Blue Monday is a song released in 1983 by New Order. It’s also a day, usually the 3rd Monday in January, considered by some to be the most depressing day of the year, declared by Sky Travel in 2005. I had never heard of this day until I read my friend Ian’s blog post about it. It’s well-known in the UK.
Enjoy the video, and fight the Blue Monday 🙂
If you were reading my blog last year, in May 2014 I wrote about a great band called The Fireflys
A year later and I still consider them one of my favorites! Besides being really talented they have a wonderful relationship with their fans (and bloggers!) and seem to love what they do. And they have Andie, a female drummer, which is very cool!
You know how on certain streaming sites you can pick your mood and genre? Sometimes I pick alt-rock 90s and I think The Fireflys could be best described as a 2015 throwback to that great time in music. But why not check out a collection of their best songs on Soundcloud in the player below and see if you agree that there’s some fine music coming out of Runcorn, UK.
Follow @thefireflys on Twitter to stay up to date! Also, Happy Birthday, Lee!
Dave Fidler describes himself as a British recording artist, raised by wolves. Perhaps wolves with the blues and bluegrass skills on the guitar.
Dave’s debut album “I’m Not Here” is available on limited edition vinyl and CD from http://davefidler.com
Dave has upcoming tour dates:
Feb 13 Leicester at Soundhouse
Feb 17 Chorlton at Strange brew
2015 is an exciting time for Runcorn, England band The Fireflys. They have a brand new single “Branches” available on Bandcamp.
The Fireflys have put ‘Branches’ on Bandcamp for immediate download and it is available for the nominal fee of 50 pence. They want the fans to get the opportunity to download and enjoy the song before it is released on Spotify, iTunes, and Amazon.
COLOUR are a new art rock band based in the Northwest Coast of UK. They hail from Liverpool, Stoke and Rutland.
Check out their video of single Strangers.
Their new EP Strangers will be released on January 17 at the Blade Factory in Liverpool.
Black Surf are a band from Leeds, UK with a new single “Are We Getting Closer?” off their debut self-titled EP.
When I first listened to the song, I recalled the alternative bands of the 90s, like Oasis and Foo Fighters. Black Surf says: “Rather than wanting to recreate the music we grew up listening to, we wanted to take those mid 90s college rock bands and create simple, shameless alternative rock that makes people want to kiss and punch each other at the same time.”
Black Surf asks: Are We Getting Closer? At some moments in the song, Black Surf seem to question what is really new and different and then what the meaning of it all is. It also jabs a bit of fun at such navel-gazing and says that living now is all that matters so just enjoy it.
Black Surf’s new EP can be downloaded free at https://blacksurf.bandcamp.com
Every now and then I come across a band worth spotlighting. Today it’s The Fireflys.
Their amazing new single Release Repeat, from their upcoming album on Canadia Records, is available May 26th. You can stream it now through the link above.  All proceeds will be donated to the breast cancer awareness campaign, inspired by the “no-make up selfie” movement, the band wanted to contribute, and felt this way is the most appropriate.
Bio:
The Fireflys are a 4-piece independent rock band that formed in Runcorn, Northwest England in 2007.
The Band’s current line up comprises of:
Lee Wylding (Lead Vocal/Guitar)
Stephen Roberts (Bass/Backing Vocal)
Andie Packer (Drums)
David Packer (Rhythm Guitar/Backing Vocal)
Based on the songwriting of Lee Wylding, the band are sonically indebted to the British Invasion, crafting ringing melodic 4-minute guitar driven songs, featuring melodic harmonies and constantly changing genre sensibilities.
Driven by the DIY approach of punk, although not a punk band, the manifesto of independence and loyalty looms very large in the execution of the bands music and ethos.
The band, whose influences include The Smiths, REM and Pearl Jam, are advocates for Animal Rights Activism (PETA) and Vegetarianism.
I briefly interviewed Lee Wylding to get a better understanding of the Fireflys influences and causes.
JillyPopMusic: Are you really into the Seattle grunge bands?
Lee: I was a fan of Mad Season and Screaming Trees back in grunge’s heyday, but a huge Pearl Jam fan and I still am. I loved Nirvana but I was a also a bigger Pearl Jam fan. I was 12 when grunge hit big here in the UK, and it shaped my musical tastes and influenced me.
JPM: I was a huge fan of the film “Singles” and the grunge bands on the soundtrack.
Lee: Me too, I like Cornell’s cameo too! Brill film, Citizen Dick ha ha! Grunge lead me to the Smiths oddly enough, and they’re very local to us.
JPM: What are your current influences?
Lee: My new fave, well I say new 7+ years is City and Colour, totally in love with Dallas Green’s songs.
JPM: What is your favorite cause?
Lee: We try and promote vegetarianism. Seems not many bands are using their voices to do so.
JPM: So no leather, either?
Lee: I’m a pleather kind of guy.
It’s worth noting that there’s a connection between the US and the UK, especially when it comes to musical influences. Interesting that The Fireflys are from Northwest England and the grunge scene was based in Seattle, in the Northwest US.
Find The Fireflys on Social Media:
Facebook – www.facebook.com/thefireflys
Website – www.thefireflys.co.uk/tourbookings.html
Soundcloud – twitter.com/thefireflys
Youtube – www.youtube.com/user/thefireflys
jillypopmusic 