"09/02/04: With a headline set from Lostprophets and showcase from The Features"

http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio1/alt/stevelamacq/

so i guess this is airing monday. i'm not sure that this will have the 3 live songs...sorry i don't know more.

(Edited by smee at 11:48 am on Feb. 4, 2004)

thanks for the info, smee!

many thanks to you, smee.

Will this set be aired instead of the interview with the band that was previously announced?

Well usually Lamacq will have a chat with the band in between them playing their songs live. He played the new single on his show this week, and back announced it by saying he was at the Camden show last Tuesday.... The Features certainly have one fan in the UK music industry, and quite an influential one at that

(Edited by ladytron at 7:05 pm on Feb. 4, 2004)

When I looked at the info I was thinking "WTF? Why is it airing in September?". I'm so americo-centric. Note that this week's show featured damned Franz Ferdinand- prob why they're/ he's winning that poll

Well here is yet another thing I'm excited about! I've been wondering about their UK setlist so I guess we'll find out here. For some reason, I'm also really looking forward toseeing how the band does in New York?

by the way, TF, am I your 1st "victim" ?

Franz Ferdinand entered the UK charts at #3 with their debut single, so they're quite obvious victors in the poll... They kept playing Franz Ferdinand tracks in between sets at The Features gig last week. It got me thinking that if FF can make it, The Features certainly can. They have a similar bouncy vibe, but The Features do it all way better than FF ever could.

(Edited by ladytron at 9:06 pm on Feb. 4, 2004)

I would definitely go by this info. There was some sort of change in schedules I believe. I think the Darkness had something to do with it, so you can blame them.

If you will believe that, does it mean that you "believe in a thing called love?"

(Edited by mindylieu at 4:22 pm on Feb. 4, 2004)

give me a D. give me an arkness.

Get your hands offa my woman....motherfucker.

Idealized as that would be, kind sir, everyone here is the victim. TF's avatar is actually a php applet of some kind that randomly steals someone else's avatar. Rather brilliant, I'd say, if I had the slightest idea what was going on.

Note if you look at the post that you thought he had stolen your avatar for again, it will be a different avatar.

He's a genius.

Will

found this:

"On top of that, representing America we'll be having a live set from The Features whose next single will be released here through Temptation Records as part of the band's deal with Universal in the States. You might have heard about the band in our recent Southern Rock documentary, but if not, they're rocking live. They have the maddest, most captivating drummer and the singer would surely star in a latter-day remake of The Monkees."


http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio1/onemusic/lamac...cq/151203.shtml

No love for Roger or Parish?

Clearly wonderful press these boys are getting. I keep telling all of my friends that in six months' time, they won't be able to escape this band.

Will

I never thought of Rollum as mad... who's he got to be mad at?

That is some great press from seems like a pretty reputable source!

It upsets me, however, that we're still being remembered for the Monkees.

another lamacq thing:

"Saturdays 1300-1600
Saturday 7 February

This week YOUR NEW FAVOURITE BAND samples the southern sound of The Features, straight out of Sparta, Tennessee"

http://www.bbc.co.uk/6music/presenters/steve_lamacq/

that's this saturday...7-10 AM CENTRAL TIME (if i did the math right? it's late...) i do believe it's streamed...and either matt and rollum (or matt and roger) will be doing the interview. this is different from the monday thing.
everyone's probably gonna be sleeping (including me). oh well.

Out of interest, you can vote for your favourite song on the Radio Six playlist at this link:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/6music/music/playlist.shtml

Obviously, I voted for The Features.

There's a 30 second clip of "The Way It's Meant To Be" on there too.

Fucking Stellastarr* are winning. Urgh. BUT The Features are the second highest. EVERYBODY get voting!!

I listen to 6music everyday, and I haven't heard The Features yet.... I might have to start emailing the programmes and getting my requests in

That was a great interview

Lamacq chatted to Matt and Rollum for 15mins, and the new single was played.

Lamacq told Rollum he made Animal from The Muppets look sedate!

You can listen again once this week's show's finished - the interview is about an hour and a half into the show

http://www.bbc.co.uk/6music/6picks/

Well, damn, I just turned it on, but I guess I'm late. I will try to listen back when it's through.

Right now I'm hearing Franz Ferdinand for the first time. Interesting...

An hour and a half? Agh! I'm trying to bear what sounds like Kings of Leon right now...

You do realise there is a button there that allows you to skip forwards by five minutes until you get to the right part of the show?

