A Lotta Lotto
Went to Phase One for the Lottery Winners gig on Friday and it was wonderful. They gave such a joyous performance, very much still on the No.1 album high of Anxiety Replacement Therapy (ART). Thom announced that they were no longer at the top of the charts as someone called Ed had taken their place. I guess Mr Sheeran is a well known chap, but it won't be forever before the Lottery Winners are a lot better known. As an 'album launch' (a week or so on) it wasn't a full gig but still went to beyond an hour. I spoke to the band members afterwards congratulating them on the album and its success - and the performance that night. They were all exceedingly happy all round. Thom's chat between songs was never less than entertaining and it put me in mind of seeing Pulp back in the day and enjoying Jarvis between songs as much as the songs themselves.
There was probably fewer than one hundred people at Phase One - in the middle of the Eurovision chaos at Pier Head. So many people are yet to hear of the band but they are getting out there with the success of ART, and more and more people will be discovering their songs shortly I am sure. On Sunday I went into a pub in Liverpool when there was no-one else there. I asked the bar manager (nicely) if they could put Lottery Winners on Spotify and she did. Needless to say she was new to them. The next customers in were a couple and before buying a pint they were struck by the music, 'Is that the Lottery Winners?' they asked. Turns out that they were big fans and had seen them lots of times, including at Phase One. Spooky!
Talking of spooky, I bought a lottery ticket on the Friday of the gig and... yes I won! Not sure how the win will change me. But maybe I'll put the £4.80 towards aToo Good To Go or a kebab.
There was probably fewer than one hundred people at Phase One - in the middle of the Eurovision chaos at Pier Head. So many people are yet to hear of the band but they are getting out there with the success of ART, and more and more people will be discovering their songs shortly I am sure. On Sunday I went into a pub in Liverpool when there was no-one else there. I asked the bar manager (nicely) if they could put Lottery Winners on Spotify and she did. Needless to say she was new to them. The next customers in were a couple and before buying a pint they were struck by the music, 'Is that the Lottery Winners?' they asked. Turns out that they were big fans and had seen them lots of times, including at Phase One. Spooky!
Talking of spooky, I bought a lottery ticket on the Friday of the gig and... yes I won! Not sure how the win will change me. But maybe I'll put the £4.80 towards aToo Good To Go or a kebab.
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(Not) A Lad & Dad Night
Spookiness, lad and dads
It’s been a funny week in more than one sense of the word. I’ve not laughed so much on a bus for a long while when last Monday I was on a 17 back from town. I’d been watching the potentially interesting (it was) Leicester v Everton match (it finished 2-2). I bumped into a few people, including a Canadian couple, and a couple of local guys who have similar interests: music, ale, festivals, and football and the like. One of them I’d met a couple of times before and we carried on talking about ale, music festivals, books and writing. Well all sorts really.
Homeward bound we carried on the chit-chat on the bus (he lives around half way along my bus route). Part way into the journey a young fella (twenties, I guess) sat on seats across the great divide leant into our conversation as it veered between writing and music. He came to the conclusion (understandably) that we were talking about songwriting (we were not). It turns out he is a guitarist and writes his own songs sometimes. I asked whether he ever did open mics and if so he should try the Dizzy. He said yes he has a few times, including the Dizz. Apparently he was told he couldn’t play there when he went ‘as they don’t allow covers.’ That made me laugh, as I only ever do covers (even if they are not well known ones). I suspected from the way he was talking that there was something else behind the reason he was stopped, or discouraged, from playing - which may or may not have had something to do with mates and/or drunkenness. It wasn’t clear.
Anyway, as the conversation between the three of us continued it took an hilarious turn when the fella asked us if we were on a ‘lad and dad’ night out - I think he’s only about 12 or 13 years older than me. Much laughter ensued and every comment, question and bit of banter subsequently was explained by my occasional drinking buddy being me dad. Who knew!?
