Is the pandemic pushing our digital future closer?

In a new world where long gone are the days of firm handshakes and employees gathered around a table for daily meetings, it’s easy to think that life has ever so drastically changed. Virtual conferences and catch-ups, online learning and working from home have become our new norm. But are things really that different to how they were before? 

Of course, this is somewhat a dramatized version of living in the digital world, with technology’s uses being heightened and more invested in than ever, but I feel we had some good practise in this field already. As services such as online dating, facetiming and takeaway services like Deliveroo and Just Eat have become more popular over the years, we’ve been training for a digitally led world. 

Taking meetings at your dining table whilst rocking a half formal half PJ combo may seem like a sudden leap into the unknown, but wasn’t this where we were headed anyway? As technology develops and more innovations are made, we are constantly preparing ourselves for changes to come. 

Once upon a time you had to get out and about to meet a partner. Nowadays, you can find that spark from the comfort of your own home. Changes have been coming for years, and pandemic or not, we were surely heading towards a more digitalised world so we could use these modernisations to our advantage. We’ve just accelerated and moved at pace towards this way of life sooner than we thought. 

Some of these changes make life more accessible to many and show just how we can get around such problems as a pandemic, when the daily norm is forced on hold. It’s been a modern blessing to be able to carry on somewhat business as usual from our homes. Businesses have suffered, and many have lost throughout this year, but technology has at least let virtual concerts, meetings and sociable gatherings take place. It’s allowed for busts of normality amongst the surrealness we’ve endure. Furthermore, convenience comes above all these days, as we find comfort behind our screens and wish to make things as simple as possible. After all, isn’t that part of what technology is about? Making life more convenient? 

I often think of the film ‘Wall-e’ when I think of technology and using it to make our lives as comfortable and easy as can be. Just floating around on chairs with everything we could desire at our fingertips. A sense of dread and pessimism encompasses me when I realise just how realistic that dystopian world in the film is in our current reality. Surely, we won’t let ourselves become so unhealthy, unsociable and greedy? Greedy for ease and accessibility. We must prevent a future where our lives are purely led from the tips of our fingers on a screen. 

Whilst it’s all well and good that we’re running our live thanks to the power of social medias and technology, we mustn’t let it conquer us in such a way that we don’t know how to interact in-person anymore. We run the risk of becoming too accustomed to talk over text and asking Alexa to turn off the lights, dishwasher or TV. Who knows? One day we may see having to get up to grab a remote an arduous task if we have bots who can do it all for us. I like to think we’d never allow this happen, and we’d remember that there’s more value in a group BBQ or dinner in a restaurant than endless food arriving whilst we’re fixated in front of our screens.

But maybe, we’re more like this now than we think, and a future enclosed in automation isn’t as alien as it may seem in the movies.

How university made my taste in music even more varied

When I first came to uni my music taste was mainly musicals, soundtracks, and upbeat pop songs, with the occasional Paramore track. I never really knew how to define my taste in music, spoiler I still don’t. However, in recent months I’ve managed to explore an array of new genres and find some of my new favourite artists. 

I love getting recommendations from people, which is why my taste in music is currently all over the place. One of my favourite things is when someone makes me a playlist with music they know I’ll love, my friends truly do have a talent for making good playlists. This has now turned into me spending hours making oddly specific playlists to fit most moods, from a chill playlist that has a soft, mellow feel, to playlists full of bops. 

One genre that seemed to have played a big part since coming to uni is pop-punk. I must admit that I hadn’t heard of the genre’s name before, however, I came to realize that I’d always loved this genre and simply didn’t know the name of it to explore it further. 

My taste in music has 100% come from my dad. One evening I was showing him the playlists and recommendations my friends had given me, and we spent the night bopping to them and him giving me more recommendations. It made me realize how music truly does connect people. 

In no particular order, here are a few of my favourite artists and albums that I discovered/gave more of a chance to over the past few months from recommendations. I am very late to the party however I do highly recommend checking them out if you haven’t!

Hozier - Hozier

Arctic Monkeys - AM

Taylor Swift - Evermore

The Strokes - The New Abnormal

Car Seat Headrest - Twin Fantasy

My Chemical Romance - The Black Parade 

Bring Me The Horizon - That’s The Spirit + amo

Julie and the Phantoms - Julie and the Phantoms Season 1

5 Seconds of Summer - 5 Seconds of Summer + Youngblood

My love for musicals and soundtracks will never die and will always be a comfort genre, especially the guilty pleasure ones that are normally Disney Channel Originals. However, uni has opened up my eyes to more music that I now adore. When it comes to music, it’s important to have an open mind to recommendations. Not all the albums/artists are going to be your cup of tea, trust me there are a few that come to my mind for me, but you could unlock a newfound love for a genre you never thought you’d end up liking. 

