Is This Thing On Podcast BBC Special

Me just before I left for the Beeb. I may not have looked good but I smelt great!

The foyer or "Live Lounge" at BBC Sussex in Brighton

This podcast is an edited version of the live session I did for South:Live BBC radio on Sunday the 22nd November. I was invited along to the BBC Radio Sussex studio in Brighton and recorded 4 songs and a short interview. I had a great time and was fortunate to meet some great people. Kairen Kemp the presenter, Natasha Wineburg the producer and Dan bridge the studio engineer.
In the interview I mention The vinyl Project, Charles Olsen and Swineshead and Napoleon from Watch With Mothers
To listen to the podcast you can either click on the iTunes link on the right hand side of this page, use the green and play player just under it or go to my podbean podcast site and play it from there.
Normal pod-casting service will be resumed in the next 4 weeks. I'll be focusing on independent composers and artists. Why not subscribe so you don't miss out? WHY NOT?

Natasha Wineburg the producer.

This was the first show she'd produced solo.

What a star!

Hate X Factor? Vote for Jedwood!

It is astounding, but there are still large groups of the population that still believe that The X Factor is some kind of singing competition, crazy huh?

The rest of us have known the truth for years and are smugly laughing at them.

The fact that someone who could sing was beaten by someone that couldn't has forced many to have suddenly realised this truth.

It puts me in mind of the infamous "Viennagate" of 1981 when groundbreaking British electronic band Ultravox released the single "Vienna". This spent 4 consecutive weeks at number 2 in the charts. For the first week it was kept from the number one spot by John Lennon's dirge "Woman" but then instead of taking it's rightful place at the top of the charts it was usurped by the mildly racist Australian Joe Dolce and his hilarious "Shad up a you face".

It was at this point that most of us (the smug ones laughing etc) came to the realisation that it wasn't always the most talented or creative that succeed in the "entertainment" industry.

Now the time has come for many to "take the red pill" make that short step into reality and accept the fact that The X Factor is a sham of a show, designed purely to make money. X Factor creates (very successfully) a false reality where everybody EVERBODY  believes that this show matters, that it is a valid and worthy route into the music business.

If last weeks show wasn't enough, and it won't be, to convince people otherwise then the best thing to do is to do all we folk who know (the smug, yes?) must vote to kepp Jedwood in. Not only that but persuade everyone else to do the same. Slip it into conversation, write about it, mention it in every email you send, every tweet you tweet, we must with every fibre on our being convince the planet to VOTE FOR JEDWOOD.

I believe that if we achieve our aim (it's ours now yes?) Jedwood will not only make the final but win the bally thing!!

Then perhaps the rest of blue pill population (the mugs?) will realise and perhaps just grow up a bit.

Duo et Mono

http://www.monobar.com/

So my plan was to go and play at 90 Degrees in Southampton last night (Wednesday)
It's one of those large plush clubs in town frequented by students and other bright young things. Not my usual kind of place, I have tee-shirts older than most of the people in there, but I've played there before and went down surprisingly well and they asked me back to play and so I did.
On the way there I texted friend and fellow muso Real Raj as to what I was doing and as luck would have it, he was playing just round the corner at the Mono bar and would meet me for a swifter before he went on. Mrs Nick was too tired to come out on a school night, so I was on my own.
So it was all rather jolly as I walked in to 90 Degrees, Raj at the bar chatting to another music type. I'm sure he knows just about every singer, player, promoter whatever in Southampton!
He was just about to start so we agreed to meet up at the Mono after I had finished my set.
It was a noisy 90 Degrees by the time I started and I quickly realised that hardly anyone was listening. I got a smattering of applause but I could tell that they weren't really into it. I wasn't that bothered to be honest, I was in a tip top mood, I wasusing this as a rehearsal for a bigger gig I have this coming Monday and I was looking forward to catching up with Raj at The Mono. So when I finished to a larger smattering I slipped out and was off to The Mono.

The Mono was a welcome change. Just around the corner but still right in the centre of the Southampton club area, The Mono has a fantastic friendly atmosphere. A great guy called Jack Martello was rocking the place and had the crowd in the palm of his hand.
I met up with Raj who introduced me to one of the guys that run the nigh, Martin.
Whilst chatting Martin mentioned that the next act had just cried off and offered me a spot after Jackson. Sorted!
So after 15 mins or so I got up on stage and did a few of my funkier songs as I guessed that the crowd wanted to stay up on the high that Jackson had created previously plus they were all a it pissed but that nice red wine late at night type pissed not that largered up angry pissed.
Someone requested something romantic so I did "All I Think About Is You" which went down really well. One girl actually stood up and started swaying (to my lovely music not because she was legless!) as if she was listening to a tune she knew, loverly.
I finished off with "Pale Moonlight" which is always a nice big crowd pleaser.

Met up with Raj and Jackson at the bar who were chatting with Martin and the other guy that runs the night Christian. Jackson was very keen about Pure Acoustica and will be playing at the next night at the Dolphin.
Martin and Christian seemed pleased with my set and said they'd book me for another.

I didn't get home till 1.30am so I was pretty knackered when the alarm went off at 6.50.
Still, had a great time.