Later in the week I was delivering some ale to a place that requires a password to drive out. I asked what it was and it turned out to be 1968. ‘A good number.’ I suggested. The guy who’d let me into the cellar agreed. ‘I was born in ‘68.’ I said. So was he apparently. ‘Hey Jude was No.1.’ He said. ‘That’s spooky, me too.’ Etc etc. Anyway, it turned out that not only were we born in the same year, we were born on the exact same bloody day. That was some spooky shit. And laughter again ensued.
He looked quite a bit older than me and I’d never have thought he were born in the same year yet alone the same day. Not quite in lad & dad territory though. To be fair when I’d arrived he was having a fag break. And in hindsight that there explains it. Just don’t smoke people. It ages ya. It truly does.
I’ll never be able to go on a real lad and dad day again. But maybe I’ll be on some more ‘could be lad & dad’ days. These events are evidently outside of my control.
It’s been a funny week in more than one sense of the word. I’ve not laughed so much on a bus for a long while when last Monday I was on a 17 back from town. I’d been watching the potentially interesting (it was) Leicester v Everton match (it finished 2-2). I bumped into a few people, including a Canadian couple, and a couple of local guys who have similar interests: music, ale, festivals, and football and the like. One of them I’d met a couple of times before and we carried on talking about ale, music festivals, books and writing. Well all sorts really.
Homeward bound we carried on the chit-chat on the bus (he lives around half way along my bus route). Part way into the journey a young fella (twenties, I guess) sat on seats across the great divide leant into our conversation as it veered between writing and music. He came to the conclusion (understandably) that we were talking about songwriting (we were not). It turns out he is a guitarist and writes his own songs sometimes. I asked whether he ever did open mics and if so he should try the Dizzy. He said yes he has a few times, including the Dizz. Apparently he was told he couldn’t play there when he went ‘as they don’t allow covers.’ That made me laugh, as I only ever do covers (even if they are not well known ones). I suspected from the way he was talking that there was something else behind the reason he was stopped, or discouraged, from playing - which may or may not have had something to do with mates and/or drunkenness. It wasn’t clear.
Anyway, as the conversation between the three of us continued it took an hilarious turn when the fella asked us if we were on a ‘lad and dad’ night out - I think he’s only about 12 or 13 years older than me. Much laughter ensued and every comment, question and bit of banter subsequently was explained by my occasional drinking buddy being me dad. Who knew!?
Later in the week I was delivering some ale to a place that requires a password to drive out. I asked what it was and it turned out to be 1968. ‘A good number.’ I suggested. The guy who’d let me into the cellar agreed. ‘I was born in ‘68.’ I said. So was he apparently. ‘Hey Jude was No.1.’ He said. ‘That’s spooky, me too.’ Etc etc. Anyway, it turned out that not only were we born in the same year, we were born on the exact same bloody day. That was some spooky shit. And laughter again ensued.
He looked quite a bit older than me and I’d never have thought he were born in the same year yet alone the same day. Not quite in lad & dad territory though. To be fair when I’d arrived he was having a fag break. And in hindsight that there explains it. Just don’t smoke people. It ages ya. It truly does.
I’ll never be able to go on a real lad and dad day again. But maybe I’ll be on some more ‘could be lad & dad’ days. These events are evidently outside of my control.
I'm A Lottery Winner
Made up that I made the effort to get a ticket for the Lottery Winners at Phase One, Liverpool for the album launch event. It’s launch gig for ART - ‘Anxiety Replacement Therapy’ where you get a physical copy of the album and entry into the gig for just £17. Can’t say fairer than that.
It’ll be my third gig there following Heavy North, and Casino, which were both excellent. I’m sure the Lottery Winners will be every bit as good. The album sounds great (been listening to it on Spotify - not got the physical copy yet) and it even has some excellent guest appearances from Shaun Ryder, Boy George, and - yes - The Frank Turner. Cool! Frank is a big fan of their’s and has done some production with them as well as singing on tracks. And the Lottery Winners supported Frank on some of his recent UK tour.
