A Marker and A Map is the third release I’ve done with Sam Airey, but was recorded at the same time as ‘The Blackout’ single from last year. This EP features four tracks veering from stripped down acoustic, to a more filled out sound, as on lead track ‘The Unlocking’ below - where I also feature on electric guitar
The Unlocking has already been featured heavily on Radio 1, courtesy of Huw Stephens, and there are a couple of launch parties lined up for the coming weeks - where I’ll be repeating my twirly guitar tricks live
I’ve talked a lot on here about Honour Before Glory - my solo project based almost entirely in the studio
A few weeks ago I released The Maison EP - featuring 4 tracks showing different strands of the same song / idea. I think it gives a good demonstration of the different ways I approach recording, and also the variable nature of this project
Last week, another Honour Before Glory track, Monochrome In Sunshine, was featured in the latest series of Skins. Maison had also previously been featured in Hollyoaks at the end of last year.
Back in January I had the absolute pleasure of working on a couple of tracks at House Of Mook with Born With Stripes - definitely one of the most exciting things I’ve had the fortune to work on (apologies for the superlative)
They released the first track - …You Stole The Laces From My Shoes - a couple of weeks ago. The video is below, with a second track to follow soon
First off, an apology - the reason this blog hasn’t been updated much recently is not because I haven’t been busy, but because I have been very busy. As well as recording, I am not lecturing at Leeds Met University and combined with the planning of the forthcoming Live At Leeds The Unconference, a few things have slipped. But no more!
At the start of the year, Kleine Schweine teamed up with me again for the second assault of dictatorially influenced punk rock. This time recorded at Mook, ‘You Can Call Me Albania / Back In The DDR’ were again mastered at Hippocratic, and released almost immediately on free download
The last single, ‘Breakfast In Albania’ also chalked up a couple of radio plays on Tom Robinson’s BBC Introducing show on 6 Music in January. More recording is planned soon
Continuing my recent quick turn around of records - a couple of weeks ago, I recorded this track Picture Frames with Soul Circus. This Xmas single is released in aid of the fantastic charity St Georges’ Crypt based in Leeds
After recording the new Kleine Schweine single at Loom Studios, they have kindly added me to their list of regular freelance producers working out of the studios - so I will be doing more work there in the future!!
Over the last 6 months I have been intensely working on a series of EPs that most likely won’t see the light of day for a not dissimilar length of time (Shark Teeth/Blood Oranges, Sam Airey, Monte Carlo, Honour Before Glory & Harry George Johns)
It’s been refreshing therefore to in the last week work on two singles that will be out almost immediately.
The first is the debut release from Kleine Schweine - recorded at Loom Studios last Tuesday (15th Nov), released last night. Mastered, as is the current norm by tdwoodhead
The band play their debut show on Saturday 3rd December, at which I’m also DJing. Details here
