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Andy J. Davies and James P. Quinn are the men behind the British goth band, Sirens Of Light, a project that they had originally started in the early 2000’s, when they released the album Nullus Margis Gothica, in 2004. Sadly, the album didn’t really gain the attention it deserved at the time, sinking into obscurity. Fast forward to 2021, where the guys have resurrected not only Sirens Of Light, but also revisited their debut album, revamping it with the original recordings and renaming it Nullus Margis Gothica MMXXI. The album is a cornucopia of gothic rock, with its roots firmly planted in the 80s and 90s but with a modern edge. This is where I tell you that I was lucky enough to speak to Andy, who is not only the lead singer, but also had classical training, was a member of the popular punk glam Soho Roses and is the founder, and current owner of The Analogue Room and Damage Recordings, involved in recording and production. If you want to know what bands Andy would choose to headline a festival with…..then you better keep reading… though honestly, I would give him at least a three day run!

Welcome Andy J. Davies of Sirens Of Light, to the hallowed hall of Onyx, where even the shadows are inky pools where no light shall touch.

Andy, you were involved in the band Soho Roses and James, I believe was in Last Rites. Have you been involved in any other projects other than these?

I’ve been in many bands over the years and worked with loads in the studio as a producer. James and I have been in several bands together over the years, Bombchild, Gilla Bruja, and most recently Delany.

The band, Sirens Of Light came together in the early 2000s, in the UK. How did this come about and what roles do you play within the band?

I’d had the idea of doing a traditional Goth rock project for several years as I seemed to me at the time no one was really doing that kind of style . I was spending some time at my parents home and started working on a couple of tracks, Maria and Prayer. A short time later I asked James if he’d like to come do some, and that’s how it happened…

The band was situated in London, so what was the gothic scene like then as compared to now?

It was kind of dying off by then, that’s kinda why I liked the idea of doing a more traditional style….mostly, Goth seemed to have turned into metal by the late 90’s and I remembered how great it was back in the late 80’s and early 90’s and wanted to bring that style back into play.

In 2004, the album “Nullus Margis Gothica” was recorded and in 2005, it was released on Bad Head Records. In your bio, it says the album had limited release, so what happened?

We did a very short run of CDs of the original version of the album. At the time, we didn’t do any PR around it or promote it in any way as we both had other projects that we had to prioritise so, apart from that initial release, the album was left alone.

So, in 2021, the both of you are back together and release the single “Justine” which was your debut single. What happened at this point in time that made you decide to give Sirens Of Light another go and why did you pick “Justine” as your single?

Ever since we left the album years ago, we had both said we should really do something with it many times. I thought I had lost all of the original multitracks from 2004 but found them, completely by accident, in early 2021 on an old hard drive in a draw in my studio….finding the original recording gave us the opportunity to update the album to be more currently relevant and so it seemed the time was ripe to do it.

The end of 2022 sees the unveiling of “Nullus Margis Gothica MMXXI”, where a lot of the original recording was used? What changes or additions were made this time around?

The original recordings were mostly complete but there were a few parts missing here and there. These obviously had to be replaced anyway. The biggest update was with new vocals on most, but not all, tracks and making the sounds in general richer and more modern……all this was done with the intention of not loosing the original atmosphere of the album, but the original has a charm all of its own!

You have electronic musician, Kandinski Noir, as a guest vocalist on the track “Siren Of Light”. How do you know Noir and how did he end up on this track?

By chance Kandinski released a single called Justine around the same time we did. He messaged me on social media and we started chatting here and there. When reworking Siren of Light, the idea came up for a new chorus part and the idea of having it in German worked for the track. I asked him to translate for us into German and it seemed a natural and interesting idea to me to see how our voices and styles would stack up, so asked him to do a vocal on the pre chorus and chorus…worked out great!

The album was designed as thematic concept from the start. Can you please tell us more about this?

