Gigs ahoy

OK - so right after announcing we were going to have a quiet summer we end up playing Strawberry Fair, Bishop Stortford and the Portland Arms in Cambridge. It looks like there will be a load of other festivals happening over the summer as well.

The Portland Arms one is supporting the wonderfully eccentric Thomas Truax - he plays the fantastic home grown constructions that are the Sister Spinster and the Hornicator.

Back Message Video is a David Icke Tribute?!

So I've just put up the video for a song made right on the outskirts of Las Vegas. The song is Back Message which was one recorded as part of the RPM challenge earlier on this year.

As you can tell from the clear blue sky it was done during the Vegas rainy season (4 inches of rain in the month!). Click here to view it.

The interesting thing for me is the supposedly contextually sensitive google ads. The ads look at what is written on the page and serve up ads according to what Google thinks is relevant. Don't know what Google were up to here though, as apparently the song inspires the spirit of David Icke (see the bottom ad).

If you don't know who David Icke is, he was once a goalkeeper. He moved on to better things as a leading spokesperson for the Green Party back in the days when governments didn't even pretend to care about global warming and so they weren't taken seriously, and helped them be listened to. He then went off on one and proclaimed himself the Son of God and a modern day Jesus Christ, helping ensure the Green Party were not taken seriously. He now is an author whose journalistic aim is to expose the reptilian bloodline that rules the world. Yes folks, we are apparently all ruled by giant lizards. Maybe thats why Bush and Blair invaded Iraq - they needed somewhere warm to get their circulation going. Those two are quite definitely cold-blooded creatures after all.

Death of a Cavalier

The not-so-trusty-and-a-little-bit-rusty Vauxhall Cavalier that has carted us off to many a gig around the country finally packed it in and called it a day whilst we were out touring the US. I don't use the car much and was contemplating scrapping it as opposed to forking out for repairs that may may keep it going until its MOT is due in November. However this MOT has been promised to be a lots-of-welding costs one so financially I've been umming and aaahhing about it.

The deciding factor though was the Northern tour - the cost of the car we hired was recouped by the amount of petrol saved by having a car that had a smaller engine, was more fuel efficient and a better CD player over just a weekend.

So its goodbye to the Cavalier attitude from me.

Heart of Glass Video page up

Here is the first dedicated video page - up and running.

Oop North

Well its been a busy week since the return from the US - four gigs in the ten days after touchdown. And now come two Northern appearances - one in York, one in Manchester. Check the gigs page for more details.

RPM Chicago Listening Party

Thanks to Josh for playing us at the RPM Challenge listening party organised in Chicago at the Perfect Cup coffee house last week. Sorry I couldn't be there to meet the rest of the crowd as well!

Goodbye US of A

Time for just one more snowstorm to look at out the window as we head back to the the UK. So, representing Karmadillo I've played in San Francisco, New York, Boston and Chicago, and although we didn't manage to organise any full on gigs in Las Vegas there was a decent nights karaoke and video footage shot for a couple of songs. I guess on the video front there is the Heart of Glass video that was shot too.

Many thanks to the people who helped - firstly Brian in Chicago. For the music in San Francisco there the Hotel Utah and Black Voodoo Lounge Club to thank, Dave from the Furious Sleep, Kelly from the Besties and Chris from Fontana's get kudos for Manhatten fun and frolics. Also in Chicago the folks at Kaffeine and the Hearltand Cafe and in Boston the thanks must go out to Beth, Sridhar and the Acoustic Club on Harvard Square for making my stay there so hospitable.