It has been a big week for the ‘Winners too… as ART has come in a No.1 in the UK album chart. How good is that!? They should be in a damn good mood for the event in Liverpool then. Town will be mad busy as the Eurovision week progresses (it already is). I’m not exactly sure how it will be in town. Great, mad: greatly mad? I don’t know. But it will definitely be crazy busy as the Eurovision fans inundate the city for the antithesis of good music (hey, just my opinion). I know, it’s more about the fun and everything that goes with the event; a festival of music not about the music. At least I’ll be seeing a band at the peak of their powers in the town, just a day before the final event arena.
Anxiety Replacement Therapy - click on here to have a listen on Spotify.
It’ll be my third gig there following Heavy North, and Casino, which were both excellent. I’m sure the Lottery Winners will be every bit as good. The album sounds great (been listening to it on Spotify - not got the physical copy yet) and it even has some excellent guest appearances from Shaun Ryder, Boy George, and - yes - The Frank Turner. Cool! Frank is a big fan of their’s and has done some production with them as well as singing on tracks. And the Lottery Winners supported Frank on some of his recent UK tour.
It has been a big week for the ‘Winners too… as ART has come in a No.1 in the UK album chart. How good is that!? They should be in a damn good mood for the event in Liverpool then. Town will be mad busy as the Eurovision week progresses (it already is). I’m not exactly sure how it will be in town. Great, mad: greatly mad? I don’t know. But it will definitely be crazy busy as the Eurovision fans inundate the city for the antithesis of good music (hey, just my opinion). I know, it’s more about the fun and everything that goes with the event; a festival of music not about the music. At least I’ll be seeing a band at the peak of their powers in the town, just a day before the final event arena.
Anxiety Replacement Therapy - click on here to have a listen on Spotify.
Great AI. But Damn Scary.
Still keeping at it with the weekly flash (<300 word) challenge from Microcosms. This week’s three elements were: frog/ castle/ sci-fi. I enjoyed writing it (it ends up with a man eating frog - you can check it out along with the other entries at Microcosms) and later in the week discussed the challenge with a colleague. He was intrigued by the idea and said it would make a good cartoon short. It must have got him thinking anyway as he decided it would be a good way to see what Adobe Firefly - an AI illustrator - would produce for it based on a few relevant words. He fed them into the computer and instantaneously it came up with a range of image options. They were all really good. And in fact we both liked the first one it came up with (below).
Firefly is a Beta at the moment and, looking at what it can produce already, I am gobsmacked at how good the images it comes up with based on word prompts. It is frighteningly good at it. And I can’t not see it taking a lot of hours out for producing art work for all sorts (book covers, comics, posters and the like in particular). Of course taking hours out of producing something also takes the work away from people too. Get ChatGPT & Firefly together (or some of the other ones out there) and they could write and illustrate a story for you on a topic you’d like in no time. It is both an impressive and scary bomb of capabilities. Will we want to read stories written by apps, look at pictures not generated by people. Perhaps there will be an AI reading app next. That can read the stories to itself so you wont have to do. If they write, illustrate and read them all then what will we do? What will we be for? What will we be?
It is scary to consider where it may go in the end (let alone when combined with robots too). The Borg from Star Trek may be seen as a jovial alternative to the future we actually have around the corner. It will be interesting to see. But don’t believe what you read about it; it may have been written not on an iPad, but by an iPad. Perhaps this was?
Soon the only thing we’ll find ourselves believing in is the weather when we see it for ourselves. That is until we’re all chipped then even our own live experiences may be false too.
PS it is nice to have another Firefly we can enjoy - at the moment - who knew what they were working on after the series finished? They are one busy crew.
Firefly is a Beta at the moment and, looking at what it can produce already, I am gobsmacked at how good the images it comes up with based on word prompts. It is frighteningly good at it. And I can’t not see it taking a lot of hours out for producing art work for all sorts (book covers, comics, posters and the like in particular). Of course taking hours out of producing something also takes the work away from people too. Get ChatGPT & Firefly together (or some of the other ones out there) and they could write and illustrate a story for you on a topic you’d like in no time. It is both an impressive and scary bomb of capabilities. Will we want to read stories written by apps, look at pictures not generated by people. Perhaps there will be an AI reading app next. That can read the stories to itself so you wont have to do. If they write, illustrate and read them all then what will we do? What will we be for? What will we be?
