Latest News and Views - 21st February 2011

Dear all;

Last week ended up been a bit of a damp quid for me as I went down with

A throat bug and cold that my little nephew has got, and resulted in me

Going off sick which wasn’t very pleasant at the end of the week.

This week as I am not 100% better – I don’t think there will be a lot happening

But I am certainly looking forward to band rehearsals on Tuesday with Jeff

As I am going to try out a possible Keyboard piece with him for future band

Work (Watch this space) and also carrying on work on our latest band 

Piece ‘Before the Curtains Open’.

I am also chairing a writing discussion group on Wednesday night called

‘Poetica’ on Wednesday night at Manchester City Library on Deansgate

In Manchester. I’ve been going to Poetica more off than on nowadays I will 

admit, but I used to go regular certainly from the Middle of 2007 to 

last year, but it can prove a helpful poetry discussion group for writers 

with their work.

Anyway, it starts at 6.30pm and will run onto around 8.00pm or something

So I believe.

Friday this week although I won’t be attending is ‘Friday Night Live’

With my guitarist and partner in Half Evil Promotions, Jeffarama

Over at Butterflies in Bolton fronted by the wonderful Second Hand

Wings who were last time I saw them a three piece female led group

Who really are well worth checking out.

Next Week however will be Guitars and Verse which’ll be fun

As always.

Latest News and Views - Week Commencing 14th Feb 2011

Dear all;

Sorry for the lateness in this week’s posting, but I got a little busier

than I expected in the beginning of the week and never really

caught up with myself then.

But anyway to business, I have already been to two nights (Sunday

and Monday) both Write Out Loud related nights in Bolton and Stockport.

The Bolton one was ran by my good friend and guitarist in my band,

Jeffarama who even persuaded me to go and do some MCing for him

(which I had done twice before over the past few years but never

really felt comfortable doing), and had a really top time doing.

The art that Jeff is developing so, so well at  W.O.L. Bolton

is the encouraging factor for all ages and all ability.

In some ways, it reminded me of the way ‘Freed Up Poets’ in

Manchester back in 2008  when I first started going as you didn’t

know what was going to happen from performer to performer.

All in all, here there were 19 performers here and I think 32

or 33 in the audience in total and for a small bar like Butterflies

in Bolton, that is good going.

I myself read ‘Memories of Moss Side (1981) with Jeffarama

which is our latest piece about my memories of the Moss Side

riots (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jg114E1oBN0)

and then ‘Before the Curtains Open’ complete with cuddly toy

(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kfsIJhWeh8Q)

Monday, I went over to W.O.L. Stockport. Stockport in total

contrast to Bolton is a lot, lot quieter and I think attracts maybe

12 people or so (It got 14 I think that night) and is read around

in a circle.

It wasn’t anywhere near as good as W.O.L. Bolton to put it

honestly as I am not convinced the standard of writing is

anywhere near as good, but I enjoyed road testing two brand

new pieces there ‘Peterloo’ which is about a massacre in the

centre of Manchester in 1819 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VaPjFHLuM04)

and another new one about witnesses to a murder called ‘Witness’.

bit of early days for both of these to decide what happens

next with them, but if they go well in rehearsal next few weeks

they may appear on other nights either with my band or solo.

No plans for any more performances now until Guitars and Verse

in March, but I will be active doing other stuff next week too

(More news to come).



Week Commencing 7th February 2011

Week Commencing 07 Feb 2011

God, where has the year gone already – only seems

Like a few days since Christmas and we are always

Well heading into February.

Last week itself was the usual rehearsals with Jeffarama

For ‘A Means to an End’ which tightened up our

Newest piece ‘Memories of Moss Side (1981) which

Jeff has produced a very Peter Hook Bass-line onto

It which gives it a pace like running footsteps which

I think works really well with the piece.

We performed it at the 6^th Guitars and Verse event

Last Thursday at Butterflies @ Bolton which was

Certainly the busiest of the 6 nights we have

Done yet, and without bragging too much got 18

People / acts on the open mike and a excellent

Injin Joe who was only little more than a kid

But were mega talented and an audience of

Over 45 at its peak, which pleased me a heck of

A lot.

This week as it stands, I won’t be doing much

As I am back in work after a few days off although

I do have more band rehearsals on Tuesday, where

I hope to have finished a new piece called ‘Peterloo’

(Google it if you are interested as it’s a forgotten

Piece of Manchester history) and we’ll jam around

With a few things and maybe perform at Write Out

Bolton next Sunday.