When I first started getting recommendations at uni, I decided to create a master playlist of my favourites on Spotify if you’d like to check it out, along with the other playlists that I update frequently. There’s something for everyone in them:

Retro Review - Favourite Worst Nightmare

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Fourteen years ago, this month, Arctic Monkeys released their second studio album, Favorite worst nightmare. 

The record hit the shelves on the 23rd of April 2007 and was a massive hit upon its release.

The alternative rock band’s first album, Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not, was also very successful and a tour of America soon followed afterward. However, original bass guitarist, Andy Nicholson, left the group shortly before the tour in June 2006 and was replaced with Nick O’Malley. 

I Bet That You Look Good On The dancefloor, Dancing Shoes, and When The Sun Goes Down, all gave Arctic Monkeys their first taste of universal success. But their second effort built on this and proved to many that they could change their sound. 

The group’s line-up for Favorite worst nightmare consisted of Alex Turner (lead vocals and guitar), Jamie Cook (guitar and keyboard), Matt Helders (drums), and the before mentioned Nick O’Malley on bass guitar. 

Like their debut effort, favorite worst nightmare received very positive reviews upon release. The record was a bit more adventurous than the Sheffield groups’ debut album.  The songs were a lot faster and much louder, with more meaningful lyrics, courtesy of Alex Turner. Matt Helders’ drumming received praise. His technique helped bring this masterpiece together. 

The three singles from the album were also very successful. Brianstorm, Fluorescent Adolescent, and Teddy Picker, all received a positive reception in the UK and in America.

My personal favorite from this record, is 505, the album’s closing track. The organ at the beginning of the song replicates a sound from the soundtrack of the 1966 classic western, the good the bad, and the ugly. ‘505’ is a reference to a room in a hotel where Turner’s girlfriend is supposedly staying. 

Other tracks on the album like This House Is A Circus, Only Ones Who Know, and D is for Dangerous, all also hit different with their manic pacings and witty lyrics. 

The album was recorded at several recording studios in London and Liverpool and was produced by James Ford and Mike Crossey, under the Domino label. 

Favorite Worst Nightmare went onto sell over 200,000 copies after a week. Meaning it climbed to the number 1 album spot in the UK. The record went onto win a BRIT award for the British album of the year. 

Arctic Monkeys followed Favorite Worst Nightmare up with Humbug, which they released two years later, in the summer of 2009. 

Review By Joe Strong

My First Music Memory

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I’ve had many musical experiences. The first gig I ever went to was with my family and uncle's family to go and watch the ‘noise and confusion’ tour in Cardiff in 2006.

The headliners were Razor light, oasis, and foo fighters. This influenced me massively as seeing the kind of influence these bands had on a crowd was huge for my creative development 

However, the memory that sticks out in my mind is being in the car with my dad and brother and listening to the Stereophonics album ‘pull the pin’. We would listen to the whole album in its entirety, and I would ask my dad what certain songs would mean.

There is a song on that album called ‘daisy lane’ which is a very slow and melancholic tune which taught me that if you’re going to make an album you need a slower song to allow the listener to sit back and critically think about the tone and meaning of a song and the album itself.

The second song which sticks out in my mind is ‘bank holiday Monday’, which is an upbeat, loud rock song that I could really see people dancing to at gigs.

I feel as though these experiences really influenced my taste for good melodies, dance songs but also slower songs that make you feel something.

Listening to this music and going to that gig allowed me to appreciate festivals and gigs more when I went to live music events throughout my teenage years.

Are you bank holiday ready?

We’re coming up to that time of year again- May’s bank holiday! And with the weather set to be less than impressive on Monday 3rd, it’s best to be prepared for all weather eventualities. 

Bank holidays are little bursts of relief and joy sprinkled throughout our years to provide us with some often much-needed longer weekends to get errands done or have a cheeky lie-in (I know that’s what I’ll be doing).

It’s the perfect excuse for a get-together with friends and family. From throwing a Pimm’s fuelled BBQ or a cosy movie marathon laden with popcorn, it feels like an extra treat we get given to do as we please with.

Like most of life lately though, there are restrictions and rules in place which throw a spanner in the words for gatherings. On top of that, despite the kind weather we’ve had lately, it’s set to be less favourable on May’s first Monday. But that doesn’t mean you can’t still make the most of your golden day of free time. 

Here are some short and sweet ideas for your bank holiday:

·      Indoor BBQs. You can still put the prep in for a BBQ, as you can easily bring it inside if needed. It may not be quite the same as basking under the British sunshine and sipping away on a cold one, but you can ignore the downpour outside and turn your dining room into the summer paradise you’re after.

