The Damn Truth UK Tour
THE DAMN TRUTH NOVEMBER UK TOUR 2025 WITH SPECIAL GUESTS
TICKETS ON SALE: 10AM WEDNESDAY 26th MARCH 2025
Available from: https://www.thegigcartel.com/
“Accept no substitute, The Damn Truth are probably the finest rock ‘n’ roll band on the planet right now.” - Metal Planet Music
“One of the best shows I’ve seen this year.” - Music News
“With a near sell-out crowd, the band delivered an electrifying set that left the audience buzzing with excitement.” - Rock News
Critically acclaimed psychedelic Montreal four-piece rock and roll band the Damn Truth return to the UK for an 11-date November 2025 headline tour. Tickets go on sale at 10am on Wednesday 26 March via https://www.thegigcartel.com/
The UK tour starts at Norwich Waterfront Studio (Wednesday November 12), takes in London Underworld (Friday November 21), and finishes at The Globe, Cardiff (Sunday November 23).
“We’re very excited to return to the UK for another tour,” says lead singer and guitarist, Lee-la Baum. “We always enjoy performing shows in England. The enthusiasm of UK audiences is incredible.”
In 2021, the band released their critically acclaimed breakout album NOW OR NOWHERE. Produced by legendary Grammy Award winning Bob Rock (Motley Crue, The Offspring, Bon Jovi). On March 14, 2025, the band released their new self-titled album, THE DAMN TRUTH (also produced by Bob Rock) which features their brand-new single ‘All Night Long’.
Stream ‘All Night Long’ on Spotify and YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCC8hxDCUNRvNCUzo8QRHUKQ
Rock News calls the new single “A full-throttle rock and roll banger. Imagine The Cult, Led Zeppelin, and The Damn Truth all colliding on a sweaty, beer-drenched stage.” There is no deep philosophy here; this is a hell yeah rabble-rousing party song that may (or may not) be based on real life situations the band has experienced on tour.
Order the new album on vinyl and CD from: https://thedamntruth.bigcartel.com
Order the digital edition of the new album from: https://music.spectramusique.com/tdtalbum
David Gray’s New LP & Tour
DAVID GRAY 2025 ‘PAST & PRESENT’ WORLD TOUR INCLUDES TWENTY-SEVEN UK & IRELAND DATES ACROSS
MARCH, APRIL, MAY & AUGUST 2025
Acclaimed new album DEAR LIFE out now VIA LAUGH A MINUTE RECORDS / SECRETLY DISTRIBUTION
LISTEN HERE: https://laughaminute.lnk.to/DearLife
David Gray has embarked on his fifty-two date Past & Present world tour in support of his critically acclaimed new album, DEAR LIFE, released earlier this year via his independent label, Laugh A Minute Records/Secretly Distribution.
Gray will embark upon a run of UK dates throughout March, April, and May. The majority of shows are already sold out, including London’s iconic Royal Albert Hall, the first of two shows at the London Palladium, Glasgow’s SEC Armadillo, Manchester’s 02 Apollo and Dublin’s 3Arena. All UK and European dates will feature special guest Talia Rae, Gray’s collaborator on the lead single, ‘Plus & Minus’.
The response to DEAR LIFE has been extraordinary. Critics have hailed the album as “a brooding triumph” (Telegraph), “his most confessional and emotive work to date” (Clash Magazine), and “a slow-burner that catches fire” (Mojo). The album has also drawn comparisons to Gray’s multi-platinum-selling, WHITE LADDER - “the sonic DNA of White Ladder is present here,” (Rolling Stone) and “his most successful album since WHITE LADDER” (Music OMH). Gray’s artistry as a songwriter has also been singled out - “this 13th album confirms Gray’s not lost his touch” (Guardian) and “a soulful collection of richly poetic songs about love, change and mortality” (Independent).
David Gray’s story is unlike any other. He spent almost a decade striving to make a breakthrough, and when it happened it did so in the biggest way imaginable as WHITE LADDER became one of the best-selling British albums of recent decades and established him as an arena-filling artist. As the years have passed, his songcraft has only been deepened by his natural ability to convey specific emotions, atmospheres, or, as heard on his acclaimed 2021 album SKELLIG, a perception of place - all positioning him in the lineage of classic poetic singer-songwriters rather than lovestruck acoustic troubadours. While the likes of Ed Sheeran, Adele and Hozier have acknowledged his influence, David has continued to follow his own artistic path.
DEAR LIFE is Gray’s thirteenth album. It’s the result of “a starburst of songwriting … it just seemed like the gods of songwriting were being kind. The doubting voices didn’t turn up.” An album of emotional crisis and resolution, mortality and faith, reality and illusion, love and heartbreak, magic, science, loss and acceptance. While it is full of yearning and hope, there is an undercurrent of darkness, a tension between competing forces of hope and despair: a cavalcade of emotions in what is his most lyrically-focused collection to-date.
