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”
Showing posts with label Stone Jesters. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Stone Jesters. Show all posts
Monday, 21 July 2008
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!!!!”
Tuesday, 3 June 2008
Then there were six.....!
Hi there you Jester's fans , you know us never ones to do things in an orthodox fashion. Five singers came to try us out ......we whittled it down to two......obviously blog names pending ...but we couldn't choose between the two of them so we have asked both if they wanted to join and they are both happy to do so.............so now we are six..........(we could be Earth wind and Fire if we carry on like this )
Photos will be posted next week . Both are really cool singers and seem to have great personalities. The first is female ......never been in a band but has got a great voice. Wait for the Stone jesters version of Sandy Thom's ...Punk Rocker with flowers and doo dahs wotsits.
The second is a bloke who is more holy than the holy one . He is in training to become a Priest. He will be but the most coolest priest going....can you imagine .....he'll be there in mass .......and at the point where he starts his sermon.... off come the robes out comes the guitar ........" well you 've got to have faith ...... you 've got to have faith , faith faith....babeeeeeahhhhh" Those of you out there in Blog land ...I know what you are thinking.....whatever next??????
Well I'll tell you .....kick arse rock!!!! That's next as The Stone Jesters are cooking on gas again......
Oh........Happy birthday to me .......happy birthday to me!!!!!!!
Photos will be posted next week . Both are really cool singers and seem to have great personalities. The first is female ......never been in a band but has got a great voice. Wait for the Stone jesters version of Sandy Thom's ...Punk Rocker with flowers and doo dahs wotsits.
The second is a bloke who is more holy than the holy one . He is in training to become a Priest. He will be but the most coolest priest going....can you imagine .....he'll be there in mass .......and at the point where he starts his sermon.... off come the robes out comes the guitar ........" well you 've got to have faith ...... you 've got to have faith , faith faith....babeeeeeahhhhh" Those of you out there in Blog land ...I know what you are thinking.....whatever next??????
Well I'll tell you .....kick arse rock!!!! That's next as The Stone Jesters are cooking on gas again......
Oh........Happy birthday to me .......happy birthday to me!!!!!!!
Sunday, 4 May 2008
Flyer released
The Flyer for the 1st of June gig has been released.
Artwork by The Dark Magi, features Krispian the Jester.
Friday, 18 April 2008
The Jesters' New Voice
Ok it’s been a while....been ultra busy ....Jesters court has had phase one of the refurb complete so , Wifey has struck a rich vein of song writing ...not all appropriate for The Stone Jesters I hasten to add.......some will be used for Diddly Peeps (our family band.....Rockstar on drums etc...myspace link to follow) A lot of this stuff is on Banjo, acoustic guitar and I use the Mandolin tis very folky type of music ...you know........ yeeee harrr slap thigh and prance around like a cat on a hot tin roof with swollen gonads. Other stuff is a bit more twinkly twinkly around the camp fire with a bottle of Bulmers pear...........well summer is approaching and Eddy ( our 1973 veedub) will be tearing up those A roads heading for destinations unknown ( ok ok it will be more of a trundle)
Also finally we have found the singer for us to take us through to the next chapter in this saga that has more twists and turns than Cristiano Ronaldo. We are returning to a female singer ,I found her on the internet ...no not on E-bay........could you imagine it?
Female vocalist ..nearly new complete with mic and lead bids start at £3.00
Or buy now for £9.99
No no no I found her on a website where you finds singers and other musicians. We haven’t sussed out a blog name yet although she was on the website as Woody which bears no resemblance to her name (must ask her about this actually) Well Woody is a cool singer bags of enthusiasm and the Stone Jesters are back on that road to gigging....new song working on?..........want to know ? ...huh?
Ruby by the Kaiser Chiefs.......sorted bass line out last night
The Woodster’s photo will appear after next week’s rehearsals....
How do we all like the new artwork? The Dark Marge really excelled himself this time loads of you are commenting on how good it looks....
Anyway I’m still in me jim jams and have to go to work ....boring!!!!!!!!!!!
Also finally we have found the singer for us to take us through to the next chapter in this saga that has more twists and turns than Cristiano Ronaldo. We are returning to a female singer ,I found her on the internet ...no not on E-bay........could you imagine it?
Female vocalist ..nearly new complete with mic and lead bids start at £3.00
Or buy now for £9.99
No no no I found her on a website where you finds singers and other musicians. We haven’t sussed out a blog name yet although she was on the website as Woody which bears no resemblance to her name (must ask her about this actually) Well Woody is a cool singer bags of enthusiasm and the Stone Jesters are back on that road to gigging....new song working on?..........want to know ? ...huh?
Ruby by the Kaiser Chiefs.......sorted bass line out last night
The Woodster’s photo will appear after next week’s rehearsals....
How do we all like the new artwork? The Dark Marge really excelled himself this time loads of you are commenting on how good it looks....
Anyway I’m still in me jim jams and have to go to work ....boring!!!!!!!!!!!
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