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Press
Web Reviews & Interviews:
15/03/08
ROCK MATRIX
Single review: Vitamins
"With choruses and melodies as good as this, the 'Vitamins' single and accompanying tracks couldn't fail!
The stated influneces of Bloc Party and U2 are there to hear immediately, with the twangy Party-like riff and drumming giving 'Vitamins' a nice continuous rhythm. The chorus is inevitably catchy and one which should be plastered all over Xfm and Radio 1 if given the chance. Vocalist Andy Martin has a strong natural voice and never overplays the indie vocals like so many of his contempories. 'Answers on a postcard' is just as good and would be at home on the dancefloors of the local student union as well as national radio. 'The start of the end begins' drives home its melody so hard that you are left wanting more.
Dead World Leaders have produced a CD of catchy but mature indie rock which deserves to place them firmly in the ears and hearts of music fans.
8.5/10
"
Review by Alan
Link to Review >
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01/12/07
SHEFFIELD STAR
Live review: Octagon, Sheffield (supporting Milburn and The Dead 60's)
"FROM Daybreak to Dead World Leaders, only a new bassist in terms of personnel change but this is a distinctive shift for the Sheffield support band. All the better for it too; with an eye for a sharp, driving guitar line the songs soar - like Editors if they decided to chomp on some Prozac once in a while. Or perhaps, like DWL’s robust and intense new single suggests, Vitamins."
Omar Soliman.
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23/11/07
SHEFFIELD STAR
Single Review: Vitamins
"Boxing Clever Again..."
Super confident Sheffielders Dead World Leaders cement their reputation with another solid single on Monday and a support slot for the sold out return to the Octagon of fellow citizens Milburn, plus The Dead 60s, next Thursday.
Download-only Vitamins is a smart rocker with a crowd-pleasing melody, a slightly unconventional vocal and a barn-storming chorus. Flipside Answers On A Postcard is arguably the stronger track though.
David Dunn.
Link to review >
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18/11/07
SHEFFIELD MUSIC SCENE
Interview with Dead World Leaders
In the lead up to the release of their second single "Vitamins" were interviewed Sheffields very own Dead World Leaders...
Q) So who are Dead World Leaders? Tell us a bit about the band.
Andy: We are from Sheffield, in our current incarnation, the band has been together since mid 2006. In the past year or so we have played most places in the UK.
Q) So how did you come to be called Dead World Leaders?
Kyle: Dan came up with Pretend World Leaders and I suggested Dead World Leaders. It was while watching England B lose to 2-1 to Belarus last year.
Q) What inspires you guys?
Dan: For me personally its playing live and watching how people react to the music. In terms of influences we have loads that we would all never agree on but obviously some that we do. I think we just wanna try and write the best songs we can and perform them as well as we know we can consistently.
Q) And how would you describe you style of music?
Kyle: Dark, atmospheric, dancy, melodic and uptempo. It's basically two guitars, bass and drums.
Q) Your second single "Vitamins" is due out on 27th Nov. What's the song about?
Rob: Its about people who try every diet under the sun or every health fad out there so that they fit in with what heat magazine say's they should look like but they still smoke 20 a day and go out on the piss every other night and have a kebab!
Q) Two days after the release you're playing with Milburn @ Octagon. Are you looking forward to it?
Kyle: Fuck yeah!
Rob: Should be a gud'un!
Dan: Yeap, its a nice way to end they year - release a new single, play a big gig in Sheffield then we head down to Bristol two days after the Octagon gig for our last gig of the year.
Q) What have the highlights been so far?
Rob: For me personally everything has been good i think the reverend and the makers tour support gigs have been the highlight so far though.
Kyle: We played the Plug in the summer and we had crowd surfers and everything. Thats was pretty mental.
Dan: The Octagon with Little Man Tate last year was cool, but it's gonna be even better this month as were a much better band now, with better songs.
Q) Plans for the future?
Rob: To keep goin really, keep writing songs keep gigging and avin it when we go on stage!
Dan: Yeah shitloads more gigs, keep spreading our wings!!
Link to interview >
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21/09/07
SHEFFIELD STAR
Live Review: Boardwalk, Sheffield
Some bands simply look and sound like they are built for bigger things. And certainly the aspirational Dead World Leaders boast songs that bristle with commerciality and have the melodic muscle to turn heads. They also have the onstage demeanour that could befit club, pub or theatre.
That is mainly down to singer Andy martin who oozes sometimes too much confidence as he ably fronts anthemic rockets such as Long Way Down and corking recent single The Start Of The End Begins, tunes that are pretty much match fit for radio.
David Dunn.
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14/06/07
BRISTOL ROCKS
Interview with Blood & Guts Management
Kevin: Dom, as the manager of Dead World leaders tell me what has developed for the band over the last year.