‘Plus & Minus’ catches the songwriter at his most immediately infectious. The song’s piano refrain frames a duet about a fractured relationship, in which Gray’s distinctive voice trades words of disillusionment and despair with newcomer Talia Rae, whose smoky vocal simultaneously evokes equal measures of wit and sadness.
On Freelance Photography
Freelance, regular or staff: career insights for young photojournalists from Brent Stirton
What are the best ways to get regular work in the competitive world of photojournalism? One of the leading practitioners in the field, Brent Stirton, gives his advice.
A muscular young man with his arms raised aloft and hands linked stands on a riverbank. Taken by Brent Stirton on a Canon EOS R5.
“As a photojournalist, you need to be focused on your own projects and have faith in the fact that the way you see the world is unique,” says Brent Stirton. “If you really put your heart and soul into it, you will make images that are interesting.” Taken on a Canon EOS R5 with a Canon RF 24-70mm F2.8L IS USM lens at 25mm, 1/250 sec, f/7.1 and ISO 320. © Brent Stirton/Getty Images for GEO Magazine
Photojournalism is a much sought-after career, but if you’re a student or recent graduate, what are the best ways to find regular work? Is doing freelance assignments the best way to begin, and can they lead to staff jobs? And what are the chances of getting regular work from that one-off big assignment?
To answer these questions, we asked the multi-award-winning photojournalist and Canon Ambassador Brent Stirton for his views. Brent has been a full-time professional since 1995 and has covered stories for major publications including The New York Times, Der Spiegel and National Geographic as well as NGOs such as Human Rights Watch. He has won numerous prizes including 13 coveted World Press Photo awards and is currently a senior correspondent for Getty Images and a National Geographic Explorer.
Here, Brent, who is also a speaker at this year’s Canon Student Development Programme, talks about different routes into photojournalism and the future for freelance photojournalists, as well as offering some invaluable advice on the kit needed by those starting out in the profession.
“At the beginning of your career, you must find original ideas, then you need to find a way of maintaining yourself while you develop and shoot those ideas,” says Brent. “In the current climate, it’s more challenging to get grants for very complex projects. Projects which are often less complex and might lead to prettier pictures are easier to fund.” Taken on a Canon EOS R5 with a Canon RF 24-70mm F2.8L IS USM lens at 36mm, 1/250 sec, f/4 and ISO 1600. © Brent Stirton/Getty Images for National Geographic
How to be a freelance photographer
When beginning a career in photojournalism, Brent says the most important thing is to build up the finance that will allow you to pursue your projects and develop a portfolio. “Try to work towards a really clear vision of what you want to do, and then find a job, live lean, and do whatever you need to do to save some capital, then go and do a project,” he says. “That project can be in your own country, even your own town, or overseas.”
“You need to be able to make unique images of a situation or issue that people haven’t thought about or haven’t looked at for a while. If you’re interested in wildlife, for example, think of a place to go where there’s a species you’re particularly drawn to. If you’re interested in conflict, find a lesser-known conflict. Ultimately, you need to build a portfolio that really shows who you are.”
“If you want to be a stringer for agencies such as AP, AFP, Reuters or Getty, you need to have the same value system and you need to demonstrate it in terms of your commitment to staying in a place, producing excellent images and in many cases being there first,” says Brent. Taken on a Canon EOS R5 with a Canon RF 24-70mm F2.8L IS USM lens at 29mm, 1/250 sec, f/5 and ISO 400. © Brent Stirton/Getty GEO Magazine
Being a successful freelancer means regularly coming up with strong, original ideas and turning those ideas into high-quality bodies of work. It gives you the freedom to work on your own projects, though financial survival depends on getting regular work and this path doesn’t offer the security of a staff job.
If you’re a young photojournalist aiming to get regular freelance work, it’s vital to nurture relationships with picture editors. “When you’re starting out, you have to break into the profession and it’s not easy,” says Brent. “If you’re proposing a story, make sure it’s in line with the kind of things a particular publication usually works on. Then send a short introductory email including a couple of pieces of your work, no more than five. They need to be really good. Tell them what you’re working on and that you’d like to submit some work to them on a regular basis for consideration. Picture editors are constantly receiving emails and they’re looking for something professional which says who you are, what you’re doing and why they should look at your work. After your initial approach, follow up in a subtle fashion; don’t bombard them with daily emails and don’t be demanding.”
© Brent StirtonOne route into regular freelancing is being a stringer - a photographer or videographer retained by a publication to report on events in a particular place. “If you can base yourself in a place that’s topical and you can be reliable and generate good content on a regular basis, you’ll probably work, though it’s unlikely you’ll make a lot of money,” says Brent. “Being a stringer can sometimes lead to a staff job, but it’s very competitive.”
