Finally, got a few new musical things to blog about! Been busy recently tracking ‘rock’ guitars, bass and drums on 3 songs for Brian Devlin. Finished now and can’t wait to hear how all his songs turn out post-production.
Also got together in the same room in my studio with my fellow The Postcards guitarists Dave and Chris to work through 8 (yes eight) new cover song ideas. Sounded ace and next step is rehearsal studio in June before bringing them live to a cinema near you asap!
Real loud rehearsal in a rehearsal studio last Sunday is biggest news, with newest band I’ve joined Hanley & The Baird. Original songs, new to me, but so good and so much fun. Going to enjoy playing with these guys this year! Thanks for inviting me in. Cheers.
Really enjoyed a bit of remote recording and mixing with Chris Thomas (but not Bruce Thomas and Pete Thomas too unfortunately!). Just a bit of fun, but we like it a lot!
I’m really happy to be involved in a small way with the wonderful Sing In The City organisation. Even though Covid has has a big impact, the music goes on! Hanley & The Baird is the band formed by SITC Musical Directors Kirsty Baird and Annette Hanley to support the choirs and ‘Looking At Me, Looking At You’ is their great new single. Available on all good platforms … listen, and most importantly BUY it now! And follow Hanley & The Baird on Facebook 😉
With gigs and recording face to face with people out of the window for the time being, I spent some time having fun remixing (with Jan as Executive Producer!). We have really enjoyed transforming this great track ‘Skin’ by Man of Moon from Rock to Electronic Dance. Thanks Chris & Michael. Not our usual style, more Donna Summer meets The Chemical Brothers! Enjoy J&G xx
Can be a potentially dodgy thing when a long gone and cherished band makes some kind of come back, especially with few original members (in this case 1), but this isn’t at all the same and it turned out magnificently!
Original XTC drumer Terry Chambers reunited with bassist Colin Moulding for their wonderful TC&I recording and shows in 2017. I was there! Since Colin stepped back from playing, this EXTC project is Terry carrying on with Steve Tilling and Gary Bamford from those shows, reviving songs from XTCs extensive catalogue rather than mainly Colin’s songs. Since XTC stopped performing in 1982 (carried on recording ’til 2000) but have become legendary over the years, the excitement about this first open warm-up show was incredible and people travelled very long distances, including me!
Well you might imagine a barely credible tribute band … but no! What a great job of replicating such interesting and challenging songs pretty faithfully. All great players but much credit must go to Steve Tilling, a leader and driving force, for assembling such a convincing and compelling experience delivered with great skill, panache and humour! Terry Chambers is a great drummer and can still bash those skins with the same power and unique technique (see video I took below of ‘Ball & Chain) and credit also to Gary, Matt Backer and Ken Wynne for great jobs on keys, guitars and bass.
A packed, enthusiastic crowd of super fans with 2 marvellously played sets of their favourite songs was a magic combination. We sang along ’til hoarse and cheered them to the rafters! Great to see old friends and make some new ones too. Catch them asap when all this Coronavirus is over!
What a great night at Alan’s party. Thanks for having us and we had a blast just like everyone else seemed to. The birthday boy even got up to play guitar on Spring Rain by The Go-Betweens! Thanks to various people for pics and vids, not sure who’s, sorry!
I think I must have died and gone to heaven! Gig of the century for me? I think so, at least equal! Having just seen my favourite band in the world at a great show in Amsterdam last week how could they top that? Maybe 2 reasons –
This was the second last show of the their entire 6 months (with breaks) of ‘The Center Won’t Hold’ tour, and having fun, they threw the kitchen sink at us with 27 songs over nearly 2 hours covering their extensive career. Secondly, Barrowland is bigger than Paradiso and hey it’s Glasgow. So the great energy from the band was given back from an ecstatic crowd in spades and the feedback loop of love was magic to behold! Great sound helped. So spectacular, like a mad fanboy I jumped up and down and sang all the words like a loony!
And what a set. So many of my faves and quite a few changes from Amsterdam, great to cover so much ground with new ones sounding super live and lots of time for the most loved classics. ‘The Fox’ is my favourite S-K song, played brilliantly, but Corin Tucker doesn’t scream the high bits quite the same nowadays. Losing it? No way given the evidence of ‘Gloria’, where in the only cover of the night (Laura Branigan) Corin let rip with the perfect song to show off her stunning voice. I was dubious to see that one on the list but wow, surprised and impressed.
Not to be outdone, my guitar heroine Carrie Brownstein surpassed her Amsterdam self with even more of her usual intensity. The same brilliant and unique guitar playing and singing, but even more of her trademark moves. How she can jump around, high kick, play and sing, all at the same time is a fabulous mystery! Katie, Toko also brilliant, and especially Angie incredible on drums, but the band is so much about Carrie and Corin (though I still miss Janet). What a night. Couldn’t love them any more.
