True to my word...

...it was not a few months until I wrote my next blog-post, it was over six.

The Band

After almost three years of failed attempts to get things sorted, I have finally managed to assemble a band of really talented friends. We have been rehearsing regularly and we've played a few shows. Including myself, it's a six-piece line-up with Gabriel Minnikin on electric guitar (who, as I've already mentioned in a previous blogpost, is a fabulous songwriter in his own right), Ben Playford on piano (another great songwriter), Chris Hillman on pedal Steel guitar and Ben Price and Charlie Garson of I am Blackbird on Bass and drums respectively. I'll keep the Myspace, &c, updated regarding our next show, but I expect it'll be some time around May.

MAK

For some time now, I've been working with a Manchester-based charity

organisation called Manchester aid to Kosovo, contributing a track to their fantastic album 'ten' and playing several shows with them. It's

been an incredible thing to be a part of, not only because of my respect for the work the group have done in Kosovo, the continuation of which

will be partly funded by the sales of the record, but also because it has

been an honour to work alongside some of the musicians involved- Liam Frost, The Travelling Band, Cherry Ghost, Badly Drawn Boy, Elbow, Josephine, Gideon Conn, Silverclub, Jim Noir and Liz Green to name only a

few.

The details for the release and the work that MAK has been doing can be found on their website.

I am Blackbird

Another thing that's entered my world since the last time I could find the willpower to update this thing six months ago is my involvement with I am Blackbird. For those of you new to the band, you can check them out (without me) on their myspace here. I've been playing piano, organ and electric guitar and we'll probably do something together soon (with me). The plan, in the vaguest sense, is to do an E.P over the next few months and release it sometime after the middle of the year. Again, I'll be keeping y'all posted.

Mini-Album

Since every time prior to this that I have made some grand statement about doing an E.P or a record, any notion of the project has dwindled and disappeared without mention or acknowledgement, you'd be forgiven for never trusting me again, perhaps about anything. It's your choice but this time I'm getting involved with an aspiring and insane young producer and the band, of course to finally finish the fucking thing once and for all, most likely over the next few months. The idea is to do the whole thing using exclusively analogue gear and almost entirely live. Once again, I'll keep you posted on developments as they come. We'll be making the preliminary demos and talking specifics over the next few weeks.

More stuff...

I supported Simone Felice at St. Ann's church in Manchester the other day, and somebody filmed a lovely video...

Also, the new Bill Callahan album is beautiful and everyone should hear it.

'Til next time (it would be cruel to promise when)...

Jo

xxo

It's been a while again...

(Shyly): Hey...

Ok, so I've been shit with the blog. If anybody cares about that I'm sorry. In fact, lately, I've been shit with most of it. I think that in the last post I did (which must have been several months ago now), I boasted that things were more stable, and what actually followed were several more months of decided instability. Two moves. More job moving around, etc. I don't want to get personal or start making excuses, but the blog has not been the first thing on my mind for quite some time. Touchwood, things are far more settled now, and there's a lot to report.

The First Aid Kit show

This was so long ago, it feels odd to comment on it, but of all the gigs I have played over the last few months, this one was by far the lovliest. Partly because of the bulk of the set itself, but mainly because Klara and Johanna Soderberg, with Gabriel Minnikin too (whose praises I couldn't possibly sing enough) joined me for the final song- a cover of Gram Parson's 'A Song For You'. Someone was kind enough to post a video on the YouTube.

There were a few great moments at the Liam Frost show, and many others that I will struggle to remember. Some good, and some completly abysmal, but that's the way it goes. I have enjoyed playing with the Minnikins a whole lot, as I will continue to be doing in the near future.

What's happening now.

I have been talking with a friend of a friend Steve, who is a producer from Manchester I met through a friend. A pretty enthusiastic dude with a lot of time and a lot of resources. He's clearly brilliant, though visably insane, and I can't say that there's anything about that that doesn't appeal to me. We will probably set about doing something real and concrete in the new year. In the meantime, I am focusing on bringing a smaller and more manageable band together in the coming months leading up to the studio time. As usual, the people I have the opportunity to play with are all fucking stunning musicians and good friends, so I'm excited to finally be playing with people again. Of course I'm writing again. Any demos I do will eventually emerge on the blog as per usual. I'll dig the four-track out.

