We woke up this morning
both feeling thoroughly shattered, but set off on the road towards
Liverpool.
On the way we stopped
in Bakewell and forged more contacts for future gigs. In celebration
we had an ice-cream – Bakewell is seriously nice.
We drove through the
Peak District and found an amazing pub alone at the top of a mountain
called the Cat and the Fiddle – maybe a place to play in the
future! The view was incredibly stunning.
Arriving in Liverpool
we managed to park a street away from the cavern club. Although we
couldn't get on stage there, after a walk around the Albert Docks and
the Liver Building we ended up wondering into one of the most
incredible clubs I’ve ever been in. Great atmosphere, great people,
a brilliantly kept secret – in which I played my first gig in
Liverpool. My set went down really well and I made some amazing
friends – I'll definitely be going back!
The same night we
crossed the border into Wales. There we slept for another night of
uncomfortable van sleep!
Kate & I Jamming. Blogger wont let me put this in chronological order :-)
OK, so today's gig wasn't so off the beaten track for us, but L4 was still massive fun!
We were a bit worn out as we'd decided to go on a 4 mile walk from Robin Hood's Bay to Ravenscar. Then we realised that the walk, which had taken us two and a half hours to do, had left us with only an hour and a half to get back. I ran it, and drove round to Boggle Hole to pick up Grace. Then we drove solid from there to Lincoln to get back in time for L4.
L4 was wicked, but there was no rest for us! We headed off for Liverpool the same night and ended up staying somewhere near Worksop.
Day 2 of our tour we headed north out to Whitby. First we doubled back on ourselves to Waltham, just out of Cleethorpes, to visit a car boot sale and see one of the coolest places we've encountered so far! It had a windmill, museum and railway carriage cafe all in one!
At Waltham - I thoroughly recommend bossin' it through here!
We stopped off in Beverly for a refuel and a chill...
Naked Phonebox
Found this typewriter really interesting 'cause the hammers come down from the side...
Parked in the Yorkshire moors
Grace eats soup
We arrive in Witby - we climb the 199 steps and check out where Dracula attacked his first prey in the UK - we then visited the ruined Abbey and bummed about a bit.
Poser...
I drinka your blad!
Camerashy Grace
This piano playing puppet was the highlight of Whitby for me!
Later on, I wandered round the pubs trying to get some contacts. Eventually I ended up at the Pier Inn, and jammed out some mega tunes with some lovely people who I'd really love to meet again! again folks supported us buy buying the CD!
This is the first post accounting the first proper Sam Harrison Music tour! We've set off in our van Molly, myself and Grace my lovely girlfriend, to play some set dates and search out some new venues off the beaten track.
Our first stop is the Trawl in Grimsby - but before we get there we make sure to have some adventures!
Important Shoe Prep
Crisp Curtain
We're now at Cleethorpes having seaside fun!
In Cleethorpes on a wall doing seaside stuff
Foolin' about in the van
Tour map - silver stars are places played, red dots are places visited in Molly
Plannin' the tour
Grace looking' pretty
Best use of a keyboard stand in cookery
After plenty of fun, we rolled up at the Trawl in Grimsby. The venue was packed, the crowd were really great and it was an awesome night - I well overplayed my set time and loved every minute of it! Two lovely people bought my C.D. and that paid a big chunk of our petrol!
I have big news. The new record 'The Wish' is finally available through iTunes and Bandcamp. It's recorded on a 1960's tape machine and sounds really special!
If you buy on iTunes, please don't forget to give us a rating, be kind! :-)
This album has taken us nearly a year to complete. This is because I played every instrument myself, and finding studio time to record in this way is very tricky! Also, recording onto a 1964 Scully tape machine that'd not been running in at least 30 years threw up quite a few problems. Anyhow, I think in the case of each song I've gotten a good representation of the sound I heard in my head.
