Press and Journal Write Up

[bladeola]

i'd probably really like estrella if they weren't shite.

MODS...MOOOOODDDDSSSS!!

Come on, there is perfectly good (if somewhat heated) debate in this thread. Need for that comment.

If me, Dan, Tom etc had said that...we would be suspended for a week and the post deleted.

Sort it out!!

[ash.]

hahaha, it wasn't a personal insult. it was my opinion on music that the band makes. they might be lovely guys, who knows?

[The Milner]

I actually agree with Tom if i'm honest.

I don't agree on the stuff he has said about Estrella. I know who they are but I dont think I've ever seen or heard them.

I do, however agree on what he has said about battle of the band contests. IN MY OPINION, they are a joke and are kind've seen by the majority of the industry that way. They tend to conjure up images of bands that are pretty desperate for recognition of the wrong kind and/or on the way out. Often I feel it's bands who are misguided that play these things.

id agree, battle of the bands is not the way to go, i hate the competitions, i hate the whole thing about them. However you can get some good out of them, if nothing else then to make contacts with people and bands.

However, and i know you never said this, there is not basis to call a band a joke because of how they go about stuff. If estreall are happy doing this them let them, im sure if they didnt enjoy it they wouldnt.

[The Milner]

You are an idiot then. When did I mention selling tickets? What strikes me as odd is that this band, and many others like them, win battle of the bands competitions when they are almost always glorified cover bands. Whenever decent, original and entirely accessable bands enter, they're never successful. C'mon dude, it's a well known fact that these competitions are totally corrupt and promoted by people with only on their minds.

you said rent-a-crowd and i assumed you ment bands had to sell tickets to get their mates along, if i was wrong i appologise. read my post to ben, i hate battle of the bands and im not sticking up for them so to speak but they are not all like that, there are one or two here and there that can be good.

The reason you bring my band into it is because you don't like the fact that we're trying to do something different. We are not trying to start a revolution, and we are under no delusions that guitar pop is not a fleeting genre. We simply have some ambition to create our own sound. We want to play music that people can't listen to and mistake for another band, or dilute into a particular scene. Most bands don't even seem to want to try it, let alone succeed or fail. I personally would not put us in the lowest 1% of local bands, but I have faith in what we are trying to do, which is create interesting, dynamic and clever pop music.

What are you ding different? I dont dislike the wishes, im not a big fan either to be honest some of your songs are really good some are not so i think your maybe being a bit ignorant here....

I never said you were in the lowest 1% i just said you were not one of the best and good luck with whatever it is you have planned, but i still stand by what i said

[Guest Tam o' Shantie]

id agree, battle of the bands is not the way to go, i hate the competitions, i hate the whole thing about them. However you can get some good out of them, if nothing else then to make contacts with people and bands.

However, and i know you never said this, there is not basis to call a band a joke because of how they go about stuff. If estreall are happy doing this them let them, im sure if they didnt enjoy it they wouldnt.

The reason I called them a joke is because they have a bad attitude, and seem to think they're going to be the next fucking Guns 'n' Roses. If you are a band doing what they do, acting like they're the next big thing and on their way to a massive record deal on the back of some questionable battle of the bands success and p&j (the UK's most essential music publication) exposure, then you're full of shit. Look at The Needles, they're doing very well indeed for themselves after years of hard work and some serious accomplishments, and you don't see them posting smug shit about getting articles in local papers. Just read it, they can't even spell 'heroes' in the article.

[The Milner]

The reason I called them a joke is because they have a bad attitude, and seem to think they're going to be the next fucking Guns 'n' Roses. If you are a band doing what they do, acting like they're the next big thing and on their way to a massive record deal on the back of some questionable battle of the bands success and p&j (the UK's most essential music publication) exposure, then you're full of shit. Look at The Needles, they're doing very well indeed for themselves after years of hard work and some serious accomplishments, and you don't see them posting smug shit about getting articles in local papers. Just read it, they can't even spell 'heroes' in the article.

Do you know them?

Have you worked with them?

Have you spoken to them before?

The people who i know who work with them find them to be decent guys trying to do what they enjoy, and also from what ive been told they have a managment company who maybe dont always know whats best for the band, so where are you getting your information that they have a bad attitute? Where in that post were they being smug about being in the paper, i seem to remember weapon being in the paper and not getting abuse, not that im saying they should have im just pointing that out.

As for The Needles good on them in a big fan and i love the album

[bladeola]

Do you know them?

Have you worked with them?

Have you spoken to them before?

The people who i know who work with them find them to be decent guys trying to do what they enjoy, and also from what ive been told they have a managment company who maybe dont always know whats best for the band, so where are you getting your information that they have a bad attitute? Where in that post were they being smug about being in the paper, i seem to remember weapon being in the paper and not getting abuse, not that im saying they should have im just pointing that out.

