I have to start this week on a bit of bad news I'm afraid, as just about 10 minutes ago I heard the news that 2 motorsport greats were among the dead in the Kent aircrash yesterday. David Leslie and Richard Lloyd might not be household names, but they are very familiar to me and have been for over 20 years. I can but say how sorry I am.

Looking back over the past week, the Easter weekend ended with some foul weather bringing snow on Monday, and then on Tuesday I went off to the Lakes for a day. It's still my favourite place to go and I get this strange feeling of homecoming driving there. My mum came with me and said the same thing, the affection for this part of the world runs quite deep in the family genes.

Back to work on Wednesday, and after the packed house at Snaith on Easter Day, it was back down to Earth (some might say normal!) with a very thin audience at the Shepherds Boy, Dewsbury. This was another of the Ossett Brewery venues and needless to say the pub was lovely, as was the landlord and the beer. It just happens to be a quiet night and they are fairly desperate to change to a Sunday afternoon. It wasn't too bad for me as I got to play and didn't get any hassle, but it's so easy to switch off and become lost in the middle of a song I've played many times before. Hopefully they can switch nights and I'd be happy to go back.

Friday saw the band back on the road at The Plough at Warmfield. This is home to the most enthusiastic landlord in the world as far as live music is concerned. If you think you know anyone better, please let me know as I'd love to play there as well! It does make all the difference in the world, to see someone who actually cares about putting music on in a venue.
It was a 40th birthday and as such the original material didn't really get much attention. We had to rely on the run-in of covers to get the response and atmosphere the night deserved. The balance between artist and entertainer is a fine one, but at least one we can try and serve.

I'm hoping to launch a new Internet Store via myspace on my page there very soon. It will be with an established download company so hopefully will encourage a few more download sales.

Just for the record, the new album is appearing on various digi download sites now and you are more than welcome to purchase a song or two!

Try clicking on these for starters!

Ruckus

Payplay


Also, I've had a purple patch recently on soundclick.com where hits and plays have shot up. Getting particular attention has been 'Cold Steel Lover' which is featured on the new album Seven Shades Of Grey. Have a listen and see what you think.

A very busy Easter week saw some good bits. Tuesday the 18th was the night the Abbey Inn recieved it's award as pub of the year and I'd been invited to go along to the singaround night. I've not done this night for a few months now although I have of course performed quite a few full gigs there, and there's plenty more to come this year.

The only drawback was that the pub was heaving, moving the singaround into the pool room and leaving me nowhere to set up! So I didn't play in the end.

Wednesday night was the gig I'd been part looking forward to, part dreading. Performing in my local pub, the Roundhill. In the end the night fell part-way between all the various conflicting emotions I had. I got some terrific support which I'm very grateful for, I played well and it wasn't too loud or too offensive for any customers.
Other than that, I can't say I felt particularly relaxed at any point, it was a bit like going before a firing squad and I probably didn't give the best account of myself. I'm also not sure what the long-term entertainment plans are. Still, it wasn't a bad night and at least I can say now I've done it, whether I'll do it again is another matter!

Friday was my day-off and so off I set to Skegness, albeit in blizzard conditions, to watch the opening F1 stock car meeting of the season. Whilst driving along the M62 there was a sudden noise followed by a battery light, and there I was stranded on the hard shoulder with a beautiful view of Drax power station. So I never made it to Skeggy, which in these conditions may not have been a bad thing! I did however get fantastic breakdown service and a trip through Snaith, where I would be playing on Sunday night.

Saturday, with the car fixed, was the band playing at The Peacock in Huddersfield (leeds road). I was again a little apprehensive about this one as I'd never played there before. It turned out to be a really good night. We got a good response and at last a decent audience who were about right for the music. The originals we played went down well and so did the covers. In fact, there were moments when we really did have the crowd riding with us.
The band has a long way to go yet, but I can really say it's progressing in the right direction and beginning to realise some of my dreams and ambitions. Anyone who wonders why I want to do the band should have seen this gig. The opportunity to play the songs I want with really talented musicians is too good to miss, and I'm really looking forward to keeping things moving with the band.