The wild card in this respect is Ketamine Kim. I never meant to record this song in this way, at Rob, my producer's request I threw down a demo of the song, which suited the sound of the record so well it had to become part of it. It sounds kind of haunting and incomplete, but very different and I hope it will be refreshing and unexpected.
OK, I'm gonna give a little bit of a breakdown of whats on the album, without giving too much away. If you don't want spoilers, don't look!
1: Intro - You'll just have to listen and see for this bit!
2: Let's Pretend - an ambient love song about meeting and falling for someone with the backdrop (in my mind) of uphill Lincoln. 'Let's meander for a while/On the broken bones and cobblestones of this deserted town'.
3. Ketamine Kim - This is a song about a young girl whose drug addiction renders her homeless and deals with her relationships and lifestyle 'As long as her pulse is beating/As long as she's still eating/Kim's a homespun hero'
4. Lying On Your Bed - A song about being in love for the first time. 'As we shiver and we quiver here together, I must admit I feel a bit naive'
5. Rockstar - Just for fun, this song is a bit of self satire after a drunken episode I'd rather forget. 'I pass out on the floor/what the heck did you bring me back here for?'
Anyhow, thanks so much for reading, supporting and (maybe) buying the new record - you guys rock, independent music needs peeps like yourself!
please have a lovely time with it and I hope it gives you as much pleasure listening to it, as I love the songs, even after hearing them sooooo many times.
I'm currently sat in the Long Haired Music studio in Spilsby with Ciaran having spent a long 12 hours mixing the Breakfast Club's third album.
It is sounding amazing - so much more professional than anything the BC has ever done! Rob Harrison has outdone himself with this mix session.
We're behind, and its looking like we're going to have to book more studio time out to mix the final three songs.
Oh, great news - I'm now lead guitarist in Red Light Return, which means Ciaran & I are in three different bands together! We've also been learning songs today for my next solo album - which is sounding boss. We have bass parts learnt to 'Sing Baby Sing', 'Sex Games' and 'Deamons'.
OK, so here's our essentials for mixing sessions:
Bring work - I've bee soldering, Ciaran's been designing our album cover on photoshop.
Bring biscuits - Snackage is essential, especially with only the over-priced co-op next door. I brought biscuits and instant noodles with me and I've still spend over a fiver in extranious food supplies.
Happy Shopper orangeade - by far the cheapest and highest quality luxury soft drink on the market. Only 49p and sugar free!
Bring a book - although I hardly read mine, I did enjoy half a chapter of 'Sex Life' by Pamela Stephenson-Connelly. Thank-you bargain bookshop! BTW, very interesting how our attitudes to sex are shaped by early experiences. A good read so far.
Bring your laptop - We now have wi-fi again!
Bring a bubble wand - OK, that one's none essential, but it did make me smile blowing giant bubbles in the studio while mixing 'Pushing Up The Daisies'.
You needn't bring:
Too much money - You'll spend it.
A map of Spilsby. It's tiny.
Condoms - Get real. This is Spilsby.
OK, bit of a boring post, but I'm keeping you updated! ;-)
For some mad reason I decided it was a good idea to blow a whole load of money on playing an unpaid gig at the other side of the country, in the upstairs room of a pub at 8.30 in the evening. That reason was because the pub was the Hawley Arms of Camden, the famous stomping ground of Amy Winehouse, Pete Doherty, Razorlight, Russell Brand, Noel Fielding and many others. I'm sorry for dropping all those names, but they were awfully heavy.
I caught the train down early, and spent most of my day lugging a guitar, a box of CDs and a bag of food around, damp but excited. I now know every inch of Camden market, and ate a giant portion of Bang Bang chicken, the single greatest foodstuff ever created by man and exclusive to Camden. If anyone's ever down there, check out Cyberdog. Even if rave isn't your thing, Cyberdog is the most exciting shop I've ever been in, with clothes in colours I didn't ever know existed, sculptures, burlesque dancers and even a neon-clad sex shop in the basement. It will make you re-evaluate your eyesight. Thanks to Hazel Marie for showing me round this amazing city last time I was down, otherwise I wouldn't know about this stuff!
