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Stuck for a Hallowe'en costume? Looking for something music related, but both money and time are an issue? Well, this really isn't the blog for you as all these suggestions are (at best) ridiculously expensive or (at worst) literally impossible.

1. Daft Punk

Myself and ATL producer Paul McClean wanted to go as Daft Punk. Given we're DJ-ing together on Saturday, we knew we'd look beyond awesome. We even thought about splashing out on the proper helmets if they were, you know, less than £100. Turns out they're around $14,000. And you need a license from the guys themselves.

I briefly discussed re-mortgaging my house or selling one of McClean's children as an option before McClean, the absolute spoil sport, shot me down. So speak to him if we end up in rubbish costumes.

, but getting even a close approximation seems like a total melt. , like... MELT.

2. Kraftwerk

If you're lucky enough to have three friends that listen to your suggestions (I know I don't) this is a pretty impressive option.

Easy enough, if you go for . Marginally more difficult if you go for , which will involve the removal of some skin.

3. Animal from the muppets

Not sure how this would be doable given the (which tops my ginger beard even at it's most impressive) but this would work an absolute treat, simply because you'd be permitted, nay OBLIGED to run about the party shouting at people and generally being a bit of a maniac. Which is quite possibly what you'd planned anyway. At least this way you have an excuse.

4. Blur

Or more specifically !

Bonus points if you get a loved one to be the wee pink carton as well.Ìý Easy enough, if you've some cardboard, blue markers and aren't an idiot. Needless to say, I don't qualify.

But seriously, look how happy this costume can make you...

:-)

5. David Bowie.

But, like, a wee bit of every costume he's ever worn in a video EVER. Then play Bowie-bingo!

This would involve people pointing at specific parts of your costume and naming the song.

If that sounds like way too much hassle for very little reward, that's because it is.

Just don't go as Ziggy cause that's been done to death.

You're welcome!

They may not be about long, but are certainly making up for lost time. Right now they're in the middle of a UK & Ireland tour with the giants that are . Tonight they've stopped in Belfast to play St. George's Market - after which they will join the party in the Menagerie with and DJs.

So we thought, since they're squeezing every ounce out of their time in Belfast, we'd catch up and get to know them a bit better before they riff right across our city.

***

Hello there, and how the Dickens are you right now?

Hey, hey, hey, we're all excited and a tad nervous. We've just turned up in Southampton Guildhall for the first date of our tour with Biffy Clyro! Played a good 'un last night in Cardiff for Swn festival - ended up having a merry drink and collectively feel like something has loaded excrement into our heads today.

Why the heck should we give a stuff about your band then ;)?

Tom - We can't force you to listen to our music (unless you see us live) but if your sick to the back teeth of your usual everyday, play it safe, indie bands, etc that are galloping around today then go for it! You only live twice! Without trying to be eaten up by a massive cliché, we're just a group of crude dudes keeping it fun, stupid, honest and simple. Think Spinal Tap but with worse haircuts and dole incomes.

When and how did you all get it together to become Gods of Rock?

Tom - Well I could tell you a story about each individual being created from a single bolt of lightning from Thor's Flying V... but the real story is that James, Rob and Lee started practicing a few songs, attempting to do something in a similar vein to Jesus Lizard. I knew James from managing my old band and after we split up he asked me to come along to a practice with my guitar and shout. I kinda mucked up their plans really. After that we pumped about 4 songs out and booked a run of gigs and since then our lives have been a little different. Totally cack. But awesome.

James - It came together quite oddly really. Time and place and all that shizzles. If Tom had of stayed with Mother Vulpine, and they hadn't of broke, I think the band might well of been totally different.

Rob - Yes! We got the word "cack" in the interview.

TOPICAL QUESTION OF THE WEEK: The Ö÷²¥´óÐã recently allowed BNP leader Nick Griffin airtime on the prestigious Question Time programme, but what we want to know is who would win in a fight between Family Guy's Peter Griffin and an actual Griffin?

Tom - I as going to go with Peter Griffin to be honest with you, he has the guns of a tank and can do at least 6 push ups on command. But then I remembered the power of the mythical flying lion bird beasts known as Griffin's and knew that they'd have anyone... absolutely anyone! It's all in the talons! Jeez, even if they pooped on your head as they flew over they would probably crack your skull!