Nice to hear some Features again... I can't get over them playing a show with ONLY 4 people in the audiance. I guess people just don't know the name or music yet. All in good time I guess. After hearing them talk about that, part of me wonders why they didn't wait till after the single officially released to tour the U.K. ? Anyway, can't wait to hear Monday's show.

so wait, how do you listen to it again? this site is hard to navigate...

and where is this button?

Yeah, it doesn't show up on my computer. Trust me, I've looked

Hey, Brits, what is this song that has all the strings and the guy singing, "My sister always said hardships come in two," "The church was filled but I was all alone," "When you hold me, I'm not so lonely," etc.? It's very pretty and I'd be interested in hearing more of them. Steve named them, but I didn't catch it. And he mentioned Wichita Records, but I couldn't find their website...

(Edited by Jakob Dorof at 4:58 pm on Feb. 7, 2004)

Excellent interview! The guys did great. For those who can't get it, highlights include:

-Lamacq was drooling over Rollum's drumming abilities right off the bat. They talked about Rollum joining the band. Matt mentioned how two members had quit due to the lack of anything happening during the Spongebath years.

-When talking about recording, Matt admitted that he's the "fusser" in the band (Lamacq's words). Rollum commented that he's never heard Matt actually admit it.

-They played for about 4 people two nights in a row. Some of the other shows "made up for it".

-Lamacq asked Matt if his "tounge-in-cheek" mannerism was unconscious. Matt said he was never aware of it.

The interview starts between 19:35 and 19:40 I think. Well worth a listen if you can hear it.

Can anyone record it? I'll try to, but it'll have to be in two parts which would be weird.

Great interview. Lamacq is a really nice host, and while nothing groundbreaking was revealed to seasoned Features fans, I think many UKers would be rather surprised that the band has been around since '93. (I had actually thought it was more around 1995...did they actually play any shows in 1993?) Still, it was very enjoyable.

nevermind.

(Edited by Bowl of Fire at 9:42 pm on Feb. 7, 2004)

Amazing interview. I'm so so so glad that they are doing so well overseas. I'm just giddy-happy. Things are finally happening. I just hope that Matt doesn't stop putting his tongue in his cheek now that Lamacq brought his attention to it. That expression is a staple at shows. It was also nice to hear that Rollum enjoys seeing people get into the shows...so therefore I'm sure they don't mind us clapping along with the songs.

I believe that I've heard of a high school graduation show that would have featured "Anti-gravity Class of '93." No idea if it is true.

Matt also said that the name The Features had been around since '93, implying that the band actually predates that, which I know I've heard. I think I heard '91 or prior was when they first started playing together.

None of this is confirmed, in even a remote sense, just based on whispers and rumors that I've heard.

Will

I think that at least Matt and Roger have been playing music together since they were quite young. I know that the name "The Features" was being used while they were still in Sparta. And I don't think they moved to Murfreesboro until '94 or '95.

Obviously, Matt, Roger or Parrish (or Don) would be the only real authorities on this topic.

It's kinda funny that Rollum is the "new" guy. I think his contribution to the band's sound is completely essential.

I think of them as an entirely different band when they were 5-piece. They became a different band when Rollum joined, and though many of the songs are still played, I consider them a different band now. But they are all the Features.

Never doubt the power of the Foolery.

did you happen to record it digitally? i couldn't get my optical cable to transmit correctly so i recorded in plain stereo. is the monday show still going to happen? during the interview, they sounded like that was it and they were going home. and finally, are these the first webcasts the features have ever done? i've never heard them on the radio before, much less interviewed on the radio.

They've been interviewed on the radio before. It was on the Local Buzz a couple of years ago. They've also performed on the radio twice.

I guess you could say that it was more or less recorded digitally. However, since it's a webcast, digital and analog are going to virtually the same because so much quality is lost in the compression process.

In November, they were featured on Lamacq's BBC radio show in a special report called "Boys, Beards, and Bourbon," which examined the changing sound of Southern rock. (You can read discussions of the broadcast here.) On October 5th, Princeton's student radio station did a two-hour "Spotlight on Spongebath Records" show that played some of the band's stuff from the first two EP's and the Mahaffey sessions. (This show was discussed here.) Lastly, in April of 2002, Roger and Parrish were interviewed on 102.9. A demo version of "Leave It All Behind" was played as part of that show.

