Calculating Infinite Tees

It’s the last episode of the first season of Calculating Infinite Tees, but we have an excellent guest to round it off in the form of polemic punk poet provocateur Meryl Streek. His new album, Songs for the Deceased, is released 25th October through Venn Records and it is essential listening.

The show discussed was from American underground hardcore band Gag, at Astoria in Vancouver, Canada on 2nd April 2017. Issues at the Canadian border prevented their  vocalist from playing the show, which led to a unique show where devoted fans took turns on the mic so tha...

This week, Remfry and Simon sit down with Helen Tytherleigh, bass player for Hundred Year Old Man. Helen's shirt pick takes us to a monstrous five band tour from 2010, topped by Veil Of Maya, but the shirt in question was sold by the opening band, Volumes.

As well as talking about the things that are happening in the HYOM camp, we talk about the birth of the UK tech-metal scene out of tours like this, Helen's involvement in core team organising Tech Fest, and switching from playing technical prog in her previous band to post-metal with HYOM. <...

On this week's episode, we welcome Erhan Alman, from the British metal band on everyone's lips Heriot on the cusp of the release of their full-length debut album, Devoured by the Mouth of Hell. If Carlsberg did metal album titles ...

Erhan picked a show from one of the UK's premier math-rock acts, Oxfordshire based trio TTNG, from the 15th December 2011 at the historic Thekla venue in Bristol. TTNG (or as they were known then) had three years previous released Animals, an album that is often regarded as one of the best math-rock albums of all time. Their...

It’s the second part of our chat with Asher and Sam from Portals promotions, chatting all things Portals Festival, including the remaining two choices of their favourite sets from the festivals’ past (shout out to Jambinai and Maybeshewill, plus lots of general waffle and chit-chat about the UK post and math rock scene as a whole, including fantasizing about bands long gone that would be a shoe in to headline Portals Festival.

There’s a bunch of great Portals-hosted gigs happening in the upcoming weeks. Here’s info and links to them

Overhe...

In the first of a two part special, Remfry and Simon speak to Asher Kenton and Sam Festenstein about London-based promoters Portals and their annual festival celebrating the cream of the post and math rock crop.

Sam and Asher both highlight two sets each from Portals Festival history, as well as discussing the genesis and inner workings of promoting shows to a dedicated but niche audience.

Portals is very much a passion project, so we've given Sam and Asher plenty of time to be passionate about it. This week, there's chat about Mclusky and Human...

For the second half of our reggae themed week, Remfry and Simon settle in with Alex Hurst of Boss Keloid for a relaxing chat about a show in a historic Manchester venue by dub reggae pioneer and singular lunatic Lee Scratch Perry.

We dig deep into Alex’s love of reggae, take a wander through Lee Scratch Perry’s intimidatingly huge discography, Alex tells us about his direct interaction with the man himself, and of course we spend some time talking about Boss Keloid’s magnificent t-shirt offerings, too.

As those of you who have listen...

On this week’s episode we’re talking to Liam Knowles, bassist and one of the vocalists with Hidden Mothers. Recently signed to the brilliant people at Church Road Records, the band are due to release their debut album Erosion/Avulsion on 29th November and it’s a proper belter too.

Liam’s pick is a particularly special one as it was the first indoor show he took his son Issac to see. A 10-year old legend with impeccable taste, Issac asked his Dad to take him to see Foxing on 24th January at the Brudenell Social Club in...

On this episode, we talk to Rory Friers from Northern Irish instrumental legends And So I Watch You From Afar on the cusp of the release of their new album Megafauna, a tribute to their home town and the places and formative experiences that influenced their lifestyle growing up. Rory’s pick of show is from cheeky chappie britpop sensations Blur at King’s Hall in Belfast on 21st November, 1995. This was prime britpop mania, with the infamous ‘battle of Britpop’ occurring just a few months before the show, with Blur’s Country House single piping Oasis’ Roll With It to number...

It’s Part 2 of our look back to ArcTanGent 2013, the very first edition of the festival , with James Scarlet and Gavin McInally from 2 Promoters 1 Pod and on this episode, we take a deep dive into the highlights from the Friday and Saturday of that inaugural event. Some of these bands still remain a regular part of ATG line-ups, others are sadly no more. Sets from Baby Godzilla (aka Heck), Poly-Math, The St. Pierre Snake Invasion, The Physics House Band, Humanfly, Manatees, Winterfylleth, Bossk, Rolo Tomassi, Earthtone9, 65DaysofStatic, Cleft, Arcane Roots, Three Trapped Tigers, Nordic Giants, And So I Watch Yo...

