We Heart The White Hart

Actually I have no idea if I (or indeed we) heart the White Hart at all, 'cos I've never been there. That will be remedied in double quick time as I'm going there tonight, to play a tune or five indeed! So if you fancy checking out the place, or you are a performer youself, do pop down and check out the Open Mic part of the evening as well as the featured acts (ie Me!!).

Here's the details that ya need: The White Hart, 1 Mile End Road, Whitechapel, E14 4TP - come along 7.30 ish... and be prepared to hum along.

Daren
xx

P.S. More on the Blag Club gig later.

Back To The Blag

I'm heading back to the Blag Club in Notting Hill Gate tomorrow (Wednesday 30th July). It's a good place to play, usually it's a private member's club, but on some nights they throw the doors open and invite people in to see some great acoustic acts. The system they run is a little different than usual, the running order is decided on the night, based on how many people you get through the door. So if you are coming down make sure you are in the doors by about 8:45, so I have a good chance of playing something other than first on. As a bonus to the artist, this is one of the few venues that gives you money for everyone you bring through the door (no money for those that have come down to see no one in particular, and no split of the bar, but hey it's better than nothing).

Setwise I'm going to be using my VoiceLive box and looper pedal again, so the show should be really exciting and well worth seeing - oh, and a debut of the new tune!! Hope to see you there!

Daren
x

Until We Pass This Way Again

Yes, it seems I have found my folk roots, or perhaps I've just been hanging out with Eddy Jay too much. Either way, I now have a demo of Until We Pass This Way Again for your thoughts. It's certainly a bittersweet song, about passing of time, but also about the way that things move in cycles - no matter what happens the Sun will always rise in the morning and Spring will follow Winter. This is just a demo, vocals and guitar together in one take (via my TC Helicon VoiceBox, so the guitar is not as nice as it will be when mic'ed up) but I think it has enormous potential and I'm already hearing violin (perhaps just a single one) around the two-thirds mark. But anyway, without more ado here it is:

Until We Pass This Way Again (Demo) - MP3 (3'57)

Let me know what you think! (lyrics in post below)


Other News

It's been another busy culture week. On Monday I was in a photo studio in London Fields assisting on a shoot that involved two clowns, a ballerina and a bodybuilder... oh, and some marshmallow dumbbell sculptures!!! It could only be the latest project by Alex Staiger - watch her website to see the results in a week or so.

The Friday before I had great fun at Zero De Conduite at the Elevator Gallery in Hackney Wick. The highlights were the excellent Sculpture doing live tape loop mixing accompanied by visuals that involved a record player and a video camera. Really good stuff. Here's the first three minutes on You Tube.

I also enjoyed James III And The Puritan - who is an almost indescribable mix of live mixer, DJ, grunge guitarist and, well, weirdo in a very strange outfit of cape and multiple headwear!! The Home Office were also excellent cleverly playing along to a video soundtrack so they had synched videos for their songs. Also appearing and entertaining were Craig Template and a gaggle of performance artists.



This Wednesday just gone I was partying at the Notting Hill Blag Club with Wayne Myers (whose birthday it was), and doing a little bit of promotion for my gig there next week. Talking of which, here are the next few coming up, do come along if you can.

30th July 2008, 8.45pm
The Notting Hill Blag Club, 68 Notting Hill Gate London, W11 3HT
The last gig here was an excellent night, this promises to be even better.

31st July 2008, 8.30pm
White Hart, 1 Mile End Road, Whitechapel, E14 4TP
Featured artist at this open mic night in happening Whitechapel.

14th August 2008, 8.30pm
Montague Arms, New Cross
Lots of music and comedy at the Unwrong Quiz night.

17th August 2008, 7.30pm
15 Minute Club @ Prohibition
Prohibition Bar & Grill, Unit 1 Tower Bridge House, St. Katharine Docks, East Smithfield, E1W 1AA
Just 15 minutes of fame!

31st August, 7.30pm
15 Minute Club @ The Living room
18-26 Essex Road, Islington, London, N1 8LN

Oh, one final thing. Why is it impossible to buy string anymore?! I mean, where do you get it from... no one has it!

Daren
xx

Some Good Things

The gig at the Fiddler's Elbow went really well. I was nervous before as I'm using a voice processor and a looper to create effects and harmonies and it calls for quite a bit of co-ordination. I've been practising really hard and it's starting to pay off. I think I may have inadvertently invented a new form of exercise. One part of the set calls for me to stand on one leg, whilst playing the tambourine with my other leg, playing guitar and singing! It'd doing wonders for my core stability. Anyway, enough of the technical details, the point is that it all came together and, by all accounts, sounds great. It's a thrill to finally start hearing the songs the way I have in my head and headphones for a while now. Many thanks should go to Steve the sound guy who was very friendly and professional, and did a superb job. I really can't wait for the next gig - it's an exciting time.

