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Interview with Jon Scott

To mark the 10th anniversary of Afro-Beat legend Fela Kuti’s death, the soul-pop singer Jon Scott will release a commemorative single ‘Summer’, out now.

A star in his native Nigeria as a teenager, Jon became friends and neighbours with the legendary Fela Kuti, hanging out with him at his Kalakuta Republic Club, as the Afro-Beat king’s compound and regular night spot was known. Jon would watch Kuti perform and then play him his latest songs. Receiving such positive feedback from one of his heroes gave Jon huge confidence and his song-writing flourished.

Here, Jon kindly takes time out to answer the questions we couldn't wait to ask!

1. What was it like growing up in Nigeria?

Pretty cool.Lagos was a vibrant and exciting City with an eclectic mix of Sounds Lifestyles and fashion,being a great blend of European and African influences.

2. How did you come to form a friendship with Fela Kuti?

Just by hanging out at Kalakuta Republic and listening and watching whilst his band reheased.I was a kid,so it was not a problem for him to find "these small boys" hanging around and aping him.etc

3. From what age did you realise that music was going to become a major part of your life?

Can't remember not ever having Music as a main factor.I do recall being told that I'd made up my first song,which was all about me!,when I was about age 4.

4. Were you brought up in a musical household?

Yep.Mum has a wonderful singing Voice and was a member of choirs and singing groups.Dad played the Trumpet in his younger days.

5. Do you enjoy law and can you see yourself going back to it?

I've been very fortunate to be able to do two things which come to me fairly naturally.I enjoy the Law,as it requires a fair degree of Logic and Clarity of thought.

Whether or not going back to it is an option will depend on the Punters out there!!

6. Who are your musical heroes and whose music has influenced you most?

I've been hugely influenced by everything I've ever heard,although my stand out guys are Marvin Gaye,Fela Kuti,Stevie Wonder,Bob Marley,King Sunny Ade and generally all those amazing Singer Songwriters,as I am First and foremost a Singer/Songwriter and have always wanted to be the Guy who wrote "that Song".

7. How would you describe 'Summer' to someone who hasn't heard it?

Sounds like "Summer",......What else?

8. How does it feel to have asingle out after dreaming of it for so long?

Feels like the first of a Thousand Long intimate Kisses .

9. Which artists are you enjoying listening to at the moment?

Maroon 5 are a good song writing and performing band.Listening to them has galvanised me into going back gigging and I will be appearing at Storm Nightclub in London's Leicester Square on 18th October on stage at 10pm.

Am also enjoying Kanye West as well as Masters at work's Version of Fela Kuti's Upside down.I always have a Marvin Gaye C.d in my Car c,d Changer and am grooving to "YOU SURE LOVE TO BALL" From The Lets Get it on Album,which album is just a Masterpiece of Seductive sensous Soul Music at its Greatest.

10 Where do you see yourself in 5 years time?

On top of the world,Still experiencing more of those kisses referred above and still gigging and writing "that Song"

The Proclaimers - interview with Craig Reid

Oh we love our job! Heroes of ours the first time they hit the charts in the 1980's, we were extra lucky to interview Craig - with a new album 'Life With You', single and tour about to begin, we managed to grab some of his valuable time to ask him some very important questions...

1. What is it like working with your brother and do you get along?

We have been working together in bands since the ages of 13/14 so are used to that way of life. We get on absolutely fine.

2. What sort of music did you play in those early bands?

It was more or less the stuff that was around at the time - Sex Pistols, The Jam, Punk, even some Rhythm and Blues

3. Do you have children of your own and, if so, are they musical?

I have four children - they are all musically capable but it's not something that I push them into. My eldest daughter enjoys playing the guitar.

4. What were your early musical influences?

We grew up listening to music like Fats Domino, Frank Sinatra, Ray Charles and some country music too.

5. What was the first single you ever bought?

I'm pretty sure it was the Scotland World Cup song from 1974 - 'Easy Easy'

6. How would you describe your music to others?

People sometimes say we're quite folky, but I think Pop describes us best.

7. Generally, how long does it take to compose a song from start to finish?

There are ideas in my head all the time - sometimes it can be years before they come to song but on average, the process takes about 2 weeks.

8. The album 'Sunshine on Leith' made me and many, many others smile and feel good whenever it was played. Were you aware your music was having such a positive effect?

Even from the early gigs, we became aware that people were truly enjoying themselves and leaving happy - that's a great effect for your music to have.

9. What did you spend your first major royalty cheque on?

It went towards my first flat.

10. How did the Peter Kay collaboration come about?

We were approached and said yes immediately. Apparently Matt Lucas is a big fan of ours.

