Music
Press
"Fear" - my "Hangover Cure of the Week" - Colin on the Colin and Matt Saturday Show, Amazing Radio - Amazing Radio
3 foot Ninja are warming up to the release of their self-titled debut
album later this month and on this evidence warming up very nicely
indeed. The young brothers Bell have been playing together for nearly
a decade now but when they collided with drummer Kane Waterfield the 3 Foot Ninja we now know and love exploded into being.
They started with the high octane album opener Fire And The Fury; it
is very much the Ninja mantra as the brothers launch themselves across
the stage and Kane has drummed up such a fury his shirt has to go the
distance almost immediately. The whole set was drawn from the album
which you really must buy.
They are a white hot ball of molten energy but never over-riding the melody. For comparisons I’m thinking back to bands from yesteryear like The Ruts or The Jam but also closer to home with Arctic Monkeys or The Strokes. But at the same time they are very much themselves and at Darlington they absolutely rocked, giving everything, even ending up swinging from the rafters.
- On the Beat - Evening Gazette
Joy Projector II, Danby Village Hall.
By The (Very) Pissed Gig Attender
Ahhh…the British Countryside. An inspiration to poets and writers alike. An escape from the rigours of modern life. A place of peace, tranquillity, and Special Brew. This evening is the 2nd Joy Projector event up on the moors above Whitby. I have two holdalls full of beer, 5 wonderful companions, a tent and a Sat Nav which is slowly guiding me through God’s own country. This evening we are gonna have the pleasure of seeing Elaine Palmer, Three Foot Ninja and The Chapman Family. It’s a great line up and a real coup for the venue and the promoter. It’s as remote a venue as I’ve ever been to and an amazing setting. We head down the windy roads between the moors and carefully avoid the pedestrian sheep (desperately in need of a hair cut it must be said). Down between the hills to the amazingly picturesque village and into the car park of a small village hall. This is bloody weird and I’m not even drunk yet.
The venue is still being set up for the evening so we crack open a few beers in the car park and watch the rest of the audience slowly arrive. Two bouncers keep us company and half the crew disappear to a local pub. Half of the legendary Davey Bandman are with us this evening and they seem to fancy having a large one. You can check out Chris Nixon’s blog of the evening here! He should work for a magazine this lad! When we eventually get in, we are greeted by one of the most amazing set ups – the whole village hall has been decked out like a winter wonderland. Christmas trees in the corner covered in lights, winter scenes being projected onto the ceiling. Crackers on the tables! Windows covered in snow flakes and stars. Mental. Behind the stage a large curtain is embossed with a massive lion wearing the world’s campest crown. Stolen from He-Man we reckon. It’s a glorious stage and the room is set out with Hogwarts Style dining tables. We take a seat near the entrance and pull some crackers as the room fills up.
As if that is weird enough, when the curtain is eventually pulled back, Elaine Palmer is nowhere to be scene. Instead a strange man stands rigid in the centre of the stage wearing what I can only describe as a bomb disposal / space man costume. A visor covers his face and in a monotone voice he introduces the first act with a selection of poetry and some random madness. Oh yeah! This is defo my kind of gig!
Elaine Palmer is on first. She plays a beautiful set of amazing acoustic folk songs epically backed up by a violist called Christina Andropolis. Turns out Elaine is from Danby and she seems thrilled to be playing in her home town. The place is packed – it’s a “bring your own booze” event and every off license within a 50 mile radius must have done record business that afternoon. What a great crowd. A mixture of locals who are happily dancing the night away and the more reserved townies who are sat down but thoroughly enjoying the experience. I’m on Guinness number 4 by the time Elaine finishes her set and I’m already making new friends. As well as the beer, we have a wonderful chocolate cake to devour courtesy of the wonderful Cat “Dinnernanny” McGuinness. It’s a bizarre experience; beer, crackers, live music, cake and Christmas trees. I’ve had some memorable nights out over the past few months – but this is the highlight!
Three Foot Ninja are the local punk heroes and they blow the roof off with an astronomical set of their classic album tracks and some incredible covers. To finish the set we are treated to an outrageously good cover of The Prodigy’s “Breath” which has the dancefloor heaving. Fuck me these lads know how to put on a show. The guests are clearly enjoying it – I bump into Tom from Sound It Out Records and catch Pete Bell (The Link Magazine) chatting away with “Fly Me To The Moon” editor Rob Nicholls. There’s just such a great vibe in the place. The PA is outstanding (great control work from the Sound Engineer on his IPad – fancy bastard!) and the acoustics are wonderful.
