August 22, 2008

Yeah Baby Yeah

EP 3 can now be purchased in both physical form and download form from CDBaby

Last night we had our first Hair Thieves gig, supporting Guns for Girls.   I think it went ok.   We had a few technical issues with the PA system which made it a bit difficult at times, but in a funny way.

Hopefully, some photos and maybe some video of it will be posted soon, once I've rounded it all up.

We have two more gigs this weekend.

On Sunday we are playing with SheBanng at The New Inn at Bridgnorth.   The event runs from 2pm to 6pm.  We will be on at 5:45, for 30 minutes.

On Monday, we are playing at the Quayside in Bridgnorth (next to the bridge),  we are on at 12:40 for 40 minutes.

Later

Rollasoc

August 09, 2008

EP3

After many false starts, delays, and procrastination, EP3 is finally done and dusted  (Track listing ) . I spent a happy couple of hours printing the CDs yesterday and Chris has spent even longer burning the CDs and printing the labels. You would not believe how tedious this process is.

As before, we mixed and mastered in a surprisingly short time and the results are pleasing; to my ears anyway. Now if only we could get the writing and recording done in an equally short timescale........

3 acoustic gigs coming up this month which more than exceeds our usual annual allocation.

Other news: I hit a cow with a train.

E

August 01, 2008

Buses

Finally, EP3 is finished.    Only about eighteen months later than we said / hoped it would be.

Over the last two weeks, we have had a couple of sessions to mix it.  Our guest backing singer came in and added icing to the cake.  We was both really happy with her contribution to the track.

Then on Monday we mastered the whole thing.

The track listing for EP3 is:

1.  The Beguiled (featuring Claire Francis from Francis-Bell)
2. A Journey of the Soul (cowritten with E's sister Stella)
3.  Bad Consumer (written by E and Guy from Red Star Radio with slightly amended lyrics)
4. Spheno Palatine Gangleoneuralga

A very limited run of physical CDs will be created for this and should be available for the gigs in August.

It will also be made available to download from Soundclick and possibly a few other sites.   More details to follow.

We will upload some of it to Myspace over the weekend, for your listening pleasure.

As I said in the last Blog, we have three acoustic gigs booked for August.
August 21st  - The Black Boy (Bridgnorth) supporting Guns For Girls
August 24th - The New Inn (Bridgnorth) supporting SheBangg (afternoon gig I think)
August 25th - The Quayside (Bridgnorth), part of the Bridgnorth Music Festival.

So August is going to be busy for us, I think.

We are now looking to what to record next.  I've started recording a pretty heavy track for the album.   I've also started writing my first new song in two years.   E is working on a new song as well.

Later

Rollasoc

July 20, 2008

EP3

A few things, but not much to report really.

We are going to start mixing EP3 today.   We are still waiting for some backing vocals to be recorded and they have been booked for tomorrow.

So the plan is to mix what we can today.  Record tomorrow.   Have a listen see what else needs doing and then finish mixing it in the coming week or two.

So all is on schedule for an August release.

We have now three acoustic gigs booked for August.
August 21st  - The Black Boy (Bridgnorth) supporting Guns For Girls
August 24th - The New Inn (Bridgnorth) supporting SheBangg (afternoon gig I think)
August 25th - The Quayside (Bridgnorth), part of the Bridgnorth Music Festival.

So what with being one of the photographers for the music festival and Open mic nights on the 23rd, 27th and 28th, I think I'll have a pretty busy week.

E and I have started practicing together.  A couple of songs need some work, but the majority were not sounding too shabby at all.

I went out last Thursday and did a solo set, supporting,  The Love Jones, playing a selection of tunes off the first three Hair Thieves EPs and some older stuff.   I really enjoyed the night and had some nice feedback from people.

So more news, when we finish the mix.

Later

Rollasoc

June 13th 2008

Friday the 13th.

Unlucky for some....   I won't even go there........

Another quick update.    EP3 is still waiting for a special guest to come in and sing some backing vocals.   Then we can mix it and finish it off.

There may be the possibility of a video being made, possibly even in surround sound for one of the tracks on the EP.    A good friend of mine has just written his own video editing suite in his spare time and wants something to practice on.   I'm waiting for him to get back to me.   Not sure if this will come off or not.  

We've been officially booked to play the Acoustic gig at the Quayside for the Bridgnorth Music Festival in August.   Though not official, we have also been booked to play another set that weekend.  More details to follow.     At the moment, it might be me on my own for the Quayside one, depends if E can get off work or not.     Strings are being pulled and bribes being dished out as we speak. (ok I made that last bit up).

