Poddata is a new maltese word for me.When I was brought up on the island the internet was unheard of as well as the PC really so the Maltese word for Podcast is a new one.
One thing I do remember is a progie on the only Maltese telly channel at the time Xandir Malta (pronounced : Shan-deer Malta) called Garaxx (translated Garage)It was a cool programme I remember as it had modern Maltese bands on it and i remembe the host to be a guy called Toni Sant. He had wild curly hair and specs. He was quite well known on radio i think at the time.....Well you know what happens you move away from the island and you reckon it and it's people stay in a time warp......(some aspects of both have....some what re assuring and also somewhat disturbing in places)
Like me in the early 90s Toni came to England. Toni is the founder of MaltaMedia and has been the creative director since 1998. He lectures on Performance and Creative Technologies at the University of Hull's Scarborough Campus, and edits the Applied and Interactive Theatre Guide. Every weekend he produces a podcast called Mużika Mod Iehor featuring music by performers in or from Malta.This is a wonderful vehicle for Maltese performers both living in Malta and abroad and Toni although away from Malta has kept up his support for the Maltese singer/musician which is fantastic. I also feel that since I left Malta the standard of Maltese music has definitely risen. This I can attribute to the internet....much more is available to the maltese musician and with the dawn of home recording and vehicles such as Myspace Maltese musicians have been able to keep up and in some instances surpass some of their European cousins in terms of quality of sound and performance (although please don't mention eurovision as this has little to do with the music or indeed talent)
I have been listening to these podcasts and wondered.(where did his big hair go...sameplace as mine probably).....and would Spriggan Mist get a look in? So I sent him a quick email and within minutes a reply came back that he would include a track of ours in one of the forthcoming "Poddati"
Having listened to the podcasts we will be in good company and Wifey and I are chuffed to bits. Toni's podacast appears to be well listened to especially within the Maltese music community and has been running weekly since 2005 and is on it's 125th edition .As soon as we get news of when we are on and what Toni chooses to play I will let you all know
Wednesday, 30 July 2008
Tuesday, 29 July 2008
Mr T's haircut
It's been weeks now. Road runner and I have been telling Mr T he looked like an extra from the film Car wash his hair was getting bushy if not a little grey too. Well T is pushing the big 50 you know!!!
Something strange has happened to him though...the normal quiet mild mannered office dweller turned into a sex fiend....
Our airconditioning has packed up in the office...typical on the hottest week of the year to date and as temperatures hit 29 degrees, the gun toting finnish swedish chef said her trousers were making her feel hot....quite an innocent statement you would think.....T in his "Bratford" drawl spins round and says "why don't you take them off" I dropped my pen! Roadrunner's jaw hit the desk with a thump (or thooomp....she's from oop north) well we never! then he insisted the gun toting swedish /finnish chef tell all about a "dirty weekend " she just had......which was actually news to her too. It's all very highly irregular and we are investigating the cause of the sudden change in tact and diplomacy.......talking of which i slipped up with my piercing...forgot to plaster it up yesterday went for an office meetinmg and realised too late ....my boss ...Big foot was looking at me strange .....I could see that she was looking at me as if to say "why are you not looking straight at me?" i was acting like my neck wouldn't turn hiding the left side of my face suddenly she looked at me quickly and she saw it " I thought you cut your ear shaving she remarked....thought it was taking a long time to heal....." (4 weeks actually)....She is not in the office much this week and after I come back from Malta it should be healed enough to take out whilst at work.......I've managed it phew! Tell you what I bet Cruella wouldn't of had it......quite rightly so of course...rules is rules!Talking of which ...Cruella! if you are reading where is the rhubarb? Mr T wetted our appetite for it now !!!
Work on Spriggan Mist's album is going slow. We are having buzz troubles at the moment .... we are struggiling to get that clear sound when recording vocals and recorders.This probably due to our lack of knowledge and I find delays extremely annoying and admittedly get grumpy.....ok wifey i've admitted it, I do get grumpy!
It didn't help that yesterday the heavens opened up and a violent dramatic hail storm broke out and flooded next door (first dog poo now flood)But the new song is kind of ready to record. We think we know how we can play live too using samples played back through our Boss BR900CD which should just take out the tracks we want if set up correctly (although degree in modern physics is a requirement to understanding the shitting thing)
ok kids are up...parental duties apply....more on the trials and tribulations of me later on this week....might fit another in before Malta...depends what you lot do around me!
Something strange has happened to him though...the normal quiet mild mannered office dweller turned into a sex fiend....