Often, freelance photojournalists have to support themselves and their work with other kinds of freelance photography such as wedding, fashion or corporate work. But that can also improve your overall skills. “You shouldn’t look down on any form of photography because any form that’s executed well is a step in making you a better photographer,” he continues. “When you’re not working for someone in this way, you should always be working on your own projects.”
Trump’s Winning Ways…?
I recently watched a TV interview with Robert Redford recorded in 1976. In it he described his career with special emphasis on two films which he felt were some of the most important. The Candidate was about a candidate for State Senator who started out with little hope of winning but through clever manipulation and high finance succeeded. Redford spoke of the USA political environment which he felt barely reflected the true needs of the nation and its people.
The second film was All The President’s Men which Redford had fought to have made along with the director Sydney Pollock. It took three years to complete due to its complexity and need to be as true to real events as possible. It was about President Nixon and the Watergate scandal which eventually brought down the president. I wondered how he would now view President Trump and his performance before and after his election…especially since the new president is a convicted felon who by becoming president somehow avoided several other virtually certain criminal convictions.
Recent Events
The USA’s shocking alignment with Russia at the United Nations came as the Trump administration has pursued discussions with Moscow about ending the war. President Donald Trump has ratcheted up his rhetoric towards Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
The European-backed General Assembly resolution was adopted with 93 votes in favor. It notes “with concern the full-scale invasion of Ukraine by the Russian Federation has persisted for three years and continues to have devastating and long-lasting consequences not only for Ukraine, but also for other regions and global stability” and “calls for a de-escalation, an early cessation of hostilities and a peaceful resolution of the war against Ukraine.”
It also demands that Russia “immediately, completely and unconditionally withdraw all of its military forces from the territory of Ukraine within its internationally recognized borders.”
This was followed by Zelenskyy’s dreadful treatment by Trump and Vance in the Oval office in front of the world’s press and millions of TV viewers. He refused to sign a ‘minerals deal’ which granted the USA rights to rare earths and minerals in Ukraine in return for the aid given by the USA (wrongly quoted by Trump as $500 billion when in reality it was $130 billion) in fighting the war with Russia. Zelenskyy refused to sign as there was no proposal or promise for Ukraine’s future safety and security. Zelenskyy was forced to leave the White House immediately following the disagreement.
Martha Wainwright’s Debut LP
Debut Album Released on Vinyl May 23
Bonus Disc on CD/Digital and 18 Date Summer UK Tour
Twenty years ago, Martha Wainwright stepped out of her family’s illustrious shadow and announced herself to the world with her stunning debut album ‘Martha Wainwright’. Featuring ‘Bloody Mother Fucking Asshole’, a song about her father, ‘Factory’ and ‘When The Day Is Short’, it immediately proved she was a major talent to be reckoned with.
On May 23rd, [PIAS] will release this album on vinyl for the very first time. This classic debut will also be released on CD and digital with extra tracks and a bonus disc that features 14 rarities and alternate versions.
Gems include ‘Bring Back My Heart’ featuring Rufus Wainwright, the never before released ‘Our Love’ with Kate & Anna McGarrigle and ‘Far Away’ featuring the late, great Garth Hudson.
“In the years before my first album was released, I was doing my own version of ‘artist development’ - playing a lot of gigs and going into the studio to make demos,” Martha remembers. “I got to New York City in 1998. It was a magical blur of fun and discovery, meeting musicians, playing and seeing shows and going into the studio. Hopping from bar to bar in the Lower East Side and Williamsburg.”
“These are some of the recordings that came out of that time,” Martha says of the bonus material. “Some were released as EPs that I would sell at shows but others have never been released. These are the ones that best reflect that time and the wild eclecticism I’ve always had, for better or worse, as an artist.”
To support the release, Martha will play eighteen shows this summer including two in London: the already sold out Union Chapel May 30th and Cadogan Hall August 30th.
Vinyl Track list:
1. Far Away
2. G.P.T.
3. Factory
4. These Flowers
5. Ball & Chain
6. Don’t Forget
7. This Life
8. When the Day is Short
9. Bloody Mother Fucking Asshole
10. TV Show
11. The Maker
12. Who Was I Kidding
DIGITAL / CD Track list:
DISC 1 - 20th Anniversary Release
1. Far Away
2. G.P.T.
3. Factory
4. These Flowers
5. Ball & Chain
6. Don’t Forget
7. This Life
8. When the Day is Short
9. Bloody Mother Fucking Asshole
10. TV Show
11. The Maker
12. Who Was I Kidding
13. Whither Must I Wander
14. Bring Back My Heart (feat. Rufus Wainwright)
15. Baby
16. Dis, Quand Reviendras-Tu?
DISC 2 - OUTLIERS
1. Can You Hear Me *
2. The Sex Song *
3. The Dead *
4. Factory #2 *
5. Our Love *
6. Far Away (w/ Garth) *
7. Pretty Good Day
8. The Car Song
9. It’s Over
10. I Will Internalize
11. Bye Bye Blackbird
12. New York, New York, New York
13. When the Day is Short (Demo) *
14. Year of the Dragon
*never before released
Roger Waters on Amused To Death
To celebrate Roger Waters’ moving and highly relevant album AMUSED TO DEATH, we are revisiting a rare Roger Waters interview where he talks about the album - one of my best 100 of all time. The interview and music are particularly relevant at this time…
The title of the album reminds me of Neil Postman’s book. So, was it the basic idea?
