�鶹Լ�� Music Introducing Feed

From the Potteries to NYC: Adam French's �鶹Լ�� Music Introducing story

2016-04-29T11:30:00+00:00

'He's going to be bigger than The Beatles!' That's how one hat and glove seller described Adam French after being spontaneously serenaded at the top of 5th Avenue in New York for the documentary we were recording. It's a bold shout.

Adam was in New York to play the second of two shows in America. He'd only ever visited as a toddler before arriving in the States to play music he'd written at home. 'It's a bit strange knowing you’re 3,500 miles away from where you’re from and people have bothered to come and watch your gig. When they sing along to songs you've written in your kitchen, it's a bit mad.’

‘I was in LA for about two weeks before I came to New York. I was writing and recording. I played a show at The Hotel Café, quite an iconic venue. Hollywood Boulevard is a very strange place, very strange. There are no celebrities anywhere!’

Adam was 15 years old when he first came into �鶹Լ�� Radio Stoke on the 29th April 2009. He was cocky and still is. But now he's more likeable. More refined.

'Cheers for playing our tracks’ he shouted as he threw me a T-shirt bearing the name of his band at the time, The Rittz. 'Nice one'. I've still got that T-shirt.

A few years later, the band split. Uni got in the way. You know the story. So he decided to go it alone.

Relentless trips up and down the country followed and even a tour of Africa (!) before what he calls his big break came on the �鶹Լ�� Music Introducing stage at Reading and Leeds. He's the first to point to that as the turning point.

‘I was absolutely keen on being a musician and I was delusional enough to think it could actually work. I went to Leeds Festival as a kid and we always used to watch all of our favourite bands on those stages, so for that to be the case that my friends could come and watch me, that’s really special.'

He's recently signed a deal with Virgin EMI and is currently working on his debut album.

There's still a long way to go. The new set he's put together for the American gigs isn't good - it's special. I genuinely can’t wait for him to release some of the songs he performed on this trip. There’s one track in particular I’m convinced will be a number 1.

I'll never forget the reaction of tourists and locals to some of his tracks as he performed them in front of the famous landmarks for the documentary (which you can watch in full below). There were a few times when people would just stop and stare, captivated by his music. He's got that ability.

At one point a small group of people gathered and started filming him too. They broke out in applause when he'd finished. I think it's the only time I've ever seen Adam even slightly embarrassed.

Will he be bigger than The Beatles? Who knows.

Here's to another seven years, though.

Watch 'Adam French's �鶹Լ�� Music Introducing Story' in full

Hourglass: �鶹Լ�� Introducing in the West celebrates Nick Talbot

2015-12-02T10:40:45+00:00

This weekend �鶹Լ�� Introducing in the West celebrates Bristol musician Nick Talbot, who passed away 12 months ago aged 37.

On Saturday night at 8pm we're broadcasting a special programme 'Hourglass' which will pay tribute to his life and music, which was released under the pseudonym of Gravenhurst. He was an incredibly talented singer-songwriter, producer and multi-instrumentalist, even managing to find time to produce his own journalistic work too.

Presented by Richard Pitt, the 60 minute programme will include contributions from friends and fans of Nick’s music from all around the world, plus musicians and respected broadcasters, including 6 Music’s Lauren Laverne and Gideon Coe.

Under the alias of Gravenhurst, Nick was supported by �鶹Լ�� Introducing for 10 years whilst making music in Bristol. 'Hourglass' give us the opportunity to revisit tracks from the three sessions that Richard recorded with Nick over the years. Reflecting on Nick's achievements Richard has said "Nick was an incredible musical talent with a cult following in the city and beyond. Nick’s death marked a sad day for friends, family and the local music community, including �鶹Լ�� Introducing in the West".

The Nick Talbot programme ‘Hourglass’ will be broadcast on �鶹Լ�� Radio Bristol, �鶹Լ�� Radio Gloucestershire, �鶹Լ�� Somerset and �鶹Լ�� Wiltshire at 8pm on Saturday 5th December 2015.

For more details visit the �鶹Լ�� Introducing in the West site by clicking here.

Racing Glaciers: the story so far

2015-11-03T18:40:10+00:00

'The trumpet on this is amazing!' That was the text we got on �鶹Լ�� Introducing from Stoke from Mark in Newcastle-under-Lyme when we played Racing Glaciers for the first time on the radio on the 5th October 2012.

