On Monday night Showcase Wales broadcast an interview with Amped on GTFM, conducted by Adam Perkins, the interview runs for 30 minutes and can be heard on our brand new Soundcloud account.
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Tigertailz Part Company With Sarah Firebrand
Cardiff based glam rockers Tigertailz have parted ways with bass player Sarah Firebrand. The band have released the following statement;
New Midasuno Track Emerges
“Bring Me The Heads”, a long lost track by the cult outfit Midasuno has just emerged. The 2 and a half minute recording was found by guitarist Chris Morgan, who recorded it at the University of Glamorgan Atrium campus.
… And The Award Goes To
2012 is here so the voting has closed and the results have been counted. Here are the winners of the Amped Awards 2011.
Best Album
Exit International – Black Junk (49% of the vote)
Best Single
The Dirty Youth – Fight (33% of the vote)
Best Unsigned Band
Buried in Alaska (44% of the vote)
Best Live Band
Exit International (44% of the vote)
Best Event 2011
Merthyr Rock (61% 0f the vote)
Band of the Year 2011
Exit International (45% of the vote)
Amped Icon
This year the Amped Icon award goes to the Manic Street Preachers.
21 years since their debut single Motown Junk; 10 studio albums and 38 singles later they’ve released a greatest hits followed by a sell out show at the 02 arena.They are without doubt the most prolific band to come out of Wales and arguably the last great British rock n roll band.
Korn Announce Intimate UK Tour for 2012
Korn - Photograph by Rick Wenner
Hot on the heels of their tenth studio album, ‘The Path of Totality’, Korn have announced a full and intimate UK tour for 2012.
Amped Awards 2011 – The Nominees
The Amped Awards are back! So get voting on a painstakingly chosen shortlist of the best Welsh talent.
Who wins? You decide!
The Clack is Back!
Writer, Actor and Musician Boyd Clack is back, with a brand new album called ‘Labourer of Love’.
Justice Tonight @ Cardiff Uni Solus 01/12/11
Justice Tonight
To paraphrase the lyricism of Alain Boubill, “I dreamed a dream”, a dream where revolution rocker Mick Jones brought an ad hoc lineup of politically charged musos to grace the stage at the Cardiff University Solus. Hang on, it actually happened!
Tigertailz Featured In Volkswagen Campaign
Global car giants Volkswagen have used Tigertailz ‘Love Bomb Baby’ for their new Internet advertising campaign celebrating 35 years of the VW Golf GTi.
The campaign takes two time travellers back in time to the first Golf GTi built in 1976 and then on through the years up to 1989 where the time travellers appear in the video shoot for ‘Love Bomb Baby’.
Tailz frontman Kim Hooker said “I’m absolutely delighted to be involved with a company who has such a fine engineering pedigree as Volkswagen. I feel like Gene Simmons”
See if you can spot the time travellers and Golf GTi Edition 35 in the ‘Love Bomb Baby’ video.
Jarrad ‘Nöir’ Owens
‘Death Of A Polaroid’ launched at Waterstones Cardiff
Waterstones, The Hayes, Cardiff. The scene for the launch of the first of two books by Manic Street Preachers bass player and mouthpiece, Nicky Wire.
Review – The Guns, ‘F*ck The Demon Outta Me’
The Guns are back again, but bigger, better and more bad ass than before, with F*ck The Demon Outta Me
The Guns @ 6 Feet Under 29/10/11
The Guns - Photograph by Raychel Harris
It’s Friday night, Halloween is just around the corner and monsterous Blaina boys ‘The Guns’ are having a soirée at Six Feet Under, in the heart of Newport, to mark the release of their latest single ‘Missing Girls’
Interview – Ben Kenney of Incubus
With Incubus set to tour the UK for the first time in 3 years, Amped had the oppurtunity for a quick chat with bass player Ben Kenney about the band’s return.
Kids in Glass Houses Competition
Kids in Glass Houses - Courtesy of SJM Promotions
Thanks to www.gigsandtours.com Amped has a pair of tickets up for grabs to see Kids in Glass Houses on 1st October at Bristol’s 02 Academy.
For a chance to win you need to take a photograph holding a sign with ‘I Love Amped’ on it, then tweet it to @AmpedWales, @kighofficial and @gigsandtours with the hashtag #AmpedKIGHComp.
The first person to tweet us will win, and will be announced on the @AmpedWales Twitter page.
What are you waiting for?
Jarrad ‘Nöir’ Owens
TJ’s to Re-Open as Themed Restaurant
Kurt Cobain at TJs in 1991 - Photograph by Unknown
The world renowned TJ’s of Newport is to be re-opened as a themed restaurant after commanding a £242,000 price tag at auction, it went on the market with Paul Fosh Auctions with a guide price of £175,000.
Tim Ellis is Guitar Maker to the Stars
South Wales Echo – 18/09/11
Tim Ellis - Photograph Courtesy of Wales Online
A QUIET corner of Dinas Powys is home to the rather louder business of Tim Ellis.
He’s the man who makes guitars for the stars, more chiefly rock ‘n’ roll stars.