Playing to MTV - Who quite rightfully, were more interested in partying :-)
Anyway, the gig was packed. I wondered upstairs to find Glass City Vice, a brilliant young indie band from Brighton, setting up their gear. They would later play a blinding set, check out their stuff on youtube, they kick ass. I introduced myself and set about exploring the pub. The highlight for me was the graffiti on the overground bridge, which should be on YouTube soon, with some great gig footage. 'We miss you Amy', 'RIP Amy' it was beautiful to see the idol immortalised by the love of her fans. Soon after I met Katie Coleman and her band, who were unbelievable. I've not seen a singer with so much presence and control in a long long while. Katie was a great laugh too, and kept me company when my nerves kicked in, which were about ten times as harsh as I was playing an ALL ORIGINAL SET!!! AAAAARRRGGGH!!!!
The other artist who performed that night's name was Liam, but shamefully I've forgotten his sirname. I'll try and find out so I can link him here at a later date. He was also fantastic, with a brilliant guitar technique and a some really creative tunes.
Soundcheck - sounds good! Less treble on the guitar - my mantra...
Eventually I met Adam, the promoter, who was a sound chap and gave me some really helpful feedback on the performance. I'm name checking him here for the sake of a hyperlink to Mada Music who look to be doing some great stuff, as well as managing Katie. One to keep an eye on for sure - I'm yet to check out their in house label :-)
So the GIG! The first crazy thing was that we were sharing the pub with a party from MTV! A member of their production staff was leaving, and had booked out the room above ours. I wouldn't say I bossed the set, but it wasn't crap and everyone was receptive. I gave away about fourteen CDs, if anyone from the gig wanted one and didn't get one, email me and I'll send you a zip of the files. I had some great feedback from the crowd, all positive. At least after screaming 'Sex Games' out nobody could fail to notice I was there :-p
The whole show was filmed by the real hero of the night, Aden Asquith, who's gone well out of his was to get some great quality, great sounding videos of the set. Also, thanks to Helen & Tim for coming down and being awesome support and great company! Aden also took the pictures I'm about to insert into this post.
Cheeeeeese! Cringe ;-)
After the gig I caught the ten to midnight tube to Shepard's Bush Market, where I shivered my way to the front door of the second hero of tonight, Tori Longdon, choral singer, conductress and all around good egg. Oh, and the couch of whom I was to kip.
Tori was the perfect host as always, and I found I was actually sleeping in the same house as the bassist from Stornoway - well, its a small world! Sadly, it was too late for us to meet though. Roxy Hughes should check these out, at they're pretty darn cool!
Next day I visited the British Museum on the advice of Grace, who received bountiful cheap souvenirs for her superb advice. I spent most of my time there filming the faces of Greek sculptures, which I've decided are by far the most beautiful I've ever seen. I felt very arty and pretentious, which I now feely guilty for (thank-you Grace). My fave was definately Lely's Venus, which is designed to look beautiful from every angle, but never reveal her modesty.
After that I went to the Old China Hand in Farringdon with Tori for catch up time, and tasted one of the nicest ciders I've ever had. I also met some of her lovely collegues, who made me feel very welcome and ravaged some pineapple chunks. A train journey in the charming company of Lisbeth Sallander, the Girl With the Dragon Tattoo (its second reading now) culminated in a satisfactory snooze. This is surplus info and probably very boring.
The next day I had the most fun gig I've had in many months - the wonderful Victoria Pub up near the castle had one of the best crowds, so good I played for four hours and barely felt it. Thanks to all there who made me feel so welcome and got so stuck in!
Thanks also to Ciaran Grant, who went above and beyond to cover my open mic at the Golden Eagle. Thanks to Tracy and Pete also for being so supportive in the crazy but thoroughly worthwhile trip.
One last thing, check out Glass City Vice - if you like indie, you'll love GCV! I'm lookin at you Ciaran...
