Q1: Have The Supernovas been back to the studio recently?

Joei: Yeah we were back in Sunshine Corner with Smiley in Fleet at the end of last year. We recorded drums, bass and guitars for 10 tracks so we’ve got plenty of work to be getting on with at the moment!

Q2: How did your debut single do?

Joei: I’m really happy with the progress we’ve as a band as a result of it. We sold around 300 vinyl copies, I’m not sure how many downloads there were on top of that but it was a good start. Just looking forward to the next step now and releasing Slaughter In The Gaza!

Q3: When can we expect that?

Joei: We’re hoping to release Slaughter In The Gaza in March as a Download-only and then follow it up with a full hard copy release of City Of Smoke in the summer.

Q4: The band have been playing all over the country, tell us about that.

Joei: It’s been good over the last year. We’ve really taken it up a gear. No more being stuck in a rut playing the same London shows over and over again. We’ve actually been able to go and visit different places around the country that we wouldn’t have seen otherwise.
I think the main highlights have been the Bournemouth and Portsmouth shows although the Babyshambles supports in Cardiff, Southampton and Manchester were amazing.

Q5: Do you feel any kinship with any other bands or artists currently playing?

Joei: Well, being on the same label as Inwits and Krakatoa has definitely given us a sort of gang mentality when we’re out playing together. David McSherry would definitely be a part of that gang as well.

Q6: Who would you choose to run the country?

Joei: Tony Benn. Hands down winner. Easy choice.

Q7: Do politics have a place in music anymore?

Joei: Most definitely. I think that one of the reasons that music has hit a patch of boredom or mediocrity, or whatever you wanna call it, is that no-one seems to have anything to say anymore. I mean Lady Gaga is supposed to be the most offensive one out there and all I’ve heard her say is that she’s bluffin’ with her muffin! I like to invite her round for a couple of hands of Poker one day – I bet she’d catch a fuckin’ cold!

Q8: Are there any heroes left, musical or otherwise?

Joei: They are few and far between but they’re not all dead yet.

Q9: What are the worst and best things about being in your band?

Joei: The best thing about being in The Supernovas is the belief I have in the music we make and the boys as individuals. The worst thing about being in The Supernovas is the amount of fried chicken we eat when we’re on the road together.

Q10: You go to Austin, Texas in March, what are your plans for your first American trip?

Joei: To cause a fuckin’ stir… I like the fact that we’ll have Slaughter In The Gaza out for then. I think it should turn a few heads out there. I’m hoping that by the end of our first song, half the crowd will have walked out and the remainder will be up for it. That’s like ‘my vision’ of the gig haha!

Fast forward three and a half months to a beautiful spring day in April. 360 Degree Music are hosting the Camden Crawl at Tommy Flynn’s, a hostelry situated between Mornington Crescent and Camden stations. Actually, it’s the Camden Trawl, as the venue is not officially part of the Crawl, but that doesn’t stop us from having bigger crowds than many of the official venues.

Thirteen bands play in twelve hours, everyone goes on at the scheduled time, there are only three minor skirmishes, no ones head gets busted, and stars of the day are Krakatoa, (yes it’s them again, and this time they are headlining this extravaganza); The Supernovas, (a storming set that wins the best reception of the day on their North London home turf); Rum Shebeen, (proving once again what a great band they are, but why only one single in three years?); a wonderful debut set by Savants; Reader’s Wives’ London debut, which is a totally assured, singalong affair; a rollicking, Beatlesque, Motown meets the modern age set by Inwits; and a sparse solo performance from Paul Liddell, which wins plaudits from journalist Gavin Martin.

Stroll On’s remarkable residency at central London’s The Social provided several highlights of the year, with The Metros’ penultimate gig in March, which drew a sellout crowd by 9.30; Mozzy Green’s beautiful intensity enrapturing the audience in April, and an astonishing aural barrage/sonic symphony from Screaming Tea Party in June. Later in the year, Gringo Star ,The Supernovas and Yves Klein Blue gave garland winning performances on a glorious night in November.

