Is it time for England fans to change their mentality?

After the recent international break it would appear that the so-called 'new era' of English football is off to a flyer! So much so that I thought I'd just offer a few thoughts on a national team that we can't seem to live with, or without!

I think it was Thierry Henry that offered one of the most accurate and profound summaries of English football I've heard in recent times:

When asked by an interviewer a few years ago what the best thing about the England team was he replied, "their desire" and when the interviewer subsequently asked what the WORST thing was about the England team was, he replied, "their desire".

This is so true. I genuinely feel that one of the key problems affecting England can be summed up in one word... "Expectations". Not just from the fans, but the media, pundits and maybe even the players themselves which is why I would urge England fans to take a healthy dose of realism, especially in the wake of South Africa.

It must be said though, on the positive side, this new England team is beginning to display the balance, passion and youthful exuberance that I think we have been craving for many years and when watching this new look team play I am filled with optimism for the future. The starting XI now features players who appear to be genuinely excited about playing for England (an element that I feel was lacking from the previous stalwart who felt they could just walk into the team on account of their reputation, rather than current form). Fabio Capello is rewarding promising young players and forcing the likes of Lampard, Terry and Rio to stop taking their England shirts for granted.

I do think, however, that after all these years of supporting England, a sprinkling of pragmatism is recommended. If Fabio can start to mould a team (as he is currently doing) with the correct mix of youth and senior talent, all playing in their natural positions and with Steven Gerrard as captain then the team can begin to rebuild and really start reaching its potential, but this is not enough on its own. I have a secret ingredient that we need to add to this formula... TIME.

I think it is very unwise to start talking about England winning the Euros in 2012 because once again we are falling into the trap of heaping unnecessary pressure on young shoulders. England fans need to be able to respect the international pedigree of some of our main rivals and accept the role this plays in their success at major tournaments. We can't go talking about England winning tournaments and Wayne Rooney top-scoring before anyone has even kicked a ball!

That's why I think we should all adopt a mindset geared towards World Cup 2014 instead of the Euros. Let the likes of Joe Hart, Adam Johnson and Phil Jagielka gain as much exposure to the international game as possible over the next four years; let them get the feel-good factor back into playing for England. The fans must allow this very raw group of players to use Euro 2012 as a valuable learning curve (a quarter final appearance is both realistic and fair to expect, anything else will just be a bonus). That way, the pressure will be lessened and these players can play with the freedom that will ultimately enable them to flourish. If the fans and media adopt this conciliatory approach then by the time we reach World Cup 2014, we will have a core group of matured players in their mid-20s with invaluable tournament experience and a really good understanding of each others game; capable of doing something really special.


To sum up, I think that we need to rid ourselves of the curse of expectations and adopt an heir of patience (after all, we've waited forty four years already for England to deliver). I, for one, would happily hold on four more years to develop a team capable finally delivering what we all dream of, wouldn't you?

PS/ here is a great blog post from BBC' Phil McNulty on the big decisions faced by Fabio Capello... http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/philmcnulty/2010/09/capello_facing_big_decisions.html

Very interesting...

How to sum up Guns n' Roses in one image...

Rather than shower my third blog post with profanities i have decided to create my own visual review of Guns n' Roses at Reading 2010...

Festival Republic Stage - Reading 2010

In my previous post I eluded to the quaint yet iconic intimacy of the BBC Introducing Stage at Reading Festival and its glory as a vehicle of great new music, but let me stress... this is not the only place at Reading where one can discover great new live acts. On the contrary, tucked away at the edge of the arena there is another venue that gives new, exciting and perhaps more established bands the chance to rock the crowds of Reading --> The Festival Republic Tent.

This small yet vibrant stage is the ideal forum from which to experience tomorrows big acts before the big crowds find out about them. Don't just take my word for it though, just look at the calibre of bands that have played daytime slots on this stage in the past five years: Friendly Fires, Kasabian, Foals, Frank Turner, The Maccabees, Klaxons, We Are Scientists, Arctic Monkeys, Kaiser Chiefs... the list goes on... Indeed, it would appear that event organisers seem to have an uncanny knack of booking bands that go on to grace bigger stages at later times at some of the world's greatest festivals. (Check out how many of this list played the festival this year for example... http://www.readingfestival.com/lineup/index.aspx) This Festival Republic Tent has become so synonymous with great live music that even alternative rock heavyweights Ash returned to Reading for the eighth time to headline this tent this year - a performance I was fortunate enough to be in the front row for!

My main point is that where the BBC Introducing Tent is at the forefront of cutting edge new music, the bands that play there are very raw. In the Festival Republic Tent the bands tend to be a little more polished whilst still maintaining a humble attitude and infectious awe at being on stage at Reading. Here is a little rundown of my own personal highlights from the Festival Republic Tent this year with a few hot tips for the next year... 

Kasiuss - a fantastic live act: dynamic crescendos, energetic yet controlled vocals, powerful piano, raw guitar work and an aggressive edge fill the atmosphere of the tent, instantly gripping the crowd and commanding their complete attention - in a word, epic. The studio recordings on their website and myspace can't do enough justice to this band, the true atmospheric and dynamic qualities that they posses in abundance can only be realise live. Check their Myspace, Facebook and even Twitter to experience their uncompromising sound... http://www.myspace.com/kasiuss

Kassidy - four very hairy chaps, four guitars and four sets of lungs all blend seamlessly together to create some really rich and uncomplicated sounds. Considering they were first up on the final morning of the festival - a time when four consecutive nights sleeping in a field on a £2.50 foam mat begins to take its toll - they created a great atmosphere with their resonating and harmonious vocals. Listen to some of their tracks on myspace and see what i mean... http://www.myspace.com/kassidyuk

Villagers - one of the highlights of the weekend by some distance. An amazing new band who's awesome new album "Becoming A Jackal", I have since found out, has been shortlisted for the Mercury Music Prize. Every element of this band from the memorable and slightly haunting vocals, dark lyrics, enchanting ambience and humble tones had me mesmerised for the entire set. Solo artist Conor J O'Brien has taken the singer-songwriter style to a new and exciting level I can can't quite put my finger on.

In his own words, the music shouldn't be "too dressed up", instead it is written to sound, "like someone whispering in your ear, but also to get the epic-ness at times".
Myspace... http://www.myspace.com/villagers, or on Spotify... Villagers – I Saw The Dead

Freelance Whales - a really interesting and distinctive band. On stage: a wonderful mish-mash of harmonium, banjo, glockenspiel, synthesisers, guitars, bass, drums and a waterphone have you intrigued and excited before the show even starts. Once the music does start the "interlocking rhythmic patterns" and "lush textural layering" that make this band so unique, emerge for all to hear. Great 'innocent-sounding' tracks with an edgy and energetic element make Freelance Whales a band you will not forget in a hurry.

Myspace... http://www.myspace.com/freelancewhales and on Spotify... Freelance Whales – Generator ^ First Floor

Ash - right, close your eyes for a second... (after reading this of course) and think of such classic tracks as "Girl From Mars", "Shining Light" and "Burn Baby Burn". Got that? Right, now imagine how good they would be to hear live; the energy, the sing-alongs, the chords, the guitar solos... Yeah, got that image? Ok, now TREBLE IT and you still wont be anywhere near knowing just how good this band are live, especially in such an intimate setting as the Festival Republic Tent! Ash (playing their eighth Reading Festival) remind us that the true musical geniuses only need a small stage, a simple light show and a few thousand ecstatic fans to put on a truly special show. I feel so privilaged to have been there... front row!

BBC Introducing Stage: For True Music Lovers

When people talk about the great live bands of the modern era the you don't have to wait long before Muse, Coldplay, the Killers, Faithless, Arctic Monkeys, Radiohead and dozens more are mentioned ... and rightly so, these bands have shaped and defined contemporary music and continue to thrill audiences worldwide with unforgetable live shows... but is this what live music is really about? Strobe lighting, flashing screens twenty feet tall, pyrotechnics, enough electricity to power a small village until the end of time and even rotating a guy and his drum kit 360 degrees whilst cracking out an amazing drum solo (fair play to Blink 182 there) for 45 quid a time. True live music descends far beyond these glamorous sell-out shows... right the way the 'grass roots' level where bands play in tiny venues in there hometowns to audiences you count count on two hands just because they love doing it.  I genuinely believe its at this level where the true music fans emerge; fans who are there for the music rather than the cheap three and a half minute thrill of hearing a song they've heard on the radio or danced to at a club!

