Sorry about lack of updates but I’ve not been doing much music at all. Everything is ok though he says touching wood.
However the last month or so I’ve been rehearsing with Steve Davis a piano player and we played on Sunday for the first time, here’s the recording of it.
Set List: Postmark Birmingham; Annie (Ronnie Lane Song); Mothers Crown; The Sunny One; Bled Dry; Runaway; The Ballad of Alaska.
Hopefully we’ll have some more gigs soon. ps the contact page is bug ridden so I’m not receiving emails, so contact me direct on steverobertsmusic @ gmail .com
Our poor cat had to have her tail cut off.
When she went out it was ok,
When she came back it was flabby.
Was she attacked by a tabby?
Or hit by a cabbie?
Maybe had it pulled by a babbie?
Did she catch it jumping fences?
I really don’t know.
But if I was an MP I’d buy her a new one on expenses.
Well here is the final song in my A Song A Week marathon. This is the only resolution I think I’ve ever kept. I promised at least 50 songs in the year and that’s what I have done. It might be 51 I’ll check soon.
This week’s song is called A Long Time Gone and starts ‘Here’s to the future’ and was written initially to try and write a happy new year song but it has perhaps turned a bit morbid. That’ll be my age. I hope you enjoy it anyway. Next year I’ll work out what, if anything, to do with all thses songs. Thanks for listening and may 2009 be a great one for you regardless of the media’s insistence that everything is knackered. Love, peace and happiness.
This week’s song wasn’t written this week but I did find it this week and that’s good enough for me.
I hope it’s good enough for you too. Brian Chin played everything on this and brilliant playing it is; like Roddy Frame with The Beatles. But with me singing….
Hope you all have a lovely Christmas time, I have one more song to do and we’ll all have a great New year! Ok? I said OK!!!?
You may have noticed that there was no song last week. To tell the truth I was exhausted – I’ve been getting up at 6am and going out and working! Me! Terrible. I checked the first ASAW entry and I promised 50 songs so I had some leaway. I almost didn’t make it this week but came up with the idea for this on Friday.
It’s called Planes Crash In Clear Skies and is, please forgive me, a metaphor for the state of the world. I met a guy this week who is a joiner and he said he can’t take the way things are at the moment so he’s going to try and make the immediate world around him nicer by doing things that benefit others rather than just himself. I’ll raise a glass to that.
Henry David Thoreau : Most men lead lives of quiet desperation and go to the grave with the song still in them.
The world is so big and there are billions of other people that we all, at times, feel desperation, a longing for things to somehow be just right. Even the succesful, the rich, the famous. We all have a life inside our heads that makes sense just to ourself. Or we are thinking about naughty things.
This weeks song has been knocking around for a while and is called Secret Lives
I wrote this yesterday feeling a tad delicate and having listened to Ryan Adams’s Heartbreaker. My mum had just given me my old school reports and that was a bit weird, I don’t like nostalgia, it scares me.
Listen to Prince and you end up writing songs with titles like this one. A love song, as you can probably guess.
My computer is still not working right; too much hiss when I’m recording and I don’t know how to fix it. Maybe I have an earthing problem but that kind of thing confuses me. My internet connection is not too good either. The exchange is a good distance away so it’s very slow, streaming stuff is really frustrating. Can’t get Freeview or Channel 5 up here either. Not missing the big city though; just some of the people there. I digress. I had to run the recording through a noise reduction filter because it was really hissy and not in an olde record kind of way. Then I saved it as an MP3 so it sounds a bit wobbly. Rod the Mod could do this one I reckon
This week’s song is really late. It’s also a song I originally wrote a while ago, so god knows how it’s late….. and some of you have heard it. I’ve redone it adding guitars, vocals, drums and indeed everything. With moving out of the big city – well Waterloo – it seemed apt.
Almost settled into our new home and I’ll post about it another time soon (how exciting! with pics and no little waffle. The best pub in the world is in Glossop by the way. Here’s the view from my new room so you can picture me working dead dead hard on things.
We had a brilliant leaving do and I also played with an old band I was in, called Napoleon. Pics on all that to follow, I’m too knackered right now. How come when you leave a house you spend your days at the tip and when you move in somewhere you spend all your days at the tip? Is it a balance thing?
