Sprawl Magazine - Issue 2

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• CoverSpraw! music art culture
• BITE THE HAND THAT A FEEDS YOUSprawl MAGAZINE
• CONTENTS04 THE SPRAWL 06 BENEFITS
• THE SPRAWL, ISSUE TWOWELCOME BACK, I TIP MY HAT SPRING ROUND UP
• Page 5Y BOTHER? 05
• CONSTANT NOISETeesside noise outfit Benefits made an explosive debut with Nails—a furious collision of abrasive electronica amongst aggro spoken word, ripping into the rising tide of toxic nationalism in Brexit Britain. Led by Kingsley Hall and Robbie Major, the ever-shifting collective now returns with Constant Noise, a bold dive into '90s beats, indie sleaze, and ambient electronica.
• Page 7"We've done the whole sitting in grotty practice rooms, smoking endless amounts of cigarettes, listening to the same fucking song for two hours. We just haven't got the patience anymore." -Kingsley benefits
• Page 808 "T'll look back on the 90s or the early noughties and remember Britpop being this explosion of freedom, youth, colour, vibrancy and creativity. But forget about all the misogyny." -Kingsley
• BENEFITS constant noiseYou've explored the darker side of national identity on both records. Can you guys ever see an acceptable form of patriotism or nationalism or a positive form of it at all? Robbie: It's just really hard to feel proud to be English, isn't it? And I think that's another problem in itself, really, isn't it? Because we are very lucky to live in this country, rather than somewhere else.
• Page 10$171 3
• shortstraw InterviewCALVIN KLEIN CK 11
• Page 1212 Hailing from Coventry, shortstraw. have begun to leave a lasting impression on the British music scene in recent years, landing support slots with the likes of Sleaford Mods and Soft Play, thanks to their fuse-blowing mix of synth-punk style and frontwoman Erin's passionate flows of rapping and spoken word poetry.
• Page 13You've been on the road with Soft Play-that must've been an experience! What was that like? Any moments that really stood out? Yeah, I love Soft Play. They're both so great. I'd say the whole thing is memorable. As you can imagine, I looked up to them for a while before I got to know them, and obviously still do now. Sharing a stage with them is mad-I get more and more grateful every time it happens.
• SEARCHING FOR SATORI THROUGH A STARBUCKS STRAW14 Words: Dave Thomson
• Page 15You've probably had a mate or partner who believes it won't happen to them, they're too smart, they can handle it, but over time their concept of moderation adjusts, their definition of normality adapts, and it isn't long before they've decoupled from reality. The once charming cerebral confidence begins to harden into self-serving arrogance, their sense of reason becomes increasingly skewed, mainly transmitting, rarely receiving, empathy having long since left town. The new normal, along with the come-downs, the mood swings, the hatred of humanity, including themselves especially themselves and there's only one quick fix; the cause itself, using, abusing, raiding the brain's medicine cabinet, giving nothing back, and it isn't long before the person you loved, whose company you once cherished, has transformed before your very eyes into an almighty cunt. It also struck me that when describing a typical cokehead, particularly the city-boy-rugger-bugger variety, it's hard not to think of Boris Johnson, and when you consider his entire reign in this context it all starts to make sense. Prolonged cocaine use would certainly shed some light on the driving force behind this self-serving narcissist; the man who proclaimed "Let the bodies pile high" during Covid; who bullied his own staff; who tried to create a dictatorship by proroguing parliament; who sold dodgy Covid contracts to his mates and mistresses; who gaslit the care sector and then the entire nation with lie after lie after lie, and when questioned on cocaine use, claimed he'd once had a "sniff" though he "may have been doing icing sugar."
• Page 1616 In good conscience, you might have switched your banking to one of the more wholesome online alternatives, or chosen an ethical fund for your Workplace Pension investment, trying to navigate a more virtuous way of living within the supply/demand machinates of neoliberal capitalism. But apart from the diamond trade—indeed, any business involving human miners the free market doesn't get much uglier than the journey this pure white powder has been through en route to the zippy pocket of your wallet. No, this ain't no fair trade enterprise; it's one seriously high-risk, high-stakes economic sector resulting in over 7,000 deaths per year, and this is before anyone's even had a toot.
