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“The music scene is different from when we first started 8 years ago and with the Internet there’s a stage for everyone so it’s much more difficult to cut-through” says Alex Robertshaw, the lead guitarist and keyboard for Everything Everything. Just as well then that Relentless proudly presents its annual talent platform ‘Here to be Heard’, which give acts additional exposure to be recognised and ‘cut-through’ the crowd, so to speak sing.
Here to be Heard is in its third installment and it’s shaping up to BE bigger and better than last year largely in part that the winner gets to play live in front of thousands of music fans at this years Reading Festival and be mentored by Mercury-nominated rock band Everything Everything (who are judging the competition), too. The video below explains it much better.
For those of you that have never heard of Everything Everything, erm, where the hell have you been? Seriously!? The four man Manchester-based rock band – Jonathan Higgs, Alex Robertshaw, Jeremy Pritchard and Michael Spearman – have been providing us with unique and eclectic (rock infused with glitch pop with a splash of contemporary R&B here and there) songs since 2007 – Photoshop Handsome, Cough Cough and most recently Distant Past, to name but a few. Google these tracks and thank me later. In short, the band are brilliant and are highly praised throughout the music industry winning The Times’ Breakthrough Award, 2009 and Music Producers Guilds Awards, UK Single of the Year, 2014.
What gave rise to their success? “Luck”, if you would believe Jon, lead vocalist, but don’t, because he is very humble just like the rest of the band. Their success was gradual, they quit paying jobs to fully focus on their music, lived out of Jon’s brother van with a dead animal that turned out to be a mouldy sandwich (true story) playing in venues up and down the UK that would book them.
You could argue that a talent platform was the main catalyst for their success as the band entered an MTV video competition by submitting their music video for ‘Photoshop Handsome’ (2nd Single released from Man Alive album). They got the votes needed to be aired because of the unwavering support from their fans (read: mothers who put click-farms to shame) during the voting stage. Zane Lowe just happened to have seen their video in a hotel room, liked it, played the crap out of it and the rest is history.
So talent platforms are not necessarily a bad route to take and Relentless’ Here to be Heard is one of few good options. If you are thinking about entering (and you should) here is some parting advice from the band/judges: “[Make sure] you are authentic and have a strong identity (no affected accent says Jon) even if you might not believe you have a strong identity at least you’re being authentic”.
“Music is about escapism, fun and frivolity as much as anything else and if you can combine that stuff with some sort of social message … you’re doing the Trojan horse thing” says Jeremy, lead base. What’s the ‘Trojan horse thing’? It is getting a song through the front door with something pretty and at its heart its something ugly, which the band are renowned for.
Asked how they would like to be remembered? The band shift uncomfortably again displaying a humble characteristic belying their fame, but eventually Jon answers “If we were the sole inspiration for an aspiring band that would be nice … in fact, we would quit now”. Rest assured, they are not quitting anytime soon with the launch of their new album Go to Heaven in June, but available now for pre-order at the iTunes stores. It is very evident the band hopes to aspire others via their music and ‘Here to be Heard’ is one method they have chosen to use.
Right! What are you waiting for? Entries to ‘Here to be Heard’ are now open and ends on 12/06/15.
To enter visit RelentlessHTBH.com and follow the simple process, but make sure you read the T&Cs.
And lastly, good luck to all those entering.