Kids In Glass Houses ‘In Gold Blood’ UK tour
Kids in Glass Houses - Photo by Lee Goldup
With two successful albums under their belt and a live reputation envied by many Kids In Glass Houses are one of British rock’s finest emerging talents and an undisputed jewel in the Welsh rock crown. Rather than dine out on the safety of previously attained success with the commercially acclaimed ‘Smart Casual’ and ‘Dirt’ , the quintet are leaning in to the future and daring to become something more with ‘In Gold Blood’. The band are hitting the road once again for a UK tour in support of their latest albums. You can catch them at the following cities;
Review – The Dirty Youth, ‘Fight’
During a mammoth weekend for Welsh rock with the inaugral Merthyr Rock festival showcasing the finest young bands Wales has to offer, The Dirty Youth released their major label debut single, becoming the latest Valleys raised talent to be signed up.
On Set with Saxon Part 2: The Making of ‘Call to Arms’
Saxon - Courtesy of www.saxon747.com
Day 3
As I opened my eyes I spotted the alarm clock on the other side of the room, 7:51 it read on the illuminated crimson display. I had overslept! Leaping out of bed I threw on my clothes for the day which I had luckily laid out the night before. Staggering through the corridor with my biker jacket on I looked through the drawing room’s large window into the restaurant, a few of the crew were sat down the for breakfast, so I swiftly joined them.
Goldie Lookin’ Ghost Town
Goldie Lookin’ Chain making a political statement? Yes you heard right!
Newport’s favourite leisurewear clad rap crew are back once again, this time teaming up with ska tribute 2Rude to release a very unique version of The Specials‘ hit ‘Ghost Town’.
The combination of genius timing and a very apt set of (re-written) lyrics makes for the most ‘serious’ Goldie Lookin’ Chain song for a while. Could this be the Welsh answer to the infamous Gallows/Lethal Bizzle version of ‘Starin’ at the Rude Bois’?
Jarrad ‘Nöir’ Owens
Raising the Colours – Ex Skin and Jagged Edge Guitarists Launch Red, White and Blues
As one chapter closes, so another begins…
As classic rock stalwarts Skin bowed out in style, supporting the mighty Judas Priest on July 23 at High Voltage, there was no sense that this was the end of days. Guitarist Myke Gray is ready to launch his new project, the melodic, blues-rooted but insistently hard-driving Red White And Blues. And intriguingly, the band will unite both former vocalists Gray has worked with – the rich, emotional tenor of former Jagged Edge singer Matti Alfonzetti, and the full-blooded rock roar of Skin frontman Neville MacDonald, who also plays bass.
On August 20, Red White And Blues will make their Welsh festival debut with a much anticipated performance at the Steelhouse Festival, in Ebbw Vale, Gwent, alongside such names as the Quireboys, Black Spiders and Tigertailz. After that, they’ll head directly for the studio to lay down their first album. We spoke to Myke Gray to get the full lowdown on the new band, its extraordinary combination of talents, and the forthcoming show at the Steelhouse Festival:
Incubus announce Cardiff date
After their sold HMV Forum show last month Incubus have announced a full UK tour for November, including a Cardiff date, as part of the IF NOT NOW, WHEN? WORLD TOUR.
Book review – R*E*P*E*A*T: Book
1994, the year that solidified the foundations of a musical movement known as Britpop, jangly indie was the order of the day. In the midst of the Britpop revolution a little fanzine called R*E*P*E*A*T raised it’s beautifully ugly head; a DIY throwback to the days of Sniffin’ Glue, with it’s anarchic cut and paste content.
Ace Finchum Returns to Tigertailz
Tigertailz 2011 - Firebrand, Hooker, Finchum and Pepper
Some Bezerk news for fans of Cardiff glamsters Tigertailz, original drummer Ace Finchum has returned to the band. Jay Pepper and Kim Hooker share their thoughts with Amped and discuss the past, present and future of Tailz.
On Set with Saxon Part 1: The Making of ‘Hammer of the Gods’
Saxon - Courtesy of www.saxon747.com
Metal legends Saxon have hit the studio once again to record their latest offering, Call To Arms, which promises to be the most exciting album the band have released to date.
Amped was invited to get involved on the set of the band’s latest music video,Hammer of the Gods.
Amped Meets… Duff McKagan
Jarrad meets Duff McKagan
Amped met Duff McKagan at the Birmingham Guitar Show to discuss Bass playing, joining Guns N Roses on stage for the first time in over a decade, Velvet Revolver’s new singer and working with the Manic Street Preachers.
Manic Street Preachers @ Blackwood Miner’s Institute 27/01/11
Manic Street Preachers - Photograph by Kate Southall
1986, Blackwood, Gwent; The Miner’s Strike was in full swing. The Tory government was hell bent on closing down the British Mining Industy prompting panic on the streets and riots in the suburbs. During this time a 4 piece punk band called the Manic Street Preachers were about to cause a ruckus of their own, starting in Blackwood’s Little Theatre.
The Cult @ Bristol Academy 19/01/11
The Cult - Photograph by Gigsniper
Sitting in the notorious Bristol traffic I read my emails to ensure that I’ll be on time for tonight’s gig. A take a sigh of relief as I triple check the stage times, Masters of Reality at 8pm, followed by headliners, The Cult, at 9pm.
Thin Lizzy @ Colston Hall 16/01/11
Thin Lizzy - Photograph by Gigsniper
The boys are back in town, for one night only Thin Lizzy have returned to Bristol with a very special lineup.
