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July 2008
Bloody hell....I think we all need to get under
Rhianna's umbrella, this is the 4th day of solid rain in London & it's grim
indeed....welcome to summer!
I'm just going to make this a quick catch up as we have gigs & festivals etc
coming up so I'm hoping that we'll have a few stories to tell by the end of the
month.
Saw the Diamond dogs, Dan Baird & Quireboys a couple of times last month &
frankly, I loved the Quireboys, great band & Jesus that man can sing......which
combined with his Geordie wit & inimitable (sorta!) style make him an amazing
front man, not quite sure why they didn't launch into the stratosphere back in
the 80's but there's still time, I highly recommend them if rock 'n' roll is yer
thang.....I think they may be on their way back big time...we need rock stars
again, we have no bloody rock stars, just stupid little bands that no-one will
remember next year singing in their regional accent with their dad's tank tops
on.
I'm feeling really happy with this band...this sounds the way I want it to
sound, obviously the musicians play the hugest role in the final sound & their
influences individually will influence the bands over-all sound, with these guys
I had a feeling it may not work, as everyone has such diverse influences but the
songs we are writing & the way these guys are delivering is unsurpassable...We
have the songs ready for the next album so now it's down to financial
negotiations & avoiding tin pan alley record companies that couldn't sell an
album to save their lives.....oh yeah I forgot, Nik says I mustn't do my dirty
washing on here, people will think me a moaner, I don't know if that is true but
let me just clarify one thing for any reader that is interested...I have never
written a great song about being happy & neither has anyone else of any
ilk....do the math? ;)
We're playing an acoustic show at the Landseer on Saturday 12th July, this was
supposed to be a festival but council bureaucracy intervened, for some reason it
will cause less disturbance in September? So, we are shall play inside & I can't
think of anything I would rather be doing on my birthday weekend.......
Maybe see some of you there......
Blessings on your heads.......
TH
May 2008
Well, it's the 5th May...such a very beautiful sunny day. Frankly I found the endless rain last week miserable, don't mind a drop but every bloody day....Pah. I've been on Hampstead Heath today, it was lovely... as was a go on the Waltzers (I can make em spin crazy fast) & made my mate throw up, part of the immense joy I get from the Waltzers. My mates local chip shop had a half price sale tonight, there were people queuing around the block, just to save a quid or two...queuing for an hour or so...you gotta love the British public, still got war time mentality......
We did a lovely acoustic show at the www.theboogaloo.co.uk a few weeks back, I really enjoyed that night & I highly recommend that place for drinkies on any night of the week, it has a great vibe. The show went well & we had a pretty good crowd. Was good to have my dad & Trudi there who rarely get to the UK shows being as they are 3,000 miles away usually. I think the next one was Turnmills which has since closed....that is no big loss to the live circuit.....it's was a weird set up. The Arts Cafe was next, I've been told off for doing my laundry on here, apparently I shouldn't be negative about the gigs.....but never before have I NOT enjoyed performing & it felt f**king awful.....it really did, I love playing live but this night was a joke, they had some stand in sound man down there who was more interested in going outside for a spliff or a suck on his crack pipe than doing the sound, och....I'm nae gonna go on... never again though, never again! So we left there feeling pretty crap & decided to do an impromptu gig in the street in Soho, thought we'd busk....so we did. This we have a video of and I've no doubt it will be on You-tube soon... it was amazing, everybody coming out of bars and restaurants to dance, it was a truly great end to a truly shite evening. And once again my faith was restored.
Last week we played the Borderline, I will always love that venue......we played great & had three new songs in the set, is so great to be playing songs that I have written with these guys.
Band
Yes, I still have one... the same one & I love them all...tis one big love fest & the song writing is fast and furious and very good, this is a great combination of talent & ideas.
Life
Last night I saw the Stones movie at the Imax in Waterloo, this was amazing, if you are even remotely interested go.....I bloody love the Stones anyway but it kinda feels like you're on stage with them, I guess Scorsese did a great job of directing also but seeing them in 64mm was mind blowing...a tad nauseating for a few minutes but once the senses adjust it's brilliant (said in a Welsh accent).
Tomorrow night Joe & the Def Leppards are playing a small show in Islington which I have been invited to, I love Joe....he never changes...so, will let you know how that goes...what else? Oh, we just got offered some more shows in Sweden so they will be up shortly.
This has been rather a challenging year so far for various reasons but nothing insurmountable & I'm so grateful to be almost ready to record another album of fresh material....
Tracie
Oh & please send your info to the bloody mailing list, how can we let you know what we're doing if we can't get in touch.....then... when we let you know what we're doing, get of yer arses & come & be a part of it. x
March 2008
EARTHQUAKES
So, I'm lying in bed last Tuesday night... about one in the morning, just
finished rehearsing & I feel something akin to a large pet jumping on the
bed, I don't have any pets......then the bed starts to shake & of course I
think..."it's probably just an earthquake, go back to sleep" NOT....
Funny old world indeed, I am quite excited that I experienced it... but with
it....came a few cracks in my foundations!!
