The Mayhem Monthly charts return for the fourth month in a row (I probably need to stop opening with that line soon, right?) Regular readers know the chart is based on my Spotify listening habits over the last month. The chart is still contemporary-ish, or it would be just an oldies chart The top three “Legacy” artists are David Bowie (no surprise there!), Mott The Hoople, and Donny Hathaway. There is a top ten artists chart and a top 5 songs chart. There is the usual eclectic mix of artists including three that were in the top ten last month (ALT BLK ERA, Delilah Bon, and Scene Queen). In fact, this is the fourth month in a row that ALT BLK ERA have featured in the artist top ten. Apart from UGLY CLUB at number five, the top five songs are all by artists that feature in the top ten artist chart. Just like Delilah Bon last month tiLLie does the double, she is at the top of both charts! So without further ado here are those charts! Click on the header of the song chart for the playlist on Spotify.
MAYHEM ARTIST CHART NOVEMBER 2023 1 tiLLie 2 DJ Yoda 3 Scene Queen 4 Billie Marten 5 Rosalía 6 ALT BLK ERA 7 Delilah Bon 8 girli 9 Shaka Ponk 10 Emyln
MAYHEM SONG CHART NOVEMBER 2023 1 bLeSs uR hEaRt – tiLLie 2 I Can’t Get My Head Around You (Audiotree Live Version)- Billie Marten 3 Nothing Hurts Like A Girl – girli 4 Witch – Delilah Bon featuring ALT BLK ERA 5 What’s Wrong – UGLY CLUB
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The Mayhem Monthly charts return for the third month in a row. Regular readers know the chart is based on my Spotify listening habits over the last month. The chart remains contemporaryish, otherwise, it might be filled with classic artists all the time and that would be boring, right? The top three “Legacy” artists are David Bowie, Nick Drake, and Sam Cooke. There is a top ten artists chart and a top 5 songs chart. As expected there is quite an eclectic mix of artists including two that were in the top ten last month (ALT BLK ERA and Ren). In fact this is the third month in a row that ALT BLK ERA have featured in the artist top ten. The top five songs features three artists who also appear in the artist top ten, that is the Delilah Bon, ALT BLK ERA and Black Pumas. Delilah Bon does the double, she is at the top of both charts, with excellent support from ALT BLK ERA! So without further ado here are those charts! Click on the header of the song chart for the playlist on Spotify.
MAYHEM ARTIST CHART OCTOBER 2023 1Delilah Bon 2 DJ Shadow 3 The Streets 4 Ren 5 ALT BLK ERA 6 Poppy 7 Ashnikko 8 Scene Queen 9 Wargasm 10 Black Pumas
MAYHEM SONG CHART OCTOBER 2023 1 Witch – Delilah Bon featuring ALT BLK ERA 2 Last Train To Selby – PERCY 3 Alive – The Apocalypse Disco 4 More Than A Love Song – Black Pumas 5 Your Mind’s Closed – Offbeat
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The release of a new Delilah Bon track is always a big event for me. Delilah Bon (super alter ego of Lauren Tate) is by far one of the world’s most talented and passionate performers today. The new song is “Witch” and it stems from Delilah researching the Salem Witch Trials some months ago. After a few listens, it feels like a song that parallels the infamous witch trials with the misogyny that is so prevalent today. The power, anger, and passion are full-on and that is one of the things that makes it such a great track. Can this be the springboard to burning misogyny at the stake and heating things up so much that the glass ceiling will start to melt? Let’s hope so. Delilah Bon is at her very best here and this, in my opinion, is her best single to date. I have said that before and every time she throws something even better to the world. Not only is Delilah at peak performance but she is supported by none other than the rather amazing ALT BLK ERA. If ever a match was made in music heaven it is this one. Get “Witch” in your ears and on your playlists now! Tell your mates, everyone needs to listen to this.
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The Mayhem Monthly charts return for a second month. Regular readers know the chart is based on my Spotify listening habits over the last month. But I have kept it to contemporary/ contemporaryish artists. The top three “Legacy” artists are David Bowie, Paul Simon, and the Clash. There is a top ten artists chart and a top 5 songs chart. As expected there is quite an eclectic mix of artists including three that were in the top ten last month (ALT BLK ERA, Ren, and Anchor Lane). The top five songs features just one artist that also appears in the artist top ten, that is the Lambrini Girls who sit at the top of both charts this month! So without further ado here are those charts! Click on the header of the song chart for the playlist on Spotify.
MAYHEM ARTIST CHART SEPTEMBER 2023 1Lambrini Girls 2 Bleach Lab 3 Slayyyter 4 Taylor Acorn 5 Stuart Pearce 6 ALT BLK ERA 7 Ren 8 Anchor Lane 9 Hawksley Workman 10 Fall Out Boy
MAYHEM SONG CHART SEPTEMBER 2023 1 Boys In The Band – Lambrini Girls 2 Ripples In The Ether (Live) – Public Service Broadcasting 3 Perfect Picture – Hannah Diamond 4 Choices – Tennessee Holy Water 5 What Did I Say – Fendry
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Nottingham sisters Nyrobi and Chya a.k.a. ALT BLK ERA are rapidly becoming Mayhem favourites. This follows them being included in the Mayhem Virgins series, a review of their incredible BBC Introducing Stage headline set at this year’s Leeds Festival, a brief interview with them in a noisy press tent at Leeds in August, and an appearance in the Mayhem charts. Well in amongst all that action, they released their first EP, ‘Freak Show’ which contains five stupendous tracks, some of which have been heard before, along with some excellent new stuff. The opener “I’m Normally Like This” has been available for a while and is a sublime anthem for those who dare to be different. This is for all the misfits, the misplaced, the weirdos, and the oddities, We love you all! ALT BLK ERA is the perfect support act for Delilah Bon. Compatible tunes and parallel passion! “Misfits: SOLAR” has been out there a little while too and is another perfect ode to the outcasts and the unaccepted. This is your call to arms, embrace your originality and shout a big FUCK YOU to the world if they don’t accept who you are!
The title track “Freak Show” does exactly what it says on the tin and so much more. It has shades of full-on dark industrial rock, gorgeously twisted vocals, and hooks that stun you into submission and would not be out of place on the soundtrack to a Tim Burton movie. Perhaps a sequel to ‘The Nightmare Before Christmas’. The alternative version of the previously mentioned “Misfits”, known as “Misfits: LUNAR” is the synth and string-laden take of the tune which oozes Gary Numan’s darkest moments and achieves a stygian dark mood that Trent Reznor would be proud of. The EP closes with “Oggy” which on paper should not really work, but on record, it is petrifying in its horrific, twisted beauty. As a live track, it is unsurpassable. That “oggy oggy oggy” chant possibly originates from Devonian Tin-miners’ wives or pasty sellers who apparently shouted it to their men, mostly miners. The firm response from any hungry miner was allegedly “Oi Oi Oi”. Is there a merch opportunity for ALT BLK ERA pasties? Maybe not, but pastry-covered meat treats aside, this is a monumentally fucking awesome EP. ALT BLK ERA has the potential to become planet-straddling huge rock stars!
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After a long sabbatical, the Mayhem Monthly charts are back, in a slightly revamped form. As regular readers will know, the chart is based on my Spotify listening habits over the last month. But I have kept it to contemporary artists. The top three “Legacy” artists are David Bowie, George Michael, and Alice Cooper. There is a top ten artists chart and a top 5 songs chart. As expected there is quite an eclectic mix of artists including five that I saw at the Leeds Festival last weekend. The top five songs are all by artists that feature in the artist top ten, including four that I saw at Leeds Festival. The two acts at the top have never appeared in previous incarnations of the chart. The number one artist is AL BLK ERA and the number one song was “How Will I Know” by the Amazons. So without further fuss here are those charts! Click on the header of the song chart for the playlist on Spotify.
