tag:wearemagic.uk,2005:/blogs/the-magic-es-blog?p=2The Magic Es Blog2024-03-02T15:21:11+00:00The Magic Esfalsetag:wearemagic.uk,2005:Post/73606002024-03-02T15:21:11+00:002024-03-02T15:25:22+00:00Pre-order our brand new album now<p><span style="color:#ffffff;">Hi all,</span></p><p><span style="color:#ffffff;">We're pleased to announce that from today you can pre-order CDs and digital downloads of our brand new album Junkyard Toybox which is released on Friday 3rd May 2024.</span></p><p><span style="color:#ffffff;">We decamped to the state-of-the-art Orange Tree Studios, Norfolk in 2023 to work with producer Andy Hodgson on the album.</span><br><br><span style="color:#ffffff;">Over the course of 6 months we worked on 12 songs, destructing everything and building it back up, with Andy working as pretty much a fourth member throughout the whole process.</span><br><br><span style="color:#ffffff;">The result is our best work to date and we cannot wait for you to hear it.</span></p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/s:bzglfiles/u/308329/d60ff259fd1c38c106ad9d09f5ec15ed7ff4559e/original/junkyard-toybox-album-art.jpeg/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==" class="size_l justify_center border_" height="3150" width="3150" /><p><span style="color:#ffffff;">Simply</span><a class="no-pjax" href="https://themagices.bandcamp.com/album/junkyard-toybox-2" target="_blank" data-link-type="url"><span style="color:#ffffff;"> head over to our Bandcamp page</span></a><span style="color:#ffffff;"> and place your order. All CDs will be shipped a week before the official release date.</span></p><p><span style="color:#ffffff;">Thanks for all your continued support!</span></p><p><span style="color:#ffffff;">Love,</span></p><p><span style="color:#ffffff;">Pete, Jas & Stu - The Magic Es</span><br><br> </p>The Magic Estag:wearemagic.uk,2005:Post/73266542024-01-01T10:16:44+00:002024-01-01T11:09:05+00:00Free music giveaway!<p>Happy 2024 people!</p><p>It's been a great 2023 for the band and we can't wait for you all to hear the new songs and album in 2024. </p><p>To celebrate the imminent release of our third album, we're giving away a free download of our latest single, Little Mistake which was taken from our EP, Talk in Tongues.</p><p>If you'd like to get a copy of it FOR FREE, then <a class="no-pjax" href="//themagices.co.uk/free_music" target="_blank" data-link-type="url">click here</a>.</p><p>Much love,</p><p>Pete, Stu, Jas - The Magic Es</p>The Magic Estag:wearemagic.uk,2005:Post/72458432023-07-22T20:08:48+01:002023-10-16T15:52:46+01:00Old Town Live Festival!<p>Hi all!</p><p>We are currently in the middle of recording our third album, but we're chuffed to be getting out and about to hit some festivals over the summer!</p><p>We're playing at Old Town Live in Stevenage on Saturday 5th August. We'll be on the main Stage South at this awesome festival. </p><p>If your in or around Stevenage then there's no excuse to not be there! It's FREE too (unless you want the VIP touch).</p><p>Find out more about the event and line-up <a class="no-pjax" href="https://oldtownlive.co.uk/2023_lineup_and_venues/" data-link-type="url">here</a><a data-link-type="url">.</a></p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/s:bzglfiles/u/308329/1f5822763105ebcbbf6ab461aea3347fbd0cf407/original/oldtownlive.png/!!/meta:eyJzcmNCdWNrZXQiOiJiemdsZmlsZXMifQ==" class="size_m justify_center border_" />The Magic Estag:wearemagic.uk,2005:Post/71946832023-04-21T21:18:33+01:002023-04-21T21:18:34+01:00Tickets for The Brunswick ON SALE!<p>We're heading to play The Brunswick in Brighton (well, Hove to be more specific) on FRIDAY 5th MAY and we can't wait!</p><p>We've got support from the excellent Arcadia Residential and it's only £4 ENTRY.</p><p>You can get your tickets <a class="no-pjax" href="https://www.wegottickets.com/event/577081/?fbclid=IwAR2Z35HBNljMPHyfewKnlDl-cA13heXoyzcrijJCCTGixID9ZBN4X2wb62Q" target="_blank" data-link-type="url">here</a>, so head on over!</p><p>We look forward to seeing you there and joining us in some good time rock ‘n’ roll behaviour.</p>The Magic Estag:wearemagic.uk,2005:Post/71408272023-01-20T20:12:48+00:002023-01-20T20:12:48+00:00Tickets on sale for our Ipswich show!<p>You can now purchase tickets for our show at <a contents="The Smokehouse" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.thesmokehouse.org/whatson" target="_blank">The Smokehouse</a>, Ipswich on Friday 10th March. Simply head <a contents="here" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-magic-es-tony-james-shevlin-the-smokehouse-ipswich-tickets-520759685237" target="_blank">here</a> and, for the princely sum of £5.00, you can snare yourself a bargain!</p>
<p>We are touring the brand new EP, <a contents="Talk in Tongues" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://themagices.bandcamp.com/album/talk-in-tongues-ep" target="_blank">Talk in Tongues</a>, which was released digitally and physically across the globe on 9th December 2022. </p>
<p>It's gained radio place across the globe, with the latest single Little Mistake receiving over 400 radio plays across 150 radio stations as well as being nominated record of the week across a number of those stations. </p>
<p>We'll be joined by the excellent <a contents="Tony James Shevlin" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://tonyjamesshevlin.com/" target="_blank">Tony James Shevlin</a> who is about to release his much anticipated third album. If you enjoy story-telling songs with memorable choruses and lots of soul, then you'll love Tony James Shevlin and his band of chancers.</p>The Magic Estag:wearemagic.uk,2005:Post/70793552022-10-11T21:55:32+01:002022-10-11T21:55:32+01:00Pre-order our new EP now!<p>We're delighted to announce our brand new EP, Talk in Tongues, is available to pre-order from our Bandcamp page.</p>
<p>You can pre-order the digital or limited edition CD version which we'll start shipping from release date (9th December 2022).</p>
<p>The EP was recorded in the summer of 2022 with the fantastically talented mixer/producer Andy Hodgson at the fabulous Orange Tree Studios in Norfolk.</p>
<p>It contains the tracks Give me something, Gone, Keep the good people around and Little mistake.</p>
<p>We can't wait for you to hear it...let us know what you think!</p>
<p> </p>
<p><iframe seamless="" src="https://bandcamp.com/EmbeddedPlayer/album=1736739407/size=large/bgcol=ffffff/linkcol=0687f5/transparent=true/tracklist=true/tracks=2370597229,3839934574,1799506213,1691868146/esig=6fd23de8bc40707b76523d53b998b70e/" style="border: 0; width: 400px; height: 638px;"></iframe></p>The Magic Estag:wearemagic.uk,2005:Post/69878392022-06-06T18:48:54+01:002022-06-06T19:03:01+01:00Tales from the studio<p>We've been recording 4 brand new tracks recently. We worked with Andy Hodgson at the fantastic Orange Tree Studios. Here's some words from Stu on how he found the whole experience.</p>
<p>I approached this recording session in the same way that I have all of our others…with a bristling feeling of excitement, underpinned by an abject sense of fear. Playing live is great, you can get away with the odd mistake, but in a recording scenario your every action is on full display and your mistakes are out there for all to see…not that I make many mistakes (ahem). Anyway, as I arrived at the studio and parked my van in a familiar part of the wonderful Norfolk countryside, I took a deep breath, sucked in the clean Norfolk air and bathed in the glorious sunshine that flashed through the trees, thanking the gods that I get to spend my days doing something that I thoroughly love…even if it is terrifying at times! </p>
<p>I rang the very harmonic sounding doorbell and a was met by the cheery face of Andy Hodgson who warmly welcomed me to the OrangeTree Studios. As I entered the door, all fears immediately floated away into pure, unadulterated excitement…this place is phenomenal! Andy had clearly built a studio that was modern, vibrant and, more importantly, built to capture the best from every artist that he works with. The recording room was big and lined with some amazing equipment, including some rare and unique amps from Abbey Road with quite the heritage…if only you could get them to tell their story! The recording desk was a monster and I had no doubt that Andy would be getting the best sounds from us, bringing the new tracks to life just as we had been envisioning them after all the hard weeks spent honing them in the rehearsal studio. The studio is super comfortable and felt instantly at home as we settled into the first of many cups of coffee in the chillout room, that was adorned with polaroids of the many artists that had recorded there previously on the wall of fame, with the aptly named ‘wall of shame’ illustrating some hilarious quotes that had been spoken since the studio had been running. More importantly the studio has a pool table which was great for breaking away from the recording vie for a bit but did nothing for inter-band rivalry! The walls of the studio are covered in speaker cones and an array of wonderful artist portraits. It really is the most amazing place to be creative with every facet designed to capture your sound. </p>
