We’ve loved running bh one for five years. But we’ve loved listening to and watching the incredible amount of local talent even more. We thought it would be a good idea to list some of our favourites since bh one started, and have also asked a number of local friends, promoters, musicians and associates to do the same. Five years – top five faves. We’d like to thank those who have contributed, as this is clearly not an easy thing to do. There was no way I could personally narrow it down to a top five, so I’ve used my editorial muscle and allowed myself to stretch to a top ten.

So, for no particular reason other than a celebration of local music, here’s some personal favourites over the last five years…

Tony Foster – bh one founder, editor, slave to the music…

Bands
The Marlins
Betika
My Broken 101
Deltorers
Dutch Husband
Clams
Muddy Miles
True Swamp Neglect
Saturday Sun
Mutant Vinyl

Live Band
Betika
My Broken 101
Muddy Miles
Deltorers
Mutant Vinyl
C-30s
Disco’s Out (Murder’s In)
True Swamp Neglect
Saturday Sun
Dutch Husband

Album
Matt Marr – Beach In The Fallin’ Rain
True Swamp Neglect – Cloud Cloud Cloud
Michael Wookey – You Shield Me From Darkness
Betika – Half Love
Dutch Husband – Fantasy Blanket & The Fall Chorus
The Sables – South Southern Angel
Oh Dreamland – Who Cares?
Sarah Griffin – Above The Parapet
Jinder – I’m Alive
Powdered Cows – LP

Male Vocalist
Matt Marr
Alex Hedley (Saturday Sun)
Nathan Evans (Deltorers)
Jinder
Rich Peacock (Clams/Neon Tigers)
Michael Wookey
Simon Stanley-Ward (Black Bart)
Chris Mears (New Volunteer)
Alex Roberts
Andy Stock

Female Vocalist
Sarah Griffin
Corolyn Neylon Evans (Betika)
Carolyn Fir (Douglas Firs)
Lora Fab (Glowglobes)
Lisa Tucker
Tiff (Not Made In China)
Fiona Fox
Lou Brown
Ay, Carmela
Frances Donnelly (Animal Magic Tricks)

Songwriter
Matt Marr
Dave Purse
Michael Wookey
Tim Berry
Sarah Griffin
Chris Catlin
Lee Jones
Chris Leech
Chris Mears
Alex Hedley

Musician
Ed Pope (Mutant Vinyl/Cella Creeps/County Hospital)
Dave Purse (Betika/Zaardvark)
Andy Nazer (C-30s/Self Abuse)
Alex Roberts
Michael Wookey
Nathan Evans (Deltorers)
Rich Jenkins (Betika)
Ant Lewis (Dusty Cuts)
Martin Ruddock (Matt Marr/Family Buzzard/Sables/Dirty Rotten Scoundrels…)
Martin Roberts (Powdered Cows/Betika/DoMi)

Entertainer
Michael Wookey
Andy Nazer (C-30s/Self Abuse)
Ed Pope (Mutant Vinyl)
Steven Lake (A+E Line)
Martin Roberts (Powdered Cows/Betiks/DoMi)
James Barnard (Sludgefeast)
Language, Timothy!
Steve Perry (Disco’s Out)
Will Neylon (OPC/Betika)
Tim Smart (County Hospital)

Live Performance
Betika / Animal Talent Show / HOACT / Grott Party – bh one’s 5th birthday at Champions
Dutch Husband / Matt Marr / Zaardvark / Yaaard – bh one’s 5th birthday at Champions
Betika – New Year’s Eve at The Gander 2007?
Muddy Miles – debut gig at The Gander 2008?
My Broken 101 – The Gander 2006?
Michael Wookey – Champions 2011
True Swamp Neglect – final gig at The Gander 2008?
Saturday Sun – Champions 2011
Sludgefeast – final gig at The Gander 2008?
The Neon Tigers – debut at The Winchester 2009

Current Band
Saturday Sun
Mutant Vinyl
Zaardvark
Blackwater Caravan
New Volunteer
Matt Marr
My Broken 101
Animal Talent Show
Powdered Cows
The Sporadics

This has been stupidly hard to do, and even after changing it for the thirty-eighth time and allowing myself top tens, I know I’ve missed something I shouldn’t have. The live gigs list is particularly impossible… our recent 5th birthday gigs on Friday and Sunday were both incredible, both musically and emotionally and are obviously fresh in my memory.

One notable exception from these names (and particularly from the live stuff) is Toupé, who despite playing regularly in Bournemouth I couldn’t really call a ‘Bournemouth band’. They’d feature highly and regularly in these lists though. Jouis too, who formed in Brighton after relocating from Bournemouth would feature more than once. Whilst I’m talking geography, I allowed Mr. Wookey in simply because I believe he was a bh resident for a period of time, some years ago. Achilles, Spiders, Henry’s Phonograph and Maine Street are other notable absentees who I’d like to mention really should be included in these lists somewhere.

