Some Footage From Outside The Lark Lane Acoustic Festival!
Earlier this month, with the helpful of my partner in crime and percussionist Chris Cousineau, I played at a refreshing event called the Lark Lane Acoustic Festival hosted by Neil Campbell (the man who, to all intents and purposes is classical guitar music in Merseyside) and conveniently bumped into James Addis of Addistock. James used to run a quality night down south, and is familiar with the likes of Frank Turner.
He said, let’s film some of you playing outside. So I said “Chris, shall we?” and Chris said “okay.” So off we pondered where the wind was least heavy and filmed two songs; one original and one cover.
Chris, who is often much better than me at picking songs specifically for the occasion, suggested “Daisy” (one of mine) and Light My Fire by The Doors.
If you like these films, visit https://www.facebook.com/AddistockSessions?ref=ts or follow James on twitter via @Addistock.
Having A Song On Tom Robinson’s BBC Introducing Mixtape for BBC6!!
Feeling pretty happy. Tired, but happy nonetheless. Last summer, I wrote and recorded a short and quick song called “Sexy Shade of Sunburn” as a lo-fi home demo.
A couple of weeks ago, after entering via a soundcloud drop-box, it was included in a playlist for BBC6 and was chosen by Tom Robinson himself as one of his top five songs that week. I was particularly made up with Tom’s very specific remarks regarding that tune:
“I particularly love Thom’s song for it’s sheer economy – it sounds like a full normal length song, yet he gets in there and says everything he has to say in 92 seconds flat and then stops. No pad
ding, no repetition – but an urgent, energetic performance that holds your attention the whole way through and leaves you reaching for the replay button.”
It then made member-of-the-freshnet-team for BBC6 Chris Chadwick’s blog, who was even kinder:
“I feel I should declare an interest here. I feel lucky to count Thom Morecroft as a friend and someone whom I’ve seen blossom on the Liverpool music scene over the last year or so. Friendship aside though there is no escaping his incredible vocal talent. It’s the roughness which makes it so endearing and the sheer power of his voice, something that perhaps only truly comes out in a live setting. Sexy Shade of Sunburn may sound like a throw-away track with a comical title but his songwriting ability is without question and the potential harboured is exciting to say the least. If you do one thing today (after checking out all of the above artists) then go and listen to some of Thom’s incredible tunes via Facebook.”
So, when I received an email a few days later asking permission to use the song on the show two weeks after, I immediately said yes in the least calm, cool or collected way possible.
During this time, me and Chris (my percussionist and all round good eggman) played some very fun gigs in lots of different places including Studio 2 in Liverpool and The Cellar Bar in Chester. I also booked an album launch, but that’s another story…
Anyway, where was I? Yes. So last night I suddenly remembered that the song was due to play at about 2 or 3 in the morning so stayed up. I found myself so excited by each song, particularly the more acoustic first half. Especially Woodpecker Wooliams, who I am absolutely certain will be have a very important place in popular music for the next five years if there is any justice in this brutish world. Her song Gull was the standout song of the entire show for me. I couldn’t believe the sheer charismatic subtlety combined with almost vaudevillian umph in her vocals when she needed it. Absolutely incredible.
So anyway, my song came on about 26 minutes in…and I’m not sure why exactly but I haven’t slept yet. I have also discovered this Dr Dre bloke who seems pretty good…
If you want to hear the show, follow this link here:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/tomrobinson/2012/09/introducing-mixtape-monday-100.shtml
Recording Sessions at Crosstown Studios
Over the 21st and 22nd July, Christope Cousineau, Elle Schillereff, James Baxter and I got together at Crosstown Studios to record live takes (and a few overdubs) of an EP which should be out by November this year.
from left: Elle Schillereff, Me, James Baxter
It was a funny couple of days. All in all, very fun.
The sessions are currently undergoing the mixing process, and I’m looking for a good mastering engineer. If you see one in Tescos or anything, stop them, offer to hold their tea-bags and please refer them to me.
Me