Next Big Thing 2007 semi finalists
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Alex Carson (Sunday semi final - and through to the final)
Alex Carson is a singer/songwriter influenced by the likes of Nick Drake,
Bright Eyes, Rufus Wainwright, Ed Harcourt and Devendra Banhart. He wrote
his first
song at the age of 11 about fish. He modestly says that since then his songs
have only got slightly better, but they do prove you don’t have to
go to America to find weird and original. And with references to Wilde and
Hemingway,
his lyrics conjure up strong imagery accompanied with a cinematic sonic palette.
Myspace
Download free Alex Carson MP3s:
Big John (Sunday semi final)
The rapper and mc has been writing and performing his own music
for the past 11 years. He has enjoyed previous success playing in bands,
winning Battle of the Bands 2006 in Hunstanton with his former band The Majority
Rules. He is also no stranger to performing as he is a trained actor, with
a HND in theatre.
Myspace
Download free Big John MP3s:
Canine Feline (Saturday semi final)
Canine Feline are a four-piece female-fronted band from Great Yarmouth.
They formed in December 2006 and have been busy writing and recording
their own
original music. With about 14 original tracks under their belts, just three
of them have been recorded so far, but they plan to record more later this
year. The line up is Becs on vocals, James on guitar, bassist Arron and drummer
Steve.
Myspace
Download free Canine Feline MP3s:
Edendale Tyson (Saturday semi final)
The Lowestoft singer/songwriter has been playing in rock bands for about
10 years.
Edendale always wrote the tracks acoustically and then “rocked them up” with
the band, until a short while ago when he started recording acoustically
and realised he enjoyed it so much more. He now plays with friends and
they like to describe their sound as “barbecue
music”.
Myspace
Download free Edendale Tyson MP3/WMAs
Fortune Rookie (Sunday semi final - and through to the
final)
Formed in April 2006, Fortune Rookie is Royst Seabrook on guitar and vocals,
Ant Hall on drums, bassist Baz Barrie, and Dale Timbers on guitar. The four
piece say that each member has brought his own musical influences and style
to the band and the distinct vocals of Royst make them instantly recognisable.
They aim to create a powerful and emotive modern rock sound, which has been
compared to Biffy Clyro and Bayside.
Myspace
Download free Fortune Rookie MP3s:
Graffiti Sun (Saturday semi final - and through to the
final)
The Downham-area based five piece are influenced by the Levellers, Gogol
Bordello and a lot of experimental bands. Four of the members studied music
at music college and they play a blend of folk/celtic rock.
Myspace
Download free Graffiti Sun MP3s:
Icenis (Sunday semi final - and through to the final)
Icenis hail from the Lowestoft and Norwich area and formed in February of this
year, although they have been playing together for more than five years under
the name CTHRU27. The boys play an original energetic mix of punk, pop, dance
and indie. The band recently returned from playing the Exit festival in Serbia
with the likes of CSS and the Beastie Boys and are currently putting the finishing
touches to their debut single with producer Jason Perry – formerly of
the band A and whose production credits include McFly, Lost Prophets, Lil Chris
and Matt Willis.
Myspace
Download free Icenis MP3s:
Kunk (Saturday semi final)
An alternative rock band from Norwich, four-piece KunK describe themselves
as creating music similar to the “loveless child of The Fall and
The Pixies”. Two years after a much-needed line-up change, they
are planning to release their debut single this month. The band’s early demos received airplay
from the likes of Radio One’s Steve Lamacq but this time have enlisted
the help of producer Jack Ruston to produce the single “We’re
not who you think we are”.
Myspace
Tracks no longer available for download - but will be out as a single:
- Public Image
- We're Not Who You Think We Are
Rory Hill (Saturday semi final - and through to the final)
The Norwich-based singer/songwriter is one of the youngest in this year’s
contest, turning 16 in October 2007. He writes
songs on acoustic guitar, and plays music that is inspired by Neil Young,
Nick
Drake,
Johnny
Cash,
The Unicorns and Donovan. He says that although his music is “just
acoustic” the lyrics
are quite quirky. Rory has also been in bands for more than three years and has been writing
his own music for a similar amount of time. He will also be appearing in
the Sunday semi-final line up as part of The Kabeedies.
Myspace
Download free Rory Hill MP3s:
Ten Ten-Tackles (Saturday semi final - and through to
the final)
The Norwich six-piece formed in January 2007, when they found a bassist to
complete the line-up alongside drums, guitar, vocals and synthesizers. They say they owe a lot of their inspiration to the new wave generation,
modern electronica, and garage rock, such as Joy Division. Other influences
include Orchestral Manouevres In The Dark and The Strokes.
Myspace
Download free Ten Ten-Tackles MP3s:
The Kabeedies (Sunday semi final - and through to the final)
The four-piece indie-pop band from Norwich play fast, catchy, energetic pop music
for ladies and gentlemen to dance to. The current line-up includes 18-year-old
Katie, 15-year-old Rory, both from Norwich, 17-year-old Evan from Woodbridge
and 17-year-old Fab from Lowestoft. They have been together for six months
and have had the chance to play venues like The Waterfront, Norwich Arts Centre
and the B2. Recently they have had two jaunts to London to play for the BBC
in Hyde Park and at The Hope and Anchor in Islington. The Kabeedies have recorded
in the studio several times and their new EP should be out by the end of this
year.
Myspace
Download free The Kabeedies MP3s:
Tom Cox (Sunday semi final - and through to the final)
The 16-year-old from Thurlton has been composing
and performing his own music since 2001 as a solo artist and as part of a
band. The former Hobart
High School pupil, now studying performing arts at City College Norwich,
will be accompanied by just a drummer on the night of the
semi-finals. He describes his music as Indie with a hint of hip-hop and
quite lyrical, and names his influences as the Artic Monkeys, Dizzee Rascal
and Plan B.
Myspace
Download free Tom Cox MP3s:
Semi finals line-up:
- Saturday October 27:
Alex Carson, Graffiti Sun, Canine Feline, Kunk, Rory Hill, Ten-Ten-Tackles
- Sunday October 28:
Big John, Edendale Tyson, Fortune Rookie, The Icenis, The Kabeedies, Tom Cox
Buy tickets for the semi finals and final online: