Long awaited EP news

Hello folks of world
Timing is everything. You've got to capitalise on your success by instantly following it up with more product. So, here at the relentlessly commercial world of Boomshadow, we will soon be releasing a follow up to 2007's Midlife Crisis EP.
Just thought you'd like to know.

Some people disappoint me

I was in a chip shop last night. Don't judge me. It was late and I was hungry. If it helps, after putting my boys to bed, I'd just driven to Wolverhampton and back to pick up a Xmas present for them. So there.
Anyway. For whatever reason. I was in a chip shop last night. Another chap was ahead of me. Behind the counter, two mid 30s chaps were serving and a lady in her 50s was mopping. The chap ahead of me was maybe in his forties. He didn't seem to be drunk, which might arguably partially excuse, or at least explain, what followed.
He called over to the lady mopping:
"Hey! Hey! You can come and do mine when you've finished if you like"
My first thought was this: what a monumental twat. Quickly followed by: surely he didn't think that was so funny that it was actually worth saying out loud.
The lady immediately finished her mopping and went out back.
Customer to man serving: "I don't think she heard me"
Really? No, because obviously she'd still be mopping if she had, having pissed herself laughing. This man actually thought this was a good joke.
Even worse was to follow.
When she came back in, he did the joke again, in case she hadn't heard it
"I said, you can come and do mine if you like, when you've finished"
He made her, made her acknowledge his big hilarious joke. Honestly. All true. I despair of humanity.

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Ooh! Have we got a video?...

... as Neil used to say on an episode of the Young Ones


Got The Gun on YouTube

Yes! We've got a video!
I've been playing, boys and girls, and we have a fairly patchy, poorly synched video
I quite like it
Hope you do too

So far, just comments that it's badly synched and needs more of this

Half speed guitar smash on Youtube

One of the many things I love about that clip is PC
PC is not a big fan of the Who, or of guitar smashing bands in general
I had given no indication I was going to do that, and only decided myself at about 1.04 to 1.06
when I saw that the headstock had cracked away from the neck
But he knew
Deep in his drummerly heart he knew
Knew the etiquette of smashing the cymbals to add effect to the guitar smash
Without a moment's hesitation, purely instinctive joining in
I love PC
(and the other 2 as well)

9/10/12 Acoustic Club, Bulls Head, Moseley

Dear Diary

Today's gig was not me at my best.

Played a new venue to me, with a new promoter to me. Rachel the promoter was lovely - warm, chatty and welcoming. Nice, relaxed atmosphere generated. Not a huge crowd. Peaked at maybe 15, but I refined it to about 3 by the end (last bus, lift home is leaving etc). Distilled and purified, as usual. All of this absolutely fine.

But I disappointed myself. I've not got over the bronchial infection I had a month or so ago, and it's getting worse if anything. Couple of violent coughing fits while singing (and subsequent big headache from brain rupture. Or something.), sweat stinging my eyes so tears ran down my face, and my left hand cramped up for about ten minutes. I backed off vocally several times rather than sing with the passion and strength which has been steadily improving over the last couple of years of solo gigs. By and large, I quite enjoy what my voice can (usually) do now.

Pleased nobody came to see this one. To be fair, nobody there knew my songs, so they won't have known when I ducked out of some vocal bits. I probably covered it up pretty well. Except when I forgot the next chord in Behind Blue Eyes, on John Entwistle's birthday. Hopefully I didn't fail too badly, but I was unsatisfied with myself. No gigs booked until this infection is clear!

Set list:
Sunsets and lovers
Sleep like a baby
There's only you
Love will tear us apart (joy division)
Big brown eyes
Behind blue eyes (the who)
Say goodbye/sparks (extra who section to give my voice a rest)
Let it go, Jackie
Cold all alone

Next one will be better!


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Endoscopy

I don't like things being shoved down my throat which choke me. Call me Mr Picky. Today's endoscopy was supposed to have me sedated so almost asleep, and my throat numbed so I couldn't feel the camera go down.

I fought back apparently ( I was sedated a bit ). Three times I pulled the camera out of my throat, and I also ripped the canula out of the vein in my hand and made a slight mess. I would say not sedated enough there. So they abandoned it.

Not allowed to drive, climb ladders, operate machines or sign legal documents for tomorrow. So no work then. Didn't even get the camera past the back of my throat.

