A place where things happen...

20th September 2018

That place being Airtight Studios, Manchester, having recorded some special moments by the likes of Soiuxie and The Banshees, Peter Hook, Paul Weller, Thea Gilmore, Robert Plant, Jah Wobble, Badly Drawn Boy and... so many others.

Well today it was my turn, along with other Words and Music Festival homies, doing some 'crowd' backing vocals for a yet to be released track by Nigel Stonier!

Great fun and yummy pizzas!

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Last night was great fun at @airtightstudios laying down some backing vocals for #NigelStonier for a song on his forthcoming album! Most of the @wordsandmusicfestival team will be on this! Plus yummy pizzas, what's not to love!? #musician #studio #production #whatcouldpossiblygoworong #newalbum #newmusic #radio2 #Airtight #backingvocals #vocals #backingvox) #singersongwriter #singersongwriterproducer #newrelease #track #musicstudio #recordingstudio #studio #recording #Ampex #analogue #tape

A post shared by Jonathan Tarplee (@jonniegitahhr) on Sep 21, 2018 at 9:25am PDT

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Now that’s a proper session! @cromapizza

A post shared by Airtight Studios (@airtightstudios) on Sep 20, 2018 at 12:09pm PDT

A Crowning Moment.

Thursday October 13th, 2016

I have known Nigel Stonier for many years, at least as far back as the existence of the Sandbach Arts Festival, which he organised and, if I remember rightly, raised funds for Amnesty International. 
Last night was his gig at the Crown Ballroon, Nantwich for the Words and Music Festival, of which Nigel is one of the directors, but only rarely plays solo, himself. I was delighted that he asked me to do a solo slot and not only that, join himself, Thea Gilmore and Fluff for the final song! Top night.

The whole evening represented a celebration of now, nine, yes NINE successful years of this amazing festival. A real pleasure to be a part of it. Nigel received a very well deserved round of applause for the amazing part he has played in coming up with the 'mad idea' in Thea's words, of starting this festival, which now hosts some of the most incredible, international acts.

With thanks to Kirsty of KRPR Services for some of these shots (the good ones, as credited)! 

Guitars wait nervously in the
Green Room

Thanks to KRPR Services for this photo.

The finale! Thanks to KRPR Services for this photo

This part of the rider
didn't last long.

Mesmerised by the haunting sounds of @JonnieGitAhhr - sounds of last night's gig at #Nantwich still echoing in my ears.

— Liz Sennitt Clough (@LizSennitt) October 14, 2016

Cabaret time...

Oct 14th 2015.

Photo by Dick Jones.

It was post-gig anniversary night of The Words and Music Festival with a range of festival performers putting in some decidedly off-piste performances in celebration of this Eighth year, hence the song-themes of bronze, lace and all things railway in honor of our hosts and festival supporters, The Railway Hotel, Nantwich.

Performances from me, Thea Gilmore, Nigel Stonier, Jim Kirkpatrick, Chris Capel, Poet Helen Kay and a hot property in the folk world right now, Kelly Oliver. All the artists performed something especially for the occasion, including a new song from me, "Butterfly (on the railway line)".

Fun!

Thea Gilmore playing in a pub!? Only here. :)
With producer/songwriter Nigel Stonier.

Plan, promote, prepare and PRACTICE.

#viewfromthekit in rehearsal today for my gig playing for Jon Tarplee at @nantwichfoodies . Sounding sweet! pic.twitter.com/8CZ4XR5VyV

— Daniel J. Logan (@theDanielJLogan) August 19, 2015

 A little gap between gigs for a self-managed muso' means time to plan, promote, prepare and practice, among numerous other things.

One of the things on the list is a rehearsal with go-to percussionist (not to mention producer), Dan Logan. Dan has recorded & performed with the great and the good including Thea Gilmore, Jackie Trent, Rod Clements & Mike Herron as well as performing live on Radio 2 a number of times and  playing major festivals (including headling Cropredy with Thea).

So Dan and I have a couple of gigs booked as a duet, the second of which I'll be able to announce shortly, but the Nantwich Food Festival comes first on September the 4th, shortly followed by my gig at The King's Arms Festival, Salford the following day - tickets available HERE.

Rehearsal was great fun (I hope for Dan too, even though he'd been playing all day) and it was first opportunity for me to play 'Red Severn' in anger. She is my newly purchased Vintage guitar, based on classic guitars like the semi-acoustic Gibsons, but having tried out a few semi-acoustics at Salop Music Centre, this was, to my fingers and ears, the best in my budget. Vintage do very fine copies of classic instruments and Salop Music Centre is a really big music store with helpful, no-nonsense staff, plus a cornucopia of wonderful sound-making stuff that will remind any musician that as long as such a place exists, they will never be rich, as there will always be that coveted instrument just out of your price range that you really need in your life. Playing music is a kind of real wealth that money can't buy anyway.

'Red Severn' from Salop Music Centre.