The idea ‘no’, the title ‘yes’. I stole the title from that book, because I loved the title. I like the book very much. This is what I thought, it was very interesting - but the title I loved. So I stole it.
So, what’s the basic idea of the album?
Well, it characterises this gorilla watching TV, and the gorilla is a metaphor for the human race, or for human beings. The album is based upon my response to TV of the last few years.
So, do you watch to TV sometimes?
Recently no, but I was in the habit of watching TV from time to time. I’ve been in the United States for the last eight or nine months where TV is almost unwatchable, unless you’re interested in American football. But the sport also is almost unwatchable, because of the interruptions. They’re so irritating… I’ve never watched an enormous amount of TV, but, however a number of songs from this record are based on my response to specific bits of news, or documentary stuff I’ve seen. But the beginning of the idea of the album came from the song ‘Perfect Sense Part 1′. The image of the monkey comes from the opening shot of ‘2001 - Space Odyssey”, the Stanley Kubrick movie. The chimpanzee is not a chimpanzee, but the early man, if you like, who discovers the bone. And then he can use this bone as a weapon. And that song precedes through a brief history of the human race, until we find ourselves returning to the Garden of Eden at the end of this song, to have another war.
It’s a conceptual album, isn’t it? You like doing concept albums?
Yes, that is my style.
Why? Is it boring for you to do an album - just one song after another - what’s the reason for that?
I can explain it and I’m not sure whether I should either. We don’t choose the work that we do - the work chooses us. I think most people who paint pictures that are interesting, or make music that is interesting, tend to be in contact with something which chooses them rather than the other way around. So, normally, if you’d say ‘well, now I’m going to write a song about the war in the gulf’ it’s likely that it will be boring, because it gets in the pedantry of the approach. So, it’s always been more interesting to me to produce a work that starts and goes through a series of songs that have a relationship - one with the other - and then has a middle and finally has an end, than to do single songs. I don’t know why.”
There are some interesting musicians on ‘Watching TV’…
Yeah, those are a small group of Chinese musicians that call themselves ‘The Peking Brothers’. I believe, they ‘escaped’ from the National Peking Orchestra when they were in London a few years ago. There’s Chinese instruments, lute, a bass and a girl singing, as well. But also more interestingly: in the middle of the piece, after “I grieve for my sister”, you hear a girl’s voice in Chinese, which was on a tape that was smuggled out after the Tiananmen Square massacre from one of the leaders of the student demonstrators there. The whole thing is called ‘Waiting for Our Executioners’ and the bit that I’ve got on the record is the end of her tape, and she says: “People in China, do not forget, do not forget the children who died for you. Long live the Republic!” It’s really a moving thing.
You’re singing together with Don Henley. So, how was it, working with him together? Is he a friend of yours?
He’s a friend of a friend of mine. The disc jockey on Radio Kaos is a friend of Don’s. And he’s been trying to get us together. He felt we are like-minded people. I thought that this song would work with two male voices. I asked him first whether he’d be delighted to and he said ‘fine’. So, I played him the song and he liked it and came in the studio and we did it in a session.
It ’s the first album after five years, after the Kaos album. Did you work for five years on that album?
No, I’ve done other things in the meantime. I wrote the music for an opera which is about the French Revolution. And I did one or two other things.
How do you work when you compose an album? Do you write first the lyrics, or do you compose first the music?
It depends. It varies a lot. Recently, I’ve moved more and more towards a technique, whereby having been moved by something enough for the idea for a song to form in my mind. I will then record a demo of some music. When I feel that the lyrics may be ready to appear I will go into the studio and put the tape on. And I put the headphones on and stand in front of the microphone while the engineer plays the tape. And when the moment comes, when the song should start, I sing, with nothing written down on paper. And sometimes I get 3-4-5-6 line out, straight away. Some of it, of course, is rubbish - and then I’ll go back and drop in a record of what I’ve done and build the song up that way. When the mood is right sometime, I can get a whole song in about half an hour, 40 minutes, so it is very efficient. But also it takes the hurry out of the writing, and it reduces the amount of craft and increases the connection with whatever the muse is that enables me to write songs in the first place.
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