I, like many other thousands of music fans, spent my bank holiday weekend raving it up in a muddy field in Reading (Festival that is, not some kind of deranged drunken brawl). This festival is bathed in history and regularly draws some of music's heavyweight acts who grace the main stage year after year with some of the finest live shows in the world, the nature of which i have already eluded to. Despite the obvious draws that they bring, I urge you to take note that there is another side of the festival, a side that i am delighted to say has blossomed since its introduction to the festival in 2008... the BBC Introducing Stage (one of my favourite stages at any festival).

The reason that this tiny stage holds such a special place in my heart is simple: I love of new music. Although there are five other stages offering many more experienced live acts, there's something about being able to get up close to these bands on this most intimate of forums that makes the music seem so much more personal. There is also a great sense of self-achievement and satisfaction having discovered a new band that you can then follow and enjoy away from all the masses; a band you love purely for their music, not just because some radio DJ has given them a stamp of approval. I guess I just feel that once a band is considered "cool" by the masses, I've lost that original connection that i had with the music. This fantastically unique and accessible stage really allows the true music fan to connect with music in a way other platforms can't quite match.

Anyway, before i get too carried away with praise for the BBC Introducing Stage, let me give you a run down of some highlights... I was absolutely delighted to see the crowds swell at the BBC Introducing Stage this year at Reading and I speak for the vast majority when i say they were not disappointed! Here is a little run down of the best bands i was 'Introduced' to at Reading Festival...

Our Fold - like a splash of ice cold water in the face first thing in the morning, these Bolton-based indie rockers brought the festival to life early on Friday afternoon. Symbolising all that is good about rock and roll these lads set to their task brilliantly - their uncomplicated blend memorable hooks, mesmerising guitar solos, powerful vocals and tight rhythm section culminated to form one of the best opening bands i can remember seeing at any festival or gig. As an added bonus, it was only once I got home that I realised that the band have recently acquired the services of former Stone Roses member Aziz Ibrahim ( which would explain sheer the quality of the guitar solos: distinctive in their mentalism and unique in their execution). Although vastly becoming the talk of their home town I am convinced with more performances like this it wont be long before the name "Our Fold" is uttered up and down the country.

Check them out here and see what i mean - http://www.myspace.com/ourfold

Shockparade - undoubtedly the best atmosphere i have ever experienced on this stage in all my five festivals. This band came on just as the sun had bowed its head over the horizon and their sounds was unbelievable, a real injection of energy and life into what was to be an extraordinary night of live music at the festival. A fantastic composition of soaring vocals, driving drum beats, euphoric guitar sounds and fresh synthesisers come together in the most spectacular way to form energising dance anthems that leave you no option but to leap up and down to the infectious beat. Shockparade were my golden nugget of the festival, glimmering like the last Galaxy Caramel in a box of Celebrations. This new and exciting band are summed up very effectively by the BBC...

"Shockparade exist somehwere between Faithless, Underworld, Leftfield and the uplifting beauty of Sigur Ros played by Doves in the Manchester era"

I'd recommend them to anyone. Out of the 47 bands i saw over the weekend, they were undoubtedly a huge highlight. Check them out here - http://www.bbc.co.uk/music/festivals/readingandleeds/2010/artists/shockparade/#p009q3xk

The sheer plethora of acts that graced this quaint yet iconic stage were exceptional in their diversity; from the interesting "tribal rythmns" and "mesmerising sample loops" of Amy's Ghost (who drew the largest crowd of the weekend - http://www.readingchronicle.co.uk/news/roundup/articles/2010/08/28/48138-amys-ghost-set-a-crowd-record-at-reading-festival/) to the awesome blend of hip hop, soul, RnB and rock displayed by the G.A.N.G. Even the more established bands like Young Guns, Everything Everything and The Drums played some memorable and intimate acoustic sets for fans who were eagle-eyed enough to notice the "special guest" slot on the festival programme.

Although still only in its infancy on the Reading Festival grounds, the BBC introducing Stage continues to provide a forum for true music fans to indulge in an abundance of new interesting sounds - making that unique connection with music that just cannot be attained on the larger stages. For the acts themselves, the honour and the privilege of playing at such a momentous festival as Reading is all too easy to see on their faces and a very special thing to be a part of. The BBC Introducing Stage is the vessel through which cutting edge new music is transported to the crowds who are adventurous enough to seek and embrace it. Indeed, this special stage is the very beating heart of Reading Festival.