I've started re-working on the Hair Thieves album..    My plan at the moment, is to finish the two songs that require 7 string guitar ASAP, and then sell the 7-string.  So obviously, those two songs will never ever get played live.

I spent last weekend re-reording one of the (untitled) tracks. It's pretty darn heavy as you would expect.  Plus I've been re-jigging the drums and arrangement. It needs more work (maybe this weekend, maybe next).   Then I can start on the other track.

So that is about it for now.  

Later

Rollasoc

May 17th 2008

It's a start.

Yet another quick update......

E and myself, played a short three song set together at an Open mic night at the Bear in Bridgnorth, during the week.

Bar a quick run through at my house just before the event, we hadn't rehearsed in months.   I think it went surprisingly well considering the lack of practice.

We played "Break the Casino", "Shorewards" and "Girl with two names". 

So that is our annual live performance done for the year.  Here is to the next one in 2009.    Only joking.  Hopefully, we'll do a few more this year and there is a distinct possibility that me might be doing a couple of acoustic things in August for Bridgnorth music festival.    More details closer to the time.

EP3 wise, expect some news in the next two weeks.   Well probably as least, knowing me.......

Later,

Rollasoc

April 20th 2008

Quick update......

Not overly a lot to report.  Again my fault.  This year seems to be slipping away from me.   The sad reality of real life keeps intruding on my time.

EP3 news, I have started to look at finishing EP3 off.   I now have my wizzy Line 6 XL3 up to date with the latest software and can now edit it on the PC.  So no excuses now about loading it with sounds.

EP3 will (like the last two EPs) have a limited physical CD run as well as being made availiable online.    I have purchased the physical disks.  I just need to finish the music.  I am going to make a concerted effort to get the CD finished by the end of May.   Not sure when it will be finally released though.

One gig has been booked for August at the Bridgnorth music festival and I've expressed an interest in another gig that week also.   So that should kick me up the arse to get either a full band together or, force E and I to go out as a duo again.

So hopefully, more information very very soon.

Later

Rollasoc

March 9th 2008

Where does the time go.

Quick update on the happenings of the Hair Thieves.......

Not a lot is happening.   I have a new job, which involves a sizable commute along the the hell hole that is the M6.     Job is going well though and the commute isn't as bad as I thought it would be.    But it has been leaving me knackered in the evenings, so not much of anything has really been done for the last month.

It is getting easier.    I have restarted looking at the remaining two tracks for EP3.  I've re-recorded the bass for one and played with the string section.    I'm trying to arrange the other so I can get it recorded after Easter.

I've also been streamlining my recording studio.  As such big chunks of it have been sold on Ebay.   

In the meantime, I have also been working with local band SheBangg on their new single "Inspiration".    If you read my other blogs or look at my Flickr site, then you may have come across the photos I took when they recorded the single, late last year.     Inspiration on Flickr

Well, they have been around to mine and recorded an acoustic version of the track as a B-side to the single.   It was a really enjoyable experience.

The single had it's official release party a couple of weeks ago.   I opened the evenings entertaiment, by playing a short set, including the track "Bad Consumer" of the Hair Thieves forthcoming EP along with covers from The Wannadies, Rhiaana and Duran Duran.

The SheBangg single "Inspiration" is set for it's official release on March 31st!! To pre-order the single text the word shebangg to 82822 !! Don't forget to then download your single on March 31st!

I can't see anything productive being one before Easter now, but I do aim on getting on and finishing the EP ASAP after Easter.  Honest gov... 

Later,

Rollasoc

February 8th 2008

Chart Success

Alright, not much success really but it is something. The Hair Thieves have reached number 34 in the IAC Underground 40 chart with the latest recording of Apotemnophilia. Well pleased!

January 29th 2008

New Year

Quick update on the happenings of the Hair Thieves.

Things have ground to almost total halt.   This is pretty much completely my fault.  My circumstances changed last Autumn, in what was a pretty stressfull end to the 2007.

This year hasn't started well either.  So it will be a few more weeks before things can get back to normal.

We have done some work on the remix we promised Red Star Radio.  Hopefully, that will be finished soon.

I have also been engineering and producing a track for another band (more about that sometime soon) and I have a couple other artists to produce over the next month or so.    Hopefully, then, I can spend more time kicking EP3 into shape and getting the album finished.

Oh, and a load of  my guitar pedals will be going on Ebay this week, now I have a new multi-effects unit.

Later

Rollasoc