We know. It’s still a bit weird out there, isn’t it?

We know we haven’t been in touch for a while. Mainly because there’s not a lot to say about the current situation that you haven’t heard, seen or read from a hundred other people already. Coronavirus fatigue is a real thing, and we didn’t want to add to it. You’ve got enough going on.

And, of course, there hasn’t been much news from us anyway (although we are working on the final edits of our latest music video, so watch this space!).

But we did want to say something today, the day that (with certain restrictions) pubs in the UK are allowed to start re-opening.

It’s good news for the restarting of our economy. And it’s great news for many of our landlord and landlady friends who have been struggling to make ends meet since the start of the pandemic. Local businesses are important, and we absolutely need to support them.

But we need to be careful. The virus is still with us. People are still dying from it. There have been spikes in certain parts of the country and there will most likely be a second wave.

So, if you’re going to the pub tonight, just be sensible. Follow the guidance that’s there to help protect you and those around you.

Rule number one: IF YOU FEEL UNWELL, DON’T GO TO THE PUB.

The others you’ll probably have read elsewhere already:

• Don’t drink at the bar.
• Use contactless payment.
• Give your name and contact details to the landlord/landlady. The pub will keep your details in a temporary record for 21 days. This is so those who visit the pub can be contacted if there’s a local outbreak of coronavirus.
• Follow the one way systems you may see in place.
• Don’t shout. This one sounds weird, but the virus can be spread through the air, and raising your voice increases the risk of you gobbing on people and spreading ‘orrible germs.
• If you’re inside, stick to groups of 6, made up of a maximum of 2 households.
• If you’re outside in the beer garden, the 6 person limit still applies, but can be made up of friends from more than 2 households.
• Your local pub may have other specific rules in place to help them manage the situation. Please follow them.

And finally, PLEASE don’t get annoyed with bar staff as they enforce these rules. They’ve been through a really rubbish time. They’re doing their best to get their businesses back on track and make sure you can have a nice quiet pint in a safe environment.

Of course, not all pubs will be opening today. So if your local is still closed, please don’t give them grief for it. They’ve taken the decision not to open because they’ve reviewed their situation and decided they can’t open in a way that keeps you, their punters, safe.

The more sensible we are, the sooner we can kick this virus’s arse. And the sooner we do that, the sooner we can get live music back in the pubs and clubs we love.

And the sooner we get to play for you lovely lot again!

Look after each other and stay safe.

Loads of love,

Ann, Neil, Alan, Aaron and Pete xx

The post 4 July 2020: Off to the pub? appeared first on 5th Element.

‘Today, my sister asked “Can I have a book mark?” and I burst into tears. I’ve known her her whole life and she still doesn’t know my name is Ann.’

‘My fella is really mad at the fact that I have no sense of direction. So I packed up my stuff and right.’

‘What’s the least spoken language in the world? Sign language.’

That’s right, I’ve been practicing!

But it’s hard, you know. It’s 2020 and I feel I need to up my game in the Dad joke department. Especially in advance of our next gig, which is a pure belter. We’re absolutely delighted to be back at Rally with a Chalet at Pontins, Southport on Saturday 8 February. It’s the only way to kick off your rally season!

So the pressure is on, and I’m passing some of it on to you lot!

Send your best terrible jokes (yes, there is such a thing) to info@5thelementrocks.co.uk by Friday 7 February and I’ll pick the best one and use it at Rally with a Chalet.

I’ll also credit you, and the runners up, on our social medias, innit.

Go on, you know it makes sense!

(God help us all…)

Ann x

The post Is this thing on? appeared first on 5th Element.

But it wasn’t necessarily the best year for everyone. We know that some of our rock friends and their families had it really tough. We hope you’re working through it. You’re strong, we believe in you and we know you can overcome anything.

Whatever kind of year you’ve had, music will always be with us – a soundtrack during the good times and a support during the bad. It keeps us going. Just like you awesome lot, the lovely people who support us gig after gig. We’re lucky enough to be part of a really solid rock community and we couldn’t be more grateful.

We know we say it every year, but thank you all so much. Your support means the world to us.

We wish you every success and happiness for the new year ahead. Let’s go grab it!