Dom: The band have developed musically, having a manager onside has given them the freedom to be creative so there is now more time spent writing and rehearsing as apposed to back in the early days they had to do a lot of the band groundwork themselves.
They also brought in new bassist Rob Nicholson who, I feel has added an edge of zest and freshness to their sound. It's 4 people all pulling in the same direction as outside of the band their lives are remarkably similar so when they come together to write they hit the ground running. Rob, is the brother of former Arctic Monkeys bassist Andy Nicholson, you can tell the talent runs in the family, or maybe that's just because he uses Andy's amp, who knows.
Their sound and quality has gotten them support slots with Little Man Tate and 3 shows with Reverend and the Makers in the past 12 months. They are playing to the crowds of proven bands on the circuit, that is exactly where they need to be. The fans always walk away smiling, which is the dividend for hard work and not a lot of sleep. Both for them and me.
Kevin: So what venues are they playing?
Dom: Next up on the itinerary is Reverend Soundsystem at the Plug in Sheffield, the Plug is a large venue and is used for Club NME nights. They have played loads of great venues over the past year including the Sheffield Octagon with Little Man Tate and the Nottingham Social with Reverend and the Makers, they recently sold out the Boardwalk in Sheffield too for their first Sheffield gig since last year. They've toured hard too, up as far as Glasgow and even squeezed a slot onto the 2006 tour down in Jersey. We're hoping to be confirmed for the Carling Leeds Festival this year.
Kevin: Has there been any interest yet from the music industry yet?
Dom: Indeed, labels have been in touch and the interest is growing, we are currently talking to one particular Major Label who have strong interest. We recently signed a licensing agreement with SKY too, they plan to plug the 2nd single on TV later this year. We've got support from the Majors but DWL is still very much an independent effort, the band's debut single was released off our own label yet was and is still available in HMV and VIRGIN.
Kevin: Are the band (and you) making money at the moment or spending money?
Dom: I'm not going to act like the money side of things does not bother us because it does, everyone needs money to live, it's that simple. It's not the most important aspect of the reason why we're doing this though, we're doing this because we enjoy it, because we love music and because we all want to
succeed. In answer to your question, put it this way, not one of us is in a position to quit our day jobs yet.
Kevin: What are your plans for the rest of the year, what is the next stage of development for the Dead World leaders?
Dom: DWL have built up a fantastic fan base in their hometown of Sheffield, I'd say the next best place to play is Bristol as they've played here 3 times now, made some good fans and people really get into the band. DWL need to keep touring and we need to get the press onside, it's invaluable to have their help. People need to know about DWL and thus far it's all been done by touring up and down the country, but I'm sure a shout-out in one of the big music mags would build an inroad into a UK fanbase.
Kevin: Are DWL getting any radio play & if so how do you encourage the stations to play the tracks?
Dom: DWL have been played on XFM, BBC Radio Sheffield, Hallam FM, BBC Radio Hull and Totalrock. It's down to the DJs, sure I can stick a sales spin on it and get them to play the music but I want the band's music to be played and heard because people genuinely like it. I believe a copy of some new material is due to fall in Zane Lowe's hands in the very near future. I'm currently negotiating an endorsement with Badseed Clothing, who are based in Michigan. So that's going to open up avenues for American airplay.
Kevin: Thanks for that Dom. Finally, is there anything that you would like to say about Blood & Guts management or DWL that may interest our readers?
Dom: Watch out for the band over the next 12 months, as they are going to be exciting times. Also, thanks for your help promoting them on your website, I'll be sure to send you a copy of the next single.
Kevin.
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16/05/07
BRISTOL ROCKS
Live Review: Louisiana, Bristol (supporting Reverend & The Makers)
Dead World Leaders returned to Bristol for their 3rd gig in 12 months. They had one aim in mind, and that was to blow away the sold-out Louisiana. They are here to play to Sheffield indie Godfathers of the scene Reverend and the Makers’ fans and also stamp their own indie-rock footprint on the night.
They set the tempo by launching in to crowd favourite Long Way Down with a roar of approval from the crowd. Their aim is clear, they want to hit fast and hard and keep the energy up throughout the whole of their 30 minute slot. Frontman Andy Martin stops only to wipe the sweat from his brow before catapulting his band into their current single “Start of the End Begins” which has the crowd sucked in and hanging on lead guitarist Kyle Hammond’s every note.
With the bar set the band decide to raise it to the next level and crack a third corker out in the form of the melodic, foggy and wonderfully transindental “One Thing After Another”. It’s more of a relaxed song that allows you to zone out and fall asleep in the arms of the invisible music.