I'm also working hard on a new song, the working lyrics are below and the chords are pretty much there. Not sure on a title yet though, so feel free to post your suggestions... Until We Pass This Way Again is one option, Like A Melody is another.

In the morning the Sun will rise again,
After noon it drys my falling rain,
Evening comes to soothe and cool,
And night-time falls on king and fool,
Will we see the dawn again?

But these moments they don't last long,
Just like a melody they linger fleetingly and then,
In a heartbeat they are gone,
'til we pass this way again.

In the Spring the trees will grow again,
I remember Summer days without an end,
In the Autumn we all fall down,
And Winter chills the frozen ground,
'Til the seasons start again.

Chorus

We are born with wonder in our eyes,
As we grow we feel the pain of life,
In the middle some gain a frown,
And the last act brings the curtain down,
Who will remember we passed this way?

(D. Callow 2008)

As you may spot it's a bit of a digression from my usual writing, and the tune is quite folky (perhaps NiteByrd's comments have had an effect?). But I think it's a strong song, that may suit smaller more intimate gigs. If I get the lyrics finished over the weekend, I'll try and record a version for you to hear next week.

Love and peace to all,

Daren
xx

The Summer Of Music

Much as I do enjoy the performance and art things that I get involved in, it's nice to get back to my first love from time to time. The last few weeks have been filled with playing and appreciating music of all kinds. On Thursday 3rd I headed to The Duchess in Battersea Park with my wonderful (and now glowing) friend Sarah Peach in tow. I've played a few times at this open mic night and it's always an enjoyable experience, in no small part due to the ebullient (and perhaps occasionally, slightly drunk - only slightly mind, and only occasionally) host - Will O'Durkin. For various reasons this was the last open mic night 'til September, so I really wanted to play. It turned out that one of those reasons was that Will and partner were having a baby, and as coincidence would have it, it's due on more or less the same day as Peachy's. In between the baby chat, I managed to play four tunes and was happy with how it went.

Next appointment was on Wednesday 9th when Peachy and I ventured out again, this time to the Jazz Cafe to see our friends Katrina and U'mau perform. True to form, we arrived too late to see Soul Bar, but did manage to catch a large part of the set by Tunday Akintan & The Yorubeat AllStars (catchy name that!) - who were an excellent set of funky musicians. U'mau was singing and the whole vibe was upbeat and infectious.

Thursday 10th brought a trip to New Cross for 2nd Thursdays at the Montague Arms. This evening was Ladies Night and once again the entertainment was diverse and interesting. The highlights were Holly & Jenny's montage of embarrassing situations and overhead mobile phone conversations and aerobics (highly enjoyable), Caroline De Lannoy's fragments of words and feelings to even more fragmented piano stabs (highly stimulating) and Jo Stevenson's songs and ukulele playing (highly hilarious). Her song about Hitler being her favourite dictator is a work of comic genius. Emma Leach was also giving medical advice to pub goers and performers alike, although by the time I got round to it she'd finished! I was also grilled (in the nicest possible way) by Felicity Mukherjee about safety and security in London, this might have actually been a performance art piece by Lucy Panesar, but as is often the case these days, it was kinda hard to tell. It seemed professional and off-beat enough to be entirely genuine.



Okay, slight art diversion there... back to the tunes. Sunday night saw me trekking a long way north to the Fiddler's Elbow near Chalk Farm station (how do you farm chalk exactly?). Two reasons for the trip, firstly to see my friend Johnny Ryder play (young, talented, good-looking, footloose, fancy free... ah he's just sooo like me... ha ha) play and secondly to check out the venue as I'm doing a set there myself this Wednesday (16th). Johnny was not having the best night, his acoustic guitar had given up the ghost, so he was forced to do his solo set on a borrowed electric guitar. It took him a while to warm up, but by song three he was cooking on gas. He sounds like a mixture of Jim Morrison, Jimi Hendrix and Joan Armatrading, if you can imagine such a multi-headed musical beast. Following Johnny were Hedorah (sort of Garbage-lite - very pretty singer, moments of genius), Lost Gravity (lost in a rock-timewarp, the guitarist couldn't have been more Angus Young if he actually was Angus Young, and the bass player looked like an estate agent on his night off, great fun though. One of their fans had dreadlocks to his ankles, I kid you not!) and Thick As Thieves (super friendly guitarist - he loaned his guitar to Johnny - my personal favourite band of the night).

Well that's a round up of my musical week or so. My turn to play at the Fiddler's Elbow on Wednesday 16th, do come down. It's a great little rock venue, and I'm really looking forward to playing loud and unrestrained. Be there - 8pm.

