Male-dominated music industry?

At the end of last year, I spoke to some of the women who've inspired me while working in the music industry for a Marie Claire feature. 

The idea came at a time when I was questioning a lot of the behaviour around me, and despite my ignorance, accepted that there's still influential pockets of gender discrimination in that world. 

It's simply the beginning of a very big conversation, and a help to a writer that was looking for some hope. 

Read the full feature online at Marie Claire >>>>>>> Is The Music Industry Still Male-Dominated? We Ask The Women Working In It...

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Here's what happened in January

So, January went fast? My first month as Blog Manager of Ticketmaster's tmBlog is firmly in the bag and it's been a busy one. 

Despite everything that's getting going behind the scenes (there's a lot), January was a great month for new content on the site. I've rounded up some of my favourite posts below and if you're taking the time to read this, I'd always welcome your thoughts on what you see. 

Features:

Neck Deep tell us their ultimate guide to wrestling

Moose Blood share snaps from their UK headline shows

Rob Lynch hits the road with Allison Weiss

5 life lessons you learn after seeing Wicked on the West End

The co-headline tours shaping rock music in 2015

8 emotions everyone goes through at a One Direction gig

Turbowolf tour the UK with Royal Blood

Five reasons why Enter Shikari’s new album is the perfect tour warm-up

Interviews:

Milk Teeth tell us their must-see gigs of 2015

Papa Roach talk tour, new music and the 15th anniversary of Infest

Exclusive: McBusted’s Matt Willis reveals the gig he’s “super stoked” for

Reviews:

Creeper join Funeral For A Friend at Electric Ballroom, London

Polls:

Vote: The best song on the West End right now

Which pop tour are you most excited for in 2015? Vote now

Music wise, the next few weeks will see stuff from McBusted, As It Is, Pianos Become The Teeth, Kodaline, Trophy Eyes, Roam, Don Broco and FFAF. Plus so much more I'm beginning to get brain ache.

February, I'm coming for ya. 

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Slipknot and Metal in 2015

After hitting up three dates on Slipknot's Prepare For Hell tour (worth the financial dent that followed), I poured some posi thoughts into a tmBlog post. 

It's my first real opinion piece since joining the site, and is full of more excitement than I've been exuding of late. Do give it a read if it's of interest >>>>>>>>>> What Slipknot’s Prepare For Hell tour taught us about metal in 2015

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My Love Letter To The Movielife

When one of your favourite bands reforms in the midst of your own identity crisis, there's cause to write some words about it. A dear friend, and boss man of Louder Now, allowed me to borrow his great site to do just that. Read the full post here at getloudernow.com. 

I believe this marks my first foray on reddit, which I was pretty stoked on.  

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Top 5 Songs of 2014

5. Tigers Jaw – Charmer

4. Krokodil – Sun Riders

3. The Menzingers – I Don’t Wanna Be An Asshole Anymore

2. Every Time I Die – El Dorado

1. Beartooth – Beaten In Lips

“If there’s one record I’m guilty of overplaying this year, it’s Beartooth’s debut full-length. I’ll never forget the first time I hit play on Beaten In Lips ahead of its release – it smacked me in the face a little like a wet football on a cold winter’s day. But better.”

Check out the full Kerrang! staff picks online at Kerrang.com.

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Top 10 Albums of 2014

10. I Am The Avalanche – Wolverines

9. Weezer – Everything Will Be Alright In The End

8. Against Me! – Transgender Dysphoria Blues

7. Slipknot – .5: The Gray Chapter

6. The Ghost Inside – Dear Youth

5. Marmozets – The Weird And Wonderful Marmozets

4. Beartooth – Digusting

3. The Menzingers – Rented World

2. Every Time I Die – From Parts Unknown

1. Moose Blood – I’ll Keep You In Mind, From Time To Time

“No one does feelings and fairy lights better than Moose Blood right now. In the midst of every hardcore record I’ve been jamming this year, IKYIM is the album I always come back to. There’s way more to this band than lyrics about sweaters and tea, but they help.”

My top 10 records were posted along with the full Kerrang! staff picks, check them all out at Kerrang.com.

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Kerrang! YMA6 & Architects

One of my favourite podcasts from the Relentless Kerrang! Awards 2014, as winners You Me At Six joined me with Architects' Sam Carter backstage. You can watch all the interviews. at youtube.com/user/KerrangPodcast.