·      Set up some forts. Yes, I’m serious. Embrace your inner child and get creative with your blankets and pillows. Snuggling up to watch films, setting up Zooms to talk to loved ones or gathering some board games together in a fort can prove a relaxing setting to unwind. Or if you want to save the tidying up, just bringing the duvet down to your sofa will suffice.

·      Virtual cocktail making. Now this is a fun one. Order you and your drink-loving friends some cocktails kits and join a Zoom together to shake up some drinks for you all. you can practise your bartender skills at home without the stress of a high-pressured environment. 

·      Challenge yourself! How much can you learn/put together in a day? Is there a song you’ve been pondering about learning? A recipe you’ve ‘ummed’ and ‘ahhed’ over? Why not use your extra time to finally give it a go? You’ll be surprised with how much you can learn and achieve in a day.

These are just some short and simple ideas, but let it inspire you- get creative! We all need a bit of light-hearted joy nowadays, so if you can push your work aside for the day, make the most of it and do something fun.

Let us know in the comments what you’ll be up to!

Chloé Ferguson Feature

Chloé Ferguson is a 27-year-old singer from North Wales.

Music came into her life when she was four years old, influenced by pop music because of her father and brother, writing her first song when she was five years old.

Being home schooled by her mother, musical education didn't come into her life until she was 16, when she moved to Yorkshire, England to attend a music college, then she did her undergraduate education in pop music at the University of Chester and her master's in music production at the University of South Wales.

Speaking to Chloé we talked about what it was like studying pop music during her undergraduate degree "I didn't realise I liked music writing until I finished my undergraduate", so in 2018 she applied for an MA at the University of South Wales, for Chloé "because it helped me how to write and produce my own work".

Chloé’s music is on Spotify, YouTube and Facebook, and her music was played in 2017 on BBC Radio's HEREFORD & WORCESTER channel, "a weird feeling, probably getting to die in peace" - referring laughingly, because "when you're a kid a lot of people tell you to carry on but inside you never expect to be on that kind of channel or radio".

We talked about the pandemic that we are going through now as we know that over 60% of small and medium sized artists have been left without venues because of the closure of restaurants and bars,  "people in this environment are all bankrupt because of the pandemic".

The pandemic affected her when she came back to North Wales about a year ago and was in a band, they were playing in London, even though it was complicated the band for two months were doing gigs all over the country - Bristol, London, Swansea, but when the pandemic hit in February the band was forced to split up but hoping that when the pandemic was over they could gig again, so until then Chloe has dedicated herself to her solo career.

Chloe considers her style of music Indie, more alternative, Chloe states "Honestly I want to be known as Indie Pop".

Talking about future projects Chloé is thinking of doing a PHD with researching the connection between music and memory, but Chloe right now is working on a project with a member of her band, it is still in progress, and is Indie Pop related.

Chloe is hoping that at the end of the pandemic she will return to Cardiff and reunite with her band and continue to play gigs.

The last topic we spoke about was where she gets her imagination from to write lyrics for her songs, Chloé says "I think most of the time it's from my own experiences, but a lot of the time it's from people I know, sometimes having coffee with family or friends, and when I write I go back to the past and write my own lyrics, but usually it's from my own experiences".

Chloé explains that her imagination when writing is made up of connections between personal stories and those of people she knows, stating that "sometimes I can only talk to people through the lyrics I write".

Francisco Diońisio

Les McKeown Obituary

It’s been announced today that Les McKeown, lead singer with 70s pop idols Bay City Rollers had died earlier this week at the age of 65.

The band achieved worldwide fame in the mid-1970s where their fame rivalled that of the Beatles and their success coined the phrase Rollermania, with the band selling more than 120 million records worldwide.

The group's line-up had many changes over the years, but the classic line-up during its heyday included guitarists Eric Faulkner and Stuart Wood, singer Les McKeown, bassist Alan Longmuir, and drummer Derek Longmuir.

The band visited Cardiff many times over the years but only twice during their most successful period playing the Capitol Theatre in both 1975 and 1976 in front of thousands of screaming fans reminiscent of earlier visits by The Beatles.

The band’s 1975 was vividly described as being Terrifying! In a report from the South Wales Echo

Ambulance man’s verdict on city Rollermania

Ambulance chiefs called for tougher safety measures at pop concerts after scores of youngsters were crushed at Cardiff concert by the Bay City Rollers.

Wave after wave of hysterical fans stormed the stage at the Capitol Theatre in Queen Street. They crushed and trampled on dozens on dozens of fans.

