Thank you 2010. The music industry continues to flounder, the death of BBC 6Music, more cookie-cutter synth-pop and plumbing the all new depths of NOW 75. You may come to the conclusion that my outlook on new music for the decade is a rather negative one; this is thankfully not the case because of Teenage Rampage.

Run by Bristol Music Foundation, Teenage Rampage hosts a number of southwest regional heats, everywhere from Truro to Gloucester to Bournemouth, where the best in emerging acts get to play showcase gigs to leading music industry members. Previous winners of Teenage Rampage such at The Orchid, The Naturals, The Lorcarnos, and Napoleon In Rags have gone on to achieve great things and have really raised the profile of new music in the southwest.

This year takes these opportunities even further with the winners getting an industry mentor, a day in a recording studio, a track on the Teenage Rampage Summer Tour 2010 CD and they get to play at the Teenage Rampage Stage at this year’s Bristol Festival. As well as all this, Teenage Rampage runs an apprenticeship program helping under 19s to start their music career. This lets them grab the chance to help promote and run local heats, as well as working alongside professionals from the music industry and learn about marketing, management and running a record label.

The summer tour runs throughout July and August and the deadline for applications for bands and apprentices is 18th June. Looking at the amazing acts to come out of last year’s competition, I can’t wait to see what 2010 will hold.

www.teenagerampage.co.uk

I caught up with last year’s Bristol-based winners from Teenage Rampage. They are the raw, tightly weaving, boundary pushing, sound-scape conjuring art-rockers known as The Naturals.

SY: Since winning last year’s Teenage Rampage what have you been up to?
Harry: Since then we’ve been gigging lots and have been blessed with a great range of support slots, such as Bombay Bicycle Club at 02 Academy. That gig was great because it was packed out and gave us a chance to play to a completely new audience!

SY: What did you get out of your Teenage Rampage experience?
Felix: It really helped us appreciate the amount of effort that goes into a tour. Relying on other people (namely our parents) for transport, trying to stay friendly with everyone we meet in order to build connections so to speak.
Robin: Yeah, it definitely helped us in terms of relationships with other bands and what not. Just knowing what to do and to what extent became more apparent with the more shows we played on the tour.

SY: Do you think there’s enough ways for young people to get involved in the music industry?
Felix: I guess it’s more a question of whether there are enough music industry folk willing to give young bands or budding managers a chance these days. With the slow decline of the industry comes somewhat of a hesitance to invest in something new, which could explain the countless replica bands being released at the moment.

SY: Any predictions on young bands to look out for in the southwest?
Harry: Yes loads and loads! For me I’d have to say Farthing Wood: clever, catchy and without a doubt and one of the best bands in Bristol!
Felix: Archimedes are another bunch.
Robin: The Locarnos are an indie pop delight. They’re way more musically adept than the majority of indie-pop bands actually, so perhaps they’re not an indie-pop delight. They’re transcendary goodness puts them above that ilk of bands.

SY: What’s the future for The Naturals?
Felix: We’ve had interest from labels before but the timing never felt right, so hopefully they haven’t forgotten about us and our new found freedom will help us knuckle down.
Harry: Well we’re currently booking a tour for July which would coincide with a new single, Gift Horse.
Robin:  While we wait for the new records to be written and the tours to take shape, I’m working on trying to paper-mache my entire house. It’s a bit of Naturals hibernation but we’ll be back. Watch this space.

www.myspace.com/naturalsmusic

Sam Betts