I caught up with both bands again at Reading Festival 2014:

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Kerrang! Jason & Soupy takeover

After a summer of interviewing two of my favourite frontmen at various festivals, I handed my mic over to letlive.'s Jason Butler and Dan 'Soupy' Campbell of The Wonder Years at Reading Festival 2014. Unsurprisingly, they exceeded my expectations and created one of my favourite career moments to date. I hope you enjoy watching it as much as I enjoyed being there. 

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Kerrang! Sonisphere Festival 2014

I was back on podcast duty at Sonisphere Festival 2014, with interviews from Fred Durst, Wes Borland, Scott Ian, Mastodon, Krokodil, Gallows Frank Turner and more.

 

Check out all the videos on our Sonisphere Festival 2014 playlist. 

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Kerrang! Slayer at Sonisphere

Managed to squeeze in some Slayer sized fun at Sonisphere in July, as I challenged punters to give me their best Slayer chants. They stepped up...

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Kerrang! Reading Festival 2014

I wrapped up festival season at Reading Festival 2014, interviewing the likes of A Day To Remember, You Me At Six, Of Mice & Men, Enter Shikari, Papa Roach, letlive, Mallory Knox, Deaf Havana, The Wonder Years and many more. 

Check out all the videos on our Reading Festival playlist.

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Kerrang! Download Festival 2014

I took over the Kerrang! Podcasts at Download Festival 2014 (with the help of some seriously bright sunflower prints and a few dodgy fence panels), with interviews from letlive., Bury Tomorrow, Steel Panther, Trivium, The Pretty Reckless, Against Me!, Arcane Roots, Baby Godzilla, Marmozets and loads more.

Check out all the interviews on our Download Festival 2014 playlist.

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Kerrang! NASS Festival

My review of NASS festival was published in Kerrang! a few weeks back. It features a KKKKK write-up for Gallows' headline set, as well as reviews for Trash Talk, Funeral For A Friend, Reel Big Fish, Skindred, Cypress Hill, The Hell, Decade, Blitz Kids and many more. It was great to catch some of the finest skaters, BMXers and motocross stars in action and I got a chance to pop home to Bristol either side of the two-day event. I also caught up with The Bronx frontman Matt Caughthran, who's been an absolute dude every time I've chatted with him this summer.  

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Kerrang! Jenna McDougall

As part of my previous chat with Tonight Alive, I spoke to frontwoman Jenna McDougall about the songs that mean the most to her. Including Ricky Martin, obviously. 

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Kerrang! Every Time I Die

I caught up with Every Time I Die frontman Keith Buckley as the band kick off another summer at Warped Tour. From his battle with depression and why he almost quit the band, to new record, From Parts Unknown, and recording with Kurt Ballou, Keith reveals all in the new chat. It was, of course, an absolute pleasure to write.

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Kerrang! Bayside Cult Heroes

I spoke to Bayside’s Anthony Raneri for what turned out to be my first double page spread. An absolute honour as I grew up listening to this band and Anthony was a true gent. 

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Kerrang! Evil Blizzard

Some super fun features in this week’s Kerrang!, including my photo debut (somehow...). I joined Kerrang! snapper Paul Harries in the woods to meet and, erm, be taken hostage by Evil Blizzard - that menacing bunch above. Not one for the grandkids, perhaps. 

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Kerrang! Tonight Alive in London

I had the pleasure of hanging out with Tonight Alive in London earlier this month, as they stormed our shores as main support for All Time Low. We got up to a bunch of fun things for Kerrang! including this quick video, featuring details of their upcoming UK headline tour:

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Marie Claire: Brit Awards listicle

This week I compiled a list of magical moments from Brit Awards gone by, to give Marie Claire readers a bit of a giggle. As well as the classic jaw-dropping moments (like Josh Stone’s accent), I spent most of the time watching videos of the Spice Girls, Adele and Destiny’s Child. Girl powa.

You can read the full feature online at MaireClaire.co.uk. 

I didn’t actually include my *personal* pick of the YouTube sets, so here’s Eminem being a total dude in dungarees…

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BLOG: LISTEN TO BEARTOOTH

I stumbled upon Beartooth’s brand of aggressive hardcore after a hellish Friday night, and immediately felt like I was late to 2014’s most exciting party.

Signed to Red Bull Records, the Ohio quintet promise to punch UK metallers square in the throat as they join Of Mice & Men and Issues on the road in April. Expect big things.

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