Introducing...The 48Ks

YMC chats to the 48Ks from Doncaster

YMC: Tell us something about the band, how did you get together and how long have you been playing.

We are the 48ks, a 5 piece band from Doncaster. We've been in a band together for about a year but our mutual love of the Beatles, The La's, the Rolling Stones, The Who, The Specials made us get together. We love vocal harmonies and hooks so try our best to put them in our songs. The band are Ryan-vox, Kato-rhythm guitar and vox, Steve-lead guitar and vox, Ad-bass and vox, Tilly -drums and vox.

YMC: Who writes the songs?

We all contribute to the writing of songs but mainly its Ryan, Steve and Kato who bring the ideas to rehearsal but we all bounce of each other.

YMC: I notice that in addition to the lead vocalist, three of you provide backing vocals, are harmonies very important to you?

Harmonies are important to us. We like experimenting and adding different parts to keep it interesting for us and for the listener. We try to put our influences together and mix them around to create our own unique sound

YMC: You have an EP out, where can people get it? What is on it?

Our e/p "Flick em the v's" is available now and we are handing it out for free at gigs or you can mail us and we will forward a copy. It ,will soon be able to download. On the e/p is Gotta Get Out, Flick em the v's, Falling Down, and Cotton Wool.

YMC: Is there a lot of support for local bands in South Yorkshire?

Doncaster doesn't have much of a scene at the moment and we don't really get involved in a clique like most other bands do but the scene in Sheffield is good and there are plenty of places to play so we;ll keep gigging and plugging away.

Find out more on www.myspace.com/the48ksband

Introducing...Alice Nicholls

YMC chats to Huddersfield based singer-songwriter Alice Nicholls

YMC: How long have you been writing music?

AN: I've been writing lyrics, or attempting to, since I was about 9 years old. Needless to say all my songs back then were awful - I like to think they've improved since! I've always been musical but I didn't start putting the two together until a few years later - I wrote my first proper song, words and music, when I was 12.

YMC: What instruments do you play?

AN: Anything I can get my hands on. Violin's my main instrument, I played it at University during my music degree - but I also play piano, guitar, bass, drums, viola, Irish whistle, and descant and treble recorder. I really want to learn mandolin and saxophone as well, they're two of my favourite instruments. And, of course, I've been singing for as long as I can remember!

YMC: Did you find it hard to build up the confidence to play solo?

AN: Definitely. For the first few years of doing music I couldn't play my own songs to anyone, it was way too scary. But once I got past the nerves and realised that this was what I was good at, confidence came easily. I think that with performing, as with any artistic discipline, confidence comes from experience. You're always gonna be scared at first.

YMC: Do you always play solo?

AN: Mostly I play solo nowadays, though during my years at Uni one of my friends would usually play guitar for me at gigs. I would like to do more work with other people, but because most of my mates are musicians, they're always playing gigs when I am so it's impossible to get hold of them!

YMC: What music are you listening to at the moment?

AN: Right now, this second? Lighthouse Family - Ocean Drive. They're one of my musical guilty pleasures. Recently though I've discovered a bunch of new artists and bands, in particular Krezip, Wildbirds & Peacedrums, Emiliana Torrini, and The Swell Season.

YMC: Have you recorded any material?

AN: I recorded my debut album 'Resonance' when I was 16, and followed it with a second one when I was 18 called 'the Coffee Songs'. I don't tend to count 'Resonance' as a proper album, more a demo nowadays, because I don't think it's very good compared with my newer stuff. 'The Coffee Songs' is much more my current style, and is now on sale at Wall Of Sound in Huddersfield. I'm currently in the process of recording a new EP as well - it's been ages since I was last in the studio so it's been good to get back into it.

YMC: Any plans for the near future?

AN: I'm moving back to my home county of Lincolnshire in the next couple of months, so I'll be looking for gigs there, and working on material for the next full-length album. I've got a few projects lined-up and I'm hopefully going to be working with some very talented musicians, but nothing's set in stone yet. It's all rather exciting!

Find out more on www.myspace.com/alicenichollsmusic

Introducing...South View Juniors

YMC chats to Ben from South View Juniors

YMC: Tell us something about the band, how did you meet, how long have you been playing together?