The Marlins squeezed in (time-wise) as my fave Bournemouth band, even if bh one only started at the tail end of their existence. (Marlins main man) Matt Marr’s music (too many ms!), more than any others has had a beautiful effect on my senses. The man has so much soul, and lyrically his songs just get me. Thanks Matt.

Five years ago bh one started, largely inspired by Rubber Soul and Solid Air nights. So many bands, promoters, organisers have been and gone, some have stayed and it is those with skill, passion and longevity who deserve respect and thanks for making the local music scene what it is.

People… keep supporting local music! If you’re passionate about it and think it can be better… contribute positively, huh? The local scene is what YOU make it!

Can I do a top 20?

Rob Langdon – bh one co-founder, bassist, reader, writer, web expert, top bloke, missed…

Band
Betika
Dutch Husband
Maine Street
Deltorers
Toupé

Live band
Toupé
Betika
Deltorers
Maine Street
True Swamp Neglect

Album
Beach In The Fallin’ Rain by Matt Marr
Cloud Cloud Cloud by True Swamp Neglect
Half Love by Betika
South Southern Angel by The Sables
Dildano – Dildano

Male Vocalist
Michael Wookey
Lee Jones
Chris Catlin
Jinder
Tim Sque from Dildano

Female Vocalist
Shelley (Lillettes)
Suzy Fir (Douglas Firs)
Elise Edmund (Numidian Wish)
Carolyn Neylon Evans
Lisa McQuillan

Musician
Martin Ruddock
Dave Von Betika
Martin Roberts
Imogen Charleston
Karl Evans (Toupé)

Songwriter
Lee Jones
Matt Marr
Pual Hardsparrow
Toupé
Chris Catlin

Entertainer
Steven Lake – The A+E Line
Michael Wookey
Toupé (all)
Tim Sque from Dildano
Martin Roberts

Current Band
Powdered Cows
Matt Marr
Spiders
New Volunteer
Disco’s Out (Murder’s In)

Live Performance
Betika NYE upstairs in The Gander
Toupé post-Grooves @ The Central
Deltorers mid-afternoon @ an all-dayer upstairs in The Gander
Language, Timothy! @ an all-dayer upstairs in The Gander
The Powdered Cows @ Champions

When Tone had the idea for a music fanzine in early 2006, there wasn’t really much going on in the Bournemouth music scene. Five years on and I don’t live in Dorset anymore but know there’s so much going on now, so many great bands. I also know for a fact that Tone and bh one have contributed hugely to that vitality and enthusiasm that seems to be coming out of bands like Disco’s Out, for example. Obviously, there are many others who have contributed to the musical heritage of the area – and many of those played recently at bh one’s 5th birthday weekend, Betika, Dutch Husband, and many others. Tone has taken some stick for his honesty, his “favouritism” and unbelievably for his own enthusiasm over the years, but I vehemently believe that the Bournemouth music scene would be much, much poorer place without his love of music and support for those who play it.

So, on to the bands and good times: Betika finishing off a New Year’s celebration upstairs at the Gander was a classic gig in a personal catalogue of many, many gigs. Sweaty, boisterous, lyrical, communal, wonderful… all things live music should be. Watching the rawness of Deltorers for the first time with about ten other people (did they never bring people to gigs?!) was an unforgettable moment – that a band with that much energy, raw power and understanding of how music works could come unbidden out of Bournemouth was astounding, I wish they’d fulfilled that promise. Maybe they will…

Watching and playing alongside Maine Street will always give me happy memories, great hooks, great folk, great pints on heads. Similarly Dutch Husband: just the perfect package, everything you’d ever want in an indie four piece, leftfield, full of tunes, wantonly dischordant = bliss!

Well, I’m rambling and haven’t even managed to touch on the glory of Matt Marr’s lyrics and songwriting, the genius of Sugar Ray Buzzard, the joy and inventiveness of Language, Timothy!, the menace of Slate Caverns, the rock out with yr cock out of Clams, the fun and talent of Toupe, the blissed out, stoned beauty of South Southern Angel, the magic and wonder in True Swamp Neglect, where to end? Here, I think, safe in the knowledge that Bournemouth & Poole’s musical heritage is being purposefully recorded by bh one. Enjoy it, it’s priceless.