Ann, Neil, Alan, Aaron and Pete xx

The post Happy New Year, everyone! appeared first on 5th Element.

Not got any yet? Well, how about popping along to see your favourite band?

And, if that falls through, you could always come and see 5th Element play the Bath in Morecambe! (See what we did there?)

Seriously, though, if you don’t have any plans or haven’t even thought about it yet, we’d really encourage you to go to your local pub or music venue and support the top bands who’ll be sacrificing the festive fizz in favour of rocking your collective socks off. You’ll have a fantastic night, and at a fraction of the price of a ‘traditional’ New Year’s Eve night out clubbing.

Things are tough for live music venues all year round. New Year’s Eve is no different. But you have the power! Choose a live rock night somewhere near you, grab your air guitar and a load of mates and have yourself a damn fine time.

Just like all these lovely people in the photo here did!

We’ll see you there! \m/

The post Yearly there! appeared first on 5th Element.

Will they have a DJ?

DJs are part of the live music scene and they do a great job. But, from a band’s point of view, they need to be carefully factored into any gig situation.

They need space, they need power points, and they need time to do what they do.

We’ve worked with some excellent DJs in our time – Mr Creature, Nick Hodgson, Jay and Aiden to name but a few. And recently we were chuffed to bits to add another top entertainer to our ‘absolute pleasure to work with’ list.

The Swan.

Bolton.

Friday 24 May.

Our first gig at the venue.

The first thing that hit us was just how big the place is (we believe the technical term is MAHOOSIVE). The second thing that hit us was da beats. As we loaded in, we heard the lovely Terry long before we saw him. He’d got there early and was working his magic on the decks behind the bar, just to the right of the stage.

He gave us a wave and straight away started chatting with us. Where had we travelled from? What kind of music were we going to play? Did we need a hand loading our gear in? He gave us the low down on the set up and playing time, and asked us to let him know if we needed anything. He even pointed our Ann in the direction of the ladies’ loos when he spotted her wandering aimlessly around the place after the sound check (like we said, the place is big).

As the punters started coming in, Terry did his thing, banging out top tune after top tune. He clearly had a great rapport with the crowd and we were treated to some brilliant banter. Between tracks, he kept reminding the audience of our start time and bigging us up (we’ve never been called ‘the world famous 5th Element’ before, and we kinda liked it!). When gig time arrived, he gave us a fantastic introduction, and off we went!

We were probably a bit heavier than the locals were used to, but they gave us a fair go and by the end there was dancing, singing and big smiles all round (and even a few tentative horns!).

At half time, Terry continued to work the crowd like a pro. Again, he kept plugging the band, reminding the crowd that the second half was still to come and that they didn’t want to miss it.

Part 2 was even more fun. We even got ‘em singing! The first ever local gig for our ace on the bass Pete Kubiak, it was great to see so many of his friends turn out to support him. They were a reet lovely noisy bunch.

It was a great first night. And one of the things that made it great was the way the DJ really worked with us to get the most out of the night.

Both live bands and DJs have one common goal – to make sure everyone in the audience has a bloody good time. Working with Terry really felt like a partnership. And we can’t wait to play the Swan in Bolton again!

Were you at the gig? Let us know in the comments below!

The post I don’t wanna rock, DJ appeared first on 5th Element.

1) Read the ad carefully. This may sound like a total no-brainer but you’d be surprised how many progressive jazz bassists apply to join thrash metal bands. It happens.

2) Read the ad carefully. No, this isn’t it a typo – this is just important enough to be in here twice. When you read a band member wanted ad ask yourself 2 questions: 1) is this band for me? 2) am I for them? If they play songs or venues you don’t like or if they’re looking for an experienced player and, at the moment, that isn’t you, maybe sit this one out.

3) Do your research. Spend a bit of time looking at the band’s website. If they don’t have a website, see if you can find them on social media. Or, better yet, leave the blissful comfort of your keyboard/smartphone screen and venture forth to see them play live so you can actually talk to them. We know most people would do at least a few of these things anyway, but you’d be surprised how many don’t bother with even the most basic online check. Even if the ad they’re looking at is full of handy links. Which, quite frankly, is bizarre. You wouldn’t apply for a job without knowing what it was, would you?

