01Profile
A Ali Quinlan Photo
Ali Quinlan
PR Coordinator — Merthyr Tydfil
03Interview
Photo by Holly Elizabeth
Name, where are you from?
I’m Kalisha Quinlan (or Ali) from Merthyr Tydfil in Wales, currently residing in London.
What do you do?
I’m PR coordinator at Fred Perry and spend the rest of my time taking pictures of friends at gigs and festivals. I also have a radio show where I champion up-and-coming alternative artists and interview some interesting people from the music industry.
Describe your style in three words?
Lizzie McGuire Inspired.
What is the last piece of music you bought?
Physically, I bought Soccer Mommy’s new album at Jumbo Records in Leeds and have been playing it relentlessly ever since. Digitally, I’ve been loving the Group Therapy mixtape on Bandcamp.
Which subcultures have influenced you?
I was super into subcultures growing up. Especially the likes of Britpop, Ska, New Wave and Northern Soul. It’s how I discovered most of the music and fashion I love today. I was always creatively inspired by artists like Jamie Reid or Peter Saville that came out of those Punk and Acid House movements. In the same way, documentary photographers like Derek Ridgers and Gavin Watson’s photos of '80s Goths, skinheads and ravers are the reason I ever picked up a camera in the first place.
Which music defines the teenage you?
I hit the indie phase hard and used to read a lot of NME so bands like Palma Violets, Swim Deep, Peace, The Vaccines and early Wolf Alice take me back. I have really great memories of going to watch them at the Students’ Union with my friends.
What’s the best gig you’ve ever been to?
Radiohead at Glastonbury 2017. It honestly made me cry. I got up on a stranger’s shoulders, looked behind me and it was just surreal how many people were there. Everyone was so into it.
Where is your favourite independent venue?
There are so many I love that play huge roles in their local, grassroots scenes and are constantly facing threats of closure. Brixton Windmill, Le Pub, Green Door Store, Brudenell Social Club, The 100 Club, Moth Club, The Social, Blue Honey, The Moon, The Old England, Stereo, The Shacklewell Arms, YES, Soup Kitchen and Clwb Ifor Bach to name some personal favourites.
grouptherapycollective.bandcamp.com/album/group-therapy-vol-1
02Playlist
04Playlist Notes
The first track you played on repeat?
My Mam played a lot of Dolly Parton in the car when I was little. If it was off my own accord though, 'Fluorescent Adolescent' by Arctic Monkeys. They’re the first band I was truly obsessed with when I started secondary school.
A British icon or band who inspires you?
Bowie, every day.
A song from your favourite album?
'Femme Fatale' from the 1969 Velvet Underground Live album, very specific but that was one of the first albums that I acquired on vinyl and it will forever be my favourite.
A song lyric that has inspired you?
"This ain't no party,
this ain't no disco,
this ain't no fooling around."
From 'Life During Wartime' by Talking Heads (specifically the Stop Making Sense version).
Best song to turn up loud?
'Boredom' by Buzzcocks.
A song you wish you’d written?
'Common People' by Pulp, it’s just a tune, isn’t it? Jarvis Cocker is my favourite lyricist I think.
Best song to bring people together?
'Waterfall' by The Stone Roses.
A song to get you straight on the dance floor?
It has to be 'Blue Monday' by New Order, absolute floor filler.
Best song to end an all-nighter?
'This Is The Day' by The The. That line about watching the whites of your eyes turn red.
The best love song of all time?
I didn’t realise I was so into love songs but I’ve had to cut this selection down from a shortlist of about 14. Either ‘So Long, Marianne’ by Leonard Cohen, 'Forget Her' by Jeff Buckley, 'Wicked Game' by Chris Isaak or ‘Fade Into You’ by Mazzy Star. All quite sad.
Is there a song you like that people wouldn’t expect?
‘We Be Burnin’ by Sean Paul – not that surprising come to think of it!
Any new bands you’re into at the moment?
Loads! Namely Amyl & The Sniffers, Sorry, Legss, PVA, The Murder Capital, Just Mustard, Working Men’s Club, Al Moses, Bandicoot, The Goa Express, Squid, Mealtime, Drug Store Romeo’s, Lazarus Kane, Clwb Fuzz, Tiña. I could go on.