This weeks song is called Boat On The Mersey. Maybe I’m getting sentimental as our move grows nearer, but I’m a sentimental sod anyhow. It mentions Cammel Lairds where I had my first job hitting bits of metal and checking vinegar bottles for spit. That last bit wasn’t part of the job but you still had to check just in case…
This week’s song is called Is It Just Imagination and is a bit of a belly button gazing song and a bit of a why is the world a mess number. A toe tapper in other words.
This week’s song is called Ronnie and is a tribute to Ronnie Lane, bass player and songwriter for The Small Faces and The Faces.
I’ve always loved Ronnie’s music but it wasn’t until I was introduced to his solo stuff that I became a devotee. The Bank of England regularly cover his only solo hit How Come but I’d quite cheerfully do a whole set of his. I’ve tried writing something about him before and have an unused song called Take A Walk Down Ronnie Lane, which is a nice title but I’ve never managed to finish the thing. I think I can write a better one than this about him actually and might try to do so sometime. God bless ya Ronnie.
If you are interested in hearing Ronnie’s solo music this compilation is a good way to start, but any of it, including Rough Mix his album with Pete Townshend, is wonderful. Here’s where you can listen at Last FM
Some of you will know about the band I was in 16 Tambourines (indeed many of you listen to me because of them….) and our album How Green Is Your Valley?. It’s quite hard to get hold of now and can cost around £25 to buy, mostly from Japanese shops as it was re-released there in 2001. So I thought I’d share it with you. There’s a scroll button to jump through the songs.
Back to the now traditional only one day late, this week’s song is about self loathing or a sociopath. It might be a mix of both conditions, I’m never quite sure what most of my songs are about, but I know what they mean.
There have been over 30,000 downloads of songs from my site this year, which to me is fantastic as it shows that some people are listening. In addition a lot of listens come from audio search engines, such as spool.fm and the free iTunes podcast feed (see right). It might not be a lot compared to many but it keeps me going.
The Bank Of England are playing at Stamps Bar in Crosby Village this Sunday 28th at 7pm. We’ll be on for at least an hour and it’s free to get in. Bring your kids too, they’ll be welcome. Stamps was the bar that gave me the opportunity to start playing again in the mid 90’s and also was the host venue for the Acoustic Engine. It’s a place I love and somewhere that always encourages the arts. It has some great beers too. Thanks Stamps x
Even later this week but in my defence, I have had toothache and a migraine.
This week’s song is called The Trader and is about someone I know who works in the City of London. I met him and some of his friends recently and was struck by the complete and utter lack of morals; they make money and don’t care about anything else at all. I’m wondering if the impending reccesion will make them change their point of view, although I doubt it will. The thing is, he is a good bloke in his own way and I argued with him about the world for hours and fun it was.
Courtesy of nessmp3.com, here’s a video of Mark and me at the Inverness Belladrum Festival in August playing – and singing – Kansas. Enjoy the heads in front of the camera moments……
This weeks song is called Formaldehyde. It’s another lighters in the air song I’m afraid. I was hoping to start writing some dubstep or experimenting in some way with these ASAW things but I just don’t have the doggone time. I’m happy just to string some coherent thing together quite frankly, coz it’s getting difficult. Poor me.
I think this song is about dignity, or losing it to become famous. I know it’s a common moan nowadays ‘everyone’s obsessed with fame, who on earth will be a plumber in 10 years blah, blah..’ so now it’s my turn. I’m not that arsed about a lack of plumbers to tell the truth but they are bloody expensive judging by our new boiler, so if you would cease the chase for fame and just buckle down, it might lead to cheaper boiler installation.
I wanted to hitch a ride on the famearollacoaster when younger but like an 18-30 holiday it’s best that you don’t do just about anything to get on it once you are a certain age.
enough Victor Meldrew from me.
This week’s song is called Insufferable and quite clearly at times I am. Be warned I kick the mic stand about a 3rd of the way through and didn’t have time to redo it so if you are listening at full volume prepare for a Jaws/Carrie moment.*
This week’s song is called Carry It With Me and I’ve written it because me and mine are moving away from Liverpool in October to Glossop in North Derbyshire. I’ve never lived more than 10 miles from where I was born so it’s an upheaval for me but one I think will be good for both my family and myself. I’ve been in love with Liverpool for so long, and still love the place so much, but there are times that needs must. I’ll elaborate on the move further on another post sometime soon.
