EP NEWS
Snow days are fun days...
So it's been snowing for the past couple of days which ultimately ended up with me having 2 days off work. In between making snowmen and throwing snowballs I managed to crack on with the EP artwork...after a few beers and many hours I think I can safely say that I'm nearly there :) Will post some pics as soon as I can.
Tonight I am meeting up with Ben to listen to the master for the final time, and collect my guitar which I left at his before Christmas. If all goes well, Im hoping to go to press on Monday. I can't wait...
I'm looking forward to a chilled weekend with more snow thrown in for good measure :)
Playing an acoustic gig @ THE BEEHIVE in Swindon on Sunday (10th Jan) at 3pm which should be fun. I managed to write two new songs yesterday which I really want to play on Sunday...I'm sure if I practise real hard tomorrow they'll be ready.
Hope you all had an amazing week.
Billy X
Merry Christmas!
Merry Christmas everyone :)))
Can't believe a year has come and gone
already...sometimes It feels that our lives go past so quickly, that If we blink, we'll miss it. And I don't want to miss anything...
Hope you all have an amazing Christmas and New Year. I'm off to my Mum's for a week starting next Tuesday. I can't wait as the last time I saw her was in August. I miss her so much sometimes. Whats everyone doing on NYE?? I don't have any plans yet, but sometimes the best plan is not to have one...they always end up being the best nights.
So the EP is finished :) I get the master from Ben this weekend after he's made a couple more tweaks and we're going to press the first week in January once the artwork has been set...it's been a long time coming and I'm so excited about getting it out into the big wide world. As I have mentioned on previous occassions, we're starting the album as soon as we can and I am hoping we release it by April/May...still got to get my head down and write some more songs. I already have a tentative title for it though, and it's given me something to move towards.
I'm going to leave you with a foreword for 'The Darkness Of The Night' written by my good friend and music writer David Franklin, who's had a rough version of the EP now for about 3 weeks. Enjoy :)
"It has been said that music is what feelings sound like and if that is the case, then these songs are the perfect embodiment of that sentiment. They will immediately resonate with anyone who allows themselves to be bathed in their honesty, formed as they are from tears and memory.
Never afraid to deal with themes close to the heart, here we find Billyjon taking us down a darker and possibly slightly more mature path than on previous musical journeys. At times wistful and reflective at others more insular and troubled, the 'Darkness Of The Night' lets all of these hidden emotions see the light of day.
In a souless musical time, these songs will reconnect you with the basic, important, emotional themes of life; both the dark and light aspects of the heart. If music is the wine that fills the cup of silence, then this is the sparkle and the heady aroma of what should prove to be a very special year."
Love you
Billy x
Monday 7th December
Yesterday was my last session with Ben before I get the master this Saturday....we have decided to live with it for a week just to make sure we're happy with the mix.
Its been so long since we started talking about doing the EP, but now we're finally here. I'm putting
together the artwork this week, so I'm hoping I'll have them back for the beginning of the New Year.
In regards to the launch, I think we're going to do it at The Victoria in Swindon near the end of January...but I might preview the EP online a week or so before hand. I really do need to sit down and think about dates!!
Hope you all had a great weekend. I'm off to put my Christmas Tree up!!
Billy X
Tuesday 1st December
So it's nearly Christmas :) I can't actually wait to put my tree up...it's going to be my first Christmas in my new place...think I might actually go a little overboard on the decorations. haha.
I'm also looking forward to seeing my family, as we're all pretty much spread out across the UK. It will be nice to sit down with them, have a drink and maybe eat some turkey...
So we're still mixing the CD...haven't heard from Ben since Friday (we went out for a few beers for his birthday...and drank way too much), but I trust he's been working on the songs. He's been trying to find the right reverb for my vocal for quite a while now...but that's what I love about him...his ear for detail and making things sound way better than I had ever expected. It's those little things that count right?
I have a couple of gigs this month too...the first is actually this Friday night at a pub called The Crown in Aldbourne, Marlborough, then I'm at Riffs Bar in Swindon on Friday 18th, followed by another gig in Swindon at The Beehive on the 21st. Details of all the gigs can be found on Myspace.
If you haven't become a friend (fan or follower) on either Myspace, Facebook or Twitter, please make sure you do as I LOVE getting in contact with all of you. Thats what makes this whole experience woth while and real...the sharing. Sometimes it can feel so cold out here that its nice to talk and experience this journey with you.
Anyway...its late and I'm talking shite so I better go.
Enjoy your week
Love always
Billy x
Friday 27th November
Ben sent me a rough version of the whole EP last night...can't believe we've (nearly) finally arrived. I've been playing it all morning just so that I'm sure of the direction we're going in. I'm pretty sure im sure :)
I am so happy with the way things have turned out and progressing. I have a meeting with Stuart (4th Street Records) lined up to discuss the format of the digipack...I don't know whether to keep it simple or really go to town. We'll see I guess.
I've also been in rehearsals with the band for the past month. Its been awesome trying out the new material as a 4 piece as the songs really come alive and take on another form almost...safe to say that as soon as the EP is released, we'll all head back into the studio to record the fulll-band debut album.
Hope all is well in your corner of the world.
Love always,
Billy x
Tracklisting...
Last night we managed to record every single song for the EP...I had expected to record 2 or 3 at the most. I guess it was one of those nights where everything just fell into place...
So. here's the tracklisting:
1) Our Song
2) Paper Cup
3) Oh So Softly
4) Home
5) Lullaby
All songs are performed 'live' and acoustic in the studio,
as I wanted a true representation of each song, and how it would sound if it was performed 'live'.
With previous sessions, I have found that the technicalities of the studio i.e. the headphones, confined spaces, and the fear of having to make things sound 'perfect' made me want to approach this session in a different way...hence my decision to record without the aid of any headphones, and performing the songs as if it was my last time, in complete near darkness...
In these conditions, I was able to focus on the subject of each song, and perform them like they should be...with meaning behind every. single. word.
I can't wait for you to hear it :)
Its party time
photography by Ben Albone / www.myspace.com/opticpic
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