We Speak Rock

CHEW MAGNA announce debut album release date! Vinyl on sale now!

Published

1 year ago

November 29, 2023

Don Reed

Manchester’s most uplifting cacophonous craftsmen Chew Magna, are ready to unleash their blistering and diverse eponymous debut album. More than just an onslaught of decibel-destroying fuzz, the 4-piece took inspiration from their vast record collections laying down an ambitious record that veers and lurches into Indie Rock, Krautrock, Post-Hardcore, Punk, Noise Rock and Shoegaze.

“We wanted to create a really varied record that gives a nod to loads of our favourite bands from the 70’s onwards and isn’t necessarily beholden to traditional, vocal led song structures” explains singer Laurie.

After one listen through it’s obvious the band have succeeded in their quest for variation. Opener and lead single ‘Listless’ is full throttle krautrock punk. ‘Stubborn Knots’ sees the 4-piece settle into a Fugazi inspired groove. ‘4232’ is a joyful song about being set free as it nods to Sonic Youth. ‘Watching Paint Dry’ laments the Holocene extinction to a motorik beat. ‘Pretty Loose’ explores the hopelessness of revenge, provoked by the film ‘Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri’. ‘Spat Out’ tips its hat to Broken Social Scene, ‘Question Everything’ does the same to the Pumpkins. Elsewhere songs like ‘Punk Dick’ see the 4-piece jamming 3 minutes of instrumental psych rock followed by 1 minute of ferocious hardcore punk, in contrast to ‘Secrets’, a poppy indie rock anthem buried under unyielding guitar squall.

Assembled after stepping back from their former musical outfits, guitarist, Simon (Young British Artists), guitarist and vocalist, Laurie (Songs For Walter), drummer, Ben (Young British Artists) and bassist, Joel (Jane Weaver, Frances Lung) have come together at no better time. Absorbing influences from the world around them as they navigate new sonic terrains (even Chew Magna’s own village-inspired band name aligns with the colourful vista depicted in the album artwork by talented landscape artist Josh Sowa), theirs is a melodic commotion with the thunder to lighten up even the greyest of skies.

Having previously played alongside acts such as Cloud Nothings, Empath and Mothers, Chew Magna are currently booking a UK tour to coincide with the release of their debut record. Stay tuned for more Magna news.

Chew Magna – Chew Magna is released through Stray Cat Records on limited edition vinyl now and digitally across all streaming platforms from January 19^th 2024.

We Speak Entertainment

Lorraine Leckie & Keith Robinson Guest On “If These Walls Could Talk” With Hosts Wendy Stuart and Tym Moss Wednesday, January 15th, 2025

Published

1 week ago

January 10, 2025

Jimmy Star

Who else but hosts Wendy Stuart and Tym Moss could “spill the tea” on their weekly show “If These Walls Could Talk” live from Pangea Restaurant on the Lower Eastside of NYC, with their unique style of honest, and emotional interviews, sharing the fascinating backstory of celebrities, entertainers, recording artists, writers and artists and bringing their audience along for a fantastic ride.

Lorraine Leckie and Keith Robinson will be featured guests on “If These Walls Could Talk” with hosts Wendy Stuart and Tym Moss on Wednesday, January 15^th, 2025 at 2 PM ET live from the infamous Pangea Restaurant.

Wendy Stuart is an author, celebrity interviewer, model, filmmaker and along with If These Walls Could Talk she hosts TriVersity Talk, a weekly web series with featured guests discussing their lives, activism and pressing issues in the LGBTQ Community.

Tym Moss is a popular NYC singer, actor, and radio/tv host who recently starred in the hit indie film “JUNK” to critical acclaim.

Lorraine Leckie was born on a horse in Northern Ontario. In the 1980’s, she married punk rocker Steve Leckie, of the Viletones, and started her career as a makeup artist. After a decade living in Europe, she put down roots in New York and began working with celebrity clients, including Paul McCartney and Heidi Klum.

At 37, Leckie got a guitar and was soon performing at venues including Bowery Ballroom, Webster Hall, and Mercury Lounge with demons Hugh Pool on guitar, Pavel Cingl on electric violin, Paul Triff on drums and Charles DeChants on bass.

Lorraine Leckie & Her Demons (LL&HD) debuted with the album Four Cold Angels in 2008. Leckie’s cover of The Pogues “Dirty Old Town”- a collaboration with Anton Newcombe of The Brian Jonestown Massacre – became the opening title track for the acclaimed 2011 film Dirty Old Town.

Tom Semioli, of The Village Voice, chose Leckie’s 2010 solo album Martini Eyes as ‘Best Album of the Year’ in the Voice’s annual Pazz & Jop. She released Rudely Interrupted (2012) with legendary bon vivant artist Anthony Haden- Guest.

In 2014, LL&HD released Rebel Devil Devil Rebel. In the Spring of 2015, Lorraine released The Raven Smiled in Prague with Pavel Cingl. In 2015, after playing the New York album release show, Leckie’s drummer Paul Triff died. This concert, his final performance, was recorded and released as the 2018 album Live At Mercury Lounge NYC. Drummer Keith Robinson began playing with LL&HD in 2016. LL&HD released Razor Wing Butterfly in June 2020. In 2021, Leckie and Hugh Pool released singles “Good Morning Andrew” and “When the War is Over.” On Feb 3, 2023, LL&HD released a single “Blue & Yellow,” which is a tribute to the Ukrainian people. Another single, “Misfits” was released in November 2023.

Lorraine lives in Greenpoint Brooklyn with her husband, Billy Leroy, and a diabolical Irish Terrier whose name is Broghan. She and her demons are working on a full length album to be released in 2025.

Keith Robinson is a drummer, engineer, and producer living in Brooklyn, New York. He has performed on Grammy nominated, Blues Music Award winning, CMT Top 20 achieving, and BangerTV Album of the Year, recordings. He has recorded for labels such as Columbia, Dualtone, Metal Blade and Alligator. He has played football stadiums, basketball arenas, concert halls, clubs and coffee houses; Folk Festivals, Jazz Festivals and Swedish Metal Festivals. His performances have been streamed over 60 million times on Spotify.

Watch Lorraine Leckie and Keith Robinson on “If These Walls Could Talk” with hosts Wendy Stuart and Tym Moss on YouTube here: