NEW MUSIC: Georgia Reed Lays Bare Uncompromising Truth

by @rybazoxo ll Wednesday April 17th 2024 ll 

Discover the hauntingly beautiful vocals of Georgia Reed! Her debut EP, Haunted, features the standout track Truth and I am thrilled to share it with our readers. Through Truth, Georgia reveals an emotional complexity that echoes our most recent times, with themes of the pandemic, personal battles, and relocation from Western Australia to London. 

With delicate low croons, Georgia's vocals glide gracefully above a dark, gritty electronic backdrop, reminiscent of Florence and The Machine or Christine And The Queens. 

'Truth' is a captivating and evocative track that draws you in with its multilayered instrumental soundscape, reinforcing the brooding vocals at the song's forefront. 

We are grateful to Simon from barkpr for sharing the promo of 'Truth' with us. Mark your calendars for the 3rd of May 2024, when Georgia Reed releases 'Truth' to the world.

Listen to TRUTH 

Follow @georgiareedmusic on the socials. 

www.ryanoxleywriter.blogspot.com 

Do you have new music that you would like us to review on our website? We'd love to hear it! Simply send an EPK to ryanoxleywriter@gmail.com

Andy X releases ‘ Colourblind’

 

By @rybazoxo  ll Monday APRIL 7th 2024 ll

This week we got an email from Danish record label Artpop Productions and a debut single  We from Andy X. Andy is a very experienced producer, songwriter and performer on the Danish pop- and indie scene. Some of his work had airplay on BBC, Tokyo FM, Little Stevens Underground Garage (US) and many other stations around the world, but now the time is up for his first single as Andy X. He might have roots in classic rock, but ‘Colourblind’ is far more commercial. An anthemic indie-pop upbeat English-language track’ Colourblind’ has been released with an atmospheric video (link) and is very much an atmospheric song. It wouldn't sound out of place on an indie-film soundtrack and has a slightly gothic edge in delivery. Andy X delivers the music in a low-fi register that builds into a slow crescendo carried well by a string section of orchestration that builds to the song fading out. It’s a great track and reminds me of an early 00s Britpop renaissance that captivated the UK charts at about that time. 

Give the track a listen and watch the video here 

'Colourblind' is available now on all streaming platforms

ryanoxleywriter@gmail.com is your contact if you want to send in music for review.

NICK CAVE - WILD GOD - WATCH THE ALBUM TRAILER

By @rybazoxo ll Sunday APRIL 7th 2024 ll

My first-ever Nick Cave gig is lined up for November at Manchester Arena, UK. Alerted to the tickets via Instagram, I excitedly joined a pre-sale (for the first time) mailing list, and with that, I’m now on the nickcave.com website. All this Nick Cave PR is because he has a new album due out in August and a trailer for the album has been released on YouTube. I got a pre-listen link and gave it a whirl. 

Having watched the 2.14-minute teaser, I can tell you that Nick Cave is clearly in a recording studio and is being filmed in a documentary-style format. Is this teaser going to be a full documentary 'making of'? I do hope so. Watching Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds jamming, vocalising, and the whole creative process itself is quite a treat and the vocal refrain on ‘Bring Your Spirits Down’ isn't much of a lyrical clue to any of the album track listings, which have also been released (below)

The ten-track album listing is as follows; 

1. Song of the Lake

2. Wild God

3. Frogs

4. Joy

5. Final Rescue Attempt

6. Conversion

7. Cinnamon Horses

8. Long Dark Night

9. O Wow O Wow (How Wonderful She Is)

10. As the Waters Cover the Sea

Tickets for the 'WILDGOD' tour 

Watch the video HERE and let me know what you think! ROLL ON NOVEMBER!!!

Stream WILDGOD 

ryanoxleywriter@gmail.com is your contact for music/band/artist & website PR

MUSIC REVIEW : FINNISH indie From Alec Danger - Cyber Thumb

by @rybazoxo ll March 31st 2024 ll

New music landed in the inbox this week (ryanoxleywriter@gmail.com) from Finland!

Alec Danger, a Finnish singer-songwriter & producer, is returning to the FINNISH music scene with the single ‘Cyber Thumb’ officially released via Ya Ya Records & Gigs on the 7th of March. 

