aaamusic | On 03, Aug 2010

A trio of young music enthusiasts from the North-East of Scotland are offering fans the chance to download the best in local talent, free of charge.
Eoin Smith and Russell Thom, both 19, founders of local music blog Hercules Moments, and Dave Lovie, 23, have embarked on a grand scheme to bring Aberdeen’s music to the masses.
‘Hercules Moments: Vol. 1’, the imaginatively titled sampler, will be released exclusively at www.herculesmoments.co.uk on the 18th of August and boasts the cream of the Aberdeen music community.
To celebrate the release, Hercules Moments will be holding a free launch party in Café Drummonds on Aberdeen’s Belmont Street at 8pm that night, which will feature a special acoustic showcase with sets from Right Hand Left, Eskimo Blonde, FiveFifteen and Only the Brave.
With top local acts like The Lorelei, Gerry Jablonski and Right Hand Left joining in alongside newcomers including Indian Red Lopez and Only the Brave, the sampler promises to feature an eclectic, but above all top-quality, mix of bands.
“We wanted to represent the diversity and excitement of the Aberdeen music scene,” explained Eoin, an English student at the University of Aberdeen, “so there are all sorts of bands on there; from ska and indie to folk, blues and classic rock. We’ve even got brand new unreleased tracks from local favourites Captain Face and Estrella.”
Alongside those already mentioned, the sampler also features music from the likes of FiveFifteen, The Hijacks and Eskimo Blonde.
“It’s no secret that Aberdeen bands have made it big not only in the UK, but worldwide,” said Russell, also at the University of Aberdeen, studying Engineering. “Artists like Annie Lennox and pop-rockers The Xcerts have proven Aberdeen’s talent and it’s great to see Eoin’s idea – and other local music fans’ ideas – are giving artists the exposure they deserve and need.”
“The sampler came about after a chance conversation with a friend,” added Eoin, “and it has snowballed from there. The idea is simple really: we drew up a big list of all the bands and singers in Aberdeen, and picked those we thought would best represent the city’s vibrant music scene. After we’d come up with our wish list, we simply had to contact them all and convince them to give away their music for free.”
And it’s not just Eoin and Russell who are excited about the project – Captain Tom, founder of Aberdeen’s own Fat Hippy Records, said: “The Hercules Moments sampler is a great way to help promote the wealth of talent and diversity in the North East to a much wider audience.”
It was in March 2009, that then-school pupils Eoin and Russell launched Hercules Moments: a blog dedicated to the music they loved to listen to. After 18 months of hard work, they have accomplished more than they ever dreamed of: “Reviewing Rockness in 2009 was definitely one of the highlights,” said Russell. “It’s also been fantastic to be able to meet and interview emerging talent like Tommy Reilly, Pearl & the Puppets and Twin Atlantic.”
“The way the Aberdeen music community has taken this project into their hearts has been fantastic,” said Eoin, “and we really appreciate the effort that everyone involved has put in. We’re not making any money from this; we’re doing it purely because we love the music.”