Our airconditioning has packed up in the office...typical on the hottest week of the year to date and as temperatures hit 29 degrees, the gun toting finnish swedish chef said her trousers were making her feel hot....quite an innocent statement you would think.....T in his "Bratford" drawl spins round and says "why don't you take them off" I dropped my pen! Roadrunner's jaw hit the desk with a thump (or thooomp....she's from oop north) well we never! then he insisted the gun toting swedish /finnish chef tell all about a "dirty weekend " she just had......which was actually news to her too. It's all very highly irregular and we are investigating the cause of the sudden change in tact and diplomacy.......talking of which i slipped up with my piercing...forgot to plaster it up yesterday went for an office meetinmg and realised too late ....my boss ...Big foot was looking at me strange .....I could see that she was looking at me as if to say "why are you not looking straight at me?" i was acting like my neck wouldn't turn hiding the left side of my face suddenly she looked at me quickly and she saw it " I thought you cut your ear shaving she remarked....thought it was taking a long time to heal....." (4 weeks actually)....She is not in the office much this week and after I come back from Malta it should be healed enough to take out whilst at work.......I've managed it phew! Tell you what I bet Cruella wouldn't of had it......quite rightly so of course...rules is rules!Talking of which ...Cruella! if you are reading where is the rhubarb? Mr T wetted our appetite for it now !!!
Work on Spriggan Mist's album is going slow. We are having buzz troubles at the moment .... we are struggiling to get that clear sound when recording vocals and recorders.This probably due to our lack of knowledge and I find delays extremely annoying and admittedly get grumpy.....ok wifey i've admitted it, I do get grumpy!
It didn't help that yesterday the heavens opened up and a violent dramatic hail storm broke out and flooded next door (first dog poo now flood)But the new song is kind of ready to record. We think we know how we can play live too using samples played back through our Boss BR900CD which should just take out the tracks we want if set up correctly (although degree in modern physics is a requirement to understanding the shitting thing)
ok kids are up...parental duties apply....more on the trials and tribulations of me later on this week....might fit another in before Malta...depends what you lot do around me!
Monday, 28 July 2008
The Final Countdown
Cue really tacky eighties keyboard fanfare like intro........cue prety faced scandanavian leather clad blokes with lip gloss and dodgy perms.........cue drums and guitars ......"it's a final countdown!!!!"
Well you get the jist.......Yes it's the countdown to the annual Spriggan's Mist holiday. In fact my next blog will probably be from the summery climes of Malta hurrrrrrrrrah! Sun,sea, sand and snoring!this year we will be neolithic temple visiting........wifey will be hoping to get some inspiration from them. also hoping to hire a guitar for her to strum away........personally the thought of being away from my bass for about two weeks is a real bummer!!!!! I bet I end up going into a muic shop for a play!!!!!!!
So apart from selling my soul to folk rock what else have i been upto this week huh?
Well on Thursday Lil Miss Chavster graced the Spriggan's den with her presence along with her Dad (wifey's brother ...Doggit) and her brother Moon boy.....yep new name for the little Emo...his jeans are so far down his thighs (some fashion thing apparently) he is in a constant state of mooning.
Anyway without further ado it transpires that down in Weymouth where they live. Hot Machero (and later Stone Jesters) had a bit of a cult following amongst the Chavettes . You see up here near london kids walk down the road with their phones blaring out some bad songs that they "spit" their rhymes too as they chill out outside their yard with their Bois and bitches...brap! But down in Weymouth they is gettin it Dan to a bit of old Hot Machero belting out Dakota....That's really cool and we are obviously chuffed to bits...........but by heck are you lot in the dark ages down there.
Of course now that band is no more we are giving Spriggan Mist the hard sell.....Sent down with their own EP and one to play in their B and B hopefully we will get a sale out of it as holiday makers eat their sausage,bacon and eggs they can hear all about Turkish generals who get their heads put on steaks in the great siege of Malta in 1565. All good educational stuff!!!
I expect their business will go up even more now they play Spriggan mist at breakfast.......or not we'll see.
Lil Miss Chavster does feel her Aunt and Uncle are kinda cool though and I have (I feel ) inspired her to write her own blog which is quite funny...if not a bit scarey .It's not often you get an insight into the thoughts and the world of a 15 year old girl living in Weymouth....and quite frankly a good job too! She'll hate me for saying this but .....it can be a bit Vicky Pollardish at times but I kind of think it adds to the appeal I'll post a link to her page if anyone is interested.
As the Weymouth branch of the Spriggan Mist fan club grows I'm sure she will feature regularly in this blog.
A new girl has started at the office......she's American...very American.....Now i have no problems with Americans at all......apart from their sport is only really played in their country like American Football and baseball and then their national championships are called stuff like World series......and stuff like "Saving Private Ryan".......good film and all that but flippin hell I'm sure there were some brits at Normandy !!!!!! they think World War two started in 1942...etc...etc.. i could go on and on (apparently I invariably do) but little Yankee doodle crossed the line this week...oh boy! oh yes.......she said that ....that The Americans invented the Boy Scouts!!!! I know I know she knows not what she says .
