The Theme Park Everyone is Talking About...

On this freezing cold Monday night, before their (incredible) gig I go backstage with Theme Park for an exclusive interview at King Tuts Wah Wah Hut in Glasgow. The guys were very friendly and we got chatting before the voice recorder was even turned on. Twenty-two year old twins, Marcus and Miles, and childhood friend twenty-three year old Oscar from North London are the kind of guys you would love to have as friends. They have a very cool natural air about them while remaining genuine and down to earth.

How old were you when you decided to form a band?

Miles: I was in a sort of Black Sabbath cover group when I was about 14, it was just Brother M (Marcus), another friend and I. The first band we did with Oscar was maybe 4 years ago. We decided to start doing Theme Park when we finished university, we were 21 and took a post-uni gap year to do writing to see if we could come up with songs. So that was the time Theme Park was born.

(From left to right) Oscar, Marcus, myself and Miles.
They are all over 6ft, I'm over 5ft,8! 

Can you give me three words to sum up your début album?

Miles: Exceptional..[laughs]..No seriously...I think it is optimistic, groovy and textured.

You said previously you like Theme Parks, which is your favourite?

Marcus: That's actually not quite true!
Miles: A misquote!

I read an old interview and it said that you loved theme parks so that's why you chose the name...

Miles: I think our sarcasm doesn't translate on the page... We're big fans of Legoland, that was a life changer when I was younger. Oscar always gets annoyed at this point because he likes them.
Oscar: Annoyed is not the word...disgruntled.
Miles: Misrepresented! Personally, the log flume is enough. Drifting through the plants and then plopping down at the end but after that it's not my kettle of fish.

What has been your favourite gig to date?

Marcus: Ooh, there have been a couple! When we supported Misfits at Bixton Academy that was a really special gig. Ibiza Rocks was fun too!
Miles: Up until a week ago I might have said Reading... but the Heaven show in London that we did was definitely my favourite one.
Oscar: It was the trump card.
Marcus: That was our own show and everyone had come specially to see us, so that's really nice.

Where would be your dream venue?

Miles: The Hollywood Bowl, it's a huge amphitheatre in Los Angeles, the kind of place you would see Simon & Garfunkel or Fleetwood Mac. To play there with the sun set would be really cool.
Marcus: Does it have to exist?
Oscar (to Marcus): Didn't you want to play on the moon? I already got to play Ally Pally (Alexander Palace) and I always wanted to play there. I remember seeing the Strokes there when I was 14 and I thought they were just too cool.

Who would you one day love to support you on tour?

Oscar: Ooh it's hard because it feels like you have to look down and you don't want to offend someone really good.
Marcus: I'd quite like Two Door Cinema Club to support us on tour.
Miles: I think someone who would really get the crowd going, maybe Daft Punk as they can get everyone dancing!
Oscar: Have you gone mental?




Is there a particular artist you'd love to collaborate with?

Marcus: I think it would be fun to collaborate with Tom York. We're actually going to be doing a track with Edwin Collins.
Miles: Who is the lead singer of a band called Orange Juice.
Oscar: I don't really dream people to collaborate with as I'd just be a gibbering wreck, like "Hi....." so I'd prefer not to do it at all.

If you weren't in music what other careers might you have gone into?

Marcus: I'd like to work on an exotic animal farm, like a crocodile farm but not where they kill the crocodiles, where they look after them.
Miles: I don't know whether I was bemused or something but I considered being a barrister, I looked around the temple and came to my senses pretty quickly. I'm writing a screen play at the moment, I think that'd be fun.
Oscar: I'd like to teach one day, maybe teach guitar when I stop doing this.

What do you mean stop doing this? You will never stop!

Oscar:Yeah, I suppose in my mind-
Marcus: Oscar's planning an exit already!

Could you give me a quick iTunes shuffle and tell me the first 3 songs to come up? [The boys use the MacBook sitting in front of them]

The BeeGees - Living Together, The Rapture - How Deep Is Your Love and Prince - I wanna be your lover.
 
If you won £1,000 pounds on a scratch card right now, what would you do with it?

Marcus: Go and buy a very nice classic car.
For £1,000?
Marcus: Yeah, on eBay, second hand.
Miles: £1,000 is one of those amounts of money that's in between small things but not enough for a big thing. I think I'd put it into savings. I'm joking, I'm joking!
Oscar: I would repay my mum for a guitar she bought me.
Miles: Last Christmas we went on holiday to this house in Norfolk, it was the coolest place I've been and I would just pay for it as a treat for my friends next Christmas.

