Magic And Loss

Some of these blog pieces more-or-less write themselves, some take a bit of coaxing and some take a lot of work. A lot of work, as in a 'why am I doing this to myself?' - style lot of work. This one is quite hard to write because of the subject matter, which is strange as there should be a lot of positive things to say about friendship, kindred spirits, feeling part of a team... they're all good things, but you don't get something for nothing do you?

I was on my way home on Thursday night when my phone made the slightly annoying car horn - type noise that it makes when I receive a text message. I should change the sound, but I never seem to get around to it. Or something. Anyway I took the phone out of my pocket and read the message. Then I read the message again. And again. It was telling me that Tom Edwards had died. But he can't have. He's only young. And he's Tom, he can't have... 
I first meet Tom a couple of years of years ago, but he's one of those people that it's hard to remember a time that you didn't know them, if you know what I mean. I played the 'I Need A Dodge' gig at Koko with him in 2015, went to the Marshall factory with him, saw him play with Adam Ant, played the riff to 'Day Tripper' on his guitar in Abbey Road Studios... I still don't really know what to say about it all, other than that he was a fabulous musician and a lovely man. I'll miss him - and I know that I won't be the only one.

Harlow is perhaps not the most obvious place to provoke any real emotion, or so you might have thought - but if you'd have been there on Saturday night then you'd have known that 'emotion' was most definitely on the agenda, as after several false alarms The Square finally closed it's doors for the very last time. I first played there with The Price in 1986, and just over 30 years later I played three songs at the last ever gig there. But what a last ever gig it was my friends... 
First band on The Orphans feature Oliver son-of-Simon-from-The-Newtown-Neurotics Lomond on guitar (to be pedantic, on my guitar for most of their set as he broke a string on his) and roared through a breathless half hour set (guitar, drums and vocals - not a bass guitar in sight!) to the approval of the rapidly arriving audience. After saying a quick hello to Steve Lamacq - if I remember rightly he was involved in getting The Price our first gig at the venue - in the downstairs bar it was back upstairs to catch local heroes The Newtown Neurotics who bought the proverbial house down. To be fair they were on safe hometown ground but their excellent performance didn't rest on any laurels, with frontman / songwriter Steve Drewett in fine form throughout. And what can I say about Eddie And The Hot Rods that I haven't already said in these hallowed pages? They've always been one of my favourite bands, and this show was as good as any I have ever seen them play. But it was different, very different - from my point of view at least.
Back in December I went to see The John Otway Big Band at The Borderline; I'd have gone along anyway as they're always well worth seeing but I went up to meet Hot Rods guitar hero Richard Holgarth (who also plays for Otway and was the sound man at The Square when The Price used to play there) to discuss the possible purchase of a Gibson SG guitar that he was considering selling. During the evening the subject of the Square's imminent closure came up, and he invited me up to the gig. At some point I said something like 'I'd love to play at that' - at which point he suggested that I play with Eddie And The Hot Rods. I thought about his offer for, ooh, two or three milliseconds before saying yes...
As I fought my way through the sold out crowd towards the stage I reflected on the situation - no rehearsal, not even a run through at the soundcheck, although I did have a chance to try my guitar through the amplifier that I was borrowing for the occasion. We only decided which songs I was going to play with them in the pub opposite around 3 hours ago. I eventually got to the stage as Hot Rods singer Barrie introduced me  - I never thought that would ever happen I can tell you - and I picked up my guitar. 'Are you ok?' said Richard cheerily as I tried a couple of chords - yes I was ok, and I was even more ok when 'Hard Driving Man' started. And there I was, little old me playing with Eddie and his Hot Rods. If you'd have told me that I was going to do that 40 years ago... 'Gloria' was next before we were joined by Jim Jones (he was DJ-ing after the gig) for 'Born To Be Wild' - and all too soon it was over. The gig, my time in The Hot Rods, one of the great independent venues, everything. There were more than a few tears, with more than a few of them coming from me. It had  been a lousy few days. You don't know what you've got until it's gone do you?

Oh and in case you're wondering, I bought the SG. Of course I did. Well, something good had to come out of it all didn't it?    

Yeah I know this isn't very well written and is all a bit garbled - as I say, sometimes this is quite hard to write... sad times...

Single album, double album, single... er, single...

Shameless self-publicity continues...

