DIY BANDS - WHAT'S IT LIKE TO DO IT ALL ON YOUR OWN

(Photo credit - Joe Guppy, Sinners In Transit Photography
https://www.facebook.com/sinnersintransitphotgraphy)

The DIY band is nothing new, bands doing it themselves. Record contracts aren't something that come easy or often so why not do it yourself? Sharkteeth Grinder are a DIY math hardcore band from Corby, Northamptonshire. I've watched them play hundreds of gigs and it never gets old watching them get all angry and sweaty while playing, the venues may not be massive but anyone that's there is always having the time of their life. Something that makes these shows special is the fact that the band has created the show and the music all off their own back, paying their own way through tours and writing and recording on their own money. I spoke to Bobbo Haldane from the band about his experiences in the DIY scene.

Q) Did you ever consider hiring people to help you through your career? How difficult is it to do it all yourselves?

We’ve never considered hiring anyone to help us, if we can keep up the momentum and hard work we know there will be a time, but it won’t come if we lack on certain things and we are a bit off that point I feel. We feel it’s always as difficult as you make it and if you have a momentum/drive then nothing can stop you, but it does have its downs.

Q)Does it give you a bigger sense of pride knowing you've put yourselves in the public eye without needing to use professionals to help you?

It gives me more belief to do more than anything, as a band we’re proud of everything we’ve been able to achieve. Sharkteeth has been very up and down but we’ve always put ourselves beyond for the band and having anyone pick your art up and enjoy it does give us a lot of pride no matter who it is.

Q) How much 'behind the scenes' work goes on while you guys are planning a tour or an album? Are you banding together to plan these things or do you have a 'leader' of sorts to keep you all in check?

There’s no leader in the band just we’ve got different roles in the band, I deal with all the management/booking side of the band and the other two are in control of all the music stuff and it’s always worked. We’ve just started working on our debut album and I think that’ll be more a collective involving all of us and something we need to put our all in together.

Q) Not to be too intrusive but how much does it cost to do what you guys do? To put yourself on tour and record your own albums?

It cost quite a bit to be fair and it’s a hard question to answer because it’s what you make of it, obviously we aren’t paying for bookings, press, management etc so we keep costs low in that department. Recording is complete different ball game and if you want a good recording then it’ll cost you.

Q) Is there any advice you have to others who are starting down the path you guys have taken? Anything you wished you hadn't done or things you'd say definitely helped?

The only advice we’ve been given is never stop, keep pushing playing everywhere and anything no matter what, fuck work off and anything else that stands in your way and just keep going even when things are hard don’t stop. I’m proud of everything we’ve done even the bad shit, I try not to look back and just focus on what’s to come but what has helped us the most is the van, the best thing the band has done was getting a van because we just haven’t looked back since, it’s the life and soul of the band and despite what anyone says it is the best thing to have.

Q) In your opinion what's the biggest hinderance and biggest advantage of doing it by yourself and why?

Biggest hinderance is money but like I said it is what you make of it, if you enjoy it and have a passion for what you do then you won’t care but if you don’t then it’s a problem. Grafting like fuck is something that does get noticed in the industry and also gives you reassurance but the biggest advantage is having everything in your own hands and making your own choices with no one to tell you what to do or control in anyway.


Listen to their music here - https://sharkteethgrinder1.bandcamp.com
Or listen here - https://open.spotify.com/artist/6nUkHdAwGlW1N6UOwU3cXB?si=QvHPMdZ6Q5qoyjUONmuHYA


Twitter - https://twitter.com/sharkteethband
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/sharkteethagram/

Booking agent - sharkteethgrinderuk@gmail.com
Press contact - sharkteethgrinderuk@gmail.com

HUNGER MOON - I FEEL IT SOMETIMES

For a duo who have been together little over a year, Hunger Moon (James Attwood and Natalie Jenkins) have a more than an impressive body of work behind them. From opening for Adam French, Joseph J Jones and Alessi's Ark, to winning acclaim from Amazing Radio and BBC Introducing as well as appearing at Lunar, Y Not and 110 Above Festivals in 2018. With this new release the bands Birmingham fanbase will soon expand across the UK. Hunger Moon's long awaited third single 'Feel It Sometimes' is their debut for Babywoman Records, and it is definitely worth the wait.

With influences ranging from Kate Bush, Radiohead and Portishead, Hunger Moon have created their very own 'dreamscape of alt pop'. The new single, 'Feel It Sometimes' really hones in on their unique mix of genres. The keys and intricate guitar give off a subtle folky tone, while still creating an emotional rock feel similar to Jeff Buckley. The drums and synths being heavily arpeggiated in this track add to the alternative sound the band are known for, to me it sounds like it would sit nicely on RadioHead 'A Moon Shaped Pool'. The blend between the different genre influences coalesce into one unique sound giving this song an eclectic feel while still sounding fresh and modern.