That boer war hero Lord Baden Powell would be turning in his grave......So the whole first camp on Brown sea island in poole in 1907 was made up was it????!?!?!? I remonstrated accross the office.....later she went on to complain that the British went to America turfed out the natives took their land and were generally really bad eggs.....ok this may be true.....but what language was she speaking in ...exactly English......she also wants to become the first female president of the US (she has just finished a law degree) I asked ....why? her answer was that there was the need for a good women in the office at the White house.....I paused looked around, the whole office was listening to the banter.......then i uttered the sentence which was to silence her....." well didn't you have Monica Lewinski?" The guy next to me nearly pissed himself. i refrianed fron saying "She did a good job" but put my anti arse hole device in my ears (my Ipod head phones)People don't talk to me when i have these on.....suits me!
Well the neighbours are back from their holiday. Rolf (their eldest) so called cos he came back from uni with a full beard glasses and curly hair was outside the house he hadn't gone on holiday with his parents but stayed at home.....I enquired what was wrong as he looked at his Dad's faithfull red F reg Volvo. He whispered to me that the rest of the family had just travelled back from Dorset with their Labrador called coco in the back......unfortunately Coco (which in maltese is slang for shit) did exactly that...he shit himself ....he had a very upset little tummy......I just had visions of them pulling up at the services and their being a 50 metre exclusion zone around their red volvo!!!!!! Rolf and i sniggered like naughty schoolboy. Crap like that makes me laugh......
Well you get the jist.......Yes it's the countdown to the annual Spriggan's Mist holiday. In fact my next blog will probably be from the summery climes of Malta hurrrrrrrrrah! Sun,sea, sand and snoring!this year we will be neolithic temple visiting........wifey will be hoping to get some inspiration from them. also hoping to hire a guitar for her to strum away........personally the thought of being away from my bass for about two weeks is a real bummer!!!!! I bet I end up going into a muic shop for a play!!!!!!!
So apart from selling my soul to folk rock what else have i been upto this week huh?
Well on Thursday Lil Miss Chavster graced the Spriggan's den with her presence along with her Dad (wifey's brother ...Doggit) and her brother Moon boy.....yep new name for the little Emo...his jeans are so far down his thighs (some fashion thing apparently) he is in a constant state of mooning.
Anyway without further ado it transpires that down in Weymouth where they live. Hot Machero (and later Stone Jesters) had a bit of a cult following amongst the Chavettes . You see up here near london kids walk down the road with their phones blaring out some bad songs that they "spit" their rhymes too as they chill out outside their yard with their Bois and bitches...brap! But down in Weymouth they is gettin it Dan to a bit of old Hot Machero belting out Dakota....That's really cool and we are obviously chuffed to bits...........but by heck are you lot in the dark ages down there.
Of course now that band is no more we are giving Spriggan Mist the hard sell.....Sent down with their own EP and one to play in their B and B hopefully we will get a sale out of it as holiday makers eat their sausage,bacon and eggs they can hear all about Turkish generals who get their heads put on steaks in the great siege of Malta in 1565. All good educational stuff!!!
I expect their business will go up even more now they play Spriggan mist at breakfast.......or not we'll see.
Lil Miss Chavster does feel her Aunt and Uncle are kinda cool though and I have (I feel ) inspired her to write her own blog which is quite funny...if not a bit scarey .It's not often you get an insight into the thoughts and the world of a 15 year old girl living in Weymouth....and quite frankly a good job too! She'll hate me for saying this but .....it can be a bit Vicky Pollardish at times but I kind of think it adds to the appeal I'll post a link to her page if anyone is interested.
As the Weymouth branch of the Spriggan Mist fan club grows I'm sure she will feature regularly in this blog.
A new girl has started at the office......she's American...very American.....Now i have no problems with Americans at all......apart from their sport is only really played in their country like American Football and baseball and then their national championships are called stuff like World series......and stuff like "Saving Private Ryan".......good film and all that but flippin hell I'm sure there were some brits at Normandy !!!!!! they think World War two started in 1942...etc...etc.. i could go on and on (apparently I invariably do) but little Yankee doodle crossed the line this week...oh boy! oh yes.......she said that ....that The Americans invented the Boy Scouts!!!! I know I know she knows not what she says .