The onstage activities of the band are becoming legendary, should we alert the A+E depts. Of our local infirmaries in advance of your visit?

Lee - Haha, our reputation certainly does seem to precede us. I wouldn't be too worried but its best to have a first aid kit on standby. Just to be safe. There could be blood.

James - I know for a fact I will certainly be causing some kind of harm to myself. Not on purpose or anything. It's just a given now. I get far too overexcited.

Your house has been maliciously set ablaze by as yet un-named evil forces, but you have the strength to battle the flames and fumes to rescue one piece of music, what is it and why?

Lee - I think it would have to be 'Eliminator' by ZZ Top. I've loved that album for longer than I can remember. It's the sound of 3 bearded Texans embracing the technological revolution of the 80s. Pure gold.

James - 'Goat' by The Jesus Lizard. Easy. Oh hold on... erm. Can I not take 3? Ah I hate these type of questions.

Tell us your favourite one-liner.

Lee - If I told you that then I don't think I'd paint myself in a very good light. Anything in bad taste about a dead celebrity will do.

James - Sorry, it just fell off. I didnt touch it. I swear.

How did the hook up with Smalltown America, a Derry-based indie label, come about and how do you plan to achieve global domination?

Lee - Well we aren't really "hooked up" with them but we first met them guys when we toured with We Vs The Shark, a most excellent band from Athens, Georgia. I think we're gonna be having a little party with them in Belfast. They'd better supply the white cider.

Tell us this, if your band was a film, which film would you be and why?

Rob - Last Tango in Paris, because none of us are lactose intolerant.

James - Mullholland Drive. Mainly because nothing makes any sense whatsoever.

Who is the greatest human to have ever lived?

Rob - Probably Bill Murray.

James - I think we might all agree on that one. But my 2nd would be Oliver Reed.

Lastly, in three words describe life, the universe and everything within it.

Rob - Difficult to comprehend.

James - Massive [expletive deleted] egg.

Tom - Power, pain and sangria (If the world was an orange it would be well too small mate).

PLAY THE BIFFY CLYRO AFTERSHOW AT THE MENAGERIE TONIGHT (WED 28th OCT). THEY HEADLINE WITH DJ SETS FROM AND .

I reckon Belfast really needed a band like this.

We've so much going on - dubstep (), instrumental giants (), retro rock (), scuzzy indie ()... but of the twenty or thirty "big" acts in the country, none make straight up pop music. And then come along to save the day.

They might not appreciate being termed *just* pop - this is 'electro-pop' if it's anything, but regardless, this band write catchy hooks, with the type of female vocalist and 80s sensibility that could really see them fit snugly into a top ten often full of similar sounding (if totally inferior) 'pop' acts.

Anyway, ahead of a headline show at the next Wednesday, we present to you, fifteen minutes on facebook with Dave Frecknall, one half (with vocalist Julianne Shawe) of the marvelous Nakatomi Towers...

***

2:00pm - rigsy: yo yo, you there?

2:00pm - Dave: Thats a ten four good buddy

2:00pm - rigsy: I'M GOING TO INTERVIEW YOU TO WITHIN AN INCH OF YOUR LIFE... in fifteen minutes

2:01pmÌý - Dave: Bring it!!!

2:01pm - rigsy: ha ha. right, what can you see around you BTW? where are you? and we have to be quick, my laptop explodes after 15 minutes sacrafice grammar!!!!

2:02pm - Dave: In the living room at me and Juliannes. You could call it Naktomi towers.... I can see my bike, lots of mess, and our new studio monitors!! yay.

2:02pm - rigsy: yeah i remember you boasting about yr new moniters on twitter or facebook, ha ha... youz live together?!

2:03pm - Dave: yup, we're like the monkees or something. and the monitors are sexay... cant use em for a week though cos i need my ears syringed and everything sounds like im underwater at the minute... gahh typical for me

2:03pm - rigsy: i have waxy ears too but i like to think it's natural protection against the kind of racket the likes of you guys make as in, i can hear it nice and loud

2:04pm - Dave: its my excuse for not wearing attenuators (i think thats how its spelt) earplugs :0

2:04pm - rigsy: cause youz live together, how much time on average a day do youz work on band stuff?!

