Other musicians
James Hester (drums)
Jim Davey (drums)
Greg Stoddard (Guitar and lapsteel)
Brad Hemsell (bass)
Chris Wakeling (bass / synth)
Influences
The Birthday Party Nick Cave Radiophonic Workshop Portishead Carina Round Steve Reich Silver Apples Broadcast Grizzly Bear The Crazy World of Arthur Brown Pink Floyd Debussy Hanne Hukkelberg My Brightest Diamond The Doors The Velvet Underground Imogen Heap Jefferson Airplane Battles Morton Feldman Terry Riley Bjork Erik Satie Queen Adreena Christopher Willits Aesoteric Godspeed You! Black Emperor A Silver Mt. Zion Radiohead/Thom Yorke Mogwai Aphex Twin
Hailing from the West of England, Bristol-based musician Hazel Mills is far from typical. Fusing post-rock and Reich-esque minimalism with elements of glitch and 60s psychedelia, tracks veer from startling complexity to playful simplicity in an instant; experimenting with multiple layers of live-looping, obscure time signatures and unconventional instrumentation along the way.
Following 12 years of classical training in both piano and vocals, Mills began to feel restricted by the limitations of traditional classical theory, and at university started to explore more left-field, risk taking composers such as Morton Feldman, Steve Reich and John Cage. Intrigued by the freedom, spontaneity and atonality of both Cage and Feldman’s music, and fascinated by Reich’s psychedelic celebration of tonal harmony and rhythm, she specialised in 20th century experimental music, and graduated with a First-Class Honours degree in Performing and Visual Arts.
In 2005, after signing a development deal with Xpress Records, she was introduced to producer, composer and experimental guitarist TJ Allen (Aesoteric), who was enlisted to work with her in developing her sound. “Tim encouraged me to write more freely and not to be afraid of simplicity,” said Mills. “He also opened my eyes to artists such as Matmos, Autechre and Fennesz, who have made careers out of pushing musical boundaries by manipulating technology, but still remain listenable. I may not have liked it all at first, but I found it very inspiring.” Their intriguing partnership – “think Eno meets Kate Bush” (Tom Semioli, Amplifier Magazine), is what fuelled Mills’ 2007 debut EP, Butterfly (Xpress Records).
Incorporating a broad range of influences including the raw emotion of Queen Adreena, the experimentalism of Radiohead and the minimalism of 20th century American composers Steve Reich and Morton Feldman, Butterfly shows little regard for genre boundaries. From the sultry jazz infused piano chords of Give Away, via the crisp breaks of Insomnia, to the pulsing, hypnotic drones and fragmented, skipping rhythms of Freestanders, this is a debut that is bursting with innovation, ambition and promise.
Live - whether playing solo amid a bewilderingly beautiful bed of live looping, or with her band - elements of Mills and Allen's shared love of 60’s psychedelia shine through. Syd Barrett-era Pink Floyd, early Jefferson Airplane, and 1968’s seminal The United States of America album are all playing an increasing role in their unique sound, both on stage and in the early demos for the follow up to Butterfly.
On paper, the band’s live set up is a deceptively traditional piano, guitar, bass and drums. But when coupled with their dazzling array of gadgets & gizmo’s, including a pair of Electrix Repeater loopers, (affectionately known as “parrots” by avid user Imogen Heap), a bunch of homemade effects pedals and processors, a pair of vintage synths, and Allen’s beloved Perspex ‘Mo-gnome’ laptop controller, the noise they make is far from it.
In addition to her own work, Mills is a full time member of The Metaphors, the new project by Roxy Music’s Andy Mackay. Also featuring Roxy drummer Paul Thompson, Classical harpist Julia Thornton and TJ Allen, the band was formed in Spring 2007 to extend the sax, oboe and wind-synth performance of Mackay. Falling into no obvious existing genres, The Metaphors draw on a huge range of influences – The Velvet Underground, Godspeed You! Black Emperor, Stravinsky, John Coltrane and Sigur Ros to name a few. Mills takes on piano and vocal duty, while Allen performs his usual wizardry with guitars and laptop. After doing a series of warm up shows around the South West of England, The Metaphors will be touring Summer 2008 to mark the release of their debut album, London! New York! Paris! Rome! later in the year.
Hazel is currently working on an album with a new band - more info on that soon!
"...nothing short of phenomenal." (KGRL Radio’s No.1 Artist To Watch Out For in 2008)
“…richly detailed, intelligent, beautifully-voiced dark moody pop songs…Spot on production, spot on everything.” (Organ Magazine)
"...engrossing and enthralling..." (NM Promotions)
"…a musical complexity beyond the aptitude of most artists." (BristolRocks.com)
“From piano-dominated wig-out 'Sense of Smell' to the flowingly spare, almost Michael Nyman-like opening to 'Give Away', the EP holds a good deal of supremely well played sophisti-pop. Many are the acts who'd proudly mark it down as a career's high watermark.” (Venue Magazine)
Hiya Haze, I wanted to drop you a few words saying that i've uploaded my first demo "Awakenings", although that specific song is probably closer in it's sound towards Tim Buckley than My brightest diamond.
Anyway, you might like it, and if you did I'd love to know all about it ! ;) !
Hi Hazel, Just stopping by to say fantastic set tonight at The Lanes. Really good stuff! If you ever need support for a gig, let us know, as we'd happily play. All the best GR
How are you, Hazel Mills (White Rabbit)? Haven't checked in on you lately, so I swung by to wish you a happy September & hope you are feeling well! Listen, I have another track up on my page, "Attack Of The Mushroom People." You can hear it right now, if you'd like at: www.myspace.com/psychedelicpablo adios for now! Pablo
We just started the official SToB on Facebook page so please join it! http://www.facebook.com/shaolintempleofboom Sign up for SToB email list and get 3 FREE songs not available anywhere else!
MOST RAD NEWS ----------------------------- The awesome GANG GANG DANCE have re- scheduled the Bristol show. This will be one of two only headlining shows in the UK this year. The Bristol show will be the official warm-up for their show at Brixton Academy (supporting ANIMAL COLLECTIVE !) Wednesday 19th of August 2009 Qu Junktions & Glaive Concerts presents: GANG GANG DANCE + The Color of The Sun ~ Fleece ~ 12 St. Thomas Street Bristol BS1 6JJ 0117 945 0996 - 8PM - 12.00
Tickets 10 pounds in advance On sale at Bristol Ticket Shop, Here Shop and See Tickets. ------i-n-f-o-------------------- This gang gang from Brooklyn, have emerged from a very fertile, indigenous music scene in their neighbourhood but have branched out way WAY further with their hook ups and hooks. It is a ghetto world music that declines fey introspection but invites in disparate saturated sounds and bang bang dance dynamics. Their multi-faceted music style was first brought to our attention following a series of releases on forward-thinking label, The Social Registry; and subsequently, they have found a suitable home on Warp Records.
The bands assemblage of wonky techno, outer rock, faux arabesque and other strange, spiralling, sinuous music forms that transcend categorisation. Utterly unique and iconoclastic.
“The eclectism is exhilarating” Uncut
“Excellent… a psychotropid mind meld” – Plan B
“Gang Gang Dance may now ascend to the bona fide league of geniuses.” 8/10 – NME
Treat yourself to a night out with some live music from FattyBoomBasstic on the Gloucester road in Brizzle and make it down to The PROM on Friday 14th Aug. It's gonna be funky night out so bring your dancing shoes.........