<p>Obviously capturing the drums is the most important part of recording, so I set up my Cambridge Drum Company Kit and opted to use the studios Meinl cymbals. Andy was on hand to offer great advice on what works for our sound and what doesn’t, his years in the industry and at the helm shine through and we were keen to absorb as much of it as we could. I play an old fashioned 5-piece set-up of kick, snare, two rack toms and a floor tom. I notice that many of todays drummers opt for a 4-piece set and use only one rack tom, but I like the flexibility the additional tom gives me, although it does hide my beautiful face from the crowd somewhat. For more info on my kit and set up, <a contents="you can go here" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.cambridgedrums.co.uk/stuart-catchpole" target="_blank">you can go here</a>. Back to the script…Andy doesn’t fully mic the kit on the first day, instead we have a couple of mics to capture the room sound so that we can capture guide tracks from all 4 of the tunes that we will be recording ‘Gimme Something’, ‘Gone’, ‘All the Good People’ and ‘Little Mistake’. At this point I’m in the main room on my own with Pete and Jas plugged directly into the equipment and sitting behind the desk where Andy is coordinating proceedings. We get a click track going and we thrash out the four tunes that will form the new EP without too much trouble. We have a couple of minor issues to get over in ‘Gone’ but Andy has some great ideas which we discuss and agree on a new approach to the tune. Oh, it’s going to be banging! As such, we pack up for the day and hop over to the local pub for a beer. </p>
<p>Day two is drums and bass day. Andy has set up many mics around the kit to capture each individual drum as well as overhead, mid room and far room mics. Again, I am all on my own in the main room and am presented with headphones so that I can converse with Andy behind the desk and can play along to the guide tracks that we created the day before. After a couple of practice runs Andy presses record (or whatever wizardry he needs to do at the desk) the click starts, I play along until the end of the song and I wait in silence for a bit for Andy to provide some feedback. There are lots of ways to do it and some engineers/producers like you to record bits, dropping you into certain sections of the tune to capture grooves, fills or specific sounds. For this session I am playing the full song through 3 times. This will give Andy the opportunity to pick and choose bits between the three as he edits and mixes the tracks. We steam through the 4 tunes in what seems like no time at all, in reality it took about 4 hours to capture the drum tracks. I finish up by capturing some individual sounds from each of the drums and cymbals. Again, this provides Andy with further stuff that he can use in mixing. After lunch its over to Jas and he lays his bass lines down over the drum tracks that I’ve just recorded. This approach obviously means that the rhythm section comes through as a tight unit, just as we do in the live scenario. </p>
<p>Days 3 and 4 are all about Pete putting down guitar and vocals. I provide backing vocals and we even got Jas singing again in a ‘gang vocals’ approach, but I won’t steal Pete’s thunder, he can tell you all about guitars and vocals. </p>
<p>In short, this was just an amazing recording experience. Andy is a great guy to work with and his studio is nothing short of a heavenly place to be. I have no doubt that this EP will be the best sounding thing we have produced and the songs are all epic, nothing short of what you expect to hear from The Magic Es. I can’t wait to do it all again sometime soon. </p>
<p>Stu </p>
<p> </p>The Magic Estag:wearemagic.uk,2005:Post/64930542020-12-06T22:52:31+00:002020-12-20T11:36:02+00:00The new EP is out now!<p>Howdy! We hope you're doing well and beating the COVID blues as best you can. </p>
<p><a contents="" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RTvGj8A7BDw" target="_blank"><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/308329/f41b4aac39743ec95bd96adb775709945b7af4c7/original/godsytimage.png/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.png" class="size_m justify_center border_" /></a></p>
<p> </p>
<p>Maybe new music will help? Our new EP - Live at Lightning - is out today and <a contents="available exclusively for&nbsp;download from Bandcamp" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://themagices.bandcamp.com/album/live-at-lightning-ep" target="_blank">available exclusively for download from Bandcamp</a>. We've decided to ditch Spotify etc. and sell our music directly to our fans; it just makes more sense. </p>
<p>The EP was recorded at Lightning Studios in October, prior to "Lockdown 2.0". We recorded 4 live songs; All of Your Gods, Into the Fading Light, Cellar Door and I Just Wanted to Tell You. We also recorded live videos for 3 of tracks which you can view on our <a contents="YouTube channel" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnvE7T6_CWwA56ie3ySZf9w" target="_blank">YouTube channel</a> (thanks to Danielle Booden for filming the day). </p>
<p>The EP also has an exclusive remix of Cellar Door; it's the perfect indie dance tune to compliment the live tracks. </p>
<p>We hope you enjoy it and we'd love to get your feedback. </p>
<p>Have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year </p>
<p>Love. </p>
<p>Pete, Stu, Jas & Matt </p>
<p>The Magic Es</p>The Magic Estag:wearemagic.uk,2005:Post/64524952020-10-09T17:36:59+01:002020-10-09T17:36:59+01:00WE'VE GOT A FREE EP FOR YOU! <p>We hope you're well? We've not posted on the site for a while but that's all going to change now; we're making an effort to engage more with our fans. </p>
<p>You may have seen from our social media posts that we have a new guitarist in the band. Matt Watson joined a few months ago and we're back as a 4 piece. To celebrate we've put together a 4 track compilation EP and we've made it available to download for free. </p>
<p>All you need to do is <a contents="HEAD HERE" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://promo.wearemagic.uk/freedownload" target="_blank">HEAD HERE</a> and you can get your copy. It contains FINE LINES, RUNNING SCARED, NOTHING IN YOUR WAY and ONE SHOT. </p>
<p>We've got some big plans for the coming months, including a brand new live EP along with new live videos. We've also moved ALL our releases to Bandcamp as we want to remove the barriers that the likes of Spotify and Apple Music put up between us and you...exciting times! </p>
<p>We'll speak soon. </p>
<p>Pete, Stu, Jas & Matt </p>
<p><strong>The Magic Es</strong></p>The Magic Estag:wearemagic.uk,2005:Post/62781652020-04-10T08:21:02+01:002020-04-10T08:22:06+01:00Hope out now<p>Greetings!</p>
<p>Our new single Hope is out now; you can <a contents="download and stream " data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://smarturl.it/hoperelease" target="_blank">download and stream </a>it from today. Thanks to those who have already pre-saved it on Spotify.</p>
<p>All money we make in downloads, streams and donations will be give to the Evelina Children's Heart Organisation; a fantastic charity who provide support to children with congential heart disease and their families.</p>
<p>This charity mean so much to Pete and his family, his daughter has congenital heart disease and the charity have been an immense support.</p>
<p>For less than £1.00 you'll be making a real difference if you download and stream the track.</p>
<p>If you've not watched the video for the single then you can <a contents="head to YouTube" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Snc6VdlAcg" target="_blank">head to YouTube</a> to watch it or click below!</p>
<p><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="0Snc6VdlAcg" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/0Snc6VdlAcg/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/0Snc6VdlAcg?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="180" width="320" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p>