2:05pm - Dave: hmmm well promo stuff gets done here and there, we work on tunes quite a bit... on a slow day we might not bother with band stuff at all, other days you could be talking 5/6 hours easy

2:05pm - rigsy: is one of you the boss? as in... RIGHT, WE NEED TO FINISH THIS TRACK NAI! I DON'T CARE IF IT'S FRAISER WEEKEND ON PARAMOUNT etc

2:07pm - Dave: well... nope. :) :) but jules does take care of a lot of the promo stuff and i tend to be the mad professor chained to my laptop trying to find the perfect snare drum sound.

2:07pm - rigsy: and it came up in our onair review on monday night (which hopefully you heard) and i think i've mentioned it before youz always seem so happy. i know thats a stupid thing to say. but you aren't trying to be cool or moody looking - in all yr press shots and when you're onstage you're always beaming!! happy and... likable i guess

2:09pm - Dave: That review was amazing first off. I want to buy that girl a pint. Umm as for the happy thing, i dunno, its my default mode! Same goes for Jules. Its always nice to smile for a photo and we're always having a blast onstage so yeah I guess it comes across. We dont do moody

2:10pm - rigsy: what if you do a very dark, moddy piece of music? smiling during that is gonna seem a little oddÌý

2:10pm - Dave: Moddy?

2:10pm - rigsy: ha ha, moody. please LORD don't do moddy. WELLER GOES ELECTRO *bokes*

2:10pm - Dave: Well yeah I guess, I'd quite like to do something brooding and atmospheric but it probably wouldnt be Nakatomi Towers

2:11pm - rigsy: right, we've four minutes left. lets get down to business. what TWO bands keep coming up when you hear other people descibe yr music

2:11pm - Dave: Hot chip and I have been so exciteed that peeps have been comparing us to SMD I mean we're not in their league but the comparison is very flattering

2:12pm - rigsy: SMD are a wee bit more bangin' than you guys imo less poppy

2:12pm - Dave: yeah but you don't know what we have in store for you...

2:12pm - rigsy: mean that in a good way, but do you think you'd like to develop a bit more into, i dunno, more techno or something well that answers that!

2:13pm - Dave: thats all i'm sayin

2:13pm - rigsy: you gonna bring the rave, dave? i didn't mean that to ryhme. feel wick

2:14pm - Dave: possibly. we'd love to go a bit heavier but we're figuring out how to do it in a live context and we dont wanna have to sacrafice the pop aspect but you know... we listen to a lot of bangin electro...

2:14pm - rigsy: very quickly then, and it has to be super fast, tell people reading a bit about the live show ahead of this gig HURRY UP MAN!

2:14pm - Dave: Live guitars bass and vocals - programmed synsth - lots of smiles and FUN

2:14pm - rigsy: ha ha! on that bombshell...

2:15pm - Dave: Dammit you made me misspel synth - the pressure!!!!

2:15pm - Dave: You mad me misspell misspell bleeehhhhhh

2:15pm - rigsy: you're losing it now...

2:15pm - Dave: Thanks you kindly sir. Was that 15 mins?

2:15pm - rigsy: spelling is overrated

2:15pm - Dave: I need a lie down. Hugs!Ìý xox

2:15pm - rigsy: go and lie down amongst yr speakers. ta dude!!!!

2:16pm - Dave: Ta ra

2:17pm - Dave is offline

***

Nakatomi Towers have kindly supplied a free download for your ears. Right-click and select 'Save Target As...' to download it to your computer:Ìý

NAKATOMI TOWERS PLAY THE STIFF KITTEN ON WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 28, ALONGSIDE DUTCH SHULTZ AND COLENSO PARADE

DayÌýtwo in New York City, and after some much needed sleep we're up 'n' at 'em early. We head to the conference centre to meet Angela from . She's been giving away our CDs and flyers at their booth and generally helping us push the show. We get to meet Matt McDonald who basically runs . He looks pretty calm considering how busy he his. After some amazing Mexican food, we head up to the artist's lounge where Mark & Nick get free haircuts. Then it's off to Arlene's Grocery for the Canadian showcase, including free poutine - chips, gravy and cheese - mmmmmmmmm! The "meet and greet" is a rather fancy affair in a winery, then we walk downtown to meet Matt, the drummer from , who is kindly lending us a load of drum stuff. He also shows us the fire station from !

