The Salford Star Award for Best Band...
The Moods
We first announced the 2017 Salford Star Awards earlier last year as a way of celebrating the vast amount of talent in and around the city. The music category, in particular, was always going to prove to be difficult due to the incredible and diverse scene. To pinpoint one act from the many talented artists in the city was never going to an easy job.
We highlighted a handful of performers and also received suggestions from our readers. The list of possible winners swelled further still as our attention was brought to some unfamiliar, new groups, musicians and singers. Several of these acts could have easily have justified taking the prize.
It was always going to take something special to make one act stand out and claim the Award. After some deliberation, we agreed that the defining musical moment came earlier this year when The Moods released their debut album Missing Peace.
The Moods had already acquired a reputation as a top live act. Those fortunate enough to catch The Moods sell out tour of UK and Ireland will testify of the distinctive nature of their sound. Powerfully fusing pop, reggae, dance, spoken-word and brass band, they are unique, original and raucous.
Often bands with a reputation for blustering and immersive live sets can struggle to translate the awe-inspiring nature of their work in the recording studio. Missing Peace avoids these pitfalls and skilfully frames the eclectic sound and boundless energy of a Moods' set. The production is spot-on and the songs retain all the passion and angst of a gig.
Masterfully, Missing Peace also remains a coherent statement of our time. It is euphoric dance music at its very best, but it is articulate and intelligent, too. It walks the tightrope perfectly: lyrical, edgy, uplifting and smart.
We caught up with Little Hulton rapper Louis Mood, aka Explicit, to reflect on a great year for an exceptional band.
How did the band come together?
Louis: "The line up you see today started in 2015, a musical experiment in our self-built, recording studio, Boomshack. We just wanted to put a load of different styles and genres together. The best way for us was to bring people in with the relevant musical background of the sound we wanted to use in our music."
Tell us a little about your role in the band?
L: "My stage name is Explicit; I'm one of two MCs in the band and one of the four front men. I've been a rapper since about the age of 12 and I have always wrote songs about real, relevant, pressing issues. That's what The Moods want from me, and since being in the band the other lads and girl have really helped to hone my skills and bring out my best work
as well as making sure everybody in the room - whenever we play live - has the best damn time of their lives!"
What have been your highlights this year?
L: "There have been so many, I'm glad you used the plural form of highlight. We kicked off the tour in our home town at the Ritz. I've been at the Ritz so many times, as a fan...I have always dreamed of a being on that stage, and as a personal goal that was truly amazing and definitely one of the highlights.
"We have been to so many different cities, played to loads of different groups of people, and performed in some of the best venues the country has to offer: touring, releasing an album, being played and interviewed on national and regional stations. Getting our album in HMV! Holding a record signing and playing some live music in Fopp Records. It's actually crazy to think that 2018 is gonna be even better, but it is, we have so much more in the pipeline."
It's a unique fusion of styles, how do you describe The Moods?
L: "It's such a hard one to get our sound across but I'll have a crack; it's like the first time you try beer, apprehensive at first, but on it every weekend after that...ha, ha. But unlike beer, we don't give you a hangover the next day, it's the opposite effect, we give you energy and life and make you want more."
What is your ultimate ambition for the group?
L: "The ambition is to never stop making music and get it to as many ears as possible, definitely, playing overseas sometime in the near future. More albums, more exposure, more love and more money."
The Moods remind us that live musical can still be original, inspiring and worth getting excited about. The mercurial and elusive Missing Peace captures the many components of an act in their pomp. It entertains, confronts and informs.
We'd urge you to give The Moods a listen and get yourself tickets to catch them live. Here's to 2018 and a worthy recipient of the Salford Star Best Band Award, a band well worth keeping your eyes and on...
The Salford Star Awards
Best Regular Event Evidently click here
Best Play Joe O'Byrne The Haunting of Blaine Manor click here
Best Performer JB Barrington click here
Words by Ian Leslie
Photos of The Moods by Steven Speed
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