<p>Your continued support means so much to us.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Much love,</p>
<p>Pete, Jas, Stu x x</p>
<p><strong>The Magic Es</strong></p>The Magic Estag:wearemagic.uk,2005:Post/62130742020-02-12T16:42:09+00:002020-02-12T16:57:04+00:00Guest blog star: Joshua Pike - Sound Engineer<p>Hello all,</p>
<p>We're back with a brand new guest blog post and this time we're speaking to a guy we met while on the road with <a contents="The Parlotones" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://theparlotones.co.za/blog/" target="_blank">The Parlotones</a> in the UK; their sound engineer, FOH guru and all-round sonic 'go to guy' Josh Pike.</p>
<p>For the 4 dates we were with them one of the most popular phrases heard was 'thanks Josh'. He was on hand to sort out technical issues, get the sound right for each venue and be ready to leap on stage to change a duff cable or re-position a mic stand.</p>
<p>We caught up with Josh once he'd returned to South Africa to find out more about what he does and how he got started.</p>
<p><strong>Hey Josh, according to your LinkedIn profile you're a freelance Sound Engineer, Band Roadie AND Stage Manager and also the founder of a Radio station in Johannesburg! Has your life always revolved around music and when did you know you wanted your career to be in the industry?</strong></p>
<p>Haha, I actually need to seriously update my LinkedIn profile, it's been a few years! But some things haven't changed. My life has pretty much always revolved around some kind of music or sound "scene", my dad was - and still is - the IT and Technical manager of a large radio station here in South Africa, called Jacaranda FM, and I can remember back to when I must have been about 9 or 10 years old going to work with him on school holidays and learning how the radio station worked! Learning about all the ins and outs of a radio station definitely steered me in the direction I would ultimately go. We also used to setup PA systems and multiple cordless mics and headphones for the Outside Broadcasts, and I remember one particularly early morning when I was about 12 or 13, we had to get a signal from a cordless mic over 500m away from the broadcast site, and then get the audio signal from the broadcast back to the PA and headphones, also about 500m away, LIVE - so the DJs could chat with each other and some listeners at the event, and with WAY too few cables haha. It worked in the end! I think I felt way back then like this is what I wanted to do for the rest of my life, but more involved with sound companies and bands. I even decided to take it a bit further in high school, and launch a small radio station, where my friends and I would just play music and talk about school things at their events. We ended up having alumni of the school listening in over the Internet to the commentary of one of the big rugby games we hosted. I decided to go the live sound route though once I left school. </p>
<p><strong>We met you on the European leg of The Parlotones tour and you were pretty much 'the man' when it came to making sure the live sound and stage setup was spot on every night. Do you enjoy working in pressure situations like that and how much planning ahead can you do when each venue must vary in size and equipment?</strong></p>
<p>I absolutely love it. I am a bit of a control freak (what sound engineer isn't?!) and I really enjoy the pressure of being "in the moment". It forces you to think about everything that could happen before, during and after the show. There is quite a bit of planning behind the scenes, though. We have our booking manager / logistics manager / epic coordinator - Gregg Forbes - behind the scenes, making sure we get the correct contact details and that the show is actually going to happen. He then hands it off to me then it comes to the technical conversations, like what backline there is, the mics and equipment available at the venue and when we will be able to load in and sound check, etc. More finer details about those things are then handled between Gregg and myself closer to the time, but I'll sort out all the tech details before the time, and I'll usually be the point of contact on the day, and the one managing our stage techs. In Europe, we have a few more people we deal with locally, as it's a bit of a different industry to South Africa. However, we don't travel with a roadie in Europe, so there's a bit more pressure to load in and setup everything. The band does lend a hand in loading in and out, and setting up before the shows in the UK and Europe. This all usually happens between 1 month and 1 week before the show. </p>
<p><strong>You were doing a range of venue sizes on that tour and even theatres when you returned to South Africa. Do you prefer doing sound in smaller or larger venues? What tend to be the main differences when you approach doing sound at a theatre where the audience is sat down and a 500 capacity, all standing venue?</strong></p>
<p>I enjoy both, but for different reasons. Doing club shows, or smaller venues is fun and difficult, but can help cover up a few things that may inevitably go wrong during the show. Its live... it's not a live show if everything goes PERFECT haha. It's also more intimate and lends itself to a better vibe, being in a club, as the band are so close to the audience. You end up using more tricks you've learned over the years to try to make the band sound bigger and better than they seem in the club as well. </p>
<p>Theatres are a much bigger production. The PA is bigger, the stage is bigger and the band is more on display. There is also more to go wrong... Where you may be able to cover up, lets say, a dud chord or a broken mic in clubs, because everything is so close, becomes VERY obvious and shows very clearly in a theatre or on a large PA. If a cable comes loose, or if a mic breaks, it's a lot closer, quicker and easier for me to run to the stage in a club to fix it, where its sometimes impossible to do at a festival or in a large theatre. These bigger shows for me are such a rush, because you get such an opportunity to make the band sound that much bigger and better! There are moments in a big show where you might get goosebumps that you just would never get in a club show. Moments like having a 70-piece choir backing the band, or a string ensemble, which you would be able to do in a bunch of clubs. It's a spectacle. </p>
<p><strong>How did you end up meeting and working with The Parlotones?</strong></p>
<p>The band did a small corporate show many years ago that I was working at (as a videographer of all things!) and helped them pack up. I got to chat with the guys and offered to help them with the end of their tour at the time, and ended up working more and more with them over the next few years. I started off as a stage tech, setting up backline, tuning guitars and learning from one of their previous roadies. I started mixing monitors on an iPad a few years in, as we weren't touring wit our own console yet, but I knew their IEM mixes pretty well, and it was easier for them to ask me for something than to relay a message to the FOH engineer in a bunch of the venues we were touring in. They also weren't touring with a FOH engineer at the time. I then became FOH and Monitor engineer full time in 2016 on our European tour after a mishap at one of the shows, and have been in this position ever since. </p>
<p><strong>It must be great to get the opportunity to travel the world as part of a bands crew but what do you miss the most about home when you're on the road?</strong></p>
<p>Haha, sleep!!! Sleep is probably the one thing that I don't get enough of on the road, but it's mostly my fault. I enjoy driving, a lot, so I do most of the driving on the tours we do around South Africa and Europe. Most of the other places we have been there has been some sort of a shuttle, but for long tours we usually hire a van, and I end up doing most of the driving. I have a bit of insomnia, so I try to tire myself out by working on some other projects sometimes on tour. I also miss my friends at home quite a bit. I've missed birthdays, weddings, and just hanging out. </p>
<p>Its amazing getting to go to some of the incredible places we've been, but sometimes it's a bit bittersweet. We end up seeing most of these places through the window of a van, or at a rest stop on the side of the highway, but its still so cool being able to call this my job. </p>
<p><strong>What advice would you give to someone wanting to start a career in live sound engineering?</strong></p>