Ollie Mutter – Trash Can, musician, singer, songwriter, very handy with a pen…

Band
Not Made In China
PSM
Michael Wookey
County Hospital
Powdered Cows


Live Band
PSM
Disco’s Out (Murder’s In)
County Hospital
Tibya
Coke Can Jack


Album
Not Made In China EP by Not Made In China
Gun Gala by Michael Wookey
Moozikk by Various Artists
You Shield Me From Darkness by Michael Wookey
Friends by The Neon Tigers


Male Vocalist
Simon Atkins (PSM)
Michael Wookey
Tim Smart (County Hospital)
Alex Hedley (Saturday Sun)
Steve Perry (Disco’s Out (Murder’s In))


Female Vocalist
Sara Massoudi (Rabbit, Run)
Tiff Wheaton Green (Not Made In China)
Catherine Burke
Lauren Bannon
Zara Sophia


Musician
Edwin Pope
Matt Musial (Drums, Guitar – Not Made In China)
Martin Roberts (Guitars, Keys, Horns etc – Powdered Cows/Disco’s Out (Murder’s In))
Nathan Kay (Cajon, Percussion – Coke Can Jack)
Oli Glockler (Bass, Drums – The Indigogoes/Charwin Doppa/Oscar’s Trash Can)


Songwriter
Tiff Wheaton Green & Gavin Blackhall (Not Made In China)
Michael Wookey
Sara Massoudi & Paul Dyer (Rabbit, Run)
Alex Hedley (Saturday Sun)
Zara Sophia


Entertainer
Ed Pope and his amazing drumming face (no offense Ed, but you do pull some pretty spectacular expressions)
Si Genaro (aka Mr Bournemouth)
Tim Smart of County Hospital (puts one in mind of Marty McFly if he’d played Captain Beefheart instead of Chuck Berry)
Simon Atkins of PSM (Excellent useage of fake blood)
All the Grott Party guys for being hilarious

Live Performance
PSM, Champions, August 2009
Not Made In China, Bournemouth Folk Club, February 2011
Muddy Miles, The Gander, May (?) 2009
Rabbit, Run/Coke Can Jack, Bournemouth Folk Club, January 2011
Michael Wookey, Cellar Bar, 2010

Current Band
Not Made In China
County Hospital
The Neon Tigers (I know I’m kinda late to the party, but those guys are alot of fun!)
Cella Creeps
Saturday Sun

Now, it’ll come as a surprise to no-one who knows me that Not Made in China feature very prominently in these lists and I’ve taken up a large amount of bandwidth on this site, singing their praises so I’ll try not to repeat myself too much but I think the fact that they’re my favourite current band in Bournemouth speaks for itself.

One of the other artists I’d like to talk up and get similarly sycophantic about is the late, great PSM. Based more in Poole than Bournemouth, they disbanded in the summer of 2009 and bar a couple of one off performances relating to uni projects and such, they’ve been much missed. They never quite managed to capture the wonderful raucousness of their live shows on record but in the flesh they were an absolute treat, their eclectic influences and relentless energy recalling Mr Bungle or indeed, any number of Mike Patton-related bands. In the same ball park as PSM are the (thankfully) still active Tibya. They may be young but live they are always furious, funky and, perhaps most impressively, 100% guitar free.

I would also like to dismiss any accusations of bias towards Rabbit, Run. Yes, this writer may well be involved in some capacity with one or more of R,R’s members but that doesn’t affect anything, they really are that good. So there. Finally, if my choices seem fairly recent it’s because I’ve only just graduated to the “good” side of the Bournemouth music scene, having done battle with the dodgy side during most of my teenage years. Anyway, if you don’t like it, leave your own choices in the comments. Here’s to another five years!

Karl Hayman – Amity Roadster, musician, barman, darned good writer…

In no particular order:

Band
Rushing With Apathy
Pure
Paint It Blue
Dusty Cuts
The Sabres/Hoffman Sloth

Live Band
Sudarshan/Freeway
Rushing With Apathy
Toupé
Disco’s Out (Murder’s In)
Cella Creeps

Male Vocalist
Alex Beds (Fearne)
Tim Somerfield
AJ
Jonty (Mother Ukers)
Alex Hedley (Saturday Sun)

Female Vocalist
Hannah Robinson
Kristy Kurowski
Lauren Bannon
Fiona Fox
Lucy Davis

“A great selection of young and… younger female artists From chilled out to soulful to delicate and acoustic, they’re all plentiful”

Musician
Mark Pegrum (Rushing With Apathy/Sola Infrared)
Giles Tubbs (Rushing With Apathy/Disco’s Out)
Meryl Hamilton (Voodoo Vegas)
Peter Quinn (Paint It Blue)
Chris Woodford

“If you want solid hard drums… Call Tubbs, if you need a guitarist for any style, call the others”

Songwriter
Tim Somerfield
Alex Beds
Pete Christie
Elliott Paterson
Ant Lewis

Entertainer
Si Genaro
Fin Muir
Ed Pope
Bob Fletcher
Steve Perry

“With no disrespect to their musical ability alone for their categorisation, the above are all rounded performers that go beyond just the playing of music and strive to create something unique… and Fin & Nod were just a tad mental”

Album
Rushing With Apathy – Deaf Leading The Blind
C-30s – In Space No-One Can Hear You Smell
Elliott Paterson – Post The Universe
Fearne – Colour In A World Of Grey
Vagabond Kiss – Can’t Remember the title! – Had a cassette from a friend when I was 16 and couldn’t stop listening to it!