CYBER-THUMB is a popular culture reference and social commentary on the perils of social media: the cyber thumb we all have - continuously doom-scrolling through our content algorithms that seemingly seep their way into our soul (I think) Alec describes this as ‘’a socially-critical song towards algorithms and talks about our relationship with the internet and social media, our obsession with youth and showing others only the highlights of our lives when behind that facade, there can be a lot of disguised suffering.”

CYBER-THUMB is a catchy English language electro-pop anthem that would be welcome on any European radio station. CYBER-THUMB is an instant ear-worm for the indie club dancefloor. The track is off Alec Danger’s debut album Mortui Vivos Docent, due in the spring of 2024. 

Cyber Thumb artwork 

The video (which you can watch here) was shot spontaneously in the summer of 2023 in Heidelberg, Germany - using abandoned, empty industrial spaces, dance choreography, live footage and nature phenomena. Charlotte Kahler conducted the choreography, directing, shooting and editing. 

Listen to CYBER THUMB on Spotify 

Got a new music track for promo? email ryanoxleywriter@gmail.com 

'PIS%ED!' a poem by Ryan B Oxley

This is my first published attempt at poetry. It's about being drunk, enjoying being drunk, but you've that pit to the stomach feeling that you know how vile it is, but you drink anyway.  Do let me know what you think; 

Pissed at the bus stop,

Drunk in the rain,

Sunk by that last drop,

Pissed in the rain

Pissed on the hard stuff,

Pissed to the last,

Pissed by that last drop,

Drinking to the past. 

Drunk at the bus stop,

Pissed in the rain,

Sunk by that last drop,

Drinking all the same.

Pissed at the bus stop,

Pissed in the rain,

Just missed my last stop, 

That last drop,

never again.

    (c) @rybazoxo 2022 All rights reserved. 

If you like this, you can find more of my writing at https://ryanoxleywriter.blogspot.com/

'Late Night, Sheaf Street' - A Sheffield Monologue

 'Late Night, Sheaf Street' first aired via BBC RADIO SHEFFIELD on the 10th of February 2022.

The monologue was written and performed by Ryan Oxley. (c) @rybazoxo Any unauthorised reproduction is strictly prohibited. Please email ryanoxleywriter@gmail.com if you wish to use this material

TIP - If you don't fancy reading it - you can listen to the original audio HERE 

Late night, Sheaf Street - the heart of the city, where the 5 rivers meet. Late night, Sheaf Street - a  Saturday night, one wet weekend in December. Late night, Sheaf Street was the last thing I remember...

 

The lights glared out from the Sheffield railway station forecourt that night. The lit railway station arches showcase the building's emptiness, which you can see through the glass-fronted facade. the desolate ticket offices, public toilets, out of order, and the ‘closed for cleaning’ sign that sits idly in the middle of the floor. I can see the cleaner, leaning on her mop and sipping her coffee. A taxi lays idle in rank, engine running, a radio humming; the distant sound of 'Last Orders' by Richard Hawley, followed by the late-night local news roundup. 

That was the last song I ever heard. 

It was the end of the day, and the night was in full flow. Lights glared through the emptiness of the railway building. The beauty of this Victorian train station facade is clearly visible -not that many people notice. The commuters certainly don’t. You know the type, brashly rushing and bullishly bustling through.  It’s usually the same crowd; rambunctious revellers, students straggling with suitcases, returning to uni or just returning home. the homeless person wanting some change for cheap cider, the lads in football shirts singing songs. They sing in post-match unity, before the inevitable tide turns, no doubt. They probably gave the conductor some grief before they got off the train - you know the type. MIND THE GAP means a position on the football table for them, not a safety instruction. ‘We’re all blades, aren’t we? We’re  All Wednesday aren't we?’ dual chants before the fights break out. No referee this time tho. the only assistants are the flashing lights of the boys in blue, ambulances, checks of CCTV, and appeals for witnesses on social media. R.I.P. and ‘fly safe’ they’ll post in unison and the police will issue grainy, grey, footage that’s blurry and inadmissible.

No one is gonna recognise ‘em, and at least of all, me.

 

I had seen them in fact, but I ignored them, as I walked her to her train that night, and down into the heart of Sheaf Square.