Also in November, Reader’s Wives returned to London with storming sets at two packed-to-the-rafters gigs at Peter Parker’s in old Tin Pan Alley, and Tommy Flynn’s (I see a theme developing here…). The same week bore witness to three shows from Sweden’s psychsters Mono Stereo, who played a fine show at Kentish Town’s Flowerpot, and an absolute stormer supporting Violens at Proud Galleries.

Upon returning to Dublin, Reader’s Wives played a launch show, in support of their ‘Secrecy & Sex’ EP, at Dublin’s stunning Odessa Club. Contraceptives were dispatched into the crowd from the stage, people drank and danced, and a jolly good time was had by all. Support band Mozzy Green were disappointed with their own performance, but they were the only ones, and they received a warm reception from a very warm and appreciative audience (that’s Dublin for ya!).

Talking of Dublin, Krakatoa and The Supernovas both visited the fair city in July for their debut Irish shows, both winning many fans and compliments. Both bands also followed their return to London with single launches, Krakatoa selling out the Legion on a warm July night, and The Supernovas repeating the feat in a sweaty night at The Social at the beginning of August.

Oh, did I mention that Krakatoa played 18 gigs in 18 nights, supporting Alabama 3 on a trek that took in the length and breadth of the country. And Gaoler’s Daughter and The Supernovas playing high profile support slots with Babyshambles?

2009’s live activity ends with a show at the Stroll On Christmas party, at Hoxton Bar & Kitchen on Monday 22^nd December. Krakatoa, The Supernovas and Inwits will all play – IT’S GONNA GO OFF!

The second Krakatoa single, ‘Fat Cats’ was released in November, as the lads headed out on an eighteen date tour supporting Alabama 3, which was a roaring success, with the boys winning fans everywhere they went. The Supernovas have just been added to the bill for three Babyshambles gigs next week, and the following week Gaoler’s Daughter take up two slots. In the past few weeks we have released singles and EP’s by London’s raggle taggle popsters Gaoler’s Daughter; ten piece indie pop soul groovers White Collar Weapons; Swedish psych shoegazers Mono Stereo, and hotly tipped Dubliners Reader’s Wives.

A 25 track compilation album of the work of Liverpudlian legend Dean Johnson was released last week, and his entire catalogue of sixteen albums will be released by 360 in 2010. Next year also sees the release of the second Roses Kings Castles album; the debut album by the magnificent Ben Sommers; the second singles by The Supernovas, Reader’s Wives and Mono Stereo; debut releases from The Savants and Inwits; An EP of five new songs by Sunderland song writing sensation Paul Liddell, and a whole host more!

We here at 360 love music, so it’s not just about what we do, it’s about the amazing array of worldwide talent who defy the naysayers by producing great artistic work in times of supposed darkness. So here’s a big shout out to all the artists who made great albums in 2009:

A Camp, Air, Alberta Cross, Alessi’s Ark, Amazing Baby, Animal Collective, Asobi Seksu, Blitzen Trapper, Black Moth Super Rainbow, Sarah Blasko, Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy, Brakes, The Cave Singers, Coconut Records, Marshall Crenshaw, Crocodiles, Crystal Antlers, Danger Mouse & Sparklehorse, Dead Man’s Bones, The Decemberists, Alela Diane, The Drums, The Duke & The King, Thomas Dybdahl, Eels, Empire Of The Sun, Forest Fire, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Ghoststory, Girls, Great Lake Swimmers, Grizzly Bear, The Handsome Family, Hatcham Social, Imogen Heap, Peter Holsapple & Chris Stamey, Ida Maria, The Leisure Society, Local Natives, Madness, Metric, Miike Snow, Rhett Miller, Okkervil River, The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart, Papercuts, Phoenix, Pink Mountaintops, Jay Reatard, Reverend & The Makers, Rodrigo Y Gabriela, Hope Sandoval, 7 Worlds Collide, The Shivers, Soap & Skin, The Soundtrack Of Our Lives, Mindy Smith, St. Vincent, Jamie T, Theoretical Girl, Tim Ten Yen, Tinariwen, The Trinity, Vetiver, Vivian Girls, M. Ward, Wavves, White Denim, Wilco, Wooden Shjips, The XX, Yves Klein Blue and PROBABLY A LOAD MORE WE HAVEN’T DISCOVERED YET.

‘360′

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