Video Premiere: The Schla La Las – ‘1234’

Celebrating 20 years since their first EP, London’s favourite pop-and-roll band The Schla La Las are high-kicking their way back into your heart and onto your stereo after eighteen years away! Consisting of original line-up Piney Gir, George, Katrin, Vee and Delia, the band remain a vital force of high-octane energy, inspiring a new generation of girls to pick up a guitar, bass, or pair of drumsticks, grab a microphone and let out a rebel yell!

Having spent the early noughties dazzling crowds with their matching outfits, close harmonies and duelling guitars, the London based band have returned to win our hearts with the release of new single ‘1234’, a tune that shows off their punky, poppy, pounding sounds and sugar-sweet allure in all its glory. The release comes ahead of more celebratory releases to mark their debut’s 20th anniversary. 

And now, accompanying the video, is a gorgeously cute, strangely empowering, lego-filled stop-motion video. Watch it for the first time below. In the band’s words:

“Yes, the rumours are true. ‘00s darlings The Schla La Las are back back BACK and high-kicking their way onto a sound bar near you. London’s favourite pop and roll girl gang waved goodbye from the main stage at Truck festival eighteen years ago after their debut EP twenty years ago, but they’ve picked up their guitars again. They were – and remain – a vital force of high-energy entertainment and, while your first born sons are probably safe these days, you might want to keep a close eye on your dad. And your mum. Their single ‘1234’ has been remastered and the video polished to cinematic standard by its creator Ben Cowell-Thomas, whose visual effects credits include the Fast & Furious franchise, Deadpool and Men in Black: International.”


Counting BBC 6Music’s Marc Riley and ‘00s legend Beth Ditto amongst their fans, The Schla La Las have played at numerous festivals, appeared in i-D Magazine alongside Florence Welch and Paloma Faith, and built a solid reputation across the UK for their joyous live shows. So, make sure you catch them back on stage on 15th November at Dream Bags Jaguar Shoes – it promises to be a memorable night! Tickets here.

‘1234’ is out now via No Distance Records.


Mari Lane
@mari_getinherears

 

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Guest Blog: Queer Cxntry

Saddle Up Y’all! Margate Punk Duo pink suits are bringing their cult night ‘Queer Cxntry’ to Signature Brew in Walthamstow for a FULL DAY TAKEOVER this bank holiday Saturday, 23rd August. Have a read all about it below, make sure you nab tickets, and listen to our special Queer Cxntry playlist to get you in the mood!

Is this your first Rodeo? For those who have not been to or heard of Queer Cxntry, here’s what to expect:

Queer Cxntry is a Country music themed LGBTQIA+ live gig and club night. Hosted by Lori Mae with performances from creators of the night pink suits‘ house band ‘The Northdown Rodeo’, plus drag legends The Cybils and special guest performers and DJs including Donna Poderosa, Izzy Aman and Dolly Parton tribute band, The Dumb Blondes. Audiences are encouraged to get involved! Come dressed to impress in your Cxntry Best for a chance to win the costume contest, join in some games for a chance to win some cxntry lovin’ prizes or jump up on the Rodeo Bull and show us what you got! Get your photos snapped in the iconic rose booth to show off  your outfits, and then dance the night away to country DJs and live music.

So, how did a political punk duo from Margate end up starting a Queer Cxntry night?

There were many things that lead to us starting Queer Cxntry. Lennie has always been really into cowboys, country music and dressing up. Johnny Cash and June Carter; The Highwaymen; Dolly Parton. And they’ve always been obsessed with watching cowboys that their mum loved growing up… Like Kevin Costner in Silverado, and concert videos of Ray Sawyer in Dr Hook and The Medicine Show, who were incredibly intriguing to a young bi boy from Manchester. Ray grew up in the real country, small town Colorado, USA! Surrounded by cowboys and country music, but in a very macho way. If you look closely, country has always been Queer!