4) Pick up the phone. Once you’ve found an advert that speaks to you, if it has a phone number on there, call it. Email is fine, but it’s a bit impersonal. If you’re potentially going to be in a band with these people they’ll want to get a feel for you as a person. And you’ll want to check that they don’t have 2 heads each as well! You could apply by email and give them your number and they’ll probably call you back. But if you call them, that shows more of an interest and will stick in their heads more.

5) Tell them what they need to know. Make sure you give them all the essential information. Your name, contact details, where you saw the ad, your experience, where you’re based, a couple of links to either audio recordings or, even better, YouTube videos showing some of your previous live performances. When we’re recruiting, we always like to see a bit about someone’s personal ethos in there too. For example, if we see/hear the words ‘friendly’, ‘hard working’, ‘committed’ and ‘team player’, we can be pretty sure we’re onto a winner. On the other hand, if we see/hear phrases like ‘won’t get out of bed for less than £££’ or ‘no timewasters please’, you probably won’t be hearing from us again. You don’t have to write War and Peace, but make sure you cover all the essential points. A casual text or email from out of the blue saying just ‘Hi, are you still looking for a keyboard player?’ isn’t ideal.

Bonus top tip: most bands want to know about your most recent gigging experience. If you once played one 30 minute slot to 20,000 people 20 years ago, that’s amazing and we’re very happy for you, really we are. But it’s not that useful if your most regular audience of recent years has been your bedroom wall.

6) Ask questions. How often do you play/rehearse? How far do you travel? How much do you get paid per gig? (Yes, it’s totally ok to ask this). Anything you want to know (that isn’t covered by the original advert), ask. At the end of the day, it’s the only way to know if you and the band are going to be a good fit.

7) Be honest. If, over the course of the conversation, you think the travel will be too much or the gigging schedule is too busy/not busy enough, please say so before you get as far as an audition. Finding new band members is a stressful process for any band. They won’t thank you for wasting their time if you end up leaving after a month because of things you knew were going to be an issue from the very beginning.

8) Do an audition. Some bands are fine for you to jump straight in without a rehearsal (although generally only if they are really stuck or you are actually Steve Vai). Most aren’t. If you’ve got to the audition stage, this usually means that (on paper at least) you’re more than capable of doing the job. It’s now just a case of seeing how well it all works together. Learn the songs, arrive on time and – for bonus points – help people carry their gear in and out and offer to pay your share of the rehearsal room fee. Chances are they won’t accept the money but they’ll remember that you offered. Be yourself. And remember it’s absolutely fine to make mistakes – everyone does. Just try to relax and enjoy playing good music with like-minded folks.

Bonus top tip: Some bands (like us!) like to mess with the arrangements of covers. We just can’t help ourselves. No-one’s going to expect you to know what those little nuances might be from the first rehearsal, but it’s a good thing to be aware of!

9) Got the gear? Make sure you’ve got good quality equipment and that it’s well maintained. Unless you’ve bagged an audition with Iron Maiden, no-one’s expecting you to have the best of the best or a stadium-sized rig. But they will need you to have gear that does the job and is reliable. If things start hissing/crackling/catching fire, there might be a problem. The band will also generally expect you to have all your gear with you for the audition (if only, in many instances, to drool over it!). Some rehearsal spaces provide equipment but it’s not a given. So make sure you check you’ll have everything you need before you get there.

And finally…

10) Be respectful. The band you’re auditioning for may not be filling stadiums yet but chances are they work hard, are proud of what they do and have honed their own sound and performance style. You may be the best player in the world but you aren’t going to win any friends by being immediately critical of the way they do things (eg. ‘Yeah, but in my last band we did it like this and it was so much better’ or ‘I’m not getting to the venue that early!). If it’s a long-running band, they’ll most likely have developed a battle rhythm that works. They’ll have grown a following and relationships with venues/event managers that you’re not aware of. So just be mindful of that. If you get the job, there’ll be plenty of opportunities to discuss your thoughts and suggestions at a later date. Your audition is not the time.

So there you go. Fellow musos, have we missed anything? Let us know in the comments below.

The post 10 top tips to get you into a band appeared first on 5th Element.

