Monday 23 May 2011

It still freaks me out.....

When I play gigs and people know the songs or have heard of me and have my albums.


Its odd, but a privilege.


The drive down to Blackpool was tiring but fun,with the excellent company of mr David Elliott.

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The gig in Blackpool was fun - top organisation from Ken Foster, great sound. Made some new friends, decent warm crowd. Busier on the Friday but fine on the Thursday for turnout. My friends Credo played on the Thursday with me and and was nice to meet the Also Eden guys. Great playing with bands doing it for the love of music, all really nice people.

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I stayed in Blackpool for an extra day then got the train back on the Saturday. This could have saved some time:


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Spent the day on Friday wandering round with David, was fun and a great laugh. Seaside towns are a bit grim out of season but still very interesting, especially if you enjoy slot machines and Poundland. Here is David on the whole thing (hope he doesn't mind me quoting):


"Anyway...a few reflections on EG overall then I'll shut up about it (yeah, right). It was a success, certainly on a musical level, and there seemed to be enough people for Ken to break even (I hope). Quite a few folk were commenting that it's nice to have a prog event which takes place in the North of England - and with that in mind it was fitting to have The Tangent as the final band on, as Andy (and indeed the whole current lineup) are all Northeners. Having said that they came from far and wide, including a couple of guys from the US, and of course the young Italian contingent who were all such lovely people. The whole vibe was great, very much like Summer's End in that respect, happy, relaxed people enjoying a week d of great music. Lambsie was there for the three days and having a great time watching music without having to worry about schedules, load-ins and so on.


Highlights for me were many - Matt opening proceedings to genuine warmth from the audience; Dropshard, the enthusiasm of youth coupled with masses of talent; The Watch playing some of my favourite music (ahhh, Firth of Fifth!); SeYes pulling off a set consisting of some of the most complex music ever written with huge panache; seeing Darran from Godsticks in full stand-up comedian mode to an appreciative crowd...oh, and playing and singing like a demon; Abel Ganz, with a lovely acoustic feel coupled with a rock punch.


The sound was outstanding throughout, and Steve and Mike such gents. Steve was saying how great it was to work with such a friendly, co-operative bunch of bands.


But it's a bit invidious to single out anyone, really...I'd have paid to see any of those bands playing a gig, which is ironic because I didn't have to. The DJing was huge fun...lots of people asking for song titles, and chatting about their favourite music."


Amazing some bands came over from Italy. My set went down well - especially as I'm not "proper prog" (I know, OK you got me) and inhabit that weird crossroads that they call post rock or "post prog" as someone said yesterday. Nice supportive crowd, they videoed the whole thing :) So there may be a DVD.....


The journey back home was interesting. There is always talk of there being a north/south divide in England, but I think its more of a London/Rest Of England divide. When you get our of London its a different world. And I saw the concrete cows in Milton Keynes.

Tuesday 17 May 2011

Bandcamp Topsellers/Adrian Belew/Electric Garden Festival

Yesterday was a bit weird.

Screen shot 2011-05-16 at 22.20.13


The Fierce And The Dead album came out and sold pretty well. All the pre order Ltd CDs had gone already and it was in the Bandcamp top sellers chart for a while, we got knocked out by Madlib's new record! Thanks loads for your support, please keep telling your friends on forums and facebook and all that :)


This week is crazy busy for me Thursday to Saturday I'm at Electric Garden Festival in Blackpool, travelling back during the day then interviewing Adrain Belew and Ned Evett with the other Co-Hosts of the Nice Grooves podcast in the evening. On Sunday I'm off to co-host/guest on the Prog Dog podcast with my friend Geoff. Its all go. I can't complain, this is what I wanted :)


Will try and blog this week if i can


Ta Ra :)

Monday 16 May 2011

New Fierce And The Dead Album out today

The debut Fierce And The Dead (the band i play guitar in) album is now available to download at:

http://thefierceandthedead.bandcamp.com/album/if-it-carries-on-like-this-we-are-moving-to-morecambe

It always a bit weird putting out new music, you have no idea if anyone will like it. You just don't know, the reaction so far has been amazing....

You can pay any amount to download or order the forthcoming CD (delivered in June). Paying for downloads or CDs allow us to keep making music, it all goes direct to us (via bandcamp), not a record company. If you have a blog please write about it, Tweet about it, share it Facebook, post on a forum, burn a CD for a friend or just tell someone. Thats the most important thing, if you like the music please spread the word.

We're really excited about the album and hope you all enjoy it. We hope to see you out on the road later this year.

I'm doing a couple more solo shows in the next few weeks on Thursday in Blackpool with Credo and Also Eden and then a benefit for Amnesty International in London on the 28th. If you're going to the gigs come up and say hello!

This from the gig i did @ the great escape last week. Yes I was wearing my own band's T-Shirt.

http://lockerz.com/s/101228215

Thanks loads

Matt Stevens
www.mattstevensguitar.com

Wednesday 4 May 2011

Fierce And The Dead Track Listing

We're getting there - quick video promo for the new song from the Fierce And The Dead:


The track listing for the debut Fierce And The Dead album:

Flint

Part 2
The Wait
H.R.
Hotel No.6
Landcrab
Daddies Little Helper
Woodchip
10x10
Andy Fox


Monday 2 May 2011

Fierce and Dead/Final Ghost gigs....


Hope you're good. Happy Bank Holiday if you're in the UK :)

 

The gig supporting Fish was cool - Fish was very good to me, a very decent man with a high degree of respect for his fans. The final Ghost gigs continue next week with a gig at London Camden Unicorn then continue to Brighton, Blackpool, Rochdale and Ilswyn. If you want to hear the Ghost stuff these are the gigs to go to. There is a quick preview of my third solo album here.

 

The new Fierce And The Dead (the band I play guitar in) video is here:

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KA9en_aftVE&feature=player_embedded

 

It is very different to my solo music - I hope you like it, very much a collaboration with my friends Stuart Marshall and Kev Feazey. We finished the album in an epic session on Saturday. This song features Terry Edwardson sax - he has played with Nick Cave/Lydia Lunch/PJ Harvey/Spiritualized and the amazing Scapegoats. The album is out 16th May.

 

CD copies of Ghost and Echo are £10 this month if you want them - I'm off to the post office tomorrow so will send them then - been a nightmare sending CDs out with all the bank holidays in the UK - apologies for any delay - only 3 posting days in the last 11! Thanks so much to everyone who has bought CDs and downloads - you allow me to keep making music and keep doing this, I really want to get at least one more album done and your support allows me to pay to record. Hugely appreciated. You can order here:

 

http://mattstevens.bandcamp.com/album/ghost

 

If you like the music please tell your friends, burn copies and post it on Facebook and Twitter, this is so important. We don't have money to throw at marketing and the fact that people have downloaded the albums (now in their thousands) is down to people like you telling their friends. It means a lot to me.

 

Thanks very much

 

 

Matt Stevens

http://www.mattstevensguitar.com

http://www.spencerparkmusic.com

mattstevensguitar@btinternet.com


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