The 'Cutting Edge' Water Fountain - Sheffield Railway Station

 

‘It’s called The Cutting Edge’ init, that’ I said pointing at the railway station's water feature. Just a tidbit of Sheffield knowledge, just to keep her interested.  ‘I like watching the water flow from it’ I said, noting my own reflection in the water sculpture’s lights. She laughed - sharing with me, that infectious giggle that gets sweeter, every time I hear it. The London twang with just a dash of Yorkshire sneaking in, I acknowledged it, mimicking her dulcet tones. ‘I've been around you too long’ she said.  

Funny story really. She stole me, heart... new years eve, it was. Holding hands, and shared a kiss as the clock struck midnight. We were supposed to be in The Leadmill but we went out for a fag and some air, and they wouldn’t let me back in. Too drunk he says, this big burly bruiser of a bouncer. I wasn’t gonna argue with him, that’s for su-ure! I sez ‘reyt, come on then’  and we strolled back down towards the sheaf square fountain, past the cinema, off-licence, crossed that zebra crossing, and we took a seat outside the station itself. 

 

It’s where a few people sit, it’s just stone seats really. You get commuters standing, chatting, smoking, suitcases and bags in tow, walkers, workers, and wallflowers of commuting life. 

 

No people were waiting that night tho, apart from those football lads. 

‘Nice meeting point this? She says, Yeh, I sez ‘There’s that old forge tilt lays under us feet. At this actual spot, where the five rivers meet. Porter, Sheaf, and a few more. 

Sheffield black and white Image instagram.com/ryboxo/

‘You can listen to out for the river on platform 5 - while you wait for the train, luv’ I sez. I glance over and see my reflection in the water feature, and I see those footy lads again. 4 of em, 5 of em? They weren't standing that far away, but close enough. You could almost smell the testosterone - I knew what wa’ coming. ‘Times you train love? I say’ ‘bout 15 minutes, she laughs and replies. ‘I love how you say Luv after everything’ ‘Term of endearment’ I say ‘init’ and anyway I mean it, with you’ love. It had only been a matter of days, but the close dancing in the club, sharing of secrets on the fag breaks, heartfelt drunken declarations. We both knew what it was. We both looked around, admiring sheaf squares late-night luminous, and the moment soon passed.

Sheffield 'Megatron' under the railway station

I twiddled with my hearing aid, whilst she adjusted her lippy, both of us were suddenly sent silent with nervousness and a strange air swirled around, as the station’s automatic doors unexpectedly opened.  As I twiddled with the badge on my suit jacket lapel, - I guess it was that -or the colours on my scarf, that gave the game away, the football lads were suddenly a lot closer. Before I knew it, they were running at me. The intention was clear like they were getting ready to take a penalty. She tried to pull me away from ‘em - grabbing my suit jacket, the badge on my lapel hitting the floor. She tried but she couldn't hold them back on her own. 

I remember seeing that cleaner again, from out of the corner of my eye, which is what made the doors open.

 

My hearing aid hit the floor as I took the first punch before I fell onto the concrete forecourt with a thud to my head. I still felt the first few reigning blows though, dull pain, blurred vision. Then I felt hot, strange for a winter's night, even in Sheffield, and then I looked down and saw blood gushing from the stab wound on my chest. 

We are all blades, aren’t we? 

Then it went blank.

 

Distant voices, sirens, muffled calls for help, she's screaming my name, but I can't answer. Breathing lulls, yet I can still hear my heartbeat. My ears rushed now, like the sounds of the water, flowing through the Megatron below. Then it's outta body. I'm looking down. She's screaming and I see myself motionless by the cutting-edge water feature. 

That cleaner saw it all, they said. She consoled her until the police arrived. Tried stemming the flow with wipes and whatever from her cleaning trolley. It was evident at the inquest. They never got ‘em mind. I guess they got away. The trains don't usually stop that late - so who knows?

She leaves me flowers by the cutting edge, and she still listens for the water at platform 5.  Late night, on Sheaf Street. the heart of the city, where the 5 rivers meet. 