I’m thinking of holding a Leaving Of Liverpool party with bands and songsters playing and will try and sort something out soon. My last Liverpool acoustic gig for the foreseeable future will be at the View 2 Gallery in Mathew St on Tuesday 2nd September supporting Kirsty Mcgee. The Zen Bank of England are playing at The Hark To Towler in Tottington, Bury on Thursday 4th September.
Written with old mucker Brian Chin, this week’s song is called Use It Or Lose It. It’s a bright poppy number which I think is about the state of the nation, or sex appeal. Or both.
This song has been on the boil for a while now and I sung it to Mark Byrne in a hotel room in Inverness and he asked if it was accapella so I thought: what an excellent way to do a song I have no idea how to do… It’s called I Like.
Mark and I had a wonderful trip up to Inverness to take part in the fantastic Belladrum Festival. Our wholehearted thanks to Rob Ellen of Medicine Music and nessmp3.com. Full story with some photos later in the week.
This week’s song Don’t Try This At Home might well refer to the attempted vocal gymnastics about 3/4 of the way through; far too early in the morning for that kind of thing…..
From tomorrow (wed) until Saturday I’m in Inverness at Hootannay on wednesday evening, Brockies Lodge thursday evening and on saturday at the Belladrum Festival (Potting Shed Stage) at 3.15pm. Playing all the gigs as a duo with Mark Byne. Details on the gig page.
It has been too hot in my attic roon, far too hot for any sensible activities, so I waited until this morning to do a quick recording of this song Josephine Says. It’s about moving away.
We had a fantastic gig at the Bombed Out Church on Saturday; a lovely sunny day, CND banners, hay bails and music. We did a cover of Nick Lowe’s ‘What’s So Funny About Peace Love And Understanding’ to finish off our set. Lovely day out and I’ll post some photos soon.
This weeks song is called It’s A Strange Life and indeed it is. My brother Chris plays bazouki on this song and he sports a beard that seems to say ‘I play bazouki’, so I’m happy with that. Since posting this Chris has informed me that it is spelt bouzouki. I knew that, honest.
This is the 30th song of the year and if you would like to listen/download the other 29 too, scroll down or play the podcast player to the right. You can have the series automatically updated each week by subscribing for free through iTunes or whicherver podcast or RSS thing you use.
This coming Saturday, 26th, we are playing at the Bombed out Church (St Lukes) at the top of Bold St in Liverpool. It is for a Peace and Ecology Festival being run by Merseyside CND and there is music and other events on all day. We are on stage at 6pm for 40 minutes.
It seems that in my universe Tuesday is the new Monday… This week’s song is called Give Me A Chance and is a throwaway number I suppose; an unholy mix of Faces, Dylan and Beatles (I wish) noisy guitars and all that.
I wrote 3 songs this week and can’t say I was really pleased with any of them. And i ‘ve had a sore throat and all that kind of palaver. Excuses excuses.
I’ve gone with Old Fashioned the one I wrote first because I managed to record it, although I have rewitten the words since. It’s a song about nostalgia and disgust I suppose, perhaps even a mid life crisis song. I bet you are really looking forward to hearing it now!
About 10% of the songs written this year i consider finished. By that I mean the melody, chords and words rather than the recordings, I’m hoping to re-rcord as many as I can, and this week’s is no exception, it’s partly written. It’s called Indigo and is the first I’ve written with it being a possible Capatin Pop song (See Shut Up & Sing in the Music link). I’ve been speaking to fellow crew member Brian Chin about doing some more of that stuff and he likes the idea so we are throwing stuff at each other. He’s sent me a boss instrumental track.
The idea I had was for what I call retro-onica but it’s turned out nothing like that! Quite a nice tune though I think.
All the song a week things are in the podcast player on the right (subscribe for free through iTunes and others) but I’ve also expanded this WHOLE page (phew) so you can scroll down and pick and choose.
The photo for the banner at the top was taken by Will Woodrowe at The Cavern as was the one I’ve used for a gig poster (see below). Download print and distribute as you see fit. Or put it on the wall over the damp patch. Then again most of you probably don’t put posters on walls anymore. Bloody wallpapering.
This week’s song is called I Asked My Darling and its a doomed relationship song. One of those where someone knows the other person doesn’t love them but they hang on anyway. Tragic huh?