MAYHEM ARTIST CHART AUGUST 2023 1ALT BLK ERA 2 The Amazons 3 AP Tobler 4 Mothica 5 Ren 6 The Streets 7 Anchor Lane 8 Public Image Limited 9 Antony Szmierek 10 Part Bat
MAYHEM SONG CHART AUGUST 2023 1 How Will I Know? – The Amazons 2 Misfits: SOLAR – ALT BLK ERA 3 The Words To Auld Lang Syne – Antony Szmierek 4 Sleepwalk – Mothica 5 Too Much Yayo – The Streets
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I had the honour and pleasure of interviewing the magnificent ALT BLK ERA at the Leeds Festival last Saturday. It was just a few hours before they headlined the BBC Introducing Stage with a stonkingly good set! Their new EP ‘Freak Show’ is out tomorrow, it will be an absolute belter!
Click here to give it a listen and let me know what you think. If you cannot listen on Buzzsprout click here and choose your favourite stream/ podcast service. Spotify is always the last to update!. The interview was for With Just A Hint Of Mayhem and Soundsphere Magazine.
All photos by John Hayhurst of Snapagig.com
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Kicking off things on Main Stage West it was Lil Tjay who, for reasons currently unknown, failed to turn up yesterday. He is clearly a good rapper, and his DJ had some great beats and, MC skills. But the bottom line for me was I felt that Lil Tjay has all the stage presence of a used tissue. Also, was he lip-syncing at times? Maybe he was just having an off day! Next on the Main Stage East, it was superb Leeds band Yard Act who were accompanied on stage by a bunch of mannequins dressed in trench coats, who turned out to be dancers. This band is so refreshing, every bit as good as the Blockheads with some Talking Heads influence. Vocalist James Smith is just a one-off with perhaps some Mike Skinner and Ian Dury influence. A momentous set from a band who will headline this festival one day. After that, it was a dash back to Main Stage West for the god-like genius that is Frank Turner, along with his Sleeping Souls. I always feel positive and emotional when I see Frank play live. He is one of the most passionate performers in rock and this was a truly formidable set. Too many highlights to mention but “Photosynthesis” and “I Still Believe” were special indeed.
I took time out to interview the wonderful ALT BLK ERA next, and more of them later. Then it was over to the Festival Republic Stage for the Last Dinner Party. They are the subject of quite a bit of hype, did they live up to it? I think they did, in bucketloads. Musically they evoke classic seventies sounds like 10cc, Supertramp, and even Queen. But vocally they are simply first class in both lead and harmonies. I would love to hear singer Abigail Morris take on a cover of the odd seventies classic, “See Me, Feel Me” by the Who, maybe. It was keyboard player Aurora’s birthday today and the whole crowd sang Happy Birthday to her. This was an impressive set, “Nothing Matters” was perfect. I caught a few songs from Seagulls on Main Stage West. I thought they were good. Inoffensive indie pop rock like the Pigeon Detectives and Scouting For Girls.
Mimi Webb was on Main Stage East next. She played a hit-packed pop-fuelled set which hit the spot for most people in the crowd. After a short break, I was back at Main Stage East for Wet Leg. I like some of their songs and they played well and were clearly enjoying themselves, I am guessing you know there is a “but” coming right? Yes, there is. Personally, apart from one or two songs I find them a little bland! I was wandering past the BBC Introducing Stage, and I spotted that Antony Szmierek was about to start. I discovered his music recently via the weird algorithms that Spotify has with a great tune called “The Words To Auld Lang Syne”. He played that and did a great Sugababes cover. The highlight for me was “Twist Forever”. Mr. Szmierek appears to be a teacher as a group of kids all around 16 years old rocked up with a “Mr. Szmierek” sign. One of my favourite sets of the day.