Jenkins rich vocal needs little behind it, her voice holds intense emotion while still being smooth and strong, it's enough to make any vocalist writhe with envy. On top of her gorgeous voice, the lyrics she sings are unflinchingly truthful, the young musicians found their inspiration in 'human nature and adulthood', singing lyrics about 'one-sided emotions, the selfishness you find yourself battling with the end of any form of relationship, sadness, bitterness and all of the painful confusion that comes with it.' Anyone who has experienced any emotions similar to these themes will be hit hard by how perfectly the single encapsulates the feelings you go through.

Follow their socials here -

• Hunger Moon on Facebook
• HungerMoonMusic on Instagram
• HungerMoonMusic on Twitter
• Hunger Moon on Youtube

Listen to their music here -

• Hunger Moon on Soundcloud
• Hunger Moon on Spotify
• Hunger Moon on Apple Music

HOW I BROUGHT MY HAIR BACK FROM THE DEAD

My hair has been dyed all the colours you could possibly think of from blue to orange, pink to blonde, black to purple. I have been bleaching my hair since I was 11, first getting highlights then just throwing on box bleach every couple of months to change the colour to whichever I desired at the time. After 8 years of various colours my hair fought back, chunks falling out, split ends, dry as a bone. The natural oils in my hair were all but wiped out after the amount of chemicals I had been carelessly throwing onto my scalp and now I was left with a knotted, dry, hay like head of hair.

(One of my favourite hair colours from 2016)

Here is a list of the things I did to revive my hair to the silky smooth state it is now in, TRUST ME when I say this was a process and these are all things I still do now nearly a year after I stopped bleaching my hair.

Dyeing my hair back to brown

I was originally going to try and  grow out the bleach leaving my hair natural, but after 6 months of no root touch up I was starting to go a little crazy and hate my hair even more. So to dye my hair I used a box dye, I knew that dying my hair again wouldn't help the condition of it but I wanted to give myself a blank canvas. I found a dye that matched my natural colour pretty well as I had already grown my roots out a large amount. I had an orangey/blonde colour on the bottom half of my hair at this time after fading the bright orange dye out as much as I could. I made sure to get a dye with no ammonia and one that stated it had moisturising properties as well. After dying my hair I used a recovery mask meant for dyed and weak hair to try and start bringing it back from the dead. I had already cut off a dramatic amount off the ends of my hair in hope that it would be easier to fix if most of it was gone, but still the hair was not happy so I cut off as much as I could stomach leaving myself with a dark brown bob which to be honest I was quite happy with.

Washing my hair less often 

Because my hair was already so dry and stripped of most it's natural oils I didn't struggle to much with greasy hair. Your scalp produces oil (sebum) to keep your hair and scalp protected and moisturised whilst also reducing damage to your hair. When you wash your hair you also wash out the natural oils so I cut down on the amount I washed my hair, I had already damaged and reduced the rate at which my scalp was producing these oils so I didn't want to keep washing out the little oil I did have. When washing my hair I used a much softer shampoo and conditioner, avoiding harsh products with chemicals in them and opting for more natural hair products containing ingredients like coconut oil and Argan oil. I recommend the Palmers coconut oil formula range.

Hair masks

There are hair masks for just about anything, even one that promises to speed up hair growth! Personally I stuck to my natural products here again, using the Palmers 'coconut oil deep conditioning protein pack'. I still use this product now because it makes my hair feel so soft and smooth as well as keeping it in good condition and smelling amazing. This pack does just about everything you'd need, the coconut oil restores moisture, the monoi oil hydrates, the keratin protein strengthens and repairs, the silk protein restores shine and the coconut milk detangles and combats frizz. What more do you want? The best thing about this hair mask is that one pack does 2 masks and it's only £1.50!

Hair oil

I love hair oil. Putting oil on the ends of your hair before drying it really helps lock in moisture and prevent split ends. I picked up a bottle of Argan Oil hair treatment from Poundland, yes Poundland! I used to use the MoroccanOil argan oil treatment but at a pricey £23 it's hardly student friendly and the Poundland equivalent works just as well. You don't want to use this oil close to your roots, keep it on the ends of your hair to avoid looking greasy.

I also use the REDKEN 'all soft supple touch' leave in treatment all over my hair, it contains argan oil but in a spray bottle to avoid greasy looking roots while still protecting and rejuvenating the damaged hair. This leave in treatment is designed for dry and brittle hair, it leaves your hair feeling silky smooth and healthy. 

Using a hairdryer 

Watching hair dye fails on youtube isn't really the best way to pick up tips for keeping your hair healthy BUT whilst watching one I heard a woman say that letting you're hair air dry actually worse than using a hairdryer to dry your hair. I dug a little deeper and found out that she was right. When your hair is wet the water causes the cuticle to swell and crack, the weight of the wet hair also pulls on your root which stretches and weakens them. The best way to dry your hair without causing damage is to gently towel dry before using a hairdryer on a low setting to gradually dry your hair in sections.

