recent purchases

We're busy sorting out gigs for April and May and getting everything ready for the album release on April 11th.

The new album by Marble Valley, the other band I'm in, is finished and sounding good. Should be out later this year.

I recieved the following text earlier today. I've edited it a little, but you should be able to get the gist:

"Radio 4 is just a posh speaking clock.. Surely the disgusting middle class southern ---- listener has a clock on it's spacious kitchen wall and can tell the ------- time!?! The english make me sick. Turn it off. Have a nice day!"

Chaos reigns

Some photos from the gig we did with Howard Marks.
They were taken by Jamie Akrill and Anna Bean.

Our keyboard player is a freak. Here is a picture of his record collection to prove it.

The Owl - Ted Hughes
I saw my world again through your eyes
As I would see it again through your children's eyes.
Through your eyes it was foreign.
Plain hedge hawthorns were peculiar aliens,
A mystery of peculiar lore and doings.
Anything wild, on legs, in your eyes
Emerged at a point of exclamation
As if it had appeared to dinner guests
In the middle of the table. Common mallards
Were artefacts of some unearthliness,
Their wooings were a hypnagogic film
Unreeled by the river. Impossible
To comprehend the comfort of their feet
In the freezing water. You were a camera
Recording reflections you could not fathom.
I made my world perform its utmost for you.
You took it all in with an incredulous joy
Like a mother handed her new baby
By the midwife. Your frenzy made me giddy.
It woke up my dumb, ecstatic boyhood
Of fifteen years before. My masterpiece
Came that black night on the Grantchester road.
I sucked the throaty thin woe of a rabbit
Out of my wetted knuckle, by a copse
Where a tawny owl was enquiring.
Suddenly it swooped up, splaying its pinions
Into my face, taking me for a post.

Howard Marks gig went well and everyone Had a good night.
It was also Archie's birthday, so I got him 'the Electric Cool aid Acid Test' which seemed to fit nicely with the spirit of the evening.

robo-rainbow from mudlevel on Vimeo.

This morning, between the riots and cyclones, the Today Programme had a piece on Jimmy Webb. He played a stunning solo version of Witchita Lineman and spoke about the death of craft in song writing. 
"American idol would have been laughed out of town in 1967 as cornball fluff."

Just watched the Andrew Neil program on Public School pupils taking over politics. Really interesting for all sides of the political spectrum. We all know the issues any way, but hopefully this series of programmes will make people take note and do something about it - I can dream. 
Of all the coalition government, why is it that Michael Gove annoys me the most? Is it because he is hell bent on ruining education for all working class school pupils, or just that he has the most annoying face in Britain?  

The Rolling Stones - Sweet Virginia

Wading through the waste stormy winter
And there's not a friend to help you through
Trying to stop the waves behind your eyeballs
Drop your reds drop your greens and blues

Thank you for your wine, california
Thank you for your sweet and bitter fruits
Yes, Ive got the desert in my toenail
And hid the speed inside my shoe

But come on come on down sweet virginia
Come on honey child I beg of you

Come on come on down you got it in you
Got to scrape that shit right off your shoes

For the acoustic gig we're doing on Saturday we've learnt a couple of new covers. Sweet Virginia and Dylans, Rainy Day Women #12 & 35

As the gig is supporting Howard Marks, Rainy Day Women is quite an obvious choice but you've got to play to you're audience!