Love to all,

Dxxx

P.S. Pics top: U'mau with Tunday Akintan & The Yorubeat AllStars, bottom: Johnny Ryder

A Moment In Time

I have a fragment of a new lyric...


...Those feelings they don't last long,
Just like a melody, they linger fleetingly,
And then in a heartbeat, they are gone...

...and some chords. But no song... yet. Where do these words fit in? I have no idea, but I hope to find out.

Dxxx

Oh I Do Like To Be Beside The Seaside... II

First up I must must correct an omission from the last post. One of the other pieces I saw on the first day was Serena Korda's The Library of Secrets. This is a custom made portable library that looks like it was made in the 60s, the idea is that you select a book, and then write a secret and place it amongst the pages of the book, for someone to discover another time. I really like this idea, as I love discovering things left in books (plus I've also taken to leaving my gig flyers in appropriate books, as a random way of meeting new fans... possibly). I actually met Serena at the Seaside Cabaret and it turns out she's from the Harrow area where I used to live. She has a piece on Stanmore Station platform at the moment.

On with Sunday at Whitstable then. After a less than restful night at the artist house (the sound of hoovering at one in the morning turned out to be a pump for inflating blow-up beds!!), we headed back to the seaside for some lunch. Since this is the coast it was seafood we were after and we were not disappointed. We went to the Pearsons Arms and enjoyed a fine lunch of potted shrimp, scallops and local fish in the company of Vic Reeves (well he was in the restaurant at the same time as us, so that must count).

In the afternoon I caught some more video projections at the local museum (I saw the end of a Paul MaCarthy piece, I think) and the tail end of the Whitstable Tourist Board's tour of Whitstable Art, which it seems most people where not sure if it was a spoof or not. Since it was listed under the performance art pieces, I guess it must have been!

The Unwrong Quiz

A brief rest and a shower later and it was time to make my way back to The Smack to set up for the Unwrong Quiz. This is a format developed by Frog Morris and Mark Quinn which follows the standard pub quiz format except for the fact that there are no wrong or right answers. Creativity and originality rule the day and the answers are often very funny. In the company of many of the day's performers and artists the routine is to ask about 5 questions and then while Frog and Mark go through the answers I play some songs. An added twist this time around is that due to the nice weather we started out in the beer garden, so I did my first outdoor show for a while. Some of the songs are better suited to being al fresco than others, so I had to shift the set around to accommodate this situation. I was a little frustrated to start with as I'd brought all my clever kit with me to allow me to do harmonies, effects and loops and playing in the garden kinda prevented me from using them. I kept willing the weather to turn cold so we could all head indoors.

After three or four rounds (I won a set of emergency blankets!) we finally decamped to the warmth of the pub and I was able to use the equipment I'd brought with me. This produced a few nerves, but I feel that my first ever use of the VoiceLive box for my songs live went well. Even the use of the looper at the end of When The Snow Fell In Denver, which calls for accurate foot stamping whilst playing, went well. I can't wait to make use of this kit at full volume for a proper set, roll on The Fiddler's Elbow on the 16th... should be an exciting night! Despite the two location gig and the amount of kit involved I only repeated one song, which was I Need Your Love, this one works well both on it's own and with effects and harmonies, so I felt it deserved a reprise.

The final act of the evening was the sing-a-long, which we've been perfecting at the Montague Arms. We now have giant songsheets as well as handouts, so there is no excuse for people not joining in. First up was It's Summertime (which you can download here if you'd like to hear it) with harmonies and a delay effect it was a big sound and people certainly sang along with gusto. Finally another rousing chorus of Angry Badger (it's not my song... Frog maintains it's a traditional folk tune that he's arranged, but I'm not so sure... you can download a version from here if you'd like to check it out for yourself) wrapped the evening up - I even managed to play the chorus right and add the voice of doom!



So that was it, Whitstable was over for us and all that was left to do was pack the van and head back to the big smoke. If any of this sounds like your sort of thing, then do come down to Second Thursdays at the Montague Arms in New Cross (every 2nd Thursday of the month, next one is Ladies Night on the 10th July) or one of my gigs - next one is 16th July at The Fiddler's Elbow in Chalk Farm.

See you soon!

Dxxx

Oh I Do Like To Be Beside The Seaside... I

It's taken a few days to recover sufficiently to write this review of the Whitstable Biennale 2008. Not that I didn't enjoy every minute, but two weekends in a row of very little sleep have taken it out of me a bit. Undeterred though, here we go...

