Saturday 26 March 2011

Spring: Sprung

I know it's incredibly English, but isn't it nice to not be a frozen, shivering iceblock just for once? There were times in November, December and January (and I guess February) when I thought the only way I'd ever experience a temperature above fifteen degrees Celsius again was if I'd gotten on a damn plane.

For the past couple of weeks since my last blog I've mostly been working on the release of the Oxygen Thief debut album called Destroy It Yourself, which is out on the Broken Tail Records imprint on 9th May 2011 under licence, as ever, to Josaka. This is the last BTR release for the forseeable future; Jay and Paul recently departed leaving me at the helm, and with the sudden upturn in my fortunes regarding the album, the FT tour and future plans (as well as the life I have to lead) I simply can't devote the time I used to be able to.

That said, there's an outside chance of future BTR releases from the likes of Quiet Quiet Band but for now, this is it, and it's a fantastic way to sign off, ironically with the biggest release yet. It's the first long-player Broken Tail have ever been willing to put our (er.. now my) name to, and OT is the hardest working, most proactive musician we have ever encountered. I'll have more news on that soon.

In the meantime, I'm still considering tour merch and working on new material. After the Turner tour I have another recording session to book, and then a few weeks after is 2000 Trees and a hometown show in Reading.

You, meanwhile, can enjoy the temperature.
b. x

Friday 11 March 2011

South Street reminder..

Hi all,

Just a quick reminder, I'm playing South Street Arts Centre in Reading tomorrow (saturday 12th) as part of Josaka birthday, sandwiched between SixNationState and Mr Fogg on one side, and MidiMidis and Lights on the other. It's like old school vs new school with me as the referee. An old school one.

Come on down, doors are 7ish and I'm expected on shortly after 8.45pm with a 25 minute set, so it'll be a mad dash through The Hits. Though I do have new material, it's unlike to feature heavily, other than perhaps 'We Are No Longer Twenty-Five', which isn't in my good books this week. Me and Jamie (well, Jamie) put down the drum track for it last weekend at White House, and I left with six takes to choose from and I want bits of three. I've spent the last few days staring at a screen full of drum sounds and wondering how on earth I'm going to make it work.

But, I'm sure in the end it'll work, even if it does mean my next studio session will be the kind of hair-tearing stressfest normally reserved for exams.

Anyway, enough about that, I'll tell you more about it when it's relevant.

See you soon
b. x

Saturday 5 March 2011

with apologies to Brighton and Norwich

hey all

i know i'm supposed to do my research before i declare my tour dates, but it turns out i don't always manage it. a combination of an advert in the NME and my own dear Mum advise me that I'm not with Frank Turner at Brighton's Great Escape Festival, nor am I at Playfest in Norwich. I believe I'm still playing Liverpool's Sound City That's what I get for taking my tour dates from Frank's gig page without checking.

Also, the rescheduled all-dayer Christmas party for This Is Not Revolution Rock at The Peel in Kingston on 2nd April has also been scuppered, and so is off again. No word as to when this will be rescheduled, but I'm playing twice at the Hippodrome (first for the under-18s and then the legally-adult) in May with Frank so come on down then instead.

The complete gig list is, then:

MARCH
12 READING Josaka Birthday @ 21 South Street

MAY (w/Frank & Franz)
09 STOCKTON ARC
10 DUNDEE Doghouse
11 DUNFERMLINE P J Molloy's
13 NOTTINGHAM Rescue Rooms SOLD OUT
14 LANCASTER Library SOLD OUT
15 CHESTER Telford's Warehouse SOLD OUT
16 LEEDS Brudenell SOLD OUT
18 MANCHESTER Night & Day Cafe SOLD OUT
19 LIVERPOOL Sound City - Cathedral Crypt
20 STOKE Sugarmill SOLD OUT
22 WOLVERHAMPTON Slade Rooms SOLD OUT
23 GLOUCESTER Guildhall SOLD OUT
24 BRISTOL St George's SOLD OUT
25 BATH Komedia
26 KINGSTON New Slang
27 CAMBRIDGE St Paul's Church SOLD OUT
29 PORTSMOUTH Wedgewood Rooms SOLD OUT
30 WINCHESTER Railway Inn SOLD OUT

JULY
15 CHELTENHAM 2000 Trees Festival

Finally, the last of the reviews have trickled in for Outside There's A Curse (but more on that later), including a great review from Rocksound which this month includes a couple of free CDs and a picture of Dave Grohl on just about every page. A snip at £3.99, and a mighty happy Ben

See you soon
b. x