That boer war hero Lord Baden Powell would be turning in his grave......So the whole first camp on Brown sea island in poole in 1907 was made up was it????!?!?!? I remonstrated accross the office.....later she went on to complain that the British went to America turfed out the natives took their land and were generally really bad eggs.....ok this may be true.....but what language was she speaking in ...exactly English......she also wants to become the first female president of the US (she has just finished a law degree) I asked ....why? her answer was that there was the need for a good women in the office at the White house.....I paused looked around, the whole office was listening to the banter.......then i uttered the sentence which was to silence her....." well didn't you have Monica Lewinski?" The guy next to me nearly pissed himself. i refrianed fron saying "She did a good job" but put my anti arse hole device in my ears (my Ipod head phones)People don't talk to me when i have these on.....suits me!
Well the neighbours are back from their holiday. Rolf (their eldest) so called cos he came back from uni with a full beard glasses and curly hair was outside the house he hadn't gone on holiday with his parents but stayed at home.....I enquired what was wrong as he looked at his Dad's faithfull red F reg Volvo. He whispered to me that the rest of the family had just travelled back from Dorset with their Labrador called coco in the back......unfortunately Coco (which in maltese is slang for shit) did exactly that...he shit himself ....he had a very upset little tummy......I just had visions of them pulling up at the services and their being a 50 metre exclusion zone around their red volvo!!!!!! Rolf and i sniggered like naughty schoolboy. Crap like that makes me laugh......
Tuesday, 22 July 2008
Spriggan Mist Go International
I kid you not ........!!!! not only have CD s been bought by residents of the Netherlands....but a DJ in Cleveland in the USA has promised to play a track from our EP Konditions of change on air. She is a friend of our baby sitter extraordanaire best friend M. She is going to let us know when and what time ...(and the channel ) and hopefully we'll listen on line.
So what's next for Spriggan Mist?.......well it's the album.....out by Christmas we hope. It will feature a couple of tracks from the EP some of the backing tracks from the meditation CD we did with Freya but souped up a bit with some guitars etc...
Also we have the songs Kultural Karma and The Wrong tune from the Jesters to sprigganise!!!!!
All the Jesters agred they would assist if called upon which is wicked especially the Barabanshik and tha voice of the scoobs!
I've literally just pulled the plug on the Stone Jesters myspace my finger hovered over the button ....then i hit it........ gone ......history .....a blast here is some pictures from the last 18 months
In the church loft
Chippy!
SJ!
First Gig as Hot Machero at the Boot with SJ cooke, Eric Tomlinson and Dom
The Uxbridge gigs joined by Armen Gevorkian and Kieron Ryan
St joseph's 2007
The Kris Wilkins era
As the Stone Jesters...The last lineup....with Ant. Sheilagh Anne and Yatesy.....we rocked!!!!!
The future...Spriggan Mist
So what's next for Spriggan Mist?.......well it's the album.....out by Christmas we hope. It will feature a couple of tracks from the EP some of the backing tracks from the meditation CD we did with Freya but souped up a bit with some guitars etc...
Also we have the songs Kultural Karma and The Wrong tune from the Jesters to sprigganise!!!!!
All the Jesters agred they would assist if called upon which is wicked especially the Barabanshik and tha voice of the scoobs!
I've literally just pulled the plug on the Stone Jesters myspace my finger hovered over the button ....then i hit it........ gone ......history .....a blast here is some pictures from the last 18 months
In the church loft
Chippy!
SJ!
First Gig as Hot Machero at the Boot with SJ cooke, Eric Tomlinson and Dom
The Uxbridge gigs joined by Armen Gevorkian and Kieron Ryan
St joseph's 2007
The Kris Wilkins era
As the Stone Jesters...The last lineup....with Ant. Sheilagh Anne and Yatesy.....we rocked!!!!!
The future...Spriggan Mist
Monday, 21 July 2008
Stone Jesters ......disbanding
February 2007 wifey and i embarked on a journey of self discovery. Could a Mum and Dad in their late 30s start a rock band ?. I feel I ought to announce that this part of the “experiment” is over. We played two very good gigs and it felt finally we were getting somewhere only for a mainstay in the band to announce he was off. On a weekend of contemplation Wifey and i feel that doing the covers thing at parties and weddings wasn’t sitting comfortable but the Folk rock side of our personas was tapping away at us demanding more attention.
As we belted out Johnny B Goode last weekend it dawned on me that the audience loved it and wanted more....we’d only learned one Rock n roll song it was evident we needed to learn some more.
But i didn’t want to do rock n roll i didn’t want to play things that really don’t interest me. To get gigs you need to be liked, to be liked you need to play a full range of stuff. Why do we want gigs? It’s not a money thing although it was nice to get some. It was all about self discovery but things have progressed and we know what direction we are going in. I suppose what i ‘m trying to say is Stone jesters has reached a point where we don’t want to go anymore but Spriggan Mist on the other hand is fresh exciting and where we want to go.
In a nut shell The stone jesters are no more.