<p>Do as much as you can, while you can. Say yes to as many shows and events as you can, and take any opportunity that shows itself. Work with as many people as you can! Each artist or client you work with has something you can learn from, I still freelance outside of the band when they're not busy or on tour, and I still learn things every day while working with other big artists in South Africa and abroad. And mix, mix, mix! Download some free multitracks, grab a pair of headphones or speakers and just try stuff on your computer, if you have the software. The more you do and the more people you speak to and work with, the more you'll realise you either want to do this, or hate it. Never do it because you want to make a ton of money, do it because you are passionate about it... The rewards will come soon enough. And remember that you never stop learning. Stay humble.</p>The Magic Estag:wearemagic.uk,2005:Post/60733512020-01-09T13:03:43+00:002020-01-09T13:03:43+00:00Guest blog star: Dave Hammond - Radio Presenter<p>We are pleased to say we’ve been chatting to another friend of the band Dave Hammond. Dave is one of the most passionate, enthusiastic music fans we’ve ever met and he also happens to be a DJ on Cambridge 105 FM with his show ‘<a contents="Davey Hammond’s Smelly Flowerpot" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.facebook.com/DaveyHammondsSmellyFlowerpot/" target="_blank">Davey Hammond’s Smelly Flowerpot</a>’. We had a little chat with Dave about his love for music and how he got started in the glitzy world of Disc Jockeying! </p>
<p><strong>It’s clear that you’re very passionate about music and discovering new music, what was the first band or record that was the catalyst for your love affair with music? </strong></p>
<p>Being as old as I am, the memory isn’t as sharp as it was on what might have been the first band or record that really fired me up. My Mam and Dad were hardly passionate music lovers, though Mam was partial to Elvis Presley. Probably more for his quiff than his music to be honest. Having said that, an old valve radio, complete with a dial full of exotic names like Hilversum, Berlin and Luxemburg, was always playing in the kitchen so I reckon that’s where it all began. After getting in from school, I’d hang around the kitchen waiting for sausage, egg and chips to be rustled up while sitting on a stool, ear cocked towards the wireless set. I do remember arguing with a neighbour of a similar age about the lyrics to Simon and Garfunkel’s ‘59th Bridge Street Song’, so I guess that was the first real show of passion about a song. </p>
<p><strong>How did you get your first break as a radio DJ and can you remember the first track you played on air? </strong></p>
<p>Ha, there’s a sausage theme developing here! In 2010 I went to a colleague’s leaving do at a bangers and mash restaurant in Bury St Edmunds. I ended up chatting to another colleague who (it must have been the drink) invited me on to his show at Radio Thetford, a community radio station uncomfortably close to Alan Partridge territory, geographically speaking. Following my guest appearance on his excellent show, I was offered my own show by the station manager. On that first show I did a really foolish thing- I played David Bowie’s 'Heroes’ as my very first song. I mean, really- after that things can only go down hill. Thankfully, only my Auntie Madge listened to that first show and I’ve managed to carry on for another seven years despite regular gaffs, dead air and dodgy links. </p>
<p><strong>What advice would you give to bands who are looking to get their music on the radio? How can they best present themselves to a DJ or station? </strong></p>
<p>From my point of view, a personal email will usually get my attention in front of something from a PR company, though that’s possibly because I’m more receptive to lower level artists finding their way than heavily promoted acts. Having said that there are a small number of PR companies and labels I will always take notice of. The key is research. If self promoting, look into the radio presenters and shows you’re sending music to- a well targeted email will have more success than a blanket email. If looking to engage a PR company, check the other artists on their roster and any recommendations or testimonials. There’s not a lot of point signing up to an agency that tends to promote urban music if you’re a folk band for example. </p>
<p><strong>Louder than War mentioned you and Cambridge 105FM in an article about the new wave of radio stations giving support to independent artists. It must feel good to get some recognition for the sterling work you do supporting new music. Is there a particular band or song that you heard and thought “I can’t wait to play this on my show”? </strong></p>
<p>It’s always most welcome when you get some press, even if it’s not positive- at least you’re getting noticed, or more importantly the music you’re playing is! I have to say, I get excited on a fortnightly basis (that’s how often the show is) about music I hear and want to play on the show. To pluck a few from the air, acts I’d never heard before doing the show, I would cite Tom Skelly, Dos Floris, The Seven Twenty, The Granite Shore and a little known band called The Magic Es as getting a middle aged presenter a little more excited than he perhaps should be. </p>
<p><strong>If anyone reading is interested in becoming a DJ what words of advice would you bestow upon them </strong></p>
<p>The thing is, I didn’t really want to be a DJ, I just wanted to share some music I loved with like minded people- presenting just happened to be a great way to do it! So, my advice is…be yourself and follow what you love. Don’t follow trends and fashions as, by definition, that’s what lots of other people are doing and therefore you’d be competing in a crowded market place. Instead, research and play lots of the kind of stuff you like yourself, become knowledgeable in that area. In being yourself and sharing what you love, the passion for the subject is more likely to come through and naturally make you more engaging to the listener. And persevere- it takes time to build a base of regular listeners. To my mind, quality of listener is better than quantity- give me one avid music fan who’s likely to comment on what he’s heard (or buy it) than 10 casual listeners who just want something in the background.</p>The Magic Estag:wearemagic.uk,2005:Post/60229712019-12-16T11:35:58+00:002019-12-17T09:46:28+00:00Guest blog star: Pete Maher - Mastering Engineer<p>As a band we’re really lucky to work with some great people, whether that be during the recording process, playing live, working on PR & marketing or producing videos. We thought it would be great to introduce some of these folk and give you a break from our own ramblings ;-). </p>
<p>First up is mastering wizard Pete Maher who has mastered every song we’ve released so far. His mastering credits include U2, Jack White, The Killers, Pixies, The Rolling Stones, The 1975 and Paul Weller (to name but a few). We caught up with him and asked him a few questions about his career. </p>
<p><strong>How long have you been working as a mastering engineer and how did you get started? </strong></p>
<p>I entered the music industry as a young ‘lamb to the slaughter’ musician in the 1990’s. I played in various bands, signed several deals and worked with many big name producers, but failed to get the sound I was looking for. Little did I know that the missing 'secret’ ingredient was the 'mastering’ process. Back then it wasn’t an option for small labels. Only the big boys could afford it so there was a huge 'sonic’ gap between a major release and an independent one. After a few years of record label nonsense I walked away and never looked back. I ventured into sound engineering and worked with the likes of Sheryl Crow and Annie Lennox for live sessions at the BBC. I also worked live sound for Coldplay, Keane and Razorlight amongst others. It was during this time in 2002 that I also discovered the fine art of mastering. It was a light bulb moment. This is when I realized that mastering a track could transform it from a decent sounding demo into a glorious sounding master. It inspired me so much that I set a studio up in Camden Town in 2004, with the aim of catering for unsigned artists and small labels. I became the first engineer in London to offer online mastering. </p>
<p><strong>Over the years peoples listening habits have changed dramatically; most people stream, download mp3s or listen on their phone speaker. Have you seen this affect the characteristics of mixes you work with, does it change your approach to mastering? </strong></p>