What's the most expensive item of clothing you've ever bought?

Miles: Mine is hanging up over there, it's a coat by a company called Canada Goose, it's my prized item in the whole world. It's so warm!
Oscar: I've got a nice suit by Paul Smith.
Miles: Brother M bought some swimming trunks from Paul Smith for £90!
Marcus: I've only worn them once, I don't really like getting wet.

Are you looking forward to playing the festivals this year? You've already announced Reading and Leeds, what others are you doing?

Oscar: We're doing loads!
Marcus: We'll be at Bush Stock and we're doing lots that have been discussed but aren't official yet.

Have you made any plans for next year?

Oscar: Plans at the moment are to circle round playing many, many lives shows to lots and lots of people hopefully. We have very lightly pencilled in starting work on the next album. That's the lightest pencil, 1B? 7H?
Marcus: 8H is lighter.
Oscar: 8H then, that's how lightly it's pencilled in.
Miles: You might want to use the 7B because that's when you really get soft. H is more of a thin point.

We wind up the interview with me telling the boys how much I'm looking forward to seeing them perform. I got the impression they enjoyed the interview as much as I did grilling them!

I also filmed a game of 'Theme Park's Favourite Things...' to be uploaded next week. While you wait in anticipation, enjoy their latest single 'Tonight' and have a gander on their YouTube channel and, of course, buy the album.

Website: themeparkband.com
Twitter: @ThemeParkBand (@mileshaughton @marcuscus and @oscarmanthorpe)
Facebook: /ThemeParkBand
YouTube: /thmprk

Theme Park, Monday 18th March 2013

Within the first 30 seconds a packed out King Tuts Wah Wah Hut have already fallen in love with the Theme Parks' electric sound and vibrant set. Tracks from their debut album 'Jamaica' and 'A Place We'll Never Know' have every person in the room grooving along with their slick sound.

The loudest screams of the night come when Miles, Marcus and Oscar play 2011 release 'Milk' and their latest single 'Tonight'. The boys manage to create a warm intonation holding this small crowd in the palms of their hands whilst creating a sound that would still sound intimate in an arena of 30,000 people. Lead singer Miles' velvety smooth tones go perfectly with the overall vibe the three-piece pull off so effortlessly. It's like the snuggling up with the perfect blend of silk and cashmere.

Their zesty 80s style is somewhat lacking in the music industry of today. Theme Park could be one of the biggest bands of my generation, I can imagine telling my offspring about my experiences seeing them as I grew up.
 
It may be a snowy winter's night outside but inside this cosy venue I feel like could be in a beachfront cafe in LA sipping on a coconut cocktail, with Marcus' Hawaiin shirt completing the illusion. After the most enjoyable three quarters of an hour I have experienced in a long time the gig concludes with my, and apparently everyone elses, personal favourite 'Wax'.

I was lucky enough to catch an interview with the guys prior to the show, it was lovely to meet them and the interview will be published on the blog at the beginning of next week.

Theme Parks' debut album is available now on iTunes.

A Little Update...

Hello dearest loyal bloggy readers,

I'm really sorry that I haven't written anything for this blog since my Christmas article (wow, that sounds even longer now that I'm typing it). I've got some really cool ideas for some new articles and a couple of rough drafts but I've had no time to pursue them.

Apparently trying to manage all of my schoolwork and write a blog is actually rather difficult. The Spanish curriculum is very harsh and time consuming, not to mention trying to keep up with the language at the same time. Every exam I do is very important as it contributes to my overall term mark for the subject, failing more than 2 means repeating the year, eek!

I hope you can forgive me and I promise that soon I will have more articles than you can shake a stick at, although I'm not really sure why you'd want to do that... If you're still struggling to find that forgiveness in your heart, here's a cute picture of my cat Rudolfo:

Besos,
Lauren x

We Wish You A Commercial Christmas

Every year we predict when the Christmas stock will be available on the shop shelves. Will they wait until after Hallowe'en this year? Will it go in the aisle with the reduced BBQ's and summer stock (after another disastrous summer when no one could use any of it)? This year the shops couldn't wait until after Hallowe'en or even until October. On the 1st of September 2012, my local chain supermarket was selling Christmas Cards. Yes, I will name and shame them, that would be you Morrisons. When I made a joke about the offence, a member of staff assured me that all of the Christmas stock would be out after the weekend. I couldn't quite believe it...