On Easter Sunday I drove under my own steam to Snaith for the Bell & Crown acoustic night. I arrived to find a pub busier than a really busy pub being really busy. Yes, Easter Sunday, with the lure of a free Monday off, really does draw a crowd, as it does in my home village.
I was surprised anyone was listening to the music at all to be honest, but actually it drew in a good crowd. I was the 3rd and last booked act, with open mic slots run in between and after. I played Shadow, If He knew You, Whiskey, hide your love away, old wishing well and these eyes. I kept it up-tempo and played sometimes on the edge a bit.
The crowd were very drunk but very enthusiastic and I'm pleased to say this time there were no encroachers! So not a bad night all in all!

It's been a bad week for things breaking. My studio computer has needed a new CPU fan too so recording work has slowed down again. Hopefully there'll be more news on those fronts very soon.
I must say though that my soundclick site has had a lot of traffic all of a sudden. I think it's found some momentum so please go and have a look, play a song or two (for free of course) and help keep the songs high up in the various sub-genre charts.

We seem to get more extreme weather these days, last Monday there were more storms about which probably accounted for the internet going down. This meant no blog, which I'm sure both of you were really upset about.
So I'll set out from Monday the 4th of March. The Tuesday that week brought me to a new open mic night in Huddersfield at Sleepers. This was my first of 2 gigs in the week that were in bars built into railway arches. Fascinating stuff I know. Sleepers has a jazz night and also a real piano. So I got to play 'Your Shadow' and '7 Shades' on the real Joanna. The latter always benefits from this. Then as it was quiet I got a 2nd slot to do 'Lost In Love Town' and then 'Rocket Man'. The title track from my first album getting a rare outing there. As said the night was quiet. The bar was fine and the night has potential but it badly needs another 20 people. I say this quite a lot.

Thursday at Verve in Leeds was busy enough. Unfortunately the night was totally abortive for me as no one seemed prepared to listen. I'd introduced 'Coming Up For Air' for this one, which is going to be on the new Paradise Street project album. It's always been a female song but I enjoyed playing it. There's not much more I can say about this night.

The week wasn't a total disaster though, as I've just introduced a new work schedule which means I actually get things done for a change. It's only taken me 10 years to figure it out! So by Friday I'd managed to more or less mix the 2nd Paradise Street track, and get time to go visit a new potential venue, which was (refreshingly) a buzzing place which I hope we can get the band on at.

I had Saturday (the 8th) to pursue watching cars going round in circles at Birmingham before ending the week at the last point of my now famous Bars Built Into Railway Arches Tour. The Sunday night slot was called LiveSpace, at Bridges Bar in Sowerby Bridge. It's in the upstairs bit, run as a seperate night. This keeps it apart from the locals downstairs. There were some very interesting acts on and this was a much better night. It reminded me of the Priestley gigs in Bradford in that it was 'semi-open mic' but with a booked band at the end. I did 3 songs only but was pleased with the reception. I'm booked to do the headline slot in September now. It may be possible to get the band involved, we'll just have to see.

Into the previous week gone by now. As a result of the Bridges gig, I went along to another new open mic night in Hebden Bridge. This is further up the Calder Valley and is also a very 'artistic' place. That's the polite description anyway! Upstairs again, this time at the Stubbing Wharfe. My night wasn't that great due to a dicky keyboard amp (made by Custom Sound) as I played Your Shadow and 7 Shades. I'm also left feeling a little uneasy at these more provincial open nights. They have a habit of becoming club, and if you're not in the club, there's always a slight atmposphere of restrained tolerance. Most of the performers I think go weekly. It's also supposed to be one song only (something they relaxed for me, not my idea honest) which I think is a bit tight. But at least it aleviates the bordom of watching longer sets! I'll see how things go before setting out there again. It's a good night and there's some nice people, so it should be OK.

Thursday was another recee trip. I encountered a band that caused some talking points. They were one of many similar bands in this area-and I wonder whether the time is right for a cull.

Take a guitarist with 4 Marshall 4x12 amps, a bassist with the same , neglect the vocals by using 12 inch tops and you have all the right ingredients. Yes, it's a West Yorkshire cock rock band!