When I was a lad bands bought out live double albums - I remember the big scary boys at school having records like 'Made In Japan' and 'Irish Tour '74' under their arms. In that strange way that you have when you're young I used to wish that I was old enough to own them too - eventually of course I was and these were and indeed are two of my favourite releases from that time. I never for one moment thought that I'd feature on a double live album one day, but on Saturday 16th April 'Live On Stage' by Ruts D.C. is released on vinyl for Record Store Day 2016. Great stuff!
And if that wasn't exciting enough (and believe me, from my admittedly often rather naive point of view the word 'exciting' doesn't get close to covering it!) the new Ruts D.C. single 'Psychic Attack' is released on May 20th. Released by Westworld Records and distributed by Plastic Head it'll be available on CD and 7" vinyl (oh yes!) as well as download - we've just got the final mix back from engineer extraordinaire Lee Groves and even though I say so myself it sounds bloody great. It'll be available in all good record shops (as the old saying goes) and of course from us at our gigs, but in the meantime if you can't wait that long it can be pre-ordered here. Go on - you know you want to... and work has continued this week this week on the upcoming album - recently re-titled 'Music Must Destroy' and due for September release we're currently working on a perspective 14 tracks between Ealing and Brixton; I was recording guitars (during which I got to play a Fender Electric XII on 'Soft City Lights' - oh yes!) with James Knight while Dave and Segs were working on vocals at Jamm. There's still a long way to go but we'll get there in the end...   

Meanwhile Friday evening saw your humble narrator catch two halves of two Uxbridge gigs, starting with The Dirty Dog Band at The General Eliott. I went to meet Big Al Reed there, and was just saying hello to him when I heard a cheery 'hello Leigh!' from behind me - I turned around to see the smiling face of Tom Edwards who it transpires plays in said combo. I didn't know that he was going to be there and it was great to catch up with him and indeed to see him play. From there it was a short walk across to The Dolphin to see the second set from The Ska Faces - the place was packed and they sounded much better than when I saw them in Watford last month. 
The next night I journeyed up to Derby to dep with The Pistols supporting The U.K. Ramones at The Hairy Dog. I'd not played with them for quite a while and it was great to see the lads again and indeed to play with them. The venue has been revamped since Ruts D.C. played there a couple of years ago and they've done an excellent job. We played well as did The U.K. Ramones who did a fine job paying tribute to Da Bruddas - it's a shame that there wasn't a few more people in attendance, but those that were there certainly seemed to enjoy themselves.

This week, working in the shop and playing some gigs, next week more recording. Keep on keeping on...

Halfway to paradise

Right - I'm bored now. I've had enough of 'normal' weeks... 

On Friday evening Dave Ruffy played with Louise Aubrie at The Dublin Castle in Camden Town. I'd met her briefly when he was recording with her at the famed and fabulous Abbey Road Studios last year - fronting a group that aside from Dave consisted of members of Adam Ant's touring band she delivered a tight set of original material in front of a very appreciative audience. I certainly enjoyed the show, although I was left thinking that perhaps there was - for want of a better term - no 'killer song' in the repertoire. All well played and sung, plenty of energy, looking good - but no knockout punch. Then again this is commercial pop music - or if it's not then it should be - so since when did a middle aged man's opinion matter? As I say a good show - and it was great to catch up with six string superman Tom Edwards again for the first time in a while. And he really say that he was going to have a word with Schecter Guitars about getting me an endorsement deal with them?!?

Last night Big Al Reed and The Blistering Buicks returned to The Halfway House in Barnes for a boisterous performance that featured everything from a collapsing keyboard stand to a cheery chap buying the band a round of drinks then presenting us with a bottle of red wine during our second set. Bill depped on bass (he used to be in The Glitter Band! Really!) and Al rode the wave of his recent television performance for all that it was worth. Oh and I spoke to Doogy who I'd met there a couple of times but who this time revealed that he used to be in a band called The Press who played with The Ruts at The Music Machine back in the day. A most enjoyable evening.

Aside from the above it's been a quiet few days - very welcome in many ways - but after tomorrow in Balcony Shirts the word 'normal' ceases to apply (thank gawd!) as it's time to return to the Ruts D.C. fold to resume work on the upcoming 'Psychic Attack' album. On Wednesday I've got a day with producer James Knight recording guitar parts and then on Thursday and Friday we are all in writing and rehearsal mode - there are songs to finish, brand new material to consider (Segs has not been idle and neither have I!) and the following week's sessions in Perry Vale Studios with Pat Collier to prepare for. 'Tea break over, back on your heads' as the old gag goes. Excellent!