More recent influences that directly lead to us starting Queer Cxntry in Margate were:

In late 2016 Lennie went for a piss in the iconic Grand Burstin Hotel in Folkestone. There was a country ‘n’ western night happening in the function room that they watched for a while. It was cute and wholesome, older couples line dancing and partner dancing, dressed in flannel shirts and cowboy hats and dresses and boots. But it was also very straight, and problematic with confederate flags hung on the walls. They thought it would be so great to see a Queer version of this… 

In 2019 Orville Peck exploded into our lives with the debut album Pony. This album, all of the songs, all of the aesthetics of Orville Peck and the music videos just crushed us. It was dark and romantic, and camp and silly, and unapologetically Queer. We were obsessed with all of it. That year we saw Orville Peck play in Leeds, London, Barcelona and Sydney. In Sydney we found a pink cowboy hat in a country store called Route 66 and decided to commit our lives to the Queer Cowboy aesthetic… 

Early 2020, right before the world shut down, there was a karaoke night at Tom Thumb Theatre in Margate. Lennie, newly back from Australia and newly committed to the Queer Country life, did a Cyrus mash up – singing Billy Ray Cyrus ‘Achey Breaky Heart’ dressed as Miley Cyrus in Wrecking Ball. Shelley Grotto was there and absolutely crushed Dolly Parton’s ‘Jolene’ and we said there NEEDS to be a night where we can dress like cowboys and Shelley can sing Jolene with a live band…

In Summer 2021 as venues were opening up again, Sammy from Elsewhere (now WhereElse?) asked us to do a show. We wanted to get audiences back together and back in venues, but we are a punk band and the restrictions were still up and down. No basements, no full gigs, no drums, no moving around, stay seated, wear masks etc, which didn’t scream ‘punk night’. We thought it would be a good opportunity to try out a Queer Country night of audience dress up, some gentle live band country covers, some drag performances. We knew Janet District Council played fiddle, and we met Island Girl on the steps at the beach and talked about banjos, so we put a band together. We had one rehearsal that Lucky Deluz just turned up to out of the blue… Thank the country gods! We sold out, a whole forty tickets, for the first ever Queer Cxntry… The rest, as they say…

Why does country lend itself so well to queerness? Has country always been Queer?

This could take a long long time and a lifetime of discussion, which we are fully committed to having! However, for the sake of ease, we will give you the simple answer. Queers love a dress up! And country is a very camp and very varied dress up… And all of it is hot! The cowboy aesthetic is rugged, butch and macho, it can be eccentric and tabby, sexy or subtle, it works for the L’s, G’s the B’s, the T’s the Q’s. The whole Queer alphabet! Leather is hot. Dungarees are hot. Boots and Saddles and Chaps, bandannas and ropes and tight jeans… it’s ALL GOOOD! And let’s be clear, the straights also love cowboys and the hot masc wrangler… But for Queers it is the subversion of this archetype that is fun and silly and sexy.

But country music is also very Queer. Not the business of country music, and a lot of the people who historically have been successful in it. Not the mainstream idea we have of the country music demographic, that has been unfairly co-opted by ideas of homophobia and misogyny, which is definitely rife in country music. But, at its heart, country music is about the experiences of life, love, loss, family and friends, and contemplating how we spend this time together. It is about heartbreak and beauty and struggles and pain. There is so much in country music that speaks to the Queer experience and – despite this idea that we have about country music not being a place for Queer people – a lot of the champions of country music have always been champions of Queer people and have spoken out about peoples right to live and love freely. I am talking about people like: Dolly Parton, Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson, Carrie Underwood, Reba McEntire, The Chicks, Tim McGraw, Brandi Carlisle, Shania Twain, LeAnn Rimes… And now we have many out Queer country artists like: Orville Peck, Paisley Fields, Allison Russell, Amythyst Kiah, Lil Nas X, Dixon Dallas and many more.

Queer people have always been here. In every part of society. That includes country. It includes country music. It includes cowboys and ranchers and farmers and wranglers. There are some great resources out there that go into more historic detail of Queer life in the American West. 

A couple of our favourite Queer Cxntry albums (in addition to everything by Orville Peck’s Pony):

Noah Cyrus – I Want My Loved Ones To Go With Me
Noah Cyrus just dropped one of our favourite albums of all time. It has come out of nowhere and absolutely crushed us. If you do one thing off of the back of this blog, then listen to this album. If you do two things, then listen to the album AND book tickets for the Bank Holiday all dayer!


Allison Russell – Outside Child
We have made this recommendation on GIHE before I believe? But we will never ever stop shouting about this album. It has been four years, and we still listen to it a few times a week. Allison Russell is an unbelievable artist and a wonder to see live! 