Few more Bank of England gigs added with more to come and I’m playing some solo (or duo, not sure yet) in Inverness at The Tartan Heart and Belladrum Festivals between 6th and 9th August. Full details soon.
I have a compilation CD available at gigs called Cherry Bowl. It’s 22 songs taken from It Just Is, Shake It and Shut Up & Sing, if you’d like to buy one drop me a line. I might be making it generally available but not had time to organise it. All the songs can be bought at iTunes if you are into that kind of place (I am) and I’m hoping to also make everything available at full uncompressed bit rates with full artwork in the near future. So many plans so littler time.
A few weeks ago I did a gig in Southport with Andy White to help raise money for the New Victoria Cricket Club who are humble little side playing in the lancashire leagues but who last year managed to beat the Bulgarian national team! They have organised a return to Bulgaria and also this time to Romania, in July, taking with them various bits and pieces of cricket gear they will donate out there. These are still very poor countries and cricket teams are very low on list of priorities but sport is a great way of forging friendship (forget about Chelsea for a moment) and it is a brilliant thing they are doing. Visit the New Victoria website for more details.
At the fundraiser I was asked if I would write a tour song for them. They wanted it dumb and sing alongable and it is certainly dumb! I understand they are going to do a video for it and will stick it on youtube when available. Will keep you informed.
The song is called Play The Game and is a bit of a departure I suppose but I have had previous where dumb sport singalongs are concerned, so it’s not totally unexpected.
A day late with this one but worse things happen at sea. It’s called Betty And Me and is just guitar and vocal. Bit hissy sounding but you can pretend it’s an old 45…..
This, or rather next week’s song is early is because a) I wont be here and b) it’s my 10th wedding anniversary (sorry ladies…..) and I had to write a song about it. See, I had promised a trip to Paris for our 10th but I’m a musician and things never turn out as they should, particularly if it takes money. Not that I’m mean, just skint.
So what’s a poor boy to do? Write a song.
It’s called Shadows (Anniversary Song) and I started writing it on Monday and finished it last night. It’s a very happy song because who wants to dwell on the times I’ve been an idiot over the years? Not me.
In the end the only thing that matters is love as long as you can survive. It’s easy to count your blessings when you have some, so allow my indulgence and enjoy the song.
As it’s about half way through the year, I’m hoping to sort the A Song A Week thing out so it can be explained and the songs accessed easier. In the meantime use the podcast player to the right to listen and download.
I dreamed the other night about Edwyn Collins. I had just watched the documentary about his rehabiltation following 2 strokes, it was really moving and uplifting. In this dream there was a theme tune and this is it. Well as far as I can remember anyway! Not entirely how it went, I think, as dreams are full of the unattainable.
Play or right click to download.
Great couple of gigs this week with The Bank of England at The Cavern. Really exciting and dynamic though I say so myself, others told us the same, so there:).
We are going to keep on learning and rehearsing new songs and old and will be playing more often. Thanks if you came down to either of them.
Here’s song number 22 (two little ducks quack quack) called Sweethearts and Swells. A bit of a Nick Lowe/Elvis Costello vibe going on here I think. Very short slice of power pop.
Couple of Bank of England gigs coming up this week at The Cavern as part of the International Pop Overthrow week; Wednesday 21st at 10pm and Sunday 25th at 1.30pm.
All gigs are free admittance.
Sorry, we’ve had to cancel the Crosby Festival gig.
The song this wek is called Have A Good Summer. I’m not too good with summer days, when everyone is sunbathing I’m in the shade reading and complaining that it’s too hot. I like the evenings though, when it’s warm enough to sit outside in t-shirts.
Me and mine made a little video to accompany the song in our modest back garden. Here it is the mp3 is available underneath or from the music player in the right hand column, where you can also find the rest of the A Song A Week songs.
This weeks song is called The Farmer and the Badger. I wrote it olast night about 9pm and have just quickly recorded it. Very last minute as the song I first wrote for this week sounds like a mid-life crisis set to a tune and by the weekend my middle aged angst had hidden itself away. You’ll get that song when my crisis lasts a full week.
Somebody asked me to write about Badgers and for some reason I have. Not being a country boy I don’t know the full ins and outs of the farmer/badger wars but both are symbols of our country.
Usual podcast and feeds to the right of this site.
The full band is going to play a set at Stamps in Crosby Village on Sunday 11th May at 6pm. We now have a wurlitzer played by Liz Rothwell and its all sounding good if ragged.