It started with just Wifey and me........it’s still just wifey and I
Check out my blogs still !......I’ve renamed it
“Life at the Low end”
As we belted out Johnny B Goode last weekend it dawned on me that the audience loved it and wanted more....we’d only learned one Rock n roll song it was evident we needed to learn some more.
But i didn’t want to do rock n roll i didn’t want to play things that really don’t interest me. To get gigs you need to be liked, to be liked you need to play a full range of stuff. Why do we want gigs? It’s not a money thing although it was nice to get some. It was all about self discovery but things have progressed and we know what direction we are going in. I suppose what i ‘m trying to say is Stone jesters has reached a point where we don’t want to go anymore but Spriggan Mist on the other hand is fresh exciting and where we want to go.
In a nut shell The stone jesters are no more.
It started with just Wifey and me........it’s still just wifey and I
Check out my blogs still !......I’ve renamed it
“Life at the Low end”
Sunday, 20 July 2008
A Relaxing Evening !
Things were getting frantic!!!!!!........My seven year old Rockstar sat in the back of the car in his booster looking worried .........there was only one thing for it.......phone Mother dearest!
Rockstar was dressed in his Beavers uniform complete with scarf and woggle it was his first night away with them at a campsite the other side of Ascot. I'd glanced at the map earlier in the day and decided I knew where it was. Wifey was away in Northampton and had taken the Sat Nav...so in true Scouts stylie I felt " prepared" and set off early. Mini Minx was staying with her Nanna which meant that I was a free spirit doing exactly what I wanted for the night and the next morning . I was expecting uninterrupted relaxation. I trundled up and down this road looking for this site but to no avail . It was 1815......I had till 1845 to find them so I wasn't worried.....by 1830 I was getting worried . The phone call into control went in Mother dearest perched her self at her PC and guided me into the campsite like a guided missile hitting its target ..................not!
Instead I got a series of expletives about her PC crashing freezing or the map not being big enough. Lefts rights road names in Windlesham and a set menu for three at the Chinese restaurant.
It was 1840....I was panicking...."just read the flippin map !" I screamed ...
"I can't it's a crap map"......she replied.....(I thought this might be a good follow up for Dora the Explorer.....you could have the "Back pack " song then the "Crap map" song ......hey ho I digress...back to the panic)
I'm now driving around these country roads looking for the campsite...I asked a local but she was as useful as a fart in a sleeping bag............then there was my only hope...........Dark Marge would be pinned to his PC this time of night........I'll phone him in Dorset to look at a map to guide me in, in Berkshire. So I phone him and thankfully he guided me there ......Rockstar slid in to the camp at 1845 and as they were falling in doing the Beaver song (!!??!?!) I made his bed up for him and slid away ......hot bothered not in the slightest relaxed .
That night I recorded a song all on my own.......at the time I thought it was the bees but by morning when I listened to it again twas awful!!!!!! I packed a bag and bounced off to the gym...it was shut lack of staff wasn't opening to the afternoon...pants pants pants!!!! I went running and hit some bag instead......(bag as in punch bag not some random grumpy old woman)..Chaos was restored to my life when the children arrived back that afternoon and I promised they could camp in the garden ....so last night I had my nose pressed up against the side of the tent all night as my children spread themselves out ...I was awoken to the sound of Kaiser chiefs from Rockstars I-pod ...............at 700 hours!
My life is far from ordinary...back to being a rock god tomorrow!
Rockstar was dressed in his Beavers uniform complete with scarf and woggle it was his first night away with them at a campsite the other side of Ascot. I'd glanced at the map earlier in the day and decided I knew where it was. Wifey was away in Northampton and had taken the Sat Nav...so in true Scouts stylie I felt " prepared" and set off early. Mini Minx was staying with her Nanna which meant that I was a free spirit doing exactly what I wanted for the night and the next morning . I was expecting uninterrupted relaxation. I trundled up and down this road looking for this site but to no avail . It was 1815......I had till 1845 to find them so I wasn't worried.....by 1830 I was getting worried . The phone call into control went in Mother dearest perched her self at her PC and guided me into the campsite like a guided missile hitting its target ..................not!
Instead I got a series of expletives about her PC crashing freezing or the map not being big enough. Lefts rights road names in Windlesham and a set menu for three at the Chinese restaurant.
It was 1840....I was panicking...."just read the flippin map !" I screamed ...
"I can't it's a crap map"......she replied.....(I thought this might be a good follow up for Dora the Explorer.....you could have the "Back pack " song then the "Crap map" song ......hey ho I digress...back to the panic)
I'm now driving around these country roads looking for the campsite...I asked a local but she was as useful as a fart in a sleeping bag............then there was my only hope...........Dark Marge would be pinned to his PC this time of night........I'll phone him in Dorset to look at a map to guide me in, in Berkshire. So I phone him and thankfully he guided me there ......Rockstar slid in to the camp at 1845 and as they were falling in doing the Beaver song (!!??!?!) I made his bed up for him and slid away ......hot bothered not in the slightest relaxed .