Our bomb disposal space man re-enters the fray to introduce the headline act and The Chapman Family take centre stage – decked out in their customary black suits. For those that haven’t seen the Chapman Family before – WHAT THE FUCK HAVE YOU BEEN DOING ALL THESE YEARS??? These guys put on a mesmeric performance of original, biting protest songs covered in eclectic guitar riffs, jaw dropping drum beats and a genuinely impressive stage presence. I have to remind my drunken ass that I’m in Danby Village Hall – these guys could pack out The Royal Albert Hall – but I doubt it would be as interesting and effective as this. Kingsley Chapman stands out front playing keyboard whilst delivering some seriously powerful angst ridden vocals, brilliantly backed up by the rest of the band. Tracks from their new EP “Cruel Britannia” float out the Village Hall and across the moors – will the local wildlife have heard anything like this before? I fuckin doubt it. It’s one of those nights where you have to pinch yourself and remind yourself how lucky you are to be there.
The music finishes and we sup off our remaining cans whilst chatting with locals and some of the performers. What a great way to spend an evening. Brilliant, original music; a great sound system; a unique setting – but the thing that impressed me the most was the people – what a fucking nice bunch. It was such a well organised gig with no chew or hassle. As I stand in the car park saying my goodbyes – I can’t help looking forward to the next Joy Projector Night. If you wanna pick and choose which gigs or venues you go to – then please take my advice! CHECK THIS ONE OUT! I’ll be organising a mini bus for the next one. If you wanna seat, best book early!
For more information on the bands that played, take a peek at the following links!
http://www.elaine-palmer.co.uk/
http://thechapmanfamilyisnotacult.com/
http://www.cultfound.org/3footninja.htm - EXNE
LOCAL lads 3 FOOT NINJA launch their debut album with a show at The Empire, in Middlesbrough, tomorrow.
Singer and guitarist Jordan Bell tells Whats Ons Chris Hole about growing up in the North York Moors, their unique sound, and the prestige of playing at The Empire.
CH: For anyone who doesnt know you - can you tell us a little bit about yourselves and how you got together?
JB: We live in an old farmhouse in the middle of the North York Moors. Joseph and me are brothers and we never went to school.
We played music most of the time we were growing up. We were always around other musicians even when we were little so I think it rubbed off. Its really remote where we live, we couldnt just nip down the arcades.
We had a gig in York at Fibbers and, at the last minute, needed a drummer for it. Kane rehearsed for an hour or so, was great at the gig, and joined the band. Things really began from there.
CH: How would you describe your sound and musical influences?
JB: When we play music we want it to move people in some way. People have labelled us as indie/punk, but we dont like the comfortable well-fed indie sound thats everywhere at the minute. Thats never been something thats appealed to us.
When you play live you want to have that much of a buzz, and that much belief in the music that it completely takes you over.
We all listen to loads of different things, but weve never set out to be a certain kind of band, we play what we want.
CH: Have you ever played in Teesside or the North-east before?
JB: Weve had some great gigs in Teesside and elsewhere in the North-east.
Playing Intro Festival in Middlesbrough was fantastic, we were blown away by the amount of people that came to see us.
Rikki Doolans night Bandstand at the Crown was brilliant too.
The album launch is at the Empire. Were really pleased that we're launching it in that venue, its a great stage and we've had some class gigs there in the past.
CH: What have the band got planned for this year?
JB: We have a lot of gigs planned for this year, up and down the country.
As far as possible we want to play nights that are special places to be, so we're teaming up with some really good bands and organising a lot of stuff ourselves.
We're really excited about the gigs we have coming up, theres going to be a lot of memorable nights. And we want to sell enough albums to give us the budget to record more stuff.
Support tomorrow comes from NME Band of the Week CITIZENS!