Well, we originally set out to make a Gothic rock album that reflected the roots of the genre and, as the record developed, that would take the listener on a sonic journey. The subject matter of the songs were all treated from the same emotive standpoint and the material and lyrical content is meant to be thought provoking and create an atmosphere. Conceptually speaking, it’s a reflection on some of the more interesting aspects of the human condition, the emotions we all feel, the experiences we have…some more unusual than others…the questions we all ask. There are various sub concepts within the record as well, but on the whole, the record is meant to resonate with listeners on their level…there’s a lot of layers in it!!’

What is it about the power of femininity that drew you in to explore it?

The power of the feminine has been ever present throughout history. I’ve always found it interesting and I think it is an important subject that deserves exploration.

Do you have a favourite track off the album?

That’s a difficult question to answer….I like them all for different reasons….If I had to pick one, Rearrange….always really liked the vibes it gives off!

There are definitely tell tale time signatures and riffs, that speak of your goth rock influences, but I also feel there are sounds within of glam rock and synthwave? What are your musical influences?

What I’m really influenced by is great songs, films, books, ideas and people from all eras. I love music that’s evocative and impactful so anything really, regardless of genre or era. If I had to pick one big influence, I guess it would have to be David Bowie, one of my favourite all time artists…timeless!

Who do you listen to now?

I listen to more or less anything that comes along that catches my attention…I’m very much a song and sound head so, if it catches my ear, I’ll listen and enjoy….I still listen to my favourite music from over the years but the catalogue seems to be constantly expanding!’

What are your thoughts about the state of the gothic music scene at present?

To me it seems that the scene has continued as it did coming into the early 2000’s…goth seems for the most part to have become metal or EDM, any bands doing a more traditional style are very few and far between or are the actual bands reforming and performing their back catalogue. There are a couple of exceptions but very few as far as I’m aware….I may be way wrong about this….

Has this new found fan base inspired you to think about a new album in the future?

Well yes, were planning a new album for later in the year and an ep sometime spring or early summer with a very limited vinyl release of MMXXI in spring as well.

Sirens Of Light are going to headline a one day festival and the best bit is that you get to choose the other acts and we can even time travel to a certain era to steal them away. Whom are you choosing and from which part of their career?

Wow…what a question…David Bowie – Aladdin Sane period, AC/DC – Powerage period, Sisters of Mercy any period, Leonard Cohen – I’m Your Man era, Hanoi Rocks – Saigon Shakes period, Hüsker Dü – Flip you Wig period, Pink Floyd from the 70’s, The Stranglers IV – ’77 to ’79, Sex Pistols – ’77, Iron Maiden – Di’Anno era, Blue Oyster Cult – Agents of Fortune, Fire of Unknown Origin era, The Cult – Love/Sonic Temple eras…….I could go in like this for hours…how many days is the festival???

Is there anything else in store for Sirens Of Light?

As I said before, we have the vinyl version of the album out in spring and a new e.p. to go with it, and a new album later in the year. I’m sure other things will come up as we go, there will be videos etc for example….watch this space!

Thank you sir for your time!

Nullus Margis Gothica MMXXI | Sirens Of Light (bandcamp.com)

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100071607476006&mibextid=ZbWKwL

Sirens Of Light

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Queensland band, Atticus Chimps, released their new single, “High At The Sight Of You” on February the 8th, The pop/punk/grunge duo from the Gold Coast Hinterland, are picking up air time on the alternative radio waves and also touring their high on life form of music.

A sonic hail of guitar noise hits your ears and it is a bit like a trip back to the 90s grunge era that spawned the wonderful Brisbane band Regurgitator. The cooed ooooo’s especially, that lapse into uplifting sound of the chorus’ gleeful announcement of being high at the sight of you. This song would have to go off live with the energy it brings.

Atticus Chimps have a huge verbosity about them for a two man band. For me, I really enjoyed this track with its massive sonic booming guitar and of course the thrashing drums that run this song at full throttle. The vocals are so utterly open and compliment “High At The Sight Of You“, giving you the taste of love’s first arrow in the modern era.

https://www.instagram.com/atticuschimps/?hl=en

https://www.facebook.com/AtticusChimps/

https://www.atticuschimps.com/

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US musician, Richard D. Ruttenberg, has attended the Berklee School of Music, is a composer of film scores and is involved in two trans Atlantic projects, RIZE and Delicate Droids, both signed to the Superfreq Records label, but recently he brought forth, his latest solo album, Raviv 6000.