With Martin sweating profusely they then move into the solid and incredibly catchy “Answers on a Postcard” Martins’ voice is impeccable with any band following this set they certainly have their work cut out. The song is driven by the drums, drummer Dan Ryan grabs the bull by the horns and conducts the song from the back whilst all over carefully composed layers marvelously fall in to place.
The venue packed to the rafters, bassist Rob Nicholson can just about fit onstage with the amount of equipment Reverend and the Makers have brought along for their 7 band members. He daren’t fall forward as the venue is heaving. On that note they burst out their 5th track of the evening “Alarm” which really displays the limitless range of Martin’s voice and the phenomenal speed of Hammond’s fingers on the delicious solo thumped out mid-song.
The penultimate song of the night is the second A-side from current single release “Still I Think What I Think” this song is groove heavy and the basslines stick out for their potential in a huge way. This carves the way for set-closer and newest song penned by the tuneful foursome “Vultures”. It’s the fastest, slickest and most original song of the set. It’s addictive qualities leave you wanting more and more of this band. They finish the set, Martin utterly drenched in sweat. This band are really going places, tonight was a warning to all in attendance.
David Machine.
Link to review >
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23/05/07
TONY RUSCOE.NET
Live Review: Boardwalk, Sheffield
This band was the reason we were at the Boardwalk. When they sent me a friend request on MySpace quite a while ago, I had a quick listen and thought they sounded pretty damn good so I added their gig to my calendar. This was their “Homecoming Gig” as they’re a Sheffield band who hadn’t played in the city for seven months or so. DWL (as their friends call them) have a pretty decent following in Sheffield and it’s obvious why; great stage presence coupled with tight, catchy, powerful melodies and riffs that sound great and deserve to be alongside all the other popular indie rock guitar bands in the charts at the moment. And according to one of the reviews on iTunes, they’ve already supported Snow Patrol.
If you want to hear them for yourself, you can download some of their tunes from their website or buy their latest double A-side single The Start of the End Begins / Still I Think What I Think from iTunes – and it goes without saying that I’d definitely recommend catching them live at one of their upcoming gigs.
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27/02/07
FREE INDIE TUNES.BLOGSPOT
Single Review: The Start of the End Begins
Where do I start with these guys? First off, they're another Sheffield indie group. I'm really digging the Sheffield scene lately. I found them on the NME website, and they rocked. I don't know how these guys aren't signed, they really should be. Their style is indie-punk, but they go well beyond the three chord stereotype of typical punk bands. Check them out, and be sure to buy their new double a-side from their website, DeadWorldLeaders.com
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02/02/07
SHEFFIELD STAR
"Dead chuffed with the new single"
AHEAD of their debut single facing the world on Monday power rock quartet Dead World Leaders are also celebrating solving their bass problem after confirming Rob Nicholson to their ranks.
He will make his live debut with the Sheffield band featuring Andy Martin (vocals/guitar), Kyle Hammond (guitars) and Dan Ryan (drums) - soon as gigs are lined up in Barnsley and hometown Sheffield and a full UK tour in April and May. The single is a double a-side featuring Still I Think What I Think and The Start Of The End Begins. Go to myspace.com/deadworldleaders to confirm for yourself.
David Dunn.
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17/02/07
VANITY PROJECT FANZINE
Single Review: The Start of the End Begins
Deeply atmospheric and dynamic stuff that makes the most of its opening choppy riffage in the U2/Snow Patrol mould to kickstart some muscular pop-rock action. There’s a nice atmospheric build to sharp guitar crescendo on b-side ‘Still I Think What I Think’ too.
Skif.
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09/25/06
HIGH VOLTAGE
Single Review: The Start of the End Begins
This double A-side release show two sides to this band from Yorkshire, a Bravery-type intensity and a Kaiser Chiefs meets Lost Prophets flip side.
A side, ‘The Start of the End Begins’ reeks of numerous sounds that we’ve heard before, Nine Black Alps, The Bravery and The Sunshine Underground. Not that this is a bad thing, combining everything that is possibly good about 21st Century music, and making it palatable is quite a feat.
In all it’s a promising release, Dead World Leaders are making music that at present is turning heads more than any other, I demand to hear some more.
Paul O Brien.
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| Print reviews: (Please choose an article to open its individual window) |
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Sandman Magazine Main Feature |
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Sandman Magazine Review: Harley Live |
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Sandman Magazine Review: Glasvegas Support |
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London Calling Industry Event Flyer |
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Sandman Magazine Review: Red Stripe Music Awards |
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Sandman Magazine Live Review: DQ |
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Exposed Magazine Feature on DWL |
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Sandman Magazine Live Review: DQ |
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The Sheffield Star Live Review: The Octagon |
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The Sheffield Star Live Review: The Boardwalk |
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Jersey Evening Post Interview with DWL |
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Sandman Magazine Single Review: Vitamins |