The band from South Cheshire had sent a track they'd recorded in their living room in via the �鶹Լ�� Introducing Uploader and to be fair, Mark had a point. Since that day, things have gone pretty well for the lads. After releasing a debut EP, the band progressed from a week on the Radio 1 �鶹Լ�� Introducing playlist to performing on the �鶹Լ�� Introducing stage at Radio 1's Big Weekend in Glasgow. Their track, Moths, is one of the best songs I’ve ever heard.

It’s amazing to think that they’ve also been on the soundtrack to two huge Hollywood films (Transformers: Age of Extinction and Aloha) plus the cult America TV show Suits - not bad for an unsigned band from South Cheshire! A particularly surreal moment was seeing their name in the credits to the Transformers film whilst on a flight to my holiday last year. I'm not afraid to say I welled up with pride.

Looking to the future, the boys moved in together and spent 10 weeks locked away in the remains of a Royalist stronghold in Lancashire recording their debut album. The tracks I’ve heard so far give you a lot to be excited about. Ahead of their UK tour, I brought them back on my programme to play a very special gig, which you can watch in full below.

300 not out: Rob Adcock reflects on his �鶹Լ�� Introducing from Stoke journey so far

2015-05-27T16:50:19+00:00

After his 300th show presenting �鶹Լ�� Introducing from Stoke, Rob Adcock reflects on some of the programme's finest musical discoveries.

Wow. This has come around rather quickly. Here are some of the high points from the bands and artists I've discovered and supported during the past 300 shows (in no particular order).

I don't think there'll ever be a time when I'm bored of telling the story of TCTS. He'll always be the first person I mention when I talk about music from the Staffordshire & Cheshire.

A friend heard his track when we played it on the show. He was working on Huw Stephens' Wednesday night Introducing show at the time. Huw played it. Nick Grimshaw (then a late night presenter) heard it, played it and passed it on to Annie Mac.

Since then I think he'd be the first to admit his feet have hardly touched the floor. In the May of 2013, he got his wish of playing in Ibiza. We went with him. It was a good night. That's all I'll say.

Since then he's played all over the world. Now working with Chase & Status label MTA Records.

If I had an ounce of musical talent - I'd form a TCTS tribute act.

XO, real name Sunil Heera, he first sent in his music under his old alias of S Heera at the age of 15 and it's easy to say it's clear he was going to be big with hindsight but he was. He was mild mannered, modest but knew what he wanted. Every track was a progression and bettered the last.

Seeing him play Radio 1s Big Weekend in Glasgow was special. He was wearing a t shirt and shorts. The only way he could have looked more like a Stokie is if he had an oatcake behind his ear. I know his performance blew away a lot of people.

He's regularly now played on Radio 1, 1Xtra and the Asian Network.

A bit like a stupidly talented little brother, it's been amazing watching them grow into where they are now. I think if I could be anyone else, I'd want to be XO.

I remember when Adam French first swaggered into �鶹Լ�� Radio Stoke as a cocky 15-year-old. Not much has changed on that front.

His performance at Reading, in my opinion, flawless. He'd played at Leeds two days earlier. His van had broken down, which is when I got the call asking me to give him a lift to the festival in Reading (true story).

I adore his voice. It's unlike anything I've heard. He'll be the biggest thing to come from Staffordshire since Wedgwood. He'll be the most famous person to ever come from Congleton.

I look forward to him selling out Wembley stadium. No pressure, Adam.

Camp Stag were the first band (with the exception of above) in the history of the show to officially perform at the world's most famous music festival, Glastonbury.

They were first on the stage on the Saturday morning. All the other acts hadn't started meaning they were the only act streaming on the �鶹Լ��'s Red Button service.

I still get emotional listening to their performance of 'When The Lights Come Down'. I don't think I've ever heard that song and the hairs on the back of my neck haven't stood up. They'll always be one of my favourite bands. Even in 50 years.

I still remember exactly where I was when I first heard Pegasus Bridge on the �鶹Լ�� Introducing Uploader. They first came into �鶹Լ�� Radio Stoke when the show was on a Thursday night. Alex (bassist) showed off that he could lick his own elbow. Not an easy trick let me tell you. You're trying it now, aren't you?

One of the highlights was definitely Radio 1s Big Weekend in Bangor 2010. They were first on stage and took the time to give flyers to everyone in the queue outside. It worked. Their music is still in my most listened to tracks on my MP3 player.

I genuinely believe they could have been bigger than The 1975 if they were still going today.

When they decided to call it a day, it trended worldwide on Twitter.