You might ask yourself what qualifications do I have to talk about jazz. Erm, well I was brought up on old school jazz such as Benny Goodman, Count Basie Orchestra, Louis Armstrong, Ella Fitzgerald, Glenn Miller, Fats Domino and a lot of Fats Waller (because we’re all bums when the wagon comes, I mean, this joint is jumpin’). Thus, I am on my musical adventure and decided to choose a few tasty morsels, also known as tracks, as well as facts to share with you.

Raviv 6000 has many notable guest artists helping out. There is Jimmy Haslip, whom is the bassist for the Yellowjackets, has worked with other famous musicians and been nominated for twenty-two Grammys, winning three of them. Engineer/producer, Joe Berger, is a rock fusion guitarist with forty years in the industry, also playing with and mixing some major talents. Teacher and recording artist in his own right, Eddie Kohen is a Berklee taught bassist, whom is also a sought after session musician. If you have seen Smokey Robinson live or noticed the sax playing in a Salt’N’Pepper or Mary J. Blige song, then it is a good chance you have been listening to Carl Cox. He has played over the years with a myriad of artists. Just how many more horrendously talented people could appear…. well there is also guitar whiz Nick Kellie, whose debut album was released on Steve Vai’s label, Digital Nations. Another skilled music educator, Igor Fedotov, a saxophone player and recording artist, with a degree in music from the Russian Federation and there is the highly coveted session bass player Andrew Austin. Last but not least is Peter Dutch with programming and Ruttenberg’s co-conspirator in Delicate Droids. He is a DJ, recording artist and also a humanitarian.

Joe Berger features on “Ice Flames (A Wizard’s Tale)!“, which bubbles like a cauldron, with the popping electronics and Berger’s guitar slides and twists in a most extraordinary way, summoning musical magic into the air. There is the psychedelic groove of ” Double Secret Octopus!” and the curious electro wow sound that is your constant companion, while the guitar sings in the seabed of a foreign ocean, which again is Berger. The funky vibes are strong when you have “Visitors In The Backyard“. They might be here to probe you but before that happens, you have Fedotov laying down the smooth saxophone with what I think is the Korg Karma. So, it is a journey into both space and sound as the sax sweeps you along on the journey.

It is an album that is both experimental and futuristic, combining rock, 6 electronica, with a bit of funky psychedelia as the glitter on top. Some people who are unfamiliar with jazz tend to think it all horns and changing rhythmic time signatures, but there is a lot more to it. Without jazz, we would not have rock music, nor some of the amazing musicians that have influenced generations. The recently departed Charlie Watts of The Rolling Stones originally started as a jazz drummer, and it is of note that many of their tracks would not have sound the same without his wonderful talent and technique. This is true of Raviv 6000, with its beautiful production and flawless execution by the musicians. I encourage you to have a listen to this jazz fusion by Ruttenberg because you just never know, you might find yourself on a flight of a lifetime. Post script – do check out the cool videos for all the tracks!

https://rdruttenberg.bandcamp.com/album/raviv-6000

https://www.facebook.com/RuttenbergFUSION?mibextid=ZbWKwL

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7th of October is the date, for the release, of the single “Alien Jewelry“, by Gold Coast band, Atticus Chimps. These rock primates can be found in the Hinterland of Mount Tambourine, named Sam Bray (songwriter, guitar/bass & vocals) and Daniel Briffa (drums).

There is a sonic climax as Sam delivers a furious guitar filled frenzy, while Daniel gives us the storming beats that carry this track along at a terrific pace. The lyrics speak of a wonderment of space and if we are but the ornaments of extraterrestrials, with Sam delivering them with conviction.

What if the universe we occupy, was actually contained in a piece of jewelry, which sparkles with the whirling solar systems within? I seem to remember this was touched upon in the movie Men In Black and in some ways, it is a question that cause some to quiver and have an existential crisis yet not Atticus Chimps. Their heady mixture of heavy rock and punk pop smarts gives “Alien Jewelry” an enticing sound that will drag you in and then leave you wondering why it all stopped.