Mad dogs and Irishmen

It's hot isn't it? There - I thought we'd get that out of the way... 

And the busy times continue - last week I worked 6 (6!) consecutive days in Balcony Shirts which to a sad little man like me is all too close to having a real job... I also played The Three Wishes in Harrow and Ye Olde George in Colnbrook with Big Al Reed and The Blistering Buicks - with my usual six-string partner in crime Pete unavailable it fell to your humble narrator to attempt to cover his parts as well as my own (that intro to 'Wicked Game' is deceptively difficult I can tell you!) and while I somewhat inevitably didn't have as much time as I would have liked to work on them I made it through the shows reasonably unscathed. He's back for this week's shows - good!

Last Friday The Who played Hyde Park. I arrived just as Johnny Marr was playing the introduction to 'Stop Me If You've Heard This One Before' - he looked great, sounded even better and by the time he swung into an unlikely cover of 'I Fought The Law' (well, I thought that it was unlikely, maybe he does it all the time!) he had the crowd on his side. He finished with 'There Is A Light That Never Goes Out' and 'How Soon Is Now?' - The Smiths really were rather good sometimes weren't they? Next up were The Kaiser Chiefs who I've always had a bit of a soft spot for - I'm not really sure why as I've got their first two albums but have lost touch with them since then. Their excellent performance was more than enough for me to rectify that situation, or at the very least look out for a 'greatest hits' collection. (Don't worry, I'll wait until it's cheap somewhere!) Main support came from Paul Weller, whose singles-packed set had the audience on his side from the word go. You forget how many hits someone like him has had sometimes don't you? Miles Kane joined him for 'That's Entertainment' in the middle of the set, 'Friday Street' was a forgotten classic (well I'd forgotten it!) and the set-ending one-two knockout punches of 'Start!' and 'Town Called Malice' provoked an audience reaction that wouldn't have been out of place for a headline act. Ah - but they were up next...
'You're a long way away' said Pete Townshend in typically obtuse tones - halfway through the opening song  'I Can't Explain' it was as though we were all on stage with them. And so began two hours of stunning rock 'n' roll brilliance, probably the best I've seen them play since, ooh I don't know when. Highlights were many and varied - 'Bargain' soared, 'Love Reign O'er Me' had jaws dropping left right and centre, the biggest E chord ever on 'Sparks' shook the ground beneath our feet and the inevitable set closer 'Won't Get Fooled Again' bombed out the last pockets of resistance with effortless aplomb. A textbook performance from a band who, incredibly, just seem to get better and better. It won't be the same without them will it? 

Tuesday was spent in the company of Adam Ant guitarist and all-round good bloke Tom Edwards. I worked with him back in March when he told me that he was due to make a trip sometime soon to the Marshall factory near Milton Keynes to pick up some amplifiers and would I like to come along? That, my friends, may well be the very definition of the term 'silly question'... we spent a splendid few hours there during which he introduced me to Artist Liaison Manager Joel - maybe, just maybe I might be using Marshall amps in the not-too-distant future. 

And yesterday I (re)joined my old buddies Neck for a gig at The Mevagissey Feast Week in Cornwall. Yes yesterday, Wednesday 1st July 2015, officially the hottest July day on record. Well I don't know about that but it was bloody hot in the van - and it was a bloody long way, although the countryside looked fantastic and Stonehenge was clearly very popular indeed. I spent much of the journey down listening to the songs on headphones, something which I generally don't like doing (my ears are bad enough as it is!) but was something of a necessity as, you've guessed it, I hadn't been able to spend as much time as I'd have liked on the material. Mind you, fiddle player James had arrived back from Peru only a few hours earlier (other people's lives eh?) so if anything he was even more of a disadvantage - fortunately my headphones did the trick for him, and a highly enjoyable show went down well with all concerned. (Incidentally, am I the only person that thinks there should be a Mega City Four tribute band called The Mevagissey Four? They could play all their songs a sea shanties, or something... I think the heat must be getting to me!) Mind you that all seemed a very distant memory when I walked thorough the front door at some unearthly time this morning - it was a bloody long way home too, although I suppose it would be if you think about it. And it's bloody hot now too. Too hot for me. Mind you, we'll all be moaning that it's too cold soon...