As for The Needles good on them in a big fan and i love the album

I dont recall us telling people on here that we were in the paper though.

I'm not agreeing that Estrella were acting smug or whatever...just making it clear that yes we have been in local press a few times but haven't mentioned on here. Not to the best of my knowledge anyway.

[StewCat]

i seem to remember weapon being in the paper and not getting abuse

thats coz weapon kick ass!

[The Milner]

I dont recall us telling people on here that we were in the paper though.

I'm not agreeing that Estrella were acting smug or whatever...just making it clear that yes we have been in local press a few times but haven't mentioned on here. Not to the best of my knowledge anyway.

Is there any reason not to?

Surely people are happy when local bands get coverage in the local press after years of bitching about it not happening?

[bladeola]

Is there any reason not to?

Surely people are happy when local bands get coverage in the local press after years of bitching about it not happening?

We were happy, of course we were.

Thing is, what's the point really in telling everyone on here. I know it comes back to that argument about "attitude towards aberdeen-music.com" and all that but the proof is all there. I bet you think we should've announced that we were playing Taste of Chaos again this year but there was just no point. It was someone else that announced it for us and even she didnt put our name in the thread because she knew the shitstorm that would follow. She doesnt even know us and hasn't seen us as a band and still knew what saying our name in a thread would cause! So you see, whats the point in trying to make people on here proud of you. It wont happen. People GENERALLY dont like to see their peers get on and do well. Sad but true.

[Guest Tam o' Shantie]

you said rent-a-crowd and i assumed you ment bands had to sell tickets to get their mates along, if i was wrong i appologise. read my post to ben, i hate battle of the bands and im not sticking up for them so to speak but they are not all like that, there are one or two here and there that can be good.

What are you ding different? I dont dislike the wishes, im not a big fan either to be honest some of your songs are really good some are not so i think your maybe being a bit ignorant here....

I never said you were in the lowest 1% i just said you were not one of the best and good luck with whatever it is you have planned, but i still stand by what i said

By rent-a-crowds I really just meant that for one, they must have pulled big crowds because that is usually the onyl way to win these things, and that I doubt the crowds that went to see them were serious music fans. How many people do you know that like Estrella? Do you know anyone who's even been to their gigs? Does anybody on this site rate them alongside other local bands, or have they ever attended an Estrella show? I've never heard anyone talking about them except themselves.

Your other question is quite vague but I will try to answer it the best way I can. If you are asking what I feel seperates us from the archetypal guitar pop band, I would say that the three of us sing harmonies heavily in every song, that we have a heavy 60s influence and take a lot of inspiration from 50s/60s soul, pop, rock'n'roll etc. Not many bands come to mind that are obviously influenced by this style - Raveonettes, Pipettes...weezer maybe? We also put a fair bit of noise and atonal stuff in, to contrast the saccharine pop sound and create some dynamics, there are rhythms and beats that follow 5/4 and other unusual time signatures...etc...etc. Like I said, I'm under no delusions that we are some sort of revolutionary band, I just dont think we have a generic sound at all.

[The Milner]

By rent-a-crowds I really just meant that for one, they must have pulled big crowds because that is usually the onyl way to win these things, and that I doubt the crowds that went to see them were serious music fans. How many people do you know that like Estrella? Do you know anyone who's even been to their gigs? Does anybody on this site rate them alongside other local bands, or have they ever attended an Estrella show? I've never heard anyone talking about them except themselves.

we had 4 people to see us on wednesday out a crowd of over 100....go figure.

The rest about Estella comes back to the point i made eariler about the management for me, your right they dont pay enough gigs in aberdeen, they dont get out and about as much as they maybe should and they probably dont have that big a fan base.

Your other question is quite vague but I will try to answer it the best way I can. If you are asking what I feel seperates us from the archetypal guitar pop band, I would say that the three of us sing harmonies heavily in every song, that we have a heavy 60s influence and take a lot of inspiration from 50s/60s soul, pop, rock'n'roll etc. Not many bands come to mind that are obviously influenced by this style - Raveonettes, Pipettes...weezer maybe? We also put a fair bit of noise and atonal stuff in, to contrast the saccharine pop sound and create some dynamics, there are rhythms and beats that follow 5/4 and other unusual time signatures...etc...etc. Like I said, I'm under no delusions that we are some sort of revolutionary band, I just dont think we have a generic sound at all.

good for you

*pats on head*

[The Milner]

We were happy, of course we were.

Thing is, what's the point really in telling everyone on here. I know it comes back to that argument about "attitude towards aberdeen-music.com" and all that but the proof is all there. I bet you think we should've announced that we were playing Taste of Chaos again this year but there was just no point. It was someone else that announced it for us and even she didnt put our name in the thread because she knew the shitstorm that would follow. She doesnt even know us and hasn't seen us as a band and still knew what saying our name in a thread would cause! So you see, whats the point in trying to make people on here proud of you. It wont happen. People GENERALLY dont like to see their peers get on and do well. Sad but true.