Live Performance
Dave McPherson @ Champions
Flipron @ The Gander, 2006
Kody @ The Gander 2006
Luke Pickett @ The Gander, 2007
Otto & Dusty Cuts @ The Winchester, 2008

Current Band
Fearne
The Longest Day
Constellation
Dusty Cuts
Cella Creeps

Andy Stock – singer, songwriter, guitarist, promoter, organiser, Oxjammer…

Band
Clams
Ten To Never
Sarah Griffin
Dusty Cuts
BigFace Reggae

Live Band
Clams
Disco’s Out (Murders In)
Ten To Never
Mischa
Quinn’s Quinney

Album
Fairwood And Stone – Alex Roberts
Above The Parapet – Sarah Griffin
Without a Baedecker – Streebeck
By The Ley – Alex Roberts
The Giant Killer Seessions – Alex again
(Yup, not too varied in the multichanger in my truck!)

Male Vocalist
Alex Roberts
Rich Peacock
Jonny Neesom
Si Crockett
Aaron Jamie

Female Vocalist
Sarah Griffin
Kristy Kurowski
Fiona Fox
Bex Grant
Jemma Davis

Musician
Olly Hopper
Alex Roberts
Jonny Neesom
Chris Woodford
Ed Pope
(But Andy Jack Ratt is the fastest picker!)

Songwriter
Alex Roberts
Sarah Griffin
Mischa
Jonny Neesom
Fiona Fox

Entertainer
Jonny Neesom
Ed Pope
The Mother Ukers
Sarah Griffin
DJ Mr Lively

Current Band
The Jack Ratts
Know One
Tim Somerfield
The Mother Ukers
Jouis

Live Performance
Clams 60 Million Postcards @ Bournemouth Live After Party (2007?)
Get Cape, Wear Cape, Fly at the Cellar Bar 2009
Jonny Neesom at Glastonbury 2010 (technically not in Bomo)
Last Solid Air @ Le Bateau
The Neon Tigers – debut at The Winchester 2009

To those who know me, my choices are far from revalatory. Intially I thought this would an easy task, quite far from the truth! It did remind me though when I need music most, I find it’s local music, gigs and recordings that I turn to. Also reminding me I have some very talented friends.

As a short term session player for the acoustic Clams sets, their huge sound and live performances left me in awe, The 60 Mill gig seemed more like a roadhouse than Bournemouth centre, glass everywhere and audience on top of the foldback. Alex’s latest album fought with Sarah’s Above The Parapet and Streebeck’s Without a Baedecker, but quite simply words cannot describe how important Fairwood & Stone is to me.

To those I mentioned bravo, and apologies to those whose moments were simply lost in the thrall of amazing Bournmeouth music. There wasn’t a category for `top bloke`. Andy Nazer could easily win (thou some manlove hugging from Mischa could sway that!) or `most impressive performance under pressure/too much booze’ – twice I saw Chris Woodford play outdoor stages and blow the audience away knowing that he had the worst hangover of all of us.

Also lacking a section were the local promoters that make all this possible – Tone (not to Brown-nose!) Rich and Trev of Devils, Conrad and Tim Somerfield show passion beyond the pale…

And the venues:
The Gander (losing that for a wetherspoons still has to be one of Bournemouth’s darkest days)
The Cellar Bar
Mr Smiths

And Finally in the “Tim Heywood `Most passionate supporter of local music and going to the most gigs of all of us`” award well, once again it’s Tim Heywood!!!!!

Ultimately, is honestly a pleasure to be involved with all of you.