Less hair products 

Even though I have used more hair oils on my wet hair, I tend to avoid using products like salt sprays and hairspray on my dry hair. The chemicals in hair products can mess with the natural oils leaving you looking like a greasy mess. I find using styling products in my hair makes me wash my hair more and leaves my strands looking lifeless. Products like heat protectants, oils and even styling products can be good for your hair but only in regulated use, follow the recommended amount on the bottle.

Less heat

Heat is not good for your hair but we all love to have the perfect curl or the sleekest of bobs. Using heat protectants helps to reduce damage from styling but any heat over 215 degrees causes permanent and irreversible damage to your hair. I use heat on my hair occasionally but I try to stick to heatless hairstyles when I can, there are hundreds of ways to keep heat of your hair wile still look gorgeous. Using the right products to tame your type of hair are the best way to reduce heat use, for instance using a frizz-ease product instead of straightening your hair everyday. It's pretty easy for me not to use heat as my hair is pretty straight all the time, but one of my favourite heatless styles is to plait my hair whilst wet and leave it in while I sleep so I wake up to super wavy hair the next day. There are hundreds of heatless hairstyle tutorials on youtube which have been my saving grace whilst trying to revive my mop.

Using scrunchies 

Instead of normal hair bobbles that tug and pull on your roots, try using silk scrunchies or 'invisibobbles' which minimise the tugging of roots and therefore stop the dramatic receding of hairlines. If you can't bring yourself to wear you damaged hair down, make sure to take our hair bobbles while you sleep.


There is hope for damaged hair, do not stress. If I could fix my hair on a budget after all I put it through I can't imagine why no one else would be able to.

IS IT OK TO LIKE MUSIC BY BAD PEOPLE? - a report

Is it ok to like music by bad people?

(photo from https://www.rollingstone.com)

John Lennon was a horrible person yet I still listen to The Beatles because I love their music, but I don't listen to XXXtentation because he was an awful human being. I find it easy to hate bad people like XXX because as well a being bad person he made bad music. I preach against artists like this, recently I started my campaign against Drake after hearing his stupid comments about young girls and his creepy young girlfriend but did I just choose him because I already don't like his music? I  didn't stop listening to Elvis after watching the documentary on him and finding out about his obsession with underage girls because I see him as such an amazing artist. I feel like I need to deconstruct my whole separating art from artist theory, do I make exceptions for my preferred artists? Does everyone?

For some people it is easy to separate art from artists, it's easy to ignore the bad things artists involve themselves in because of their successes. For me it's difficult, I don't want to appear to be supporting someone who has said or done awful things that I don't believe in. The way I see it is, if someone in my life had hit their girlfriend I would cut them out of my life, yet if a celebrity does the same they seem to get a free pass due to their art.

After heat from GLAAD (Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Deformation) who have massive influence in Hollywood, the Oscars have revoked any nominations involving the Queen bio-pic 'Bohemian Rhapsody' due to alleged misconduct by the director Brian Singer, this is a prime example of conflating art and artist. Singer is having his successes damned due to his alleged awful acts and it's all being done by a massive name, the Oscars none the less. Should this be prompting other people to do the same?

But what does it mean to support an artist? Is just listening to a song online every now and again supporting them? Is it buying the album? It's different for different people which is why this topic is such a personal one, I enjoyed 'Bohemian Rhapsody' and I'm not going to change my mind after hearing about the director committing awful crimes. That voice is easy for me though, I love Queen and I think the movie was beautiful, that isn't shadowed by the news of the director but others may boycott the film, it's all personal.

Is separating art from artist necessary? Listening to music, watching a film, enjoying art doesn't have to mean directly endorsing the creator of these things. Is this just because the creators are celebrities who are thrown into the eye of the media? We're told to idolise celebrities so when they do wrong their mistakes are amplified, obviously the crimes of some celebrities are unforgivable but do we then effectively erase them from history by boycotting their art?

Through writing this I have come to the conclusion that just because you support someones art doesn't mean you have to support their actions. You have to be aware that money you spend to enjoy their art is going to reach them but you don't have to feel bad for enjoying it. You have to acknowledge their wrong doings and know that they're wrong, but you can listen to what you want to listen to or watch what you want to watch. Everyone has the right to their own opinion on the subject, if you don't want to listen to a song because the person who sings it is an awful human, no one is forcing you to, but if someone else likes that same song that's their business. For me, separating the art from the artist is ok as long as you still recognise what the artist may have done; in the same way an artist can be a lovely person and still make bad music, you can like them as a person and not like their music.

Everyone can think what they want to think about the topic. Art is subjective but artists actions are not.