It is scary to consider where it may go in the end (let alone when combined with robots too). The Borg from Star Trek may be seen as a jovial alternative to the future we actually have around the corner. It will be interesting to see. But don’t believe what you read about it; it may have been written not on an iPad, but by an iPad. Perhaps this was?
Soon the only thing we’ll find ourselves believing in is the weather when we see it for ourselves. That is until we’re all chipped then even our own live experiences may be false too.
PS it is nice to have another Firefly we can enjoy - at the moment - who knew what they were working on after the series finished? They are one busy crew.
Rekindling
Several months ago I lost my old Kindle Paperwhite. I'd had it for years. I prefer physical books - I have trouble not walking past a charity shop and checking out the bookshelves. But during lockdown, when all the bookshops and charity shops were closed, I used the Kindle quite a bit to get my reading fix. With the shops open again I haven't used the Kindle as much and so I guess I haven't missed it terribly. However for writing larger pieces of work I find the Kindle very useful for reading and reviewing compared with trying to review on a computer screen. And so this weekend thanks to Liverpool beating Man Utd 7-0 the other week and a couple of Cheltenham flutters this week (from the reinvested ManU winnings) I gained more than enough pennies to invest in a new Kindle and so I picked it up yesterday.
It is the small (just 6''), cheapest one and I don't find it as nice as its older (larger, but missing) sibling. It feels a bit delicate, but that should be helped a little when I get a cover for it. If my old Kindle suddenly reveals itself to me, perhaps from beneath a pile of books or washing, then I'll possibly return to that one. But maybe I'll get used to the smaller version in the end. It has better definition and larger memory that the older versions. For reading books I don't think the definition matters that much, although if there are any images or maps then maybe it will help in those cases. In terms of the memory, again I don't think this is critical for me. I'd not be filling ye olde Kindle let alone this one. It was certainly great though how easily and fast all the books previously held on my Paperwhite suddenly appeared on the new one. Very nice to see.
I'll see how it goes in the future. And I'll see how fast I find the old one now I've flashed the cash for this one.
It is the small (just 6''), cheapest one and I don't find it as nice as its older (larger, but missing) sibling. It feels a bit delicate, but that should be helped a little when I get a cover for it. If my old Kindle suddenly reveals itself to me, perhaps from beneath a pile of books or washing, then I'll possibly return to that one. But maybe I'll get used to the smaller version in the end. It has better definition and larger memory that the older versions. For reading books I don't think the definition matters that much, although if there are any images or maps then maybe it will help in those cases. In terms of the memory, again I don't think this is critical for me. I'd not be filling ye olde Kindle let alone this one. It was certainly great though how easily and fast all the books previously held on my Paperwhite suddenly appeared on the new one. Very nice to see.
I'll see how it goes in the future. And I'll see how fast I find the old one now I've flashed the cash for this one.
Good To Be Back
After a month without doing an open mic I returned to the Dispensary last night. It was good to be back. I didn't do any new tunes, but did a couple I don't to that regularly; 'Somewhere Down The Road' and 'Down By The Water.' I did start with the more commonly played 'Couldn't Get Arrested' though.
It was great to see a few of the regulars play, including Dave, Muzz, and Laurence. It was especially good to see John there once more playing his wonderful Hand Pan. All those of us taking part in the open mic could get a free pint, and this week they had Neptune on so I ended up with a free Ezili. Nice. In fact it was good to see both Wooden Ships and Ezili on.
John playing his magical hand pan.
Wooden Ships and Evil on in the Dizzy. Excellent.
It was great to see a few of the regulars play, including Dave, Muzz, and Laurence. It was especially good to see John there once more playing his wonderful Hand Pan. All those of us taking part in the open mic could get a free pint, and this week they had Neptune on so I ended up with a free Ezili. Nice. In fact it was good to see both Wooden Ships and Ezili on.
John playing his magical hand pan.
Wooden Ships and Evil on in the Dizzy. Excellent.