Not sure of the title for this one: All For One but I suppose it sums it up.
This song came from being in a part of Liverpool that was like a warzone and meeting some decent people who were scared and scarred by life. Poverty’s not only relative it’s real. If a certain few are getting incredibly rich, it’s because they have access to money that might otherwise go toward the common good. Ok, I’m an old school lefty, but it strikes me as mad that people have to pay for higher education; public transport is so unstable and expensive that without a car there’s little point in leaving your immediate enviroment and looking at an horizon; social clubs are dying and it’s sad, they were (and in the odd case still are) are a self policing place were generations/neighbours met and got to communicate. It just seems like the world is one big con about money.
So of course I’ve put it all right in a little 3 minute pop song.
Play or right click to download
10 points if you know where I’ve stolen part of the last verse from.
Proper German beer is a treat. That’s all that needs to be said really but I’ll go on. In Germany it is poured like guinness, taking 5 minutes or so to settle and be ready. Always worth the wait. That is my tip for this week.
This weeks song is called The Trouble With Me and is all me own work. It was originally to be called The Killer In Me but ended up with the rather more pathetic (in the sympatheic definition of the word) subject matter. I could just have strung a load of words together, however.
Also, a recording of the band playing Sweet Libra in my attic. It’s a single mic in the middle of the room and is onlt the third time we’d played it through. I like the vibe though.
We’ve been rehearsing for some gigs in May and beyond. Martyn is no longer playing bass with us – BUT he’s still my best mate and will probably jump on stage Spinal Tap style in the future. Steve Rothwell has moved from da drums to bass; Chris is still tethered to the guitar; Mark Byrne has joined is to hit the drums in a boss fashion. I’m loving it.
This version of Sweet Libra is not in the Song A Week podcast – my demo of it is -(see right hand columns) but The Trouble With Me Is.
No tricks this week, just guitar and vocal.
The song is called What You Need and the lyric is from a poem of the same name by Lizzie Nunnery.
I’m playing a gig with Lizzie on 18th April (see gig page) in Melling and Lizzie has a fantastic EP out now called Hungry.
Ok, 3 months in now, song number 14. It’s getting difficult, I’ve used all my tricks up. Skin of my teeth this week. Logged on to Trailer Star’s website and came up with a tune for the lyrics of this weeks song ‘Down By The River’. Trailer’s lyrics are slightly more poetic than the way I’ve rendered them but he’s an Arsenal fan and with all the big games against them coming up I’m going to do anything to make him feel bad. Really bad. This song has a nagging chorus which might just see him off.
I’m going to have to change things to get through a whole year of songs without just repeating myself but how I don’t know yet. I still have a number of ideas/lyrics and things sent into me but I can’t just force it so I have to wait and let them happen somehow. Which is good in a way but also shows up my lack of any real musical ability and leaves me alone with my tricks, which I can’t disclose being a member of the Magic Songwriters Circle.
Podcast subscriptions to the right of the page as per. Jokers to the left, ho ho.
Anyone with any lyrics/ideas etc let me know. Those of you who have sent stuff but haven’t seen them turned into songs, I apologise, hopefully, soon come.
This weeks song is called Buddy Holly Sung The Songs. I wrote it for Spencer Leigh’s Buddy Holly Special on Radio Merseyside.
I love Buddy Holly’s music and so it was a real privilege to appear on the show with Tommy Allsup, Buddy’s guitarist and the man who lived because he lost the toss of a coin to see who would travel on the plane that killed Buddy, The Big bopper, Richie Valens and the pilot Roger Peterson. I played a version of Everyday, my Buddy song, then joined Tommy’s band to play Rave On (I hid a bit as i didn’t know the right chords………).
Here’s a couple of photos kindly sent to me by Dave Acaster. Tommy, a phenomenal guitarist is in the hat.
I went for a drink with Jimmy Stevens a fine singer-songwriter who had a superb album out in the early 70’s entitled ‘Don’T Freak Me Out. it’s available from Jimmy via ebay. Jimmy still plays in Liverpool and was good mates with Jimmy Campbell sadly deceased Liverpool songwriting legend. Jimmy’s album features John Bonham and Peter Frampton among others.
A seriously great 2 hours of music only spoilt by the BBC only allowing the rugby commentary on the listen again facility….. city of culture………..