11. And how did you manage to keep a straight face performing with such comedy greats?

That was hard - it took a few takes, 6 or 7, and I concentrated on looking straight ahead all the time!

12. The new album 'Life With You' is a total triumph and the title track is the perfect single. Are you just as happy with your work now as you were then?

Definitely. We are always proud of what we do and are enjoying the music as much as ever.

13. What was the influence for the single 'Life With You'?

It's about being in love and the way those feelings grow from being young to middle age.

14. Do you have a personal favourite track off the album?

It would have to be the second track, 'In Recognition'.

15. Where do you see yourself in 5 years time?

Still making music and touring!

The Puppini Sisters

One year after the release of their debut record ‘Betcha Bottom Dollar’ The Puppini Sisters announce the release of their second album ‘The Rise And Fall Of Ruby Woo’.

Marcella Puppini, Kate Mullins and Stephanie O’Brien led the retro wave in 2006 with their 1940s influenced blend of ‘pop with swing’ and gorgeous sense of glamour and fun. “To Puppini” quickly became a lifestyle and fashion statement as the name became synonymous with fashion, style and allure and audiences embraced the girls’ highly entertaining and original musical performance and the ethos of dressing to impress.

We were in Jazz heaven when given the chance to interview one third of the group, Kate Mullins...

1. Is your passion for this genre inherited and, if so, from whom?
It was mainly inherited from my wonderful sister, Marcella Puppini! Such eclectic tastes……
2. Who are your musical influences?
Metallica, Tom Waits, Marilyn Manson, Bjork, Nick Cave (to name but a few!)
3. How did you meet?
I met the girls while we were studying jazz performance at a music conservatoire in London.
4. How did it feel the first time you heard how good you sounded together?
It took a while! We sounded like tortured cats for a few months, each singer very different and used to singing alone, but when we did click, well, that’s the reason I love this band! It’s a very beautiful thing to be a part of. Often I get the goosebumps.
5. Your fashion style is exquisite. Are your designs made especially?
Our outfits are a mixture of choice vintage finds, pieces from designers like Vivienne Westwood and yes, some are made especially for the Puppini cause. We have very talented people who work with our own very strong ideas to create the ‘Puppini’ look.
6. What style of modern music do you lean towards, if any?
We all have very different tastes in music but what’s so great about this band is that this all comes together and gets thrown into the melting pot to create our own sound. This includes our three boys who play drums, double bass and guitar with us. We all bring different stuff to listen to and play it to each other. Most of it isn’t modern though……..
7. As your audience grows, do you miss smaller gigs?
We certainly began our career in very, very small venues to smaller crowds, which taught us how to communicate with an audience and make them feel personally involved in the shows we do. When you start to play bigger venues, the art is translating this intimacy to a wider crowd, which we feel we achieve very successfully. We played the Montreal Jazz Festival the other week to well over 1000 people and you’d have thought there was only 100 by the way everyone was reacting to the songs and the banter on stage. It’s very exhilarating to connect that closely with a larger audience.
8. What's your favourite track off the new album?
Hmmm… I really don’t know! I know I’m supposed to say this, but I think the whole album is killer! If I had to choose one song, it’d be a toss up between ‘Soho Nights’ and ‘And She Sang’. ‘Soho’ is such a fun catchy pop tune to sing and in contrast, ‘And She Sang’ is an epic from start to finish. It’s a magical song with operatic/Fellini inspired genius. I love singing it.
9. Was singing always your first passion?
I guess it was…… Started ‘singing’ with Old MacDonald as a noisy child and haven’t shut up since.
10. What's your favourite all time track?
Haven’t got a favourite track. To me, albums mean more than just a single track. So in which case, my favourite all time album is ‘Mule Variations’ by Tom Waits. It’s my idea of perfection.

DAVID GUETTA

David Guetta is back – and summer 2007 belongs to him. The superstar DJ, producer, recording artist and promoter is set to go supernova with the release of his new single and album.

On August 13th David Guetta releases his new single ‘ Love Is Gone’ featuring the soaring vocals of Chris Willis. David Guetta’s third album ‘Pop Life’ is released on Aug 20th. Both are released on Charisma records.

The 14 tracks on ‘Pop Life’ manage to pull off the rare trick of moving hearts and minds on the dancefloor and the Top 40. The lead single ‘Love Is Gone’ is a club classic in the making. Elsewhere ‘Pop Life’ features co-writes for the first time with Cathy Dennis on ‘Baby When The Light’ and Karen Poole on ‘Tomorrow Can Wait’. ‘Pop Life’ is David’s best album to date, destined to be the soundtrack to this summer and beyond. “Some DJs say pop is a dirty word, but I’m trying to be different,” he says. “Of course dance music is pop music! I’m always faithful to my community, but this album also has big, quality pop melodies.”