A few other must-listen Queer Cxntry songs: 

Lavender Country – ‘Straight White Patterns‘
Mary Gauthier – ‘Drag Queens In Limosines‘
Orville Peck – ‘Hope To Die‘
Paisley Fields – ‘Iowa‘


Like what you’ve heard / seen / read?! Come join the Queer Cxntry revolution at the special All-Dayer event THIS SATURDAY 23RD AUGUST at Signature Brew on Blackhorse Road – tickets here. These events are always the most joyous, most life-affirming of times, so we really cannot recommend it enough to our queer community (and lovely allies)!
If you can’t make it this Saturday, listen to the Queer Cxntry playlist and make sure you catch the whole thing on tour this Autumn – details here.


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Five Favourites: Laura Reznek

Having received much acclaim for her debut and cross-disciplinary stage show Agrimony, and then this year’s innovative album The Sewing Room, Canadian songwriter and composer Laura Reznek interweaves poignant reflections on the struggles of living in a patriarchal society and personal loss, with her glistening folk-tinged melodies and delicate rich vocals.

We think one of the best ways to get to know an artist is by asking what music inspires them. So, ahead of her upcoming UK tour which kicks off next month, we caught up with Laura to find out about the five albums that inspire her the most. Read about their five favourites below, and then make sure you check out her gorgeous album The Sewing Room…

Judee Sill – Judee Sill
Out of all of these, Judee Sill is the newest discovery for me and I don’t really know how it took me so long to find her. I think this record is so incredible – honest, sad, hopeful, beautiful – and when I first heard the opening song ‘Crayon Angels’ it felt like this warm wave washing over me. Every time I put it on – especially when that oboe hits! –  I always breathe a sigh of relief.

Simon & Garfunkel – Bookends
I will love Simon & Garfunkel until the end. This album especially was in my ears a lot while I was writing and recording The Sewing Room. I feel like it’s a really varied record and takes you on a journey. I always love an element of spoken text or conversation woven into music, so love ‘Voices of Old People’ which comes in before ‘Old Friends’ – which has a string arrangement I’m obsessed with. And I think that ‘America’ is the most perfect song ever written.

Madison Cunningham – Revealer
This album blew my mind when it came out. I think Madison Cunningham is one of the best songwriters out there and that this record is pretty much perfect. I heard ‘Life According to Rachael’ in the midst of immense grief and I found it incredibly comforting. I love her use of language and textures in her arrangements.

Anais Mitchell – Anais Mitchell
Another 2022 release, Anais Mitchell’s self-titled record has been a staple in my life. She’s been a longtime inspiration – I saw her play solo in 2016, the day after the US election and the week Leonard Cohen died – and it was the only show I’ve ever openly wept at. ‘Bright Star’ is probably in my ears about ten times a day.

Fiona Apple – Fetch The Bolt Cutters
I will never stop being in awe of Fiona Apple. This album was the soundtrack to my lockdown, and the main reason why I wanted to try my hand at producing The Sewing Room on my own, after I heard she’d made the majority of it in Garage Band. It’s raw, it’s human, and makes me feel empowered, uncomfortable, and elated, which is everything I want from a record.


Huge thanks to Laura for sharing her Five Favourites! Make sure you have a listen to the exquisite The Sewing Room, and then catch her when she’s over in the UK in September and October! Tickets here.


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LIVE (Photos): Deer Shed Festival 2025 (Day 3, 27.07.2025)

Having fallen in love with Deer Shed when I attended for the first time back in 2022, and then going on to ensure I didn’t miss it every year since, I was very glad I got to have another dreamy time there last weekend. Highlighting a real family focus, whilst hosting a range of exciting new artists, it oozes the warmest of vibes and – being smaller in size than most other festivals – creates a space that feels comfortingly intimate; an inclusive safe haven for artists and fans of all genres and ages. Whilst providing a child-friendly environment, this does not take away from the quality and array of performances on offer for everyone to enjoy. Although I’d say I’m in the minority of attendees who does not have children (or isn’t a child themselves!), I in no way feel this to be hindrance – there’s still plenty of adult fun to be had, just in perhaps a slightly less intense, and more safe, environment than most other festivals. Which is no bad thing.

Amongst those performing, a fantastic amount of female, non binary, queer and just all-round fearlessly powerful performers are represented, and I was lucky enough to catch lots of these over the weekend – a good balance of artists I already knew and loved, and those who I had not had the chance to see before. See below for a few words and photos about the fantastic time on Sunday, our final day at the festival!