Later, we go to The Suffolk to see , but first we get to see a US band called , who we all agree are the best band we have seen in ages! We're playing the same venue tomorrow night, can't wait!

Our chums are off to , a huge global industry shindig in New York (the travails of being in a band). We asked them would they spare a few lines for you lovely readers, and of course, they agreed. Here are some words which they typed with their fingers...

The CMJ is North America's premier music industry showcasing event. ForÌýfive days in late October, delegates from all over the world congregate in New York to discuss, pontificate, listen, drink, and occasionally sleep. Team Skibunny are over to play live and DJ as one of the acts chosen to showcase. Here then, we present their day by day account of the 2009 CMJ.

Day One - Tuesday

Day one is a travel day, so we hot-foot it direct from Belfast to NYC (same flight as and Jimmy from Tiler!!! I love that guy!) and upon arrival head off to artist registration straight from our apartment on 3rd street. Turns out you delegate just past (as seen in the film ). We pass (now a clothes and record shop) and one of our favourite bars, . That evening we catch Loverrs playing, and have drinks with friends old and new (including Fedde from , over with his other band ).

Nurses - Apple's Acre

Ìý

Every now and then I stumble upon an album and quickly forget how I got there. That's what happened with 'Apple's Acre' by . Spotify has eliminated any sort of breadcrumb trail as to how I arrived at the album, but somehow I keep finding my way back. It's sparse and strange, a little repetitive at times, but overall it's been intriguing enough to keep me returning to its little cloud on spotify.

Ìý

Yet another band to claim Portland, Oregon as their home, Nurses have recorded a psych-pop paranoid dream that lulls you one minute and has you looking over your shoulder the next - like you've been dropped into a midnight maze in a creepy kid's horror film. Musically it's a little , lashings of and a hint of - all mixed with moments of a nasally .

And it's that nasally vocal from Aaron Chapman that may be the challenge. A voice that could give or a run for his money is a voice that is surely going to grate on some sensitive ears. But stick with it and I think you'll find a pretty damn good record.

The album never really "explodes", but instead flies between intense claustrophobia and delirious relief. Sounds dip in and out through the songs but in some ways the album feels a little "unfinished" because of the lack of climax and refrained middle ground it occupies for much of the record. But the sparse instrumentation lends to an intimate atmosphere that heightens the albums freakish feel. Check it out!

And to make it even easier for you lovely people, we've got two tracks from the album right here for free. To download them, just right click and 'save target as'. Let us know what you think!

On Friday night we played at an Irish showcase. It was sold out (full of Canadians with Irish grandparents). We didn't realise Canadians liked to party so much! By the time we'd finished our set most of the stage (and the less than impressed bar staff) had been covered in glitter. We even got to glitter up the Ö÷²¥´óÐã's own Cathy Moorehead - nice to see a familiar sparkly face.

Saturday was spent at some interesting industry meet ups which were all organised as part of Indie Week. One talk involved having your demo (Lovers Are Lunatics For Us) critiqued by some industry folk, pretty nerve-racking but interesting to hear their comments. We just had enough time to make some last minute prepartions for headlining the big final night of the festival which took place in Reverb.

We took to the stage at 1am after 25 bands had strutted their stuff on 3 different stages. It was the perfect way to round off some great gigs for us, and the crowd were in high spirits. And the prize for the best dancer - one bright yellow keyboard stand (amm... we had no room on the plane).

So all-in-all its been a busy week but even more worthwhile than we had imagined. We can't wait to go back to North America!

Love,

ATL's got some guest bloggers in - Cutaways are reporting back to the ATL despatch desk as they wind their way through a Canadian adventure. Enjoy...

