Well due to a mix up at a venue we were not expecting to be playing this weekend however we had a call yesterday so we are at
The Bath
Northumberland Street
Morecambe
Lancs.
One of our favourite and regular venues actually so we are looking forward to it.
Last week of course we played the Queens Hotel in Accrington, another one of our favourites if not exactly the largest playing area in the world. It’s a restricted equipment venue for us, reduced lighting rig, smaller speaker stacks but as long as we can fit the drum kit in we can scale down without issue and a good time was had by all. The manager has changed again but Jeff (Geoff) was very friendly and no issues. Hopefully we will return in 2014.
So no doubt the question you all want answering is, did I try out the new Guitar? Well yes I did and it worked very well although as I have said before I am a pretty dyed in the wool Fender Strat player really, albeit a modified one. It’s probably down to over 30 years of familiarity but they just seem to be a more comfortable and ergonomic design to me. Having said that I do believe in using the right tool for the job and some songs do lend themselves more to a Les Paul type of guitar if only for the reason that we are used to seeing the original artist playing them on one. Good examples being Gary Moore, Thin Lizzy and Slash.
Russ (Cottier) has performed his sonic magic on the Craig McDonald tracks I mentioned last week so I will be releasing them in a few weeks as a Craig McDonald EP, not a Clan release. Having said that, I am now wondering if they may be better utilised as bonus tracks as part of the Pledge music fundraising? I will have to think about that one.
In parallel however I have turned my attentions to thinking about some new Clan material. Steve has provided a few good song ideas so the next album may well be a true collaborative effort.
I really must get myself re-motivated to put in the necessary time required to organise this. It is not simply a case of writing the songs. There is a lot more to do, the band learning to play them and work out arrangements, planning and organising the recording session(s), thinking about artwork, release dates, CD pressing, publicity and promo and of course last but not least financing it all.
The experience watching “The Rex” last week has also rekindled my desire to play a T.Rex set although I am not sure Steve and Jim share my enthusiasm. I was wondering if playing our first set as a “celebration” of T.Rex music followed by a second longer set of Classic Rock would be a feasible or perhaps a good/unique selling point. Feel free to reply (clan-rock@virginmedia.com) and let me know, I’d like to hear your thoughts.
The important thing to keep in mind here is that it would not be a T.Rex Copy (tribute) act, simply us playing the music of T.Rex. Marc Bolan was 29 when he died and only 23/24 in his prime heyday so I’m not stupid enough to think that at my age I could possibly do a good impression. In reality I couldn’t have done one when I was 23/24 either as I look nothing like him, don’t have curly hair and am somewhat taller. The other major thing of course is that personally I would rather be known for being myself anyway! Maybe I just need to sneak a few more Bolan songs into the set. J.
I have unfortunately put a bit of weight back on recently, nothing major, so I really need to nip it in the bud. I worked quite hard to lose what I did so I really don’t want to waste the effort. I know what is required and what works for me so just a case of re-applying myself. I don’t think dark (and potentially cold) nights really help neither does the looming prospect of Christmas. Ah well, can only do what I can and it has to come from me wanting to lose it really, no –one else.
Currently I am awaiting the arrival of the Don Powell (Slade Drummer) biography “Look Wot I Dun”. I am hoping it will be a good read. Apart from being the drummer in one of the most popular bands of the early seventies of course, success which took a long time to achieve, Don has had quite a few other life experiences which he can relate, some that I suspect I am aware of already and probably a few I am not. I am sure like most people there are a few things he would rather not have experienced but you can’t turn back the clock.
As Christmas is on the horizon I probably need to see which other musicians have biographies coming out, they tend to be my preferred reading of choice.
I picked up the annual flyer for the Wirral International Guitar festival the other day. As you know this has been going for quite a few years and every year I complain about the lack of a real bona fide guitar hero. Well this year they are running true to form. All their usual suspects (Esmond Selwyn, John Williams, Glen Tilbrook) are performing and whilst all are undeniably skilled and competent there is no-one I would say representing Rock/Electric guitar. Given that Uli Jon Roth is currently touring I am amazed they haven’t snapped him up for an appearance. Speaking of Uli, he is playing at Hard Rock hell in Pwllheli at the end of November and Bernie Tormé has just been announced on the same bill. Unfortunately tickets for that day are all sold out. I would definitely have gone to that.
It’s bizarre how tickets for festivals etc sell out before people even know who is appearing. I think Glastonbury next year is the same – not that I have any desire to go there.