So basically its ok for Eddison or Amy Sawers to say they will be on Northsound, yet its not ok for Weapon or Estrella to say they are in the papers????

How are Eddison not being smug but yet Estrella are?

I do see your point ben and its something ive seen on here time and time again especially for your band. I just dont understand it.

[Chris]

I bet you think we should've announced that we were playing Taste of Chaos again this year but there was just no point. It was someone else that announced it for us and even she didnt put our name in the thread because she knew the shitstorm that would follow. She doesnt even know us and hasn't seen us as a band and still knew what saying our name in a thread would cause!

I don't understand this at all. That thread had 3 or 4 pages of almost all positive comments about MMW in it.

[Guest Tam o' Shantie]

good for you

*pats on head*

That would have been a really hilarious response, if you hadn't just asked exactly what I thought made 10EW unusual or different - resulting in me directly answering your question.

[The Milner]

That would have been a really hilarious response, if you hadn't just asked exactly what I thought made 10EW unusual or different - resulting in me directly answering your question.

your probably right but as ben pointed out i usualy fail MISERABLY at these sorts of things

Bob where are you when i need you....???

[Guest MDP]

i've seen estrella quite a few times, and they are really good. they play the music that they like, and IMHO they play it very well. they are also a lovley bunch of down to earth blokes

[bladeola]

I don't understand this at all. That thread had 3 or 4 pages of almost all positive comments about MMW in it.

Oh really?

Almost all? Read it again recently have you?

I cant really be arsed getting into this one again. Like I say, it doesn't affect us really. You're precious about stuff that I couldnt really care much less about and vice versa.

This is an argument that will go on forever and the actions always end up speaking the loudest anyway.

[bladeola]

your probably right but as ben pointed out i usualy fail MISERABLY at these sorts of things

Bob where are you when i need you....???

Ya see, you took it well.

Im sure Tom's response about me in that thread made a few people chuckle.

Word is that my post about the "cross section of people" on this site amused a few mods but they just knew that it had to closed due to the chaos i would've induced. I'm so mischevious..."I'M MAD ME!!!" *eats own poo to prove it*

[trippinoneastereggs]

Often I feel it's bands who are misguided that play these things.

Not really, Four Grand can buy a lot of gear.

[Dan G]

This thread was quite an interesting read to be honest. I agree in essence with what ben and tom are saying regarding battle of the band competitions, however I wouldn't say estrella are a joke band. If they enjoy what they do, and can play their instruments to a decent enough level - then calling them "a joke" because you're not into what they do is a bit unfair.

Oh really?

Almost all? Read it again recently have you?

Most of that thread wasn't actually that negative (for a change), although I seem to recall most of it was thurizas saying how crap the taste of chaos organisational skill must be...

[Guest Bob Double Jack]

This thread was quite an interesting read to be honest. I agree in essence with what ben and tom are saying regarding battle of the band competitions, however I wouldn't say estrella are a joke band. If they enjoy what they do, and can play their instruments to a decent enough level - then calling them "a joke" because you're not into what they do is a bit unfair.

the voice of reason. i also like how estrella havent joined in slagging anyone off. good on them.

[liam]

yeah. i say good on estrella for not getting involved in all this. theyre happy...after all, they are the ones playing the Astoria!

[stuartmaxwell]

its their management company that make a fool of them, not really them. every thread started by estrella on here types like a press release. i dunno how in touch with the uk music scene this management company are (maybe very very very, maybe not?) or how hands on with the band they are. from what i have seen they mainly alienate the band from anything that is not industry related, which will be very detrimental to the band in the long run.

cmon though, standard letters out to every pub/bar/function room in town to tell them that they have a new ep out, and if they would like a copy to play over the cd player they should phone up and ask, rather than just sending a cd in the hope that they stick it on. and im sure there are plenty of other "ideas" that they have about about PR in scotland/uk etc

where the management company are doign a lot of good for them, they are also doing a lot of bad. each to their own though eh?

[Alkaline]

its their management company that make a fool of them, not really them. every thread started by estrella on here types like a press release. i dunno how in touch with the uk music scene this management company are, or how hands on with the band they are. from what i have seen they mainly alienate the band from anything that is not industry related, which will be very detrimental to the band in the long run.

cmon though, standard letters out to every pub/bar/function room in town to tell them that they have a new ep out, and if they would like a copy to play over the cd player they should phone up and ask.

we all know that bar managers/hotel managers etc have all the time and care in the world to do such menial tasks

where the management company are doign a lot of good for them, they are also doing a lot of bad. each to their own though eh?

I agree with that 100%, i remember us getting one of those letters in relation to our Coffee Shop.