Casino Royale
Been a bit tardy with getting a blog together for this one, but hell I’ve been busy & lazy at the same time (a blisteringly uncomfortable excuse sandwich). But last week I was lucky enough to snag a couple of free tickets for the Casino gig at Phase One, Seel Street, Liverpool. It was just my second time at Phase One, with the previous gig being the Heavy North in early March. As a nice coincidence/circularity the last time I saw Casino was supporting the HN up the road in the Arts Club - which had been a fabulous gig for all involved: just a shame about the Arts Club’s current status. Ho hum.
I had the electronic tickets on my phone (obtained from a great gig buddy: thank you JC), but there was no-one on the door to check tickets anyway. I think the rather dodgy weather (cold, breezy, and sleety) had put some off coming out and the venue was not at capacity. I went with a colleague from work - where we sometimes hear Casino and their contemporaries - playing through the speakers; if Alexa feels like it.
The gig itself was great. We caught a bit of Ellis (a Dylanesque singer songwriter complete with harmonica) first and ‘treated’ ourselves to some keg beer; it wasn’t fabulous but then again gig beers are rarely that. And I have had a lot worse (and let’s face it anyone attending the Carling Academies of this world has too). The guys of Casino (who inexplicably have only four songs up on Spotify and no albums to sell us) gave us a gig in two sets. For a free gig we had indeed paid a more than fair price for their time & artistry.
Depending how they want to, or can, progress their career they really should do brilliantly. They are already a really tight (and, in some cases, decidedly tall) unit. Their song writing is beautiful and their musicianship is spot on. The songs are all presented with panache and consummate ease. And the hats must go off to the sound guy in this regard too. I will definitely be going to see them again if and when the chance arises.
Check ‘em out on Spotify (even though there is not much there yet it is all good stuff and shows you what they are like), and go out and see them when you can. Nice one.
I had the electronic tickets on my phone (obtained from a great gig buddy: thank you JC), but there was no-one on the door to check tickets anyway. I think the rather dodgy weather (cold, breezy, and sleety) had put some off coming out and the venue was not at capacity. I went with a colleague from work - where we sometimes hear Casino and their contemporaries - playing through the speakers; if Alexa feels like it.
The gig itself was great. We caught a bit of Ellis (a Dylanesque singer songwriter complete with harmonica) first and ‘treated’ ourselves to some keg beer; it wasn’t fabulous but then again gig beers are rarely that. And I have had a lot worse (and let’s face it anyone attending the Carling Academies of this world has too). The guys of Casino (who inexplicably have only four songs up on Spotify and no albums to sell us) gave us a gig in two sets. For a free gig we had indeed paid a more than fair price for their time & artistry.
Depending how they want to, or can, progress their career they really should do brilliantly. They are already a really tight (and, in some cases, decidedly tall) unit. Their song writing is beautiful and their musicianship is spot on. The songs are all presented with panache and consummate ease. And the hats must go off to the sound guy in this regard too. I will definitely be going to see them again if and when the chance arises.
Check ‘em out on Spotify (even though there is not much there yet it is all good stuff and shows you what they are like), and go out and see them when you can. Nice one.
New Songwriting Challenge
A couple of months ago Ben Whitley, a local singer songwriter, came up with a songwriting challenge. I’d been toying with the idea myself but never got one going, so it was nice of Ben to take up my slack - even if hadn’t realised he was doing that for me. o a couple of weeks ago I took the challenge up and quickly wrote a few words to go with my usual three or four chords. It was good to get something down; as other than a silly little lockdown song (Pasta Packets and Beans) I haven’t written something for ages (well, I do have a half completed one I wrote with a mate, Sam Lee - but that hasn’t seen the light of day for the public quite yet).
Anyway, last month’s challenge was to write a song about “Trains” featuring the words: Track, Ticket, and Platform. I was easier to write some words than to do a Microcosms story to be fair. Not that it’d win any prizes as it stands. I put ‘To Get Home To You’ up on YouTube in its first incarnation, which is posted below. May get around to hitting it again and giving it a revamp at some point. Needs a catchier rhythm or chorus at any rate.
