Lock 'N Load with Mamas Gun

Brit soul-pop has had a growing tradition of success over the past few decades, with the likes of Jamiroquai and Adele frequently dominating the charts with their genius albums. That said, this music space is not exactly crowded, because soul-pop isn't the easiest genre to effectively pull off. If you're good, you're good. And the London five-piece band Mamas Gun is exquisitely impressive and worth paying attention to as they rise in popularity over the next few years.

Schedule

One of the best things about soul-pop that fuses the rock and funk styles is that it is well received in live music venues the world over, allowing Mamas Gun to tour extensively. They have made the rounds locally in the United Kingdom and Europe. Mamas Gun has also done a decent amount of touring in the Far East, in places like Japan, Korea and Hong Kong - interestingly enough - all areas where the band's founder Andy Platts spent time growing up. Mamas Gun tickets have been on sale in venues in Europe and the UK throughout the past year, as the band has been promoting their latest album Cheap Hotel, which was released in the Fall of 2014. The band is currently promoting through shows in London, Brighton and Amsterdam. Be sure to grab tickets before they're gone!

Trivia

The group's name may sound familiar to soul music fans and that's because it is the same as the Erykah Badu album Mama's Gun, which many fans consider to be her seminal album. This is not a coincidence--the band was purposefully named after this album as a nod to Badu's talents and their revelry of her music. The only difference is the lack of apostrophe.

Band

After playing on Corinne Bailey Rae's successful debut album, Mamas Gun founder Andy Platts signed his own deal with Zomba Music and began to scour the Internet for unique and talented musicians who he wanted to start a band with. Through this process, he met his bassist "Professor" Rex Horan, drummer "Union" Jack Politt, keyboardist Dave "Eighties" Oliver, and Terry "Spiller" Lewis. Only the Professor is no longer with the band.

Breakthrough

The first single from Mamas Gun "Pots of Gold" was released in 2008 on BBC Radio 2 and championed by DJ Chris Evans. The success of this first tack led to the recording of their debut album the following year and the release of two more singles, "Let's Find a Way" and "You Are the Music," both of which highlighted the range of the young band and the mastery of multiple musical styles.

Hit Albums

The first album from Mamas Gun, Routes to Riches, received such heavy radio play throughout Southeast Asia and Japan that the band became the most played international artist in 2009, beating out even the likes of Madonna. The album would ultimately rise to number 3 on the Japanese Billboard charts, thanks to their aforementioned hit singles "Let's Find a Way" and "You Are the Music." This encouraged the BBC and other stations in Europe to play Mamas Gun's music with even more regularity.

Show Experience

With an eclectic, ever-evolving sound and tracks that vary constantly in style and energy, Mamas Gun performances are an immersive experience. There's a little Jamiroquai swagger but a lot more jam, which is perfect for those who love to dance, but also just love to watch great musicians work in their element.