THE END

Written by Ryan Oxley (C) @rybazoxo January 2022

Ryan Oxley Writes

 

I've written my first two monologues, which you will find on these pages; HOTEL ROOM, and LATE NIGHT, SHEAF STREET. Both are new for 2022 and have been broadcast on BBC Radio Sheffield. I'm hoping to write many more, as the year progresses. 

Back in 2000, I began by co-writing a fanzine for the indie band 'Ocean Colour Scene' and it went from there. Through a chequered career as a radio DJ, I have often written about bands, sounds, and music through the generations. The music came first though. Well-read, yes, but never about writing words down. Anyway, about 5 years ago, I began writing for the Coronation Street Blog, and a passion was reignited. Since then, I've written countless episode reviews, cast interviews, opinion pieces, and thrown thousands of words down, about my favourite TV show. I've written theatre reviews, a few pieces about The Beatles, and my other love, Morrissey.

This is basically a simple blog to promote my writing, whatever writing I do, during the weeks, months, and years. If you fancy paying me to do it, please contact me at ryanoxley60@gmail.com 

(C) @rybazoxo 2022 

An Open Letter To Morrissey

As an introverted awkward teenager, I was so glad that I found your music. You're a voice of reason; vulnerable, relatable, intelligent, inspiring, and so very real.

As an extroverted young man, I was glad when I found your music. A unique aggressiveness, bullish at times, yet impassioned, vulnerable, and relatable, and oh did it matter!

As an adult in an awkward world, I was so glad that I found your music.

I find your originality and fiercely outspoken opinions essential. Truly.

You are a voice for a jilted generation, a voice for those of us trapped in this nauseatingly woke world where the masses can't string an original thought together.

It's like you say 'The World Is Full Of Crashing Bores'

Let those masses stick to their 'thicker than pig shit pop stars with nothing to convey' Your real fans continue with you, on a journey we started as awkward teenagers.

Don't ever change, Morrissey!

Love, Ryan Oxley. Sheffield, UK April 2021

This article was originally published April 2021 on the Letters To Morrissey website 

Sunshine and Graveyards: Sheffield Beauchief Abbey

 

Sunshine and Graveyards - it's what Fridays are made for, right? 

It is if you have a Friday off of work, and with a Sheffield heatwave on the horizon, Friday 16th of July 2022 was just the day for me. As local temperatures soared to 23 degrees C, I decided to go on a local nature walk and take a few photographs. Inspired by the BBC Springwatch and the fact I already own a bird book and a pair of binoculars, I stayed local to do a second exploration of the Abbeydale district of the city, and in particular, the stunning 12th-century Beauchief Abbey. 

Here I share a few pictures from my day of adventure; 

A lot of the 12th Century part of the church has long disappeared by a few 19th-century gravestones still exist. Some have collapsed with age which gives it a rather macabre atmosphere even on a sunny day.

A walk through a 19th-century graveyard on a sunny day is rather nice. However, I doubt I'd like it in the dark. You can sense the history, it's evident in the air that surrounds these historic buildings and monuments. 

By the end of my trip and the return journey home, I'd spotted a few Squirrels, chaffinches, and a starling or three. Abbeydale is home to a rather large golf course, so I guess I saw more lost golf balls than anything. I did enjoy walking the surrounding woodlands which were drenched in glorious sunshine

I found a little path surrounding Beauchief allotments that was walkable. Spotting a pair of Heron, which I assumed were nesting, was a pure delight. I drank some cheap pop that went predictably warm, but I did get a chance to use my late Grandad-In-Law's beloved binoculars. A great day out for Mindfulness, walking, exercise, and enjoying the great outdoors of urban Sheffield. I would recommend it. 

As June becomes July (to paraphrase a song by my fave band Ocean Colour Scene) I'd hope to share more photos and such ramblings, mumbling, & grumblings on this very blog! 

You can find out all about Beauchief Abbey HERE 

Words and Photos by @rybazoxo 

Website - https://ryanoxleywriter.blogspot.com/

The Beatles - IN MY LIFE

This article was first published on The Beatles Story website in May 2020.

There are places I'll remember all my life, though some have changed...

It's probably one of my favourite memories of childhood; spending a rare family day out with my parents and brother. Unbeknown to me at the time, this was a day that would be seismic in terms of my music tastes, and creative hobbies, and would even affect my wedding day! 