That night I recorded a song all on my own.......at the time I thought it was the bees but by morning when I listened to it again twas awful!!!!!! I packed a bag and bounced off to the gym...it was shut lack of staff wasn't opening to the afternoon...pants pants pants!!!! I went running and hit some bag instead......(bag as in punch bag not some random grumpy old woman)..Chaos was restored to my life when the children arrived back that afternoon and I promised they could camp in the garden ....so last night I had my nose pressed up against the side of the tent all night as my children spread themselves out ...I was awoken to the sound of Kaiser chiefs from Rockstars I-pod ...............at 700 hours!
My life is far from ordinary...back to being a rock god tomorrow!
Thursday, 17 July 2008
Need a drummer
You would think I would be chomping at the bit to impart on the world tales of the last gig wouldn’t you.
Yarning about how good it was and how we are top of the world etc...huh?
Well I ‘ve taken a few days out to reflect on what so far has been an unusual few months and find myself sitting back being rather philosophical about it all really and in a calm and measured approach to the subject of the Stone jesters now being officially a gigging band I reflected on the last two gigs and I can say without getting too exaggerated...........................
WE F*&*ING ROCKED!!!!!!!
I apologise if I am about to offend...but this so far has been the best line up we’ve had both musical and character wise . Although by far not the final product we did rock and people liked us ....we have even got some possible gig offers down a local pub too which is in early stages of negotiation but we’ll see.
This is the last time I’m going to make reference to this but let me have my moment just this once......
There were a few people this year that have been very critical of the band and it’s members in fact there have been three people who really stuck the knife in at different times and to varying degrees and reasons......None of you were there at either gigs ........
Well we rocked........people liked us ........and Johnny B Goode was played twice as it went down so well(this will make sense to one of you)..........so you three where were you? .....probably not performing in front of an audience .....I wonder why?.......we were rockin as a band having a great time . knock us down and we’ll be up fighting again . We proved you very very wrong .........You probably did us a big favour in a funny sort of way...........nuff said
After the dust settled on the two gigs by mutual consent and after a lengthy discussion our Drummer Barabanshik is leaving the band . We wish him all the best and thank him for joining us on the journey.
So this is an exciting time for us as Barabanshik has been with us over a year and getting a replacement will be a challenge but I’m sure the right drummer will come along.
I’ll blog again at the weekend bye for now
Yarning about how good it was and how we are top of the world etc...huh?
Well I ‘ve taken a few days out to reflect on what so far has been an unusual few months and find myself sitting back being rather philosophical about it all really and in a calm and measured approach to the subject of the Stone jesters now being officially a gigging band I reflected on the last two gigs and I can say without getting too exaggerated...........................
WE F*&*ING ROCKED!!!!!!!
I apologise if I am about to offend...but this so far has been the best line up we’ve had both musical and character wise . Although by far not the final product we did rock and people liked us ....we have even got some possible gig offers down a local pub too which is in early stages of negotiation but we’ll see.
This is the last time I’m going to make reference to this but let me have my moment just this once......
There were a few people this year that have been very critical of the band and it’s members in fact there have been three people who really stuck the knife in at different times and to varying degrees and reasons......None of you were there at either gigs ........
Well we rocked........people liked us ........and Johnny B Goode was played twice as it went down so well(this will make sense to one of you)..........so you three where were you? .....probably not performing in front of an audience .....I wonder why?.......we were rockin as a band having a great time . knock us down and we’ll be up fighting again . We proved you very very wrong .........You probably did us a big favour in a funny sort of way...........nuff said
After the dust settled on the two gigs by mutual consent and after a lengthy discussion our Drummer Barabanshik is leaving the band . We wish him all the best and thank him for joining us on the journey.
So this is an exciting time for us as Barabanshik has been with us over a year and getting a replacement will be a challenge but I’m sure the right drummer will come along.
I’ll blog again at the weekend bye for now
Tuesday, 8 July 2008
Bunting and Biryani
The sun reigned down in Bracknell.....the school field was a mass of colour and cheer. Bunting flapped playfully in the wind children ran around with their faces painted and grown ups sat chewing the fat (Nothing to do with the burgers on sale) Blue plastic school chairs formed an arena in front of two Gazebos an awning and Eddy the camper van which acted as an impromptu stage like focal point for The Stone Jesters to unleash their music onto the now growing crowd.