Things to listen to, read and watch

I much prefer to talk about things I'm into on this blog than I do talking about my own ventures, so I'm going to use the opportunity now to create a comprehensive list of everything that's inspired or entertained me lately. It's been so long, I couldn't very easily comment on each one, so instead I'll leave you with it. If you devoured everything on this list, I doubt it would be a fruitless experience for you, but it's probably less time-consuming to nibble on it, as it were. Dig:

Smog

Bill Callahan

Pavement

Mudhoney

Portrait of the artist as a young man -James Joyce

Dubliners -James Joyce

Kurt Vonnegut

Jesus' blood never failed me yet

The Shining

Don't Look Now

The Suburbs- Arcade Fire

Silver Jews

Human Remains

Ren & Stimpy

Just Kids- Patti Smith

Swann's Way- Marcel Proust

Mountain Man

Naive Super

Moon Palace -Paul Auster

Hand To Mouth -Paul Auster

Charles Baudelaire

Harvey Pekar

Luc Sante

Dinosaur Jr

Gene Clark

The Adventures Of Augie March- Saul Bellow

Rimbaud

Franz Kafka

Raymond Carver

Annie Hall

Peter Camenzind- Herman Hesse

-Deer-

That's all I can think of offhand.

Anyhow, the next post won't take a couple months. Things will happen, &c...

Luv,

Your Jo

xo

Been a while...

Hey, dudes.

It's been a long while since my last blog post. I find it really hard to believe that I haven't updated it since April 21st. To be honest, I've been neglecting almost every aspect of the music for some time, down to some pretty big things happening in my life, both mundane matters of employment and more profound personal shit that's made it very difficult for me to sit down with a guitar without accusing myself (wrongly) of being frivolous. It's been difficult, but I've pretty much landed on my feet with regular work and a new place to stay (something of a commune for musicians and eccentrics!), so I'm ready to get back into it and start writing again. I'm sure I've plenty to vent!

First Aid Kit Show (finally)

There are a few shows coming up soon, but one in particular which I'm looking forward to more, perhaps, that any gig in my life. On the 16th of July at the Manchester Deaf Institute, I'll be supporting my good friends First Aid Kit. They've been mentioned heaps in the blog so far and they've been a major source of inspiration to me over the past year in a way that only a handful of people have been. There's a possibility of us singing a few songs together, too. They're one of my favourite bands around at the minute and it's totally worth coming to see them play.

I will also be playing the Soup Kitchen on the 4th of July for a lovely little night set up by one of the most pleasant promoters in Manchester, Garry Thomas. The line-up looks really good. Kathryn Edwards' and Chris Butler of Butler Williams' new band We Are Willow will be playing, as well as Jake Flowers and Christopher Eatough, two lovely guys and incredible performers. It's free, also, so come if you can. The details are here.

Chew Lips @ Topman Control

I very recently played a show supporting Chew Lips at the Cardiff Arts Institute. They were kind enough to have me open for them. There's a video with some clips of the show on Youtube, which I can't watch without feeling totally dorkish and self-conscious. If this seems vain, it's only because I am, but it was a neat show and I thank Tigs and the guys as well as all the people who were involved and helped me out for the good night and the exposure.

Some things to check out...

Just a quick mention of a few things that are worth your time and/ or anticipation. Jo Dudderidge of The Travelling band gave me a special listen to their new record the other week, and I've gotta say that it's going to be amazing. There's no concrete release date but keep your ear to the ground on this one.

Also, a few blogs have leaked some new Arcade Fire songs that will be included on their new album, 'The Suburbs'. 'We used to wait' is particularly beautiful. I know this sounds corny, but I believe in the Arcade Fire. I can't wait for this record. One of the blogs is here. There's also a song on their website.

Damien Jurado, Micah P Hinson and MIA have all released stunning albums as well, that are totally worthy of your time and attention.

Keep it real. See you soon.

Jo

xo

Video from the Union Chapel show!

Thanks to whoever filmed it!

xo

New gig posters!

My busy seventeenth of April! First London show of the year...

Union Chapel

Finally coming to London! I'll be playing the Union Chapel for an afternoon show at about 2pm. That is, it starts at 2pm. I think I'm gonna be on at three or something, but it'll be worth coming for the other bands. Free entry! The show has been put on by my good friend of many years, Howard Mills, mastermind behind Humble Soul records (one of my favourite independent Manchester labels) and an honest man- a rare breed. The venue is beautiful, and there will be a real piano there that I'll probably do a few songs on. The other acts are The Miserable Rich and Cortina Deluxe. There's some more information on it here. Excited to be playing down South again!

Night & Day

I'll also be playing a charity show in Manchester that night at about 10pm. Its a benefit show for the Michael J Fox foundation. The current line-up is Christopher Eatough, Stations, me and 52 Teenagers. The event details are here. Apparently there will be a real Delorean parked outside, so if you don't come for the music, come for the Delorean and the cause.