A debt that I can never repay nor would I want to. The year was (probably) 1993, I was 12 years old and my Dad decided to take us for a day out to Liverpool. Being from Sheffield, UK, it's about a 2-hour drive and (as I was later to learn as an adult) it’s a brilliant day out / weekend away. I’d never heard of The Beatles until then. Ironically, as a child, I loved ‘Frog Chorus’ and Dear Prudence’ but not until many years later did I make a connection. 

Entering the exhibition, I remember thinking ‘here we go’ like any teenager, my enthusiasm for museums wasn't exactly high, yet, little did I know my cultural appetite was about to be whetted by an introduction to a band that 20+ years later, I would still be in awe of. Even now, I can still clearly remember hearing ‘ I wanna hold your hand’ ‘yellow submarine’ and ‘imagine’ for the first time. To say I was hooked would be an understatement. My aunty (an original 1960s Beatles girl) gave a cassette tape of ‘Beatles love songs, I went down to my local library and borrowed the back catalogues of albums, ‘Beatlemania’ had hit this awkward teenager with gusto. 

As a child, my grandfather often told me stories about playing the trumpet in his army days, the piano, and even the drums. As a kid I realised I’d inherited a natural affinity with musical instruments, thumping the keys of my Casio keyboard became a real hobby. In music class at school, my teacher Mr Scott (also forever indebted) had heard me talking about The Beatles and gave me a listen to a song called ‘Norwegian Wood ( this bird had flown)’. I'd only known the mop-top pop songs at the time, this was a later phase of the boys' music that was completely new to me. Arriving at music college, I started to learn guitar, and of course, as my Beatles obsession grew, I gained a girlfriend, joined a band and began learning those Lennon & McCartney standards. For my 18th birthday, Dad sprang a day out to Liverpool on me and I drank my first (legal) pint of beer in the cavern club. I stood on the stage (you could back then) and looked around this historic venue and breathed in the culture. Buying a t-shirt, coasters, and posters is customary on Mathew Street, as is having your picture taken with the Lennon statue - my love of Liverpool began at this point. Several nights out in the town, a trip to Brookside Close even, countless gigs, Albert Dock, Empire Theatre, shopping in the Cavern Quarter, too many to mention. 

Cultural gems aside, those four boys gave me a passion for music that’s never left me. I’d spend hours analysing Lennon's lyrics and McCartneys melodies in my music books (pre-internet days, no online tutorials then), and began reading the countless biographies, books, films and anthologies about the Liverpool lads. As Britpop exploded and Oasis idolised The Beatles, I suddenly became one of the cool kids at school, singing in a little beat combo myself. Great days, but I digress!

But of all these friends and lovers, no one compares with you…

Taking my first trip on the magical mystery tour bus is also a memory of utter joy. Jumping on board, I remember this being the first time I'd seen those suburbs of Liverpool, Woolton, Menlove Avenue, the dingle; all the places that John, Paul, George, and Ringo grew up, real places to see! I was ecstatic and in music heaven!. I've seen the Bootleg Beatles several times live too, I've even got ‘The Beatles’ tattooed on my arm in italic writing! I wanted the logo but bottled it for some reason. With framed pictures on my living room wall, my family always knew what to buy me for birthdays and Christmas. As girlfriends came and went, day jobs changed, and things changed, as they always do. The one constant though has always been The Beatles. Like I said at the beginning of this piece, the boys played their part on the most important day of my life - my wedding day!. 

I met Sarah in the summer of 2013. It was like the first time upon hearing The Beatles all over again. Just as life-affirming and just as seismic. After a few years together we decided to marry. She knew within moments of meeting me that I was a huge fan of The Beatles. As opening gambits go it's a good one. She took an instant liking to a few of the pop classics, including ‘fool on the hill’ ‘If I fell’ and Lennon’s most beautiful ‘In My Life’, and we decided upon the latter as the first dance on the big day!

An unparalleled moment for me in terms of emotion, a life-changing moment of course, and soundtracked by my love of The Beatles. And to top it off, can you guess where we spent our honeymoon? Yes, that's right - in Liverpool of course!

Some are dead, and some are living In my life, I've loved them all...

Dear John, Paul, George and Ringo,

Thank you. 

Love always, 

Ryan