Is there anyone able to play a banjo and/or a mandolin that might be up for recording a small part for a track I’ve done?

The track is done on a DAW app called Music Studio and apart from a bit of editing of the samples was all done on my phone. I’m pretty pleased with it.

The samples in Music Studio are reasonable quality but the thing that doesn’t work for me is a banjo part (actually a double track of sampled banjo and mandolin playing the same part to try and give it a better timbre), and if at all possible, I’d love to have a real instrument in there.

This is the track, A Vision Of The Future:

https://soundcloud.com/baldyslaphead/a-vision-of-the-future-m4a

I can output the track in either MIDI or Wav.

Here’s hoping…

15/03/2015

Just to let everyone know my new band has its debut gig at Hertford Corn Exchange on 15th March some time in the afternoon at their “Sunday Live” regular event. It’s called Oldskool and there’s a clue in the name – we play twin guitar rock, with plenty of solos, some in harmony, a smattering of obscure covers but mostly songs from me or other guitarist Ben Fuller. It’s consciously a jam band, for fun and a bit of blowing. The ace rhythm section of Andy and Kenny have regular pub band gigs but are keen to get out and play a bit away from the standard Sultans of Rock the Casbah Swing Jack Flash set, and splendid they are too.

The Cornex has a great bar, nibbles on the bar including roasted potatoes, decent prices, fab sound, stage and lights. It would be great to see a few of you!

10/04/2015

Mark Ellen will be telling tales from his book Rock Stars Stole my Life in an ‘audience with’ style event. Tickets (£12 in advance) and more info at www.selbytownhall.co.uk. It’s a great small venue and several good eateries nearby.

05/03/2015

On Thursday 5th March 2015 “Keeping Live Music Alive” BJ’s Rock In The Blues Club

The Minstrel, Eaves Green Road, Chorley, PR7 3PQ www.facebook.com/themiinstrel 9.15pm Start Free Entry!

LIVE ON STAGE! FORTY 4

The kings of Rhythm & Groove are back in town with their potent mix of evergreens, covers and quality originals. There’s something for everyone in this band and it seems we all see something different in every performance when the band overlaps into different genres including Americana, Roots & Blues.

These guys are a class act who have already made a name for themselves on the circuit taking their name from the classic blues song of the 1920s they are armed and dangerous with some of the best music your ever likely to hear. To use the bands own strap line it’s just “Scary Good Music!” See you all at The Minstrel….

Band Web Site www.forty4music.com

Band line up… Neil Partington – lead vocals/guitar Paul Starkey – lead guitar Glen Lewis – keyboards Bill Price – bass Nicky Lauro – drums

Issue one of an ebook dedicated to long form interviews featuring Steve Hackett, Yes (Geoff Downes), Cowboy Junkies (Mike Timmins), Big Big Train and Matt Stevens. Available for download now from just £1. The introduction to it, and the web address is below. Thank you kindly….

Welcome to the opening strains of “Poppies From A Tray”. Think of it as the deafening mellotron at the start of “Watcher of the Skies”, the curl of feedback that opens “I Feel Fine”, the hiss of the pipes that greets “Mining For Gold”, or whichever opening note takes your fancy.

Comrades, we stand at the beginning of a grand journey, at the start line of absurd ambition. Our goal? To produce a regular ebook of far ranging interviews, none of them constricted by the usual boundaries of design and capacity.

Using the infinite inventory of the ebook format, our interviews will extend for as long as they hold our interest, or until our victims lose patience and throw us through a window – we travel with a team of paramedics at all times.

Please, spread the word. You are our advertising budget. Spend it wisely.

http://www.poppiesfromatray.uk/download/ @poppiesfromtray

The latest news from Grateful Fred…

Hi Fredheads,

March is almost upon us and we’ve got two great concerts coming up.

On Wednesday 4th March at “Grateful Fred’s at The Atkinson” we headline the superb “Woody Pines” from North Carolina, USA.

“They’re the best damn band I’ve ever heard!”

North Carolina hotshots Woody Pines have wowed the crowds on both sides of the Atlantic and after many successful UK and Ireland tours are widely regarded as one of the most entertaining acts on the Americana circuit.

Whenever the next visit is announced, dates are always filled in record time.

Playing with a tight and joyous togetherness that comes from long stints on the road, these three compadres promise once more to deliver what The Scotsman described as “a rollicking and engagingly idiosyncratic” show.

Recently signed by Nashville’s Muddy Roots Records, they will have a brand new album to promote in 2015, produced by Grammy-winner Vance Powell, renowned as one of the best from studio work with the likes of Jack White, » Continue Reading.

We’re both on Judy Dyble’s new career-spanning retrospective “Gathering the Threads (Fifty Years of Stuff)” http://judydyble.bigcartel.com/ I don’t know if he’s written anything about it, but I have; http://skirky.blogspot.nl/2015/02/climb-every-mountain-ford-every-stream.html

19/02/2015

“Keeping Live Music Alive” BJ’s Rock In The Blues Club

The Minstrel, Eaves Green Road, Chorley, PR7 3PQ www.facebook.com/themiinstrel

9.15pm Start Free Entry!

LIVE ON STAGE! The After Hours Blues Band

This super blues/rock trio return to BJ’s once again featuring the inspired guitar skills of Lee Wharton who opens a portal into the past with the bands classic Hendrix trilogy of “Voodoo Chile”, “Machine Gun” & “Red Patrol”. It will also be an auspicious evening as it will be the last appearance at BJ’s for bassist Doug Long who is leaving the band after eight years. Looking forward to giving Doug a great send off and another great night at The Minstrel. Can’t wait for this one!…see you all there!

Band Web Site www.afterhoursbluesband.co.uk

Band line up… Lee Wharton – lead vocals/lead guitar Doug Long – bass/backing vocals Ann Batty – drums