Neal Casal

Also, unbelievably, I'll be supporting the mighty Neal Casal at the Ruby Lounge on May the 30th. Neal is one of my favourite guitarists ever and it'll be a real honour to play a show with him. He also just published an amazing book of photographs documenting his time as a guitarist for the Cardinals. Event details for that show are here.

Keep well,

Jo

xo

Gabriel Minnikin

Gabriel Minnikin's new record in progress is a project that I've been really excited about ever since he started recording it last year, and I've been meaning to mention it in the blog for quite a while now. I guess that part of the reason that I haven't so far is that I feel that it deserves far more time, attention and focus than a subheading amidst a load of other news and mentions of bands I know and dig.

When I started playing shows and immersing myself in the Manchester music scene I was still pretty young and I carried a lot of pretty idealistic notions, a central one being that the music industry is meritocratic and the good will always out. For a long time it really seemed to be the case, too. I was lucky to have seen so many great bands receive the recognition that they really deserved. For a while. Nine Black Alps, The Longcut, Cherry Ghost and Liam Frost (let's not mention Fear Of Music) all received considerable record deals and the path seemed to be set for them all to become the 'next big thing'. They all made great records, they were all dropped and the number of people who know about all the afore-mentioned bands is still shockingly disproportional to how good they are. It doesn't change anything to do with the quality of the music, but it does go to show how much affects awareness of good music besides quality or purity of intention. There's a whole load of bullshit too: bureaucracy, timing, fashion, money, press, etc, etc. No surprise that the music industry is as chaotic, complex and seemingly random as anything else that human beings are involved in. It can't always be helped.

Which brings me to Gabriel Minnikin. I first met Gabe a long time ago when I bought a violin bow for my guitar in Johnny Roadhouse while he was working there. Several years later, after fear of music broke up, I asked him if he wanted to play some of the songs I'd written with me. That's how I found out about his music.

Gabriel started out playing in a band called The Guthries, who formed in his native Nova Scotia. The line-up also included his sister Ruth Minnikin and Dale Murray (who both continue to make music under various guises and are still totally amazing). They made a couple of records and broke up. Gabriel has made two albums on his own (well 'on his own'): 'Hard feelings' and 'Wandering Midnight', as well as working with many different artists as a multi instrumentalist. He is also the keyboardist for the awesome Gladeyes, who are one of my favourite bands in Manchester at the minute and are currently finishing their first album. Gabe has since become a close friend, but his music has also been a source of inspiration to me and his attitude to music has had a profound effect on the way I think about being a musician.

Gabe's first two records are pretty incredible. He's a well studied, instinctive songwriter with a great sense of melody and form and a self-possessed, humble, calm attitude towards music. The instrumentation is lush and heavily layered without seeming cluttered or messy. Ruth's vocal additions add something really special to his very low, characterful range. I'm also a really big advocate of his lyric writing, which can be simple and direct, but is more often phantasmagorical, nonsensical and dreamlike in a way that never seems pretentious or contrived.

The album he's currently working on is his most ambitious so far, and it totally shocks me that its production has seemed to slip entirely under the radar. Somehow, he's managed to make an entirely DIY record with virtually no money that includes something like 100 musicians on it. A full orchestra, a thirty-odd piece choir, a band, brass, timpani drums, tubular bells... I make a brief appearance on one of my favourite songs of his and Ruth frequents a large portion of the tracks to beautiful effect as always. Sam Lench of Samson and Delilah has contributed as producer and Engineer alongside Gabriel and his talent's really shone through and made it happen.

I think that there are a few very rough, messy mixes on his Myspace, but it's really going to come together in the mixing, when everything is given its place. I'm always surprised that when I mention this project to people, no one is really aware of it. I think this is partly down to Gabriel's preference for doing things in a very insular way. He doesn't exactly scream it from the rooftops, but I think that he deserves a lot more recognition than he gets and I know that it bothers him (he has a pretty good song about it).

I know it could seem dubious to post a blog singing the praises of a good friend of mine, but I'm convinced I'd be trying to spread the word about this record whether I knew him personally or not. I honestly and sincerely believe in what he does and the lack of buzz surrounding him is a constant source of disbelief and bummed out feelings for me. I may have accepted that sometimes great artists don't get the recognition they deserve, but I haven't stopped believing that great artists deserve recognition and the most I can do is express my enthusiasm things I really love.

Jo

xo