<p>Many people describe mastering as a mysterious dark art but to me it’s not. It’s actually simple. You take a mix and you bring the very best out of it. A well mastered track will sound great played in any format and through any system. That’s why Elvis, Bowie, T-Rex, The Clash and The Rolling Stones still sound great today. They are loud, clear and dynamic. A recent game changer in the mastering world is the new iTunes/Spotify playback limiter. It was designed to combat the 'loudness wars’ issue. Overcooked or super loud masters are now turned down (on playback) whilst under level masters are enhanced and turned up. For this reason it’s best to comply with MFiT technology. </p>
<p><strong>Any big DO’s and DON'Ts artists should pay attention to when sending their tracks to be mastered? </strong></p>
<p>It’s important to leave sonic headroom for mastering. This means avoiding limiters or mastering plugins on the master bus during mixdown. The worst excuse for this is when producers say they use it to glue the mix together, but in my opinion a well mixed track shouldn’t need gluing together. The biggest mistake is blasting a mix through an L2 type plugin and then reducing the output volume to minus 6db, in the hope that it creates headroom. You can’t unscramble eggs and you can’t replace lost dynamics. Eventually they get it, but in all fairness most artists and producers know what they are doing. The quality of mixes today are 100% better than they were 10 years ago. </p>
<p><strong>If you were stranded on a desert island and could take one track/EP/album you’ve mastered to listen to which one would it be and why? </strong></p>
<p>I find it hard to listen to one album or one artist these days. Instead I like to make compilation discs of all my favourite masters. I make a new one each month for the car and listen to the artists I work with. This gives me a better understanding of where the music comes from and how it sounds in the real world. I like to think of my clients as one big community or family. So to answer your question, I could take any one of those discs and be happy. </p>
<p><strong>Finally, if you could pass on one piece of career advice you’ve received what would it be? </strong></p>
<p>Enjoy your music. Please yourself and ignore what everyone else is doing. Give it your best shot and go easy on yourself. I spent my twenties on adrenaline and anxiety. It was an almighty rollercoaster of highs and lows. I put everything on the line for a dream and it didn’t really turn out as planned. I compromised too easily with producers/labels and got lost in the machine. When I eventually called time I had a manager, a promoter, a major deal and a tour but I’d had enough. It was incredibly liberating to end it but quite daunting not knowing where the next chapter would lead. Thankfully everything worked out but many fellow musicians fell through the cracks. It’s a tough industry where it pays to be an optimistic paranoid! So enjoy it and don’t compromise. It’s your music, so look after it, especially the publishing !! Good luck .. </p>
<p>If you want to find out more about Pete Maher and his mastering services then visit his <a contents="website" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.petemaher.com/" target="_blank">website</a>. If you want to hear what a rollocking good job he does then why not download our track Into the Fading Light for FREE <a contents="here" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://hypeddit.com/track/af7vmz?fbclid=IwAR0cLr7xtCc61qh5thzyp_RiKdEOR-wV09DX0k4_VlvmK2TwkK720dfVADw" target="_blank">here</a></p>The Magic Estag:wearemagic.uk,2005:Post/59423362019-10-29T12:26:19+00:002019-10-29T12:26:19+00:00Back from touring with The Parlotones<p>Hey all,</p>
<p>We had a blast supporting The Parlotones on their 4 UK tour dates. We played London, Brighton, Birmingham and finished with an amazing night at The Cavern in Liverpool. They were a great bunch of guys and their fans and crew made us feel very welcome...amazing times!</p>
<p>We've got a little tour video which captures the first night in London. Thanks to <a contents="Danielle Booden" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.facebook.com/DBoodenMedia/" target="_blank">Danielle Booden</a> for coming along and capturing the atmosphere</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="2SeriYyylDU" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/2SeriYyylDU/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/2SeriYyylDU?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="180" width="320" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p>
<p>We've got a little break for a few weeks before our next gig in Colchester plus we've got some pretty exciting shows to announce for 2020.</p>
<p>Much love,</p>
<p>Pete, Stu, Jas</p>
<p><strong>The Magic Es</strong></p>The Magic Estag:wearemagic.uk,2005:Post/58828212019-09-06T13:09:55+01:002019-09-06T13:09:55+01:00Dead Star album out today!<p>Hey folks,</p>
<p>It's release day today! Our new album DEAD STAR is out today and is available to <a contents="download" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://music.apple.com/gb/album/dead-star/1473134247" target="_blank">download</a>, <a contents="stream" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://open.spotify.com/album/0BZttT1G0rQ7eGCaunC16U" target="_blank">stream</a>, buy on CD and pre-order on vinyl <a contents="from our shop" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://rocketfuelhq.com/the-magic-es" target="_blank">from our shop</a>.</p>
<p>You can also buy the album at HMV in Norwich and for our American fans it will soon be physically distributed by Kool Kat Musik! </p>
<p> </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/308329/431877ba21f0f0f3a4a9fed8810dc30c32e657c5/original/dead-star-album-cover.jpg/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.jpg" class="size_m justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>We're really proud of this album and pleased with the feedback it's been getting from radio and press. Don Valentine at I Don't Hear A Single said "the hooks are big and the whole thing sounds fully formed. This is a great album". I know we're biased but we tend to agree; we spent 11 months working on the songs and honing the production to turn it into something that demonstrates our love of melodic indie rock 'n' roll.</p>
<p>We hope you enjoy it as much as we enjoyed making it.</p>
<p>Cheers,</p>
<p>Pete, Jas, Stu</p>
<p><strong>The Magic Es</strong></p>
<p> </p>The Magic Estag:wearemagic.uk,2005:Post/58802142019-09-04T14:17:20+01:002019-09-04T14:19:58+01:00UK tour support with The Parlotones<p>We're delighted to announce we are going on tour with South Africa's biggest selling rock band <a contents="The Parlotones" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://theparlotones.co.za/" target="_blank">The Parlotones</a>. </p>
<p>We can't wait to hit the road for the following dates: </p>
<p>18th October - Under The Bridge, London <br>19th October - Patterns, Brighton <br>20th October - The Night Owl, Birmingham <br>21st October - The Cavern, Liverpool </p>
<p><a contents="Purchase your tickets now" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://www.seetickets.com/artist/the-parlotones/82574" target="_blank">Purchase your tickets now</a> for what will be a fantastic tour!</p>
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<p> </p>The Magic Estag:wearemagic.uk,2005:Post/57900802019-06-13T11:52:52+01:002019-08-12T02:32:46+01:00We're crowdfunding to press our album on vinyl<p style="text-align: center;"><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="3KRML6gVMHA" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/3KRML6gVMHA/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/3KRML6gVMHA?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="180" width="320" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><em>Our video to launch our crowdfunding campaign</em></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"> </p>
<p>Since returning from our UK summer tour in 2018 we have been busy writing and recording our second album; Dead Star. </p>
<p>We're delighted to announced that the album will be released on Friday 6th September 2019! It's been an intensely creative time and we're delighted with the results and can't wait for you to hear them. </p>