At least 20 fans were ferried by a fleet of ambulances to Cardiff Royal Infirmary for treatment.

Another 60 were treated at the cinema by St John Ambulance while four adults and a woman police officer were also injured.

Most of the fans hurt were young girls.

Ambulance superintendent Jim Clark described the night as “a terrifying experience – the most frightening I have ever known”.

The 1976 concert was so frenetic that police and St John Ambulance staff had to ferry out vast numbers of fainting teenagers to waiting ambulances and the day after the gig the South Wales Echo headline screamed ‘Rollermania sends 40 to hospital’.

Retro Review - Aladdin Sane

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48 years ago on 13 April, in 1973, saw the release of what was David Bowie’s 6th studio album.
Aladdin Sane was the follow up to what was considered Bowie’s breakthrough album, Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars.

Produced by Bowie and Ken Scott, it proved a crucial release and did much to consolidate his newly found stardom that the Ziggy album had helped create.

Recorded at Trident Studios in London and RCA Studios in New York City between legs of the Ziggy Stardust Tour, it would the last album to feature his band The Spiders from Mars, though both guitarist Mick Ronson and bassist Trevor Bolder did feature partially on the Bowie covers album Pin Ups.

The songs on Aladdin Sane were mostly written during Bowie’s American tour and features two songs that preceded the album’s release, the brilliant Jean Genie and Drive-in Saturday, both singles, with Jean Genie, in particular, setting the tone, the songs having a harder rock sound than their previous distinctly glam roots and no doubt influenced by their travels in America.

The album’s opening track “Watch That Man” is typical as to how Bowie envisioned his album to be. Still retaining the glam rock flair but a much harder and faster edge, and reminds one of the Velvet Underground but Bowie acknowledged that the New York Dolls provided some of the inspiration for the album’s opener.

The title track “Aladdin Sane” is another song that benefits from a more experimental approach by Bowie and includes a rather inspirational piano solo by Bowie sideman Mike Garson.

“Drive-in Saturday” and “Panic in Detroit” swiftly follow. The former with its prominent female backing vocals provided by Linda Lewis and salsa styled rhythms. “Panic“ supposedly inspired by friend Iggy Pop reminiscing about the Detroit riots of 1967, name checks Che Guevara whilst Rolling Stone magazine listed Mick Ronson’s guitar work on the song his “essential recording”.

The final track on the first side is “Cracked Actor”, another rocker, it became a feature of Bowie’s live performances with the singer wearing sunglasses and holding a skull, like a scene from Hamlet which he would then kiss dramatically at the end and a worthy climax to a stunning first side.

Side two’s opener “Time” is a real Bowie ‘Tour de Force’ yet divides opinion with many describing it as one of Bowie’s most poetic offerings performed in such a dramatic fashion, though to some it’s described as weak and melodramatic. Either way still a favourite with the Bowie fraternity and one of the album’s stand out tracks.
“Prettiest Star” is an odd choice for inclusion as it was recorded originally featuring Marc Bolan on guitar but this newer more glammed up version is a far superior effort even though Ronson plays the Bolan guitar part virtually note-for-note.

What follows is probably the album’s poorest track, a cover of the Rolling Stones “Let’s Spend The Night Together”. A pretty average attempt at best and tends to pale into insignificance compared to the song that follows, “The Jean Genie,” a truly great single which at this point in his career was Bowie’s highest chart placing, peaking at No 2, and kept off the top spot frustratingly by Jimmy Osmond’s “Long Haired Lover From Liverpool.”

With its great riff and chorus, it’s glam Bowie at his brilliant best but some acknowledgment should be paid to the Spiders who provided the song with a backing track to die for.

The final track on the album is “Lady Grinning Soul” a romantic, almost cinematic piece that again utilises the keyboard skills of Mike Garson and provides the album with a more than fitting finale.

The Ziggy album may get most of the plaudits, the Aladdin Sane album consolidates and a stepping stone in creativity for the ever evolving Bowie. A true classic.


“Aladdin Sane was my idea of rock and roll America. Here I was on this great tour circuit, not enjoying it very much. So inevitably my writing reflected that, this kind of schizophrenia that I was going through. Wanting to be up on stage performing my songs, but on the other hand not really wanting to be on those buses with all those strange people. Being basically a quiet person, it was hard to come to terms with. So Aladdin Sane was split down the middle.”
– David Bowie on the theme of the album

“We wanted to take it that much rougher. Ziggy was rock and roll but polished rock and roll. [Bowie] wanted certain tracks to go like the Rolling Stones and unpolished rock and roll.”
– Ken Scott on the album's sound

Review By Tony Woolway