Paul Tucker – Mr Langdons, sound engineer, sound man, musician, Mother Uker…

Band
The Absolute Darlings
Betika
Michael Wookey
The Old Psychiatrist Club
Perico

Live Band
The Absolute Darlings
Betika
The Old Psychiatrist Club
Perico
Smart Family Band

Album
You Shield Me From Darkness by Michael Wookey
Oh Dreamland by Tim Berry
Halflove by Betika
Spring Corner by Language, Timothy!
LP by The Powdered Cows And The Toy Throat Alarm Clock

Male Vocalist
Pierre Le Blag (Absolute Darlings)
Alex Hedley (Saturday Sun)
Michael Wookey
Tim Berry (Oh Dreamland)
Matt Cameron (Perico)

Female Vocalist
Lisa McQuillan
Joey Daley
Carolyn Neylon Evans
Mrs P (Language, Timothy!)
Lora Fab

Musician
Jonny Hebpir (Gypsy Jazz)
Alex Roberts (Oh, for one ounce of his talent)
Flamenco Stu (Stuart Gauntlet)
Alex Beds (I work with this guy and he can really play)
Martin Roberts (Ultimate Aux Musician)

Songwriter
Tim Berry
Dave Von Betika
Michael Wookey
Matt Cameron
Pierre Le Blag

Entertainer
Steven Lake (A+E Line)
Michael Wookey
Coley Portions (Spencer)
Tim Smart
Martin Roberts

Live Performance
The Absolute Darlings at Sixty Million Postcards
Treacles at Bar Fruit
Betika bh one 5th Birthday at Champions
Michael Wookey at Larmer Tree 2008 (ARC) Wedding Dress Gig
Smart Family Band at Chaplins

Current Band
Mother Ukers
Saturday Sun
Language, Timothy!
The Neon Tigers
Powdered Cows

Blimey, doing this really made me realise that I don’t like much, but what I do like, I like a lot. The same names kept coming up again and again. I love the theatrical and nearly all of my top fives contain almost vaudeville type characters.

In the album category I would say all of them get played more than any CD I have by signed artist, in fact while I type this I’m listening to Oh Dreamland for the millionth time.

I included my wife in the top five female singers, not only because she has one of the purist voices I have ever heard, but because of what she has done to help other local singers through vocal coaching.

I have included my own act the Mother Ukers in my favourite current bands, for the contribution of the other two members, and for the first time in a long time I’m enjoying gigs and even rehearsals.

I have worked with or have had some involvement with a lot of these artists for many years and feel that I have gained much from knowing them and their amazing minds.

Trevor Hill – Mr(s). Devils Music, musician, dj, event organiser of high repute…

Band
New Volunteer
Fearne
Saturday Sun
Neon Tigers
Achilles

Live Band
New Volunteer
Dubheart
Disco’s Out (Murder’s In)
Lady Winwoods Maggot
Black Bart

Album
New Volunteer – Remote Control Parade
Michael Wookey – You Shield Me From Darkness
Sarah Griffin – Above The Parapet
Achilles – Up in Arms EP
Fearne – Colour In A World Of Grey

Male Vocalist
Alex Hedley (Saturday Sun)
Chris Mears (New Volunteer)
Selby (Pachango)
Dan Henry (The Longest Day)
Sam (Stop Go Sixty)

Female Vocalist
Lauren Bannon
Kristy Kurowski
Sarah Griffin
Hannah Robinson
Andrea Soler

Musician
Nick Terry
Ed Pope
Rich Baker
Matthew Wareham (Achilles)
Ed White (Disco’s Out)

Songwriter
Chris Mears (New Volunteer)
Ant Lewis (Dusty Cuts)
Michael Wookey
Zuby
Alex Beds (Fearne)

Entertainer
Steve Perry (Disco’s Out)
Martin Roberts (Powdered Cows)
Ali (Constellation)
Dean Hewitson (Alphalfa)
Ed Pope (Mutant Vinyl)

Live Performance
The Neon Tigers. closing band of Bournemouth Tattoo Convention 2010. Everyone who was left was amazed.
Perico on my Birthday night at The Playground a few years ago.
Disco’s Out (Murder’s In) at The Larmer Tree, Big Top Stage.
Achilles at Larmer Tree – an impromptu set at the open mic tent.
Roads coupled with Hugo (MC) at The Playground (Back in the Klute Days).

Current Band
Saturday Sun
Evolver
BigFace Reggae
Stop Go Sixty
The Longest Day

Paul Northcott – Pual, Mr. Club Anemone, singer, songwriter, artist.