Thanks to Spencer and the Radio Merseyside staff for putting together a great show and for inviting me on.
Well what a week that was. Started off with 3 days in bed laid up on my back (always the best position in bed unless…. well that’s a whole other website). Then a panic for my song for this week. I watched The Move doing Fire Brigade on the BBC iplayer and loved that it was just guitar, bass and drums, no overdubs so I wanted to do this weeks really raw like that. It sounds more like The Jam though but I’m ok with that. No sooner had I written it than Spencer Leigh the wonderful and knowledgeable host of Radio Merseyside’s On The Beat Show phoned to ask if I’d do another song on the Saturday (15th March) Buddy Holly Special and could it be one I’d write specially for the show. Well I ask you! So I did and maybe that will be next weeks song. I’ll certainly be doing a post about Spencer’s show which was absolutely a corker with none-stop Buddy Holly music. Tell you all about it next week.
Song below. Podcast stuff in the right hand column.
Sooooo, here’s song fonumber 12; Worthless Gold. Rough and ready and proud of it.
Don’t forget the EP From Speke To Waterloo (see previous entry) is out today and as it’s my daughter’s birthday you should buy it so I can lavish her with presents. She deserves them. Happy birthday Rosa xxx
The new and indeed, first EP from Steve Roberts & The Bank of England is now available to buy. You can choose from your favourite digital music store (see below) or buy a CD version from here.
The CD is £2.50 including p&p.
The songs have been picking up some nice bits of airplay both locally and around the country but I could do with more! If you know of a local Radio DJ who might be interested let me know.
Steve
This weeks song, Chavasse Park, is a co-write with Lizzie Nunnery. Inspired by a poem of Lizzie’s about the park, down towards the Liverpool waterfront, that has been ‘redeveloped’ as part of the city’s march toward capitalist of culture status. Lots of wonderfully expensive new shops will be opening there very soon. I can barely wait…
I really like this song but would love to re record it as like many of the ASAW tunes, it’s been put together pretty quickly. Anyway, here it is song number 11. Don’t forget it’s also available via podcast and RSS. Choose your weapon from the right hand column.
Song number 10. A bit late putting this up as I have a stupendous hangover today. Thank you Rob Ellen…
Another Trailer Star co-write, this is called English Country Heart and I think it’s a bit Teenage Fanclub sounding. This is not a flag waving song. As Joe Strummer said ‘I’m anti-fascist, anti-racist, pro-creative.’
Podcast info all available in the right hand column.
I’m going to be on Radio Merseyside on Sat 15th March on Spencer Leigh’s programme, between 6.30 and 8pm. It’s a Buddy Holly special featuring Buddy’s guitarist Tommy Allsup and I’m going to be playing a version of the wonderful Everyday. Can’t wait for that.
This weeks song is a transatlantic affair. When I used to run Acoustic Engine gigs, one of the great bits of it was having songwriters from all over the world come along and play for us. Doug Hoekstra from Chicago via Nashville was one of the first. Doug’s songs are quiet (live anyway) and intelligent pieces so I just had to make a racket when writing this one to Doug’s lyric.
I’ve slightly altered the odd word and added one or two of my own. I think this song may be about keeping hold of our child like qualities, but I could be wrong.
I wrote it on my ukelele – you have been warned.
Quiet Loner has emerged from his bunker to let me have his version of Postmark Birmingham. I love this and it put a big smile on my face. More reflective than mine, I know you’ll really enjoy it. Play or Right Click to download
It’s been pointed out to me that Johnathan Coulton was the first person to do this song a week thing. Well thank you for that and there’s me thinking I was a new original. You can listen to him here.
Song number 7 is another collaboration with Quiet Loner. The words to this one are all his and great words they are.
I had some fingerpicking to do on this song – not my strong point – and as I was singing at the same time it took me 9 goes to get it done. See how hard I work? I’m worth every bloody penny of my salary if you ask me…….
You can also play it in the podcast feed player to the right (if you fiddle with the controls of it you get the download link) or you can add the podcast via your own favourite feed.
I’m a Libran but I don’t subscribe to the astrological ways of thinking. I suppose I believe that we can all have bits of whatever any particular sign is supposed to have as characteristics.
When I started writing this number, I noticed the bit about wanting balance and it occurred to me that that’s a Libran trait (or supposedly….) so I googled Libra and filled in the blanks so to speak, allowing myself a weak gag about hair.