• Page 17LIE Cocaine
• Page 1818 Sprawler Sprawler Sprawler Sprawler become a member today sprawlmagazine.co.uk/sprawler
• MORE TALK9 FIRST RATE
• Page 2020 STAR
• Page 21E N OFR
• Page 2222 Words: Kieran T. Poole
• Page 23SHELTON'S WORK, NOW HITTING THE 50-YEAR MARK, IS MORE THAN AN ARCHIVE; IT CAN BE PERCEIVED AS A WARNING, A CALL TO ARMS, OR A VISION OF WHAT COULD HAVE BEEN-DEPENDING ON HOW MUCH 24-HOUR NEWS RE-RUN CYCLES YOU'VE INGESTED ON THAT GIVEN DAY. SHOPS, THE BOARDED-UP COMMUNITIES, AND CORRUGATED IRON THAT PLAY OUT IN STILLS FROM LIFE ARE NO LONGER JUST HISTORICAL ARTEFACTS THEY ARE A REFLECTION OF THE UK TODAY. MASS EXODUS FROM SILVER-CLADDING-RIDDLED CITY CENTRES, A POLITICAL LANDSCAPE LURCHING EVER FURTHER RIGHT, AND THE EERIE FAMILIARITY OF HISTORY REPEATING. ONLY THIS TIME, WE'RE IN HIGH DEF, GNAWING AT THE HEELS OF YESTERDAY. THE SAME PICTURE, BUT IN DIFFERENT FRAMES.
• Page 2424 SYD SHELTON
• Page 25"RACISM ISN'T A NATURAL PHENOMENON-IT IS LEARNED BEHAVIOR, PERPETRATED BY YEARS OF VICIOUS PROPAGANDA." With today's garbled minds of the 'Pound-Shop- Powell'―Tommy Robinson & co-what role should art and photography play in documenting our times and inspiring change?
• EMBER CAJUBILEE STE 1 SMASH RA
• BLE STCISM 27
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• Page 29FERAL Words: Jamie Thrasivoulou
• Page 30PUNCH U IN THE FACE!
• HOUSE ARRESTISECRA House Arrest by name, House Arrest by lifestyle.
• Page 32E ach member is a walking cautionary tale with just enough talent to keep you questioning your own sanity. A Frankensteinian ensemble cobbled together from the ashtrays of Britain's basement scenes, they stagger into formation like a group therapy session with no therapist, no hope, and no exit plan. But frontman Jasper Eade, or Jas to those who know and regret him, leads this cracked cavalry with a conviction bordering on religious mania. Spawned somewhere in the grey womb of South East London before scuttling off to Norwich-where he should've been locked up permanently-Jas has now returned to his old stomping grounds to both dazzle and confuse. There's something distinctly medieval about him-a sort of ale-drenched troubadour meets feral busker. One minute he's vomiting poetry about Marilyn Monroe and South American cartel logistics, the next he's dry-heaving into a floor tom while the rest of the band tries to remember which key they're not supposed to be in. Also moonlighting with The Children of the Pope and Ringards, because of course he does. Man can't sit still long enough to be institutionalised. Consider yourself warned.
• Page 33885 Words: Bo Keller
• Page 3434 JOIN
• Where's North↑ REDEFINING
• WESTSIDECOWBOY36 Where's North From Here?
• Page 37L eading the charge in this new wave is Westside Cowboy, whose debut single, I've Never Met Anyone I Thought I Could Really Love, is a confident first step that perfectly encapsulates their sound. It carries a warm touch of 90s Americana nostalgia, wrapped in a light shoegaze haze, creating an atmosphere that feels both familiar and refreshingly original. The band dubs their style BRITAINICANA ―a self-coined term signalling a bold break from the expected lineage of British punk. In its place: a slack, fuzzy embrace of Americana tones, filtered through a distinctly Northern lens.
• Page 3838 Where's North From Here?
• Page 39The not-so-secret fuel behind most successful bands is promoters, and luckily for Manchester, they are in no short supply. Promotion labels like Now Wave, which runs £5 events showcasing the city's best emerging talent, play a crucial role in bringing new bands into the public eye. The duo behind Now Wave also owns YES, an independent music venue that has become a proving ground for Manchester's rising stars. Another key player is Akoustik Anarkhy, a cult Manchester label and gig night that has been a rite of passage for local musicians for over 25 years. Known for discovering raw, unfiltered talent, the label has built a strong reputation in the scene. Their recent backing of the band Martial Arts has propelled the five-piece into the mainstream spotlight.
• TISSFU40 Where's North From Here?
• Page 41Authenticity has always been at the heart of Manchester's music scene, shaping its identity across generations. Factory Records—the legendary label behind the rise of Madchester and the punk movement-ignited a cultural revolution, proving that raw creativity and independence could thrive far from the mainstream. Though Factory and The Hacienda are long gone, their spirit lives on through the city's independent venues, carried forward by spaces like The Deaf Institute.
• HOLLY HEAD42 ¿A
• Page 43Manchester's music scene has always thrived on reinvention, from modern shoegaze to Britainicana, and Holly Head is the latest band pushing its evolution forward with their gritty groove and political edge. Rooted in post-punk energy with a sharp, radical twist, the group refuses to be just another name following in the footsteps of Manchester's greats. While Oasis, The Smiths, and The Stone Roses laid the foundation, Holly Head is carving out something new-fusing groove-driven rhythms with an urgent, unfiltered voice. Their recent BBC 6 Music Live debut and gig at YES, alongside Martial Arts, solidified their place within Manchester's thriving alternative circuit. Signed to the local label Akoustik Anarkhy, the two bands have frequently toured together, deepening their connection to the city's underground scene. Their sound is shaped by drummer Oscar, whose interest in Afro rhythms adds a level of technicality that elevates their post-punk roots. Whilst their influences-Happy Mondays and The Stone Roses-are clear, Holly Head twists those inspirations into something modern, sharper, and politically charged.