GIGS
Some of the gigs got shifted around, not our fault but keep your eyes on the
dates on here &
myspace, some promoters have rules of their own... where
contracts become redundant and promises abandoned, not unlike record
companies......"hmm, I'll see if I can find last years invoices" being the
classic song our old label has been singing this month..."a long plastic
hallway where thieves and pimps run free".......
We are playing the Boogaloo Tuesday 4th March (www.theboogaloo.co.uk)
It's a cracking bar, big on atmosphere & we're doing it acoustic, it will be
our new bass players first gig & it's going to be busy so get there early, I
think the music starts about 8.30...May even have a special guest opening
for us....and it's bloody free!!
Next will be Turnmills on March 12th....So come on down and see us
BAND
I have an amazing band, musically this is the best it's ever been....we
recently added "Gus" on bass & I feel so honoured to be a part of
this...each member is a total asset, in the past there has usually been
someone letting the side down a tad but right now (and fingers crossed) the
parts are all fitting, the personalities are brilliant & funny & dynamic & I
can only hope it stays this way. Got a few new songs underway, we seem void
of addiction and insanity also which is a real plus!!
LIFE
My friend James arrived on Thursday from the States, we ended up at the
Bedford in Balham, lovely venue...saw Marwood (Benji) who was pretty good,
that was followed by several bands that failed to impress or inspire me in
any way!! If I remember rightly the woman that runs this venue said a
while back we were "too rock" to play there... dopey cow, not too rock for
Ronnie Scotts or HomeHouse though. None the less a fun night indeed. The
moon is bright tonight... wish I could dance on it!!!
Going to see "Ginger" at the Water Rats on Monday night, he always
impresses....
I've been to four of the Carbon Silicone gigs in Notting Hill with my lovely
friend Maggi Ronson, each and every one amazing in it's own way....they're
off to the States now.
AUDIO CARTEL
My amazingly fabulous and talented brother is playing a show at Arlenes
grocery in New York on March 17th,
www.audiocartel.com. He and his lifelong buddie Tyson Schenker
will be doing their debut gig with Justin (buy new sheets) on drums. Tyson
has good pedigree and is shockingly good as is Jess, the songs are strong as
is the playing, do yourself a favour if you're East coast, it won't
disappoint.
Ok, that's it........
Love.......
TH
January 2008
Greetings all...
It's the usual grim, grey, miserable January in London, I was in the States over Christmas & even though it was cold in New York it doesn't seem to be blighted by this bleeding greyness, the sky was mostly blue and the sun was mostly out...it's no wonder people get pissed off here.
We however have been keeping happy doing what we do best, making & playing music! Last night we played in a beautiful building in Portman Square called Home House...this place used to belong to Elizabeth, Countess of Home, who was popularly known as the "Queen of Hell" in the 18th century... it was deemed a suitably palatial home to entertain royalty & by all accounts, the Countess was rather a naughty Countess (lots of secret bedrooms for her naughtiness)!!
This place is now a private members club... designed purely for enjoyment & entertainment. We had pretty intense rehearsals as we decided acoustic would be far more fitting for the environment, our fabulous drummer Dom Chandler got himself a Cajon (Peruvian drum box) and spent Xmas learning how to play it, we added Dave Simon on Keys at the end of last year so the set up was 2 acoustic guitars, Cajon & piano....at last these guys are all singing also, players often neglect the beauty of harmonies, to me it's crucial and for the first time everyone is singing... and singing well!!
The gig was fantastic, we drank champagne , the room was lit beautifully & the audience were all able to sit on huge over stuffed sofas to watch our two sets. It was a beautiful environment.. we loved every second and the guys played so well...one of the best ever...it felt amazing. I like it same as playing electric, I can explore vocals more when it's quiet & get into the story of the songs...so I'm hoping we can do this again very soon...it's a very limited list we had as it is a private club but those that were invited had a ball. I think we may book quite a few acoustic shows this year..
The show we played last week in The Arts Theatre was fine but again that venue would have been better suited to acoustic, so next month that's probably what we'll do.
Christmas was great, I love New York and always have & we saw some great shows, Ronnie Spectors Christmas show was just amazing & I got to meet Debbie Harry for the first time at a charity gig my dad played at. Also caught a show by a guy called James Maddock which was superb (www.myspace.com/jamesmaddockmusic)
I don't think New York has ever let me down...
We are writing and those that come out to the next shows will start hearing some new songs...the diversity of this line up works so well, musically everyone is quite different and the combination leads to the often unexpected .. and me, frankly I'm a fan of the unexpected...always have been....in every way.
I didn't make any huge resolutions, they are usually futile...just the usual...get my arse to the gym stuff etc...
To love & be loved is the most important thing & that will be my life resolution.
So climb out from under the Quality Street wrappers and get out and see us play next month...we're having a wee break as Nik is in Auz for a few weeks but Feb 28th will be a great night in Soho, hoping to have some special guests also (just spelt that wrong... I was tempted to leave it as special gusets!) I will endeavour to have that also!! )
TH