When we set off for Toronto, the excitement we felt when we were selected to head to Indie Week Canada way back in July is still well andÌýtrulyÌýpresent, despite it being ridiculous o'clock in the bowels of Dublin airport. We had no idea what to expect from the scene in Toronto or how our music would go down there. We also went with the sense that, as the first Belfast band to play at the festival, we needed to convey what an exciting and vibrant time it is for music in Belfast.

Cutaways areÌýsynonymousÌýwith the word class, or more accurately, economy class. Despite having booked the cheapest flights we could find without travelling in the hold, the 7-hour flight to Toronto is actually a lot more pleasant than what we're used to fromÌýour domestic short-haulÌýexperiences at home. After a couple of no-brainer films to keep us occupied, along with in-flight radio of Nickelback, Bryan Adams and Metric, we land.

First stop was a hardware shop for some yellow paint - a black keyboard stand just won't do... And we managed to check out Niagara Falls while the paint dried. Lovely!

We arrived in Toronto a bit worse for wear and carrying too many bags but we soon came round once we got to the venue, which was only a short walk and a few tram stops away. The Hideout is the basis for the Indie week festival, which is spread acrossÌýfive venues in the downtown area, and was a great place to touch base and meet the other bands we'd be playing with. The first night of Indie Week was absolutely packed with an atmosphere that reminded us of the Limelight in Belfast. Cutaways took to the stage 4th ofÌýfive bands, a lot of listening for any music fan, but most punters seemed to stay to the end (perhaps the free shots provided by the Irish bar owner had something to do with that!). The crowd didn't even seem at all miffed by our series of "technical difficulties" duringÌýthe line check; we can safely say that after that we are prepared for every eventuality!

Next day we headed off to CIUT radio station in the beautiful Toronto University, where we recordedÌýfive tracks including two of our new songs. Much fun!

Our second gig as part of indie week was in the Bread and Circus, more of a cafe-come-theatre with a really artistic environment. Fortunately these artistic types were not afraid to dance like there's no one watching. Getting the crowd to lunge in time to Milo of Kroton is a Cutaways first but hopefully not last!

Flash plug-in required to enjoy ATL clips in the Ö÷²¥´óÐã Embedded Media Player

More updates to come on our next few gigs in Cutaways - Canadian Diary # 2...

Over n out,

For two reasons...

1. I've been reminiscing a lot about an incredible trip to New York I had last year and 2. I've noticed my two favourite songs of 2009 (so far) refer to New York in the title - 'Empire State of Mind' and ''

I present to you my top ten songs about New York City.

Yes, it really is that simple.

1.
"In New York, concrete jungle where dreams are made of, there's nothing you can't do, now you're in New York"

2.
"They've got cars big as bars, they've got rivers of gold, but the wind goes right through you, no place for the old. When you first took my hand on a cold Christmas Eve, you promised me Broadway was waiting for me."

3.
"Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens and Staten, from the Battery to the top of Manhattan, Asian, Middle Eastern and Latin, black, white - New York you make it happen."

4.
"Just listen to the music of the traffic in the city, linger on the sidewalk where the neon signs are pretty."

5.
"It's like a jungle sometimes, it makes me wonder how I keep from going under."

6.
"Breakfast in New York and I know that we're dreaming, drunken conversations and the things we were scheming."

7.
"Birdland on fifty-three, the street sounds like a symphony."

8.
"It's going to take a little time, while you're waiting like a factory line, I'll ride across the park, backseat on the 79."

9.
"New York, you're perfect, don't please change a thing. Your mild billionaire mayor's now convinced he's a king."

10.
"Here in the streets of American nights, rise to the bottom of the meaning of life."

In my younger and more artistically militant years, I baulked at the very notion of bands reforming. Old folks realising their creative juices had run well and truly dry and exhuming past glories for one last pay day before shuffling off into the sunset of relevance.

Predictably,Ìýthis attitude has altered somewhat as the bands I lovedÌýin my youth have regrouped for a swansong or two. Whatever the merits of such reformations, it's difficult to deny just how enjoyable they can be. In the past few years alone I'veÌýseen , , , the and even ' from the 70s knocking out the classics to the backdrop of the King's image and vocals, and every single one of those experiences has been an absolute joy. Having already done , was there really any point in dulling the memory with another trip to bonnie Scotland to take in the Glasgow leg of their mini UK tour?

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