• THIS COLLECTIVE OF TALENT IS UNDENIABLY DESTINEDGREAT THINGS, AND THEIR SUCCESS FEELS STRONGEST WHEN PURSUED TOGETHER. SUCH DEEP-ROOTED COLLABORATION IS RARE, YET IT FUELS A CATALYTIC EFFECT ON THEIR INDEPENDENT CAREERS, REINFORCING CREATIVITY KEEPS MANCHESTER'S
• Page 45I WAS TOO BUSY CHECKING THE ODDS ON A THREE-LEGGED HORSE. CLINGING TO LIMESTONE
• Page 4646 BEEP! id=38
• Page 47"Ultimately, the beauty in this album is that it can adapt and change to whatever somebody wants to feel from it" Sorrow, the mournful and subdued closing track of Any Other City, would not have been out of place on Dry Cleaning's fantastic debut album New Long Leg. The track employs a sprechgesang vocal style, drifting through a free-flowing poem with the same sense of resignation, regret, and wry humour that runs through Dry Cleaning's work. In stark contrast to PS Exclusive, which opens the album with fervour, bite, and intent, Sorrow offers a far more subdued ending. It uses a quiet drum and guitar line with lounge-inspired sensibilities to gradually bring the listener down from the record's bursts of theatricality. In this I sense, Any Other City proves that sometimes, good things take time. In a world where trends and influences are cyclical, there's beauty in LWB's insistence on following their instincts at a moment when it was the opposite of the zeitgeist. Undeniably, this has paid off, with recent interviews highlighting the joy of learning that the right people have come to adore and be influenced by their work-without the need for a half-hearted reunion tour.
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• lords: Sophie DiverTrue Crime Podcast "Wow"
• Page 5050 Words: Kieran T, Poole
• Page 51EVEN THE ROMANS HAD THE "FUCK IT, DO IT ANYWAY" MENTALITY WHERE PROMOTERS WOULD RUN MOCK NAVAL BATTLES IN THEIR AMPHITHEATRES TO TRY SOMETHING NEW, TO ENTERTAIN AND BUILD COMMUNITY. BUT AFTER A FEW YEARS OF POORLY ATTENDED SHOWS, THEY JUST WENT BACK TO KILLING ANIMALS AND SLAVES TO ADORING FANS BEGGING FOR THE HITS! “YEAH! CUT HIS FUCKIN HEAD OFF!" AND SO ON... SO, WHAT DO WE DO, GIVE THE PEOPLE WHAT THEY WANT? OASIS AND A BAG OF GEAR? IS THAT REALLY ALL WE CAN DO? DID SOMETHING CHANGE? AND WHAT THE FUCK EVEN IS DIY IN THE MODERN ERA?
• Page 52SHOP LOCAL SHOP LOCAL LOCAL Always Back In Town. Always At Your Door
• Page 53Nottingham three-piece Bloodworm have always made sure to keep their name at the forefront of the local consciousness since their conception now they want to four years ago spread the vines of their success a little further afield. Their years in the making have transpired to create a catalogue of pieces which are able to unfurl into spellbinding performances every time the band set the stage.
• THE SISTERSMERCY F or Bloodworm, live shows are the vehicle that drives 'them. Starting their year off full throttle, their biggest show to date at Rockaway Beach Festival came as an undeniable affirmation of their growth as a band, and a well- deserved taste of what is to come for them in the near future.
• Page 55Looking back at their formative years, the band have shed various forms to get where they are today. Dynamically, their sound has taken the inevitable road of evolution trodden by many bands, but even down to the basics, their individual refinement as musicians is what truly lends to their own uniquely crafted sound and vision. Euan might've admittedly started off like Lars Ulrich 'just smacking everything' but with a little helping hand and occasional crack of the whip from George, he was soon knocked into shape. 'It's just time behind the kit. When I first met him, he didn't play drums right. He had lessons when he was a kid, he had a rotten drumkit. He just got awesome by playing gigs. The only way of getting good at any instrument is by playing on repeat. That's the only way you're gonna figure it out, getting thrown in at the deep end.'
• SILENTSUPPER A silent supper with John Cage / his Bubblegum Chewing for 4 minutes 33 seconds waiting for that squeaky Pop! Ripples in my wine from the vibrations of piano fingers. Conducts an experiment for a feast of one.
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• CONTRIBUTORS editor & designKieran T. Poole words Kieran T. Poole
• SprawlMAGAZINE 10
• HE WAS WAITING IN THE ENGINE ROOMWITHOUT A SPARK spring $25 sprawlmagazine.co.uk