<p>One thing we get continually asked is whether or not we'll be releasing anything on vinyl. The format has made a real resurgence over the last few years and it's something we've definitely looked at and are interested in doing. Unfortunately, the cost for an independent band like us don't stack up so it's been hard to think how we'd fund it.....UNTIL NOW! </p>
<p>We thought, using Rocketfuel we'd create a mission! That mission is for us to raise £2,500 so we can get our new album pressed to vinyl and to achieve this we'll need your help. </p>
<p>We've launched a range of exclusive products and experiences that you can <a contents="purchase from our&nbsp;store" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://www.rocketfuelhq.com/the-magic-es" target="_blank">purchase from our store</a> and every penny raised will go towards our vinyl pressing fund. You can get pre-order our album, get limited edition t-shirts, handwritten lyrics, personalised USB mix tapes and even book us for a special Skype gig or House Concert. </p>
<p>The continued support we get from our fans is truly humbling and we hope, with your help and the products we're offering, we can achieve our goal so we can offer you guys the thing it seems you want the most! </p>
<p>So why not <a contents="check out the store" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://www.rocketfuelhq.com/the-magic-es" target="_blank">check out the store</a> and order something special; we've got 3 months to hit our target. </p>
<p>Much love, </p>
<p>Pete, Stu, Jas </p>
<p>The Magic Es</p>The Magic Estag:wearemagic.uk,2005:Post/57291522019-04-23T14:01:26+01:002019-08-12T02:32:41+01:00Into the Fading Light out on 12th July!<p>We're delighted to announce we're releasing the second single from our forthcoming album Dead Star on 12th July 2019.</p>
<p>The track is called Into the Fading Light and it will be available from all good digital outlets for pre-order from 3rd May 2019.</p>
<p>Here's a teaser of the track along with details of our album release date too.</p>
<p><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="kGuvmnYtv6g" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/kGuvmnYtv6g/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/kGuvmnYtv6g?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="315" width="560" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p>
<p>Much love,</p>
<p>Pete, Jas, Stu</p>
<p><strong>The Magic Es</strong></p>
<p> </p>The Magic Estag:wearemagic.uk,2005:Post/56228172019-02-01T09:13:40+00:002019-08-12T02:32:34+01:00Pre-order and pre-save Splinters from today<p>Folks!</p>
<p>We're delighted to announced that you can now pre-order (on Apple music and ITunes) and pre-save (on Spotify) Splinters.</p>
<p>The single has been gaining great support from radio and we're really pleased with the reaction.</p>
<p>It's the first track off our second album which we'll be releasing in the summer.</p>
<p>Head <a contents="Pre-save and pre-order Splinters" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://ffm.to/splinters.owe">here</a> to pre-order or pre-save Splinters and on release day, 22nd February, it will appear magically!</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Much love,</p>
<p>Pete, Stu & Jas</p>
<p><strong>The Magic Es</strong></p>The Magic Estag:wearemagic.uk,2005:Post/55790752019-01-03T15:58:49+00:002019-08-12T02:31:00+01:00New single out in February 2019!<p>We hope you've had a marvellous festive shindig and are merrily stepping into 2019 with positive swagger. </p>
<p>We're starting 2019 with some damn awesome news; our brand new single is out on FRIDAY 22ND FEBRUARY! It's called Splinters and here is the artwork. </p>
<p><img src="//d10j3mvrs1suex.cloudfront.net/u/308329/e4943f5ac0fd369476536de39fdfc916ff9e0177/original/splinters-artwork.png/!!/undefined/b:W1sic2l6ZSIsIm1lZGl1bSJdXQ==.png" class="size_m justify_center border_" /></p>
<p>We're really excited to be releasing new music especially as it's the first track to be taken from our second album which we'll be releasing later in 2019. </p>
<p>You'll be able to pre-order the single on 1st February and then it will be available from all the usual digital outlets on 22nd February. </p>
<p>Speaking of the album; we've added a new post and exclusive track to our Access All Areas section of the website. Stu wrote a blog about recording drums for the track This is a Feeling and you can hear the drum track from the studio. </p>
<p>You can login to the <a contents="Access All Areas section here" data-link-label="Access All Areas" data-link-type="page" href="/access-all-areas">Access All Areas section here</a> as well as create an account if you haven't got one. </p>
<p>That's it for now...have a good 'un! </p>
<p>Pete, Stu, Jas </p>
<p><strong>The Magic Es</strong></p>The Magic Estag:wearemagic.uk,2005:Post/55289022018-11-27T09:53:36+00:002019-08-12T02:30:43+01:00Exclusive content and music <p>Hi all, </p>
<p>We hope you're well! </p>
<p>If you follow us on social media you'll be aware that at the beginning of November we started work on album number 2. We're really excited about this and we want to involve you in the journey as much as we can. </p>
<p>As a result we've launched an <a contents="Access All Areas" data-link-label="Access All Areas" data-link-type="page" href="/access-all-areas">Access All Areas</a> part to our website that, if you sign-up, you will get access to: </p>
<ul> <li>Exclusive photos & videos from and about our recording sessions </li> <li>Early mixes and demos of the songs we're working on </li> <li>Artwork designs as well as thoughts on album names </li> <li>New, exclusive merchandise which you'll be able order before anyone else </li>
</ul>
<p>You'll also get a FREE digital download of the album on release day. </p>
<p>To sign up for Access All Areas, which is free, just head over <a contents="here" data-link-label="Access All Areas" data-link-type="page" href="/access-all-areas">here</a>! </p>
<p>Right now you can listen to the first mix of album track Splinters and tell us what you think. </p>
<p>We look forward to sharing more with you via our bimonthly AAA posts. </p>
<p>Much love, </p>
<p>Pete, Stu & Jas </p>
<p>The Magic Es</p>The Magic Estag:wearemagic.uk,2005:Post/54497522018-09-30T20:40:48+01:002019-08-12T02:30:49+01:00Fine Lines music video<p>Alright folks,</p>
<p>If you follow us on our social media pages you'll have no doubt seen we have a brand new music video out for Fine Lines.</p>
<p>We filmed it ourselves during a rehearsal at The Woodshack in Wymondham. You can watch it below </p>
<p><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="b2Zxdnx-l_A" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/b2Zxdnx-l_A/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/b2Zxdnx-l_A?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="180" width="320" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p>
<p>Please like it, share it and let us know what you think!</p>
<p>Much love,</p>
<p>Pete, Jas, Stu</p>
<p>The Magic Es</p>The Magic Estag:wearemagic.uk,2005:Post/54427542018-09-25T15:42:35+01:002019-08-12T02:31:14+01:00Pure Grain Audio to premiere Fine Lines video<p>We've had word that the music news website <a contents="Pure Grain Audio" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://puregrainaudio.com/" target="_blank">Pure Grain Audio</a> will be premiering our latest music video for Fine Lines. You'll be able to see it for the first time on Thursday 27th September; we'll let you know the exact time soon.</p>
<p>The single is out on 28th September and available from all good streaming and download sites.</p>
<p>Much Love,</p>
<p>Pete, Jas, Stu</p>
<p><strong>The Magic Es</strong></p>The Magic Estag:wearemagic.uk,2005:Post/54060212018-08-29T13:13:36+01:002019-08-12T02:27:19+01:00Our next single<p>We've got news..</p>
<p>We're releasing our brand new single, Fine Lines, on Oh Mercy! Records in September 2018. Here is a little taster of the track.</p>
<p>The track will be released across all digital platforms on FRIDAY 28TH SEPTEMBER.</p>
<p><iframe class="justify_inline" data-video-type="youtube" data-video-id="jmUKqO2h4RA" data-video-thumb-url="https://img.youtube.com/vi/jmUKqO2h4RA/mqdefault.jpg" type="text/html" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/jmUKqO2h4RA?rel=0&wmode=transparent&enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" height="315" width="560" allowfullscreen="true"></iframe></p>
<p>Much love,</p>
<p>Pete, Stu, Jas</p>
<p><strong>The Magic Es</strong></p>The Magic Estag:wearemagic.uk,2005:Post/53718662018-08-02T13:37:10+01:002019-08-12T02:30:35+01:00Demos and studio adventures<p>Howdy all!</p>
<p>We hope you're well and starting your August with style and grace. We thought now was a good time to give you a little update on what we've been up to.</p>