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More pancreas, with added gall bladder and music

Just realised I haven't blogged for a while. On checking, I see it's been 7 or 8 months now. In last week's episode, our hero was in hospital with pancreatitis. On Tuesday (2/10/12) someone wants to shove a camera down my throat, beyond my stomach, and get a better look at my gall bladder. I've had a camera down my throat before, to the top of the stomach, and it's one of the most unpleasant things that's ever happened to me. I have not been looking forward to it. This time I will be heavily sedated.
Hopefully it will have worn off by the following evening, when I'm due to play Acoustic Brew at Katie Fitzgerald's in Stourbridge. Planning a mellowed set and I may even sit down. On the 9th I'm playing the Bulls Head in Moseley.
Even had some Boomshadow activity recently, when we were kindly lent a studio for the day. Just a few overdubs to go and we'll have a five track EP.
Thanks for reading

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And so the decline begins .......

I am currently in the shiny new QE hospital in Birmingham. I felt a bit gippy about 4 on Sunday afternoon (29th January). By 6, when we sat down at cafe soya after the Chinese New Year celebrations, my stomach was bloated and I had stabbing pains at the top of my pregnancy bump-shaped belly. I didn't eat much, which is almost a criminal thing to do to a cafe soya meal!

I started vomiting about midnight, and since it seemed like something to do, my body decided to carry on doing it until about 6 or 7am on Monday morning (30th). Then it appears to have got bored and stopped.

I was left with massive abdominal pains, which I attributed to having maybe pulled muscles while vomiting. Appendicitis was suggested, though the pain was more on the left than the right (where the appendix is) so not that. Eventually conceding that this was too much pain for a normal upset stomach or food poisoning, I rang my GP at 11. They helpfully offered me their first available appointment on the 15th. A&E seemed a better option. I could hardly uncurl to walk, and barely speak, so Dad drove me in. I was seen pretty quickly.

Got kept in for observation, and a lengthy series of tests began, along with morphine (because whatever the cause, it certainly hurt) and lots of antibiotics ( because whatever lump of flesh turned out to be infected, some of me was definitely infected)

On day 2 of a lengthy series of progressive tests gradually ruling things out, I was diagnosed with idiopathic pancreatitis. Most common in the over 70s (I deny this!), alcoholics (practically teetotal) or as a knock on effect of gall stones (couldn't find any, and my cholesterol is normal, surprisingly). I haven't had a scorpion bite, or any of the other causes, so basically it's idiopathic - a medical term, meaning, from the Latin "hey, sometimes shit just happens".

I was 2 days on morphine (so now I can cross heroin off the try-before-you-die list), and now on day 4 in here.

And there's bad news. Pancreatitis, like appendicitis, can be fatal. That's not the problem. Like that, it's an organ which is a kind of cul-de-sac piece of thing which is attached to the digestive system.

Pancreas is a two-for-one bargain. It acts as a gland into the blood stream and regulates blood sugar, thanks to its early warning system of knowing what's about to enter the bloodstream as it dips a finger and tastes what's going past in the big tube, just after the stomach. That could have been the bad news. Part of my pancreas got so inflamed and squished, it went necrotic (it got deaded), but not enough that it seems to have left me with any diabetes.

Secondly, it spits out digestive enzymes into the gut at the top of the small intestines, just after the stomach has finished. These enzymes are fat-digesters. And they have a sick note. For 3 months. February, March and April could see local businesses (chip shops) under threat as their takings plummet. And after that, I've got to eat sensibly, and not descend into mindless chip-focussed hedonism. No more binge chipping. No more celibacy and chips and rock&roll.

At a funeral for an alcoholic wife beater, a womaniser who couldn't be trusted, or a prick who died jumping off a building for kicks, the eulogies will be heavy on the phrase "he loved life" or maybe "he lived his life to the full".

A fat bastard like me dies (even if it isn't directly bloody related!) and fingers point, and people mutter. "Hardly surprising, really. Just greedy. Couldn't control himself."

People have been very quick to blame my diet already, and while it's part of the solution, it was not a part of the cause.

And I am weak. I have a weakness for food. There are worse things in the world.

So here's the thing. If you were considering giving lectures (first time or continuation) on this being my own fault or on various themes encompassing dietary causes, what I need to do and should have done ages ago, overdue lifestyle changes, any kind of moral or social judgments, then fuck off. I don't care how convinced you are that you are right, it's not helpful, and nothing will lead to a return to glorious chip-based hedonism faster than this. I am nothing if not self-destructive and wilfully stubborn. Don't try and make me, I will resist.

Quite simple really. The hard bit will be me on a low fat diet until 1st May. That's where I'm going to need help. If you take the fat away, what can I eat that isn't sawdust or shrubbery? Rather than "stick", how do you make carrot an appealing prospect for a meal?

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Top Five Regrets of The Dying - Exposing The Truth

http://exposingthetruth.info/top-five-regrets-of-the-dying/

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Recent gigs

I like to think I have a gift for refining an audience. Filtering and distilling it until only the best are left. Take Wednesday night at Acoustic Brew for example. Late Night Train did very little work for me, as the place just filled up with people listening intently. A chap read some poems, but was rubbish, as nobody left at all. I refined the audience from 20-30 people to a quality 5 by the time I finished. Then Voodoo Barry undid all my good work, as they all came back in again. Amateurs.

Sunday 31st July was another outdoor "festival-y" gig for Boomshadow. 20 minutes due to a packed programme. Laurence suggested that fancy dress would be the order of the day. We were, variously, Darth Vader, a hazardous waste technician, a clone and something in leopardskin. Pictures on Facebook, free download from soundcloud or bandcamp, yada yada yada. It was fun. A really good use of the recently reclaimed park. Couldn't see my fretboard or my feet though, so the costume has to go!

Wikipedia took this down!

Recently heard the godawful pap that is Nate Dogg and Warren G's "Regulate" on the radio.
I was reminded of how good the Wiki synopsis was, and searched for it - GONE!
Took me ages to find it again, but I reproduce it here for your entertainment:

On a cool, clear night (typical to Southern California) Warren G travels through his neighborhood, searching for women with whom he might initiate sexual intercourse. He has chosen to engage in this pursuit alone.
Nate Dogg, having just arrived in Long Beach, seeks Warren. On his way to find Warren, Nate passes a car full of women who are excited to see him. Regardless, he insists to the women that there is no cause for excitement.

Warren makes a left turn at 21st Street and Lewis Ave, where he sees a group of young men enjoying a game of dice together. He parks his car and greets them. He is excited to find people to play with, but to his chagrin, he discovers they intend to relieve him of his material possessions. Once the hopeful robbers reveal their firearms, Warren realizes he is in a less than favorable predicament.

Meanwhile, Nate passes the women, as they are low on his list of priorities. His primary concern is locating Warren. After curtly casting away the strumpets (whose interest in Nate was such that they crashed their automobile), he serendipitously stumbles upon his friend, Warren G, being held up by the young miscreants.
Warren, unaware that Nate is surreptitiously observing the scene unfold, is in disbelief that he’s being robbed. The perpetrators have taken jewelry and a name brand designer watch from Warren, who is so incredulous that he asks what else the robbers intend to steal. This is most likely a rhetorical question.

Observing these unfortunate proceedings, Nate realizes that he may have to use his firearm to deliver his friend from harm.

The tension crescendos as the robbers point their guns to Warren’s head. Warren senses the gravity of his situation. He cannot believe the events unfolding could happen in his own neighborhood. As he imagines himself in a fantastical escape, he catches a glimpse of his friend, Nate.

Nate has seventeen cartridges to expend (sixteen residing in the pistol’s magazine, with a solitary round placed in the chamber and ready to be fired) on the group of robbers, and he uses many of them. Afterward, he generously shares the credit for neutralizing the situation with Warren, though it is clear that Nate did all of the difficult work. Putting congratulations aside, Nate quickly reminds himself that he has committed multiple homicides to save Warren before letting his friend know that there are females nearby if he wishes to fornicate with them.

Warren recalls that it was the promise of copulation that coaxed him away from his previous activities, and is thankful that Nate knows a way to satisfy these urges.

Nate quickly finds the women who earlier crashed their car on Nate’s account. He remarks to one that he is fond of her physical appeal. The woman, impressed by Nate’s singing ability, asks that he and Warren allow her and her friends to share transportation. Soon, both friends are driving with automobiles full of women to the East Side Motel, presumably to consummate their flirtation in an orgy.

The third verse is more expository, with Warren and Nate explaining their G Funk musical style. Nate displays his bravado by claiming that individuals with equivalent knowledge could not even attempt to approach his level of lyrical mastery. He also notes that if any third party smokes as he does, they would find themselves in a state of intoxication daily (from Nate’s other works, it can be inferred that the substance referenced is marijuana). Nate concludes his delineation of the night by issuing a vague threat to “busters,” suggesting that he and Warren will further “regulate” any potential incidents in the future (presumably by engaging their enemies with small arms fire).

