Too Many Things and Six Strings

Today is gig day in London. Feels longer than a week since our last gig, but it was last Saturday. I was hoping the new album would be here, 7 days turn around they said but ten days later and no CD... Obviously they're shut today so I can't find out what's happened! My only working band for now is The Bophins, here's a video of a song for the third album (or maybe an interim EP?). It's called Glitter Eye click on the name to watch the video. I'll be playing​ my Gibson and Gretsch through a Line 6 Helix and a Mackie powered speaker. My Gibson has a stetsbar trem on it, love those, and the Gretsch is modified with selector toggle in a different place and so on. I'll be adding a kill switch to both of them soon as well. The Bophins is a great band to gig in, everything is tight, the songs work well, and there's a great uniqueness, not seen a band which looks feels or sounds like us! I've been up for a bit and just playing through the songs by mys

Didn't really practice it enough, but a summertime quick tune written on the veranda outside the house in France... Not sure it'll ever be anything more than a little ditty.... Here it is!

As I sit here munching left over pizza for lunch, staring at various computer screens with a guitar on my lap (again my Fender Parlor acoustic, oh ye of jazz infused chords and cheery disposition) I find myself wondering a few things... 1. How many computer screens do you actually need? 2. Is there a better thing than grilled left over pizza for lunch on a slightly dreary day? 3. What chord did I just play and where can it lead to, plus what's in a song?! 4. Why am I writing a blog? I'll start in reverse order... 4. This blog is my brothers fault, you can blame him. I had considered writing them in the past, but didn't really know what to write about and why anyone would be interested in reading it. My brother has a great blog, he's an accomplished composer and has lots to write about - you can check him out here:  ukcomposer.wordpress.com  and while we were sitting outside what is now our house in France in the sun, sipping wine from the local vineyard we were

Well, it's the first day since we've been in France it's rained, but looks like it'll clear up soon, fingers crossed. Yesterday was boiling!! My brother and I have a busy day today before driving back tomorrow, another 14 hour drive! I did manage in the blistering heat yesterday to write a very summery guitar tune, I think it's an instrumental though. When I have WiFi and no data limit I'll upload it. I bought my Fender Parlour acoustic with me which is a great guitar, makes me play and write a completely different style too my normal stuff. Anyway, off to see a French estate agent and get the house on the market! A plus tarde mes amis... Yes, my written French is terrible, I blame Madame Rook and my short attention span

So yes, all bands work in different ways. I'm in a couple and the form may be different but the fundamentals stay the same. My playing is different for them as well. In my main band The Bophins I'm described mostly as Johnny Thunder meets Captain Sensible. It's fundamentally minor pentatonic based, all those old skool blues licks. I love them. The minor pentatonic is one of the most versatile and expressive scales for a guitarist, all frets in the four shape above below and between are fair game, go from minor to major, subvert the shape! It's great :). The other band The Furious Arcs I was described as Page meets Hendrix, it's all about the inversions, sevenths, diminished and so on. Plus the scales tend to be more formed so the drums and bass can link in with them. As I write this, I'm wondering how a band does actually work... Often badly, but sometimes you're lucky enough to be in a band without ego issues where everyone actually appreciates everyone e

Actually, it wasn't. It was a flight from where I was to exactly where I wanted to be, although for most taking the flight in the first place would have been absurd. That's the thing about being in a band though, you balance your needs, your family needs, and the band needs. It's a labour of love. An absurd labour for an absurd love. In this case last week my brother and I drove 13 hours to our late dad's house in France to sort out the legals, make sure it had not fallen down, and ensure there was no wine left after our stay. Saturday night I had a gig though at a great venue in Wellingborough, The Horseshoe Inn (England). We'd already had to cancel three times and I didn't much fancy cancelling yet another time. We have a new album coming out so it's also important we get used to the material live. Add to that, next weekend we're playing our first gig in London for quite a time, practice is always good! Also I could have a night and day with my girl