<p>If you've seen our gig calendar you'll notice that it has one solitary show in it at the moment but don't worry! Our focus at the moment is turning our mountain of demos and jams into new, crafted, highly addictive rock 'n' roll nuggets and we're happy to report that it's going very well.</p>
<p>In the last two weeks we've managed to crank out four new songs, 2 of which we've already rehearsed and a couple that will be knocking on the rehearsal door very soon.</p>
<p>We've got:</p>
<ol> <li>Echo Stir</li> <li>Fortune Shines</li> <li>Splinters</li> <li>Stop! Don't Start</li>
</ol>
<p>And if you look to the bottom of this blog post you'll see we're giving you a cheeky download of the demo for Fortune Shines! This is very different from how the song has ended up in rehearsals but it'll give you an idea of how most of songs start life!</p>
<p>We hope to have some of the new songs in our set for our gig at The Swan in Ipswich on Friday 9th November.</p>
<p>Much love,</p>
<p>Pete, Jas, Stu - The Magic Es</p>
<p> </p>3:34The Magic Estag:wearemagic.uk,2005:Post/53624032018-07-26T11:58:08+01:002019-08-12T02:32:55+01:00Former Head of A&R at Capitol Records playlists Wishing Well<p>We're all a bit giddy at Magic Towers this week; we found out that Bruce Ravid playlisted Wishing Well on his influential USA radio show called Go Deep. Bruce was head of A&R at Capitol Records in the 80s/90s and is a very influential mover & shaker in the LA music scene and SXSW. </p>
<p>For the last few years we've been working hard recording and releasing music trying to breakdown the doors of an industry that is still a mystery to most. It feels like a couple of those doors are starting to open.</p>
<p>We'll keep you posted!</p>
<p>Much Love,</p>
<p>Pete, Stu, Jas - The Magic Es</p>The Magic Estag:wearemagic.uk,2005:Post/53479482018-07-16T15:09:45+01:002019-08-12T02:31:09+01:00Wishing Well gaining support from playlists and radio!<p>Howdy folks!</p>
<p><a contents="Wishing Well" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://smarturl.it/wishing-well" target="_blank">Wishing Well</a>, our latest single, has been out a few weeks and we're delighted with the response we've had from national and international radio play. Our 3 minutes and 34 seconds if indie guitar pop has been heard on the following stations:</p>
<ul> <li>Northern Quarter Radio Manchester</li> <li>Birch Street Radio Montreal (Canada)</li> <li>Control Radio</li> <li>Rock 365 Radio </li> <li>Elite 365 Radio</li> <li>Full Impact Radio</li> <li>Ultimate 365 Radio</li> <li>Indie 365 Radio</li> <li>Full Impact Radio </li> <li>Midwest Broadcasting Network</li> <li>SRB Radio </li> <li>Deal Radio</li> <li>Ipswich Community Radio</li> <li>Alive 107.3 FM</li> <li>Puritans Radio</li> <li>Chorley FM</li> <li>Cambridge 105 FM</li> <li>6Towns Radio</li> <li>JGF Radio</li> <li>Touch 102 FM</li> <li>Touch 101 FM</li> <li>Touch 96.2 FM</li> <li>Banbury Sound</li> <li>Rugby FM</li> <li>Cowboy Joe Radio Wyoming (USA)</li> <li>YNot Radio Philadelphia (USA) </li> <li>Forest 92.3 FM</li> <li>FAB Radio Manchester</li> <li>Coast & Country Radio</li> <li>Hailsham FM </li> <li>OFI Monday</li> <li>EGH Radio</li> <li>Radio Marabu (Germany)</li> <li>KKUP 91.5 FM (USA)</li> <li>Radio On Berlin (Germany)</li> <li>KKOWS Radio (USA)</li> <li>Code Zero Radio (Canada)</li> <li>Uckfield FM</li> <li>RockSport Radio FM</li>
</ul>
<p>We've also been added to a couple of great Spotify playlists too; <a contents="The Bristol Funk Indie Club" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://open.spotify.com/user/simon1983/playlist/32TNfJJUALdhUVIYIc33Jp?si=St1aVpW8%20Rqa-bWYR2oRV6w" target="_blank">The Bristol Funk Indie Club</a> and <a contents="Don't Bore us, Get To The Chorus" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="https://open.spotify.com/user/get_to_the_chorus/playlist/61L9Eb6ctTuwW4k1ow5SA2?si=m%20DNUnuZMRpaA1HxkHB8Y6Q" target="_blank">Don't Bore us, Get To The Chorus</a>!</p>
<p>It really does make all the hard work worthwhile when we get the support like this. If you haven't heard the single yet then what are you waiting for? Head <a contents="here" data-link-label="" data-link-type="url" href="http://smarturl.it/wishing-well" target="_blank">here</a> to fill your ears with joy!</p>
<p>Much love,</p>
<p>Pete, Jas, Stu</p>
<p><strong>The Magic Es</strong></p>The Magic Estag:wearemagic.uk,2005:Post/53436232018-07-12T22:52:23+01:002019-08-12T02:30:53+01:00Echo & The Bunnymen cover; Killing Moon<p>A while ago we did a little cover of the Echo & The Bunnymen tune Killing Moon.</p>
<p>We did play this live once in the past...who knows, we might bring it out again at a future gig!</p>
<p>Recorded at The Halfway House during sessions for our debut album.</p>
<p><iframe allow="autoplay" frameborder="no" height="166" scrolling="no" src="https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?url=https%3A//api.soundcloud.com/tracks/298487775&color=%23ff5500&auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&show_teaser=true" width="100%"></iframe></p>
<p>Let us know what you think and share it about! Are there any other songs you'd like to hear us cover?</p>
<p>Much love, </p>
<p>Pete, Jas, Stu - The Magic Es</p>The Magic Estag:wearemagic.uk,2005:Post/53429362018-07-12T16:04:26+01:002019-08-12T02:32:51+01:00Awesome bands we've played with; a Spotify playlist<p>We've had the good fortune to play with some excellent bands over the years and we thought it about time we handpicked some for a Spotify playlist.</p>
<p>Why not have a listen and discover some crackin' new music. </p>
<p> </p>
<p><iframe allow="encrypted-media" allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" height="380" src="https://open.spotify.com/embed/user/themagices/playlist/1y0cdL5LEMSJAmvzCEi754" width="300"></iframe></p>
<p> </p>
<p>Much love, </p>
<p>Pete, Jas, Stu - The Magic Es</p>The Magic Estag:wearemagic.uk,2005:Post/53428592018-07-12T14:02:29+01:002019-08-28T07:58:19+01:00We've got a new website<p>We're pleased to launch our new website this week; it's been a long time in the making and we're very happy with it. </p>
<p>We wanted something that could be a little more personal and engaging; Facebook is great but one band page tends to look like another! Here you can stream and buy our CDs, downloads and merch as well as get your hands on exclusive free tracks.</p>
<p>We're also going to come up with exclusive 'web only' content from time to time.</p>
<p>Please let us know what you think and share it around your friends.</p>
<p>Much love,</p>
<p>Pete, Jas, Stu - The Magic Es</p>The Magic Estag:wearemagic.uk,2005:Post/59896972018-07-08T19:31:19+01:002019-12-03T13:17:32+00:00Our new single, Wishing Well, is out now and gaining radio play...<img src="https://66.media.tumblr.com/23a9b97c20b17e86bedf1774dbafbb13/tumblr_pbk8s71shJ1u7dm5mo1_400.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /><br><br><p>Our new single, Wishing Well, is out now and gaining radio play all over the globe. Get it now from your favourite music retailers!</p>
<p>#indiepopmusic #indierockband #britpopmusic #altrock #newmusic #wishingwell</p>The Magic Estag:wearemagic.uk,2005:Post/59896982018-07-01T22:00:23+01:002019-12-03T13:17:32+00:00It’s been a great weekend of gigs. We’ve had a blast...<img src="https://66.media.tumblr.com/3dabcd36fd302f13c4cf43b479e56edd/tumblr_pb7h0nSboW1u7dm5mo1_500.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /><br><br><p>It’s been a great weekend of gigs. We’ve had a blast and will see you back on stage soon</p>
<p>#livemusicisbetter #indierock #indiepopmusic #guitarrocks #bandsofinstagram #magicmusic #musicfestival</p>The Magic Estag:wearemagic.uk,2005:Post/59896992018-06-18T17:28:47+01:002019-12-03T13:17:32+00:00Buy tickets here: https://goo.gl/3Qoqmu
It’s only 11 DAYS...<img src="https://66.media.tumblr.com/4ce8e4865a06871b509d2d317bebbed3/tumblr_paj1rzCjtQ1u7dm5mo1_500.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /><br><br><p>Buy tickets here: <a href="https://goo.gl/3Qoqmu" target="_blank">https://goo.gl/3Qoqmu</a></p>
<p>It’s only 11 DAYS until we play at The Waterfront Norwich in the studio room. We cannot wait to play with Chalky Seas and EVA BLACK; it’s going to be a great night.</p>
<p>To ensure you get a ticket then head to the link below and get them now. You know it makes sense!! </p>