It’s similar to something else that always amazes me; people who go to see the latest films without even finding out what they are about. I am sure it is just so they can tick it off their “I’ve seen it list”.
Personally I don’t think I have seen a new film for years, really nothing that has interested me to make me want to trek to a cinema. I am waiting for “hangover 3” to be released on DVD but that is the only one I can think of right now. How cultured am I?
So what has annoyed me this week?
Well I know landlords are very busy people and I appreciate they effectively work from when they get out of bed until they get back in it. Not a job I would want to be honest. However some of them seem to think it is an excuse for being ignorant and rude in failing to return replies to phone calls, messages etc. Especially when some of them are places we have played at previously and been well received. I know they are inundated with correspondence from bands etc. who are looking for gigs and I know their core business is selling drinks and food but I am sure setting some time aside to deal with it all once a week would suffice even if just to respond with a “thanks for your interest guys but no thanks”. We can then respect their decision, stop hassling them, it is all above board and we all know where we stand. Possibly they could even make the allocated time public and ask bands to only call them at this time? It is only a thought.
Don’t get me wrong, it is not the fact that we can’t play in their venues that winds me up it’s the fact that they just ignore us. To be honest we have stopped bothering with most of those folks now, they know who they are.
What I will say is that pretty much everywhere we do play is professional, courteous and we get on very well.
One place that is a joy to speak to and definitely has it right is The Railway venue in Bromley X. Jon made it quite clear to us that he didn’t think we were suitable for the venue which is fine (it is his business after all) but because he explained it to us in polite and friendly terms we still have a good relationship with him and remain friends. We don’t hassle him for gigs and one day he may well call us so no problem. It is a pity they aren’t all like that.
Are our weather forecasters really as bad as we think? They seem to get it right for the next 24 hours but anything beyond that always seems a bit hit and miss to me? Are they any more accurate than 50 years ago despite the technological advances?
Why are Motorway matrix signs often incorrect? How difficult is it to delete and add messages to them? I assume it is carried out from a central control room by typing in a message and assigning it to specific signs. The amount of times I am heading home form a gig at 1:00am and it says Queue ahead reduce speed. There is never anything there obviously.
Ah yes early morning driving and our good friend Bob Harris. Normally his show is on Radio 2 on Saturday night Sunday morning so it is a restful listen after a frantic gig. So what happened last Saturday, Here’s Tom Petty says Bob which indeed it was but at the same time Lenny Kravitz was playing “are you going my way”. Hmm, I thought something has gone wrong; Bob will sort it out in a minute. However Tom finished Bob started talking then Lenny finished and Bob started talking. Shock Horror – The show must have been pre-recorded and gone horribly wrong! I listened for a while but after what seemed like ten minutes it was proving to be very irritating so I had to turn off. I put it back on later and there was some generic easy listening radio 2 music and apologies from an unidentified announcer/technician that they were trying to restore the normal show.
I always thought the show was broadcast live as he claims to receive text messages etc. Was this a one off pre-recording that went wrong (possibly caused by the clocks going back an hour). I feel cheated ha-ha Just shows you can’t believe what you see and hear in the media.
Nothing against her personally but given that most people I know find her extremely irritating how has Amanda Holden got to be the celebrity she thinks she is? Perhaps I should buy and read her book to find out – err, perhaps not. She is a prime example of a waxwork really although she does claim to be an actress.
I see they are desperately trying to drum up interest in the Rugby League world cup. Is it working? Not as far as I can tell but I am sure they are interested in St Helens, Wigan, Warrington etc, i.e. places where they play Rugby League. I can’t see anyone else watching unless one of the home nations manages to scrape through to the semi finals or heaven forbid the final. From what I have heard I don’t think this is likely.
Music this week?
Well actually I have been listening to Merseyside 70s band Strife. I have been a fan since the seventies due in part to one of their roadies living over the road from my house and seeing them putting gear in and out of the van. I also saw them play live a few times, very good live band.
They toured relentlessly made a couple of studio albums on the Chrysalis label (Rush & Back to Thunder) then spit up at the end of the decade.
Quite an original sound I think. John Reid the guitarist and main vocalist still lives locally but he long ago gave up the music business and passed the mantle to his son Tony. Check out his band Limehawk, worth a listen in their own right.
A few years ago a Live Strife album was released – recorded in the seventies at the Boat club – Nottingham, it is really rather good. Contains tracks from both studio albums and a couple not on them.
Recommended – Strife – “Rockin’ the boat”
Until next week
Keep rockin’
Craig