The Whitstable Arts Festival lasts about 3 weeks and comes around every two years. I had no idea what to expect, the last Biennale I went to was Documenta in Kassel, which is a very dreary German prison town. Whitstable on the other hand is a beautiful Kent seaside town on a picturesque pebbled bay. We even got lucky with the weather, sun and rolling clouds with no rain at all. Just as well as we were there to see the performance art, which was mostly outside.

When we arrived the first thing to do was hit the beach, where we came across the The Man From Above (otherwise known as Charlie Tweed) there to inform us of how to avoid being drowned by building a platform or occupying high ground. I was particularly taken by his survival outfit of wetsuit and welding mask that, he informed me, had been purchased from eBay! Also on the beach was a sea container featuring a video by Jananna Al-Ani. Video in a sea container is fine, but it was so bright outside that you couldn't see it unless the door was clanged shut behind you, visions of Kassel maximum security prison flashed through my mind! Leaving the beach behind us we checked out some more screenings and then had a well deserved rest.

Next appointment on the Saturday was to see Lee Campbell's performance - The Fall And Rise. This event had already enjoyed much publicity in the national press, and a call for volunteers had been very successful. The anticipation was immense as we waited on the beach with about 400 other passers-by and art lovers (we do love a good crowd in England, I'm sure half the people waiting had no idea at all what they were waiting for). We didn't have to wait too long, as Lee and several dozen volunteers marched towards the beach wearing suits and shouting slogans from the hit TV series The Fall And Rise Of Reginald Perrin. "I didn't get where I am today by eating greasy sausages" or similar... as the cameras flashed and people gaped in amusement, they all made there way down to the lapping waves and then recreated the scene where Reggie strips off and runs into the sea to fake his own death. Unfortunately I had to leave at this point to start setting up for the evening, but I talked to the curator Frog Morris later and asked how it went. He replied that there was rather more full-frontal nudity than he'd been expecting, but general consensus was that it had been a fantastic event. And the day was not over yet!!!



Seaside Cabaret

The final event of the day was the Seaside Cabaret at The Smack. The Smack is a little (and I mean little) seaside Inn with a horseshoe bar, beer garden, pub dogs and a gaggle of bemused regulars. Their day was to become slightly surreal as a succession of performers and artists trooped through the door. First up was Princess Penang, aka Alex Staiger, who dressed in gold catsuit, tiara, kid's bikini and that strap-on and using a mixture of marshmallows, a lollipop, cake sprinkles, a trampoline and heavy metal guitar riffs (courtesy of yours truly) she proceeded to wow, stun and heal the locals and other passers-by. One of my highlights of the whole weekend was when she healed Das Schimmel and Herman Rarebell III. It was a truly unmissable and unique art moment.



After the pub garden healing we moved inside for more cabaret. The evening was hosted by Dawn Chalkley in full drag, and was kicked off by Frog Morris with his drawings and stand-up routine. After Frog it was Victor Mount with tin can guitar and more funny tales delivered in his usual laid back style. After him came the truly extraordinary Leigh Clarke, who does a quite jaw-dropping human beatbox performance. After this mesmerizing set the final act was Deference Engine, a prog-rock band from Norfolk. They wow'd the crowd again with a set of intriguing songs, finishing off with the crowd calling for Big, Big Sofa and a rousing chorus of Angry Badger!

After that it was back to the artist's house to sleep it off, and that was just the Saturday! More to come on the Sunday's hi-jinks later.

Congratulations

Last Saturday (21st June) I travelled down to deepest Devon to celebrate the wedding of my friends Frog and Victoria. It was a simple but beautiful ceremony followed by a fun reception at Victoria's parents place. The afternoon was made all the more surreal by near horizontal drizzle, gusting winds and the strange twilight you get on the Summer equinox (for that is what it was). The reception itself was in a marquee and the drinks were in two adjacent gazebos, which meant a trip out into the rain every time you wanted a refill, that certainly helped peg back the drinking. It wasn't until about 11pm that someone actually had the idea of moving the drink into the main marquee, we should have thought of that earlier!

I wasn't just there for drinking, mind you, I was also performing. The happy couple had lined up a few acts to play, and as they deemed my the least eclectic I was happy to step up and go on first. I had planned to use my vocal effects and looper, but in the end plumped for a more simple approach which more fitted the occasion. I played All I Want Is You, Do You Want To Dance? (with a cunning reference to Frog's Angry Badger song thrown in) Lightkeeper, When The Snow Fell On Denver (which is Victoria's favourite song of mine, curiously it is about not getting married?!) The Fool I Am and I Need Your Love. We ended with a rousing chorus or three of It's Summertime which went down very well with Frog's sing-a-long lyric sheet.