This week, we wander away from our regular format to bring you the first half of a special double-episode spectacular, taking a long, loving look at ArcTanGent 2013 with none other than ArcTanGent organizer James Scarlett and Damnation head honcho Gavin McInally.

The pair have recently been spilling all kinds of secrets on their thoroughly entertaining podcast 2 Promoters 1 Pod, and as there was a Damnation-curated stage at this inaugural edition of the festival, it seemed ideal to have them both along for a four-way chat.

For both Remfry and Simon, ArcTanGent is a – possibly THE – mandatory fest...

On this week's episode, we welcome guitarist Claire Genoud from Industrial Metal band GLYTSH. Despite forming in 2022, the duo have already achieved airplay on BBC Radio 1 and Total Rock radio, as well as playing support to Brass Against on a six-date tour across the UK. Remfry was so impressed with Claire's unorthodox approach to guitar, he wrote a feature about her for Guitar World, which you can read here.

Claire picks a show from Swedish melo-death metal pioneers In Flames, at legendary London venue Brixton Academy. A formative band in her appreciation of metal, Claire tells Remfry...

This week we invite Matt Sutton from Industrial Noise Pop trio Tayne to throw a stadium-sized curveball at Calculating Infinite Tees to, in the form of one of legendary pop sensation Lady Gaga's London dates of her Chromatica Ball tour in 2022.

It's fair to say that, outside of the hits, neither Remfry nor Simon are at all familiar with the Gaga oeuvre, despite her dominance in the mainstream music world in the 2010s/20s. Matt gently guides our hosts through a world of extravagant fashion, boisterous dance routines and a grandiose show that can rival any music...

On this episode, Remfry and Simon speak to Joe Clayton, mastermind behind Manchester-based post-rock collective Pijn. They discuss the writing and recording behind Pijn's latest masterpiece From Low Beams of Hope and how they've made road-testing new material live a creative part of the writing process, with some songs debuting in the set years before a recorded version is released. Joe has also produced many records from his base at No Studio, including albums by Wallowing, Tuskar, Mountain Caller, Din of Celestial Birds, Hundred Year Old Man, Leeched, Wode and many more.

Joe's choice of show is...

For the second preview of what will be our Patreon episodes, we’re talking about Simon’s choice of Faith No More at the Camden Roundhouse, for two nights in June 2015 on the Sol Invictus tour. Remfry was also in the room for the second show, even if he was up in the balcony and Simon down on the floor – which seems pretty on-brand for both of us.

Faith No More are a truly foundational band for Simon, and these two shows give us plenty of opportunities to talk about three full decades of being a fully subscr...

Remfry's first Patreon pick is a monumental show from 2002 seeing System of a Down touring Toxicity, an album that has entered the modern metal pantheon as an undisputed classic. At this point, SOAD were untouchable and after the tour had to be pushed back 4 months due to the devastating Twin Tower attacks, anticipation was immense to see the LA alt-metal quartet on their first UK date since Toxicity's release. As a bonus, they also brought New Jersey's The Dillinger Escape Plan with them, who it must be said went over the majority of the crowd's heads (including a 17-year...

It's the first episode of Calculating Infinite Tees and we are honoured to start the ball rolling with Karl Middleton from prestigious alt metal legends Earthtone9.

Karl has lent his considerable larynx to Earthtone9 since 1998 and in a period of just 4 years, released three albums of blistering progressive hardcore that cultivated a modest yet devoted fanbase, of which both Remfry and Simon are very much a part of. Earthtone9's hiatus in 2002 left room for Karl to explore other musical projects (The Blueprint, Twinzero, Blackstorm ... all excellent by the way) before Earthtone9 reformed in 2010 for a few...

T-Shirts play a vital role in the eyes (and on the body) of the average underground music fan. In an increasingly digital world, they are tangible, just as a concert is a tangible physical experience in a shared space. For musicians trying to make ends meet in a world where recorded music garners little to no financial pay-off, t-shirts and other merchandise are a vital source of revenue.  For many fans, purchasing these ‘tees’ is both a gesture of support and an important part of their identity. The right t-shirt worn in the right place will act as a beacon...