The Morris dancers danced the choir sang ...this was a typical English school fete ...and it felt great......the rain clouds still visible in the sky just kept their distance and as the wind stretched the gazebo’s durability to the Max in the afternoon sun Scooby doo let out the first notes of “I wish I was a punk rocker with flowers up my nose ...I mean in my hair....a school fete....for everybody else it was.........maybe even for the rest of the Stone Jesters...for me it could have been my very own Glastonbury (without the mud...oh and a considerable less amount of people...but you get my jist) The holy one and I don’t play in that song so we both got the crowd clapping and I must admit I had a little ting of emotion enter my head......I thought of the search for the singers we had this spring....the knock backs ,the slating, the negative vibes....now all gone.....I looked across at the Holy one he was stepping on his foot pedal he looked over at me nodded as The Scoobs drew to an end .......he played the first riff to Ruby and that was it we were off the whole band jettisoned into full pelt ...the Funky Padre’s Mancunian voice belted out ,Wifey was there Sax firmly anchored with Scooby doo and her Dadaddahhs. Barabanshik was half set up in the awning doing what he does best...............The Stone Jesters had morphed from the ashes of Hot Machero the transition complete we were gigging again.
The gig wasn’t without incident however “Breakfast at Tiffany’s was interrupted by a plea from a mother of a missing two year old .....we picked it back up again but through out the gig we thought we were going to be blown away at times ....(The crowd were obviously blown away). The comments after were fantastic and those that know us and have seen us throughout the last year have said this was the best gig yet and these the best singers we’ve had.One parent this morning stopped his car got out on purpose came up to me and said what a wonderful atmosphere we created and we were very good. This filled me with pride.
It was a good performance we thought, a few points to improve on ,a few odd finger slips but the video of which proves there was nothing major. The Holy one and I being on the ends of the band kept getting spoken to whilst playing.......you see I was MC for the afternoon announcing what was going on at the fete etc......(strange appointment as I’m the shy and retiring type). In Kultural Karma a girl walked straight up to me and said
“Excuse me I have a request....”
My original thought was “piss off I can’t play and speak at the same time “..................then I thought ...how cool someone wants us to play their favourite song.....then I thought or may be the request is to make like shepherds and get the flock out of here.....then she said
“From the Food tent there is still loads of chicken Biryani can you push the Biryani!”
I think I said “We don’t know that one was it done by Oasis? “ but it was met with a blank expression . I realised I should have been playing a descending bass line responding to Wifey’s leccy guitar ......I slipped back into the song...a little messily but no real harm done. I imagined what Adam Clayton U2’s low ender would have done if there ...at Twickenham he had a similar request.......oh how we need Roadies!
Just to clarify whilst on the subject of Kultural Karma , contrary to what Mother dearest thought the line is
“ Put on your shoes and dance to the news” not “ Dance in the nude!!!!”
The Morris dancers danced the choir sang ...this was a typical English school fete ...and it felt great......the rain clouds still visible in the sky just kept their distance and as the wind stretched the gazebo’s durability to the Max in the afternoon sun Scooby doo let out the first notes of “I wish I was a punk rocker with flowers up my nose ...I mean in my hair....a school fete....for everybody else it was.........maybe even for the rest of the Stone Jesters...for me it could have been my very own Glastonbury (without the mud...oh and a considerable less amount of people...but you get my jist) The holy one and I don’t play in that song so we both got the crowd clapping and I must admit I had a little ting of emotion enter my head......I thought of the search for the singers we had this spring....the knock backs ,the slating, the negative vibes....now all gone.....I looked across at the Holy one he was stepping on his foot pedal he looked over at me nodded as The Scoobs drew to an end .......he played the first riff to Ruby and that was it we were off the whole band jettisoned into full pelt ...the Funky Padre’s Mancunian voice belted out ,Wifey was there Sax firmly anchored with Scooby doo and her Dadaddahhs. Barabanshik was half set up in the awning doing what he does best...............The Stone Jesters had morphed from the ashes of Hot Machero the transition complete we were gigging again.
The gig wasn’t without incident however “Breakfast at Tiffany’s was interrupted by a plea from a mother of a missing two year old .....we picked it back up again but through out the gig we thought we were going to be blown away at times ....(The crowd were obviously blown away). The comments after were fantastic and those that know us and have seen us throughout the last year have said this was the best gig yet and these the best singers we’ve had.One parent this morning stopped his car got out on purpose came up to me and said what a wonderful atmosphere we created and we were very good. This filled me with pride.
It was a good performance we thought, a few points to improve on ,a few odd finger slips but the video of which proves there was nothing major. The Holy one and I being on the ends of the band kept getting spoken to whilst playing.......you see I was MC for the afternoon announcing what was going on at the fete etc......(strange appointment as I’m the shy and retiring type). In Kultural Karma a girl walked straight up to me and said
“Excuse me I have a request....”