Following me there were a few other performers working their way through a collection of covers and original songs (including Angry Badger, and Large Sofa). Which was all very well received. Finally the band Skrewworm reformed for a special tribute performance. Apparantly they were playing when Frog and Victoria first hooked up at Frogstock (I could be wrong). In an emotional finish at the end of the set they declared that they had a present for the newly weds and then proceeded to present them with the guitar they had used which was signed and specially decorated. I think Frog especially was quite overcome by this and wanted to play something, but as he didn't play, I suggested that his brother Theo fretted the chords whilst Frog strummed. It worked a treat and the band even joined in! I have to say it was a super present, I'm thinking of asking The Police to play if I ever get married, perhaps Andy Summers will give me his guitar after their set... what do you think!?

The rest of the evening was spent talking and drinking and then sleeping in a tent that was being blown and rained on from all directions. Somehow we stayed dry and after bacon sandwiches and coffee the following morning we headed off across the wilds of Dartmoor to drive home.

So, all that's left to say is CONGRATULATIONS VICTORIA AND FROG! Thanks for letting me play on your special day, and I hope you have many years of happiness together. See you in Whitstable!

Dxxx

Prohibition

On Sunday I played 15 Minutes @ Probibition Bar and Grill. This is pretty much as it says on the tin. The Prohibition is a modern bar in St. Katharine's docks very close to Tower Bridge (I'd forgotten what a great landmark the bridge is) and the idea is that five acoustic acts perform for 15 minutes each. In most cases this is about 4 songs, which is more than your average open mic night, but less than a full set. The evening was hosted by the charming Lisa Theunissen, who played some songs on the keyboard and sang first. After her was a singer from Down Under called Louise, who got the drunken elements of the audience very excited! I would have more information on her, but she left her CDs in her guitar case!

I was next up and a little nervous as said patrons were getting even more drunk and there was no barrier between the artists and the audience... so I had to impress or face some heckling. Fortunately it all went okay and I played I Need Your Love, Lightkeeper, The End Of The World and The Fool I Am.

The rest of the evening was spent relaxing and enjoying the two bands that followed. It was a really fun night and I'm looking forward to doing it again.

Next gig is a private one... I'm playing at the wedding of Frog Morris and Victoria Belfield! Should be good fun, as I'm hoping to use all the effects and do a good half hour set.

I've also just recorded a fantastic young folk singer by the name of Eddy Jay, lovely song and great guitar picking, I'll post a mix here once we're happy with it.

Oh, I almost forgot, I also had a fun night on Saturday when I saw Jack Stafford and Jasmine perform at the Bull & Gate. Great show!

Princess Penang And A Very Angry Badger

We're mad we are... Thursday night was another great fun event. It was Old Chap evening at the Montague Arms, and many a fine moustache was seen paraded in this truly unique venue. Frog Morris kicked the night off with some readings from a particularly spooky looking pulpit. He was followed by Will Noble on piano and Daniel Lehan reading from his childhood diaries (1957 - 1972). Following on from that it was my turn to entertain. With Frog pointing to lyrics pinned to a coffin lid (don't ask, I have no idea where they got it from) I proceeded to lead the crowd in a rousing chorus or two of It's Summertime. After that was the world debut of my version of the well known folk tune - Angry Badger (Arr. Frog Morris) - with increasing amounts of chaos I used my VoiceLive processor to add choruses of mice, and a doom-laden deep voice for the final line of the last verse! This is all a bit different from what I usually do, but great fun, in fact I had to stop myself laughing from the stage as it descended into farce towards the end.

If this wasn't enough - Princess Penang (Alex Staiger) was also in the house... healing people and providing advice and therapy from her stall. Amongst the items she uses are a yellow lollipop, a toy cow that poops jellybeans, marshmallows (for sculptures) and a strap-on phalus (a symbol of luck and fertility, so I'm told). Many people were healed during the night, and the picture shows the Princess listening to Frog's heartbeat during a comprehensive physical examination. Sound like fun? Well it was and we'll be doing most of it again, plus more in Whitstable Biennale during the weekend of 28th-29th June... do come along and join in.

The evening was wrapped up by Mr. B the Gentleman Rhymer... who previewed new songs for us. Tell me, where else can you get that much entertainment for £3?!



Other news... Many thanks to Giggles! for a great review of my CD on her blog, I'm still happy to send a CD to anyone who would like one... click here for details.

Don't forget I'm playing tomorrow 15th June 2008, 7.00pm at the 15 Minute Club @ Prohibition Bar & Grill, Unit 1 Tower Bridge House, St. Katharine Docks, East Smithfield, E1W 1AA. I'll have some CDs with me for everyone who'd like one, so that's another extra reason for coming along.