- Evening Gazette
" The Ninjas remind me of one of the very best ever post punk bands, The Ruts, with that rasping guitar and the riotous rhythm section. They fair blast off into their first number. Blistering music and vocals and the drummer really works his kit. They crank up the set until the awesome "We Are An Army" stands tall and invincible. The Ninjas even have the confidence to end on a brand new song, how many bands would dare to do that?" - Rob Nichols, Fly Me To The Moon - Fly Me to The Moon
"Hammering out their guitar-fuelled indie punk the 3-piece from the heart of the North Yorks Moors were sensational. Real dynamic stage presence and what a finale..." - Evening Gazette - Evening Gazette
"... Rarely have a band played with such intensity. Laying down buzz saw riffs, the band stormed though punk anthems such as "Cardboard Cutouts" and a cover of the Prodigy's "Breath". At one point the Ninjas sing "this could be our last night". It seemed foolish to contradict them." - Michael Hann, NARC Magazine - NARC Magazine
"3FN supply blinding songs of rage, determination and power. On their way to the top!" - Keith Ames, Musician magazine - Musician - Musicians Union
"Cracking, thunderous stuff! One of the finest bands in the Northeast" - Bob Fischer, BBC Tees - BBC Tees Introducing
Brilliant 11 track album from this young North Moors based trio..... - LiNK magazine March 2012
"Exceptional debut album... this album will grab you in the first ringing bar, shake you around and not let you go until the final knockings. You will be a changed person for the ride" - NARC Magazine - NARC Magazine March 2012
"More infectious than an STD! Or should that be STI? I just keep on listening to it" Nathan Wood, Spark FM (Sunderland) playing "Fear" - Spark FM
"Those young firebrands from the North York Moors have just released a new single "Fear". It is a real cracker-jack, a thrilling high velocity guitar joy ride, building to a chorus that you will soon be singing in your sleep. 3 Foot Ninja have recently made an impact supporting the likes of The Subways and Ash, bands their 110% energy perfectly compliments. If the forthcoming album is made of similar stuff then I'm predicting very big things indeed for the Rosedale-based three piece." - Robert Nichols, Middlesbrough Evening Gazette - Evening Gazette
" A 3-piece musical driving force - their album, released on Monday 26th March, is a Must Purchase. I've been driving round listening to it and it's completely knocked my sox off - jammed pack full of punchy guitar, catchy melodies, rip-roaring energies. Awesome!" - Jenny Eells, BBC York Introducing - BBC York Introducing
Discography
“3 Foot Ninja” by 3 Foot Ninja (Cultural Foundation CULT 042)
Recorded and mixed by Fred Purser at Trinity Heights, Newcastle (Futureheads, Toy Dolls, Cockney Rejects, Kathryn Tickell, Lauren Laverne, Tom Jones ……)
and mastered by Jon Astley at Close to the Edge (The Who, George Harrison, Led Zeppelin, Ian Dury, Sex Pistols ….).
This 11 track debut album is available as a CD at, initially, NE regional independent record stores: Sound it Out, Stockton-on-Tees; Folk Devils, Whitby; Record Revival, Scarborough; etc etc; at gigs, and mail order through www.cultfound.org, with physical and digital copies at www.3footninja.bandcamp.com and downloads at iTunes, Amazon MP3, HMV digital, We7 - all the usual sites - from 26th March 2012.
Promoters and other industry people: If you would like a copy please email 3footninja@cultfound.org
"Fear" - free digital download of single from album available at www.cultfound.org/3footninja2012audio.htm
"Fear" has been played on BBC Tees Introducing, BBC York Introducing, Spark FM and Amazing Radio and is featured in podcasts streamed from Greece, Germany, Spain, Peru, France, New Zealand....
Further plays from the album plus interviews with 3FN on BBC York - Saturday 10th March, Spark FM - Sunday 25th March and BBC Tees - Wednesday 28th March
Tom Robinson played "We Are An Army" on his BBC6 "Mixtape" - Monday 14th May
CULT 043 - limited edition CD EP featuring 3 tracks from album (see audio on this EPK) sold at gigs in December 2011
Tracks from previously released limited edition singles and EPs have had 56,000 plays on MySpace and been played on BBC Tees Introducing ("Sixteens Legal", "Cardboard Cutouts", "Ignition pt.1"). These tracks also played on BBC York Introducing.
"Sixteens Legal" has been played by Huw Stephens on
BBC Radio 1.