David previewed tracks from ‘Pop Life’ at Coachella in LA a few months ago. The show had USA Today picking him as one of the highlights alongside Red Hot Chilli Peppers, Rage Against The Machine and Arctic Monkeys.

In between DJing across the world, David Guetta has become a permanent fixture in the charts over the last few years with a run of smash hits from ‘Just A Little More Love’ to the biggest club track of last year, David’s mash up with The Egg ‘Love Don’t Let Me Go (Walking Away)’.

We were extremely lucky to get the chance to ask David a few Q's of our own...

1. Turntables or music making - which is your true no:1 passion?

I am a DJ first of all. I became a producer to make the tracks missing in my DJ set.

2. 'Love don't let me go' has a Depeche Mode type sound. Were and indeed are you a fan?

I am a big fan of Depeche Mode.

3. Who/what are your musical influences?

Prince & Depeche Mode. Early House music and 90’s Rave

4. From what age did you aspire to DJ?

I started to practices when I was 13, in my bedroom after school.

5. Do you approach people to collaborate with or are you approached?

I usually meet them by chance in bars, clubs or they send me demos at the studio.

6. Which track are you most proud of?

Just a little more love. My first track.

7. Which is your fave club to DJ at?

Pacha, Ibiza

8. How would you describe your music to attract a new audience?

A balance between a dark and dirty electric sound and a warm and happy sound.

9. What was it like working with Fat Boy Slim at Brighton's 'Big Beach Boutique'?

Most incredible experience. Minus two degrees and people still having hands in the air.

10. Paris or London?

Sounds Like a Eurostar ad. Both
www.myspace.com/davidguetta

Album exclusive on iTunes below:

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Is using a CD an effective method of learning?

In today's society of worldwide business, foreign holidays and purchasing holiday homes, it is no wonder many of us are keen to learn another language. This also includes children from an early age with various learning tools available. We asked 'La Jolie Ronde', specialists in teaching French to children aged 3-11, what advantages learning from a CD can bring.

Firstly, it can be quite cost-effective to learn from a CD. In general, they are a cheaper format with the ability to cram a lt of information on and also ideal for picking up from where you left off.

They can also serve as a substitute in the absence of a foreign language teacher, both at home and in a school environment.

It is invaluable to be able to hear proper pronunciation so you don't embarrass yourself when using your new found skills abroad.
A CD helps to teach listening comprehension skills, important in every day life in all fields.
With La Jolie Ronde concentrating on the child market, they use songs and poems to help to support language learning of everyday topics such as greetings, classroom language, counting, names and ages, colours, food, days and months, parts of the face and body, family, pets, hobbies, weather and Christmas. Songs and chants, which have been recorded with modern punchy music, help to capture the child's attention that in turn helps to enthuse and stimulate the child.

With learning, certain formats always suit some more than others, but with access to CD players readily available at home and on the move, CDs have advantages that no other format can achieve.

Copying CDs for personal use - right or wrong?

A lot of us copy CDS for friends, relatives or many other purposes. Whilst in the main we know it's not strictly legal to do so, we still go ahead imagining we will never be caught. Surely there are always bigger fish to fry?

It would seem that public opinion is that copying for personal use is acceptable and copying own CDs 'should be legal'.

With this in mind, a think-tank has called for outdated copyright laws to be rewritten to take account of new ways people listen to music, watch films and read books.
The Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) is calling for a "private right to copy".

It would decriminalise millions of Britons who break the law each year by copying their CDs onto music players.

Making copies of CDs and DVDs for personal use would have little impact on copyright holders, the IPPR argues.

Copyright issues have, in the past, been steered too much by the music industry, the report said.

IPPR deputy director Dr Ian Kearns said: "When it comes to protecting the interests of copyright holders, the emphasis the music industry has put on tackling illegal distribution and not prosecuting for personal copying, is right.

"But it is not the music industry's job to decide what rights consumers have that is the job of government."
When the economic, the political, the cultural and the moral are closely connected in a policy problem, policy frameworks need to be built to recognise this.

According to research from the National Consumer Council, more than half of British consumers are infringing copyright law by copying CDs onto their computers, iPods or other MP3 players.

Report author Kay Withers said: "The idea of all-rights reserved doesn't make sense for the digital era and it doesn't make sense to have a law that everyone breaks. To give the IP regime legitimacy it must command public respect."

Intellectual property laws are currently being reviewed by the government.

Source: BBC News

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