More news soon! Have fun,

Dxxx

Come On Chaps

Tonight will be another of those fun nights at The Montague Arms in New Cross. It's Old Chap Evening tonight and the featured acts include Mr B the Gentleman Rhymer (a hilarious take on rap songs, but done in the Queen's english!), Daniel Lehan and Will Noble. I have a cameo part too as I will be performing a sing-a-long of my track It's Summertime alongside Frog Morris, who will be conducting and leading the rousing choruses! We're also planning to debut the sing-a-long version of Angry Badger, so make sure you are there nice and early. Oh, and I almost forgot, technical issues permitting, I should also be debuting my TC Helicon VoiceLive processor tonight... no idea what I'm on about? Well come down and find out.

Also making a rare appearance will be the amazing Princess Penang (Alex Staiger) - a therapist and self-help guru, who cures all ills through the use of lollipops, balloons, marshmallows and trampolining to heavy metal riffs. Got a life issue you need help with? Then come along and let the princess heal you!! Her "Old Chap" will be making an appearance too... it's an unmissable night!!

On Tuesday I played a new open mic night at the Bunch Of Grapes in London Bridge. It was a (depressingly) excellent evening with many, many acts from the UK and further afield shining for just two songs each. I especially enjoyed Eddy Jay and Jo Faith amongst so many other great acts. The featured artist was NY born Bill Grady, who was a spell-binding mix of Paul Simon and Jason Mraz... fantastic lyrics, well delivered, definitely one to watch! Nice guy too, who was working his way through the English bitters... glad I was sticking to the Guiness!!

DON'T FORGET

My next gig is this Sunday 15th at Prohibition Bar & Grill in St. Katherine's Dock, East Smithfield, E1W 1AA - be there from 7.00pm to catch a great set.

You can now buy You're Not Alone from Lulu - it features one of my written pieces (previously unpublished) and 105 other bloggers. It's in aid of charity too, so buy a copy for all your friends!!

Dxxx

You're Not The Only One - Charity Book for Warchild

Peachy has finally done it! With fellow bloggers Ariel, Desperate Sarah, Ms Robinson and Vi she has compiled, edited and published a book of short pieces submitted by bloggers from around the world... including one of mine! I'm very excited and pleased to be in the book and am looking forward to getting my copy (or two). If you would like to check out more details then go here.

The book is being sold in aid of the Warchild charity, so please consider buying a copy or a few to give to your friends and support this great project.

Pure Gold (Well Nearly)

Despite what Peach says about the place, I can't seem to keep away from New Cross. Last night we travelled there to catch the end of year show for the music degree students from Goldsmith College. They were performing at the Albany Theatre which is a really nice venue. The music was of a high standard. Hannah was first up with a few nerves, but nice songs, good playing and some super harmonies. Next was Joe Bentley, who confused me somewhat as his singing style was soul, funk, Jamiroquai style - but he and his band appeared to be dressed as posh farmers. Still it was a pretty good show.

Finally Katrina Simon took to the stage and produced the most professional display of the evening. She has a great voice and performed some moving songs.

Live In London

My friend Tudor who came along to last Wednesday's gig had a go at recording the first half of the set, and the results weren't bad at all. So if you missed it, or were there and want to hear some songs again, here you go:

I Need Your Love
When The Snow Fell In Denver
Lightkeeper
Vulnerable

Happy listening, next gig:
15 Minute Club @ Prohibition
15th June, 7.00pm
Prohibition Bar & Grill, Unit 1 Tower Bridge House, St. Katharine Docks, East Smithfield, E1W 1AA
15 Minute Club is a bit different. They feature lots of up and coming acoustic acts from London and the surrounding region... everyone get just 15 minutes... and so do I. Come along and check it out.

Dxxx

Blagging It In Notting Hill

The Blag Club was not what I was expecting. I've played at places called the Something Wonderful Club or similar before, and they are not really "clubs" at all, but just a name for a particular booker's night at a pub or venue. But the Blag Club really is a private club! The first clue I got was when I walked past the entrance completely as it was a small nondescript door next to Rymans in Notting Hill Gate. The next clue (and this was kinda the clincher) was the big sign on this door that said Private Member's Club. There was a buzzer, that I duly rang and in turn was duly buzzed in.

It was a super little place actually. Everyone was very friendly and the stage (though small) had a proper monitor and the PA was clear and loud. They operate a system whereby they decide what order the acts play on the night by how many people they get through the door by 9pm. This is all fine and dandy, but of course quite hard to tell people who are eating up the road what time they should arrive by in order to hear my set. I plumped for 8.45 to be on the safe side and then revised to 9.00 when I realised that that was the earliest I would actually be playing.

I ended up in the middle of three excellent acts (Laura & Cornelia were the others), which meant I didn't actually play 'til about 9.40. The set went well, and included a number of firsts: 1) A brand new song 2) My first use of the tambourine (played with my foot) on stage 3) New jeans (H&M - £39) 4) A new haircut (Strandz - £15). Now you don't often get that many premieres for £4!