Sunday sees us starting the day perhaps earlier than you would at your average festival, but then Deer Shed is no average festival. Coffee in hand, we head to The Lodge to ease in the day with the glistening sounds of Leeds-based artist Neve Cariad. Telling us that is her first festival appearance, Cariad and her band treat us to their beautifully lilting folk-strewn melodies, reflecting on pastoral themes with a shimmering, heartfelt grace. In fact, I become so immersed in the lush layers of sound and rousing vocals, I almost don’t notice being attacked by one of the many wasps who’ve taken up camp with us for the weekend.

After a delicious and nutritious vegan brownie for breakfast, we return to The Lodge to catch long-time personal favourite, Brooklyn-based artist Sheherazaad. Offering spellbinding reflections steeped in lyrical storytelling from India, Iran and Pakistan, she dedicates the set to people who have experienced placelessness, and shares her joy at being somewhere like Deer Shed – “it’s in places like this, of music, that people can find place…” Delivering a range of new songs with her accomplished instrument-swapping band, she showcases her ability to blend a stirring folk-inspired musicality with experimental techniques, exuding her playful spirit as each rippling soundscape flows from the stage with a majestic splendour. Whilst she has the audience captivated by her rich, swirling cacophonies, Sheherazaad sums up the weekend perfectly a the set draws to a close – “Sometimes you’re in a place that’s so beautiful, you’re left speechless and there’s nothing left to say.”

Managing to catch some of the quirky, danceable energy of genre-defying collective Mandrake Handshake on the Main Stage, we head to the In The Dock stage for the stark and powerful politically-charged anthems of immense duo Benefits. And, with the set featuring a very special guest appearance from Kingsley Hall’s daughter (“don’t worry this is my daughter, not just some random child!“), as she takes centre stage – showing off her sparkling fairy wings for us all to admire – it’s pretty lovely to see a softer side to the band. A kind of epitome of what Deer Shed is all about; families and people of all ages coming together to enjoy music that loses none of its visceral, raging energy in the safe, inclusive space that has been created.

As the sun starts to reappear, Welsh faves The Bug Club take to the Main Stage. Treating us to a set filled with songs new and old – and even perfecting tracks from their latest album, Very Human Features (which they caveat by admitting they’re tricky to play live) – their fiercely frenzied energy cascades from the stage, with each fuzzy blast of garage-rock bringing with it an infectious sense of joy. Having last seen them at the In The Dock stage a few years back, it’s great to see them win over an even bigger crowd with their eccentric allure, self-deferential wit and gloriously uplifting offerings.

With Bodega kicking off their set on the main stage with a tribute to recently deceased rocker Ozzy Osbourne, the New York band continue to wow us with their sparkling post-punk offerings, each delivered with an immersive, vivacious charisma. Then, we head back to the In The Dock stage to catch Liverpool-based King Hannah. As a sweeping, bewitching majesty flows with a dark energy throughout the set, I remain as enchanted as the first time I came across the band back in 2019; Hannah Merrick’s resonant vocals continuing to cast me under their spell with their stirring, ethereal grace and raw emotion.

After enjoying a whole load of nostalgic joy as Idlewild deliver a completely perfect set of favourite songs from over the years, with all the youthful energy and distinctive rich clarity of Roddy Woomble’s vocals that I remember from seeing them nearly two decades ago, it’s time for headliners – and final band of the festival – The Big Moon. Trickling onto the stage with an abundance of joyous energy, the band explain what a special performance this is for them – not only is it their first festival headline slot, but Jules is pregnant (“we’ve chosen a bad time to start doing late night shows!”), it’s drummer Fern’s birthday AND The Lionesses have just won the euros. This being the second time the band have played Deer Shed, they discuss their love of the festival and how they’re feeling “refreshed and scented” after indulging in some wild swimming, despite being tired after having to arrive for soundcheck at 8am. Exuding all the heartfelt sparkling emotion and sunny energy we’ve come to expect, The Big Moon’s ability to offer a comforting warmth and enlivening sense of optimism through their beautifully lilting musicality and endearing camraderie remains unmatched. Uniting the all-ages crowd with the blissful allure of each offering, they provide a perfectly uplifting close to the festival, and – as they play their penultimate song, a surprising, fun-filled rendition of Fatboy Slim’s ‘Praise You’ – younger members of the crowd even start a chant of “two more songs!” (“the next generation are so demanding!“), before the band play us out with the anthemic, evocative energy of ‘Your Light’.

Huge thanks, as always, to all involved with organising such a wonderful weekend – we can’t wait to be back for all the life-affirming vibes of Deer Shed Festival next year!

Words: Mari Lane / @mari_getinherears
Photos: Paul Dawes / @paullikesrobots

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