Turning 40

I dreaded turning 30 from the age of 22. It blighted my 20s. The 40 thing only really occurred to me at 39, and only really in the last week or two became an issue.

But I still wasn't happy about it. I wanted to bury my head in the sand and ignore it. Jess made me have a party. And I'm very pleased she did. It was just what I needed. A night of massive self-indulgence with friends happy to indulge me.

I started it off with my acoustic set. Many people hadn't heard Cold All Alone before, which seemed particularly appropriate on the night.

Dale did an acoustic set, thank you Dale. I only like 2 Tenacious D songs, but I do love those songs very much, so was very pleased he played them both. Many comments about his beautiful voice.

Then a comedy section. Laurence and Paul (Crooke) were excellent. I met Paul only this year on a comedy course Jess booked me on. Nice to have representatives of people I have met throughout life, from 11 (Carl) to someone new in my life. Friends are not just nostalgia, I can still function even at 39 and meet new people.

Laurence and PC played the song Bertie and Ru recorded with Paul (Carroll) for my birthday. Beautiful. I love it. Best gift I had.

Then Who (mostly) covers. The high point of the evening for many, it seemed. There was dancing occurring. Si made an excellent Townshend. PC was great. Kester and Carl were in my first ever band Give Way, over 20 years ago. Had a thoroughly bloody good time. Whilst the process of writing and performing my own material gives me massive spiritual fulfilment, it was fan-bloody-tastic to blast out some of the songs I love listening to. Can't explain, substitute, jilted John, pinball wizard, boys don't cry, I can see for miles and my generation were tremendous fun to sing. Well inside the comfort zone in a way, and yet the first time I think I've ever sung without a guitar on.

Fatbwoi. A friend whom I am a proper fan of. Chicken, zombies, a rare crack whore, a duet. I love his stuff. Its on my ipod and everything. I got to request the set list. I think I went beyond the half hour, oh, just a tad, and further knocked the evening back.

Boomshadow got on about midnight, I think, and when I looked up after the first song, half the guests had left. Last bus? Last train? I shall pretend it was that. I love Boomshadow.

So I had a thoroughly lovely night. Sunflower Lounge have decided not to give us our deposit back for not spending £350 even though we clearly did. But I'm going to ignore that for now. Masssive thanks to Jess, Dale, PC, Laurence, Paul Crooke, Simon, Carl, Kester, PC, Fatbwoi, Paul Harwood, Laurence, PC, Phil and Angela for coming down from Carlisle, and to everyone who came to celebrate with me. I thank you. It meant a lot to me. I hope you enjoyed it too.
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Had a lovely gig with Less For Murder and Fatbwoi at the Hollybush Pub in Cradley last night. LFM have a CD out, do have a listen (see their Reverbnation, MySpace etc for where to find it). I remain in awe of Fatbwoi Dave as a live act. We each did half hour, like normal people, Fatbwoi was still getting encored at 1h 15min.

Anyway, I was marvellous, obviously, and you'll have to accept that unless you're prepared to come see me in person. Next gigs: Wednesday 1st June at Katie Fitzgerald's in Stourbridge (its NOT that far, and its worth the trip); Monday 6th June at Adam & Eve (Digbeth. That's handy and central. Nice pub. No excuses!); oh yes, and a stand up comedy showcase probably on Sunday 29th May, details tbc)
(Boomshadow 27 May cancelled)

More dates

G solo - Wednesday 1st June - Katie Fitzgerald's
G solo - Monday 6th June - Adam & Eve

And in a packed programme tonight .....

Sunday 1st May 4pm - Katie Fitzgerald's, Stourbridge (Boomshadow)


Monday 2nd May 11am - Lightwoods Park (Boomshadow)

Tuesday 3rd May 8pm Yardbird (G solo)

Friday 13th May 8-11pm - Hollybush, Cradley (G solo, also Fatbwoi, Less For Murder)

Friday 27th May 8-11pm - Sunflower Lounge (Boomshadow)

Boomshadow for Picnic in the Park, Warley Woods - tbc

Sept 9-10 - Artsfest - tbc

Current tour dates:

Monday 2nd May 11am - Lightwoods Park (Boomshadow)
Friday 13th May 8-11pm - Hollybush, Cradley (G solo, also Fatbwoi, Less For Murder)
May/June tbc, Boomshadow in Brum
Julyish - pencilled in Boomshadow for Picnic in the Park, Warley Woods
Sept 9-10 - Artsfest - application in, never put us on before, but you never know

The revival continues

And there were more Boomshadow rehearsals. And a Fatshadow/Boombwoi gig on 28th March. And Gareth, Fatbwoi, Omar and PC for Jess' 30th on 2nd April. Boomshadow booked in for Picnic in the Park in the summer. Boomshadow 1st act on 2nd May for Lightwoods Park grand re-opening. G solo with Less For Murder and Fatbwoi on 13th May. An offer of a pub re-opening needing some music. Its all starting to come together a bit. Music is afoot!