03Interview
Photo by Holly Elizabeth
Name, where are you from?
I’m Kalisha Quinlan (or Ali) from Merthyr Tydfil in Wales, currently residing in London.
What do you do?
I’m PR coordinator at Fred Perry and spend the rest of my time taking pictures of friends at gigs and festivals. I also have a radio show where I champion up-and-coming alternative artists and interview some interesting people from the music industry.
Describe your style in three words?
Lizzie McGuire Inspired.
What is the last piece of music you bought?
Physically, I bought Soccer Mommy’s new album at Jumbo Records in Leeds and have been playing it relentlessly ever since. Digitally, I’ve been loving the Group Therapy mixtape on Bandcamp.
Which subcultures have influenced you?
I was super into subcultures growing up. Especially the likes of Britpop, Ska, New Wave and Northern Soul. It’s how I discovered most of the music and fashion I love today. I was always creatively inspired by artists like Jamie Reid or Peter Saville that came out of those Punk and Acid House movements. In the same way, documentary photographers like Derek Ridgers and Gavin Watson’s photos of '80s Goths, skinheads and ravers are the reason I ever picked up a camera in the first place.
Which music defines the teenage you?
I hit the indie phase hard and used to read a lot of NME so bands like Palma Violets, Swim Deep, Peace, The Vaccines and early Wolf Alice take me back. I have really great memories of going to watch them at the Students’ Union with my friends.
What’s the best gig you’ve ever been to?
Radiohead at Glastonbury 2017. It honestly made me cry. I got up on a stranger’s shoulders, looked behind me and it was just surreal how many people were there. Everyone was so into it.
Where is your favourite independent venue?
There are so many I love that play huge roles in their local, grassroots scenes and are constantly facing threats of closure. Brixton Windmill, Le Pub, Green Door Store, Brudenell Social Club, The 100 Club, Moth Club, The Social, Blue Honey, The Moon, The Old England, Stereo, The Shacklewell Arms, YES, Soup Kitchen and Clwb Ifor Bach to name some personal favourites.
grouptherapycollective.bandcamp.com/album/group-therapy-vol-1
04Playlist Notes
The first track you played on repeat?
My Mam played a lot of Dolly Parton in the car when I was little. If it was off my own accord though, 'Fluorescent Adolescent' by Arctic Monkeys. They’re the first band I was truly obsessed with when I started secondary school.
A British icon or band who inspires you?
Bowie, every day.
A song from your favourite album?
'Femme Fatale' from the 1969 Velvet Underground Live album, very specific but that was one of the first albums that I acquired on vinyl and it will forever be my favourite.
A song lyric that has inspired you?
"This ain't no party,
this ain't no disco,
this ain't no fooling around."
From 'Life During Wartime' by Talking Heads (specifically the Stop Making Sense version).
Best song to turn up loud?
'Boredom' by Buzzcocks.
A song you wish you’d written?
'Common People' by Pulp, it’s just a tune, isn’t it? Jarvis Cocker is my favourite lyricist I think.
Best song to bring people together?
'Waterfall' by The Stone Roses.
A song to get you straight on the dance floor?
It has to be 'Blue Monday' by New Order, absolute floor filler.
Best song to end an all-nighter?
'This Is The Day' by The The. That line about watching the whites of your eyes turn red.
The best love song of all time?
I didn’t realise I was so into love songs but I’ve had to cut this selection down from a shortlist of about 14. Either ‘So Long, Marianne’ by Leonard Cohen, 'Forget Her' by Jeff Buckley, 'Wicked Game' by Chris Isaak or ‘Fade Into You’ by Mazzy Star. All quite sad.
Is there a song you like that people wouldn’t expect?
‘We Be Burnin’ by Sean Paul – not that surprising come to think of it!
Any new bands you’re into at the moment?
Loads! Namely Amyl & The Sniffers, Sorry, Legss, PVA, The Murder Capital, Just Mustard, Working Men’s Club, Al Moses, Bandicoot, The Goa Express, Squid, Mealtime, Drug Store Romeo’s, Lazarus Kane, Clwb Fuzz, Tiña. I could go on.