I said there would be more on ALT BLK ERA later and this is it. They headlined the BBC Introducing Stage and after overcoming a few issues during soundcheck they played a set the force and power of which could be measured using a seismograph. Supported by an extraordinarily good drummer and a guitarist who might well be called Mr. Riffage. Together they produce a gargantuan metal hybrid sound which is often like the Prodigy on steroids. There were rough edges, but this is a young band that I believe has many fabulous years ahead of them. They played the title track of their upcoming EP, “Freak Show” which sounds classy. The Arctic Monkeys cover was so different from the original that it was perfect. But the highlight was set closer “I’m Normally Like This”.
Next, it was a stroll across to Main Stage West for a thumping set from Foals. I have seen them a few times and they are an immensely good live band with phenomenally good songs. At their base, they are essentially a funk band with musical muscle who overlay those huge bassy beats with great rock guitar and vocals. They clearly have an affinity with the sound of James Murphy’s LCD Sound System. They opened with the 2021 single “Wake Me Up” which brought a tired audience to life. They followed with some of their finest songs from their increasing canon of work. I think “(summer sky)” was the top choice for me, especially as they played it just when the sun was about to set. Finally, it was time for the mighty Sam Fender to grace the Main Stage East. The crowd was awash with hundreds of Newcastle United shirts waiting for a triumphant headline set from their Geordie Prodigal Son. He gave Bramham Park what many are already calling a career-defining set while showing his love of the North by wearing an Angel Of The North t-shirt. The encore came with waves of love from an adoring crowd.
All photos by John Hayhurst of Snapagig.com
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It is nearly a year since our last Mayhem Virgins post, where we post artists and bands who have never featured on these pages before. This is the 19th in the series and it is dedicated to West Bridgford sisters, Nyrobi, and Chaya Beckett-Messam. Eagle-eyed readers will know that technically ALT BLK ERA have had a mention before, in my recent preview of this year’s Leeds Festival where I highlighted them as one to watch when they headline the BBC Introducing stage on Saturday. ALT BLK ERA‘s music will defy all your attempts to slot them into a specific genre box. Their sound has metal, punk, pop, electronic, rap, goth, alternative and maybe even emo. The band have said that they are influenced by the Prodigy and Ashnikko among others. I think Baby Metal, Delilah Bon, Bob Vylan and Skindred might play a part too.
I have always been a huge fan and admirer of bands and artists that have a true eclecticism in their sound and for me, ALT BLK ERA can bear comparison with the likes of David Bowie, Prince and, Kate Bush to name a few. In fact, Nyrobi and Chaya are around the age that Kate Bush first came to the attention of the music industry and listening to their music and watching their videos suggest to me that they are also in possession of that magnificent latent talent that Kate Bush showed in her early recordings. The band began during lockdown when their mother encouraged them to learn everything that they could about the music industry. In my opinion that was a very wise move. Eventually they joined the eNGine Room which is a government-funded artist development label that helps to nurture and develop young talent and provide them with experience and skills that will help them as they progress along their chosen musical and performing journey. They have been featured on the radio via BBC Introducing a few times, so it is quite appropriate and well-deserved that they will be heading the BBC Introducing Stage at Leeds and Reading this weekend. Tom Robinson described ALT BLK ERA as “Daring, adventurous and wildly original” on BBC Radio 6. Tom knows his stuff! I haven’t seen them perform yet, but I will experience that in just a few days and I am excited by the prospect. I imagine that their stage presence and live show will be off-the-scale special.
I love that they have recorded tracks in what they describe as SOLAR and LUNAR styles. SOLAR tracks are piled high with monumental guitar riffage and rap that is not afraid to challenge the ciphers of the best rappers in the business. Meanwhile, the LUNAR tracks are infused with an air of darkness, menace and, raw emotion by the wonderful use of chilling synth-driven strings and ethereal harmonies. Their debut EP ‘Freak Show’ hits the world on 1st September, I suspect it might already be pencilled in for many of those best of 2023 lists. I have been listening to a lot of ALT BLK ERA tracks and every one of them is a future classic. Right now “Rockstar”, “Mosh Girl Summer” and the incendiary “I’m Normally Like This” are my favourites, but that will probably be different tomorrow. Get this band in your life NOW!
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