My original thought was “piss off I can’t play and speak at the same time “..................then I thought ...how cool someone wants us to play their favourite song.....then I thought or may be the request is to make like shepherds and get the flock out of here.....then she said
“From the Food tent there is still loads of chicken Biryani can you push the Biryani!”
I think I said “We don’t know that one was it done by Oasis? “ but it was met with a blank expression . I realised I should have been playing a descending bass line responding to Wifey’s leccy guitar ......I slipped back into the song...a little messily but no real harm done. I imagined what Adam Clayton U2’s low ender would have done if there ...at Twickenham he had a similar request.......oh how we need Roadies!
Just to clarify whilst on the subject of Kultural Karma , contrary to what Mother dearest thought the line is
“ Put on your shoes and dance to the news” not “ Dance in the nude!!!!”
Thursday, 3 July 2008
Dribbly Chariots
Two days to go for the Stone Jesters to rock Bracknell.....................!!!!!!!!!!.
We have one last rehearsal tomorrow ....Scooby doo is resting the old voice( we hope) as is the Funky Padre.........The Holy One has been twiddling his knobs galore and the Barabanshik has been well........Barabanshikking........Wifey is up to her neck in PTA fete organising....forget Live AID or Live 8 this is serious shit!!!!!!(and of course the Jesters are playing!!!)....me well apart from my work load increasing at work following a sacking of a colleague (in the council this is) What a funny place the council building is ? everywhere you go the doors open automatically..........but if you move too fast they don't open quick enough or if indeed you approach from a slightly different angle , you end up with a face full of council door.........the latter happened to yours truelly today as I used my face as a door stop I looked around the deserted corridors to see if anyone saw me ....and behind me there were two people from my office rolling around at my plight..........typical.....
Mother Dearest is busy speeding around Bracknell in her mobility Ferrari......she's formed a gang ...they're called " The Hell's Grannies" They put fear into anyone stupid enough to step in front of them trundling through the precinct with their German Sturmtruppen helmets and sleeveless jean jackets emblazoned with back patches with messages like "Dribbly chariots rock" and "mobility babes do it on the pavement"....they hang out at "the look in " in town (an over 50's establishment) you see the rows of customized mobility scooters lined up outside. After they've sank their Newcy Brown they hop on their steeds and drive under the influence through the underpasses knocking skateboarders off their boards as they go ...topping their deeds off with the one finger salute and echoes of ..."Elvis is king " as they disappear back to the home....................The Police ? ..too scared to deal with them.....
Mr T ? if he puts the word "Ear" in conversation in front of my boss Sasquatch again .......nice bloke that he is I'm going to give him a slap.........I've avoided detection for nearly two weeks ......but he's pushing it ........ oh boy!........" ear " he say's" this call is for you " and "ear you go"........can't say too much as some of my bosses might read the blog but most of you know what I am talking about..........Will update after the gig .................laters.........................
We have one last rehearsal tomorrow ....Scooby doo is resting the old voice( we hope) as is the Funky Padre.........The Holy One has been twiddling his knobs galore and the Barabanshik has been well........Barabanshikking........Wifey is up to her neck in PTA fete organising....forget Live AID or Live 8 this is serious shit!!!!!!(and of course the Jesters are playing!!!)....me well apart from my work load increasing at work following a sacking of a colleague (in the council this is) What a funny place the council building is ? everywhere you go the doors open automatically..........but if you move too fast they don't open quick enough or if indeed you approach from a slightly different angle , you end up with a face full of council door.........the latter happened to yours truelly today as I used my face as a door stop I looked around the deserted corridors to see if anyone saw me ....and behind me there were two people from my office rolling around at my plight..........typical.....
Mother Dearest is busy speeding around Bracknell in her mobility Ferrari......she's formed a gang ...they're called " The Hell's Grannies" They put fear into anyone stupid enough to step in front of them trundling through the precinct with their German Sturmtruppen helmets and sleeveless jean jackets emblazoned with back patches with messages like "Dribbly chariots rock" and "mobility babes do it on the pavement"....they hang out at "the look in " in town (an over 50's establishment) you see the rows of customized mobility scooters lined up outside. After they've sank their Newcy Brown they hop on their steeds and drive under the influence through the underpasses knocking skateboarders off their boards as they go ...topping their deeds off with the one finger salute and echoes of ..."Elvis is king " as they disappear back to the home....................The Police ? ..too scared to deal with them.....
Mr T ? if he puts the word "Ear" in conversation in front of my boss Sasquatch again .......nice bloke that he is I'm going to give him a slap.........I've avoided detection for nearly two weeks ......but he's pushing it ........ oh boy!........" ear " he say's" this call is for you " and "ear you go"........can't say too much as some of my bosses might read the blog but most of you know what I am talking about..........Will update after the gig .................laters.........................
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