Throw in some leather pants, screaming, flashing lights, and the SAME FUCKING SET THAT ALL THE OTHER BANDS PLAY, honed from years of listening to the SAME THREE FUCKING BANDS and you're getting there. These bands have all been at it for years, playing mainly the same set as when they formed in 1987. Don't get me wrong, I like it loud and I like the original versions of the songs, but if I have to sit through another ear-bleeding version of Whole Lotta Rosie or Highway To Hell I might have to kill someone.

These bands are like dinosaurs. Never more arrogant than just before extinction. They now play to an ever-dwindling band of long-haired followers, less and less Rock Chicks (which is a shame!) and more and more folk wondering why the hell they bother. I'd like to see, just for a change, an acoustic set, or some Neil Young, just anything DIFFERENT.

Which leaves us with the weekend just gone. I got soaked to the bone in Birmingham on Saturday night, and then nearly frozen in Santiagos in Leeds! The latter was a gig too. A very quiet night in Leeds, due to the 2 St Patricks Days either side. I was on last. And just in time for my set was.....an encroacher! I haven't had one for a while, but never tempt fate. There could be a scrote just lurking around any corner, just waiting for my set to begin! And here he was...a foreign chappy with a severe mental problems. Joining me on stage half way through a song asking for Dark Side Of The Moon (all of it?). After I'd finished by enjoyable set, off he went. Spitting on the window as he left. Lord help us all. Why me?

On Tuesday night (the 26th) we had an earthquake. Yes, a genuine 5 on the richter scale tremor that lasted all of about 10 seconds. Ok, if you're from California that's hardly a proper earthquake but it was the first time I'd ever felt the floor move beneath me like that. I was having a piss at the time. At first I thought it was the wind, then I thought it was the Bradford curry I'd had a few hours earlier. Satisfied that it was only a tremor and that nothing had fallen off the roof I went to bed.

More earth shattering news to follow!

On Wednesday I played at the Library near Hyde Park in Studentland in Leeds. This is in the upstairs venue which houses a bar and no mean PA system. It has the makings of a great live music facility. I received news of the soundcheck being at 5:30pm. This meant rush-hour traffic followed by a long wait. Many's the time I've heard promoters complain about acts being late, and it was this little promoter-like voice that came into my head as I contemplated telling them I worked til 7pm.

So there I was, the only artist on time again! The soundman was an hour late, the other acts arrived in dribs and drabs, and.....I didn't get a soundcheck! I ventured downstairs for some food. 'Can you bring it upstairs?' I asked, 'That's a pain in the arse' replied the scrote who clearly missed the staff induction day. To all American readers: that is British customer service for you!

6 acts eventually arrived, £5 to get in to watch them. I was on 3rd (thank God it wasn't last!) and I enjoyed my set. The onstage sound was very good and I was pleased with how I played. I did Shadow, How Do You Sleep, Whiskey, Gods And Angels, then had a quiet word with a memeber of the string quartet who insisted on talking during my set: they wouldn't look on that so keenly at the Festival Hall. I might have let it go if it was a casual punter, but other band members-no chance!

I finished off with The Prisoner, Cold Cold Day and These Eyes Of Mine. For the latter I borrowed Ashley Hicklin's drummer to bang his box of tricks-this seemed to endear me to the audience and I thought it sounded great-the set was recorded too so when I finally get around to listening to it, I hope it sounded as good on CD.

So not a bad set all in all, the night then dragged somewhat and I must admit I gave in half-way through the last act. Ashley's band sounded great, it really brought out the best in his songs, but it was midnight and I was knackered! Still, I did stop for longer than the promoters!

On Thursday night it was the PJ band at Zephyr. Normally I would say that Zephyr is our spiritual home (the first gig was there) and our number one venue: that always proves to be the kiss of death! Not that there was any hint of this until after the show, which was another stonker. Dave was having his first night with us and the whole thing went really well.

The response was good and I was extrememly pleased with the set. Unfortunately we were lucky to get paid the full amount, owing to an un-expected budget cut which has taken place since Christmas. No-one pointed this out to me, so luckily we got away with it. I've always found the Zephyr people very accomodating, but seriously guys-if you're only going to pay 80 quid for a band we won't be coming again! Another pub lost.

I enjoyed more or less a weekend off this time. Yes, the stock car season has started again and I was at Skegness (in the dry this time) on Sunday afternoon. Tempting to not work again until November but not really practical. That's all until next week!