Continuing in the day-by-day format:
MONDAY 8TH JANUARY: No gig today, so I decided to do a bit of web promotion, which is still a vital part of things alongside the live promotion. To this end I've joined a new upload site, similar to the others, but a different one nevertheless. These sites won't be much use to people who've seen me on the likes of soundclick, myspace etc... but the aim is to continually expand and find new listeners.
The site is www.7161.com and my page can be found here. The longhand version of that link is http://www.7161.com/~Paul_Jeffery
I've uploaded six tracks, and if you go to the homepage for 'rock/metal/indie' you can link straight to the tracks from the 'recently uploaded' list on the front page.
TUESDAY JAN 9TH: Gig at Doctor Wu's, the first of probably many there this year. I was expecting a quiet night but it turned out pretty well and busier than I thought. It's arguably still my favourite gig at the moment, and the more I get to know people there the more I can get out of it. I played four songs: 'Old Wishing Well', 'Whiskey Coloured World', 'Young, Lost and Hopeful' and a cover: 'I Guess Thats Why They Call It The Blues'.
Of those 'Young, Lost' is actually the first time in ages I've performed it live. And it ought to be played more often, because I think it's one of the strongest tracks. The cover received special comment from someone in the audience who approached me afterwards to say it was one of his favourite songs. You wouldn't expect anyone in there to really dig that kind of song, but it just goes to show you should never judge.....
WEDNESDAY JAN 10TH: Gig at The Pump Room in Halifax, hosted by Al Dickinson. I first spoke to Al on the phone just before Christmas. He talked more sense about music and gigging than most people do in a month. So I was very happy to be there on Wednesday night. Al really does have a fantastic voice and playing style, really thick, rhythmic acoustic guitar and gravelly voice.
I played 'These Eyes Of Mine' and 'Whiskey Coloured World' and then broke the ice a little with a cover of the Kinks 'Sunny Afternoon'. Later in the evening there was a group 'jam' which saw me take the lead on 'Freefallin' in the company of about 5 other acoustic guitars-it sounded just like The Travelling Wilburys!!
The night is not as well-established as the Leeds ones I do, it's only been running a few months. I found the pub had more of a provincial feel to it, but the hardcore regular players were really nice people. And there was a special highlight, almost worth turning up for alone, which was a guy's version of 'Golden Brown' by The Stranglers.....except for Golden read Gordon!!!
It was brilliant, a piece of satire in deepest Halifax. The words were adapted and included such gems as 'Gordon Brown, wants Tony's job/'Gordon Brown, bit of a nob'/
Sorry, that's the only one I can remember. I can't say I'm as anti-Brown as some seem to be getting, but it was hilarious nonetheless. I wonder what Rory Bremner would have made of it......
The Pump Room does it's bit for racial equality.
Inside the venue, Al Dickinson is pictured left, here in full flow.
THURSDAY JANUARY 11TH: This was my first 'proper' gig of the year. A half hour slot at The Primrose, opening the night. I have to say this was my favourite night of the week. A half-hour set leaves a bit more time to warm up and pace the set and the audience. The sound was big and full (the best so far) and I was able to rock out to an audience that listened and appreciated. I can't say the Primrose will ever be a great venue, but it proved it can be pretty solid this week.
For the record, the set was 'These Eyes', 'Your Shadow', 'Even', 'Young, Lost and Hopeful', 'Old Wishing Well', 'Whiskey Coloured World', 'Cold Cold Day' and 'Rocket Man' to finish.
Of these I'm taking a real fancy to 'Your Shadow', it's going down very well pre-release. 'These Eyes' was good too, and the last song never seems to fail to get people's attention.
All in all a pretty good night, and I'm hopeful of another such slot in March or thereabouts.
Arkwright's till is now housed at The Primrose.
Bad Manners and P Diddy in shock collaboration.
FRIDAY 12TH JANUARY: The final show of the week tested my versatility to the extreme. It was at the hard-to-find Ukranian Club in Keighley, home to the Baccapipes Folk Club.
As I mentioned last week at Otley, I'm experimenting with folk clubs at the moment. The idea is that as a 'mature' singer songwriter I can get an audience that listens, and in these cases, joins in!
It has to be said 'gig' is pushing it a bit here. The club meet downstairs in a small room rather like a kitchen, and everyone sits round in a circle and takes it in turns to play or sing a song from their seated position.
Needless to say, having been the oldest there the night before, I was suddenly one of the youngest. From stiff to rebel in 24 hours....versatility, yes, but why do I never fit in????
Let's just say if the room had been more open plan, I might well have dived for the exit. But after a bottle of Taylor's Landlord (Ukranian strength) I took the step of staying and playing. As the singers set off, with renditions of folk songs from a bygone age, I was even more un-nerved by everyone joining in, treating the songs like old friends.
When it came to me, I was rather nervous it has to be said. So I took the plunge and played '7 Shades of Grey'. To my relief it was 'accepted' and of course everyone joined in on the choruses, it was almost like they'd heard the song before....
Later I was asked to play 2 more songs, so out came a debut of 'Chains Around My Heart' (a potential folk hit I think) and 'Reminders', which was plucked from my memory at the last minute-I haven't played that song live for over 3 years.
So I had walked the walk, I had a similar feeling to when I played with Desire at Jilly's Rockworld in '99, except that this time I was the long-haired rocker.....
I think folk clubs are as a big a culture shock as Working Men's Clubs, but at least the average brain cell count is slightly higher. It was good to see Tim Moon again, who joined in with a great slide solo in 'Chains', all improvised of course.
Having said all this, I know I'll have to re-think my folk club strategy. So far this year, they are the only 2 gigs at which I haven't sold any CDs. They simply aren't open to my type of music, which I don't suppose they ever said they wanted to be. Nice people, but I get the feeling deep down they would be glad if I didn't darken their doors again....and the cliqueiness is a problem, not something I care to be part of.
So, a bizarre way to end the week. Indeed one of the most bizarre gigs I've ever done, and that's really saying something. I think my scatter-gun approach to bookings needs refining a bit!
Christmas lasts longer in the Ukraine. Babushka prepares to exit.
"Welcome Folkies, what's your poison?"
THIS WEEK:
Monday January 15th: Capre Diem, Leeds. My return to this central Leeds venue.
Tuesday January 16th: Doctor Wu's, Leeds. If it's half as good as last week then last week was twice as good.
Wednesday January 17th:The Grove, Leeds. My first 'unplugged Leeds' night of '07.
Thursday January 18th:The Black Swan, Peasholme, nr York. Open night.
Amen.
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