Band
True Swamp Neglect
Skitanja
Dildano
Dutch Husband
Powdered Cows

Live Band
True Swamp Neglect
Head Of A Cuban Trojan
Powdered Cows
Dildano
County Hospital

Album
True Swamp Neglect – Cloud Cloud Cloud
Dutch Husband – Fantasy Blanket & The Fall Chorus
Animal Magic Tricks – Cannibal
Skitanja – Zombie Tonic
Powdered Cows – Powdered Cows & The Toy Throat Alarm Clock

Male Vocalist
Paulo Bianco
Lee Jones
Martin Roberts
Chris Catlin
James Lush

Female Vocalist
Animal Magic Tricks
Tiff (Not Made In China)
Mrs. P of Language Timothy
Jemima Hunt (Laundry Biscuit Dog)
Sara (Rabbit, Run)

Musician
Martin Roberts
Chris Catlin
Chris Reed (Little Boat)
The Dildanos (all of them)
Nicholas Palmer (Directorsound)

Songwriter
Animal Magic Tricks
Lee Jones (Expedition Guide/Dutch Husband/HOACT)
Paolo Bianco
Chris Catlin
Dave Von Betika

Entertainer
Michael Wookey
Sex With My Maths Teacher
One Man Destruction Show
Betika (all of them)
Martin Roberts

Live Performance
Yaaard at the Joiners
Powdered Cows at the Joiners
Alpine Lager at Ishihara at Sixty Million Postcards
True Swamp Neglect final gig at the Gander
Animal Magic Tricks at the Portman

Current Band
Head Of A Cuban Trojan
Powdered Cows
Not Made In China
County Hospital
Safari Park

None of the above are in any particular order. Even ignoring transparent cronyism, this was really hard! Thinking about it made me realise how many bands there are locally that I’ve never actually seen play. We all gravitate to the things that we know and like, and not many would have the time to check out all that the local scene has to offer. That said, although there’s much that doesn’t appeal to my personal tastes, it’s rare that I find myself watching anything that is less then highly proficient in its musical aims.. we’ve got a lot of talent hereabouts. Even in the last month or so, I’ve seen local bands for the first time (County Hospital, Not Made In China, Zaardvark) who have impressed me.

Anyway, I’ve had to do some tactical votes here. The Live Band Top 5 in particular was very tricky. It could easily have been the same as my Top 5 Bands. But there’s too much! (Sorry Skitanja, ATS and DOMI!) I trimmed that category by only featuring actual bands.. but would give special solo mention to Little Boat, Expedition Guide, Animal Magic Tricks, Directorsound, Yaaard, Alpine Lager/Ultimate Forcefiled and One Man Destruction Show. Language, Timothy! should be in there too! Although there’s two of them.

Betika’s Halflove should be in the top albums but wouldn’t fit; see also fine efforts from Plinth and Directorsound. And I should mention Paolo Bianco’s Just Another Mini Tragic Love Story EP, and Expedition Guide’s CDs, as I absolutely love them.

Biggest props to Martin Roberts of Powdered Cows, for continually surprising live sets, great music and, most recently, the Moozikk album – amazing.

Alex Beds – Fearne frontman, singer, songwriter, musician, Langdons whipping boy…

In no particular order…

Band
Saturday Sun
The View (Later known as Solomon)
ASP
Roads
Tinderbox

Live Band
Alex Roberts
Jouis/Breaking The Girl
ASP
The Mother Ukers
MC Jacob Beale

Album
Roads – Shake You Up
Michael Wookey – Gun Gala
The View – Something Secret
Alex Roberts – Fairwood and Stone
Roland Blackman – Glow EP/Horizonte EP

Male Vocalist
Dan Henry – Longest Day
Alex Hedley – Saturday Sun
Jonty – Mother Ukers
Alex Roberts
Adam Phillips – ASP

Female Vocalist
Sarah Griffin
Monique Houraghan – Tinderbox
Caroline Everitt (Suzie Douglas) – Douglas Firs
Aimee Newsome Stone
Andrea Soler

Musician (If i had to start a band and could have anyone)
Ed Pope (most bands in Bournemouth) (Drums/Utility musician)
Alex Roberts (Rhythm Guitar/ Utility)
Jack Dunwoody (Jouis) (Lead Guitar)
Nick Bryson (Fearne) (Bass)
Alastair Lynch (The View) (Utility musician)

Songwriter
Alex Roberts
Danny Elliot
Roland Blackman
Lester Allen
Michael Wookey

Entertainer
The Mother Ukers
Choppy (whip cracking daddies double bassist)
Si Genaro
Alfalfa
Pronghorn

