Magnolia Trees

Em, Simon and I tried a run through of a brand new song in Em's kitchen- Magnolia Trees. 

I'm sure it will evolve further as we play it more & backing vocals & Dave's parts are added.

Recently Contemplated

Updated 11/04/24 to include print version of press coverage) 

Some inspiration behind the upcoming track, Recently Deleted ;

And some local(ish) publicity: https://thenantwichnews.co.uk/2024/04/04/nantwich-band-the-blue-yellows-to-release-new-single/

Behind the songs.

 Behind the songs of the new Blue Yellows EP:

https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLfrymolKV_nei4KLoEhPn7H-BiJGfX0zD

The Way of The Bob

 

Last night and slightly into the early hours of this morning I was back in Ftumch Towers with Rob.

Apart from a from a fun catch up following a 10 month Covid-induced hiatus, Rob showed me his newly comfy, tidy and technically upgraded studio. I wasn’t expecting anything more but he played me a new composition and we came up with melody lines for it and co-wrote some lyrics. It looks like we’ve got nearly a whole album’s worth of material now.

We’re back!

Rafflesia Streams.

(Updated 22/09/2017)

Rafflesia Dreams is OUT TODAY on ALL digital outlets and services! 

Many people of you will have your own preferred favourite for streaming &/or downloading service. If you are not sure which one to use however, please help support my music by using bandcamp as they send much more of the money you pay directly to the artist (me!).. AND they're cheaper too so, well it's here: https://jonathantarplee.bandcamp.com/album/rafflesia-dreams

It was awesome to get this comment from sunny California within hours of release all those interweb outlets!

To celebrate the album and preempt it's release on all well known digital outlets, the night before I was delighted to appear on Tim Lee's burgeoning radio show on Redshift, The Doorstep Mixtape. I was the 'B-Side Artist' in the second hour, but the whole show is a great listen!



Or... just the shortened 'funny bits';

Two Pints of Lyrics and a Packet of Riffs.

Had a couple of recent trips to Runcorn, somewhere I've passed through so many times on the train on the way to Liverpool but never actually visited before until these occasions; the point being to visit a lovely bunch of young people who had recently been bereaved by a close family member, who had asked for some support with ideas on songwriting.

The bereavement of someone as close as a parent or brother or sister is a terrible thing to go through at any age, yet alone when you are a young teen to mid-twenties this group are, a time when there's a sort of assumption that your loved-ones will somehow be there forever...
This group were the subject of support of a wonderful organisation, Child Bereavement UK, who work hard to do all they can to help these youngsters come to terms with the strong emotions and difficulties they have as a result of the catastrophic loss they feel.
I can't say enough good words for them.

There's a reason (OK, an excuse) why I'm such a klutz

One of the things I'm enjoying in my first 'home-made' recording sessions is the ability to write a song simultaneously during the recording process, rather than as in the past, having to have a fully prepared song to bring to the studio.
Some lyrics are coming now for some new tune and riff idea's I've had. You might see me walking down the road, but I'll be writing a song, you might see me on the bus, but I could be working out another guitar part, I might walk straight past you without noticing because some lyrics are making their way from the sky into my mind.
All part of the artistic process and, more importantly, all part of my excuse for being an absent-minded, dipsie, faerie-head.
Apologies!

Lyrical Craft. Interview with Ink Pantry Publishing.

'...Music is pure emotional energy; to me it is not a thing or a product or a piece of art that represents feelings, music is the feelings, it is spirituality, it is the voice of the Cosmos'. 

Read the whole interview HERE

Christmas Down Time.

For an independent musician with a Christmas gig out of the way, band mates on Holiday and a break from non-musical activities too, the Post Christmas/New Year break offers perhaps the only real lull from activities, it's probably not a good time to speak to venues about gigs for instance. This means it's a chance to catch up on some admin. I spent a few hours on Boxing Day doing this, for example;

Sometimes songwriting is mostly admin.