Rock Band | Atticus Chimps | Queensland

Atticus Chimps | Facebook

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Sooooo, someone here is an idiot. Who missed the release of Brisbane alt rockers, Killtoys, new single “Sinking Like A Stone“, in the 16th of September? Oh, wait, that was me. So without delay let me introduce you to Mick Bristow (vocals and guitar), Stav Tsolakides (bass guitar) and Bevan Bancroft (drums).

Dirty, gritty guitars peel out in a grungy storm, whipping around your ears, the lead guitar crisply wailing and Bristow’s voice is at the front of all this, pulling it all together along with those crashing drums. The crushing weight of expectation when you can’t see the light and yet you know it is there waiting to be reached.

They say once you hit rock bottom, the only way is up and “Sinking Like A Stone” is about that process but also, bouncing back better than ever. Killtoys have that big noise sound, combined with old fashioned, alt rock Aussie style, all mixed with a heavy darkness which is all killer and definitely no filler.

https://www.facebook.com/Killtoysband/

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Brisbane’s The Blackwater Fever, describe themselves as dark & moody rock n roll and that is a title well earned. July the 28th was the release for their ballad, “The Hurt“. Mmmm, ballads that hurt, so you know this could be a little wrong and yet a whole lot right, with the trio Shane Hicks (guitar, vocals), Trevor Gee (drums) and Jed Walters (bass).

The smooth, heavy bass weighs the track down and the lead guitar cries out it’s pain, ever the while, the drums hold sway, urging on the players of this affair, bursting into speed once in a while like a heart going into tachycardia and then just….stopping. Hick’s vocals are just the icing on top.

The blues and heartbreak ooze like blood from a thousand cuts. An abusive relationship they want to leave but yet they know mentally, they shall never recover from. It is the dirty rock’n’roll that moves your feet to the beat and your soul feels the misery but wants to rise with the winding notes. So tell us where The Blackwater Fever touched “The Hurt” on you?

The Hurt | The Blackwater Fever (bandcamp.com)

The Blackwater Fever | Facebook

The Blackwater Fever (@theblackwaterfever) • Instagram photos and videos

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Melbourne is one of the dark and mysterious cities of Australia, which is a place well known for it’s alt rock bands. Society Of Beggars are one of these such bands and their single, “Lick“, by the four piece, came out on the 28th of July. Yianni Michalopoulos (lead vocals), Jim Michalopoulos (guitar), Dibi (drums) and Nicoli Foulstone (bass) are the members making up Society Of Beggars.

The video for the track has band members and others wearing masks, as if they are in some otherworldly Greek tragedy, except for lead singer Yianni Michalopoulos, who is the story teller, leading you through this tale that Julie Leung, has wandered into. There is a deep melancholy to match the rich vocals and simple piano and guitar, as the music gradually builds and swells.

I think this is definitely one of those tracks that grows on you every listen. It is also going to mean different things to individuals, such as loss, lies, overcoming the seemingly impossible. The track is insistent that you listen carefully and soak up the ambiance bubbling up through the cracks. And remember folks…..once you lick it, it is yours.

Society of Beggars (bandcamp.com)

Society of Beggars | Facebook

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Brisbane based, three piece band, Killtoys today released their latest single, “Come Alive“. They come from an alt-rock based background and their music has a flare for the grimly dramatic.

KILLTOYS

The lads are bringing on a darker game here with ommious synths, lovely deep bass and 80s influenced guitar jangle that rings clear and true. Are they singing about vampires or the children of night who wear black? Oh oh, you have to listen for the oh oh. Mick Bristow’s vocals just are the icing on this ghoulishly fabulous track.

I officially love love this. It’s speaks to my dark little gothic heart and reminds me of 80s post punk bands with those fantastic riffs. The backing aaahs are just some of those little things that really make a song just a bit more spectacular. “Come Alive” from the Killtoys may just wake the living dead for a chance to bask in the moonlight.

https://m.soundcloud.com/killtoys/come-alive

https://www.facebook.com/Killtoysband