Gig alert, not really Boomshadow, not really solo

Fear not, dear readers, for Boomshadow proper will have their first rehearsal of 2011 in March!

But to whet your appetites for the upcoming album and world tour, there is a collaboration coming up. A Fatshadow Boombwoi production will be presented in all its glory on Monday 28th March at the Adam & Eve in Digbeth (8pm, free entry)
Should be an interesting partnership, with a blend of fairly diverse musical stylings and facial hair. And body mass. Fatbwoi being something of an ironic name, we shall look like the number 10 when standing next to each other.
Hope you can make it

Happy New Year

Well, hello there.
Ok, so its now 2011. I was born in 1971. You do the maths.
So that's one thing that 2011 will definitely bring, but what else?
I have been hoping for an album for about 3 years now, 4 maybe. Will that happen this year?
Will there be gigs? Will they be solo and/or band?
Will we have something recorded and able to be played on the radio?
Solo albums?
Que sera sera.
I just hope 2009 wasn't the peak

Bit short notice

We last played together in April 2010, when we did a bit of recording with Fatbwoi.
We had a reunion strum and bang with sturm und drang on Tuesday 7th December
As so often happens, this went with the gusto and joy of freshness and rediscovery
So we decided you should all have a chance to see a live reunion rehearsal and how much energy it has
We didn't play many songs, we mostly just played, so the songs will still be fresh to us
Lets just hope we remember them!
Next gig then:
Adam & Eve, Bradford St, Digbeth
Monday 13th December
Last act on, at approx 10.30
See you there!

I will be 40 next year

I will be forty years old next year. I can't say I'm particularly happy about that. From the age of 22 I dreaded my impending 30th birthday, and thus I wasted most of my 20s. 40 has only really started to loom in the last few months.
I am currently part way through reading Richard Herring's excellent book (particularly if you like Richard Herring. If you don't like him, probably won't be your favourite book) How Not To Grow Up, about his own struggles with turning 40.
30, to be honest, really was just a number. Whereas nearing 40 I am getting some tangible signs of ageing.
I have had "a bad toe" for about 3 months now. The nail went manky, and it was agony every time one of my spawn stamped on it. Its finally clearing up, but things never used to take that long to heal.
I've had a cough for about 4 weeks now. Its turned into a chest infection. I'm on antibiotics and I've had to admit defeat and quit smoking. I'm resting. I genuinely don't feel well. I passed out whilst coughing, which scared the bejesus out of Mrs Langston, as she had to pound on my chest to restart my breathing.
I'm never ill! Never! Even though I weigh as much as Rosie (from "Whole Lotta" fame, ie nearly 19 stone). But she was supposed to have breasts, and I'm not.
Found out this morning that a friend of mine who I've known for 30 years (and that's far too long a time to be applicable to any aspect of life) had 2 strokes earlier this year.
Signs of mortality are on the increase. Not just that we all die. I've known that to be true, logically, for some time. The problem is that it is increasingly applicable to me specifically.
Hence the reason for most mid-life crises, I suspect - a desperate attempt to milk the most from what remains of life before it is gone.
But I've already had a red sports car. Already had a busty blonde girlfriend 10 years my junior (now my wife and mother of my two boys - rock and roll!). I already play at being young again in a rock band.
What else is available to me?
I don't drink any more, really. I have no desire to philander - my life needs simplifying not more complexity. What else can one do to recapture lost youth if not go on a self-absorbed rampage of self-destruction with collateral damage?
As I write this, I really hate the only logical conclusion. Not self destruction but self improvement. Lose weight, eat better, jog, exercise. Its entirely possible that the signs of mortality (aches, pains, illnesses, general decrepitude) would ease (or at least be replaced by some new aches and pains).
What a depressing conclusion to reach. I may have to make constructive efforts instead of self destructing. That can't be right, surely?
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