing). The EP has a home recorded quality, which adds rather than distracts. “Drifting” is a pretty straight acoustic number, climbing and descending through picked chords as Hulme provides more of the well timed and well placed harmonic embellishments.

MMM ½

Merchandise For the Masses by brad-cityscape

merchandise-lo-tech solutions to hi-tech problems by brad-cityscape

Listen Up! by brad-cityscape

Listen Up! is the second single from Merchandise’s third album For the Masses. You can either buy the full album, the CD single or beautiful 7″ white vinyl here at the Cityscape shop – links to the top left. You cn also click the buy buttons which will send you to itunes where you can get it digitally. It’s also available from all the other usual digital stores.

Sometimes by brad-cityscape

The first single from For the Masses, you can either buy the whole album from itunes or you can buy the CD or lovely 7″ white vinyl direct from the Cityscape Shop (links in the top left)

Merchandise – Swallowing Curses by brad-cityscape

Merchandise’s first single from 2001. The CD sold out and it’s not available digitally yet but you can still get the lovingly produced 7″ from the Cityscape Shop here: Swallwing Curses 7″ in the Cityscape Shop

Mazeppa – Kick it for the Low Times by brad-cityscape

Mazeppa’s only album from 2003. It’s not available digitally yet, though you can listen here. If you want the CD you can get it direct from Cityscape here: Mazeppa Kick it for the Low Times in the Cityscape Shop

Mazeppa – EP by brad-cityscape

First released in 2001 and now here to listen to. It’s not available digitally at the moment but you can buy the CD direct from Cityscape here: Mazeppa EP in the Cityscape Shop

This is . . . Merchandise by brad-cityscape
Merchandise’s first album recorded a good while ago now ;0) is available to listen to online but only to buy on CD which you can get for £5 plus p&p direct from Cityscape here: This is . . . Merchandise in the Cityscape Shop

Knight Music – Eyes Closed to the World by brad-cityscape

This is a work in progress by Knight Music – we’re hoping for some new releases in the future, this is just a sample of their sound in demo form for now.

Moore Marriott – Back Up and Bounce by brad-cityscape

Back Up and Bounce is now available in from the Cityscape Shop as a CD with free download for £8 or as just a download album for £5. You can now get it in every digital format you care to think of :0) Just click any of the buy buttons and you’ll be whisked right there.