<p>Buy tickets here: <a href="https://goo.gl/3Qoqmu" target="_blank">https://goo.gl/3Qoqmu</a></p>The Magic Estag:wearemagic.uk,2005:Post/59897002018-06-17T13:14:16+01:002019-12-03T13:17:32+00:00Put the finish touches to the mix of a new recording. Hope has...<img src="https://66.media.tumblr.com/1e688ea7c3124ce7234870e14f79df94/tumblr_pagvbsnRrd1u7dm5mo1_500.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /><br><br><p>Put the finish touches to the mix of a new recording. Hope has been a popular live track and now we’ve finally got round to recording it.</p>
<p>#newmusic #mixingmusic #recordingstudio #indierock #indiepop #britpop #britrock #altrock</p>The Magic Estag:wearemagic.uk,2005:Post/59897012018-06-10T20:08:30+01:002019-12-03T13:17:32+00:00Buy tickets here: https://goo.gl/3Qoqmu
It’s only 19 DAYS...<img src="https://66.media.tumblr.com/e67edfa4687a38feaad026aede381b2f/tumblr_pa4fu6A6uS1u7dm5mo1_500.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /><br><br><p>Buy tickets here: <a href="https://goo.gl/3Qoqmu" target="_blank">https://goo.gl/3Qoqmu</a></p>
<p>It’s only 19 DAYS until we play at The Waterfront Norwich in the studio room. We cannot wait to play with Chalky Seas and EVA BLACK; it’s going to be a great night.</p>
<p>To ensure you get a ticket then head to the link below and get them now. You know it makes sense!! </p>
<p>Buy tickets here: <a href="https://goo.gl/3Qoqmu" target="_blank">https://goo.gl/3Qoqmu</a></p>
<p>@evablackband @chalkyseas @waterfrontnr1 </p>
<p>#indierock #norwichmusiccityuk #livemusic #indiepop #guitarrock</p>The Magic Estag:wearemagic.uk,2005:Post/59897022018-06-07T21:19:44+01:002019-12-03T13:17:32+00:00This will be awesome! We are on at 7pm #festival #norfolkmusic...<img src="https://66.media.tumblr.com/0410ed64e6acdcb6987513c40999d15c/tumblr_p9yz4wuXPw1u7dm5mo1_500.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /><br><br><p>This will be awesome! We are on at 7pm #festival #norfolkmusic #indierockband #indiepoprock</p>The Magic Estag:wearemagic.uk,2005:Post/59897032018-06-03T14:06:11+01:002019-12-03T13:17:32+00:00Thanks to the awesome folks at @rotosound_uk for keeping us in...<img src="https://66.media.tumblr.com/8a2463f3f892ed8c0cdfb810275c4f2b/tumblr_p9r0ebRm111u7dm5mo1_500.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /><br><br><p>Thanks to the awesome folks at @rotosound_uk for keeping us in strings this tour!</p>
<p>#rotosoundstrings #guitarstrings #rotosound_uk</p>The Magic Estag:wearemagic.uk,2005:Post/59897042018-06-03T11:39:21+01:002019-12-03T13:17:32+00:00We are looking forward to finishing the tour at @trilliansrocks...<img src="https://66.media.tumblr.com/c824077cb5d80c6437a929a49f0de4b5/tumblr_p9qtll3w3H1u7dm5mo1_500.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /><br><br><p>We are looking forward to finishing the tour at @trilliansrocks in Newcastle with support from @thejetreds </p>
<p>Doors open at 7pm and it’s free entry</p>
<p>#indiepopmusic #indierock #newcastlemusicscene #ontour #livemusicisbetter #livemusic #endoftourparty</p>The Magic Estag:wearemagic.uk,2005:Post/59897052018-06-02T14:53:06+01:002019-12-03T13:17:32+00:00We’ve arrived at Percy’s Cafe Bar in Whitchurch....<img src="https://66.media.tumblr.com/b01e1b1120df101210b31d6518284a0a/tumblr_p9p7wiTGEU1u7dm5mo1_500.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /><br><br><p>We’ve arrived at Percy’s Cafe Bar in Whitchurch. What a great venue and a superbly warm welcome. Sometimes the gigs you don’t expect can be the best</p>
<p>#tour #livemusic #percyscafebar #whitchurch #indierock</p>The Magic Estag:wearemagic.uk,2005:Post/59897062018-06-01T16:42:48+01:002019-12-03T13:17:32+00:00An enforced ‘day off’ due to an inept...<img src="https://66.media.tumblr.com/1aad17698d744350084c0d59bac4d3a4/tumblr_p9nibckJFD1u7dm5mo1_500.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /><br><br><p>An enforced ‘day off’ due to an inept venue…oh well…Stu and Pete found a comfortable spot in the bar and have watched late morning become late afternoon….</p>The Magic Estag:wearemagic.uk,2005:Post/59897072018-06-01T10:51:34+01:002019-12-03T13:17:32+00:00Pete’s amp has died…heading into Maidstone to look...<img src="https://66.media.tumblr.com/d5aa171c013f0627a137a22da75b8f4b/tumblr_p9n21y3Q0Y1u7dm5mo1_500.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /><br><br><p>Pete’s amp has died…heading into Maidstone to look for a doctor to restore it to life</p>
<p>#fenderamp #super210 #dead</p>The Magic Estag:wearemagic.uk,2005:Post/59897082018-05-30T20:11:22+01:002019-12-03T13:17:32+00:00Back on tour tomorrow. 4 more dates starting QA The Cave @ The...<img src="https://66.media.tumblr.com/0b6f7656f6748bdf2e97c1aedb079e4a/tumblr_p9k2myKAyk1u7dm5mo1_500.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /><br><br><p>Back on tour tomorrow. 4 more dates starting QA The Cave @ The Holly Tree in Addlestone. Come on down and rock along with us</p>
<p>#tour #livemusic #addlestone #working #indierock #britpop</p>The Magic Estag:wearemagic.uk,2005:Post/59897092018-05-27T09:48:51+01:002019-12-03T13:17:32+00:00Well London, Keighley, Scunthorpe and Leicester…we have...<img src="https://66.media.tumblr.com/c766845d9ba714b490246f2c1fbf519f/tumblr_p9dptfgFfG1u7dm5mo1_500.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /><br><br><p>Well London, Keighley, Scunthorpe and Leicester…we have had a blast. Played with some great bands, met awesome people and won New fans. A few days off now before we hit the road again.</p>
<p>#tour #indiepopmusic #indierockband #livemusicisbetter #livemusic</p>The Magic Estag:wearemagic.uk,2005:Post/59897102018-05-26T17:34:29+01:002019-12-03T13:17:32+00:00Setting up at The Vault at @getintheshed94 for the last night of...<img src="https://66.media.tumblr.com/b6a86395d8880e265a2d0c1b2a088290/tumblr_p9cgphjOLx1u7dm5mo1_500.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /><br><br><p>Setting up at The Vault at @getintheshed94 for the last night of the 1st leg of the tour…it’s going to be a sweaty one!</p>
<p>#tour #indierockband #indiepopmusic #vwtransporter #leicestermusicscene</p>The Magic Estag:wearemagic.uk,2005:Post/59897112018-05-25T13:59:29+01:002019-12-03T13:17:32+00:00On our way to Scunthorpe to continue this musical shindig....<img src="https://66.media.tumblr.com/7f56a3f27c868f0f8fd803ee5850e6d7/tumblr_p9ac35Xub61u7dm5mo1_500.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /><br><br><p>On our way to Scunthorpe to continue this musical shindig. Thanks Keighley!</p>
<p>#tour #indiepopmusic #britpop #ontheroadagain #vwtransporter</p>The Magic Estag:wearemagic.uk,2005:Post/59897122018-05-24T18:40:33+01:002019-12-03T13:17:32+00:00@nuxefx powering Pete on the tour #drivecore #classicdistortion...<img src="https://66.media.tumblr.com/053774b6f130057869fe0e4debb75593/tumblr_p98ufl3AM31u7dm5mo1_500.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /><br><br><p>@nuxefx powering Pete on the tour #drivecore #classicdistortion #tapecore #modcore #oceanic reverb</p>
<p>#guitareffects #nux #nuxefx</p>The Magic Estag:wearemagic.uk,2005:Post/59897132018-05-24T18:34:25+01:002019-12-03T13:17:33+00:00Meet Bernard the merch mannequin
#sellingstuff #merchandise...<img src="https://66.media.tumblr.com/164a967d8270653a0a33b903cc8d8601/tumblr_p98u5dVEWE1u7dm5mo1_500.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /><br><br><p>Meet Bernard the merch mannequin</p>
<p>#sellingstuff #merchandise #rocknrolltshirt</p>The Magic Estag:wearemagic.uk,2005:Post/59897142018-05-24T18:09:18+01:002019-12-03T13:17:33+00:00Setting up at The Exchange in Keighley. It’s pay as you...<img src="https://66.media.tumblr.com/9e354d7bb979c6b03bac41e75b8b35f7/tumblr_p98szimXEY1u7dm5mo1_500.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /><br><br><p>Setting up at The Exchange in Keighley. It’s pay as you feel entry and music kicks off at 8.30pm</p>
<p>#keighley #indierock #livemusic</p>The Magic Estag:wearemagic.uk,2005:Post/59897152018-05-24T10:22:24+01:002019-12-03T13:17:33+00:00Heading North to see what’s going on. Tonight’s show...<img src="https://66.media.tumblr.com/9f5a172f8893e668ea905c39c471dc13/tumblr_p987dcKYwH1u7dm5mo1_500.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /><br><br><p>Heading North to see what’s going on. Tonight’s show is at The Exchange Music & Arts Centre in Keighley. Playing with Gaz Blackburn</p>
<p>#indiepopmusic #indierock #tour #newmusic #driving #vw #vwtransporter</p>The Magic Estag:wearemagic.uk,2005:Post/59897162018-05-23T18:16:08+01:002019-12-03T13:17:33+00:00Venue 1 @newcrossinn London #tour #indierock #britpop<img src="https://66.media.tumblr.com/399e31b6d816f971628f4ea478d42530/tumblr_p96ymw57Tl1u7dm5mo1_500.jpg" class="size_orig justify_inline border_" /><br><br><p>Venue 1 @newcrossinn London #tour #indierock #britpop</p>The Magic Es