We know, we know. The new year’s only just begun and you’re already fed up of reading blogs and Facebook posts from every Tom, Dick and Harry about what 2018 meant to them. But, if you’ve got room for one more, here are our vital statistics from the year just gone.

• 37 gigs.
• Several weeks of national radio airplay on Wyatt Wendels’ The New Rock Show on Planet Rock Radio – a first for us that thrilled us to bits.
• Our 20th anniversary as a band.
• 1 new originals EP, Stranger on the Street (containing 4 new tracks).
• 1 new music video.
• 1 new-look website.
• 1 newsletter – another first for us! (Sign up at the bottom of this page if you haven’t already)
• And last, but absolutely not least, an amazing fan base who blow us away with their support at every gig.

There are bands who are bigger than us. There are bands who are just plain better than us. But we work hard, we love what we do and we love you guys and girls for making it possible. Thank you.

We want to wish you all every happiness and success for 2019. We think it’s going to be an absolute stormer \m/

Loads of love from Ann, Neil, Alan, Aaron and Pete xx

The post In one year and out the other appeared first on 5th Element.

It’s had a bit of a turbulent time in recent years. But now we’re sad to report that it looks as though it’s shutting for good. There’s even talk of it being turned into flats in the not-too-distant future.

This was really hard for us to hear. But how much harder must it have been for all the people who worked so long and hard to try and keep this much-loved venue going? And we know that all the loyal regulars who turned out to support the fantastic variety of bands that played every week are feeling it too.

It’s tough for venues. Rents are expensive and punters have more choice for weekend entertainment now than they ever did. And the Fox was a big place (if you’ve been upstairs, you’ll know we mean massive). And the bigger the building, the more expensive the maintenance.

For us, the Fox is a huge loss. It really was a cracking venue. Nice big stage? Check. Good sized room? Check. Friendly staff? Check. Awesome, supportive crowd? Check, check and check! It even scored bonus points on the load-in (no steps – a major win for any band lugging loads of gear around, dontcherknow!). The old girl was an all-round winner and we’re sad to see her go.

But, while we’ll really miss the place – the bands, the DJs, the cool as décor and often hilarious graffiti in the loos – what we’ll never lose are the friendships and memories we made there. We’ve had so many amazing gigs at the Fox (our Ann makes it about 40 since she joined the band in 2007, but it’s probably more!). And every single one has been an absolute belter thanks to all the brilliant people who supported live music at their local rock venue.

There are too many for us to name here, but you know exactly who you are, you lovely lot.

There’s not much else to say, really – except thank you. Thank you to Miles, Ian, Jay, Andy, Jan, Kirsty and everyone who worked so hard to keep the Fox alive. Thank you to everyone who supported all the awesome bands that played there over the years, week in week out. You never took the place for granted, and for that we salute you.

We were meant to be playing the Fox on Saturday 29 December. Thankfully, though, we’ve been lucky enough to get a gig at the Chop House that night instead. So don’t worry, Southport, we will continue to rock ya!

And we’ll never forget our frequent Goosings in Southport. \m/

What are your happiest memories of the Fox? Did we first meet you there? Let us know in the comments below. And don’t forget to check out our video tribute to this top venue.

The post Farewell to the Fox appeared first on 5th Element.

True love rocks. That’s why so many great rock songs are written about it. And rock weddings are awesome.

On 6 October, we were proud and privileged to play at the wedding of 2 friends of ours. Jane and Russell both love their rock music and are completely bonkers. So, naturally, we think very highly of them indeed.

Being asked to play a wedding, though, can sometimes be a bit of a dilemma for a rock band. For a few fairly obvious reasons…

• Wedding receptions aren’t commonly associated with leather, chains and ripped clothing, except in biker weddings and other, erm, more specialist celebrations. And if it’s one of the latter, for the record, we charge extra (although Hughsey would probably do it for free).
• We’re loud. And we worry about bursting dear Aunt Doris’ eardrums.
• We don’t play ‘Oops Upside Your Head’. We’re a rock band, the clue’s in the name. We might learn the odd extra song in advance of the big day, but we can’t change the whole set list.
• Some of the lyrics of the songs we play are a teeny weeny bit explicit. And sometimes, mid-performance, Ann just plain forgets to bleep. Sorry, kiddies!
• We take up more space than the DJ. A lot more. Tables may have to be moved. We worry about messing up the seating plan.
• We have a lot of gear. And, yes, we need all of it.
• We live in chronic fear of drunk Uncle Tony staggering up to the mic halfway through the set, demanding to make a toast to the newly-wed couple. Only to burst into an emotional yet ear-splitting rendition of ‘I will always love you’.
• No, we really don’t play ‘Oops Upside Your Head’. Seriously.