This was, of course, before I moved to Alicante. I didn't see a single Christmas'sy thing here until the middle of November. The local 'Feliz Navidad' lights were put up in the local Spanish town where I live at the beginning of this month. Yes, in December, the month of Christmas. Having festive lights is no rare occurance here, they often have the streets decorated for all sorts of holidays and fiestas. However, the Spanish would possibly collapse at the thought of putting them up 3 and a half months before the event.

Christmas adverts are shown in the UK very early too, while we do all love getting in the seasonal mood with the Coca-Cola advert, we don't need to see it in months of anticipation. I've also heard people complaining about radio stations playing Christmas songs too early, which can also be frustrating. The radio stations here in Spain tend not to play Christmas songs, as it's not in their culture. For that reason, I must confess I have been listening to Radio 1 online for some festive tunes, you can't beat a bit of Wham! and Mariah Carey. While, of course, I have also been playing my Michael Bublé Christmas album on a loop (which I may have stolen from my mum).

I asked one of my Spanish friends if we could go shopping for Christmas presents for our parents at some point last week as it was getting a bit close to the date. He said not to worry and that we would go at the weekend or on Monday (Christmas Eve!) One thing I have noticed about the Spanish is that they don't prepare for anything too far in advance, even making plans. I did go shopping this weekend and it was lovely to see all of the lights and decorations, I got a real sense of celebration and cheer without it being thrown in my face.

Maybe somebody, somewhere, got confused along the line, perhaps we're all trying to be ready in time for Thanksgiving - a holiday which fortunately the British don't seem to have jumped all over yet, let's not hold our breath though. The 25th of December seems to be a mythical day away for those out late night shopping every week from the beginning of October. Why do people feel so smug because they have wrapped all of their gifts before November?

The saddest thing is people forgetting the real reason we celebrate Christmas. Leave rushing around for a moment and have a think about why you're doing it. Are you just another commercial target falling right into the trap? Why don't we just take time to breathe and celebrate and enjoy Christmas for what it actually is? There is no need for everyone to work up until Christmas Eve so that when Christmas Day actually comes, they are all miserable and sleep-deprived, wishing the day to be over and dreading work the next.

As I write this now there are articles in the papers about Amazon's sale starting on Christmas Day. Must anyone stoop to that level? I don't think it's right to blame Amazon, after all, they don't even need to have any staff working. We need to take a look at the sort of people we've become, if we can't even go one day without the sense that we are missing a bargain. Be more than another Christmas statistic, love and cherish your family, the shops will still be there tomorrow.
                                                                                                                                                      

I would also like to take this moment to wish all of my blog readers a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!  I hope you all keep reading throughout 2013 while enjoying everything that comes your way. This blog has now reached over 5,000 views and my only wish is that it continues to grow throughout next year. (It will be a sad day when I have to let my Christmas theme and falling snow go!)

Lots of love,
Lauren Marion
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Va Va Voom - Lovin' The Vintage Vibe

"Ooh I adore that vintage style dress!" I say while flicking through a magazine, my mum rolls her eyes. Of course vintage style clothes are never quite as cool as the real thing. You also miss the fun of rummaging through to see what wicked bargains you can find. Awkwardly, everything I ever pick out my mother seems to have owned twenty years ago. As for the word "vintage", it was simply "second-hand" to them back in the day.

It's hard not to notice trends repeating themselves over and over these days. Leggings were supposedly a thing of the 90's, yet you can't go anywhere without seeing somewhere wearing a pair. I guess 2012 saw the return of high-waisted denim and tucked-in shirts. My friends and I adore high-waisted shorts, they are the "it" item of clothing, anyone who is anyone owns a pair, while frayed edges ticks another style box. 

I love to grab my latest new find from the likes of Republic and H&M, team with my favourite pair of denim shorts and then dig around in my mum's wardrobe to steal an old beaten up denim jacket (which was probably pre-owned before she bought it). DIY Vintage can be fabulous too, I made my own 80's style gilet by cutting off the sleeves of my boring, and frankly plain, denim jacket and sticking on a retro pin. I also cut up old jeans, tie-dyed them and frayed the edges. Perfect if you don't want to let go of an item just yet and in these times of "recession", even though I like to convince myself you cannot punish fashion for the governments' mistakes, it's a little lighter on the purse too.