There's so many other events that could have easily featured into this list; Dan Hyde's first ever song being playlisted on Radio 1 and playing his first ever gig(!) at Glastonbury 2014 all within 6 months, or the huge moment of All The Young releasing an album on a major label was massive for the music scene in our area.

Racing Glaciers playing Radio 1s Big Weekend 2014 and featuring on the Transformers soundtrack was massive.

It's not just the festival moments either - Carter Mason featured as artist of the week on 1xtra, Get Cubs on Radio 1, Deco's plays on 6music.

300 down. Here's to 300 more?

Rob presents �鶹Լ�� Introducing from Stoke on Saturday nights at 8pm, find out more about the show here.

The Bristol Gig Crawl

2014-09-18T12:49:38+00:00

At �鶹Լ�� Introducing in the West our job is to promote, publicise and support all that’s great about the vibrant music scene for which the West Country is renowned. Our inaugural Bristol #GigCrawl was the latest event aimed at carrying out that mission - by supporting four venues and four gigs on one night!

Myself and Richard Pitt from �鶹Լ�� Introducing in the West made our way down the Gloucester Road into Stokes Croft "crawling" from one event to another. Working with several artists, promoters, colleges, broadcasters and labels, we put on four gigs that we were really proud of, with so much good music.

We kicked off the night with some female-fronted fun at The Golden Lion. Lady Nade, Nuala Honan and Rozi Plain performed and Charlie Taylor, one of our volunteers at �鶹Լ�� Introducing, compered the night.

We then drove onto the Gallimaufry, a venue where George Ezra’s residencies helped build his reputation. Access To Music, a college in Bristol, presented two of their artists: Lionesque and Maddy & The Jazz Hatters (pictured above), and Jess Bracey (another �鶹Լ�� Introducing volunteer) hosted the night for us.

An hour later we were off again, migrating this time by bike, to Bristol’s creative heartland Stokes Croft, where The Canteen hosted Bath's Jake Meeking and Bristol's Robin Mitchell. We were delighted to welcome Laura Rawlings from �鶹Լ�� Radio Bristol as compere for the evening.

Richard Pitt and Sam Bonham

Then, as things got late, Richard and I moved on for the last time, this time by foot. We rounded off our Gig Crawl with a Beats Breaks and Bass special at No 51 in Stokes Croft. The music for this night was selected by our regular #tripleB host, Thaddeous Matthews, and included sets from DJ Notion, Allmostt and Paperchase going all the way into the early hours.

Individually, all four events were incredibly successful - with packed venues, good music and big smiles. Combined, the Bristol Gig Crawl was a chance to shout about the diversity of the Bristol music scene and a nice way for us to showcase some of the brilliant work going on. Thanks to everyone who helped with the event!

We turned the whole thing into a two hour radio show, produced by Toby Field. You can follow the journey, by downloading the podcast (parts 1 and 2) right here.

Sam Bonham

�鶹Լ�� Introducing in the West supports unsigned, undiscovered and under the radar artists in the West of England. The programme is broadcast across Bristol, Gloucestershire, Somerset and Wiltshire. Get listening and find out more here.

From Scunthorpe pubs to Glastonbury Festival: The rise of the Ruen Brothers

2013-06-26T10:00:21+00:00

Ruen Brothers first came our way back in 2008. Presenter Alan Raw saw them on stage at a brilliant youth centre in Scunthorpe, their home town. The following week he said to me; “Get them in for a session. They’re very young and they’re very different from what we normally play!”

Ruen Brothers visit �鶹Լ�� Radio Humberside in 2008

He was right. Rupert and Henry (as the duo were known back then) came to �鶹Լ�� Radio Humberside later that winter fighting their way through a blizzard to join us for a live set. The guitar playing was already breath-taking. The harmonies were spot on. The style? Well it was pure Country. It was like they’d grown up listening to Hank Williams and George Jones. One thing sticks in my mind from that very first interview on the �鶹Լ�� – their delight that someone actually wanted to hear their music as opposed to The Killers and Stones covers demanded by pub owners and audiences in their home town. “We’re inspired to write more,” they said.

Then they disappeared again, off back to North Lincolnshire and the pub circuit around Scunny and Brigg and Bottesford, back to playing those covers but all the time working out what direction their music was going to take.

In January this year we found out. Tim Johns (ex Introducing presenter at �鶹Լ�� Lincolnshire) and I were having a chat and he told me about a band he’d seen at a school in Lincolnshire called Ruen Brothers. He said they’d wanted to hold off putting their new music out there until they were ready. Now they were. Their track Aces dropped into the Uploader and so it began.