I must confess to sharing a number of the characteristics but as I was worryingly starting to believe that yes, I am a ‘LIBRAN’, my brother Chris who had called round, pointed out that such things as being a romantic and gullible etc are indeed shared by some people born in, say April. So that’s ok then.
Chris played the guitar solo as well as advising me in my hour of astrological weakness.
Remember these A Song A Week numbers can be collected on the easy podcast player to the right, posted on your myspace site, shared with others or subscribed to using iTunes and the other podcast receivers on the right of the page. Till next week x.
5th song in the A Song A Week thing. One for all you double entendre lovers, ‘As Hard As This Is’ is co-written with Quiet Loner (aka Matt Hill). The Loner supplied lyrics and a title and I came up with tune and music and a few extra words. Countryish, I tried to do some slide guitar stuff but I’m expert enough to know I’m no expert. Please fill a glass with bourbon and have a listen. Play or Right Click to Download
Listen to all of them in the podcast to the right and subscribe using your favourite subscribe thing.
It has been persisiting down this weekend and I thought rather than fight it I’d embrace it. My studio is in the roof of my house and has velux(?) windows which are rather noisy when it rains. So this weeks song opens with the sound of the downpour captured by the vocal mic. Good eh?
I’m waffling but that’s what blogs are good for. The song is called Gone and is a pretty simple 4 chord trick coloured with my lovely 12 string guitar. It also has a falsetto bit at the end I’ll never be able to do again ever, so there you go.
If you’ve been around my site you may know of my song I Surrendered about domestic abuse and my disgust for it. Good friend Daniel Rachel has a single out this week which aims to raise money and just as importantly awarenessabout this all to common behind closed doors sadness. His message below. Buy it this week if you can.
Steve x
Dear Friend and pledger
Thank you so much for being one of the first 200 pledgers, your support has been magnificent. Now is the time to honour your pledge.
‘Let It Be Mine’ is released today. If you buy the single over the next 6 days, all the profits will go to Tender, the arts organisation driving to stop domestic abuse and sexual violence.
I really need your support to make ‘Let It Be Mine’ a UK chart hit.
Please buy it today for Tender
Many thanks
Daniel Rachel (links below)
Download for just 79p, at your favourite download store;
“Daniel’s support of Tender is so inspiring for us – a strong, clear male voice speaking up against domestic abuse and sexual violence. Putting this record in the charts will take our vision far and wide. If you want to help us make a difference to the future, buy the single today.”
I wanted to write about a car or driving – because I’ve just passed my test- had chords and a tune, but couldn’t come up withe the proper words. In desperation I turned to a source of great words Shaun Belcher (aka Trailer Star) and found a song of his Bled Dry. Shaun has this wonderful ability to present everyday things in an iconic, kind of nostalgic beauty (I have been drinking…and Shaun I should have asked you first x). I changed some words and added one or two others but most of them are his fault. Piano and vocal, wish I was Tom Waits.
You can also subscribe to these A Song A Week Songs through iTunes and others (see right) but there’s no guarrantee the songs will be great. Doing my best
Here’s the second of the A Song A Week tunes. It’s called Shalalalalalala and was written after watching the last of the debutantes programme on the BBC’s iPlayer (don’t you love the beeb? I do.)
Had a bit longer to write/record this so bit hi-fier sounding than the first one. Now have to crack on with the next one.
Play or Right click to save As always, if you subscribe to my podcast – see right hand side – either through the feed player or iTunes, or any of the other podcast providers listed (see colourful buttons)you’ll get them automatically.
Some nice messages about the first one even though it was a rather drunken sketch. Thanks and keep them coming.
Hope Christmas was fun and the New Year happy (and both the other way round too).
Was an up and down kind of year was 2007 personally, but fortunately mostly up.
I’ve not made any resolutions, or at least I wasn’t going to until I started typing this bit, so now I will! Wahey.
I’ll write a new song and every week post it on here. At least 50 ayear… Exercise the muscles. I’ve stolen the idea from Liam Dullaghan who did a song every day throughout December for the second year running. My initial idea was to rip his great idea off and have a song a day for the year, but that way madness lies. So I’m ripping it off on a weekly basis. Listen to Liam
I’m expecting many of the songs to be a bit useless but YOU NEVER KNOW. I have no idea what the sounds will be, but probably me on acoustic guitar and a bit of yodelling. Give me some thoughts/suggestions please.
