Set List, Camden Bar, 25th March 2013

Set List

Wild Is The WInd
Without Words
Somebody To Love

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This ain’t rock ‘n’ roll…this is genocide!

On 6 Music, they’re doing Grand Redesigns – album covers reimagined. I did Diamond Dogs by Bowie. I’ve only just heard it for the first time and I love it! Full of really great songs. So here’s my re-imagined cover:

Watch That Man!

David Bowie is back! I don’t know if you noticed? I was not in the slightest bit alone in wondering/worrying if he ever would return again to the music world.

His new song is utterly beautiful. I think it also walks a similar path to many of his other works in having an ambiguity and a mystique about it.

I love the cover for the album, it seems there are original ideas out there after all, and I absolutely adore the single cover.

When I watched the video for the first time, I was confused and entranced by the doll/dolls and disappointed not to see Bowie ‘properly’ and almost as soon as I thunk it…there he was! Looking glorious. I remember gasping slightly and was delighted when my friend did exactly the same when she watched the video tonight for the first time. She also did the same as me by going back to the bit where he’s standing by the wall and pausing it to get a good look at him.

What would David Bowie do? He would elegantly do what you hardly expect with panache.

Music I loved in 2012

Love And Its Opposite – Tracy Thorn

Beyond The Neighbourhood – Athlete

The Ghost In Daylight – Gravenhurst

Station To Station – David Bowie

The Haunted Man – Bat For Lashes

Is Your Love Big Enough – Lianne De Havas

Pants On Fire

So I made a card, did some practicing and was going to go out and play, and then…

I didn’t.

Damn that double standards man!

Bowie will return!

Apparently, this film needs a distributor in order for it to make it to the cinema! Surely there must be a small army of fans who are getting desperate. I know four (of which I am one).

C’mon someone with money, I know we’re in a slump right now but the world needs a dose of Before Midnight!

Music Saves, Bowie Scores

It’s been a while since I’ve written and that’s probably because December overwhelmed me with many things to do (half of which are still to do) but here I am, still singing, still fighting.

Last year, in musical terms alone was, for me, extraordinary. I played a lot of gigs (23 of them in September), got paid for making music (does that make me a professional musician, I reckon so) and for a brief issue, became a poster boy.

This is Upraw Magazine Issue 3. One Monday night at Camden a couple of people took loads of photos of the people playing. The guy was called Toby, I seem to remember, and he was friendly and pleasant. I don’t remember either of them taking photos while I was playing but was very pleased to discover this, courtesy of Mr Tim Wilson. I think that might be the good Mr Wilson’s thumb in the photo.

I met lots of people on my musical travels which was great. Some great musicians and some great people.

For the first four or five months of the year I wasn’t working and I spent a lot of time with another Tim. This Tim was one I went to school with and managed to get back in touch with thanks to the magic of a certain social network. He was quite taken with some of my music and we spent our time re-producing it, sometimes going back to basics on the songs. We got through one album and started on three further songs. We also dabbled with the songs I’m currently working on. Such is Tim’s talent and expertise that he made my music sound incredible. He soaked it with a depth and space which lifted it to a place that is very exciting. Given no restraints I would spend much more time making much more music with him. You will hear it soon.

Which brings me to the stuff I started again early this month. Seven songs, one or two of which I started last year. I’ve been plucking and clunking and warbling and tinkering and have got to a point where I have no computer to record audio into, no monitors to hear the music out of, no independent set of genius ears to hear what I’m missing, and no way out of the daily grind and into a world with a soundtrack of my making. And you think that’s going to put me off?? HA!

Wouldn’t it be good…

On Monday the 12th of November I played Camden and it was delightful. Had a very good time with John and Tim, silly, fun, fab. Uncharacteristically, I messed up a good half a dozen chords this Monday during Life On Mars? but did the first song perfectly. Not impressed. Won’t happen again!

SET LISTS

Camden Bar, 12th November 2012

Without Words

Hello Sensitive

Life On Mars?

Camden Bar, 19th November 2012

Goodbye Yellow Brick Road

Without Words

Life On Mars?

 

I feel incredibly conscious of the fact that I haven’t got any music to get out there. There are a number of constraints of which I can do nothing. Time is getting eaten like an apple. I can’t pay for studio time – I simply can’t afford it. My energy levels are non-existent. But on the plus side, new songs are coming thick and fast. I did record one which I was pleased with, may put it up soon.

I also have an idea for another project but it would have to rely on the goodwill of a studio to give us their time in return for the biggest shout out I could possibly give for their services to be used by everyone. Anyone know of anyone who is desperate to lend a studio for the good of the ears of the people? Let me know.

And finally, I have new music coming, I conservatively estimate it may be shiny, new, finished and listenable by January but I’ll keep you posted.
Whoops, and finally finally, I have at last found a favourite film of the year, and so have my friends I saw it with: Ruby Sparks!