Photos
Bio
"The point of writing a decent band biog is not to tell people how great you are, but how INTERESTING you are - and here, readers, is an object lesson in how to do it"
(Tom Robinson blog, BBC6, upon playing "We Are An Army"):
We live in the North York Moors.
We have written loads of songs there.
Some of them have been played on BBC York and BBC Tees and Amazing Radio.
And on BBC 6: Tom Robinson's Mixtape.
And on BBC Radio One.
We have played songs at loads of gigs all over the Northeast and other places. (there's a list further down)
We've played gigs with really good bands. (there's a list further down).
Have a listen to our songs.
Come to our gigs.
Cheers.
List of really good bands we've played with in no order:
The Subways, Ash, Wilko Johnson feat. Norman Watt - Roy and Dylan Howe, The Fratellis, Cage The Elephant, The Buzzcocks, Pete And The Pirates, British Sea Power, The Airborne Toxic Event, Twisted Wheel, Little Comets, General Fiasco, Shrug, Flashguns, Futureheads and loads more really good people.
List of some of the gigs we've played in no order:
Club Fandango, London; Manchester Academy; Newcastle Academy; Leeds Cockpit; Middlesbrough Empire; Birmingham Barfly; Middlesbrough Town Hall; York Fibbers; Darlington Inside Out; the Forum, Darlington; the Arc, Stockton; the Studio, Hartlepool; Middlesbrough Bandstand; Stereo, York; Georgian Theatre, Stockton; The Lamp, Hull; Cluny, Newcastle; Stockton Riverside Festival; Middlesbrough Intro Festival; Scarborough Beached Festival; Galtres Festival, Willowman Festival, Future of Music Festival, Musicport Festival.......
We were selected by Sound It Out Records to play an in-store with The Futureheads on International Independent Record Store Day
Our debut album was released in 2012.
We sound like sharp rocks on a big hillside in the blue spring.
We sound like a river speeding through a slow carved valley in summertime.
We play like the heather on fire in the furious gales of autumn.
We play like our songs will turn away the white winter.
No one comes from where we come from.
****************************
From Cultural Foundation:
A few pedestrian details to pad out their minimalist bio:
Jordan Bell (vox / guitar) – age 20; his brother - Joseph Bell (bass / backing vox) – age 21; Kane Waterfield (drums / backing vox – age 20).
Despite their years 3FN have played stacks of gigs, in the NE region and further afield, and have built up a reputation for dynamic stage shows. Venues of all sizes – from pubs to major venues and regional festivals. Their support slots have often come through personal requests from bands (e.g. The Subways, Ash, Wilko Johnson). They've completed a regional launch tour, including some major festivals, for their debut album and more national dates are coming in 2013.
CD launch was at the Empire, Middlesbrough (Gig of the Week - Evening Gazette)
Jordan and Joseph live in a remote farmhouse in the North York Moors and have never been to school. They’ve built up a substantial following through dint of sheer hard work – they’ve had no classmates to artificially and temporarily boost support. Building up to their first fully fledged release (see Discography) they’ve had app. 58,000 plays on MySpace of their prior home-produced songs.
A free download of “Fear” from this album is available at their official site: www.cultfound.org/3footninja2012audio.htm.
Or go to www.facebook.com/3footninjamusic.
“Fear”, "We Are An Army", “England Rains Over You”, "This Is. Sun Road" and "Freedom Rising From the Floor" have all had plays on Bob Fischer's show on BBC Tees. BBC York and the national Amazing Radio have played "Fear" too. 3 Foot Ninja have recently been interviewed on both BBC Tees and BBC York. Tom Robinson played "We Are An Army" on his BBC6 "Mixtape". A 'making of' vid of “England Rains Over you” is at www.youtube.com/cultfound
3 Foot Ninja attended the 2012 BBC Introducing Masterclass at Abbey Road - invited by the BBC who identified 3FN as one of the best bands in the land.
"Three masters of their art, with particularly brilliant vocals"
Graham Jackson - head of membership at BASCA (The British Academy of Songwriters, Composers, and Authors) - referring to 3 Foot Ninja, Emma Shaheen and Andy Doonan
N.B we've uploaded a video to sonicbids but compression imposed isn't great - please view videos at www.youtube.com/cultfound - Thanks
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