Here is the set (with links to the songs on my website, so you can click and play the set for yourselves at home):

I Need Your Love
When The Snow Fell In Denver
Lightkeeper
Vulnerable
The End Of The World pt 1 (this recording is just a demo)
The Fool I Am

I just want to add a BIG, BIG THANK YOU to all those who came down and made the evening really fun, most especially Peachy, Alex, Adrian, Tudor and Chris.

I can't wait for the next gig now, see you there!!

Dxxx

P.S. The free CD offer still holds... just drop me a line.

P.P.S. I forgot take any pictures of the venue (oops), so instead I've uploaded a picture of my loft being lagged.

The Start...

Well, here it is. Rough as anything, and I'll probably only leave it up like this for a bit, as I have big plans for this song. But I hope you enjoy it as much as the fox in my garden, who rubbed his nose in the grass and then trotted off without so much as a "by your leave". This is one take, guitar and vocals, with only one tiny overdub (can you spot where?) - I still haven't got the feel for the lyrics, or the guitar part 100%, but it's a start. The stray tambourine sound near the end is when I threw my pick away to hit the rhythm part, it just happened to hit my tambourine lying nearby.

So over to you... let me know what you make of it.

The End Of The World part one MP3

Dxxx

P.S. Don't forget you can hear this song live for the very first time TONIGHT - Weds 28th May 2008 - Notting Hill Blag Club - 1st Floor, 68 Notting Hill Gate, London W11 3HT - nearest tube Notting Hill Gate. Be there for 8pm.

The End Of The World pt1

I started writing this song a month or so ago whilst watching The Day After Tomorrow The chord sequence suggested itself straightaway, along with a strong urge to sing "It's not the end of the world", at the refrain at the end of the verse. I thought at the time that this was a bit cliched, especially as I ended up writing global-warming-is-upon-us kinda lyrics, inspired by the theme of the film. After the initial burst of interest, I shelved it as it wasn't really inspiring me.

Weeks later I improvised some new lyrics to the chords and it started to be about something else entirely... now it kind of conjures up the idea of a person suffering from mental illness or possibly hallucinations, and the verses started to shape from there. I've been on both sides of the mental illness equation and I know that it often affects the people around the person suffering more than the victim themselves, especially in cases of mania, schizophrenia or Alzheimer's. Recent play-throughs have been interesting as I manage to work myself up through the refrains... not actually singing, but kind of implying the words "I'm waiting for the end of my world" that the title suggests. I may or may not sing that bit live, it all depends. I really like the "How can we stop you screaming?" line, which is actually inspired by Whitley Schrieber's book Communion, and a man who believes he was abducted by aliens. At least I think it's from there... it might have been from a dream.

Anyway, without further ado, here are the lyrics. Demo to follow when I have the rest of the second verse and the melody/form pinned down. I will definitely play a version of it on Wednesday at the Blag Club in Notting Hill - even unfinished I have a lot of belief in it.

The End Of The World pt1
================

There's a hole in my heart,
Where the blood runs cold.
I've been told that I better calm down,
But I never could do what I'm told

So I'm looking down on myself,
And I can't feel my own skin.
I hear this clown say I really feel down,
But the joke is wearing thin

I'm really struggling here...

I think I've been here before?
On the slide or roundabout.
There's something I've been meaning to say,
But the words just won't come out.

I'm really struggling here...

How can we stop you screaming?
(We're only trying to help.)
How can we stop you screaming?

I really shouldn't be here,
This is all a mistake.
I think I might even know who you are,
If I can just recognise your face.

Why is my brain speeding up?
Why is the room changing size?
I'm sure that we can clear this all up,
If the doctor's stop telling me lies

I'm really struggling here...
I'm waiting for the end of my world.
I'm really struggling here...
I'm waiting for the end of my word

How can we stop you screaming?
How can we stop you screaming?

I'm really struggling here...
I'm waiting for the end of my world.
I'm really struggling here...
I'm waiting for the end of my word


(D. Callow 2008)


Yesterday I saw the slides of Nan Goldin set to the (live) music of John Kelly and Patrick Wolf in the Turbine Hall at Tate Modern. A very inspiring performance, especially by Patrick Wolf, whom I had not heard of before, but is a very talented multi-instrumentalist with a fantastic vocal range. Apart from getting a sore bum from inadequate cushioning, it was a very uplifting evening.

Dxxx

Who's Fit?