They were also interviewed on Loyola Chicago's college radio station in Oct 2002. They played Buff Head and talked to MAtt and Rollum....

More specifically, the Lamacq show starts at 20:39:40. I wish it was easier to navigate through the show instead of only forwards & only in 5 minute increments. A great interview- even though half the band were missing. Lamacq lavished praise on Rollum: "incredible", "amazing", and on one of the plugs leading up to the interview calls them "The Mighty Features". Excellent!

bbc sessions on air now!

Do you have a link? There are so many stations and whatnot, and their site is rather hard to navigate simply due to the massive amount of links, content and all...

http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio1/alt/stevelamac...acq/index.shtml

At the top of the screen, there is a picture of Steve, and a thing saying "Listen Now".

Click it.

They have played "The Way It's Meant To Be", and another track will go on in a few minutes.

Thanks for the heads up!

they just finished "there's a million ways to sing the blues." are they playing live in the studio? or did they put on a yet-to-be released recording? i couldn't tell.

Oh damn, this shit is live

it should be on "listen again" tonight...i hope. they ended with "the beginning." what a bunch of badasses...

well, its available for replay now. I skipped around a bit and all i caught were TAMWTSTB, TTWIMTB, and The Beginning. Was that all they sang? I really liked TAMWTSTB, keyboards sounded great. This Lamacq guy is really pushing them and I think he's sincere(sp) about it too.

definitely worth a listen

The segment starts with TTWIMTB at exactly at 18:50. How convenient.

Okay, not as convenient as I thought. At 19:11 there's another segment featuring AMWTSTB. (Follwed by a brand new Ash song-- that sucks ass. Why can these guys only make a good album every other time?)

Finally, at 19:27 the final segment features The Beginning.

You're welcome.

(Edited by carligula at 7:29 pm on Feb. 9, 2004)

I can beat that, Carl!

Peep dis...

A Brief Blurb
Interview & TTWIMTB
Interview & TAMWTSTB
Interview & The Beginning

Yea!!! Tom Foolery wins!

100% genius!!!

FUCK YEAH!

I just got done listening to the interviews/live performances from today - very, very good job, mates. I still say that nothing captures the "essence" of the Features like their live performances. So I think that performing live on the beeb is about the best thing they could've done for themselves.

ok, so what am i doing wrong? it says "unsupported transport" when i click on the links. i guess i'll just brave the 4 hour broadcast.

you must click on the links from the original post of they will not work. hope that solves it for ya.

that's not it, thanks for tryin tho.

Hey, it was smashin'!! I've been listening to it on the way into work

Their accents are SOOOO cute

You rock my world!!

I've just listened to it now.... oh my! They were superb!

The thing you don't get when you see them live - and this is no disrespect to them - but you just don't hear how competent and tight they sound. Of course, you know they sound great as a whole, but the thing that got me about this broadcast was the funky bass. 'There's a million ways to sing the blues', well, I've never heard anything like it. Magnificent!

'That's the way it's meant to be' is released in the UK next week by the way...

I didn't think it was coming out there until march 1st ???

Lamacq said on his Saturday show that it was out next week. Maybe he lied. The bastard

Either that or I wasn't listening properly....

He kept saying "next week," but he also kept saying "March 1." Maybe he just doesn't know what day it is.

Yeah, he was definitely confused, and then concluded with a week next Monday, which I worked out to be NEXT Monday.

Anyway, nevermind! I heard the single again on the radio earlier. Woo for new releases!!

I think the same of brits! I have called over to the hotels where the features are staying and I love talking to the operators!

Thank you!!!! You are amazing and make my day!!!

Nice work Mister Foolery.

The HMV website says it is available for pre-order, and that it gets released on March 1st.

I believe them over Steve Lamacq's grasp of what day it is.

I haven't called any hotels overseas, but I met a nice one the other day. You and I are the same person. I've officially decided that it is so.

great point. There's an energy the studio recording can't come close to capturing! It was awesome! I agree with Bowl of Fire...what a bunch of badasses.

I'm not one to undeservedly praise The Features' studio work (yup, still think the Mahaffey stuff sucks), but I think the studio version of TWIMTB is pretty damn good and represents the band well.

badarses

(Edited by Bowl of Fire at 7:54 pm on Feb. 10, 2004)

yes and yes.

agreed. when do you want to start comparing notes so we can start living one life.

The same site also lists "A Million Ways to Sing the Blues" as being released 5/24. It lists it as being on Island Records?