But if you get a rock wedding right, you’ll get what we had at Jane and Russ’ do – a damn fine party with some of the loveliest people you’ll ever meet. And, if we’re honest, we’re still dreaming about (and drooling over) that wedding cake. Quite simply the most amazing double chocolate fudge cake we’ve ever eaten in our lives (we love you, Amy!).

Music is one of the only truly unifying forces in the world. Over the years, we’ve made so many friends through what we do, and watched so many relationships begin and blossom. It really is a special journey to be a part of.

So long as you don’t ask us to play ‘Oops Upside Your Head’…

Rock weddings – a total ‘D:Ream’ or literal ‘Led Zeppelin’? Tell us all about your experiences in the comments below

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But you’ve nurtured it. You’ve fine-tuned it. It’s grown.

It’s time.

Ah, the recording studio. So glamorous, so exciting, so…

…not what you might expect.

We’ve done a fair bit of recording in our time. For us, there’s no drugs (unless you count caffeine), no sex (as far as we know, although sometimes Hughsey spends a bit too long in the toilet) – it’s all about the rock and roll.

‘I know this tune inside out’, you tell yourself. ‘I’ll be done in no time.’

Er, nope.

There’s a great bit in Bruce Dickinson’s autobiography ‘What does this button do?’ that neatly sums up the journey.

Iron Maiden are recording ‘The Number of the Beast’ and Bruce is up for vocals. Except he can’t get past the first 2 lines.

‘I thought I could polish it off in a few takes and move on to being loud and bombastic.

Martin, Steve and I spent all day and all night on the first two lines. Again and again, until I was so sick of it I threw furniture against the walls in frustration, taking big lumps out of the damp plaster…

We took a two-hour coffee break. I sat glumly with a mug of coffee. Martin was positively chirpy. Bastard, I thought.

‘Not so easy, eh?’ he grinned. ‘Ronnie Dio had the same problem on ‘Heaven and Hell’.

My head, which ached, and my eyes, which ached, started to pay close attention. ‘Like, how?’

‘Well, he came with the same attitude as you. Let’s bash this one out. And I said to him, “No. You have to sum up your entire life in that first line. I don’t hear it yet.”’

Of course, I know the song. The opening line.

‘Your whole life is in that line,’ said Martin. ‘Your identity as a singer.’

Dimly, I started to see the difference between singing a line and living it.’

Any musician can go into a studio and play and record something in 1 take. Some can even do it without making any technical mistakes. Very few, though, can go in cold and nail the feel first try.

Needless to say, this can cause a certain amount of frustration. You’re a good musician. Why is this so difficult? You can even start thinking to yourself ‘It sounds fine. It’ll do!’

And if you ever start thinking that, just take a break, step back, and relax. Because you’re starting to lose focus and you’re in danger of missing the point.

You’ve paid money to do this. You want to get it right. And your sound engineer wants to help you get there. ‘It’ll do’ is not the aim here. ‘The best bloody track we can possibly get’ is.

It can be a difficult process for those who are new to it or who don’t understand. Recording isn’t about any one person – it’s about what best serves the song. You and your band mates may have spent ages lovingly crafting lyrics or solos, but if, under the intense microscope of the recording process, any of it doesn’t work, you have to be prepared to let it go. Sometimes, you may even have to start all over again.

You have to warm up, to engage, just like for a gig. You have to put yourself in the mental space of the song. That kind of thing takes time.

It’s frustrating. It’s annoying. It can take ages and make you feel utterly and completely stupid at times. But then there’s that magic moment when you just get it. You break through the wall. You pick yourself up, and you get the job done.

And it sounds fantastic.

Need proof? Go and stick ‘The Number of the Beast’ or ‘Heaven and Hell’ on your sound system right now. ‘It’ll do’ doesn’t even come into it.

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