Ruen Brothers - Walk Like A Man (�鶹Լ�� Radio Humberside session)

June 2013 and they’re back here at the �鶹Լ�� in Hull again for a session and to be filmed for the regional news programme Look North. Their Dad is with them. Describing himself as an ‘old Punk’, he lets slip that he sang on the Sex Pistols’ studio album. His record collection - old vinyl Roy Orbison and Stones and everything else across the ‘60s and ‘70s - is what Rupert and Henry grew up listening to. It shows. I bet there was some Country in that record collection too.

Ruen Brothers - Aces (�鶹Լ�� Radio Humberside session)

They reminisce in an interview with Alan about the youth centre gig, about getting up as twelve year olds to sing Animals covers at The Black Beauty pub in Scunny, and right up to date, about playing Glastonbury on the �鶹Լ�� Introducing stage, about finalising a deal with Island and Universal Republic. They stand in the studio, getting ready to do acoustic versions of Aces and Walk Like A Man. Exactly where they stood 5 years ago. But now, they’re bathed in blue light, lit for TV, four cameras pointing at them, directions from the gallery upstairs.

It’s so good to have them home.

Katy Noone is the producer for �鶹Լ�� Introducing on Radio Humberside

Ruen Brothers play �鶹Լ�� Introducing's stage at Glastonbury this Saturday. Highlights will be available on the website.

�鶹Լ�� Introducing picks for 2013 - A free download

2013-01-02T15:50:45+00:00

- SCROLL DOWN FOR THE LINK TO THE FREE DOWNLOAD AND THE TRACKLIST

I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and New Year break. Over at �鶹Լ�� Introducing we have some big news to kick off 2013. This Saturday (January 5th) every �鶹Լ�� Local Radio station across England and the Channel Islands will now broadcast a �鶹Լ�� Introducing programme from 8pm every Saturday evening.

Find your local �鶹Լ�� Introducing show here.

This means more programmes on the �鶹Լ�� dedicated to supporting undiscovered and under the radar musicians. The �鶹Լ�� Introducing local shows give new musicians a platform to get their music out to a wider audience, supported by presenters who have a strong local knowledge and are passionate about the new music scene. The very best of the music being played in their region could then get an opportunity to feature across �鶹Լ�� Radio 1, �鶹Լ�� Radio 2, �鶹Լ�� Radio 1Xtra, �鶹Լ�� 6 Music and �鶹Լ�� Asian Network, and if they are very good they may get chosen for one of our �鶹Լ�� Introducing sessions or a slot on our �鶹Լ�� Introducing stage at festivals.

So don’t forget to tune into your local �鶹Լ�� station from 8pm this Saturday evening to hear the latest new music from your region and if you are making music don’t forget to upload your track now.

To celebrate the shows coming together for the new time slot the local �鶹Լ�� Introducing teams have picked the acts they tip to be making waves in 2013 in one free download just for you. The acts chosen show the breadth of music �鶹Լ�� Introducing is supporting across the regions including indie, bass, house, dubstep, rock, grime, folk, pop and much more… we hope you enjoy the free tunes as part of our gift to you to start January with a bang as we continue to support new music across the UK.

Click here to access the free download and save to your computer.

*If you are viewing this on your mobile, please be aware that the file size is 101MB. Mobile network operators may charge for data used over their networks. If you are unsure how much 3G data costs or what your data allowance is then contact your mobile network operator.

The list of tracks is as follows:

Discopolis – Zenithobia
We Are Fiction -Sail On
Jp Cooper – Watching
Rukus - Call Me King
I Dream In Colour – London
Daytoner - On My Own
Dingus Khan - Made A List
Goodnight Lenin - A Cautionary Tale
Russian Gun Dogs – Survive
The Holy Orders - Paper/Scissors/Stone
Sundara Karma - Diamond Cutter
Indiana - Blind As I Am
George Ezra - It's Just My Skin
The Ello – Bayb
Screaming Maldini - Summer Somewhere
Esco Williams - New Challenger
Lauren Wright - Kiss Me
Story Books – Peregrine
Danny De Bohn - Traffic Jammin
The Lake Poets – Rain
U.G – Education
Heidi Emma Peach Browne - G.I.R.L.F.R.I.E.N.D
Park Bench Society - Back On The Town
Collectors Club - Wanna Be You
The Lost Souls Club - Kiss Away The Sun
Wild Swim - Bright Eyes
Hype-O - Go The Distance
Camp Stag – Sirens
The Heartbreaks - Delay Delay

The download is available for 30 days. You have until Friday February 1st to add it to your music library.