On Tuesday I was in Kentish Town (how can a town be Kent... ish? I can't say I spotted any oast houses or fields of Oilseed Rape), for another splendid SoundBites night at The Abbey. I was treated to some very tuneful and skilful playing. I didn't catch the name of the first act, but it included a very good Djembe player. Slightly scarily the second act, Craig Brauns, had quite a high pitched voice and from the loos it sounded like a girl singing, but it turned out to be a bloke in a hat and flares. Nice voice though, kinda like Rod Stewart on reflection.

After these turns was my friend Wayne with his band Fit & The Conniptions, I never did ask him who was Fit and who was the Conniptions... it's all nonsense anyway! I have to say that his band were excellent, featuring multi-instrumentalist Paul Tkachenko on bass, and a super drummer (name TBA) who arrived ten minutes before they played. As if in recognition of their excellent playing Wayne decided to wear a tie for the occasion. I was pretty impressed enough to blurt at the drummer that I'd like to employ him, before stumbling off to the loo (again! Well Guinness will do that to you).

The final act included a new harmonica (apparantly the others had given up the ghost because he didn't warm them up! Consequently much warming up of the new harmonica was in evidence) and a kazoo... plus some creative heckling from the audience. Regrettably I had to leave to head home before the end, but it was still a fun evening.


Btw, I have a horrible feeling that Frog Morris and I are the Statler and Waldorf of the contempory art scene in the UK... check us out halfway through this great video from Alex Staiger.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UPuSK0yT3WA

Actually that's probably unfair on Frog.

I've also been booking some more gigs this week, full list below.

Have fun!

Daren
xxx

P.S. A have another new song on the way, lyrics and demo to be posted here first!

28th May, 8pm - Notting Hill Blag Club
1st Floor, 68 Notting Hill Gate, London W11 3HT

12th June, 8.30pm - Montague Arms
289 Queens Road, New Cross, SE15 2PA

15th June, 8.00pm - 15 Minute Club
Prohibition Bar & Grill, Unit 1 Tower Bridge House, St. Katharine Docks, East Smithfield, E1W 1AA

29th June, 6.00pm - Whitstable Biennale
The Smack Inn, Middle Wall, Whitstable, Kent

9th July, 8.30pm - Montague Arms
289 Queens Road, New Cross, SE15 2PA

16th July, 8.00pm - Club Fabulous
The Fiddler’s Elbow, 1 Malden Road, Chalk Farm, NW5 3HS

Art Art Art... oh, and Music

On Thursday I ventured up to Bethnal Green to the first birthday bash of Art Art Art. This was at the VINEspace gallery in Vyner St and was another eye-opening event. Chief amongst the highlights were Lee Campbell sticking Evening Standard posters to the wall whilst playing What A Wonderful World This Would Be, then chanting the headlines and shouting into the world's worst megaphone before setting off down the road on a one man protest, shouting Down Down! I also really enjoyed the performance from Holly Darton and Jenny Hunt, which was practically indescribable, but featured dance moves, exercises, overheard phone conversations and party poppers!

After some delicious cake the main events were over, but as we loitered outside the Victory pub it turned out there was one more piece to view. Broadcast live from the Bun House pub in Peckham onto a screen in the pub was what could only be described as a female crotch shot. We discussed what it could be, was she about to give birth, or was it porn masquerading as art?! The answer turned out to be that that it was a close-up of a life drawing class as was soon revealed when the camera changed shot.

Megaphones, cake, party poppers and naked models... that's what I want for MY birthday dammit.

Anyway, in other news... do stop by Global Icon and rate my tune The Fool I Am, which is currently lying at number 108 (hopefully not out of 108!!!!) in the Pop & Rock competition.

If you've not yet had the indubitable pleasure of singing along to It's Summertime... your next chance will be Thursday 12th June at the Montague Arms as part of the Old Chaps evening - featuring the sublime Mr B the Gentleman Rapper.

I've also been practicing very hard for the Blag Club gig on the 28th May, do come along as I think there will be a good crowd and I'm hoping to put on a really good show. Oh, and don't forget to email me if you want a free CD!!

Love to all,

Daren
xx

EXTRA

You can now check out highlights of the evening on video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UPuSK0yT3WA

From Kings Cross To Notting Hill

I had a good time at Cross Kings last night. I met some nice musicians and was chuffed that some friends made it down too. The full set was I Need Your Love, Lightkeeper, When The Snow Fell On Denver (my first live request!! Thanks Vicky!!) and The Fool I Am. There were some great acts on and the evening was highly enjoyable.

Next gig is a really good one too, so please do come along if you can make it!

Wednesday 28th May
Notting Hill Blag Club - 1st Floor, 68 Notting Hill Gate London W11 3HT

I even get paid some real cash money for everyone that comes to see me, so do let me know if you are thinking of coming along!!

All the best,

Daren
xx