It was great to see Sal write a poignant song using the prompt and memories (and paperwork!) from her brother. I know she enjoyed the challenge and Sal’s song is here:
This was the second of the songwriting challenges, the first one from January was on the theme of “Roads”, with the song to include: Street, Concrete, and Park(ing). I may go back and do that one next. The third one is yet to surface and I think Ben is a little unsure of whether to carry on with issuing the challenge; not because of my effort (I think, but because not many people have done it yet. I did say that my experience with the flash writing challenges is that it takes a good while before people a) find out about and b) get in the habit of doing it. I hope he perseveres with it for a while. If he does I promise I’ll try to write a song a month to go with prompts. Honest!
The two sets of prompts from January and February are below. Watch this space to see if I update the Trains song and/or write a song for the older prompt. And also to see if a new prompt comes along. I hope so. And if you play an instrument why nit give it a go yourself? It would be good to see you. We’ll have an album’s worth in no time.
And while you’re at it give Ben a listen over on Spotify and a follow on Insta, if you are that way inclined.
Anyway, last month’s challenge was to write a song about “Trains” featuring the words: Track, Ticket, and Platform. I was easier to write some words than to do a Microcosms story to be fair. Not that it’d win any prizes as it stands. I put ‘To Get Home To You’ up on YouTube in its first incarnation, which is posted below. May get around to hitting it again and giving it a revamp at some point. Needs a catchier rhythm or chorus at any rate.
It was great to see Sal write a poignant song using the prompt and memories (and paperwork!) from her brother. I know she enjoyed the challenge and Sal’s song is here:
This was the second of the songwriting challenges, the first one from January was on the theme of “Roads”, with the song to include: Street, Concrete, and Park(ing). I may go back and do that one next. The third one is yet to surface and I think Ben is a little unsure of whether to carry on with issuing the challenge; not because of my effort (I think, but because not many people have done it yet. I did say that my experience with the flash writing challenges is that it takes a good while before people a) find out about and b) get in the habit of doing it. I hope he perseveres with it for a while. If he does I promise I’ll try to write a song a month to go with prompts. Honest!
The two sets of prompts from January and February are below. Watch this space to see if I update the Trains song and/or write a song for the older prompt. And also to see if a new prompt comes along. I hope so. And if you play an instrument why nit give it a go yourself? It would be good to see you. We’ll have an album’s worth in no time.
And while you’re at it give Ben a listen over on Spotify and a follow on Insta, if you are that way inclined.
The Return of the Beard
04/03/23 12:52
Currently reading the excellent biography of Terry Pratchett: ‘A Life With Footnotes’, by Rob Wilkins. Terry was of course famously quite beardy for much of his life, me for much less so. But I did have a beard for several years* (hell, look at my Home page), but have been clean - or close to clean - shaven for about three years now. I have been considering going back to being a bit beardy for a while, and now I think I will. It does not have anything to do with my current reading; it is a pure unabashed coincidence.**
* I think around seven years (2013-2020)
** Honest Guvner.
* I think around seven years (2013-2020)
** Honest Guvner.
A Month Off, But Not Off
On Tuesday (not Monday) it was the third Dispensary open mic of the year. I’d been to the first two and played four of my usual songs. And that is why I decided not to go this week. There are so many great players each week and I keep playing the same songs from a list of about eight. I’ve decided to take a month off playing at the open mics on the basis that for those hours I’m not taking to get down there I can use some of that time to practice some new (or new old) stuff. The aim being that the next time I play at an open mic I play a few songs I don’t usually play AND I’ll have hopefully improved my playing a teeny bit by stretching myself by playing different things. And maybe, just maybe, there may be a song or two of my own too the next time I turn up to play at one.
I have been playing some different songs t home this last week or so and been practicing a few riffs (very un-me). It really will be a month off, but not off. So who knows? Changes really could happen.
Fingers crossed; and plectrum poised and raring to go.
I have been playing some different songs t home this last week or so and been practicing a few riffs (very un-me). It really will be a month off, but not off. So who knows? Changes really could happen.
Fingers crossed; and plectrum poised and raring to go.