SVJ: We named the band after our former junior school which sadly has now been knocked down. We were all good school friends and decided to form a band in late 2007. We started out as a 3 piece playing acoustically in and around the local area, but soon became a full 5 piece.

YMC: How would you describe your music? Who writes the songs?

SVJ: Old school 60s & 70s Rock & Roll with a slightly modern sound, influenced by the Brit Pop Era. We put a modern twist on an old formula. We all write songs for the band, but Jon seems to write the most!

YMC: What are you listening to at the moment?

SVJ: Courteeners, Doves, Twisted Wheel, Paul Weller, Foo fighters, (Too much to list all on here - we are all music

mad!)

YMC: What can people expect from a live show?

SVJ: A very entertaining evening with great music and a great atmosphere/vibe

YMC: Do you have any recording plans?

SVJ: Currently recording our 2nd EP, which should be ready sometime in June, plus hoping to release a single in the summer.

YMC: What are your plans for the near future?

SVJ: To support well established acts and play at larger venues. We are headlining the large main room at The Cockpit on 20th Aug.

Find out more on http://www.myspace.com/southviewjuniors

Introducing...Platinum Blind

YMC chats to Tom from Platinum Blind

YMC: You started playing together early 2008, is this your first band?

PB: Sort of, it started out as Theo with other people as the band. They needed a bassist, myself (Tom), to complete the band. Relationships changed, people left, we needed a new drummer, and the only one we knew was Joe. From that day on it was us three as Platinum Blind.

YMC: Do you write the songs together?

PB: Theo is the main writer. He writes all of the lyrics, comes up with the structure of the song etc. but me and Joe come up with the drums, bass, and give our thoughts if we think something needs changing. The main ideas come from Theo, but its a band effort essentially.

YMC: Do you think it is harder for a three-piece band?

PB: To a certain extent, yes. The extent being that we have less instruments than most other bands, so its harder to produce a full sound, but I think we pull it off quite well.

YMC: You are a pop punk band, do you think you might try something different in the future?

PB: Only time will tell, we intend to stick with pop punk, but Theo writes other songs in his spare time which sound completely different to Platinum Blind. They're more of an ambient, experimental sound, which I don't think we could pull off properly as Platinum Blind, but I think it may be possible to make a heavier rock version of those songs.

YMC: Who are your main influences?

PB: All the bands we like really, we could list them all but then there's also other influences from people we don't necessarily listen to on a regular basis, but still admire for their musical abilities. I guess you could say our biggest influence is pop punk bands such as Blink 182.

YMC: Your have recorded an album called Implosion, when will be available and what can you tell us about it?

PB: It'll be available at the end of this year, we're just making finishing touches to it. It's going to be our debut album, so we're trying to make it as good as we possibly can!

Find out more on http://www.myspace.com/platinumblindmusic

Introducing...Three Sheers T'Wind

YMC: Tell us something about the band, how did you meet, how long have you been playing together?

I met Liam (Drums) and Rik (Mandolin) on nights out in Pontefract about 5-6 years ago we formed soon after. Sam (Accordion) is younger than us so we met him when he was 17 on a night out and Pat (Bass) our new recruit, we met in Wakefield at an open mic night.

YMC: Do you have any recorded material, where is it available?

We have an EP and an album, both can be bought at our gigs very cheap and we can post out!

YMC: Do you write your songs together?

I normally write the music and lyrics but for around half of our songs it is a joined effort on lyrics. Though a few new lyrics for the next record are written by Pat, so a new direction lyrics wise.

YMC: What can people expect from your live show?

Our shows tend to be fast, energetic and very engaging with the audience. If anyone in the audience wants to interact were more than happy to start a conversation or debate!

YMC: Who are your main influnces?

Without mentioning other band names were mainly influenced by 70's and 80's English punk and traditional music whether it be English, Irish, Turkish etc...

YMC: Which are your favourite venues?

Definately a festival in Somerset we play every year, always great fun and people but we like intimate pubs with ale mostly!

YMC: What are your plans for the near future?

New record next year which should get distributed by Geekpie records and a bit of a tour!

Find out more on www.myspace.com/sheetstothewind