Here’s the first one and it’s called ‘You’. Recorded and written on my return home this New Years Eve, feeling a bit tipsy a bit happy/sad. But hopeful. Awwww. Now I’ll have to write more songs or I’m a fink. Or something. Play or Right click to save If you subscribe to my podcast – see right hand side – either through the feed player or iTunes, you’ll get them automatically.
Other recordings will be seeing the light of day soon, the first one will be a new version of ‘From Speke to Waterloo’, which is a full bandy version featuring the legendary Bank Of Englanders Chris, Martyn and Steve. Lovely.
Let’s hope 2008 is a time when we remember we are all one people/family under the same roof. As Pete Wylie says, let’s make it 2000 and Great!xx
A benefit gig in aid of Karen Reissmann, the NHS worker sacked for her UNISON activism in speaking out against NHS cuts. I’ll be playing a half hour set and the bill also includes the wonderful songwriting talent of Kaya, Alun Parry and Lizzie Nunnery.
CANCELLED CANCELLED !!!! To be rearranged. CANCELLED CANCELLED !!!!
I’m returning to The New Inn, Brampton Village, Appleby in Westmorland, Cumbria, CA16 6JS on Friday 16th November. Map
Great pub just outside Appleby, roaring log fires, great food, fine wines and real ales.
8pm and it’s free.
Bit late notice but I’ve just had a call to support Brian Kennedy at the Philharmonic in Liverpool Saturday (20th) night.
I can’t wait. If you’re going I’m doing a 45 minute set starting 7.30pm.
On Monday 22nd October I’m supporting Mose Scarlett/Jim Condie at the Telegraph Inn, New Brighton. Tickets are £10 but if you fancy going drop me a note and I can get reduced tickets prices for you.
I’m at Under The Boardwalk, Snig Hill, Sheffield, S3 8NA on Sunday 4th November. It all kicks aff about 8pm. Free with a whipround (ooh Mrs Worthington)
I’m supporting American Bluegrass legend Mose Scarlett at The Telegraph, Mount Pleasant Rd, New Brighton, CH45 5EW on Monday 22nd October. Tickets £10 from the pub tele 0151 639 1508
Starts at 7.30pm
I’m supporting Vinny Peculiar at The Cavern in Liverpool on Thursday 11th October.
I’m hoping to have the full band playing with me. (edit: no I’m not)
Incidentally, Martyn is out and about with the rather marvelous Shack, throughout late October/November.
Many many, MANY years ago I moved to New Brighton to live with my dad after my parents divorced. I was a bit of a party animal (cough) and used to go to The Chelsea Reach a lot with my mate Steve Henderson. Tom Wood a photographer was always there taking photos of us kids drinking, fighting, laughing, kissing etc. We got so used to him (and Martin Parr another photie man) that we were all completely relaxed around him and didn’t notice him clicking away.
I saw the photie with me in it for the first time the other day at the Tate in Liverpool and it set of a nostalgic yearning to see old mates again if only I knew where they were. Anyway, long story short and all that, I wrote this song The photie man. It’s recorded onto my cassette recorder so the sound is iffy but it’s the first time I played it after writing it so thought I’d share it with you.
A Song A Week – 23/09/08 – The Blame Game
Published by Steve September 23rd, 2008 in A Song A Week, Comment, Gig, Music, News, gigs, music and song. 0 CommentsBack to the now traditional only one day late, this week’s song is about self loathing or a sociopath. It might be a mix of both conditions, I’m never quite sure what most of my songs are about, but I know what they mean.
It’s called The Blame Game play or right click to download.
There have been over 30,000 downloads of songs from my site this year, which to me is fantastic as it shows that some people are listening. In addition a lot of listens come from audio search engines, such as spool.fm and the free iTunes podcast feed (see right). It might not be a lot compared to many but it keeps me going.
The Bank Of England are playing at Stamps Bar in Crosby Village this Sunday 28th at 7pm. We’ll be on for at least an hour and it’s free to get in. Bring your kids too, they’ll be welcome. Stamps was the bar that gave me the opportunity to start playing again in the mid 90’s and also was the host venue for the Acoustic Engine. It’s a place I love and somewhere that always encourages the arts. It has some great beers too. Thanks Stamps x
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