Outside the Box

I have 6 tracks that I recorded at an acoustic gig I played last week. I used my lovely Rhode NT1 plugged into my portable minidisc and the quality is stunning. Therefore after a little tweaking I will release them for digital download by Xmas on good old iTunes as I did with "Life is a River"

It's about a year since I released "Life is a River" and to be honest I made about £150 profit from it and I'm pretty chuffed considering I wrote and played all the songs myself and recorded them in my spare room. 

Now you are all smart creative folk (aren't you?) what I would appreciate are your ideas to help publicise this album. Interesting viral marketing type ideas and publicity stunts.

If you know me then you will know that I'm pretty shameless when it comes to whoring myself round this great web of ours so I'm not going to whimp out of anything due to any shyness.

I did a special mix a few years ago of old People tracks preceded by a snatch of dialogue from Pulp Fiction. It sounded pretty natty and as I didn't inflict it on the world there were no messy copyright issues. I could go down a similar road this time and use some other spoken word. I could even hang the copyright stuff and hope for some publicity. There is no such thing as bad publicity eh Charlie?

I'm a bit handy at editing video so I could make a film for the tube of you

I did want to put up a witty and pertinent youtube vid but decided to treat you all to probably one of the best vids I've ever seen.

So throw me a bone, you've had great ideas before, share a few. 

I don't have a name for this album yet nor any ideas for the cover.

So let your imagine fly and aid me in giving up my day job.

Podcast number 3

Listening back to the first 2 podcasts I did that cringe thing that one does when one hears ones voice recorded. I'm used to hearing my singing voice. After spending hours, no really hours, listening back to it adjusting the reverb or bits of eq I 've got used to it. My spoken voice is another matter add to that the idea that I am spouting the most boring monotonous garbage we have a nice little jumble of fresh neurosis. 

So on to podcast number 3. In a nutshell I was too tired to do it properly but I did it anyway.

Listening to it now with Mrs Nick it sounds slightly better as she smiles reassuringly in that way that she does. 

Ok it is rambling, messy and a little confused, I know I forgot to mention things I said I was going to mention but that's what I'm like so deal with it. 

There will be better ones and I'm sure there will be worse but I do love doing it.

If you haven't heard it yet then click here if you have the iTunes or if not then click here and you can listen to it another way.

If there is something that you think would make these podcasts sound better, more interesting or if there is something you want to know then make a comment.

Ta

It Could Have All Gone Horribly Wrong

But, fortunately it didn't.

A chap called Nick dropped me a line to tell me about a new weekly event he was starting called Natural Jam, an acoustic night at The Havana Bar in Southsea. I quite like Southsea, I have some friends there and vaguely remembered going to this bar once last year. I had been drunk but remembered the table football and great murals. I digress...

It was agreed that I would play the opening night last Tuesday 12th Nov.  I Googled the other people on the bill and checked out some of the people attending.  Shit they were young. Teenagers and early twenties types, not my usual audience of 30-40 somethings. I was a little apprehensive.

It could all go horribly wrong. 

My last gig being Chaplins I still felt a little shellshocked but I turned up optimistic anyway.

Nick had decided that all the acts (there were 3 including me) would play without mics, amps and all that shenanigans and play pure acoustic. 

The stage is pretty big, set up for bands and the like.  Plenty of comfy couches and sinking chairs.  The first act, I would guess, are more used to electric guitars and P.A.s but did a pretty good job and the djembe sounded great.  Next came a duo who also accounted well for themselves.  They even had a bash at Hotel California which shows some balls!

I did pretty good! I had re-written "Don't Make Me Wait" putting in a key change and changing the chorus.  I had a ball, I love this pure acoustic stylie.  Unfortunately, the fucking minidisk player didn't work so I don't have a record of it but i enjoyed myself no end and can't wait to play there again. I think that this could be a great success this pure acoustic stuff and I hope Nick realises the potential this place has got.

If I had one niggle it would be that no-one was introduced. We all kind of shambled on and started.

What about a "Welcome to Natural Jam at The Havana. We do this every week. Lets all give it up for Blah Blah Blah?"

Come on Nick, pull your finger out eh?