So why has cast off clothing become such a stylish must-have for young fashionistas? I personally love the concept of recycling fashion, the thought of my clothes coming with a story is really cool. The happy memories someone shared with their shirt, all of the places it's been and what the previous owners were really like are now passed on to me, so I can continue the story. Maybe to some, Vintage is overrated but I suppose not everyone can see the beauty in something that's not shiny and new.

People spend hundreds of pounds on items of clothing from different eras as originally vintage was about buying one-off pieces of retro couture. However, it has now evolved into accessible fashion for young people wanting to stand out and wear something a little bit more original. Perhaps we have Primark to thank for that, I have often stood in their store considering purchasing one of their garments but worried that every girl in my school would own it.

It's not just clothes either, shoes and hairstyles have all come back in too. Converse have become a timeless iconic item for all generations and the length of your hair will never be seen as "so last year". Retro everything is huge just now; cars, clocks, telephones and even packaging on food and drink. The Jean Paul Gautier Coca-Cola bottles are very similar to the original Coca-Cola design. Old-fashioned cameras are a must have too, there's something precious about their design and how the photos come out. This is why the Apple and Android app Instagram is so popular, it makes your average picture look like an old polaroid image (my snapshots are displayed in the sidebar of my blog).

Lana Del Rey and Paloma Faith are the picture of old-style glamour, their latest albums proving that nostalgic music is everlasting too. Their hair and wardrobe choices also reflecting those of sultry singers in the late 20th century. These ladies may seem like they're from a different era but they represent 2012 far better than teeny-bop boybands and auto-tune. Vintage music comes with a certain amount of respect and flare, and I know which feels more authentic to me.

High Street shops are all scouring their back-catalogues to find pieces for their new collections, trying to recreate real vintage. Although others may argue fashion is supposed to be about creating new ideas and showcasing something that's never been seen before, I'll never tire of stealing my mum's old clothes.

Could you live without your iPod?

It's hard to imagine that about ten years ago none of it really existed. Having a personal laptop and mobile phone with unlimited internet access wasn't actually a key part of being a teenager. The lack of Wi-Fi access was hardly a priority for everyday living. Technology has advanced so rapidly since I was born, it's impossible for me to know what it must have been like for my parents growing up.

Originally in 2001 the iPod was created as a device to listen to music, I'm told to replace the rather popular Sony walkman, and that was all. Yet the latest generation of iPods, which are now touch screen, connect to Wi-Fi and have a huge range of apps from social networks such as Twitter and Facebook to Pedometers, Magazines and instant translators. You can FaceTime anyone with an Apple device anywhere in the world, making miles between loved ones completely immaterial. Costing around £170 from Apple, it may be a little more expensive than previous personal music devices but it is more of a personal hand held computer.

For my 14th birthday this year, I was given my very own 8GB iPod touch. I had wanted one for ages and now, 6 months later, I can't remember what I did without it. I can barely leave the house without it in my handbag or slipped into the pocket of my jeans. The wide range of accessories solely available for the iPod shows just how popular they are. Most of my Scottish friends have one, if not an iPhone or often both.

We're all so impatient and the notion of waiting just isn't an option nowadays. Tram stations in cities actually have free Wi-fi, to make your ten minute wait a little less of a chore. It's quite rare to find a bar or restaurant without a free Wi-Fi connection and most shopping centres have it too. A quick flick through the latest magazine that's just been sent to your iPod or checking out your favourite artists' brand new music video makes time pass a little faster for our overstimulated generation.

At home my iPod is always near me, whether I'm listening to music via my docking station or using it to chat to friends, it always prevents any form of boredom. Is this because I don't know how to entertain myself without it? From my point of view: No. I think I could easily live without it, but I'm hoping that's not something I'll ever have to experience.

When Babygros Go Bad

Recently, I read the most awful article about Onesies. Not only was it terribly written, the basis of the entire article was flawed with the reality that they were never created to be worn in public. Though I do not own one and am not writing this while wearing one as an experiment, it does not mean I don't have quite an opinion.

The older members of my family have often told me how they used to joke about the need for someone to design babygros for adults in reference to pictures of me as a toddler zipped into my fleece "onesie". You may guess how shocked they were when the day actually came. I think they were made on a whim but then what was supposed to be light humour has escalated into a nation of people who own several and never take them off.