Live Performance
Alex Roberts at Tonefest2 2009 – Playing a set that quite frankly outclassed anything I had ever thought possible and is the standard I now work to when playing guitar and performing.
Fearne at Mr Kyps DMA Semi Final 2011 – I will never forget how complete i felt at the end of this gig. The only time i’ve felt like if that was the last gig i could have gone out feeling a winner. Great crowd, other great bands before and after. Great night
Saturday Sun at Boscombe Tea Party 2011 – Only time will tell really if this gig will last the test of time but at the moment it really sticks out in my head as a gig that ticked all the boxes for me. If i could contribute musically to any band other than Fearne in the Bournemouth area i think it would be Saturday Sun. I waited six months to see them live, they exceeded my expectations.
The View, Numidian Wish, Roads, Longest Day, Fearne and the Kings of Hearts at Klute for the 2006 Devils Music Xmas party.
I don’t remember much about Fearne’s part of the gig other than covering Kings of Hearts ‘growing like a weed’. Seeing Numidian Wish cover Roads and Longest Day covering Numidian Wish was excellent!
14th March 2005 Portman Hotel Boscombe Community Fayre Fundraiser – My first ever gig in public and the first time I ever met Si Genaro, Poet Hi Ho, Jenny Venus, Hopeless Attendance, Frankie Milner, Jones and Chris Young. A proper baptism of fire and the perfect introduction to playing live music.

Current Band
Saturday Sun
Asp
Evolver
Wildfire
The Metropolise

Well I’ve re-jigged a lot of these choices too many times now so I must make the firm decision. Writing this has made me realise how lucky I was to be a part of the now long dead ‘myspace generation’. That time allowed me to cherish some acts that should never have stopped as well as some established UK artists on top of their games today born out of the Bournemouth music scene.
I realise I have mentioned a couple of musicians several times but this list has been created with love and if one person discovers a new artist or rediscovers an old friend off the back of It then I will be happy!

Honourable mentions go out to The Neon Tigers, The Longest Day and Lou Brown who very nearly made the list on more than one occasion each. Also a shout out to new Bournemouth band Wildfire and solo artist Jack Grace who I love and believe will be on many peoples lists in years to come. My life would have been much duller without Solid Air, bh one at the Gander, BB Promotions, Devils Music and Music Mania. With all that said I will let the lists tell the story.

The Chairman & Mrs. P – Language, Timothy!, Buzzards, performers, lovelies…

Band
Parallel Universe
The Powdered Cows and the Toy Throat Alarm Clock
The Fantastic A+E Line
The InvisAbles
Treacles

Live Band
Bang Lassy
Blind Voyeurs
Madame, Marysky & Splaytoes
Powdered Cows
The Pirate Ship Quintet

Album
Michael Tanner – The Rural Tradition – The Miserable Effects of a Wasted Life (2007)
Lou Brown – What Are You Singing About? (2007)
Powdered Cows – Attack of Pipistrelles (2010)
Directorsound – Two Years Today (2010)
Various Artists – Moozikk (2011)

Male Vocalist
Conrad Barr (Parallel Universe)
Dom (Et Les Cheveux)
Lee Jones (Expeditionguide)
Roderick Arbre (The InvisAbles/The Spectral Mirror)
Slate Caverns

Female Vocalist
Ali Sharpe (Bournemouth Community Gospel Choir)
Frances Donnelly (Animal Magic Tricks)
Jo (Bang Lassy)
Joey Daley
Lisa McQuillan

Musician
Deena Jackman
Karen Smith (Bang Lassy)
Luap Rekcut
Richard Jenkins
Sandy Bartai

Songwriter
Lou Brown
Martin Roberts
Martin Ruddock
Slate Caverns
Tim Berry

Entertainer
Andy Nazer
Coley Portions
Steven W Lake
Timothy Smart
Will Neylon

Live Performance
Fluffy Marshmallow at Solid Air at Fruit 17/09/06 – Conrad Barr’s stunning performance of ‘In My Life’ has stayed with us through the years.
Larry Vegas and the Diva Killas at Solid Air at Centre Stage 27/02/07 – Free lap dances and a singer with a nice ‘tache – what’s not to like?
The Dickie Beacon Quintet at bh one’s 3rd birthday all-dayer at The Gander 16/05/09 – Everything about it. The music, the costumes, and the surprises.
The Lillettes at bh one/Faren’s 50th Birthday at Champions 10/10/09 – You know what it’s like when an artist does a reunion gig but it’s never quite the same as before? Well, that wasn’t the case here. A great celebration for Faren – his 50th Lillettes gig on his 50th birthday – complete with a Faren doppelganger on lead guitar.
Garden! at Houschka II at The Blue Boar 01/02/11 – John Cage’s Four6 performed with conviction in a perfect intimate setting.

Current Band
County Hospital
Not Made In China
Powdered Cows
The Jon Lloyd Quintet
Zaardvark

We would like to confess that we found doing this really hard. Our involvement with music is usually more of a social affair, and we don’t feel qualified to judge other musicians, hence why we never usually review or rate our experiences with local music. So we have prepared this as a celebration of the things we have liked over the past five years. The Top Fives are in alphabetical or chronological order – we just can’t rank them further. In most cases it was hard to limit ourselves to just five as there is such talent, variety and versatility within the BH area.

