It’s the most wonderful time of the yeeeeeeear! Yes, the Joyzine Advent Calendar is back once again to bring you 24 days of fantastic free music downloads from a amazing array of our favourite artists. This year marks the 21st edition of our online calendar making it (as far as we’re aware) the longest running on the net (though we’re always happy to be corrected). As always, every track is completely free to download and we don’t require you to sign up for a mailing list (though you can if you want to) or hand over your personal data – it’s our way of saying thank you to everyone who’s visited the site during 2024 and to hopefully bring a few more listeners to some very deserving artists.
However, if you do enjoy the tracks we would love you to consider making a donation to our chosen cause, which this year is the wonderful First Timers Fest, a brilliant grassroots DIY organisation helping people take the first step into making music. Alumni include Joyzine faves Big Joanie, Panic Pocket, Charmpit and Breakup Haircut, with many more great bands coming through every year. We asked First Timers for a few words about what they do:
First Timers Fest is all about supporting new people into music! Yes that’s right, we mean you! We demystify the music making process through a series of beginners workshops that encourage people to try something new, no pressure to start a band after. The festival is open to everyone, but we particularly want to encourage people from marginalised groups to apply.
Next year we will be hosting our workshops at the Cavendish in Stockwell but following a sell out festival at the Victoria in Dalston we have decided to host the festival at a much bigger venue: The Oslo Hackney! This will take place on 4th May 2025. See you there!!!
Make a donation to First Timers
We’ve got a sleigh-full of fantastic tracks for you again this year, including some festive tunes, plenty of exclusives and some of our favourite songs of 2024. Let’s get crack(er)ing!
There can be few, if any, bands who’ve commanded as many column inches on Joyzine over the past 21 years than London punk gems The Fades. They’ve played many a Joyzine gig, provided an exclusive track for our 20 Years of Joy compilation series and even invited Joyzine editor Paul Maps to play a percussive wooden frog on their last album.
This year they celebrated 20 years since the release of their debut album Social Misfits with an expanded reissue, which you can buy via Bandcamp or stream via Spotify and are still creating vital music two decades on. You’ll likely get a taste of both along with some festive frolics if you head to The Club Fade Xmas Party at The Fighting Cocks in Kingston-Upon-Thames on 18th December – tickets here.
Today’s advent calendar track takes us back to 2006 with a live session recording of fan favourite ‘Caca’ which aired on Marc Riley’s 6Music show.
We caught up with frontman David Lightfoot to find out more.
Tell us a little about your track please
This is an exclusive LIVE recording of ‘Caca’ from our live session with Marc Riley on the BBC back in 2006. It’s a great version, fierce and intense. Marc was a big fan of the track.
What have you been up to in 2024?
Loads of stuff! Flew out to Eswatini to play the Bush Fire Festival out there. A fantastic experience. We also recorded and released our track ‘Looking for Keanu’ and have been on the lookout for Keanu Reeves ever since. Watch the video to see how we got on.
Finally, we’ve been back through the archives to celebrate 20 years of our debut album Social Misfits to compile a new special edition release with 3 never before released tracks included alongside the original album, which has also been fully remastered.
And what do you have planned for the next 12 months?
We’re hoping to get out to LA next year and do some gigs, plus we recently wrote a new track so would love to get in the studio to record that at the beginning of next year.
Christmas songs – love them or hate them? Why?
I think I love them, but they also sort of make me sad nowadays. It’s hard to listen to them as you get older I think, but they still fill me with good feelings due to the times they remind me of. It’s nice to look back and remember the good times.
Download ‘Caca (Live BBC 6Music Session)‘
Make a donation to First Timers
The Fades: Website / Facebook / Instagram / Bandcamp
Catch up on all of this year’s Advent Calendar Tracks so far:
1: Piney Gir – Reindeer
2: Gabriel Minnikin – Said Information
3: LOUD WOMEN ft. Smallways, Butterknife, Daddy Issues, Witch Spit, R.U.B, Vipersnatch, Worm Girlz, Lady Lazarus and Stabbitha & The Knifey Wifeys
4: First Timers Fest ft. Gay Skeleton Club and Skutterfly
5: Goo Records ft. Jopy, The Stanford Family Band, Owners Club and The Roebucks
6: Dead Horse – Historic
7: Gemma Rogers – Never Have I Ever
8: Umarells – Closer
9: MJ Hibbett – Moshi Twistmas
10: The Indelicates – Mom Is Waking Up (acoustic)
Check back tomorrow for another free festive download!
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