I cannot stress enough how wrong they are on so many levels. Not only do they look like the attire of a institutionalised person, but clearly they were not meant to substitute clothing on a day to day basis. Primark actually has a family section of the offending articles, Dad should never be wearing the same clothing item as his 5 year old daughter. You can also imagine what your average 15 year old boys' Onesie might smell like after three days of wear. Maybe I'm coming across a little harsh, after all they're supposed to be worn in the comfort of your own home, I just can't help but wonder what on earth would posses you to do so, unless you live in a caravan with no source of heat.

Apparently girls are supposed to find it attractive when members of boy bands wear them to be cute, while I can assure you, we don't.  Cheryl Cole may have been spotted in one, but hers probably cost more than your average onesie-wearers rent. There is no such thing as a classy Onesie. Expensive? Yes. Acceptable? No. Classy? Never.

A Melodious Hug From Lewis Watson

The best way to sum up Lewis Watsons' latest EP 'Another Four Sad Songs' would be fourteen minutes of pure loveliness. I'm pretty sure the man could make Gangnam Style deep and beautiful, fortunately, he doesn't have to as not only does he have the wonderful voice, but writing talent too. Within only hours of its release 'Another Four Sad Songs' reached #2 in the Singer/Songwriter iTunes chart and #18 in the main top 100, also charting in Australia and USA.

The EP opens with the beautifully written 'Once Before', illustrating Lewis' effortless vocals. A simple love song with a real meaning anyone can relate too.

Following that is the first single from the EP. Straight into the lyrics "sink or swim, hold your breath and just dive right in, ride the wave, just ride the wave far from where we came". It's one of those songs that puts into words what every girl wants to hear from her boyfriend. You probably won't be able to stop yourself trying to harmonise in with the chorus, we all that need someone to will hold onto us for dear life. (This one is a Mummy Lauren favourite too).

'Lamplight' is next, a haunting Bombay Bicycle Club acoustic cover. Highlighting the poetic lyrics "these scattered flashes of delight, they can't help but sway your mind". 

The last track on 'Another Four Sad Songs' is 'Even If', an incredible song you could imagine being as massive as a Coldplay hit and Chris Martin performing it to thousands. Although I'm sure it won't be long before Lewis is singing it to his very own hoards of fans. The message being 'I can't run away from a big mistake', explaining that apologies aren't always enough. 

Having had the pleasure of interviewing Lewis back in July, I admire him for being so genuine and remaining humble and loyal to his fans as his music career continues to snowball. When it's cold and raining outside, snuggle up with a blanket and a mug of hot chocolate and lose yourself in his soulful heart melting music.

Another Four Sad Songs and the prequel It's Got Four Sad Songs On It BTW are out now on iTunes

A One Way Ticket and Seven Suitcases...

My family and I recently decided to pack up our lives into seven suitcases and move to Spain. Hence the lack of articles, on my behalf, I can only apologise. I'm now living in a little Spanish town, just North of Alicante, the beach is on my doorstop and I go to a local high school. This should maybe be the time I mention that I am fluent in Spanish as I lived in Spain for a year and a half when I was 8 years old.

Deciding what you can live without is hard, not referring to solely physical belongings. My life was in Glasgow, my family and friends, school, the music scene and the base of my blog. You have to realise what's the most important to you in life and that's truly difficult. Your own happiness has to come first, then you have the chance to consider other people's. The thought of packing my life into a few suitcases was scary, but I learned to appreciate that all I needed was my family (and the internet, of course), the rest is all just materialistic.

At first it was all a bit daunting. Then the realisation of what a great opportunity it could be soon took over. It's coming up to six weeks that I have now been living my new "life in the sun" and I can't put into words how much I love it. Trying not to refer to my book of clichés too much, but I do feel like I belong here and this is where I'm supposed to be. People are so much friendlier and I've already made some really special friends. For the first time in my life, everything feels perfect and I keep catching myself smiling subconsciously.

This blog was never supposed to be an insight into my personal life, instead a place for me to voice my opinions, post interviews and show a little bit of me. I definitely don't want to change that either, I just felt as my lovely readers you deserved a personal update. Nevertheless, you can expect to read about what it's like being emerged into the Spanish lifestyle, the culture differences - first hand - feeling a teeny bit homesick and the usual lot of strong opinions from me.

Thank you,
Lauren Marion
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