We would like to take this opportunity to mention a few other bits and bobs.

The many recordings we have enjoyed in the form of EPs, cassettes, or distributed via social networking sites. The people who host events and give local music a platform – you have provided us with some lazy days and amazing nights – Solid Air (especially for all those truly wonderful #Forbidden Planet# nights at the Green Room), bh one (for some forgotten unforgettable nights at The Gander), Club Anemone (fantastic hand-picked out-of-town acts alongside perfectly chosen local acts – and for our collection of raffle prizes), the intimacy of Sirius, and the diversity of Houschka.

Artists who have made an impact but fall just outside the BH conurbation or bh one’s lifetime – The Superimposers, The Lillettes, Gwyn Williams, No Context, The Michael Wookey Band, The Stand Ins.

Thank you to everyone who has ever entertained and inspired us.

Richard Stannard – Mr. Devils Music, dj, event organiser of high repute…

Band
Achilles
New Volunteer
Mutant Vinyl
Saturday Sun
Fearne


Live Band
Disco’s Out (Murders In)
Achilles
Mutant Vinyl
The Neon Tigers
Adsono


Album
New Volunteer – Remote Control Parade
Michael Wookey – You Shield Me From Darkness
Glow Globes – Parmi Les Moutons
Betika – Halflove
Roads – Shake You Up


Male Vocalist
Alex Hedley – (Saturday Sun)
Dan Henry – (The Longest Day)
Alex Beds – (Fearne)
John Holmes – (Glow Globes)
Simon Stanley-Ward (Black Bart)

Female Vocalist
Kristi Kurowski (Vida/Freefall/Otto)
Elena Riley (Vida/Otto)
Hannah Robinson
Lucy Davis
Fiona Fox

Musician
Nick Terry (Otto)
Rio Gunner (Duty Cuts/Big Face)
Nick Bryson (Fearne)
Ed Pope (Mutant Vinyl)
Vicky (The Goodfoot)

Songwriter
Lucy Davis
Michael Wookey
Alex Roberts
Alistair Lynch (Solomon/The View)
Chris Mears (New Volunteer)

Entertainer
Steve Perry (Disco’s Out)
Rob (Quinns Quinney)
Si Genaro
Rab McIlrath (lick my greasy moustache baby!)
Alex Beds (Fearne)

Live Performance
Disco’s Out (Murder’s In) at the Larmer Tree Festival big top in 2010 (can I have that? It was amazing!)
The Neon Tigers at the BIC at the Tattoo Convention 2010
Achilles at The Winchester DMA Q/F 2009
Quinns Quinney at the Cellar Bar
Roads – so many gigs at so many venues

Current Band

Mother Ukers
Mutant Vinyl
Saturday Sun
New Volunteer
Disco’s Out (Murder’s In)

Conrad Barr – Mr. Solid Air, musician, inspirational human being (awaiting top fives…)

Band
Betika

Live Band
Sonic Arkestra

Album
Betika – Halflove

Male Vocalist
Alex Hedley (Saturday Sun)

Female Vocalist
Frances Donnelly (Animal Magic Tricks)
Annie Winter
Lauren Bannon

Musicians
Ed Pope (Mutant Vinyl/Cella Creeps/County Hospital/Sonic Arkestra/Matt Marr)
Amy Hurford (Ten To Never/The General Public/Parallel Universe/Sonic Arkestra/Powdered Cows)
Martin Roberts (Betika/Skitanja/Powdered Cows/Safari Park/Mutant Vinyl)
Sandy Bartai (BSO/Betika/Perico/TPSQ/Animal Magic Tricks/Parallel Universe)
Aaron Reeves (Substance/Pure/Strangers & Madmen/Mathilda Mother/The Neon Mile)
Joey Daley (Treacles/Ol’ Yella/Parallel Universe)

Songwriters
Tim Berry (Oh Dreamland)
Tom Collier (The Neon Mile)

Entertainers
Ed Pope
Tim Smart (The Smart Family/County Hospital/solo)

Live Performance (3 especially come to mind)
Ed Pope’s solo unveiling of Mutant Vinyl, Tues 24th Nov 2009, for Solid Air’s Pink Moon @ Chaplins (tha mos’ excitin’ solo debut I’ve ever witnessed).
Sonic Arkestra’s 7-piece improv exorcism @ The Gander, Sat 16th May 2009, for bh one’s 3rd Birthday.
Amy’s tour-de-force djembé display with Ten To Never, Sun 11th July 2010, @ Solid Air’s Grooves On The Green, standin’-in for the absent Steve Jurado from Adsono

Current Band
Saturday Sun
Mutant Vinyl
Cella Creeps
Powdered Cows
The General Public
The Neon Mile

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